Pink Fig Holiday Giveaway! and More!

Chelsea at Pink Fig Design is having a fantastic giveaway which will run until December 1, 2010. In celebration of her First Fabric Line! she is giving away TWO quilts! One to a random lucky person and one to a random lucky shop owner to display in their store. Go check it out. And good luck to all!

The Henry Glass Designers Holiday Project Parade starts December 1-7, 2010!  There will be free patterns, inspiration, stories, individual blog giveaways, and one Grand Prize Giveaway! I have setup a page giving you the links to the gracious hosts.  I think the schedule and "rules" will follow. Sounds like a great blog hop!

This morning brought a wonderful surprise for me.  I won the "Rose of Sharon Block Book" autographed by Sharon Pederson that Kelly from I Have A Notion graciously gave away. This is the book I have been drooling over at Quilting by the Bay. I've picked it up, admired, carried almost to the checkout stand and put it back regretfully time after time - my quilting skills are still Very Raw!  Each time I have said one day.  I am SO EXCITED!

My recent Friends Swap buddy Leanne of Stitch Selection sent me an email stating she is working on a table runner from the Adoring Moda range I sent.  The Friends Swap was lots of fun. I am looking forward to doing it again.  One more BIG THANKS! to Khris of Sew Prim Khris who organized the fun.

And, now having said all of that I do believe I may go sew. Life has been happening at a rather fast rate for me. My sewing time has unfortunately been almost nonexistent for way too long.  I have blocks to catch up on for the Layer Cake Quilt Along I signed up for - sponsored by Moose on the Porch. Happy quilting to all!

Arrival From Australia

Apologies upfront, this post has lots of pictures.  I recently participated in a FRIENDS Swap sponsored by Khris (from Australia) of Sew Prim Khris.  My swap partner was Leanne (also, from Australia) of Stitch Selection. The postman greeted me today with this .....

Note the customs stamp ... from Australia. My very first package from Australia!

Inside was this...

Adorable, pink packages - so sweetly labeled.

Well, very pretty ... until I tore in!

To find ...

Seven - Count them - Seven Wonderful Gifts - All for ME!

Lots of gorgeous ric rac, a beautiful case for my scissors, a lovely needle case, two hexie coasters (not!, these will definitely decorate my bedroom wall), Cadbury chocolate (Yummy!), two of the cutest, fun mice you have ever seen (see them perched on the needle case!) and the an absolutely lovely shopping bag (see the kitten faces on the front pocket!).   I'm on a picture roll even if the lighting is awful ... rainy and dark in "sunny" Florida.

Enough, you say? Just be happy there are only 7 letters in FRIENDS.

See the pretty card which came with the gifts.

Digital cameras are so FAB .. no film to purchase or days to wait on prints from the store.

OKAY. OKAY.

ONLY ONE MORE, I PROMISE.

ALL HAS MET THE TEST OF HARDWORKING

INSPECTOR CHA CHA CAT

(Actually, she was attempting to snitch the mice, which are now safely tucked away from her thieving paws!)

Thanks ever so much, Leanne. I am so very excited over my gifts. This has been great FUN!

And, thanks Khris for sponsoring the FRIENDS Swap. 

Table Runners, FRIENDS Swap and Christmas

This is the back side of the top of a table runner under way. I had to take a picture. The seams bunted just right and everything went together without use of the seam ripper! And the finished size measured correctly according to the wonderful skill building book "Quilters Academy - Vol. 1" by Harriett & Carrie Hargrave. Love that book.  I haven't posted the practice pieces, however, I am studiously working through the lessons in the book. The process has been rewarding.

On to the table runner. All I have so far is the top. I think it is turning off fairly well. This is a Christmas gift for a dear friends, who loves birds and gardening. I believe she will enjoy this.

The funny thing is I lost on of the 5" blocks just before I was ready to start sewing them together. It fell or blew right off the table when I turned my head away to take a sip of coffee.

Oh, look Cha Cha found it! Isn't she a brilliant cat? 

This "incident" was approximately 5 minutes after she came out from hiding under the bed. Earlier this morning I ran to the store - wasn't gone long.  Miss Cat must have figured I was finally gone for the day. She's less than thrilled with me taking time off from work. I cramp her day time activities. Back to the story - I guess she failed to hear the car drive up because she was playing in the dried beans soaking in the pan sitting in the kitchen sink. My "What are you doing?" sent her streaking down the hall to hide under the bed, where she stayed for quite some time. The little darling came out just to help me sew! Sweet kitty!

This picture is the Christmas table runner I have been working on.  It is narrow to fit the table it is being made for. I had to stop because the border fabric I purchased is way too busy. I am thinking it is going to need a fairly solid muted green.  Hmm, I am thinking with a different border fabric this may become a fall table topper rather than a Christmas table topper. Food for thought anyway.

My FRIENDS Swap goodies are close to ready to ship to Australia. Just a few loose ends to tie up. The swap has been loads of fun! I'm thinking I will probably do it again!

I have spend days blog hopping to the over 130 blogs participating in the Fall Into Fall Giveaway. I've greatly enjoyed the journey, have added a few new blogs to my regular reading list and put my name in the pot for some wonderful giveaways. If you haven't checked it out, I recommend you get busy. Just click the button on my sidebar to be "magically" directed to the fun.

Well, that's it for today. I have sewing to finish before I have to go back to work tomorrow. Not to mention my house could use a bit of cleaning. Until next time .... Happy Quilting!

F-R-I-E-N-D-S Swap

Check this out!  Sew Prim Khris is hosting a F-R-I-E-N-D-S SWAP.  Click on the sidebar link to get the details. 

I am new to blogging so am very excited to be able to connect with a crafty blogger.  This will be a wonderful opportunity.  I can barely wait to get a Swap Friend .. am already planning the fun of shopping for my new Friend.  Have a wonderful day!