Willowberry Designs ~ Alpaca Softies

'Under the Sea' block 4

Wilma and Wayney Whale

is now available for download from the link in the right hand sidebar under Free Downloads and other stuff  (as usual...let me know if the gremlins have been playing)

Here's the story so far

Josephine and Frances love each other (Frances is a boy fish :) so if you prefer, call him Francis)  Frances just wants to give Josephine a great big fishy kiss! Do you see him hiding in the greenery?  Sometimes he hangs around with Sammy Starfish.  Sammy and Sally have been together FOREVER!  They like to jig in the wishy washy water that Wilma makes when she swishes her tail.... and that gets Wayney all giggly!

Why Wilma and Wayney?  Well, Wilma just sounds like a good name for a proud mum (a bit like Wilma Flintstone.. WilmAAAAAAA!!!) and Wayney is my big Brother-in-law who loves everything about the ocean.  This is the quilt Wayne made... all those bits are hand appliqued

Have you guessed that each block has a preview of the next month's little characters?  And have you guessed that block 5 will be all about the dancing snakes...  bet you've never seen a sea snake like these little wrigglers...  You'll have to wait till May for them :-) 

Later today you can read up about the April doings of the Gum Tree Designers and the Freebie project for April is by our Fee Fee.  That will be available in a day or two and it's so sweet!

I pinched this photo from Fee to show you her new stash of fun stuff for sale... don't you love those wrapped bundles?  And don't you hate unwrapping them?  Just get two of each then you'll have one to play with and one to smile at... :-)

AND, if you head over to the QFD Creative Blog you can read a bit about me AND download my project ~ 'Sunday Markets'.  While you're there, click into Sarah's online shop and have a browse around... lots of yum things to tempt you!

I hope you love my whales... Have a fun day

Cheryl xx

Under the Sea

Just a quickie... because I forgot to tell you that Helen has photos on her blog of Linda's beautiful colour shaded work

and to remind you all that there are some fun photos of finished blocks in our 'Under the Sea' flickr group  Have a look at Frances by thebarefootprincess... too cute.  But they are ALL cute and beautifully done!

Block 4 is only a few days away now... can you guess?

Some news to share... and a birthday :-)

Things have been happening....

I turned this

into this

and then guess what happened....

Last night I received an email from Sarah at Quilt Fabric Delights welcoming me as one of the six members of her new 'Creative Team'.  Oh my goodness!!  There has been much excitement in the willowberry house!  What a fab early birthday pressie :-)

You can read all about it and meet the rest of the team here

Congrats to all the girls - Rachel, Lisa, Amanda, Rachael and Melissa

Creating a project from a bunch of fabrics that I wouldn't normally select was a real challenge.  Then the fabrics just started yelling out 'fun', 'sunday drives', 'market shopping', 'warm sunshine' and a 'girl in a white convertible.... with bright red lips'

Thanks Sarah, I can't wait to see what else you have in store for us!

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Now onto the birthday thing... and the other pressies

A BIG box with pretty paper and loads of shiny curls

Intel inside... Oh My God... tears, hugs all round!  My very own laptop from the combined forces of the funny little man, Blossie and Moo

(Just so you know... the waterboy will probably send me a snowdome with a resin 'Nemo' staring at me... just like the one he gave his little sister...)

Hmmmm ~ Norm is mesmerised... he's remembering Woodstock

Me ~ 'Oh how on earth am I going to be able to get any work done today now that I have this to play with?'

Funny Little Man ~ 'Weeeell... how 'bout you just take the day off and play!'

Me ~ 'Hmmmmmmmmmm... ok then, if you insist...'

So today I will crank down the old dinosaur in my office and make way for the new baby

The GumTreeGirls have all been busy creating special birthday pressies too, I'll share some photos in the next day or so

Happy Birthday Melanie :-)  and Cindy :-)  and Adrian :-)

Gotta go, Bloss has morning tea sorted

seeya one of these tomorrows

Cheryl xx

willowberryd(at)ymail.com

If you have tried to contact me and I've not responded, please note my new email address...  I can't access the old one!  BLAH!

Bugs

... in my emails...

Frustrating?  YES!

So I need to do some 'housekeeping'

If you've received an email from me ~ 'willowberryd' ~ with nothing other than a link... don't click on the link.  Delete the email

And if you recently sent me an email with a question or query and I haven't responded, it's because I can't access that email account

Please leave a comment on this post, it will be delivered to my althernate email address and I'll be able to respond to your message asap

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Now to the fun stuff...

stuff in magazines... Creating Country Threads Vol 10 No 8 due out this week has my 'Tulip Delights' needle turn applique cushion.  A simple design set on point

And in the next issue of Homespun, also available this week, is my 'Bluebird Serenade' Block folder with matching needle folder

Lots of pockets for lots of important stuff and a flannel 'page' to keep your blocks safe

fun stuff...

have a fun day

Cheryl xxx

Pretty Posies

'Pretty Posies'

is a sweet set of four mini designs featuring delightful little bouquets and is now available for download.  It came about because I needed to satisfy the desire to stitch with cosmo threads... and I love them

Download Pretty Posies

(for the best result, select 'high quality' from your printing preferences)

Enjoy!

I used a similar set of bouquets on my 'Vintage Treats' table set

Have a lovely day... we're off to Brissy for a sleepover with Moo and to bring our waterboy home for a few days

and Happy 27th Birthday Blossie xxxoooxxx :-)

Cheryl xx

Toile boots and other mushy things

Blossie's essential wet weather gear... don't ya love 'em!!  Yes, Ratty is thrilled with the photo shoot too... can you tell he's a totally neurotic personality?  Trusts nobody other than the people he considers 'staff' .... aka me, bloss, funny little man, moo and waterboy

 Lovely green lawn thanks to the recent rains ~ beautiful

Some quilts to share ~ simple scrappy quilts with simple quilting that says 'snuggle under me with a good book and a cuppa'

Lorna ~ a gentle meander

Shelley ~ a cute primrosey design

Tatting ~ from Margie... fine, beautiful... and I don't know how to tatt.  I think I'd like to learn though.  This gorgeous snowflake hangs around in my office waiting for the christmas tree to come out and play again and the coral heart is a bookmark

I had a very productive weekend....  loads of sewing and I finished my Baseco bag.  It's a great little bag with super easy to follow instructions.  Dawn will also forward a pattern to an alternative email address if you wish to purchase one as a gift for a friend.  I bought one as a surprise for Shaz last week ~ just add some details when you make your purchase or send Dawn a separate email... simple :-)

READ ABOUT THE FAB GIVEAWAY ON THE GUM TREE DESIGNERS BLOG

Sorry ~ bad lighting doesn't help...

that's better... under my daylight lamp... 'coffee' tape on the corners

cross hatch quilting on the back panel ~the actual bag pattern is completely pieced but I was lazy :-)

The perfect little tote for a coffee or tea catchup with friends, a shopping trip, a sewing group gathering... or even just for carting all your bits n pieces to work.  It's big enough to hold a small lunchbox and your personal stuff... small enough to be comfortable

Busy week this week.  Tomorrow is a big day ~ our sweet Blossie will be 27.  Her big brother is flying down to spend a few days with us and give her a birthday hug ~ his flight arrives at 4.30.  I'll share my little 'Pretty Posies' design sheets in the morning and then it's off to Brissy to collect the waterboy... can't wait to give him a mumsy hug.  There's a cyclone heading to his home town and the weather's a tad yuk so he's taking a few days off

Do we like the name 'Sorina' for a very cute seahorse?

See you all tomorrow

Cheryl xx

what's been happening?

BAGS ~ This is the start of my Baseco bag...

 

 

A pretty pinky purply one with cute cats... all ready for the quilting bit.  I've made mine a little differently to the pattern by using larger pieces of the printed fabrics to show off the rather Italian cats :-)  This pattern has a little bit of everything... a spattering of lovely hand embroidery, some simple piecing and a bit of quilting ~ add some colour shading if you wish (you can use the lesson from my Under the Sea block 1 here)

 

If you'd like to know more, you can read about the 'Baseco Mahal Kita' Bag here on Dawn's blog.  AND Dawn is hosting a giveaway soon so check back to find out all about it...

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This is another bag that emerged from the skyscraper I talked about last week.  It needs handles, not sure what type yet... maybe some dark'ish leather'ish handles... maybe a couple of beads or something or other...

 

 

It was a simple process although I should have used a print for the lining... never mind!  next time I'll think ahead

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I finished these the other day

 

 

 

 

These little designs will be available as a free download next week ~ as soon as I do up the pattern

And if you don't have a nice piece of white linen... just use one of your nana's handkerchiefs  :-)  I think I'll pop these into four cute little frames....

 

  
Tomorrow I'm going somewhere to have fun... not sure what fun yet but when I know what it is I'll tell you all about it

I'm pretty sure it involves a sewing machine, a car, some food and wine and a log fire

 

Seeya when the secret's out...

Skyscrapers

Teasing and daring me to do something with them

I resisted that temptation and gave in to this one instead

Mini custard tarts with choc and raspberry ~ dust them with powdered (icing) sugar just before you serve them to your funny little man who comes home early on Fridays...  Don't tell him there were once 20 on the plate

Next week I'll give in to the charming demands of the skyscraper and make a bag

seeya ~ have a fun weekend

Marion is hosting her 'Girl's Stitch In' this weekend with Natalie Lymer and Lesley McConnell ~ I'm sure everyone who attends will have a fun time and feel completely spoiled :-)

Cheryl xx

Pattern Special ~ 3 pattern set

But before we get into the sales pitch... thank you for the lovely messages in response to Under the Sea block 3 - 'Sam and Sally Starfish'.  Can't wait to introduce you to Wilma in April... :-)

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Now for the special ~ 3 patterns for $12 aussie dollars (or $10US)

'Sweet Sentiments' - Read more about this pattern here

'Sampler Embroidery Folder'

  

'Girlfriends Tote' - Includes the verse 'a sister is a girlfriend by chance'

All Three patterns in Aussie dollars for $12

or in US dollars for $10

Your purchased patterns ~ in pdf format ~ will be emailed to you within 24 hours of receipt of payment

No waiting, ready for you to print :-)

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I can't remember if I introduced you to Theodorus Smarmypants in the flesh...

Oh he drives me crazy, he's such a smart alec... cop a load of the poncy look on his face!  He'll soon be joined by Delores the most delightful dragonfly....  she maintains a flea circus, did you know?

I need 2 more bugs to complete Bug-A-Licious No. 2

We already have Madamoiselle Celeste Bouquet who's enjoying a fling with Sir Alphonse D'Arbignon, the retired surgeon.... and we mustn't forget Lady Polly Flotsam being admired from afar by Captain Frelly B. Dingle (he's captain of the local vigoro team... but of course, you already knew that...)

~ Bug-A-Licious No. 1 set is available from my Etsy store as a printed pattern ~

Foggy Willow Downs is their habitat...

but where do they go when it rains?

I think they play hide and seek in the Murraya hedges, and after all this rain it looks like funny little man will be trimming hedges this weekend... he might find them hiding  

so our numbers 7 & 8 bugs will need to be equally as important, colourful and of somewhat shady character as their 6 other friends.  Can you think of any?

catch ya later, baked potato

Cheryl xx

'Under the Sea' block 3

Sam and Sally Starfish

is now available for download from the link in the right hand sidebar under Free Downloads and other stuff  (please...let me know if the gremlins have been playing)

Even though they've been married FOREVER, they're still in love....

They've joined Josephine and Frances in their undewater playground

 

Can you guess who will be starring in Block 4?

AND... there's a flickr group for you to add photos of your finished 'Under the Sea' blocks so we can all share the fun ~ go have a look, they are so darn cute!

Cheryl xx

Later this week I'll be offering some specials on my pdf patterns so check back with me on Wednesday afternoon :-)