Willowberry Designs ~ Alpaca Softies

New banners for christmas

They're popping up all over the place....  check them out

Lynette

Chookyblue

Gail

Lyn    - just to mention a few... looking good, ladies! 

Uh oh... Christmas is early....

Look what arrived yesterday afternoon

 

All the way from Kathleen in the USA....    Breaking into the big red box was no problem at all!  And the cute christmas gift bag is full of stuff covered in tissue paper.  There's no sticky tape holding it closed either!!  Maybe I won't be able to wait till christmas day..........  but I'll try.......... 

I love stuff - thanks Kathleen!  The sneaky peak on your blog is a nice tease.

While I blog hop, Norman's doing my ironing.  And if you haven't tried these ironing board covers, they are GREAT!  They usually advertise in the craft magazines but you can check them out here

 

happy stitching,

Cheryl xx

The little Kingfisher

I wanted to show you what's been waking us up at 5am every day this week.  This little guy has just left the nest and waits very impatiently for his mum to bring breakfast.  There are lots of flying lessons happening in our neighbourhood at the moment.  Summer is almost here and it's time for the babies to leave home.  I took this photo from about 100 metres away so it's a bit blurry but it's so cute....  Their wings are the most vibrant blue.

 

Col's out in the yard preparing three new garden beds for vegies.  Our beans and tomatoes are coming along, there's a crazy pumpkin vine taking over and the silver beet and parsely are still going strong.  I'm amazed at the silver beet, we grow it for the chooks and have been picking it for months now.

 

 

The sunflower just started to grow one day, probably because we pile the chook poo from the scratching pen into the vegie gardens :-) .... The feathered girls will love getting their beaks into it!

The Wisteria flowered in early Spring but I think it forgot because it's flowering again!  Maybe the cooler weather and lots of rain has thrown it's clock out of whack.

 

Moo gave her Dad some Gladioli bulbs for father's day last year.  Up they came again....

 

The mint has gone crazy around the agapanthus... but it's so lush

 

and I caught this little guy hanging out with his chicks down by the willow tree - he's cooking up some mischief.

 

Today is one of those days I just had to be out in the cool, overcast, springtime greenery... don't let these days pass you by.

Back to reality, I have a quilt to finish  :-)  More photos later.

happy stitching

Cheryl xx

Gudrun's Christmas Treats

My friend Gudrun, who lives in Sweden, has made this really cute version of my 'Christmas Treats' pattern.  It's a simply pieced table centre and placemat set.  I love the fabrics, the appliques and the gorgeous quilting patterns.  Thanks for sending the photos, it's always a thrill to see creations from all over the place.          I had to share.....  :-)

How beautiful are those red chairs!!

 

It looks like the've passed pusscat inspection!

 

and the cute reindeer - Max - is from a book by Tilde: Tone Finnanger

 

MMMmmmmmm, there are yummy gingerbread aromas coming from the kitchen... wonder if Bloss - the domestic goddess - is making one of these?   Stay tuned....

 

Week Four Winner....

I think there are a lot of 'not so secret' ABBA fans out there..........I haven't seen Mama Mia the movie yet but I know I'll enjoy it!

As I read through all the comments I found myself singing along to the songs, does anyone else do that?  Isn't is funny how you can hear a song for the first time in ages, even years, and all the words come tumbling out like you just sang it yesterday.  It's like a little filing cabinet inside your head that opens up and lets the words out. 

The lucky first name out of the hat for the final giveaway for the year is ---------  Bev C (Have at look at Bev's blog here)

Gee, so many to choose from but any Billy Joel song would have to be on my list, going to see him this weekend.

Posted by: Bev C| November 19, 2008 at 09:26 AM

Congratulations Bev, Your parcel is ready to go and I'll contact you by email for your details.  I bet you had a great time at the Billy Joel concert, lucky girl!

Well, that's it for the November giveaways... thanks so much for joining in the fun!  With christmas just around the corner I've got heaps to do - a few customer quilts to finish, a new pattern to write (maybe this will mean another giveaway :-) and loads of other everyday stuff. 

Yesterday was fun.  I completed a customer quilt which was a pretty tricky job because the sashing was all gathered.

Then we had a movie afternoon - it was a really cold day here.  Go figure, the end of November (almost summer) and mother nature decided she wanted it to be winter again.  So, the movies played while I stitched.  I've made a start on the sewing cushion, all the words are done...

And then I played with some angel wings and a halo for the centre of a coaster - one each for seven special people.

 

I sent my friend Gudrun in Sweden one of my Christmas Treats patterns.  I love her version...

and today it's all about appointments.  Doctor, optometrist and mum... cya next time

happy stitching

Cheryl... xx

Week four giveaway.... the last one for the year!

So here we are in the fourth and final week of Willowberry Designs Christmas giveaway and we've heard all about your favourite colours, favourite holiday memories and favourite desserts.  I think we're getting to know each other .....

To be in the draw for this week's giveaway, leave a comment telling us about your favourite song.  Maybe it holds a special memory....

I love listening to Il Divo when I'm driving, and any 70's music when I'm in my quilting room but one of my all time faves is 'I have a dream' by ABBA ........ I KNOW!!!!  Now that it's the in thing to love ABBA, I don't have to hide it in the closet any more  :-)  I LOVE ABBA!!  I always wanted to be Frida.

 

Good luck everyone... I'm going back to my closet...

Week Three Winner!!

Hi everyone.... what a busy week we've all had!  Secret Santa pressies to finish and send away, quilts to quilt, stitcheries to stitch and holidays to get excited about - not to mention yearbook photos to play with...  Bloss and I had so much fun creating my new profile photo  :-)

And after reading about all those YUMMY desserts, I swear I'm 2kg heavier.  Even though I love anything caramel, Citrus tart is my all time fave.  I could eat a whole pie on my own.....  Bloss made this one using Nana's secret sweet pastry recipe.

But I think I'd like to try some of that Trollkrem that Laila talked about. Mountain berries mixed with whipped egg white and sugar - how deliciously simple!  Although I agree with you Bev, Mum's cheesecake IS pretty special too...  And then there's Sticky Date Pudding, Trifle and the list goes on (and on).  A Dessert Buffet should be a regular in everyone's diet - Nisey, remember Te Anau?  It's a whole other food group on it's own, don't you think?

Especially when it's a 'Pig in Mud' cupcake!  Look at that cute little pigtail frosting.  And in the centre there's a surprise lump of raspberry goop.  SOOOOO mouthwateringly BAD!

Anyway, the lucky winner drawn randomly out of the hat for week three is..............

Number 15 which was Posted by: Chriss who left a comment on

 November 11, 2008 at 08:42 AM  

Congratulations Chriss!

Remember I said there'd be an extra special something this week?  Well, Noela who left a comment on

 November 11, 2008 at 07:42 PM

You have also won a special little gift from Willowberry Designs

Thanks for playing along, I'll email you both for your snail mail details.

Week three was fun!  Come back a bit later today for the Week four giveaway details.  What can possibly beat our favourite desserts?

happy stitching,

Cheryl xx

The secret is out....

A few days ago, another brown package arrived - postmarked 'Argentina'.  And inside was a great big bundle of happy stuff.....  from Lavinia in Argentina!  Thank you so much Lavinia, you are very generous and everything is just beautiful!

the whole gang...

 

and a little house made especially for Cheryl's thimbles... no-one else...

 

My favourite stitching chair used to look like this...

 

But now it looks like this  :-)  and that makes my man smile because I no longer dig pins into the suede

 

The combination of coffee and teal is so pretty

 

Thank you my secret friend...

Cheryl xx

There's a big sale on....

over at Candleberry Country.  Go check it out.....

Week Three giveaway....

With week 2 finished we are now into week 3 and it's time for another 'favourite' theme. 

To be in the draw for the week 3 giveaway, leave a comment telling us about your

- "favourite dessert" mmmmm -

If you're anything like me it will be real hard to choose...  I just finished a little tub of mango frozen yoghurt, it was pretty good and I'm a bit partial to citrus tart but there are so many other delicious and tempting yums out there!

And you gotta be in it because this week's giveaway prize has an extra surprise bonus!!

I'm looking forward to hearing all about your dessert cravings ....

cya

Cheryl xx

PS - This afternoon I bought Debbie Magee's new pattern.... Deb is famous for her vintage dolls but how gorgeous is this damn thing!!!!    I saw it in real life and it's HUGE... 

EVERYTHING else can wait while I create this one!

 

9.00pm Tuesday night - I've started....  I told you everything else would have to wait... :-)  But I'm all out of lightweight iron-on pellon, wonder if I can get someone to open their shop for me, I can be there in half an hour.....  Maybe I'll just have to be content to cut it out tonight   :-(