Willowberry Designs ~ Alpaca Softies

Giveaways!

      With Christmas just around the corner (only eight and a bit weeks away!) I reckon it's time for a giveaway.  So for four (4) weeks commencing next week, I'll be giving away one bundle of goodies a week.  Four prizes in four weeks! 

    Each pack will include two patterns from my Willowberry Designs range, a bunch of pretty fabrics, some goodies from Pandorah's Buttons and Other Pretty Things and some extra little surprises.  And to make it even more special, the first pack will have a Christmas theme...

    To enter the draw, all you need to do is visit Willowberry Designs once a week (starting right now...) and leave a comment telling me a few of your favourite things..

Week 1 giveaway --- what's your favourite colour and why.....? 

EG..  My favourite colour is caramel because I can eat it too!  Maybe there'll be something extra special for the most unique comment :-) 

Overseas visitors, you're included - I'll mail stuff anywhere.

    Every Monday morning, I'll announce the weekly winner, post some photos of the most popular colour for that week and start all over again for the next weekly prize.

I'm looking forward to hearing all about what colours you like and why...

-- Friday 8.00am - and so far this week it's resoundingly RED! -- 

 

MMMMmmmmmm.... Caramel......

happy stitching,

Stop everything - the mailman (well... mail person) is here!!

Halfway through quilting a customer's quilt and LOOK WHAT HAPPENED!!!!!! 

 

The mailman (well actually it's she) poked this parcel - all the way from Argentina!! - into my little house mailbox.  Ratty was very interested....

 

Inside the very pretty little ribbon wrapped parcel was this big bundle of fun and stuff....  and the first line of the accompanying note reads "this is my first present for you..." and ends with "there will be another parcel soon..."  Wow... more than one parcel!  Don't you just love surprises?

 

Do you think Ratty knows it's a stitched image of his 'lookalike and could be' twin Felix who lives over at Lynette's place?

 

The needlecase is lovely, a gorgeous design and perfect colours!  I love it.  And the bundle of DMC cottons, perfect selection, all my favourites. 

 

A bunch of lovely buttons to add to my collection - let some buttons trickle through your fingers, it's very soothing....  Yummy wooden buttons and how cute are those little rocking horses and ceramic houses?  Hmmm, I'm already designing something in my head for those.... 

and some sweet ribbons.  But I still don't know who you are!

I've had a very busy last few weeks and this little surprise was the perfect reason to take a break.  Thank you so much, my secret friend...

Helen's having a giveaway

over at Hugs n Kisses .  And it's a very generous one so check it out.

Finished - yay!

The bundle needed just one more thing.....

 

and that 'one more thing'  needed a vintage button and some pretty beads.  It's a nice big fat pincushion and easy to make.  (and I have to brag a bit - I luv this photo!!)

  

a label on the coaster to remember me

 

add a note on angel paper

  

and it's finished!  and on it's way....

And I can now tell you about the other secret that I've had on the go for a couple of months.  My pattern 'Christmas Traditions' has just been released by Fresh Hope and will be available through their website soon.  There's something about christmas..... as my little friend Liam would say 'it makes me feel squidgy inside'

It was still under construction when this photo was taken but you get the gist of it - a pretty stitchery in the centre surrounded by simple frames.  The flying geese panels on each end give it a 'bon bon' look.  The pattern includes instructions for a table runner and placemat, the perfect project to finish in time for christmas (maybe 2009)!

 

and I have a fat pincushion and a couple of patterns to giveaway....... but you'll have to come back tomorrow to find out more.  I'm tired and off to bed now

night all

Slim pickings

 

Our first ever beans - all five of them!  there's something about growing and eating our own vegies that makes me smile.  And just one egg today, the girls obviously weren't in the mood.  Top that off with a grabful of parsley to garnish the dinner plate.......

With lots of quilts lined up waiting and lots more booked in to be quilted, there hasn't been much time for anything else for the past week and a bit.  This afternoon the sky darkened and rumbled with the promise of a spring storm but we only had a bit of a spit and grumble.  No rain at our place but plenty all around us.  Maybe tomorrow.  This was the view from our front verandah this afternoon.

 

I did manage to finish the stitching on part of my SSCS project but I'm not sure whether to make a mini hanging, cushion, stocking or little bag.....  Think I'll add some checkerboard sides and a bit of an arch across the top.  The design is from Bronwyn Hayes' project in the Australian Homespun.

 

It's the Cabarlah markets again this Sunday so get ready for some heavenly aromas from the kitchen of bloss.

cya next time....

Cheryl xx

And the Stitcher's Angel goodies are ready for the post...

The goodies are all finished and ready for the post.  They'll sail across the skies next week to go and see their new home.  I'm really pleased I decided to participate in the Stitcher's Angel Swap, it's been fun working on the cute little projects.  But the selfish cow in me wants to keep them.............  :-)

 

Of course, there had to be something 'cupcake' included.

 

Check out Leisa's delightful 'find'.

happy stitching,

Cheryl xx

Roses ..... everywhere!

Well, it's been a madly busy week and a bit.  With six quilts finished in six days and another four to complete before Monday night, there's been no time for play.  Waterboy and the mermaid arrive in just under two weeks and I want to take a few days off to spend some time with them.  Counting sleeps now!

I realised today that I've surrounded us with roses.

'Can't bear to throw them out so I'll dry them'  roses

  

'welcome' roses in the entrance - fake but pretty...

 

'let's have a cuppa' roses - beautiful china makes the beverage more delicious...

 

'patchwork' roses take centre stage...

 

'framing my lovelies' roses not quite as beautiful as my girls... 

 

'vintage pitcher' roses - subtle lilac on soft sage - delicious...

'watching over us while we sleep' roses that seem to tumble...

 

'quilted' roses...  (of course!)

'chic storage' roses that hide the garish tools of a quilter...

'a whole garden full of roses' roses that will never wilt...

 

Yep, my home is full of 'em.  Wisteria is my favourite flower of them all but it's only here for such a short time.  Second best is the beautiful rose.

thanks for visiting,

Cheryl xx

Smile!

 

Saturday was the most beautiful Spring day and Moo decided that we needed to do a 'family' thing so we headed out to Preston Peak Wines for lunch.  Delicious food, a nice bottle of white, sunshine and great views.  Here's the Pa with his little girls.  (simply LOVES having his photo taken!)

 

Aren't the noses a dead giveaway that we share the same genes?  And looking at this photo makes me realise I've eaten way too many cupcakes....

When the postie came on Friday, there was this parcel....

 

and inside..... 

 

A gorgeous assortment of goodies all the way from Sweden!  Now I can pretend I brought them back from my European holiday   :-)  Thanks Gudrun, this was such a lovely surprise!

Loads of quilting to finish this week so I have to move myself from this computer and into the quilting room.....

Do you like the border quilting on this one?  I played with it yesterday and I love the result.

happy stitching,

Cheryl xx

 

Markets, Quilts and cupcakes

Bloss had her baked delights at the Cabarlah markets again last Sunday - all the usual suspects were there including cupcakes (of course!), choc biccies, biscotti, macaroons, cookie pops, the oh so delicious white choc lamingtons and cookies n cream slice.  We had bacon and egg burgers for brekkie (what else) followed by a couple of mini cupcakes for dessert.  Yum.  The kids cupcake station was a big hit once again with littlies and biggies.  Big brickbat to the teenage kid who stole a handful of smarties and then bragged to his mum....  Then the same kid did the same thing again on his way back and bragged to his mum AGAIN.  Maybe he has a medical condition that can only be cured by eating stolen smarties  :-)

we gave away some lavender bunches

Lots of quilting this week and I've posted photos on the quilting site if you'd like to have a look.  I finally settled on yellow for the borders of 'Spring Giggles' and I hope to finish it over the weekend then quilt it next week.  The pattern is written and awaiting the photo.

And this is what I had to try to resist on Tuesday morning - Bloss had a special order for 1 1/2 dozen mixed cupcakes for a morning tea.  Imagine the yummiest cupcake filled with smooth caramel then topped with caramel buttercream frosting..... wonder who took the bite?