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I love my postie, again!

Over the last few weeks I've been lucky enough to receive some gorgeous parcels in the post and today I'm finally going to share the photos.  I'm not quite sure why it's taken me so long to blog about my wonderful post but I think the swap with Nicky and the fugly fabric party came at around the same time and there are only so many things I can squeeze into a blog post (I know, not much squeezing going on, that would imply short, snappy posts - not my thing at all!).

A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to win Dana's giveaway and this parcel of lovely Christmas fabric has been made very welcome - thank you Dana, I love it all!  (Oh, the shame!  I've just gone back to look at the 'I've picked a winner' post and it's almost a month ago - I'm so sorry I've been so tardy!)

Susan, let me know if you'd like a Christmas owl or robin for your bird quilt!

I think it's going to work nicely with my other Christmas fabric and, thanks to Hadley's suggestion, it's all going to become a Christmas Cherry Star and if it's half as nice as Hadley's version I'll be chuffed to bits!



The next thing to arrive through the letter box (well, it would have done if it had been thin enough, as it was it got collected from the depot a couple of days later!) was my prize from Sarah's giveaway...want to see?

The outside...


...and the inside - eep!

Isn't it wonderful?   It's a wonderful idea and will be really useful when I'm planning projects as it'll give me somewhere to store my numerous (bad!) sketches and ideas and it's big enough to hold other quilting books - ingenious!  Look at the detail on the panel - I'm told that Sarah and her mam both worked on this, they're very talented!


The quilting on this is incredible!


As if that wasn't generous enough Sarah had also included some FQs of Klona solid - I've not got much solid in my stash and this is my first bit of Klona.  The darker grey goes so well with my fabrics  for Sarah's QAL that I've decided that's going to be my sashing for the project.

Apparently this is what you get if you put a photo of Elliecat (rather than Elliecat herself, 
that would be cruel!) into a colour palette generator - she's as attractive in fabric as she 
is in photos!  I wonder what you'd get if you did the same with a photo of Archie?  
Probably not a lot other than white and brown!!

There was also some stuff in the parcel (I know, Sarah is so lovely and generous!) but it didn't quite make it to the photo shoot.  It did survive quite a while and I became very partial to a chunk of frozen stuff with a cup of tea!  Yes, frozen!  As delicious as when it's defrosted but takes longer to eat so must be 'better' for you!!  Thank you so much, Sarah, I love it all!!


And then this morning another parcel arrived, this time from the lovely Lucy, hostess of the fugly fabric party - what a fabulous idea that was!!  I was lucky enough to win the prize for linking up (believe me, getting rid of having the opportunity to pass on some fugly unwanted fabric was prize enough!).

 I love Lucy's business card and the quilt is stunning!

I've already had a good fondle of the charm pack (the cards are on my mantelpiece so I can admire them whilst I'm sewing) and I'm looking forward to working out what I'm going to do with it.  I think they'll be like the Terrain charm packs and become a carrot...we all need a reward for a job well done, don't we?!  Thank you, Lucy!  Lucy is currently campaigning for the removal of all word verification on blogs - the new version on blogger is unbelievably hard to read (sometimes I need to refresh the choice four or five times before I get one I can read) and I suspect it's putting a lot of people off commenting.  So come on, support Lucy and turn off your word verification!  Pretty please?  With a cherry on top?!


So, that's what I've been lucky enough to receive.  What have I been up to?  Well, I've cut several 2.5" squares for the blue and white quilt

About a quarter of what I need...

I cut most of these on Saturday (I found the navy ones in a scrap box - they just needed some stray threads clipping, perfect!) but I did too much and made myself poorly.  Honestly, by 4pm on Saturday I felt dreadful and I didn't really perk up until this morning.  I didn't even do that much but I think I should have had a snack and a break at some point.  I haven't cut any more since!  My plan had been to cut one FQ every day until I had enough squares but I haven't felt up to doing any cutting at all for the last few days - good job there's no deadline for this quilt!

I've also been stitching grey borders onto my Drunkard's Path blocks. I used Inklingo (a method that allows you to print shapes on the back of fabric - see here for more details) but for the borders I'm cutting the shapes out of freezer paper, ironing them to the back of the fabric and then drawing round them to get a sewing line - the same method I'm using for my hexies.

That's a shadow cast by gorgeous sunshine - so lovely to have a little bit of sun!

I think I've got another eight blocks to go (they've already got their 'short' borders attached) and then I can add the turquoise stripe - I hope it looks as good in real life as it does in my head!


Although it's sunny (but not warm, there's a chilly wind blowing - it is February after all!) I thought I'd show you one of my favourite photos of Archie - taken when we had that little bit of snow a couple of weeks back.  I thought it would be the perfect end to a post full of lovely things

I love the snow - can we stay out all day?!

Doesn't he look happy?!  I'd love to say that skill played a part in taking this photo but in reality it was sheer dumb luck!!



I'll be back soon sometime (hopefully before the end of the month) with some hexies and a fancy pincushion.  Have a lovely day and enjoy your pancakes!  I'm going for either butter and sugar or treacle (golden syrup) as usual - maybe one of each?!  How about you?


Comments

  1. Great post! It really is full of win!

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  2. Hey! Look at all those fabulous wins, well done you! You take it easy if I lived closer to you I would come and cut some of your squares for you....

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  3. Arrrgggg!!! Pancakes! Almost forgot!
    Your winnings and fabric/blocks all look lovely :)
    And of course so does Archie!

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  4. Wow!! You have been lucky lately now haven't you..lol,Congrats for that. love the fabrics and that note carrier...lovely gift...great job!!

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  5. Had our pancakes yesterday with lemon and sugar!

    Great wins - that lucky streak is going the rounds! You have some lovely treasures I look forward to seeing you use!

    Don't work too hard Helen - please keep well!

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  6. Hugs to that cute Archie - he needs to take better care of you Helen!

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  7. Great post about great post!! - I am sooo tired I'm thinking of giving the whole pancake thing a miss. Maybe later I'll get a second wind and some inclination!

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  8. Ooh pancakes. Well reminded...

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  9. beautiful photo of Archie and snow - he looks so happy.
    Wonderful gifts you got!
    Karen

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  10. aww, another fantastic Archie pic! Lucky you with all your winnings and gifts

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  11. Archie looks so handsome in the snow!

    Peanut butter, chocolate chips, and maple syrup on my pancakes please.

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  12. Lots of lovelies today - Sarah's folder is fabulous, just as well you left the book inside, gives a better impression of size, what a super thing to get.
    I am with you on the word verification, it's truly awful, had to have 3 goes the other day there.
    And finally, Archie never fails to raise a smile.

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  13. I would have been chuffed with my postie if he had brought me that lot!!
    Fab picture of Archie, fluke or not ;)

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  14. Really great post. Nice to see your wins. Make your postie a cuppa! Di xo

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  15. what a wonderful post about post!

    you lucky thing you :)

    I completely agree about the new word captcha ... I often have to load four times before I can work it out ... and I miss the made up words, I was collecting them!

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  16. Soooo much lovely fabric, can't wait to see what you make with that.

    PS - 3 with lemon and sugar so far!

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  17. Yummy fabrics!

    Alas, no pancakes here, it doesn't work with the low carb diet lol

    Archie looks like he's having a blast in the snow anyway :o)

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  18. OK enough winning from you - my turn again please!

    Hope you feel back on form soon though lovey xx

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  19. I think it;s my turn, it's been way too long since I won anything! Great post, and our pancakes were delicious! The Diva had a mix including golden syrup and Nuttella, me I'm more traditional with sugar and a squeaze of lemon :)

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  20. Wonderful post H! Sorry you've not been so good this week - lesson - pace yourself & eat!!! So glad to hear that someone else can't read those daft word verifyer thingys!! Hideous! Archie looks right at home there in the snow. Tonight my pancake had banana, crunchy peanut butter and honey - yum! Jxo

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  21. Gorgeous post Helen. The Drunkards Paths will be beautiful. Nice eye candy photos esp Archie!.... what has Eeyore got in his little bag? Is he running away from home?

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  22. I do love your posts!
    We had pancakes, some with honey, some with marmalade! yum!
    I adore your DP blocks, they're beautiful! I also love the idea of the Christmas cherry star, that'll look brilliant :)
    Thanks for joining my campaign for the hatred of word verification!!!

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  23. Wow, so much in this post...amazing! I can't wait to see your Drunkard's path blocks all sashed-up and pieced together. And is there any happier sight than a dog frolicking in the snow?! I don't think so...but a quilter having a great mail day runs a close second. Have fun!

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  24. Lots of lovely goodies for you, how wonderful!
    Your drunkards path blocks look great and I love the idea of a Christmas Cherry Star :)
    Pace yourself and feel better soon xx

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  25. wow you are a lucky lady! ... though I can't really comment on that since I've won a few giveaways myself!

    I was so dismayed to encounter the new word verification thing. I could manage the old version which gave me between six and eight numbers to type in the old audio version ... this new one gives me 5 different words to type and they start so quickly that my screen reader talks over the first word, and I struggle to remember all the words in the right order often! This method has already kept me from posting on Facebook and I fear it getting in the way of my Blog posts and comments :(

    As for pancake day, I wish I'd read your post earlier because I'd forgotten all about it! I'd be having at least a couple of each (ones with syrup, ones with sugar, both with lemon!) ... but I've got mini eggs so I'll pretend they're pancakes and have the real pancakes another day!

    Enjoy your pancakes, and don't get carried away flipping them and end up with them stuck to the ceiling! you'd have to get Archie to stand on your shoulders to get them down!

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  26. You sure are a lucky blogger. I agree that the squiggly words need to be removed from all blogs.

    Cindy

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  27. Im glad you liked the fabrics and am exited to see what you make with them xx

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  28. So many fab winnings. I am very pleased for you - and I would love one wee Christmas robin if he is going spare. Thanks!!

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  29. Helen; I always have a lot waiting....lol

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  30. Wow! What an amazing giveaway prize! Well done! And what a beautiful pup you have :) I bet he can get away with most things with a face a cute as that! Jen@madeinminch

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  31. Whoa...I'd love my postie too if I were you! I cannot wait to see what you do w/ the Pezzy. Lucy is such a genius!!!

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  32. Me again - just to say this - http://bluepatchquilter.blogspot.com/2012/02/im-feeling-bit-blah.html

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  33. fabulous stash of wins there - love the photo of archie - he sure does look happy running through the snow - I always think they must get cold feet but obviously not enough to worry about :)

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  34. Beautiful Drunkard's Path blocks! What size are you using?
    What a great shot of Archie -- he looks so happy!

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  35. Wonderful haul you have there. Love the idea of the book/sketch folder.
    Looks like you are up to some creative fun and I look forward to seeing more pics

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  36. Those blocks are so cool!!! Love all the goodies!! :-)

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  37. I'd love my postie too if he delivered all that goodness to me!

    xxx

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  38. You are so lucky with so many wonderful wins!! Enjoy them!! I esp. like the planning binder (with room for a book!) for your projects-- its wonderful! And the Klona solids are nice, too-- one of the best purchases I ever made was a solids jelly roll-- I've used it on so many projects, and am still using it!! I love your Drunkard's Path blocks-- they will be beautiful with turquoise-- I look forward to seeing them assembled. And the photo of Archie in the snow is priceless!! We had a spring-like day today, but are supposed to get a few inches of the white stuff tomorrow. Hope you are recovered from Sat.

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  39. Helen, that grey is so beautiful with your Drunkard's Path blocks, and what a winning streak you've had, huh? Great packages in the mail.. I'd love my postie too, if I were you. :o) Priceless pic of Archie, too, and can't wait to see the blue and white come together. I love quilts with only two colors. They are always so beautiful. Happy Leap Day! xo

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  40. Hi Helen and Archie - just wanted to know I've given you a Liebster Award !

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  41. i'm having Archie withdrawls!! Come back soon!

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  42. Oh your biscourni ? is beautiful... I forgot to mention that too.... that's what I get when I read your blog from my iTouch while in the bathroom, sssh don't tell anyone ;)... then a day or two later come to add a comment from my laptop!

    Your postie has been very good to you! What a great little book holder! I have that book too ;)
    Looking forward to seeing how your drunkards path project goes together. Love the colours you have chosen. I have that Inklingo collection too and mean to try it out with charm squares... one day.

    Okay, I'll stop filling up your inbox now;) and go layer up a quilt or something... ;) hugs
    Ellyx

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