Willowberry Designs ~ Alpaca Softies

A little find in a little country town

Sundays are usually our 'chill out' days...  Blossie works all day so funny little man and I often take the day off (from everything), jump in the car and head off into the country to see what we can find.  He loves it because we're out and about exploring... I love it because I have a captive audience, he can't escape my chitter chatting :)

Yesterday was no exception... we set out early, had breakfast at our local cafe then ~ with heater on ~ headed off into the wide blue yonder the overcast, drizzly, bleak day.  Funny little man had planned ahead, packing the picnic hamper and filling the thermos

Long story short... we got lost... several times... headed up skinny little dirt roads that seemed to go forever... drove through rainforests and open plains and even passed a tree with a great big 'STOP' sign painted in pink... didn't deter us though

'Should we turn back?' ... 

'We'll just see what's around the next corner' ....

In the end, we'd driven down the mountain, took a left turn, drove through a little town at the foot of the hills then gradually wound our way back up the mountain to be almost back at our starting point.  We laughed...  and headed down the mountain again :)

We stopped at Esk for morning tea in the park... yum home made jam drop biccies (you'll find my fave old recipe for them waaaay back here) and a cuppa.  Then we strolled through the main street, stopping at the Antiques store

This is what we found...

 

Yep, who'd have thought!  Funny Little Man was born in Hillingdon Hospital in England, our home is named 'Hillingdon' as a special memory for him

and my real job ~ as a longarm quilter, is Hillingdon Creative Quilting

I felt quite smug as we walked out with our little treasure tucked under my arm thinking 'the planets aligned today...' 

It's not an antique ~ far from it! ~ but it's a treasure and now has pride of place on the stand in the foyer

Other doings...  Lots of quilting ~ as usual :)  I'm sharing this one because I love it's simplicity.... squares inside squares ~ showcasing the beautiful fabrics.  Aileen made it for a friend and it's just beautiful

lots of playing with fabrics ~ stroking, folding, pressing... and I've also been scribbling some delicious rosy designs for my next QFD project

and working on this from my fabric stash... mushy quilted hearts :)

just one more side of binding to hand sew... and that's tonight's job :)

I can show you the whole thing in two days time...  Nothing special, but specially nice

have a specially nice day

Cheryl xx

300th post ~ thank you :)

Seems like we all visit blogs for loads of different reasons... some we visit daily for the fun of it and to gain inspiration, some we visit very briefly just to grab a freebie - and why not :) and others we stumble across by accident.  I love the 'accidental stumbles' ...... often it's from reading comments left here on my blog

So if you leave a comment let me know if you have a blog, I love to visit :)

From the pink bucket of comments on my '300th post giveaway', Ratty pulled out Deb's name...

 Posted by: Deb| May 17, 2010 at 01:24 PM

Deb, I'll email you for your address details :)  and send these to you

Lots of comments about sharing ideas and finding tutorials to help make things easier... and there were lots of nice things to think about too... like this one from Quilter Faye who said (in part)

"...Sometimes there is a special something that pulls you back time and again. Its like visiting a friend that has moved away and yet you don't want to lose that bond. "

 

You're so right Faye... popping in to catch up on the gossip and doings of a fellow crafty nut is a bit like visiting a friend :)

Numbers of 'followers' and the volume of comments has never been a biggie for me.  I love to read through the messages and get such a giggle from a comment like this one from Margie... (the maker of beautiful tatting)

"Everyday I seam to learn some little something by reading blogs, even at my 67 years. Now I just need to remember what I read!!!"  

 

and then there's Chriss's latest 'alias' ~ Mrs Arabella Dewbosom.  THAT made me giggle out loud!

 

It's all fun... and we all need a bit of fun in our days.  Debbie C told me the other day that it's been proven ~ laughter really does help to heal.  I like that :)

 

This 'internet' thing is pretty amazing... I think it might catch on.....

 

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Now more fun... Sarah has added the latest tutorial to the QFD creative site.  It's a fab 'So Fresh Peg Bucket' by the very clever Lisa of A Spoonful of Sugar.  I've pinched a snippet of the photo to tempt you to go visit...

 

 

Gorgeously fresh and clever storage solution!

 

My next project is finished and has been sent off to Sarah.  yum colours...

 

 

So whatever you're doing today... have fun :)  Laugh a little or a lot (or at least have a little smile) and try to do just a pinch of stitching....

 

Have you met Flat Nat?  Go check her out... so darn cute and clever!

 

seeya one of these tomorrows

Cheryl xx

'Under the Sea' block 6

Sorena Seahorse

 

 

 

is now available for download from the link in the right hand sidebar under Free Downloads and other stuff

She's Danish... but of course, you knew that :)

This is her place in the watery world... I think... maybe she'll need to sit along the bottom row... I'll let you know when I know...

Just to help a little with the colour shading process, here's a shot of Sorena looking a little 'naked'... but don't look for too long or she'll be embarrassed

Can you see how I've 'smudged' the colour along the lines?

I hope you enjoy getting to know Sorena, I think she's my fave little critter so far... but then you haven't met Octavius yet.  Whadda ya reckon he is???

have a fun stitchy day :)

Cheryl xx

Please feel free to link back here to share the news.  Linking back and telling everyone where you found these little designs is the most fun way to go about spreading the word...

Go forth and link....

the Mailman just drove up...

... our driveway.  That means a parcel.  Yay!!  Love parcels! :)

and what's in it?

Quilters Newsletter magazine!  Two of them!!  No Shaz, just because there's a spare doesn't mean it's yours.... sigh....

In print in a US national magazine ~ how spesh is that!!

Linda's article

and Carrie P's version of my little verandah views wallhanging... gorgeous Carrie!!  My sample ~ designed especially  for this article ~ is the smaller wallhanging on the left, suitable for a little girl's room

I'm spending the afternoon in my fave chair with a cup of my fave chai latte and a puss cat on my lap, reading ... and probably a little nana nap :)

seeya

Cheryl xx

ps don't forget the giveaway on the previous post....

300

The previous post was number 300.  Most of the 299 posts before it were dribble and nonsense but every now and then there's a bit of newsy stuff happening

(for Heather... the 'visitor numbers' box at the very bottom of my right hand sidebar is a free counter from pax.com ... ) 

 Should we celebrate? 

yep, why not!!  Let's celebrate the sharing of 300 pieces of delightful dribble (give or take) and have a giveaway :)

3 patterns ~ 'Christmas Treats', 'Simplicity' and 'Girlfriends' will wing their way to your house... leave a comment and tell us what you love about prowling around blogs.  You can steal the photo and post about the giveaway if you like :)

I really love it when I stumble upon something unique... like a couple of weeks ago when I visited a blog and found a link to the nest of Phoebe ~ live streaming of a teeny little Hummingbird nurturing her babes.  So special :)  There's a link in this post...

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Here is today's news

yum playthings destined to become my next project for the QFD Creative Team

have I bellyached about how much I love using Cosmo threads?  Well, I do!  Look at the rest of the gang trying to get their noses in the photo...

sneaks...  LOVE stitching on handkerchief linen...

I'll finish it in the next day or so and then it's off to Sarah at QFD.  She's hosting a giveaway, check it out....  The prize ~ drawn on June 1st ~ is a $50 voucher to spend in store.  Holy amazing free fabric batman!!  Gotta love that!

More news

'Sorena' the seahorse will be here earlier than June 1st... she's all finished ~ just have to write the pattern ~ and looking divine and I can't wait till then to share... so check back with me later this week.  I love Sorena, she's just the cutest little princess....

no more news... well, heaps more news but no time to spare so I'll tell more next time

have a lovely stitchy day :)

Cheryl xx

 

US Magazine feature - update :)

Linda is a freelance journalist in the US, her blog is delightful... full of gorgeous projects, lovely stories and she also shares lots of handy hints and tips.  The Quilters Newsletter (US) magazine June/July issue will be available soon and Linda shares some sneaky pics of her article here

(update) The article features some delicious photos of quilts and wallhangings created by Aussie girls and there's a photo of my 'Verandah Views' (from 2009) wallhanging which was beautifully made by Carrie P!  As a special treat, I'm making the pattern files available again for you to download ~ see the previous post.  If you haven't already made it, Carrie's version will have you itching to start stitching :) 

This is a little snippet of the project I created for Linda to share with the folks at Quilters Newsletter.  She's a bit gorgeous... and will be available as a pattern in the next few months...

Verandah Views... again :)

People asked nicely.... so here they are again

They WILL be gone for good on December 31st 2010 so if you don't have them, grab them now!

have a lovely day

Cheryl xx

'Let's Bake'

The cutest little frilly hostess apron, BIG fancy pocket to hold all manner of important Mummy stuff (and a handy towel tag on the corner) ... with two yummy yoyo flowered hot pot holders, complete with hanging tabs

The free tutorial for this delicious set is now ready ~ modelled by Shaz ~ over at Sarah's QFD Creative site here

and here it is modelled by beautiful Bloss

Just imagine frolicking around the kitchen in this little number... and do we love Verna?  Yep, we sure do :)

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Now for something completely different...

Lamb Pies ~ look Fee... they worked!!  :)

I made these following our 'gourmet lamb pie' experience at Felsberg the other day... here's the before shot

and after...

YUM

Late to bed, early to rise... stitch all day and eat lamb pies

seeya

Cheryl xx

A truly unique mothering experience

This is the most delightful and precious thing...

If you'd like to witness mother nature at her best, have a look here but I warn you... it's totally addictive in the nicest possible way :)

Cheryl xx

Happy Mother's Day for Sunday

Yum colours tucked up in their Rural Jardin bed...

‘ Pour l’amour de la rose'

Bloss is at work, funny little man is two hours away at a country race meeting...

it's just me, Norm ~ yep... Norm's still with us :), Ratty, New Moon (for the fourth time), the cave and some stitching therapy

~ ~ ~ Bliss ~ ~ ~

To all the mums - regardless of whether your baby has skin or fur or fins or feathers - or even if you just borrow a baby every now and then...

Happy Mother's day for tomorrow :)

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I'll see two of the three herbs

Moo ~ who has always been 'moo'... it kinda goes with Amanda... will be home for the day to share some Mum love

Bloss ~ little Blossom since she was a toddler... will be working, taking care of the Mums who've been spoilt with a Jilly's outing.  I'll see her before she leaves for work

And Waterboy ~ well, speaks for itself really ~ will be a thousand miles away starting his new job on Hamilton Island... we'll chat on the phone tomorrow night

Thinking about their special names always makes me smile

Funny little man is taking me out for brekkie then we'll pick up my Mum, head off on one of our leisurely country drives and stop somewhere for morning tea... another fave thing to do 

Cheryl xx