Willowberry Designs ~ Alpaca Softies

Creating Country Threads

The newest issue - Vol 10 No 3 - is about to arrive and in it you'll find another of my projects.  Let me introduce you to 'Primrose and Passion' - a duo of delectable proportions :-)  This is the front cover....

I can see you Primrose, you're looking all gorgeous....

The cushions feature two different embroidered panels with roses, vines and whimsical birds, using colour shading to highlight the designs.  They also have simple patchwork piecing to frame them and make the perfect companions for 'Rosebud'.....   Remember 'Rosebud'?

She's so sweet and has a superb trilling voice.... Can you see her backup girl?  That's Bev the Butterfly.....

 

You'll be able to read a little story about me in this issue...

Now I've been thinking today.  I really love craft magazines and I read them from front to back and top to bottom... and then I read them again :-)

They are a treasure box of information, fun, projects, giveaways, resources and loads of other stuff.  I even love the adverts..... Mags are great value when you consider just how much you get for your money!!  Do you have a favourite craft magazine?  Or do you graze through the shelves at the newsagent like cows in a paddock, nibbling at different ones each month?  I love them all.... and the shelves in my sewing room are proof of that pudding!

have a fun stitchy day

Cheryl xx 

Stitching and Crafting

at the Brisbane Stitches and Craft Show yesterday... you know what this is?

Dear Me... it happened

and so did all of this

 boxes of candy

findings for a new bag

who loves scissor fob kits?   mmmmmm...  moi

oops, bought two of them...

maybe a bag might happen here... dreamy deliciousy

a long day but a fun day :-)

Moo arrived home for the weekend bearing gifts

cupcake earrings - how cute!!

meet Norma the chook

 

Norm, she's not real you know.... she won't kiss you back...

seeya

gotta go plan with my new friend Jane

have a lovely stitchy day

Cheryl xx

There are angels out there... and they stitch :-)

Norman couldn't contain his excitement

 

because the mailman delivered delicious things again.....  How sweet is this little angel?  No, not the furry one above, look at the next photo....

It's an angel from an angel....  she now watches over my doings in the sewing room :-)  Just hanging around with the pink stuff....

And she arrived with more beaded pretty pink things - Illene spoiled me with this sweet bag designed by Helen of Hugsnkisses

and a fab pincushion with the most luscious ribbon rose.  How very clever!

and my very own rosey bookmark - just for c-h-e-r-y-l

Can you see the shelves in the distance?  It's been 10 days and they're still tidy.  Miracles.....

Illene made some gorgeous things for me, how spoilt!!!   Illene, I know you have lots going on in your life right now so I feel very lucky.  Thank you my lovely new friend :-)

Oh yes... and there was chocolate... once upon a time there was chocolate...

the funny little man thought he was going to have some..... how rude... hell hath no fury like a stitcher who believes she's about to be deprived of HER OWN chocolate.... 

I've also been busy making things for my partner who lives in a place I'd like to visit.  It's a long way away, much too far to walk, and I'd probably have to swim some of the way....  One more thing to finish and then they're off to the post office.... 

My friend Jenny sent me a little parcel and inside I found this

it has my name on it :-)  AND the most gorgeous vintage button....

Look at that cheeky rattycat squishing all the flowers down...  and look at those sweet pink embroidered daisies....

and look inside!  It's my very own vis arts diary in it's very own carry tote.  Perfick!!  :-)

Just waiting for some doodlings and scribbles....

Totally spoiled...  And unashamedly deservingly so :-)  I am quite special you know....

Jenny's a fellow Gum Tree Designer who makes the most delicious stuff.  But then again, all the gum tree girls make the most delicious stuff.....!

have a delicious day.  I know I will because

~ Blossie just made cupcakes!! ~

Cheryl xxxxxxxx

The next photos are some of the quilts I completed for Lisa at Precious Time.  She's at the Brisbane Craft Show this week and has all of these quilts available in kit form

The Bali quilt - quilted with swirls in variegated king tut

the Ric Rac quilt - quilted with separate borders and some ditch quilting

this one is a new pattern by Majella of Kookaburra Cottage... very clever!  Covered in quilted caramel feathers :-)

Had enough??

One more.... so cute!  Happy Campers, with bumblebees floating around in a lemon daze....

Pretty backs.  They look nice with pretty backsides...  :-)

ENOUGH OF THE PHOTOS!!!!!!!!!

seeya next time with more quilt piccies...

Christmas Freebie design

Good morning everyone :-)

Today it's my turn to share the Freebie Christmas pattern from the Gum Tree Designers.  You can go here and download the free pattern in pdf format

a cute mini wallhanging with little tinkle bells and featuring a topiarized christmas tree with a big luscious bow.... how gorgeous!

The design would also work well as a stitched panel on the front of a gift bag - maybe a bottle bag?  Maybe if someone wants to give me a nice bottle of bubbles? 

Today is a day of rest... well almost... Mum has an appt with the skin man to have yet another cancer removed.  Apparently she has a black eye from the last one, maybe I need to take a photo :-)

Yum bundle - destined for some needle turn applique

 
 
 Later on I'll show you all some quilts.  Last week I completed the quilting on 8 quilts for Lisa at Precious Time... they are delicious!  Ok - here's one of them...

 see ya then

have a lovely stitchy day

Cheryl xx

 

Ratty has been busy

Creating his first tutorial.  It's very well written with lots of photos

and I'm getting all trendy with my pink IPOD with pink leather case and pink headphones EXCUSE ME!! ... look out young people

Today I might learn how to turn it on.... Be handy for when I'm quilting :-)

seeya

me

The doings.... prepare to be amazed

Who'd have thought that under all of this...

I'd find this lovely wool berber carpet... and so clean looking!!

Everything went out - then came back in again.  And how good are those shelves from Ikea!!  That was the Shaz and Chez road trip on Friday... what fun!

This is about as organised as it gets... and it won't stay like this for long so enjoy it while you can :-)

To those lovelies who have visited the inner sanctum of my messy office/sewing room/design studio - you know who you are Bloss, Moo, Chriss, Shaz and Rosie... not mention the funny little man - may I present the photo evidence...

Pretty things at my fingertips - glassy rattly button jars... a bag of teeny seed beads for no reason at all... a smiggley pink folder to hide secret doings... 

Oh!!  a pink iron!!  I still hate ironing though...  :-)  Cats should learn how to iron...

Precious playthings and Velvet Pears

All my treasures -

a decoupage box made by Blossie in year 4.  Perfect for basting pins!

and Moo's little clay bowl from year 5.  Designed specifically for paper clips...

 

There's a place for every single thing that needs a place

even some things that might not happen for a while ...  but we can have fun collecting :-)

That's how I spent my weekend.  Today I rest.

I found a photo, it's one of my fave's.  Christmas 1989 at Aunty Bevvie's and the skinny little herbs are wearing their Pizza Hut sunnies from Aunty Nisey... and sporting their 'home made' haircuts, looking like super cool dudes.   Precious memories :-)

Over at the Gum Tree Designers blog there's a new christmas freebie for you to download

It's from our lovely Joy who does the best pencil drawings!

have a fun stitchy day...

Cheryl xx  (who might just give Theodorus Smarmypants a few more stitches today...)

2 in one day - what's going on?

I KNOW!!!  Haven't I got work to do??  Or sleep to have??  Yep, but I also have to share stuff...  this is a bit photo heavy but it's worth it... really it is... :-)

I was working on a swap project and it made me think of the very gorgeous embroidered wall hanging that Linda (who has a delightful new baby granddaughter) made for me in the 'time for tea' swap earlier this year

Exquisite embroidery in gentle tones - how spoilt....

Pride of place in the entry hall

See that door?  That leads to The Cave...  We hide in The Cave...  Holy Amazing Batcaves Batman...

Ratty helped me sort out some paperwork.  Think he's pretending to be a paperweight?  Guess again...

he's in the basket... Ratty, I can't sort out the papers with you on top :-)

A couple of quilts from last week...  by Glenys - the quilting doesn't always have to be curly, flowy, loopy stuff.  The smart and grown up paisley border is the perfect finish for a contemporary design

 

Jenny's quilt - feathers and feathery flowers for a gorgeous black/white/lavender/green ensemble

The boys have a secret.  Ratty wants Norm to tell you all about it but I don't think Norm cares too much for secrets...

he thinks he's an Ent - and Ents take a loooong tiiiime to saaaay thiiiiings

 
or he could be a groundcover...  botanical name - "prostrate chuckinus a spreadii"

go here if you're game...

Look what happened ...

 

I don't know how... all I did was click a few buttons and then all of a sudden this arrived at my door :-)

from Mother's Cupboard... I love stuff

bed time... but before I go this one's for Ina

Theodorus Smarmypants 'before'...

and you'll have to wait a few more days for the 'after'.  Such a silly name, he doesn't even WEAR pants...

Does he look like anyone you know?  Kind of reminds me of my year 10 French teacher... of course, he did wear pants....  :-)

seeya later sweet potatoes

Cheryl xxx

 

The first freebie from the Gum Tree Designers

check it out

here.  Christmas freebie number one is from our lovely Judith.  It's the first of NINE free designs and I know you're going to love them all because there's something for everyone :-)

This is what I've been up to...

These are three of the set of five Spring Flowers stitcheries available for purchase from Vicki over at Tozz's Corner.  They're destined for my swap partner but I'm not sure what the final 'thing' will be yet... I just loved the designs and my fingers wanted to stitch :-)

and I kept on going...

This sweet little angel is a freebie from our Vikki at Sew Useful Designs - scroll down a few posts...

Be back later today - Mum's having some more work done on her face :-)

seeya

Cheryl xx
 
 

gotta do this real quick...

Do you like the new 'Birdie' range from Me and My Sister for Moda Fabrics?  It's a bit cute :-)

 

I made 'Spring Giggles' from Butterfly Fling, another of their fabric ranges...    It's a nice quilt - single bed size - and the new Birdie range will be just perfect!  Charm squares, Jelly roll, borders and binding...

gotta go... hot lunch date today :-)

(the lunch isn't hot, the man is...)

Cheryl xx

'Among the Gum Trees' winner

of my Willowberry Designs giveaway - 2 patterns, a bunch of mushy mauve fabrics and vintage laces and a personalised needle case...

is entry number .....

( Oh my goodness - 836 entries!!  I know that's not a record because the Pioneer Woman has over 7500 for her current giveaway :-)  That's serious stuff!!  )

And entry number 237 is .....

Wendy F

 you can visit Wendy's blog here

Wendy, can you please email me to let me know your slow mail address?  ...  and tonight I'll be stitching W-e-n-d-y on the front of your little needlecase :-)

To everyone who has spent time with me, enjoyed my ramblings and scribbled delicious messages of encouragement for my nonsense... thank you so much! 

Tomorrow I'll have something to share with you all... and it's free... and I hope you'll love it

seeya one of these tomorrows  :-)

Cheryl xx