Surprises

This week I received a very thoughtful gift from Darlene. We have shared a few block swaps over the 4 years I've been blogging. I meet Darlene almost immediately when I took the plunge and decided to blog, we hit it off right away and I've enjoyed many emails from her. I hope someday we'll have the opportunity to meet up face to face.

The wrapping  is so lovely, I wanted to enjoy it a little longer.

This wonderful banner was nicely tucked inside. Darlene you are the sweetest and I've enjoyed our friendship over the years. She knows me well and that the black will fit perfectly in my house. My sewing room looks awesome with this gorgeous banner.

Something else came in the same package. The latest book by Kim Scrap-Basket Sensations, I've even picked out some fabric to start a project. This was an extra special gift from Kim, Darlene, Mary and Karen, they all signed the book. Thank You ladies I will definitely enjoy using this book a lot.

I've finished my hexagon purse and just need to get a picture.
Enjoy your day and happy quilting.

Fall Runner and Fun Mail

The fall table runner is almost finished, just some hand sewing of the binding and veins to add on the maple leaf. This one is going to a friend and her husband is making me a concert maple leaf stepping stone, good barter I'd say.

Don't be too hard on me this is the first time I've tried this type of free motion, I think it looks like the wind is blowing. Now I've got to get my own runner finished, this will look great on my new table coming in a few weeks.

I've said it before blogging friends are wonderful. When I checked the mail yesterday I had a surprise package. Carol surprised me with Moda Candy Bars and a card with Lula's picture on the front. I entered the Bunnyhill parade of pets (Lula is a Dreamer) and Carol grab the picture and made this lovely card. I love them both and will keep that card for a long time. Thanks Carol!. The Patchwork Angels pattern also arrived on the same day, I ordered this pattern because I want to make Purl the sewing doll, she is so very whimsical and I can't wait to make her hair-do with rusty pins.

Happy Everything

This week I received a surprise package in the mail. My daughter went out the front door and yelled "Mom you have a big box at the door". Woohoo for me? The box was from my dear friend Darlene, she called it a "Happy Everything" package....how fun is that. We've done a few block swaps and have become good friends. What a spoiled girl I am, there was a gorgeous hand made basket (this will become my stitching basket). There is marking pencil, glue pen, thimble charm, stitchery patterns and 2 wool projects for stitching. Oops...I just realized I didn't get a picture of the wooden block, it's say's "I love to Quilt". My daughter immediately found the prefect spot for it and I forgot grab it for the picture. We both had a big laugh with the cupcake pincushion. We had the same idea with the box and surprisingly we both used a different pattern for the cupcakes. Thank you Darlene, I love it all!!

A little better view with the Easter stitcheries and other happy stuff to fondle. The stitcheries are so darn cute with the basket of eggs and bunnies.

One of the wool projects is a pincushion and the other is a sewing case, they both have all the wool needed to make the project. My daughter saw the sewing case and loved it, she asked me to make it for her.....take your hands off....it's mine I told her.

A bit more progress on the redwork baskets, I still need to add the borders. This is a very small quilt. I'm not sure what I will do with it yet.

I went to a guild trunk show last night and Lauren was was the entertainment, she had some funny story's to tell. She brought a big selection of quilts from her 30 years of quilting. She has a couple of fun wonky house quilts. The fabric combination are not what I would think to put together. She has an incredible sense for putting brights and weird fabrics together. Thanks Lauren for a great show.

Surprise Elves

I must have been a very good girl this year, Santa's elves came early this year. Sharon has been a busy little elf and sent me this wonderful package of goodies. I saw the green box with candy canes and thought what a neat way to ship a package, look at all the goodies she hid in the box. Some Australian patterns, with angels and quilt store sewing bag. This little elf must know I love bags. The country thread pattern is punchneedle welcome houses and fun little note pad for my purse (I'm always looking for paper) and tissue, much needed at this time of year. She also made a cute little sewing pouch with HoHoHo on the ribbon, she thinks of all the details. The coffee is to wake me up in the morning.....thank you Sharon my surprise little elf....I'm so delighted!

Caroline was another busy little elf this year, she was so clever to think of collecting things with a theme in mind. All the buttons, beads, pearl cotton, red skeins of thread and ribbon were all tucked so nicely is this sweet polka dot button tin, I had so much fun taking each one out one-by-one and loving each little item. The wool pincushion is stitched with beads around the outside and the three little wool roses are placed just so....Caroline you surprised me with such wonderful treats. Thank you for this awesome collection of carefully collected items. Some of the threads I've never seen before, there is a Anchor "soft embroidery" which is much thicker than I've seen before and another Anchor that's seems finer than the pearl cotton, I'm going to enjoy making something with these luscious threads. This little elf must have known I love red....Thank you Caroline for being a busy little elf.

I bet you never thought you seen another skull showing up on my blog....LOL. I thought my daughter and her boyfriend would enjoy keeping notes in a fun journal made just for them. My daughters matches her bag from my previous post, she can keep her knitting notes in her new journal.

Enjoy every little minute with your family and friends this holiday season.
Happy Holidays.

Fun Mail!

I've been waiting for my needlekeeper from Susan to arrive any day, she received mine a couple of weeks ago and we mailed them around the same time. Hmmmm...what does the mail man do with our precious cargo for so long.

Susan has done a incredible job of crazy quilting on this needlekeeper, she must have spent hours working on this. Susan added beads, lace, silk ribbon and a picture of two little angel girls on the front, the back is equally as elaborate. I also received a FQ of lilac fabric and the cutest scissor fob ever. Thank you so much Susan, I will cherish this incredible piece of work!
I couldn't believe it when on the same day, I also received a package from Carole. I was teasing her about all the chocolate she received in the mail and that she couldn't possibly eat all that by herself, maybe sharing will ease the load (we quilters like to help each other). So Carole sent me some of her favourites. I've already eaten one of the Cherry Ripe.....yummy....where can I get more of these delicious bites???? The Crabapple Hill Pattern has some wool applique added with the embroidery.....I LOVE it! Thanks so much Carole you are the sweetest!
I received this magazine last week from Donna in Australia. She was so kind to just send me this for no particular reason....just because. Thank you so much!

I can't tell you how much fun I'm having meeting such incredible friends in Blogland or as my DH would say "imaginary friends". Thanks for visiting my blog, I enjoy getting to know everyone as I travel around the blogging world.

Maybe my pincushion from Belgium will arrive soon...I'll have to talk with the mail man to find out where it is....