Saturday, April 19, 2008

Giveaway on Four Wise Monkeys Blog

Four Wise Monkeys is having a giveaway....Click HERE


*Image 'borrowed' from Four Wise Monkeys Blog*

Leave a comment and please let Rachel know who sent ya!

Please comment by April 27th....



Lissa
blog whore...

Friday, April 18, 2008

I love my postman!

I love my postman... I should say, SOMETIMES... yesterday and today has been two days of quilty business...

Yesterday my winnings from Sue Daley Designs its in the packet you can see at the back, with the circle applique.. it is a set Pie Paper Piecing templates and papers to make these gorgeous blocks. I had planned on making the quilt that was on the front of the Australian Patchwork & Quilting last month (if you haven't seen it, it was worlds square blocks, done 'trip around the world' style with a pie pieced border.. AND in civil war fabrics.. lovely) so these paper pieces will come in handy big time!!!! Thank you Sue!!!!

The postie also bought me ANGEL mail from my SCQuilters year long angel, a gorgeous Cinderberry stitchery and threads, and the cutest cloud postcard! A fitting postcard from an angel dont you think???



Today, the postman delivered angel mail from my RETREAT angel, Quilt Rose is her nick name.. a lovely angel colouring book (quickly snafoo'd by miss Lara), a gorgeous gold bookmark with a wee tape measure attached (will save the corners of the pages of my books) and a wee pouch which I just think is so sweet... and I just LOVING the fabric.. I am envious of anyone who can do zippers, mine always come out skewiff, I know there is a trick to zippers, but patience isn't one of my strongest points! I had a giggle when I read the return address on this parcel, it said HEAVEN...

Am I spoiled or what???

Had another trip to the solicitors with dad today, and had to go and pay some bills for him. He did overdo it a little by going out, but he is getting cabin fever sitting at home all day! Please, if you haven't got a will, do your family a favour and get one.. its been 5 months since mum passed away and we are still fighting with the superannuation mob, we have called in the big guns, our local federal government member (the lovely Greg Combet) and after we get our $'s from the Superannuation mob, we are to have a meeting with him and see if we can't get legislation or rules changed, its ridiculous the amount of hoops you have to go through to get a deceased persons funds.. ARGH!!! SO GET A WILL!!!!!

OK I am off to my sewing machine, if you dont hear from me for a couple of days, send a search party, I'll be the one passed out at the machine and chained to it!! LOL




Quilty huggers to you all


Lissa

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

I've got Mail and a project???


I often share pics of what I've been working on, and this is the latest project / disaster to come out of my sewing house.. I had seen something online, and this inspired this tragedy... I had planned on the long handle you can see, being sort of a wristley doodaddy thingomajig, but the bag turned out too big! oops.. I wanted to make a bag to take on retreat with me next month, and to put siggy squares in for swapping! its too darn big, and the wristley doodaddy thingaomajiggy isn't sufficient, so I am stumped.. I'll probably add some wooden handles or some fabric handles if I save this item from the scrap tub! It is special to me, as the fabric comes from friends from all over the world who have sent me fabric lately to cheer me up or to swap!

Speaking of fabric, I had been meaning to put a pic on my blog of some fabric I got from www.quiltbook.com (for some reason the hyperlink thingyamajig aint working but just type that addy in... bugger @ Blogger) I get a lot of emails from people (especially here in australia) on where I buy my fabric.. I just discovered this site, and to say I am a happy camper is an understatement. The shop owner Carol, is so lovely and I placed an order Saturday and had it within 10 days, which to me, is amazing, as she is in the US and I am in Australia! The pricing for all these civil war lovelies was $7.50USD/yard.. so very reasonable.. so please, check out her site, her range of civil wars and repro's are AMAZING and she'll cut skinny quarters too! If you order from her, let her know Lissa sent you! I told her I'd let all my bloggy buds know about her website!



Aren't these fabrics just yummy????



Today, well I was having a pity party again (forgot to send out invites again, silly me) and the postman delivered this parcel of yummy civil war fabrics!!! My friend Bundy shared them with me, and some lovely hearts to add to my healing hearts quilts.. am I a lucky girl or what???

Go and check out Bundy's blog, she is a long arm quilter and does the most amazing quilting!!!!

Well my dad is home, he isn't 100% but he is much happier being at home, in his own home eating REAL food and not the stuffs they serve at hospital.. and annoying the poop out of me! But hey, it sure makes life interesting!!


Until next time

Quilty Huggers to you!!!


Lissa

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Dad Update & Quilty Mail & School Hols...

g'day petals

well my dad is doing much better, thank you for all your kind emails and comments! He has had several blood transfusions and this has helped with his blood pressure, its still very low, but not 78/45 like it was the other night! My brother is doing OK, he still has chest pain but its not his heart, I dont think I could deal with another patient this week/month/year!

On Friday, I was feeling a bit sooky and had a pity party by myself (forgot to send out invites) and I checked the mail box and lookit what come!!!!



I swapped a friend in NZ some flannel she NEEDED and she asked 'what do you want in return' so I of course said 'repros if you got any'.. and this come from her stash!

Now I have to admit, when I was cutting out the 5" charm squares of flannel I was moaning the WHOLE time, thinking why o why do I do swaps???? so much work, blah blah blah.. and then this lot arrives! I suddenly remember why I LOVE swapping fabric.. its like getting fabric for free! (well almost)

How FREAKING cool is this fabric??? 101 (yep I counted them) pieces of reproductions, some William Morris, Shellbourne Museum and civil wars! I loved them so much I was rubbing them on my face (am I the only person who does this??) talking to the fabric.. *sigh* I particularly love the fabric thats on top, I never seen it before, actually tehre were a lot of fabrics in there I never seen before! *sigh*

And you know what?? that pity party I had come to a screaming HALT and turned into the 'Fat Tart I got Mail Happy Dance'...

I am wondering what the postman brings me today...

I just had to share this pic of my middle one, Morgan... School Holidays started Thursday afternoon.. I was up at the hospital quickly come home, grabbed the washing in (not folded, excuse that) and chucked it on the back lounge waiting for the folding fairy to visit...



I asked Dags where Morgy was and he said out the back somewhere, had a squiz couldn't find him, had a closer look and here he was, snoring his head off sleeping on the clean washing pile.. Thursday was the last day of term here in Newcastle, the kids got an extra day 'cause of the Newcastle Show.. It looks like he needs holidays, this is where he was from 4.30pm.. he gets home from school at 3.30pm.. he doesn't look comfortable.. he'll die of embaressment if he knew I put this pic on the net, but hey, thats what mums are for... You know you have lived long enough as a parent if you are an embaressment to your children!



take care and have a wonderful week!

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Dad Update

I made a quilt to stitch while waiting at the hospital with dad yesterday and didn't stitch an inch...

Dads op well, it went OK.. but dad isn't doing so good.. blood pressure is extremely low and his oxygen levels (he is on oxygen btw) was under 85% they think he might have to go up to ICU, so I'll ring them today before I go up... they were talking about giving him another blood transfusion..

My DH dropped me at the hospital as my brother was visiting thought we'd save petrol (dags was on his way to work).. sat with dad and said 'wheres christopher?'

Dad said 'he either went for dinner or he is in emergency'...

my brother had chest pains, he is 35... so visiting time was nearly finished with dad, and he was very out of it, so the I told the nurse I was off to find my brother in emergency... they were supposed to ring me last night to let me know how dad was but they didn't have time..

toddled off to emergency and here is my brother hooked up to machines.. I had to come home, I'd left the kids home alone for my quick visit to dad, but when I left Christopher they didn't think it was his heart.. but wouldn't let him home so I had to get a taxi home (glad I saved on petrol, I needed it to pay for the taxi!!)

I swear the men in my family are trying to kill me through stress.. if I wasn't already so grey, I'd be white! I guess in a small way they are considerate, as they were in the same hospital!

School holidays in Newcastle start today, kids are home & no before/after school running around, so this morning, I am not doing housework, I am not answering the phone.. I am going to sew.. that always cheers me up!

I think I'll drag out the Bendigo Behemouth Siggy quilt to work on.. either that or go and rock in the corner!


have a wonderful weekend petals!



Lissa

Sunday, April 06, 2008

Free Block of the Week

The Golden Thimble is having a free block of the week.. Now I need a new project like I need more fabric (oh my gosh, did I just say that out aloud???) BUT this one is gorgeous! I can see this in 30's or civil war fabrics, but anyways, they are great! So please check them out!

What has Lissa been working on?


Well I did put together this quilt top.. all the white is for the redwork I am planning on doing on it.. It is a "Red Brolly-Bronwyn Hayes" pattern called "Seed Packet Quilt"... I had sorta kinda traced all the patterns about 4 years ago when I got the quilt pattern! I have since added a float and a couple more borders, and it looks fabbo.

Dad has the big 'op' this week, on Thursday, so I thougth I'd need a project to do when I am sitting at the hospital with him. He thought he was going to be in hospital overnight, turns out he didn't listen, its more like 7-10 days! so I have a top to embroider. Of course I have no pellon, so I'll have to put myself out and go to the quilt shop tomorrow to get me some pellon (I like pellon behind stitcheries)...


Well thats it for me!!


Lissa

Thursday, April 03, 2008

Check this blog out!

the Country Cellar is celebrating the opening of a new etsy business and is having a giveaway!

Thought I'd share the LURVE and let other people check out her wares!



Lissa

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Lucky Lissa!

Hello petals...

I have had a busy week this week... My postman will think I am stalking him, I wait for his bike in the street (its a step through scooter, can hear it coming from the next suburb)

Monday he made me sign for this:

Homespun has a 'Hope Chest' giveaway competition in each issue.. I won a Lynette Anderson Designs Mini Mouse Mat, it features Lynette's BOM Pond House.. Its so cute, but then I realised 'bugger I was a runner up and missed out on the pattern pack!'.. can't win them all I guess!!! But i do love this, and its gone straight to the 'pool room' (pool room in the land of Lissa is the sewing treasure basket)

On Tuesday the mail man delivered....

I helped out a dear net friend Lorraine had set up a blog and needed some help! So Lissa to the rescue! Lorraine sent me this as a thank you gift, which she didn't need to do, but I was surprised none the less AND it was a 30's I didn't have.. a miracle! the pattern is an english paper pieced one, and I do like EPP!!!
Why not check out Lorraine's blog?? she has just started so drop in and say g'day and that Lissa sent you here!

On Wednesday the postman delivered this cutie!!!

Thanks to all of you guys who visited Sew Me Something Good, Katherine recently had a giveaway and also a secondary giveaway to the person who created the most traffic! And thanks to you guys, that was me! the bluebird purse is soo cute, perfect size for a take along project in the ol' handbag, the needlecase is something else! I have never seen anything like it, its so cute and such a great idea! I want to know where do you find cards like this one??? Quilting themed cards are as rare are rocking horse poo here in aussieland, and when I find any, I pounce on them like they were chocolate!

I have had a poopy week this week, have had some drama's with my mums 'estate' and the superannuation company.. put it this way, if I dont get some answers or some $'s from them this week, we are contact the Superannuation Ombudsman, I have contacted my local Federal Member of parliament about this, and ours is Greg Combet who was the ACTU president, so hopefully they'll be able to help us out! Dad has the big OP next week, and having cancer and greiving for my mum, well this isn't helping his health! I had to put my cranky pants on today! and they are getting tight! LOL


Well I am wondering what will the postman bring me tomorrow? probably bills.. haven't had any of those for a few days!



Take care petals..


Lissa

Cool Giveaway...

Click HERE to win a iPod Touch.. how cool is that giveaway???


Lissa

Tuesday, April 01, 2008

what is Gocco???

Hmmm a few of you petals have emailed me and said "Lissa we know you are smarter than us, so please explain gocco to us???"

Your wish is my command....


Hmmm maybe I not too smart, BUT if you click here:

Gocco Tutorial

there is a 'you beaut' or 'ripper rita' tutorial on how to use your gocco..

If you are in aussieland you can buy goccos from Nehoc.

I got my darling from ebay... from a lady who lives just over the mountain from me, so I saved on postage too!

I have also bought a handstamper for it, so in theory, if I wasn't lazy, I could hand stamp my own fabric.. Now that WOULD be cool...


Hope this helps petals!



Lissa

Free Stitchery Giveaway

If you go to this blog Bee Sew Whimsical and sign up for their newsletter, you get the most darling stichery pattern, its this one..



Its a Wildcraft Farm Pattern... Janet makes lovely things, so check out her shop while you are there!

I think its cute, and might have to make one or three, like I have been doing lately, (stocking up on quilty gifts)


so what are you still here for??? of you go, and if you visit Wildcraft Farm, tell her Lissa sent you! :O) if you put this info on your blog, you may also win another free stitchery! how cool is that???




Lissa