Rosie's Snugglybug rug

Rosies quilt was delivered today as she entered hospital for another round of treatment. This was a challenge as she is 14 yrs old and requested red and black with fairies!! Do you know how many red and black (and not pink) fairies are around. But I think she'll like it and we do hope it gives her some comfort to be snuggled as 'snug as a but in a rug' whilst going through this lonely and frightening time. Thanks as always to our 9 blockmakers, Kim for assembling it and Hilary Arnold of Fairfield Quilting for quilting it. If you'd like to read more about the Snugglybug Rug Project, there is info on my website.
hugs, Helen

PJ Stripe

The lovely and excited Kim from Honeysuckle Cottage phoned me yesterday to say she had just found a new stripe fabric for my Pyjama Party Book projects. It is from the Victorian Romance range and will be available on her website soon.

Also dont forget the stripe from A Little Romance

and a new one I found yesterday from Red Plum Linen - and its even called PJ Stripe Pink

and here was the original as used in my book and Tilly and Friends. So sorry to choose a fabric you all really want so much it sells out!! I think I need to become a fabric designer in my spare time so I have at least have access to the fabrics I want to use...

hugs,

Helen

Challenge - with rewards...

HI all, I have been a busy busy girl so sorry for my tardiness in posting here. Have had two shows the last two weekends and life in between. What have I been doing to fill my spare time I wonder. Well.. I did attend a Hens night on Saturday where I learnt Bollywood dancing - actually quite fun but I dont think I'll be performing it anytime soon.

My big success this week is that I finally figured out my Illustrator programme enough to draw my new designs for a large new project I am working on for November release. It has 104 designs - well actually about 52 designs and 52 verses or sayings...yes, one per week for a year. It is called 'Nice people, Nice things' and I plan to start another blog or group for all who participate with the hope it will inspire people to do one nice thing a day or week. Just think, if everyone in this world did just one nice thing out of the goodness of their heart each week, what a nicer place the world would be... So whilst I have mastered drawing on Illustrator I am not really up there with blog design and artwork so I have a challenge to any who may be reading my blog....

Design me a blog header and theme for 'Nice People, Nice things' - just has to be simple, nothing fancy just functional and suited to the theme. (although there are some really lovely blogs out there that I wish I had time to emulate) I can supply themes and designs..... the winner will recieve a full pack of the Pattern when released in November. Now as I am fairly new to blogging I dont even know how many people are reading this, so feel free to forward this challenge or get together with friends to have a go... It will be a place to list nice things that people have done, post extra patterns or designs, watch each others progress, share thoughts and dreams, successes and failures in life and in stitching. What a nice thing you would be doing.....and you know, it actually feels good to something nice for someone else.... so lets heal the world in our own small way

'One woman can only do so much but a group of women can do SO much.'

hugs for today
Helen

Christmas Gathering

What have I been up to you ask??? well apart from a hundred other things today I delivered my projects for the Christmas Gathering mentioned in an earlier post to the girls at the Quilted Crow. I think they were happy with them. This is going to be a wonderful day at the Campania Hall in October with myself, Belinda Merrit from Pheobe Rose, Leonie and Deirdre and Michelle all giving new projects for a special day. We have all done a Christmas Project and a Gift type project. I threw in my new bags you have been seeing me play with also using the lovely Fresh Cut range from Heather Bailey..

Do you like my Christmas Tree Skirt, I used the Spirit of the Season II range which had just come into the Quilted Crow shelves...

Do you like my Christmas in July rose tree? sort of Christmassy??? well use your imagination..
I got fat eights from the girls so the leftovers were used to make a double sided cushion with an interesting back...

I have been tagged yet again by Sarah today. I know I know, I still havent come through on Lynettes tag yet but I will get to it when I can find 8 people (it was only 7 for Lynette so now I have to find yet another!)... will try soon, it will be great when I get my laptop back from my developer and can blog upstairs in front of the heater at night instead of down here in my studio where by now at 5.45pm it feels like about 5degrees! By the way I really like what she got in her Christmas Swap,,,, mmmmm maybe I could find the time to join her Pay it Forward challenge...so, heres my tree skirt and fresh cut cushion..... I had to include some Colourque at the request of many....but using some new brighter colours...

hugs

Helen

new blog

My sister Tracey Browning has finally succumbed and has started a blog.

More exciting news today as our Quizzles products will hopefully be available on the new Quilt Show shoppe. The Quizzles are being previewed by Gizmo Girl I think in the show to be aired in October so now the 20,000 members will also be able to purchase them right there on the show site. What a good idea they have added to the site. Have you visited or joined yet, I know it is difficult for us here in Australia to watch the shows as our Internet speed is just not quick enough in most places but the bits I have managed to watch are really good. And I am really lucky to be in a test footprint area for the first residential Optic fibre network in Australia... so when they finally get it sorted out and working I hopefully will be able to watch them all again without any hassles.

hugs for today
Helen

Our beach in sunny Tassie

Lynette Anderson showed us her local beach a few weeks ago to make all of us Tassies jealous. Ours looks just as nice but take about 20 degrees from the temperature and the vision will be more realistic. Still we had a lovely day out yesterday for Matilda's birthday, a hearty winter pub meal for lunch, a play at the playground at Dru Point then a rugged up walk along the beach at Kingston...

who ever taught her to pull a funny face for the camera, we are never going to get a normal shot again!

Lynette, bring your winter woolies with you in September...

hugs

Helen

my little princess

My Little Princess turned 3 yesterday.... yes, another 3 years of life have passed in a blink of the eye.... but we have so many wonderful memories and moments and who could resist moments like these below.... her two big sisters wanted the party- Tilly would not have known otherwise, but she certainly knows now what a present is and what 'happy birthday' means...

as you can see by these first two she was a little unsure about this party thing and having to wear these beautiful new clothes (which mum should have lovingly made for her as she did for the first two girls, but gee, who can survive without chickenfeed!!)

And with three other princesses to share the day with, its no wonder all my designs are girly girly... I am trying really hard at the moment to do some 'boy' designs' for release in November but with this inspiration around me I can feel another Princess theme coming on...

Bubbles, bubbles, always a favourite and the rain subsided for a few minutes here and there to enjoy the brisk air...
Of course one must have a princess cake!! again a quick fix from the store instead of a lovingly made cake from home, but I have come to realise the kids are quite happy with this, Its just me who has to suffer the guilt of a busy lifestyle...and processed cake, but I shouldnt be eating it anyway...(Note: Molly did make the fairy cakes from her Kids cookbook -and I have learnt from experience that every child at the party needs their own candle to blow out)

so to my baby, a happy happy day my beautiful princess..

hugs from Mummy xxxxx

just a quick one

Just want to say that the cone idea in the previous post was inspired by something I saw which was similar on the Lazy Girl blog so wont be patterning that one, just having a play........ when surfing blogs we always see things we like and want to try but I am very conscious of giving credit and not doing the same. Bummer, I wish I had thought of it first..... great gift idea... teachers this year, watch this space.....
hugs
Helen

bits and bobs

Have been playing with some easy peasy ways to make cute and quirky little bags, boxes, bits and bobs...... you could keep going forever trying different shapes to see how they come out and adding embellishments and treasures from your stash.....
Will write up some instruction ideas and use these as an extra bonus at the Christmas Gathering in October - its also a nice way to have a play with some free machine quilting ideas...
hugs
Helen

my little photographer

WEll mum's not the greatest photographer so Tilly is starting early! She has worked out how to turn on and shoot, change from view to shoot and how to turn the rotating view screen around to take photographs of herself. Only problem is no-one else can get a turn and my memory cards are full of photos of anything that moves.. Maybe one day she can photograph all of my projects, now to start her off on Illustrator and Photoshop so she can do my artwork too....

I was hoping Molly may go this way but she has told me last night that she soon has to choose next years subject choices and IT wont be one of them - really didnt like designing on the computer at all.... but she is definitely choosing a full year of art so thats a start.

Does anyone know how to get the border boxes around photos on Blogspot, I havent been able to find out how to do this and it looks much nicer.... One of those things on my list of things to play and do..

I have wasted two hours surfing wonderful blogs today after returning from school quilt sessions and have added some great ones to my links - go waste some time too...

hugs

Helen