Bits and pieces

Busy week-end when I managed to do little bits and pieces. I had planned to participate to the WBHQ challenge so I finally made one rosette this week-end that will be on its way to Australia tomorrow.

Yesterday I went to the Fabric Guild in Leicester to buy the lovely Maisy panel.

I bought two and am planning to make baby books with them. One for baby daughter and one as a present for a friend's little boy. I bought more fabric that just the panel of course but didn't go to mad. I found a lovely flannel with cats for the backing of one of my table runner and some dots fabrics (similar to the one I bought for baby booties and the pot luck hexies) in lilac and soft green. And I got the new Clover Mini-Iron II - that I haven't managed to try yet - for free! :-))) I had collected enough vouchers to get the iron. We then went shopping to a few places but it was already Christmas madness everywhere, not nice. :-((

Today we have been busy starting to write a letter to Santa. We will finish tomorrow as there is so much on the list, it was becoming quite difficult to concentrate for long enough. Little boy has cut out most of the Playmobil and Lego catalogues to stick on his letter and he has also found some Roary and Bob the Builder and, and and etc that he would like.... Santa will be busy until Christmas and poor after Christmas this year :-))

I have also manage to screen print some fabric that I am planning to use as the centre of my siggies. I bought the screen and paints from Thermofax Screens last year after I discovered Claire's company at the Knitting and Stitching show in Birmingham. I used them for the first time to make baby announcement card for baby daughter earlier this year. I had printed some green hands then because we didn't know whether it was going to be pink or blue.
This time I have printed a mixture of pink and blue but not *baby* colours. Here is a peek as my baby hands:

I will let it dry until tomorrow before heat setting my little hands and shall try to prepare my first few siggies this week at long last.

A little while ago I had bought some initials for my babies and some decopatch paper and glue. I have tried my hand at it today. The result is lovely if I can say so myself! It is easy to use and very effective I think. I shall look for more paper next time I go shopping to a craft shop. You can see from the picture that today was a lovely day, so wet :-(

I thought I would get started on this month BQL challenge this week-end but all I managed to do this week-end for that was printing the instructions. I better have a serious look at it this week as it is due next Monday...

Anyway time to go to bed now as I've got to work tomorrow.
Good night!
Celine

And the winner is....

Thanks to the lovely ladies who entered my first giveaway and left me a comment with a little bit about themselves. It is nice to *meet* you and find out what you like in or not in my blog. Competition wasn't fierce but never mind! So, without further delay, I am pleased to announce that the winner of the "strawberry bag" is SewCalGal who incidentally is having a giveaway now!
Contact me so that I can send my bag across the Atlantic to you!

Celine

Lovely presents

We were away in France at the week-end to spend 2 days with friends 6 adults and 5 under 4-year old! It was so nice to catch up and see the children playing together. We had a fantastic time, even though I fell down one flight of stairs and hurt myself in the exercise. I even managed to fell quietly enough so I didn't wake the children who were having their afternoon nap!

When we got back, we exchanged presents (my hubby's birthday is just after mine). Our children's childminder is very imaginative and does wonder with the kids so we each got one hand made card from our son and a lovely ornies with a "M" for "maman" and a "P" for "Papa". This was our son first attempt at sewing, not bad for a 3.5 year old little boy:

We also got lovely cards with hand prints of our 9-month old baby daughter:

And my wonderful hubby picked those books for me from my amazon wish list. The Farmer's Wife Sample Quilt made of 6' squares:

I might even be tempted to go back to my Dear Jane before I attempt this one. Who knows?

And a Japanese book: Zakka Sewing with some cute projects. If only I had more free time....


I am a lucky girl to have had such a good birthday.

Celine

A Dear Jane post

I haven't posted about my Dear Jane blocks before. It is probably because I haven't done a new block for well over one year, unfortunately :-( I have over 100 blocks done but there are all stored away in a drawer.

I have signed up for the Winter Holiday Dear Jane swap on the Dear Jane mailing list. I have worked on my blocks for the swap this week-end and have almost finish my first set L13 Harvest Moon. I have made 5 blocks so far which is enough for one set but I want to make 2 extras: one for the swap Mummy and one for me!

I have also received 2 very lovely siggies from the swap that Annelies organises. One from Annelies herself (it is my third siggie from her!)

and one from Cuny:

I found out about this one on one swap by reading Mary-Ann's blog and I had also learned about it when I met Marianne Nesse from Norway in Birmingham this summer.

I haven't made mine yet. I am planning to screen print my squares and haven't had chance yet. I will post a picture when they are done.

And remember my giveaway is open until Sunday and there is not much competition so far! If you want to play, leave a comment under the post below.

Celine

First giveaway...

I told you yesterday that I was in celebration mode at the moment so to celebrate I would like to offer my first giveaway. I have picked the prize, it will be foldable bag similar to the one I made for Narelle although the "strawberry" will be a different colour probably:

Now I need to pick a winner. One of my reason for celebrating is joining the world of bloggers and getting some visitors who care to read my posts. Now I would like to know more about you too. If you would like to participate in my giveaway, please leave a comment under this post to tell me who you are and where you are from and tell me what you liked or didn't liked during your visit. I will draw a winner on Sunday 22 November. If you want an additional chance to win, blog about it.
I look forward to reading all your comments!
Celine

My goodies have reached Australia

My goodies from the Angel swap have now reached Australia and Narelle seems to have enjoyed what I sent. It is always a little bit scary when you send a surprise to someone you don't know but from what is published on the Internet.... Anyway I can now post a few pictures to show you what I made for her. First there was a "foldable shopping bag" that I made from a pattern by Sulky. This is the bag open

and when you fold it, you only have a little pouch left that you can easily carry around with you at all time. I think it looks like a strawberry when it is folded. What do you think?

Then I made a bookmark inspired from Jenny of Elefantz Shabby Roses BOM. Shabby rose was an indication I had from Narelle as to her taste

And finally I made her a flower pincushion with some Laura Ashley fabrics that I thought she might like.
Celine

Celebration...

It isn't Christmas yet but there are some other reasons to celebrate and get in a festive spirit when days are shorter and dull!

First I have had over 1000 hits on my blog (I know lots of people out there have got more than 50000 but it is great to know that some people have visited and hopefully enjoyed their visit!). Then it will be 6-month since I started this blog very soon. I wasn't sure whether I would be able to keep at it once I get back to work but I enjoy it and I also enjoy blog hopping.

And finally, I am getting older this week-end... So stay tuned and hopefully I will post more about this tomorrow!
Celine

The pictures...

I had promised you earlier this week that I would post a picture of the lovely goodies I had received from Cristiana in the Angel Swap, well here they are:

I am so lucky to have received so wonderful items. Thanks very much Cristiana. I have even used the scissors already.

And this is a sneak peek of what I sent, more later...

I have noticed yesterday that I have received over 1000 hits to my blog in just under 6 months. When I started this blog I was a bit scared and was wondering if anyone would ever read it. Never did I think that 1000 visitors would stop by, even if it is for a brief moment! This is great, thanks so much for visiting my blog. I will think of some celebration in the next few days, stay tuned.

Celine

Cross Country Christmas Blog Hop starting soon!

I have told you before about the free Christmas patterns offered each Monday since the beginning of October on the Among the Gum Tree blog set up by a team of wonderful Aussie designers.

Now there is also a group of talented American ladies who will be sharing on their blog a free Christmas pattern, starting from Monday 9 November.

Here is the lineup of designers along with the date that they post their project,

Nov 9 - Gudrun of GE Designs

Nov 10 - Sandy from Pieces of My Heart

Nov 11 - Terry of Atkinson Designs

Nov 12 - Pat Sloan of Pat Sloan & co

Nov 13 - Heather of Anka's Treasures

Nov 14 - Pam from Pam Kitty Morning

Nov 15 - Kari of New Leaf Stitches

Nov 16 - Terri of Whimsicals

Nov 17 - Sherri of This 'N' That

Nov 18 - Carrie of Miss Rosie's Quilt Company

Nov 19 - Roseann of Rosebud's Cottage

Nov 20 - Linda of Linda Lum DeBono

While waiting for the fun to begin, they have posted "Guess the baby" contest on their blog. You have until Saturday afternoon to post your answers. And during the blog hop, they will be some great giveaways as well.

More browsing for you!

Celine

Angel swap

I have received my lovely goodies from the Angel Swap on Monday night when I returned from France. The package came from Cristiana in Italy and is absolutely yummy but... you will have to wait to see a picture as I want to do her goodies justice by taking a picture in daylight at the week-end.

I have sent my package for the swap all the way to Australia. I don't know how long it will take for it to reach Narelle. I will link to her blog when I post pictures of my goodies once they have arrived to their final home.

This week-end, I have also started working on my Dear Jane blocks for the Winter Holidays swap. I am making two sets of blocks and will post a picture later as well. These will be my only Dear Jane blocks this year I believe...

Stay tuned for some pictures.

Celine