I love my postie!

She brings me the most wonderful parcels.  Not much else, to be honest.  In fact she walks past my door at least five times more than she stops at it but when she does stop she usually has something marvellous for me.  This past week or so has been testament to that.  I've had four wonderful parcels in about 10 days, all of them fabric related.  Today though I'm concentrating on just one parcel as this post is linked to a post on another blog.  I'll share the other parcels in the coming days so if you're one of the lovely people that sent me a parcel please don't think I've forgotten about you - I really haven't!

Now, you may remember that I've been making a secret something for what feels like months (actually, I think it might be months!) and I haven't really been able to show you anything of it.  You may be pleased to learn that I've finally finished it and it has arrived at its new home.  What is it?  I hear you ask...well, I'm not showing you it today either!  Instead I'm going to show you what a wonderful quilter and friend sent me.

Back in October (I think, it's so long ago I can't remember the details!) Nicky and I decided that it would be fun to do a swap, just for us.  In fact I think it might have started when I commented on Nicky's mosaic for Cindy's Goodie Swap which happened way back in August/September.  We decided to make each other a cushion and we would use the mosaic from the Pillow Fight swap as our inspiration.  I think the initial idea was that we'd then have two cushions that went beautifully with each other and whilst Nicky managed that I kind of fell off the wagon and wandered into the undergrowth...you'll see what I mean when I show you what I made (I'll post about it in the next few days - if you can't wait pop over to Nicky's blog but not before you've seen the marvellous things she's made for me.  That way you can tell her how wonderful, thoughtful and talented she is!).  The initial plan was to send the cushions (and two goodies) as soon as we could after the Pillow Fight swap was over and once again I scuppered the plans.  But more of that another day!  Let's just say that we've had three tentative 'deadlines' and I missed two of them!!  Sorry, Nicky!

Right, enough writing, let's get some photos sorted!

First up, my wonderful cushion...

Isn't it fantastic?  Wait until you see the back!

The colours I love, a block very like one of my hexies and, although you can't really see it in this photo, some wonderful hand quilting on the border.

See?!!  Have you ever seen a nicer back on a cushion?

Let me tell you that Nicky's FME is fabulous - you'll see more of it in a moment, prepare to be amazed (and a tiny bit envious!)

Don't they look fabulous together? 

Oh, I can't stop smiling!  I love it so much!  It's a very posh cushion cover too, it's even lined!  And it has the most fabulous FME label (and I'm desperately hoping that Nicky isn't sharing a photo of my less than impressive FME writing!)

See what I mean about fabulous?!

And then, as if that wasn't marvellous enough there's the goodies!

A bone shaped pincushion - far too nice to stick pins in, they might wake up the dog!

And...drum roll please...

I think you'll find that this is mine...

See?  It's got my picture on it which makes it mine.

What do you mean I can't sleep under it?

I told you Nicky was talented!  Are you a little bit envious of her FME talent?  Or, like me, a lot envious?!!!  The picture of Archie is based on the one of him looking at the hedgehog treats and Nicky has perfectly captured him and his personality.  Definitely talented!  There was also some chocolate in the parcel...strangely there's no photo though!  One bar is in the fridge but the other seems to have wandered off...


Thank you sooooo much, Nicky, I love everything you made for me (and Archie!).  This swap has been so much fun and I've enjoyed every minute of it!


Archie likes all the things in the parcel and seems to think they're for him - don't worry, I'll soon put him right!

What do you mean it's not a real bone?

It certainly looks real...

Nicky was kind enough to include some treats for Archie - a new brand for him and he likes them so much I'll looking for them in the local pet shop.  I think Alfie would also be allowed these, I'll take one round sometime for him to try!

These are definitely real...I can smell them through the packet!

 

Come on treats, you know you want to come out...
I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow the packet open!

Yes, I did give him a few when I put down the camera!  And then he followed me into the kitchen and looked disbelievingly at me when I put them away!!

Now, don't forget to leave a comment telling Nicky how talented and thoughtful she is.  And then pop over and tell her again on her blog!  Please?!  And while you're there you can see what I made her...or you can wait until I post about it but where's the fun in that?!

In other news (I'm not sure why but typing that reminds me of The Two Ronnies - only one in this clip though!) I've finished the sewing club sessions I was taking at a local primary school.  For the last few weeks I've had 12 Y5 children (aged nine and ten - five boys and seven girls) after school on a Wednesday for about 75 minutes (and a few dinner time sessions squeezed in as well, just 45 minutes at a time with half the group so I could give them more attention) and we've they've made a simple pincushion (running stitch round the edge), designed and made a case for an ipod/mobile phone/PSP, etc.  (all different measurements and therefore templates - that was a fun few hours of planning for me!) and used a straight 'over' stitch to stitch on motifs and blanket stitch round the edges and then last night they made a simple (stuffed) felt heart (for their mams for Valentine's Day!) and, just like the first week, they did running stitch round the edge.  What a difference from the first week - they've progressed so much in a very short space of time!  They're showing them in assembly tomorrow and I think they're rightly proud of what they've made. And I'm proud but exhausted!!  Worth it though to see them enjoy sewing so much, I think many of them will carry on at home.  A few of them have done some sewing before but many of them hadn't and one boy who hadn't told me last night that he'd mended a hole in his 'jama bottoms last weekend - how wonderful!

Must go, Nicky and I are posting at the same time and I'm late - again!!