Bits and Bobs

Little P came for a visit last Friday and "helped " me clean the linen cupboard. He became rather attached to a pillow he found in the cupboard while he was "helping" and spent the rest of the visit toting it around and pretending to go to sleep and encouraging Grandpa to do the same.  And so the idea for Little P's Pirate Pillowcase was born.

My first finish for 2011.

Loungin' Around continues to come together, surprisingly, with very few "oh shit, bugger, bum " moments.

Two more Dresden plates finished (almost)  

I decided to make a table runner for our outdoor table. What I learned during this process is that Moda are a pack of lying bastards because 5 inches in charm squares sometimes means 5 and 1/8th inches, or even 5 and a 1/4 inches. I'm nothing if not flexible, and my trusty rotary cutter has come in very handy.  

Oz by Sanae is one of my favourite fabric collections ever.

A while ago, I won a giveaway at 13 Woodhouse Road, which  Shruti duly sent off all the way from India. It turned out the parcel was cursed because it burnt the post office down , and then the second time Shruti sent it (with completely different contents- because the original  parcel was toast ) it got returned to her looking like it had been hit by a bus. Third time was a charm. I think this good luck wish on the front of the parcel probably helped.

This is what was inside ..a silk saree bedspread. I'm so glad Shruti persevered. It's gorgeous. Thank you Shruti.  

I'll be guest blogging over at 13 Woodhouse Road later this month and again in February for the Sewing Spaces Focus feature that Shruti is hosting.  Pop on over and visit.

I have a chair fetish. There ..I said it. Out loud.   I bought some antique colonial chairs to go with the dining table months ago, and have since decided I don't love them. The hunt for more chairs has been going on for a few weeks. I was rewarded when I found these on the weekend. I like eclectic and they  helped solidify the original plan that the dining table needs to be re-done in a creamy white, which I will do...eventually.  Meanwhile my patio is starting to look like a used chair lot.

And now I'm on the hunt for the perfect fabric to re-upholster them.

Imagine creamy white as far as the eye can see...

Char over at Cloth Stitched is having a giveaway for 5 fat quarters of Pillow and Maxfield Pretty Bird Fabric. Pop on over and throw your hat in the ring for a chance to win. I have this fabric in the Fiesta colourway and would love the chance to round out my stash with some blues from this collection. Entry is open until January 15th.  

I've been graced with two awards in the last week. One from Kirsten at Logos Quilts and More and the other from  Seams Inspired. I wanted to publicly acknowledge the thought behind the gifting of these awards and to thank you both for thinking of me. I feel very honoured.

I've  made a decision about awards and I hope nobody will be offended or hurt. I blog because I love doing it. I read and comment on your blogs because I enjoy visiting you and seeing what you're getting up to.  Recognition for me is that people visit my patch of the blogisphere and hopefully leave feeling amused, or a little bit happier or having shared part of my day.  For this reason I've decided to make my blog an award free blog from now. I really do appreciate the sentiment behind awards but I'm not comfortable with accepting them for doing something I really enjoy. I hope people will understand (This one paragraph has taken me two hours to phrase!)

Day 2 of holiday-fest 2011 tomorrow. Going back to work seems ages away. Life is pretty fabulous.

Accolades, Op Shopping and a Crafty Dilemma

I went shopping on Friday to finish the Christmas presents, get a haircut and find an outfit to wear Christmas day.   The shops have started getting awful, people are being insanely rude,  and there  are going to be punch-ups in car parks because of all the stress. Everyone is starting to act like they're the only people who have to get things done. It's a jungle out there.  I like to keep it simple and avoid all that madness. I'll be posting the last of my Christmas haul over at my not so secret blog  (family not allowed) on Tuesday, so come on over and have a look then, but I wanted to show off some of my other finds from Friday.

I have wanted a soup tureen  for 22 years. You don't see them round much anymore and the ones in the op shops are often missing the ladle or the lid  or have nasty chips. My infinite patience was rewarded yesterday when I found this ...I was seriously doing the happy dance, and then I saw the price and it was like angels started singing. Now I just want to make a bucket of soup so I can use it.

I also saw this ceramic pumpkin and bought it for an autumn table decoration. Yes..I am turning into one of those "I must change my house every three months with the seasons" chicks. Nah ..I'm not. This'll probably sit languishing in a cupboard or get put on the table  when I remove this years Christmas decorations and get moved again when next years go up...

My Christmas outfit is taken care of. White capri's, white strappy kitten heels , jolly red top, and a scarf for some style.  All I need is some new jewellery. I'm thinking green so I really look like a walking Christmas tree. Most of this outfit was op shopped aside from one item. As usual my photography skills stink .

And I was gifted with some calico  bread bags this week from Freecycle.  I said I'd take them with only a vague notion that I could do something crafty with them . I don't know what I'm going to do with 40 of them. Ideas please? Anyone want a few? I am insane to be thinking about making a picnic rug or something out of these? Can any of you come up with something better?

Melissa graced me with a cherry on top award this week. How appropriate since I had cherries appear on my tree also. If you haven't met Melissa pop on over and have a look at her blog, clothwork. Melissa is insanely talented and her blog is like eye candy. Thank you Melissa.

Part of the deal with this award is apparently I have to tell you about three things I love and then tag three more people for the award.

I am not a big chocolate eater but I love Rum and Raisin Chocolate. This is my favourite. Love Rum and Raisin.

Obviously I adore both of these guys.  

And today I love this cat ...which doesn't happen very often because normally she is quite feral. Maybe it's a sign the world is about to come to an end, because she's being really cute and loving instead of trying to rip my face off.  

I'm tagging the following blogs because I think they're an uber-cool read. You should go check them out. They're all very different but eminently enjoyable.

Kirsten's Cooking -if it wasn't for Kirsten my family would get the same meals week after  week. Plus she just made 700 cinnamon rolls for charity.

Lisa at Git Down Kitty - one funny lady. She sews, she crafts, she finds weird things under her couch cushions.

Marg at Sunshine?Paradise? who is my soul sister in crafting disaster. It's so nice to have  friend who is as imperfect as I am in that department and doesn't mind sharing her flops (and many successes)

I just wanted to let the world know I love you. Don't feel obligated to tag along if you don't want to.

And now I'm off to sew some things. I may achieve greatness today  or I may not...probably not...meh.

The Thankyou Post

I've had about 10 cracks at doing this post and Blogger keeps eating my photos and words. Arghhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!! Why does Blogger hate me?

So many nice things have happened to me in the last couple of weeks. As you know it's been kind of crazy here so these sunshiny things that have  happened have really given me a lift in spirits during what has been a very busy time. So, I wanted to do some special thankyou's.

Cynthia over at Home Matters 1st did a post a while back about a gift she knitted for her cousin Helga. You can see her post here . I commented on it  and Cynthia surprised me by knitting one and sending it Down Under. I can't show it in it's glorious entirety here  because my blog isn't R rated.  (Just a tip if you go to Cynthia's blog she has a link to this project - but don't go there if you're faint hearted or easily offended )

Thanks Cynthia. This will making wiping my  benches endless fun instead of a dreary chore. I just hope Mr. P doesn't feel his manhood is being  threatened.

A while back Jenni at Baa Me Kniits, had a giveaway on her blog. I was the lucky winner. My gorgeous shawl arrived last week . It was accompanied by two pairs of crochet slippers (one for me and one for SOP- who is still freezing here in Adelaide after living in Darwin ) which I haven't taken off since they arrived. I'm getting weird looks when I wear them to work. Perhaps they would look "righter" with pyjamas? I cannot tell you how much I adore these slippers. And Jenni also sent me this cute needle case. ( I needed a needle case too, because everyone knows that a needle case makes you look like a serious sewing type person ) Thank you Jenni. It's all so beautiful.

P over at The Way I Sew It graced me with a versatile blogger award recently. Awwwwwwwww thanks P. I think you rock too. I don't think I'm in a place right now where I can commit to handing the award on and telling previously  untold stuff about moi-self so my effusive thanks will have to suffice. And for those of you who haven't made P's acquaintance she is practically royalty having had one of her quilts recently featured at Quilt Story. So hop on over to P's blog for a sticky beak at her featured quilt.

And lastly, Shruti at 13 Woodhouse Road had a giveaway for a silk sari bedspread recently and I was the lucky winner. I can't wait for it to arrive! Shruti is the coordinator of the Spread the Cheer project that I'm part of. Thanks Shruti. It looks so beautiful.

And, to everyone who emailed or left comments during my recent enforced absence -thanks - it's so great to know people actually notice when I'm not here ! I felt very cut off from this community for a while there. I think I'm addicted to you all. Do you think that's a problem?

P.S. As far as the room that must not be named thing  goes,  it's going slowly, with the inevitable delays beyond my control.  But we're getting there and I'm determined not to grizzle (too loudly)  Hopefully I'll have something to show you in the next few days. I have started unpacking around all the things that still need doing, but still don't have a functional kitchen. (insert grizzly kind of eye roll and deep sighing here )

Sharing the Love

The Universe is  trying to tell me something. I’m just going with it.

Last week,  Mama Feoneafey gave me a Beautiful Blogger award. I was really flattered by the honour but hesitated to post about it. Despite all appearances, I am uncomfortable about being singled out at work, in life, and in blog land. This week, The Chicken’s Consigliere has graced me with an award as well. The universe clearly wants me to do something. So I’ve decided to roll the announcement into one post and thank both of these lovely ladies for thinking enough of me and my little patch of blogger to nominate me for these awards.

And in the words of Sally Field - “I can't deny the fact that you like me, right now, you like me!” I love Sally. Especially when she flies. Not so much when she has lots of whiny dysfunctional grown up children.

So the rules for the award were:

Thank the giver. or in my case giver(s).  Reveal 7 things about yourself. Pass it on to five bloggers you admire.

I was going to turn it round on all of you and make you ask me 7 questions. But I guess that’s not in the spirit of these awards. Bummer. I’d like to know what you want to know.

OK these are my 7 things :

At the rehearsal prior to our wedding, the celebrant took us through the order of the proceedings so we were clear what would be happening when. I had already practiced being married from 1989-1992, so this was really for Mr. P's benefit.   On the actual day , during the reading the celebrant paused at the end of the question...”What is love ?” for dramatic effect. In my nervousness I panicked thinking “Crap, I’m sure we didn’t rehearse this part!"  So being the cool cucumber that I am I said  “Bugger- I didn’t know there was going to be a test “ . It broke the ice. Everyone relaxed. We got married. The rest is history.

I am allergic to all the good drugs. In fact Mr. P has just come back from the chemist after getting cough medicine for me , that does not contain ephedrine. I also cannot take benzodiazepines.  Bummer. Looks like I’m just  going to have to deal with my life without chemical enhancement.

There are 12 people left on the face of the earth that smoke cigarettes. I am one of them. Don’t lecture me.

I wet the bed until I was almost 12. Professionally, I am now a toilet training expert. Coincidence? I think not....

I once spent 60 hours straight in my pyjamas to win a bet. Not a bet for money . Just for Glory. And in that time I had to leave the house to go to the shops. For Cigarettes. Don’t lecture me.

I am planning to write a series of posts called “Shameful Secret Sunday”. I am afraid I will never run out of things to confess. And that nobody will be surprised by any of my posts.

I cannot be seen outside of my front gate in track/yoga pants. Nor can I wear runners with jeans. I think if I did either of those things my head would explode. It’s fine if you want to do it. I just can’t. I have a number of weird rules I live my life by. That is just one of them.

So the following people can  snaffle this award and put it on your blog or in your sidebar or both because I'm sharing the love.

The 5 bloggers I admire (aside from the two people who gave me these awards ) are :

a clever title goes here- The Lovely Leslie. Leslie makes me laugh . Out loud. Often. And every so often she slips in a post that is so deep and profound it actually makes me think about stuff I don’t usually think about. I love that Leslie can have me laughing with one post and really thinking with the next. You have to read her posts about her restaurant job- funny!

Calicos in Bloom – Lisa was the first person who liked my blog enough to make repeat visits. In addition she is a lovely, thoughtful person to boot. And she is a prolific quilter and she doesn’t use patterns. This is one talented lady folks. Plus she's my oreo dealer.

The Sarcastic Quilter – You know why. I think Beck is one of my long lost relatives. Mrs. Sarcastic  was the first person who ever emailed me directly. Now if I didn't get an email from her every few days I'd probably worry.  Some people you just connect with. Hilarious , Warm and  when I get to the US, I'm inviting myself over. Consider yourself warned. And you better be holding two wine glasses when I get there.

Sunshine?Paradise? -Marg lives in one of the most beautiful parts of Australia. She crochets , she bakes, she has a lovely home, and she quilts. These are just a few of her talents. And yet she remains one of the most down to earth people I have "met" in Blogland. 

That man Quilts? Yes, if you haven’t seen Lane’s blog wander on over. He’s a man and he quilts. I have to say I think it’s way cool that a man can have as much fun with fabric as I can. Genuine, honest , and  he calls it like he see's it. I like those qualities a lot.  

I’m changing the rules about this award because I’m a break the rules kind of chick and because I think we’re all adult enough to decide our own rules. And because that's what dictators do, and I'm the dictator of my own blog.  So.... there are no rules.I’m giving you this award to do with as you will because I like you and because I believe you truly are a beautiful blogger. Enjoy! . If you want to pass this along to others you can decide who , how many, and when.  I’m happy to be able to share some bloggy love without coming off like a weirdo stalker.

One last thing .  Brenda's blog,  Meandering Quilt Thoughts  has been featured in the latest issue of "Quilter's Home" magazine as one of the " 55 Rad blogs" mentioned on their cover. So hop on over there so you can  brag to your friends you know someone famous. And while you're there have a look at her quilting, which is as beautiful as the lady herself.


P.S. I'm worried about the use of the word "see's". I dont think thats an actual word.