Like most people I made New Year’s Resolutions & one of them was to make all gifts this year.
So here’s pressie #1, a bag for my dear friend Helen. Helen incidentally loves everything Autumnal, which made this an easy project. I didn’t have to buy a thing. The pattern is the one I won on Linda’s Flourishing Palms blog. I did alter the handle pattern.
I’m one of those people who tends to spread stuff in every direction when I’m working so I thought it would be a good idea to try & stop the spread when I go to my quilt group. I thought a drawstring bag might do the trick but not one with a base & sides, one made like the little ones made to hold jewellery etc with lot’s of internal pockets. For once I decided to give it a go without too much agonising & I set to work. I thought about taking pics as I went along so if it worked I could post a tutorial but decided it against it thinking if it did work I’d make another for a friend & take pics then.
It started well, & I really thought it was going to work, until I actually tried to draw it up. There was to much fabric to draw up tight & the sides were too short to meet well at the top, lol.
The next day I added the purple fabric & it has helped but it still doesn’t draw up tight. Never mind I think it will do the job so I’ll try it at the next meeting. At least Zaphod likes the ribbon. :-)
I kept thinking about the lovely wool I bought on sale last week & I kept thinking I really should have bought more so yesterday, as we were out anyway, I headed back to Spotlight & bought a heap more. I bought more of the colours I’d already bought & added a few new ones. I’m getting so much inspiration from Attic 24 blog http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/
& I’m really looking forward to getting stuck into some crocheting this winter.
I posted this gift off the week before Xmas to my dear friend ‘Pinky’ in the USA & it’s finally arrived so I can post pics. ;-) 
I also made mug rugs for Pinky & her dh Perry.
I’ve made 2 more bags, a Xmas pressie & a birthday pressie & I’ll post pics when they are arrive in Canada & NSW.
& Meet ‘Zaphod’ (zay-fod).
We finally found a name we all liked, lol. He is named after Zaphod Beeblebrox from ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.’
Now we’ve packed up all the deckies the house looks so bland & boring!!!! I know cream is the trend but I’ve never really been into following trends. I like colour.
So I decided to start with the mantlepiece. I’ve never had one before & I think it might be fun to decorate it to reflect the seasons & celebrations through the year rather than just sticking something on it & forgetting about it.
So here is my Summer mantle. I’ll go in search of a runner to replace the 2 placemats. I know I have one somewhere but since we moved I’m having trouble finding things.
Camouflage socks. :-) 
Molly is a birthday girl today, it’s her 2nd birthday.
No we still haven’t chosen a name for kitten.
Rowan wants Ringo or Desmond, so we’d have Molly & Desmond as in The Beatles Ob-La-Di Ob-La-da.
Paul wants Spock.
& I’m leaning towards Charlie (Darling Buds of May) or Pixie.
My friend Lynne picked me up this morning & we headed to Gail B’s Patchwork at Bayswater. I love that shop, you can find anything you need & lot’s of things you didn’t know you needed. :-)
I had hoped to find some pretty florals in the blues & pinks I love & was not disappointed.
Also some cute Xmas stuff, nothing like getting in early. :-)
& a cute owl fabric. 
http://www.etsy.com/listing/62329188/starburst-crochet-pillow-commission-4x4
Kitty is still waiting on a name!!! Rather than narrowing it down we keep adding more possibilities to the list. 
I think Molly thinks kitty is her baby as she takes every opportunity to give him a bath.
He’s decided he likes to hang out on the shelf of the traymobile. There’s a big stuffed penguin beside him, he probably thinks it’s a relo, lol.
I’ve always had a cat. I bought my first cat when I was 2, he cost sixpence!!!! We’ve had a lot of lovely cats over the years & our last pusscat Tabitha died just before Xmas 2009 at the ripe old age of 18. So this past year without a cat has been strange. Last night I dreamt we found 2 kittens so when I saw this little sweetie in the pet shop today I couldn’t resist him.
Molly is beside herself with excitement & is slowly getting the idea she has to calm down to get close to him.
Now all he needs is a name. Any suggestions????
To kick start the new year I’m offering my BOM’s at special rates until midnight, January 14th, (in whatever time zone you’re in).
All the patterns are e-patterns, meaning they are emailed to you, so you save on postage & have the pattern very quickly. It also means you can choose your own fabrics to use.
Birth Flowers
9 blocks, part 10 - finishing off directions, are included at no extra cost with block 9.
January Snowdrops.
Normally $2.50 per month, now $2 per month.
Celebrations
January is ‘Summer’ for the southern hemisphere & ‘Winter’ for the northern hemisphere.
There are 12 blocks, one for each month.
They are individual 12” square quilts.
Normally $8 per month, now just $6 per month.
Tea Party
9 blocks, part 10 - finishing off directions, are included at no extra cost with block 9.
January – Cup of Tea
Normally $4 per month, now $3 per month.
A Stitch in Time
This stitchery is coloured with crayons or pencils.
There are 9 monthly blocks, part 10 - finishing off directions, are included at no extra cost with block 9.
Block 1 - January – Pincushion & Thimble.
Normally $4 per month, now $3 per month.
If you would like to sign up for any of the BOM’s this link will take you to my website. The discounts have already been applied to all the BOM’s.
