Thank you Australian Homespun!

Well, you’re not going to be seeing much of me over the next week or so! I’ve now received the 6 back-issues of my favourite craft magazine (all in one go!!!) from the guys at Australian Homespun – your generosity is incredible. I’m sure by the time I get through all of them, many more projects will have been added to my ‘to do’ list, the first one of which is this really sweet ‘Tilda’ ‘Betty and Boo’ kangaroo with her little Joey – how lovely are they?!

A very BIG thank you to Catherine Sanchez and Paul Vinall of

Homespun magazine for your kindness.

I doubt that I will actually be able to stay away from blogland for a whole week, particularly as I’ve been to a Quilt festival today (legs now dropping off and seriously broke!!), as I took some nice piccies of the quilts there on display, so will post those over the weekend hopefully.

Auntie Gwennie!

Just felt I had to do a quick post about my beautiful auntie who we buried today. At 67 she died way before her time. This photograph of her was taken when she was a young girl and I only saw it for the first time about a week ago, and although I always considered her an attractive woman, I never realised just how stunning she was. After my own mother died when I was 12 years old, my auntie Gwennie was there for me whenever I needed her and as I went through my teenage years, I could always turn to her for advice, which she gave with love and understanding. Today, her children gave wonderful and touching tributes to a terrific mother who gave herself completely to them and who they will miss very much. They were her world as they were growing up and they are all 3 a real credit to her.

LOVE YOU VERY MUCH AUNTIE GWENNIE XX

It’s here, it’s here!!!

My ‘Australian Homespun’ magazine has arrived today – yippppeee!!!! OK, “why” you ask, am I sooooo excited about receiving a magazine. Bet you think I’m a sad person don’t you? Be careful now!!! It’s been about 6 months since I last received a copy of ‘Homespun’. It’s my favouritist (is there such a word?!!) magazine ever, which I used to receive via a subscription through a UK based company. However, after not having received anything for about 3 months or so, and many phone calls, and much ‘being fobbed off’, I discovered that they had ceased trading (the real truth of the matter!). But thanks to Catherine Sanchez and Paul Vinall at Homespun magazine (love you both to bits), I now have a new subscription direct from Oz at a very reasonable rate – thank you both so much. And Paul Vinall is also arranging for me to get the 6 back-issues I’ve missed – I believe they may even be on their way to me right now – hope so anyway.

I’ve also received my first part of Primitive Gatherings
‘Sheep in the Willow’ BOM, which I’d been waiting for, so I’m looking forward to giving that a go – doesn’t look too tasking, which is a good thing as I’m so tired – worked overtime this morning, groan!!Anyway, it’s time to go put my feet up with a cuppa and lose myself in my Homespun magazine – see ya later!!

Halloween Giveaway!

Check out this great blog - Brenda at Pumpkin Patch Primitives is hosting a Halloween Giveaway and the lucky winner is in for a lovely surprise by the sounds of it!!

Julia :0)

Sweet smelling

I made 6 of these little bags this week. I embroidered a heart design on the front, lined them with a co-ordinating pink fabric and each one contains a little bag of scented rosebuds. It could either go in your lingerie drawer to make it smell sweet, or just hang on a cupboard door ..... thought they might make nice Christmas presents – what do you think?

My first quilt!!

Here it is then - my first quilt completed! It's far from perfect, but I'm very pleased with myself nonetheless. If you don't look too closely, you won't spot the mistakes ..... I SAID .... don't look too closely !!lol. It feels so nice and I keep stroking it whenever I walk past it, so does that mean that I'm mad or something??!! I suppose I must be mad, because now, I just can't wait to get started on another - I must be a glutton for punishment, but then aren't we all?

Girlie weekend!

I've had a busy weekend as I've had my three favourite cousins to stay over - we all live in different parts of the UK, so only get to see each other occasionally and when we do, we have a really good laugh and lots of silliness - as you do!! However, they have all gone on their way home now, which gives me an opportunity to say two big THANK YOU's.

Firstly to Faith who has given me an award, although I'm sure I don't deserve it.

Perhaps it's a sympathy vote for the struggle I've had with my first quilt!! In any event, it is extremely kind of Faith, but having given it a lot of thought over the weekend, I have found it really difficult to single out only 5 blogs that I love to pass it on to, so instead I'm just going to say thank you graciously and hope that all the bloggers I have been following know how much inspiration I have taken from them.


Secondly, thank you very much to Pat (no blog) from Canada. In return for sending her a copy of a pattern from the 'Magic Patch' magazine, which features Veronique's fabulous 'Born to Quilt' shop in France, Pat has sent me a lovely magazine, which is full of lovely prim, rustic crafts, the type of magazine that just isn't available in the UK. Pat also sent me a postcard showing the area where she lives in Canada.


Isn't the raggedy Scarecrow gorgeous - he definately has to go on my 'to do' list!! Tomorrow, I hope to be showing a picture of my finished quilt - at last!!