Arctic Blast

We received another arctic blast over Tassie during the last 24 hours, there's snow on Mt Wellington, I guess Spring doesn't want to come here yet.

This is the view from work....

Growing up in Queensland I still get excited when I see snow, it brings out the child in me.

What was I to do but insist that there was work to do at the foot hills of Mt Wellington and off on a little road trip I went to see this....

 

.....its so pretty.

I even bought some snow back to the office and had my very own snowman, that was

until the office heating melted the poor fella!

Snow's lovely but I'm not sure I'd like to live right amongst it!

It's finished!

but I still can't show you the completed quilt so here's another sneaky peak

I had it custom quilted by Wendy at Lavender Blue Quilting and she's done a superb job, I'm really happy with it. So what now you ask, it's going to be shipped off to it's destination for 6 months and then I'll get it back. Stay tuned and soon I'll be able to reveal all!

P.S. Happy Anniversary to my Dear Hubby, 14 years of wedded bliss! I love you infinity, infinity!

Tuesday's Treasures

My treasures this week are newbies that have been sent to me from Krafty Panda. Amanda and I share an interest in all things from nature so we did a little swap. I sent her some rocks and fossils plus a few quilty related pieces and in return  Amanda sent me an amazing collection of shells,

plus some thundereggs

and these gorgeous little strawberry clip ons and lovely shell fabric!

Thank-you Amanda, I love them all so much!

For more Tuesday Treasures bloghop your way to Clare's.

I do have another finish from the weekend too, another one of Annie's Key Holders from her latest book

I really enjoy making these!

Cutie bag

I was determined this weekend to make a bag and using this pattern that I purchased from Patchworks Plus I whipped up this little cutie.

It was pretty simple to make but I really hat doing gathering, I'm always inpatient, break the threads and have to start again. This is going to be a gift for a friend's daughter who has to have an operation on her spine and I'll fill it with some goodies that will hopefully bring a smile to her face.

As You Like It

My downstream partner in Trashy's  "As You Like It Swap" was Clara from Run Mumma Run.

I had to send items that revolved around her chosen words "Weddings and Hot". I thought a bridal bouquet was in order and had fun making up these flowers, all but one flower made it's way to the US to Clara.

if you head over to Clara's blog you can see what other items I sent.

These flowers were fun to make, I'm going to make some more for myself!!

Crafty Shop

Remember this little shop that closed down, well now it's online. Lots of different crafts are covered.

So visit Calico Cottage Crafts and see what you can find plus I should mention they're having a Spring Sale and a giveaway!

Happy Dancing!

The secret squirrel project quilt top is finished, Yippee!!

I just have to get it to the quilter now to work her magic!

I'll take a break now until it's ready for binding and then I'll get back to Gardener's Journal as I see some ladies taking part in Chookyblue's Stitchalong have already finished their quilts.

Welcome Valerie!

My bestie from high school, shown here, here and here has finally joined the blogging community.

Please give Valerie a warm bloggy welcome and let her know that I sent you!

Her blog is called Old Lyndoch Larder and she's a craft nut like  most of us so be sure to follow her as she's one talented cookie!

I've done a bit of sewing tonight, I'm so close to finishing the secret squirrel project top but I'm getting tired so it'll have to wait until tomorrow.

Nighty-Night!

There's a light....

...I'm near the end of the tunnel. I certainly have remained focussed on this project and have enjoyed the challenge, just a few more stitches to go and then I'm sending it off to be quilted.

I can't wait to show you all but I have to wait for permission.

I hope you'll all love it and want to do it too!

What's next for me, bags! I want to make some bags and I have two patterns perfect for the job and I'm sure I've got plenty of fabrics to choose from. No handwork, apart from closing off a seam or sewing on a button, my hand needs a rest!

As You Like It and more!

 I took part in Trashcan's "As You Like It Swap" and look at this amazing package I received from Jennyflower

I gave Jenny a few themes to choose from like

Black and White

Birds of a Feather

Sweet and Sour

and she pretty much covered the lot

There's fabric, buttons, stickers, pen, pencil, cards, necklace, sweets or should I say sours and the most gorgeous scarf with crocheted flower.

I've worn the scarf already and it so warm.

Thank-you so much Jenny, it's a very generous swap parcel and I feel extremely spoilt.

Thank-you to Trashy for hosting the swap and hopefully my swap pressie to Clara lands on her doorstep anytime now!

I'm on the dowhill run of the secret squirrel project, I'll definitely be taking a hand stitching break when it's finished as I think I'm developing RSI so it'll be back to the machine for awhile to let it recover. I don't want to end up like my friend Fee and having an operation!

Talking about Fee, we had a marvellous day yesterday trekking around op shops and tip shop and we found a few goodies

I was mostly after embellishments so I was happy with these finds and a couple of rings for a bag.

I also picked up a wonderful chenille bedspread that I might chop into one day, I forgot to take a photo of it but it was a bargain. Fee also picked up some treasures, she has a great eye!

We had a great counter lunch at the Cascade Hotel and also visited a few other shops where I puchased a  beautiful scarf and some ribbons. It was a big day for both of us but it was so much fun! Thanks Fee for being the chaffeur and taking me to places I never even knew existed.

Happy, happy me!

Kimberly at Art, Joy, Stuff has been celebrating her 50th birthday by hosting an amazing giveaway. Over 50 days she is adding an item to a basket for one lucky person to win. At Day 25 she held a halfway giveaway and chose a winner and being ever so lucky she picked my name out!

It has arrived and was beautifully wrapped.

Now I've only followed Kimberly a short time but her work is gorgeous, her mixed media creations are very inspirational. I've bloghopped to many sites she follows and I've discovered a whole new interest passion that combines my love for scrapbooking, off the page and fabrics. Now what did I win you ask, well Kimberly let me choose from the first 25 items and I couldn't decide between two so I asked Kimberly to surprise me. And what a lovely surprise, my very own collage pendant so I can wear it around and show many people this piece of art.

So if you'd like to be inspired by me do a bit of bloghopping yourself and discover all this gorgeousness on the www!! I really hope to participate in some of these swaps as soon as I get on top of all my work.

A Winner!

Congratulations to Christine from Macdonald's Patch you guessed right it's a home!

Everyone was so close guessing a heart and I was sure you'd all get a house if I gave another clue!

Thanks for entering, I might have another giveaway when it's all finished so keep your eyes open.

I still have some stitching to do on this block so it'll be another night stitching until bedtime.

Cheers

Jo xxx

Secret Squirrel Intermission

My Dear friend Fee is running a new BOM to celebrate Spring

Fee gave me the first block to make up, so here's my version in reds and white

I completed this block last night, some whilst at the Quilted Crow stitching night and the rest at home. I just had to get it done!

Pop on over to Fees for an awesome giveaway to go with this BOM.

Anyway back to secret squirrelling, so far no-one has guessed the item in the centre yet, yes a weenie heart is there but I'm looking at the bigger picture for an answer so keep guessing, you have until my lunch time today ar I'll give you another clue!