¡feliz año nuevo!

Happy new year to you all!! May it be filled with good health, love, fortune and blessings of every kind.

As the year draws to a close I try to reflect and think about what I've achieved...
** Both of my babes spent time in hospital, one with pneumonia, the other with Guillain–Barré syndrome - a scary and life-changing experience. They are both happy and relatively healthy so we finish the year grateful, relieved and smiling!

** Both Officer Plod and I have had big zero birthdays - but lets not forget that his was bigger than mine ;).

** Late August and early September was spent in Spain with dear friends who've been living there for two years - a fabulous opportunity and so wonderful to see them all. In Madrid:

** And finally, amongst all of that, I've had time to do a spot of creating:

This is minus the pics I forgot to take :0

So much more has happened this year but for now, I want to wish you and yours a very happy and healthy 2011 - may it deliver on your wishes (what are they?)
J xxoo

Queen of Seams:

 Not I!

I managed to do a reasonable job with this spiderweb block for Kelly in the Australasian Bee:

But poor Pam - whatever possessed me to undertake a block with all these points:

All she requested was flying geese - perhaps I should have made it a little easier on myself :)

Happy Holidays!!!

Can you believe it's only five more sleeps till the jolly man in the red suit visits?!

We're heading away over the holidays so I won't be around these parts. Thanks to all of you who stop by this space - it's been a lovely year in blogland for me. I've been privileged to meet some of the most kind and talented people around and I've had a blast creating from the inspiration I've found through my bees and flickr swaps.

I wish you all a very happy holiday season and a 2011 full of good health and good fortune!

See you soon, J xx

The above pic is a Christmas gift for my dear friend and neighbour - a mug rug seemed appropriate given the amount of tea we share! And below are my babes and a friend painting the wrapping paper - thanks to the gorgeous B for letting us paint her pavers in the process ;)

Fabric on Fridays

A recent scrap bag purchase - I love the pink echino with the owl, the monaluna with the little scooters and the "boy friendly" space ships and crazy owls. Pretty darn good for a random selection of end of bolt fabric...

any day that begins like today...

has got to be a good day!

It all started with these arriving on my doorstep - grown, picked, composed and delivered by the very talented Nan of rummage fame. If you have not yet had the pleasure to meet Nanette, do pop over and say hi - she's one creative chica.

Then I took a little look at some of my fave blogs and stumbled across these. So the smalls and I baked this recipe which turned out perfectly (ah hem, yes I do say so myself!)

 

And as we were in the spirit of baking, these happened (country style loaf from the cook's companion by Stephanie Alexander):

 

And with all the rain in this part of the world right now and the serious absence of summer, what's a girl to do but read the paper with a cup of tea and a delicious piece of cinnamon scroll (I may or may not have encouraged the small people to spend a half hour in front of the tv while this happened). 

Now to frock up and we're off to the end of year school concert in which the biggest small will perform. Fabulous end to a fabulous day with my two lovelies.

W.I.P.

The first of my QAYG blocks

 

I received my hoop for the Scrappy Hoops Swap from Under the Evening Star and I just LOVE it. Absolutely adore it in everyway. It certainly covers my request - scrappy, tick;  hexies, tick; colour, tick. Thanks so very much, this is wonderful. 

Melissa says "I just loved working on it and I hope she likes it as much as I do!". I think I like it even more than that as it's now on my wall :) And I also received the cutest little card and piece of fabric - how nice to get such a treat in the post.

Pillow Talk 4 - Completed!

 Remember this? Well it's done. And because one wasn't enough, I've made a second pillow to be its friend. Only I can't show it to you in full as it would give away who the recipient will be... So here is is covered by the matching mug rug I'll be sending my partner.

And the backs - I'm pretty sure my partner will just love the echino back of the second one... In fact, I think that will be her favourite part of the whole swap ;)

These are off to the post office - I can't wait to see what is heading my way!!!

A new skirt is headed my way

Just a soon as I get my sewing machine back from the service man. 

My machine had a little meltdown this past week and miss her. Please come home soon.

In the meantime, this skirt needs two contrasting fabrics - any suggestions as to what I can add to this gorgeous Amy Butler Love fabric???

Fabric on Fridays

This darling bundle arrived in the post from Sew Mama Sew this week:

It is soft, cuddly flannel - rather inappropriate for this time of year in our climate - but for a bubba who is due to arrive in April it will be a snug surprise...

Pillow Talk 4 - work in progress

My partner asked for scrappy and her mosaic indicates a preference for blues and greens - what do you think of this so far? Any suggestions for quilting thread colour? I'm thinking orange but have really have no idea so I'd love your thoughts...

Scrappy Hoops...

Woot Woot! This one went in the post last week - I hope you like it partner... does it hit the grey and yellow mark???

I'm a big fan of Winnie the Pooh. Not the Disney version, but the books that were written by one Mr A. A. Milne.  House at Pooh Corner is the first book I can remember reading by myself and to this day, it remains a favourite in these parts.

The quote here "he can even spell Tuesday" is a reference to Owl in the stories who is purported to be full of wisdom - personally, I'm not convinced that he who is said to be wise always is...

The drawing that the embroidery is based on comes from Lauren Reeser.

By day and by night

We ate this:

 Sitting outside on deck looking at this:

While our children played games on the grass.

Perfect way to spend an afternoon...

Pics from Portugal

Hi there
We're off on a little family road trip for five days so I'll be away from here until next week - I'll be posting some pics of a recent trip to Portugal and Spain - just because I loved it and wish that this road trip was actually a flight back there...
Have a great weekend
xx

Crossing the Duoro River on the most amazing bridge I've ever seen - looking ahead I see my girl groovin to her own beat:

 And looking down, I see houses overgrown by ivy:

Bee Blocks

I loved making these for Miss Nova in the Australasian Bee - the fabrics were fun and wonky stars are right up my no-pattern, no-precision alley!

If you haven't already, you really should check out Nova's blog - she's one talented chica.

Scrappy Hoops...

I've joined another swap... a n o t h e r swap...

It's the Scrappy {Hoops} Swap - well, who doesn't adore a little hoop love???

Here's my inspiration:

 Go here for credits

Watch this space - I'll need some help to decide on a final design for my partner...

A cheeky request...

While checking out the blog of one of my fave Aussie designers, the very talented Saffron Craig, I came across a feature on a 'make it perfect' A-line skirt pattern. And, given that I'm rather partial to the flattering a good A-line gives my generally un-flatterable legs, I'd love to make one of the skirts featured with the pockets - only thing is, I also want a contrasting panel/pleat in the front...

Kinda like the pleat/panel in the front of the dresses (make it perfect pinny#2) I made for the girls last Christmas:

Saffron is calling for suggestions... I do hope they are listening - I need a pattern for a funky new summer skirt... And I'd just love to make a sample for them - in my size, of course ;)

 

And I'd even promise to take decent photos with my new fancy pants camera!

Fabric on Fridays

Confession...

Hi. My name is Jules and I'm addicted to online swaps.

Yep. Seriously. Addicted.

Sign ups for round 4 of the Pillow Talk Swap have begun. I'm there.

Inspiration:

Click here for credits.

Dear Partner: I said I'd put something here to help you out... I love fabric of all kinds and all colours but mostly I love saturated modern fabrics set off by solids - natural linen, white or grey. I will be truly grateful for your generous gift so please, use your imagination in the knowledge that I will adore whatever I receive. And THANK YOU! for taking the time and expending your energy on a beautiful piece of living art for our home xx

Thank you lovely ladies...

We've had a bit of a tricky time lately with our dear sweet Lulu and a battle with a debilitating auto-immune syndrome. This gorgeous quilt arrived in the post made by the talented and thoughtful Australasian Bee members. We now have two delighted smalls discovering all the characters in the blocks. Thanks girls, you are all so kind and generous!

This weekend I...

** shopped: at the Farmers Markets

** visited: Floriade and slid down the super slide

** watched: Officer Plod and the smalls lay on the grass and make animals in the clouds

** read: Embroidered Effects by Jenny Hart

** stitched: mug rugs for a surprise package

** ate: fettucine with smoked chicken, broad beans and homemade pesto

** planted: tomatoes, sweet corn, strawberries, lettuce, capsicum, carrots, onions, peas and beans