goodies, swaps and holidays

I've received some wonderful goodies in the post lately.
I made a needlecase for a private swap with Shirley.
Here is the wonderful case she sent me filled with extra goodies.  Isn't it lovely.

I also won a giveaway on Moose Stash Quilting's blog.  Here are the beauties I received, three 1 yard pieces of lovely fabric and a nail file and luggage tag.  I am so lucky.

I was also involved in a mini quilt swap between the Irish and Atlanta Modern Quilt Guilds.  I received my lovely mini from Amy.  It turns out we had each other for the swap but my mini isn't a patch on the one she made for me.  Her quilting is so good.  I love the colours she used.    

I've also been making another needlecase for a swap.  I just have to sew the button on the front.  My swap buddy loves dogs and nature and she has a boston terrier and a scottish terrier so I did some embroidery on the front of the needlecase for her.  I hope she likes it.

We're away on holidays  (at last a break from work).  We're heading to Cushendall in Northern Ireland and I can't wait.  We've booked to go to the Titanic Museum in Belfast and I'm hoping that I can get to Quilters Quest (fingers crossed).  We won't have internet connection where we are staying so I won't be able to get my fix of reading everybody's stories.  Talk to you all when I get back.

Needlecase

Well I almost got one needle case finished at the FNSI.
My swap partner likes patterns and left the coice and style upto me.
I used different pieces to make up the front and some sewing themed fabrics for
the inside.  I just have to finish the binding off and sew on a large button on the front.

front of needlecase

inside of needlecase

I hope to get it finished today so I can post it away to it's new home tomorrow and maybe I will get a start on the other swap needlecase I need to make.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

FNSI

It's that time again, Friday Night Sew In.

If you want to join in head over to Heidi's.
I hope to make two needlecases for two swaps this month.  I've picked out some fabrics for one and a pattern.  I'll post photos tomorrow of what I managed to get done.

I was involved in a swap between the Modern Irish Quilt group and the Atlanta Modern Quilt group for a mini quilt.
This is the quilt I made for ??????? (it's a secret until it arrives at her house).

My secret partner likes blues, spots and solids so I tried to use these.  The small coloured squares start off as three inch squares which are then folded down onto a two inch foundation to form a folded square in the centre.

I've used this method before to make a bag for my daughter but it was made of all folded squares and also for making one side of a small pouch for a previous swap.

Eldest daughter is heading off for a 2 day Adventure 2 sailing course this weekend along with 9 other "Senior Junior" sailors, two instructors and boat owners.  They have to plot their courses tonight, stock up on their food and head off bright and early tomorrow morning.  This course also involves staying on board overnight with watch turns.  I hope the weather is calm enough for them all but with enough wind to make it enjoyable.

 Have a great weekend everyone.

Photo Finish (Travel)

Barbara over at Cat Patches is doing a linky for Photo Finish where the optional theme is Travel.
This is my firs time doing this so I racked my brains (that doesn't take a long time) and thought of the following photo.  This photo was taken in the Calgary Tower on the glass viewing floor.  The feet belong to hubby as I am not great with heights and I just couldn't get the courage to stand on it.

This was the final part of our trip to Canada and Alaska which we made a few years ago.
We try to go on a big trip every three years and this was one that we really enjoyed as it involved a lot of travelling by plane, ship and train.  I would love to go back to Canada again and visit the East coast so that is on the bucket list.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend.

Winners

Firstly, thanks to everybody who left such nice comments about losing our dog Barney.  We are going to get a new puppy towards the end of the summer when holidays are all finished with.  Hubby would like a Newfoundland or a Burmese Mountain dog, eldest daughter would like another Labrador, youngest daughter would love a White Swiss Shepherd dog after seeing them on Grit's blog.  After a lot of cleaning up dog hairs for many years (why do they call them short haired dogs?) I want a hairless one like the Chinese crested dog but I don't think I'll win this arguement.

I have drawn the winners for my blogoverary giveway but I'm going to keep you in suspense until further down this post (I know I am a meanie).

I've received my long person in the post from Litina.
Here is a photo of her, isn't she a beauty with her shiny lips and eye makeup.  She also sent some beautiful fabrics, fabric flowers and a handmade card.

Here is a photo of the long person I sent to her.

I was in a swap called the Name Game swap where you made a mini quilt for a fellow blogger which showed either their blog name or their real name.  Sue had my name and sent her quilt to me but our Post Office didn't deliver it and returned it to her.  She very kindly resent it to me and here it is.

I love the colours and the patterns in it.

My swap partner for the 12 inch mini quilt swap received my quilt so I can show a full picture of it.

School has now finished and on her last day in 5th class my youngest daughter got to dress up as they had a 60's day.  Here she is in all her glory.

Now for what you have been waiting for, the winners of my giveaway.

I had 7 comments so the winners are as follows

7, 6, 2  

Random numbers generated Jul 4 2012 at 14:12:54 by www.psychicscience.org  

Free educational resources for parapsychology, psychical research & mind magic.

7 is Cindy (who wins the book)

6 is Helen (who wins the fat quarters)

2 is cheeky monkey (who wins a surprise)

I also want to send something small to the other four

so congrats to

Sarah, Sharon, Sunnie and Leonie.

I will email you all so that you can give me your details and I can post your winnings to you.

Thanks everyone