Happy New Year

For no real reason I’ve been running my blog pretty anonymously but I’ve now decided to ‘come out of the closet.’ I’m hoping this might provide the incentive I need to get back to the design table. The ideas are in my head but I need to get them onto paper & better still into fabric.

To keep you busy in the New Year I’m giving you a free Birth Flowers BOM. It will run every month for 1 year. I will post each block at the beginning of each month. January has just been uploaded to our website.

http://www.countryoriginals.com.au

Click on the free pattern button on the left of the page.

These blocks have been available for a while but not mentioned here. Now as part of my many new year’s resolution, ‘I’m getting my act together.’ (Well trying to!)

Happy stitching, Jan.

Yule & Beyond

Well Yule was very quiet in our home this year. Our eldest Simon is still living in Ottawa though he travelled south for the holidays for warmer weather, our daughter Emma lives 1000km away & only had a few days off over Christmas, so this year it was just dh, ds#2 & me + Molly the spoodle. Actually it was really enjoyable, we opened our pressies & instead of having to put everything aside for Boxing Day we were able to enjoy our goodies.

We have a big roast turkey dinner on Christmas Eve so it was turkey sandwiches for lunch on Christmas Day & ham sandwiches for dinner. After 20+ years of always hosting Christmas it meant we didn’t spend the day in the kitchen.

I can now put up pics of some of the gifts I made.

A wheat bag cover & scarf for my US friend Pinky.

   

Dottee Doll for a swap.                A little gnome for a little girl.

I got fabric, books & a craft calendar that has over 100 projects. Can’t wait to get stuck into some of them. & a subscription to my fave mag, Quilting Arts.

The look tells you how much I love having my picture taken. :-)

I had a brilliant idea for Rowan’s pressie, a drum kit. Yes I know, what was I thinking, lol. He plays djembe drum & taiko drums & he really has rhythm. It amazes me that we produced 3 musically gifted children & dh & I can only play the fool!!!!

Yes the drum kit is currently in the middle of my sewing room which is a total disaster area waiting to be sorted.

Santa brought Molly Spoodle a pressie so I gave it to her. Watch her open it. Isn’t she a clever little cookie????

Bath time Molly!!!!

I made the Christmas cards this year, 5 of each of these designs.

I even made the bon bons. All this because I watched the Kirsty Allsopp’s ‘Homemade Christmas,’ & loved it.

 

We had friends over for Boxing Day.

I always get very motivated this time of year to make some changes so we are moving furniture around yet again. I’m also having a big cleanout. I’ll be spending a lot of time listing on ebay over the coming weeks/months & the rest will go to Lifeline. I need to lighten up the load of stuff I drag through life with me.

The Christmas quilts came down, so I put up this lovely Antique double wedding ring I bought on Ebay a few years ago.

We are currently re-arranging the sunroom, lounge/dining & hobby room. ‘If’ they ever look tidy I’ll post pics. Then I’ll get stuck into sorting & tidying my sewing room.