DQS11 ~ a start!

Well, goodness me, knock me over with a feather, I've started! I'm usually a slow coach with mini's, completing just before the deadline. But I'm fired up about this one, I'm loving the process of finishing a border and then turning my creativity on to the next one.

So, here's the medallion middle and first border....measuring 5"

And the second hst one....just a tad over 8" now

I'd planned to put a flying geese border next, but am now thinking of a plain strip one. A large majority of medallion quilts that I found on google, have these strip borders between the pieced ones. More thought needed, ho hum....I do have a Dolly mini quilt to finish for a good friend in Virginia!!

Cheerio for now then,
xx Mandy

DQS11 ~ we're off and running......

How do you like these designs? Pretty complex? Tiny?

Yeah, all of the above, but their not mine! My 7 year old chap drew these as I was playing around with graph paper for my 'true mini' quilt. He even drew them tiny as I told him we were making mini mini's. I LOVE YOU mister. What a clever creative chap you are, and I will make one of these and sent to my partner, along with the one I really want to make.

When you all find out my partner you, will see how absolutely perfect this is.......

These are the fabrics I'm going to use, I haven't quite finalised the design. It is going to be a mini medallion quilt and I want to put as many borders as I possibly can, but still keep it small. I have to work it out accurately to keep within the swap guidelines. I relish this challenge!

Okay, I'm off back to the sewing machine.
Be back soon!
x Mandy

adjustment.........and distraction

I'll not talk too much, I won't dwell, the picture above says enough. It's been a tough adjustment to make. Owner of two dogs, owner of one and then none, all within 12 weeks. I miss many, many things.

This chap came visiting the morning after Ruby passed away. He was a very welcome distraction. He pops in two or three times a day now for a cuddle, a play and to sit on our outside table in the sun. He brings us laughter and smiles and contentment.


I'll be back soon with some sewing, I did managed to do a little over the School Hols.

Cheerio,

x Mandy

blue........

blue........, a photo by mandalin18 on Flickr.

email & Sydney Craft & Quilt SHow

I'm having email troubles with my rivendell addy. So sorry if I haven't replied to an email you've sent, I'm not ignoring you!!! Hope to get it fixed soon, but I am nowhere close to being tech proficient. *sigh*

here comes the fun bit!

I took a trip to Sydney for the annual Sydney Craft & Quilt Show on the 22nd June. What a day! It was a fabulous, busy, wild and too short! Leaving home at 6am, I met up with my lovely bloggy friend Rachael on the train. And we got to Sydney at 8:15am, just enough time to grab a coffee and chai from Gloria Jeans on our walk to Darling Harbour. Here is Rachael & me, I'm the shorter poddgy one!

At our 1st stop at Saffron Craig's Show & Tell talk, we met up with Lynne for the 1st time. I've *known* Lynne through the Flickr group Old Red Barn Co. for some time and it was fantastic to meet up with and spend the day with her.

Isn't Lynne's dress fantastic! Of course she's a very clever lady and made it herself! I love Patty Young's Flora & Fauna range, and it looked stunning as a dress. Rachael and I have tentative plans to make an A line skirt out of a Prints Charming scrap pack we both bought. They were all different and we had fun choosing. There are denim's, cords, twill and cotton fabrics, a fun project in waiting! There was/is a sew along on somewhere, I just have to get myself organised, ha!!!

The purple fling is still very much on!

As is the black, white, grey and red one!

The black and white are for my Scrap Vomit quilt. The Home Dec weight Heath was an exciting find, it will go fabulously with the Alexander Henry Black & White Home Dec Owls I have.

The highlight event of the day for me was the Screen Printing Workshop we did with Louise Snook. What an incredibly lovely lady she is. Man, I have wanted to have a go at this for the longest time. I felt totally in my element and loved. every. second!! I came home with a kit of course. Screen, linen, lino, cutter and 3 inks. No squeegee though! But, I popped into my local framing and art supplies shop, Jakeman's, and wonder of wonder there was the exact one I wanted. Below is the kit minus the squeegee, AND, the tea towel I made at the show! A Kokeshi Doll of course, drawn and cut out by little ole me. Oh what fun I am going to have soon, I just can't wait....

After reliving all that excitement I have to go have a cuppa!

Cheerio for now, I'll be back towards the end of the week with a little sewing post.

x Mandy

A plethora of 2 1/2" squares

It's all I've been doing this week! It all started with this block. Made at a sewing morning with the lovely Rachaeldaisy. It's the start of my Scrap Vomit Quilt, which will be going on my bed!! yeehar!

It's now progressed to this!

Rachael and I also did a scrap swap (I owe you Rachael) and the majority of the two completely scrappy blocks are fabrics Rachael gave me. I put a Reindeer and a Flamingo in the centre of those blocks to remind me this lovely lass gave them to me.

I've also started my 3x6 Bee blocks for the second quarter. I thought I'd better get going as I'm probably going to be a caretaker of a hive in the 3rd quarter. I'm pretty excited about that!



Well, there you go, that's my sewing week!

Cheerio for now.

x Mandy

my secret obsession

Kerry has a linky going on over on her blog which is quite fun. I thought I'd join in as I DO have a mini secret obsession! I saw one of these quite a while back on I'm a ginger monkey's blog, long, long time ago. I thought it was pretty darn cute, Oh how I searched, but to no avail. THEN.....a couple of months ago I saw a mini one, there was only two to choose from, but I got both!!! Now every time I go near this shop I have to go in and check there aren't any in there I haven't got already. Ummmm, my collection has risen to 7.

My secret obsession is Mini Lalaloopsy dolls......

Crumbs Sugar Cookie

Spot Splatter Splash

Peanut Big Top

Dot Starlight

Jewel Sparkles

Bea Spells-a-Lot

Mittens Fluff 'n' Stuff

I'm building up to purchasing an original sized one, still haven't decided which yet though, but as soon as I do, I'll let you know Mum!!! hee hee

Thanks for visiting

x Mandy