Winter or Summer?

Here we are at the end of our Winter ... and Summer has rocked in! Wasn't there supposed to be Spring first?

I been kept pretty quiet this month with some bug or another and hope I'm finally kicking the tail end out the door. Sewing projects have been secret ones this month so they will have to wait for show and tell.

My mother took part in 'Another Little Art Quilt Swap' and is very taken with her new wall hanging she received last week.

You can read about the detail here.

Happy Sewing till next time.

No Electricity = Gardening

Yesterday the power was off from 9am till 1pm so after rushing around getting the kitchen tidy after breakfast and filling the thermos, I headed for the sewing room.
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Yes, the sewing room first to pull out fabric for 7 little projects I'd like to get started on. Then as I couldn't iron the fabric, it was time to head outdoors.
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Here is the almost end result. My lovely (look after themselves) roses are all pruned, weeded and manured compliments of the horses. I just need to spread the manure a little.

Once the power returned we had some lunch and then headed outdoors again. Mowing, whipper snipping and raking in the warm sunshine (almost too warm considering it's only early August).
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And here's a little harvest. The yellow ones are sooooo sweet!

Today I'm about to do some ironing (clothing) but I'll also iron yesterday's fabric and start cutting ... Yipeee!

Winner Announced!

Sorry for making you all wait but I wanted to wait till DS came home to ask him to do the honours.


Then, as you can tell, I had to wait for my turn at the computer.
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now for the drum roll
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CONGRATULATIONS !!! go to . . . .
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Julia's comment on 26 July was the lucky entry.

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Now as this 2nd anniversary snuck up on me, I don't have a gift ready and waiting, but I do know what I will be making.

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Thankyou for all the lovely friendships made.

Blogversary Giveaway!

Or to borrow Maree's title from her blog at Farmyard Crafts (thanks Maree) ... a Retrospective Blogversary Giveaway! In overlooking her first birthday of blogging, Maree went back to all the comments from that particular month and put them all in the draw, a very clever idea indeed!
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Well guess what? I've also overlooked my 2nd birthday of blogging which happend to be in the month of July. It was Maree's post that jogged my memory so I've waited until August and shall do the same.
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I have printed off all of your comments made in the month of July ... will cut them up ... place in one of my lovely patchwork bags ... and draw a winner. Some of you lovely ladies have more than one chance. My way of saying thankyou for your continued friendships.
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While I'm here, can I share with you my garden wanderings. Robyn mentioned her mulberry tree has new growth which prompted me to notice mine. I also found a lone passionfruit.

While I was wondering, I noticed two followers. They enjoy a wander around the garden in the warm sunshine as much as I do.

Be sure to check back later for a winner.

Change of Identity?

Please bare with me as I feel the need for a change ... bigger than just a background change.

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For a while I've been toying with changing my blog name and I think this is more me? I still love my roses and am getting ready for some pruning there once they finish flowering. I just think the definition of a 'notion' suits me more, with where I am at right now. And I like how it fits with the abbreviation of my first name.

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So I'll keep the blog address and all else the same, I've simply changed my title. I value your thoughts on my make-over.

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I leave you with my three fowl friends enjoying some free range in the garden.

Postcards and Family Craftiness

Two more fabric postcards ready to take the plunge into the red mailbox. This first is for a birthday . . .

the heart card is for our July swap so I've just scraped inside the end of the month.




As for family craftiness, DD made this folder cover while home from Uni, so no UFO box for this little project.

My mother is into all types of crafts. This denim quilt she made from hand-me-down jeans and purchased the border fabric. She also made the cream bed ruffle.

Another little wall hanging of mums, featuring stained glass work.

Happy sewing be it with family or friends.

What I've Been Up To

I think I lost the month of July to everything being hectic at once. Combine that with a dodgy internet and I haven't been here as often as I'd like. So while all is good and quiet, may I share what I have managed to squeeze in.
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This is a pattern I purchased from Tazzie Quilts and I've been wanting to make up for a while so I made two. Pink for me . . .

Blue for my lovely FRIENDS Swapee, Marina.

I also finished off joining the strips for the month of June and embroidered the name of each month on each first strip from January to June.

Then I got stuck into July and finished with a week up my sleeve. To see more colourful calendar quilts, click on my sidebar link. You can also read where some of my fabrics come from as my stash isn't plentiful enough to cover 365 days of the year.

At our last patchwork day I managed to cut all the strips and backing squares, ready to make a start on our king bed quilt. Currently I have 36 x 6.5" blocks ready for the next step.

There are two fabric postcards awaiting my attention today so I may have more to share later on.

A New Blogger and a Giveaway

My lovely 'Christmas in July' swap partner has joined the blogging family. Click on over and give Carol at The Patch Craft a quilters' welcome.

While you're out and about, you might like to visit Kate at Stitched With Love. She's having a handy giveaway to celebrate the number 200.

I think I've managed to join in the Stitchers Angel Swap 2009. I say think because technology can be a pain in the you-know-what sometimes and I had to take the long way round.

July has vanished into thin air as far as I can tell but I hope to get some sewing done this weekend. I also have a few pics of things to share so I'm off to do a couple more things around the house and then we'll see.

Happy Sewing

Swap FRIENDS

It's a real test of patience when the parcel notice arrives in the mailbox and you're not going into town for another week!
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But it was well worth the wait for Marina's parcel of goodies for the FRIENDS Swap. I was thrilled by her thoughtfulness.


F - Feline Fabric and two Fat Felines
R - Rose gift cards with envelopes and Red Lindt chocolates
I - Iris fabric and Iron on Transfers
E - Eggs (fabric ones) in an Embroidery hoop
N - Notebook
D - Doily and a Dilly Bag
S - Scarf
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Plus some other choc and coffee goodies amongst the wonderful gifts, not all chocolates made it to the photo. Here's a close up photo of some of the beautiful gifts.


Below are the goodies I sent off to Marina, you can visit here to see more photos.

Many thankyous to Khris for organising this great swap. As always, I enjoyed the gathering as much as the receiving. Swaps are such a lovely way to meet new bloggers and make new friends.

Christmas In July

July 1 (yesterday) yipee! What seems like ages ago, I joined Karen's Christma In July Swap. We had a list of goodies to gather and post to our partner to arrive by July 1. Mine arrived last Wednesday and I was very good and didn't open it till yesterday morning.
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First opening revealed two lovely gold wrapped parcels and a festive greeting card with quilling.


DD helped with the unwrapping to reveal these wonderful gifts.
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The chocolate is almost gone and I'll be trying Carol's Pineapple Slice recipe very soon. A noodle roll made with beautiful rose fabric, to keep my work safe and Rudolph to hang on the Christmas Tree this December.


I look forward to making the 'Christmas Bon Bon' kit and the pin cushion and tape measure are already in use beside my sewing machine. I'm really taken with the red button christmas tree embroidery, it's so clever. Each was wrapped and tucked inside this pretty floral bag

including a special treat for my girls (cats).

This swap was lots of fun to take part in thanks to Karen's great organizing. I hope Carol enjoys her gifts as much as I did gathering them, pictures below.

Happy Sewing