Up up and away

Barring disasters (car breaking down on the way to the airport, forgetting the tickets and passports and other unmentionable things happening), DH and I are up hideously early and flying into the blue on Saturday morning.
The aforementioned early rising will be worth it - we're leaving behind coldish weather, work and our gorgeous pooches for the warmth of Singapore, Hong Kong and China. Just for a few weeks, mind. House sitter is organised, shopping completed, packing not even thought of. Oh yes, and I've been making stuff. We'll be spending 5 days in Shenzhen, China, with our daughter, who teaches English at a kindergarten. And a mum can't go empty-handed. My Rosy isn't at all crafty - I tried but failed - but loves it when I make stuff for her. So here 'tis:

The drawstring bag and the platypus stitchery are from Natalie Bird's little book that I bought at the quilt show in Melbourne recently. The diary cover is May Britt's gorgeous design for the Stitchers Angel swap and in the background are two scarves and a cosmetic bag made from a bloggy free pattern. Nice, eh?Here's a better view of the diary cover - oops, forgot to rotate. I'm sure you'll cope.
Can't wait to see my girl, and catch up with Malaysian friends, and enjoy the sunshine, the different sights, smells and sounds and indulge in some crafty shopping. If you're on holidays too - or if you're not - have fun.

Another great giveaway

Jan at Sewjourn is having a great giveaway to a place I'd love to go to. Visit her blog for the details - and visit again just 'cos it's a good read.

Fabulous giveaway

Head over to Mama Spark's World for a fabulous giveaway of Robyn Pandolph fabrics in honour of her four hundredth post. Now that's what I call a celebration!

Sheep, swap, shopping and sipping

Okay, okay, so I just couldn't resist the alliteration!
I've had some fun these past two weekends.
Sunday last week we went over to Bendigo (a hundred and some ks away from home here in Ballarat; for those who don't know, Bendigo is another lovely old town in the Victorian goldfields) to the big sheep show there.
Not our usual thing , and for us the attraction wasn't the sheep but the chance to catch up with our old friend Merrilyn from Tassie.
The divine Ms M was there with her partner, who breeds sheep, so it was nice to meet him and to wander round the show with Merrilyn pointing out the different breeds (she's a farmer's daughter, so she just couldn't help herself). Many years ago I did a stint as a rouseabout in shearing sheds on the south island of NZ but I'd forgotten how HUGE some of these beasties can be.
It was all very impressive, and a lovely catch-up with an old friend (who incidentally does beautiful ribbon embroidery and tapestry.)
Friday was chat night for my online friendship group and the opening of our latest swap, a Christmas ornament. Here's what Leanne made for me - isn't it lovely! Thank you so much, Leanne.

And this is what I bought at the quilt fair in Melbourne yesterday.
A great day out as always - met my non-bloggy friend Margot there and we wandered around happily, doing more looking than shopping (at first - that changed!) Iwas so pleased to get the pack of Moda strips, which contains enough fabric to make two toiletry/makeup bags - the pattern was included. I love my Marg Low pattern; she designs such pretty things and have lots of plans for the animal stitcheries in Natalie Bird's little book.
As for the sipping - today was the Glenlyon Food and Wine Fayre, an unmissable event. Glenlynon is a small settlement about 50? k from Ballarat. It has a great community spirit and every year packs local winemakers and food producers into big marquees that quickly become filled with people from many parts of Victoria who appreciate when they're on a good thing.
The entry fee includes a wine glass inscribed with the name of the event. It's such a nice souvenir to have when only the memory of the delicious things you've eaten and drunk that day (mulled wine, yabby puffs and a trout roll for me) remains. We came home with 2 bottles of red wine, blue cheese and jars of lemon curd, spiced quince jelly and pear chutney - yum!

I heart swaps!

Don't you just love swaps! You know how it goes - you join up, you're given a partner's name and a list of likes and dislikes, you make and send some great stuff, you receive some great stuff. Brilliant!
It's been like Christmas this month - I've received three swap packages , with another one to come at the end of the month.
The first opening was a huge parcel from Glenys, my partner in the Christmas in July swap organised by Karen from Mrs Martin's Quilt Shop at Monbulk (Victoria). This is what I received (minus the huge box of Maltesers, which were scoffed quickly!)
Next to be opened was my parcel from Pat in Narromine. We took part in Maree's (On my verandah) paper bag swap. What a great idea - each participant put together 2 fat quarters of favourite fabric, plus embellishments, plus chocolate to help the creative process along, and sent them to her partner. Back came the raw materials fashioned into beautiful keepsakes. My gift to Pat was a bag with her initial stitched on the front, and a pincushion. The next two photos are of what she sent me - isn't it lovely!
I don't have any pics of what I sent to Glenys or Pat as my camera was missing (found it last week under a quilt and things on the chair in my sewing room, don't ask!
That parcel was closely followed by gifts from Doris in Iowa. Doris and I were partnered in the FRIENDS swap organised by Sew Prim Khris, and let me tell you, we are pretty pleased with ourselves.
This is what I sent:
F: for the fat quarter Buttercup Bag, plus fabrics
R: for reading - bookmarks and a bag from the library corporation I work for
I: Chocolate for indulgence and a lovely bird motif from Prints Charming for inspiration
E: Easy peasy stitching purse - I've made lots of these - they're great
N: for nose - a tissue cover in the same fabric as the bag, and a lace-trimmed hanky
D: for drinking (tea or coffee or whatever) - coasters made with fabric featuring thongs/flip-flops or, as they are called in NZ where this fabric and footwear comes from, jandals
S: A cosy scarf
And here's what Doris sent me:
A wall quilt featuring gorgeous dresses, a slice of pincushion cake that looks good enough to eat, novelty fabric, Mary Engelbreit charm squares, quilt pins and a fabulous quilt mag in which I've already earmarked at least 3 projects.
Oh, and I've signed up for Helen's Stitcher's Angel swap again. I think I'm addicted. Thanks so much to the makers and the organisers of these swaps - it has been fun.

Drumroll please!

And now for something completely different - I'd like to introduce you to Katie and Gus, our adorable mum-and-pup Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.
Cavvies are the best breed in the world - we're not biased (much - these two are our fourth and fifth of the breed).
Pros: Loving, loveable, cuddly, think everything you do is great and love your company.
Cons: They think it's food time ALL the time, they haven't read the bits in the dog books that describes them as rather regal so they have earned a collective nickname as "the scruffhounds", they love getting wet and muddy then wonder why you don't want them to come inside, they pinch teatowels off the front of the oven and take them to their basket, they chew their mattress, their long fur collects peastraw from the garden then drops it all over the dining room floor...
Better stop now, there are too many "cons". But we love 'em to bits anyway.
BTW, that's Gus at the top - this pic was probably taken just after he'd pinched his umpteenth teatowel of the day, while Katie has that long-suffering look all us mums wear at some time.

Christmas in July giveaway

There's a gorgeous Christmas in July giveaway at Barb's Creations (http://barbscreations.blogspot.com). I'd like to think all the lovely things in this generous giveaway have my name on them, but I suspect I will have to stand in line...Good luck!