Help wanted...

It's not just because it's late, because I tried the same thing earlier and it didn't work. I thought maybe if I let Mr/Mrs/Ms Blogger have a rest, held my mouth right and had another go it would work, but no...

I wanted to do a post with pics about my wonderful weekend at the Quilted Crow's stitchery gathering in Hobart last weekend. I can usually transfer pics from Picasa to Blogger but not today, although strangely a screed of HTML stuff about the pics was in the template above the text I wrote. They didn't appear in the preview, though, and when I published there was a big blank space where they should have been.

HELP! Is it me? Is it Blogger? Anyone else having problems?

In the mail

Look what the postie has delivered in the past week or so - lots of lovely stuff to play with.

Bec in country NSW was having a clean-out at her place, and the bargains were irresistible. Lovely pinks and greens, along with yardage of Fandango by Kate Spain plus a jelly roll of the same line. I love Fandango - can you tell? The designs remind me of the beautiful, ornate tiles I saw in my travels in Portugal last year and in India - particularly on the Taj Mahal - many years ago.

And from Hatched and Patched in Bathurst, also in NSW - bags of crushed walnut shells (wonderful for filling pincushions; here's a hint - use a funnel when filling or be prepared to spend an hour or so trying to gather up every last little bit of grittiness you've dropped everywhere) and some gorgeous felted wool. And because my order was delayed a little, I also received one of Anni's early patterns - what a nice gesture!

Giveaway

Look at this lovely giveaway from Fee at Designs by Fee - two Fresh Cotton charm packs from Fig Tree Quilts plus a length of gorgeous rose-patterned fabric from the same line. It could be your lucky day - but only if you visit Fee's blog, which has lots of other lovely things to read about. Good luck! Fee is one of the Tassie bloggers I'll get to meet at the Quilted Crow's gathering in Hobart on Saturday; can't wait.

Colours

A wee while ago I took part in a colour swap organised by Maree of On My Verandah. She's a genius organiser, that woman. In no time at all, threads, fat quarters, something nice to eat and something pretty (purchased or handmade) in chosen colours were making their way to recipients in Australia and NZ.
The photo above shows what I sent to Christine in NSW, who requested cream. Must say I was a bit daunted at first, but I think it turned out just fine.

And below is what my partner in Victoria, another Christine, sent me. Isn't that bag the prettiest thing! I've never seen watermelon rock before. The lovely fabric is earmarked for something special for me - don't know what yet. Christine knows I'm thrilled to bits with what she sent me.

Another earthquake

My heart goes out to everyone in Christchurch affected by today's earthquake. The images on TV remind me of a city in wartime - crushed or badly damaged buildings, people being rescued, people wandering around in a daze, emergency accommodation set up in parks... I was brought up in NZ and have fond memories of holiday visits to this beautiful city as a child and later as an adult. My family lived in the Wellington area, and as there is an earthquake fault line through the centre of the north island earthquake drill was a regular part of my schooldays. An earthquake like the one that devastated Napier in the 1930s (hence all that city's fabulous Art Deco buildings) would have been expected in Wellington, not Christchurch - and certainly not twice in six months. So sad. This afternoon I logged onto the Google NZ site, which has an area where people can search for names, or post information that they're okay; fortunately the names of my Christchurch friends weren't listed. Fingers crossed for them, and for everyone who is missing or injured.

My Monday morning so far...

It's just after 10 am and I'm exhausted already.

Around 9.45 I raced out of the shower to answer a phone call from the guy who is going to cut down the huge alder tree in our back yard. He said he'd be there in 15 minutes - yikes! Definitely not enough notice, so I rearranged for 10 am then rushed round getting Gus and Katie, our two daft but delightful Cavaliers into the garage and opening the side gate; went inside to a phone message saying the appointment would now be at 1.30, so I reversed the process but forgot to shut the gates.

Of course Gus and Katie took full advantage of the situation and zoomed off (they run really really fast and are serial runaways whenever they get the chance). Lucky me, they hadn't gone far and actually came when I called them - phew! And yes, this time I remembered to shut the gates. Definitely time for a cuppa and a bikky.

First finish for 2011

I have lots of ideas and inspiration for all sorts of things to make, but so far have only managed one finish. This Perfect Pear pincushion was designed by the Quilted Crow girls in Tassie and was so easy to make (which is why it appealed to me so much!) I've used a combination of gorgeous felted wools purchased online from Hatched Patched in Bathurst,NSW and from Kerry at Cottage on the Hill at Nundle, NSW. It's filled with crushed walnut shells, also from Hatched and Patched. I've not used this filling before and will be ordering more; so much easier than stuffing. Make sure you use a little funnel to transfer the shell grit into the pincushion, otherwise those teeny tiny little bits travel all over the place. Can you tell who had to do a big cleanup afterwards? Hope you are all having a fun year so far. Happy stitching!