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...

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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

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

Ta-Da!!!

I finally made up my mind, with a LOT of help from my bloggy friends.. thank you everyone for visiting my blog and leave a comment, it helped BIG TIME...

Now readers of this blog will know I am a 1930's fabricologist.. and may, just maybe surprised to hear what I am about to say...



I am going with the civil wars.. I know.. I just hope you were sitting down when you read that.. I ditched the blue solids, and put a whole heap of them out on my dining room table and stood on the other side of the room (hey its a bit room) and thought yep I'll take that one and that one and that one..

I am off to a retreat in 6.5 weeks time.. so now its panic time for the ol' Lissa.. 76 signature squares to be made.. Now at last years retreat a lot of ladies had used a GOCCO home screen printing system and I thought I could do that... of course I hadn't used a gocco since 1985 and I didn't own one, so off to ebay I went.. Found one and was raving to Ric Rac Jodie about it so she had to get one too (hers was a freebie one lucky bugger).. anyways, I got it in MAY or JUNE last year and finally used it last night.. now I dont want to show a close up of what I have done, cause I want it to be a surprise for the ladies that go to the retreat but this is what they look like drying on my airing rack.. please excuse baskets and boxes of fabrics, I was auditioning fabric yesterday!


This used to take me HOURS to do, I am not exaggerating.. I'd sign my name on each one of those suckers and stamp them and do whatever to them, I printed all of these in 30mins.. so it was definately worth the investment...

that was the easy bit, now I have to sew the fabrics onto the corners (its indian hatchet block or a lazy snowball, only two diagaonal corners have fabric)


Well thats enough from me, thanks again for leaving comments on how to sort out my colour choices..


'til next time..

Lissa

I need HELP!

You know when you just can't make up your mind???


Civil War Repros???

Or 1930's???

whats this for you ask??? Bonnie is having a new mystery quilt on the Quiltville.com site, and its called "Orange Crush".. now you need some fabric that reads solid, and unfortunately for me, you also need yardage..

I have been diggin' around in the stash looking looking looking... and this is the best that I can come up with.. I just dont think the solids work that well with what I have picked.. the actual stash fabrics are to be scrappy, now I dont have a lot of scraps, I usually cut what I need off a piece and have a weird looking piece when I am done..

so what do you think? 30's or civil wars? and are my solids just plain wrong.. Oh with the 30's, I specifically didn't pick red/yellow/pink as the last quilt was mostly pink/yellow and I am kinda over that combo, but maybe this isn't why the group of fabs isn't sparkling...

or do I just chuck it and start again?? hahaha




Lissapoo

busy busy busy busy

Well as my favourite show (the Bill - british cop shop been on forever, ok, maybe 20 years) isn't on a Tuesday night anymore, whats a girl to do? well DUH.. SEW!!!


I had these kits from last year.. now I think I got them just before our 'excitment last year' and promptly forgot I bought them.. I had to fudge them a little, as I couldn't find a transfer pencil, but I am happy with how they turned out. I got the kit from Kate from That Raggedy One. I hope the people I made them for love them...


I thought I'd have a tidy up yesterday of my sewing crap, I mean sewing treasures.. I finally managed to get all my needlebooks and pin cushions together, and sewing tins, I have a few of those too.. I have managed to keep this spot tidy for a WHOLE day, even with having the sewing frenzy last night! The card box you can see, I won on ebay a while ago for a whole 99c.. cute eh?? Its vintage something or other, has lovely pansies on the cards, and I use it for my threads!


Oh I got Mail!!!


I am in two Angel Mortal swaps at the moment (think secret santa) This is the parcel I got from my long term Angel (finishes christmas).. I just love the floss organiser (a horses head, considering I am married to a horses A$$ I think its fitting), a very needed organiser box, some solids (I always need solids to go with the 30's), some gorgeous sticky notes, a cute cloud card - hey, angel, I always behave myself *W* oh and a magnetic photoframe.. maybe to put a pic of my angel in at some stage??*W*


This it he parcel I got from my Perth Retreat angel, it come yesterday but only got a chance to blog today about it.. a beautiful angel shelf sitter, an angel door hanger (which Miss Lara has claimed), a cute pattern, a panel of fabric that is so me (Have you been to my house angel??), a photoframe - which I know exactly what I am going to do with it, and a lovely card with angel dust in it.. I have angel dust everywhere, but we all need angel sprinkles in our life (angel dust - glitter), and the most handiest thing for me, a bookmark! will save folding corners of the pages over, which my mum used to go off her brain about!

Thank you to my angels, I have no idea who either are, too sneaky for me!

Dont you Just LOVE Long Weekends???

Due to Easter

its a long weekend in Australia, a WHOLE four days off... But I guess you are thinking 'hey, Lissa doesn't work, isn't every weekend a long weekend?'...

Well this is true, I only work about 6 hours a week.. BUT public holidays mean
1. no school
2. no dancing
3. no mums taxi service
4. fanging out in my PJ's all day if I want!

So I have been a tad productive this weekend, apart from the gifts I made to myself the other day I have made...


Yesterday I thought I'd better get working on some gifties... Not quite finished, but I am happy with it so far.. the fabrics are civil war repros and william morris wallpaper reproductions, which are a similar time frame.. but if they arent? well I dont really care, the quilt police do not visit here, so I call them 'would be if they could be's'..

The pin cushion I embroidered that Saturday night, and I just have to sew the opening closed, I am pretty happy with how that turned out.. I have been thinking, it would be nice to make a little collection of stitcheries this size in a bowl... but it is tricking gifting someone that, cause what I'd like decorating wise is not necessarily what someone else would like..

I went to a local chain store (Big W Aussie's) and was surprised to find the following fabrics in those Leuttenegger rolls they have at the back for $3.40.. some 30's and a cheddar reproduction print.. The 30's are mostly from the Storybook range that was available early last year..



So of course they had to come home with me.. They aren't the brightest, shiniest or newest ranges out, but as they are reproductions it dont matter! I love them! I did have a couple already in the stash, but I am always on the look out for more!

I have been suffering from headaches for months now, since mum died, but I have found out it is something to do with the shingles I had twice in the past four months! I am off to the optomestrist and hopefully the eye specialist real soon.. its been a bit debilitating, painful and making sewing a um, little wonky! LOL when my eye is good I look at what I sewed earlier and I think hmmmmm... I have been using the 'galloping past on horseback theory' a LOT!!!


Well I am off to do some tidying up, have my dad and brother coming for dinner.. they are cooking (well the local chinese restaurant is)



take care

'til next time...


Lissa
PS Not sure what the pattern is called.. it was a pre printed stitchery I got at a show a LONG time ago, I made it no pattern included with the stitchery (which I wont buy now unless it has a pattern, a big IRK for me) but it is a Busy Bee's Project! no contact details though...

Gifting oneself! & Gifts with a 'catch'..

g'day petals


well I have been busy today sewing up a storm.. I started sewing the above as a gift, but in the end, I gifted myself!

You know, gifting oneself, you ALWAYS get what you want... the redwork rabbits are Lynette's Noahs Ark BOM I made two, and thought hmmm.. its easter.. easter has bunnies.. so I gathered up my 1930's rabbits and chicken fabrics and made this sewing set... It turned out pretty cute I think (hence the reason I am keeping it)...

A couple of weeks ago, a blog I visit, had a 'guessing competition' well I guessed the most answers first, so I won a gift.. hmmm or so I thought.. the gift turned up this week and this is it..


A lovely Scquilters mug, and a bundle of black and white fabrics.. the catch? hmm the fabrics if I accept the challenge, must be made into a quilt by June 1st! AND you can add the SAME fabrics sent, but can only add ONE other colour!

I do not own one black and white fabric anyways, so this will be definately a challenge for me!

Wish me luck possums! I do have my thinking cap on already for this, so on June 1st, I have to post a pic, so stay tuned petals!

I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe easter! and DRIVE safely...

Lissa

I've been kissed!!!

g'day possums

a couple of weeks ago, I got a very mysterious comment.. that I'd been kissed by the craft fairy....

I sort of forgot about it, until Friday! A mysterious envelope arrived with no return addy in my letterbox (but it was posted)..



Look what he/she sent me! (I am guessing craft fairy is a chickybabe though).. I have always wanted to try this thread, and also the blocks will come in handy for my dads healing hearts quilt I am making.. I'll put all of them in the quilt, and a lovely note from the craft fairy!


Thank you craft fairy, whoever you are!!!!




Lissa
who only has ONE clue as to who the craft fairy is, he/she posted the parcel at postcode 2610.. any aussies know where that might be? or will that spoil the fun???

I am a blog whore...

Yep there it is... out in the open...

I like reading blogs, and lots of them, my little heart goes all a flutter when I turn on the puter and bloglines is beeping at me!!!

I have so many favourite blogs in bloglines, over 200 actually.. so I am outing myself, "My name is Lissa, and I am a blog whore!!!"

Why do I love blogs? hmmm well I have made so many blog buddies, I like cruising and checking out what everyone is up to.. I wouldn't of found out about the Civil War Diary/Love Letters books..

or about free patterns...

or winning stuffs (I like getting surprises in the mail that dont later show up on my credit card bill)..

I also like sharing my stash, I have swapped bits of my stash and magazines with people who were desperate for both, so I'll love getting squishies in the mail when they arrive!

I liked doing the pay it forward (I might do it again later this year)...



and if I wasn't a blog whore, I wouldn't know about Homestead Hearth. I bought some fabric from them the other day, this was their scrap bag of civil war repros.. they say there is about 5 yards of fabric in the bag, and I counted 17 pieces and for $22.50 US.. how cool is that?? the other thing, is all but one of those fabrics is new to me, and I have not seen them in australia! I'll be sure to be shopping back there! fast shipping too, order posted 3/3 received 13/3 bloody cool I reckon!


I'd love to know what your favourite blogs are, and I'll be sure to check them out! I also like leaving comments, and I hope peoples dont think I am stalking them! LOL but I do try to leave comments on at least 10 blogs I visit each day!

so if you have seen a blog I must check out, leave me the link in comments! I'd like to check it out and I'll be sure to tell them you sent me there!



Lissapoo
blog whore..

QUILT GIVEAWAY!!!

Yes thats right! A free QUILT at Old Red Barn!!!!

Old Red Barn Is giving away a gorgeous quilt!

Click on the link to find out about it, and please tell her Lissajane sent you!



Lissa


NB: possums, the quilt has been won.. alas not by me, but please do check out the Old Red Barns Blog and shop!!!

Another Fairytale...

Thought I'd share this pic of the cat I took yesterday.. isn't he just handsome??? and naughty.. this quilt was folded on a chair and somehow?? it ended up on the floor with a cat enclosed.. this is the kids favourite quilt and the cat also loves it..

Anyways.. the fairytale......

Once Upon a Time... a beautiful princess (again think Princess Fiona from shrek but bottle blonde) went for TWO job interviews in two days.. she reorganised her life without any drama's to ensure she was ready for these interviews... her babysitters arrived on time, her hair looked PERFECT, she even scrubbed up not too shabby... interviews went down well, felt very confident... and the interviewer rang back at the said time to let the Princess out of her misery..

yep bloody fairytale...

I am so cranky at the moment, thinking about it.. I went for two interviews last week, had to organise someone to pick up a child from school and take said child to dance class.. raced around getting references updated / resume updated.. had the interview (they weren't too bad) BUT they said they'd let me know by the END OF THE WEEK.. I should of asked the end of WHICH week???

I dont care really if I dont get either job, but I am always let down at the rudeness of people..

If you say you are going to do something, bloody well do it!



Lissa
off for the miracle Drs appointment..
the miracle is I got one, after trying for months to get one!