If brains were dynamite....

I certainly don't have enough to blow my hat off!!

Last time I was here I showed you the lovely presents I received from Sonia in Chookyblues Christmas Swap.    Yep... I patted myself on the back for that but now I have to beat myself up because I forgot to show you the gifts I sent to Wendy at Sugarlanequilts!!

Honestly.... one thought and my brain is overloaded!

Before I forget again.........

here's what I sent to Wendy.

I fretted for ages over what to stitch then finally plumped for Leanne's House Stitcher's Keeper.   I'm so glad I did.  It was a lovely project to make and best of all.... Wendy loves it.   Phew.... now I know the real meaning of relief!!

If you'd like a better look pop over to Wendy's.   She has better photographs plus you can see the gorgeous gifts she sent her SSCS partner.    

Now......there was something else I forgot to mention in my last post.   A problem with my Christmas Angels Swap gifts!

The package still hasn't arrived at it's destination!    I posted it on 26th November a whole 14 days before the last guaranteed Airmail delivery date to the USA from Scotland.   What I want to know is...... where is it?      Heck the time it's taking it would have been quicker to row the Atlantic and  hand deliver  it.

I've received my gifts from Wendy......(Wendy #2)

here they are waiting to be opened.    I'm not going to open them until Wendy can open hers.   I'm hoping that's really soon.  Keep your fingers crossed for us.   If the gifts don't turn up in the next few days I'm going to start on another batch.

Well..... it's Saturday night and I'm snuggled in front of the wood stove with the TV remote all to myself.  A nice glass of Chilean white  wine, a plate of Hovis digestive biscuits and a slab of delicious Dolcelatte cheese.   I really wouldn't thank George Clooney for phoning now!   Before this day is done I intend to  resemble one very tipsy,  contented and  rotund  rodent!   Wish me luck!

Hope you enjoy your evening half as much.....

See ya soon
if you can't be good....be careful!

Hugs
Josie

Happy... Happy... SSCS!

Who wouldn't be happy to have a gorgeous pressie to open on Christmas morning courtesy of Sonia my lovely partner in Chookyblues SSCS.........

I've already shown you my Christmas Joy Star which I was allowed to open early.   It's amazing I held out till Christmas morning without taking a peak into the main pressie.... but I did and I am so glad I resisted.

To say I am over the moon with the gifts Sonia sent all the way from Australia is an understatement.... I am in love with them!

Look at the gorgeous runner she made for me.....

It's just perfect!!!    It's everything I would have chosen for myself.   I've had my beady eye on that design for ages.    Just couldn't believe that Sonia choose to make it for me.  I adore the fabrics and colour she chose..  It's got hexies and stitching.... how good can it get......

Right now I'm auditioning it on my dressing table.   Sonia made it with the conservatory in mind but to be honest I don't want to risk it in there.... it's too precious.    Imagine if the sun faded it.... no I can't put it in there...ever!

Once I finish decorating the conservatory (it's on the New Years resolution list) I intend to give the bedroom a make over.   It's all very pale and uninteresting right now so this splash of gorgeous colour is just the inspiration I need in there.    Mind you.....my pretty new runner could be gracing the lounge by tomorrow.  Mac likes it on the sideboard and I have to say it looks great there too.   Decisions... decisions.....

And that's not all.....

all these gorgeous are gifts from Sonia too.    The Aussie animals on the pencil case are so cute.  Well.... most of them are.  I'm not so sure about the lizard!  The pencils have Aboriginal designs on them too.  Love Santa's little bag of old buttons.   It's amazing to touch them and wonder who wore the original clothes they were used to fasten.... in a land so far away.    Do you think Ned Kelly might have kept his shirt on with them or perhaps they held on the britches of that Jolly Swag man down by the billabong?   I can dream can't I.......

There is little spool of lovely red ribbon... a gorgeous white fat quarter with red cherries on it sitting in a lovely red dotty cone.... which is going to be filled with my current favourite chocolates soon.....

the wrappers are the perfect match but something tells me they won't last long in there.

I have a lovely embroidery to stitch and a lovely little bar of Green Tea and Bergamot soap.  How on earth did Sonia know that I love Bergamot.    Earl Grey tea flavoured with it is the only tea I'll drink.  I love it in perfume and now I can perfume my whole body with it.   OK... that's a bit of a stretch for any bar of soap!

All I can say is...   Thank you so much Sonia.  Your generosity helped make  my Christmas really special!   Thank you Chookyblue too... without you it wouldn't have been possible.

OK.... I'm off now to work on my list of New Year Resolutions..... this could take some time.

Hope all of you enjoyed a really wonderful Christmas..... now what are you waiting for... start writing your resolutions.  The clock is ticking.....

Be good.....

See ya soon

Hugs

Josie

There's something I want to say........

and it's this....

Couldn't let the Festive Season pass without wishing you all a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy & Crafty new year.

Hope all your Holiday preparations are going smoothly.

Does anyone else have Christmas nightmares? Like the one where it's 5 minutes to the stores closing on Christmas Eve and you've only just cottoned on to the fact that it is Christmas!!    Nothing like that one to wake me up in a cold sweat.

This year I'm not sweating at all.    I've cleaned the house.  I took my glasses off before I started so I  wouldn't be tempted to overdo it.  Try it...it works!  The grocery shopping is done.  Got everything except  the roast which I'm collecting from the butcher tomorrow morning.    What could go wrong?   No suggestions.... please!

Mac is slowly recovering from his initial disappointment that the World didn't come to an end on Friday.  If it had a lot of Turkeys would have died for nothing!    Not being one to give up easily he's now devoting his time to seeking out a new catastrophe to look forward to.   I'm hoping it takes him a while.

Well.... I know you are all very busy so I'm going to get out of here and leave you to your preparations.

May your Christmas truly be Warm, Merry and Bright.

Happy Christmas to you and yours..

Hugs
Josie

Who won the Star Prize?

Promise I won't keep you in suspenders for too much longer.    Just long enough to show you the draw taking place.   Here we have the little box of entrants.... shaken and stirred by yours truly.

Now here's the long arm of the law (Mac - retired) picking a winner......

and the winner is.......

 #12.....Gill (no blog) from Gloucestershire, England!!   Congratulations Gill.  Hope you enjoy the book and get to spend many a happy hour sewing stars.

I wish I could say I'd got to spend many a happy hour sewing anything at all this past couple of weeks but although once in a while I had the time..... I just couldn't find the inclination!

Ever had one of those spells when all you can think about is crafting?  Ever spent every available minute planning projects or searching the Internet for inspiration?   Couldn't sleep for thinking about quilts in every size from humongous to minuscule?   Felt a burning desire to sew softies?   Start another BOM?   Embroider a heirloom tablecloth?    Crochet a fabulous granny square throw?     Ever actually done....... nothing at all!
How do you stop a head from spinning?    Spinning?   I haven't tried that.... yet!!

Phew.....   things are bad.    I even bought this book........

after thinking up a cunning plan  to re upholster an old chair that Mac's uncle made back in the 20's.  That's as well as the plan to paint the sideboard, coat stand and standard lamp in the conservatory.  Oh... and maybe the bookcases on the landing!

Do you think I'll get it all done by Christmas!!!!!   :o)

Remember I told you Mac had fallen for the quilt that Kitty worked on while she was here (it's in the last post).  Well.... the book with the pattern in arrived.   I'm still no closer to ordering up the fabric.  Probably a good thing all things considered.

Oh.... I almost forgot.   My SSCS partner Wendy in sunny Australia has received her parcel so I guess I can show you the Christmas ornament I made for her......

One side has stitched Christmas Tree......

the other side a cute Reindeer.     Both of the stitchery patterns are in Stitch it for Christmas by Lynette Anderson.   Had to reduce them quite a bit to make them fit the 'window' but it worked out fine in the end.

Heck.... for someone who had nothing to say when I started this post I've managed to rabbit on for ages!    I had better go and try to stop my head from spinning before I head on up to bed.    Shall I try wine... or tranquilisers?  Tranquilisers or wine?   Wine it is then....  cheers!!

Hope you are all surviving the run up to the Festivities......
Have fun....
See you soon....
Hugs
Josie

Reasons to be cheerful....

Christmas is on it's way and I'll soon be able to open the lovely package sent to me by Sonia from the Land Down Under.   A land where I know for a fact that bathwater swirls down the plug hole in the opposite direction to here  in Scotland.... strange.

It didn't take me long to rip the paper off unwrap the one package that Chookyblue allows her  SSCS Swappers  to open in advance of Christmas day.    Here's a shot of the lovely Christmas 'Joy' Star that Sonia made for me...... I love it!

Look at the reflection in the glass and you can see the lovely red polka dot back.   It brightened up a really dreary, rainy day here.  This cheery star won't be put away with the Christmas decorations that's  for sure.  Thanks  Sonia!

I'm relieved happy too that I posted off both my SSCS and Christmas Angels swap gifts in good time.

Here are the  SSCS parcels that are speeding towards......... sorry I'm not letting the cat out of the bag.   You'll just have to wait to see if the package lands on your doorstep.   I didn't manage to get a photo of the second batch of packages but I can tell you that they are well on their way to Wendy in the USA.  Phew... I did it!!

Another reason to be cheerful.......... it's my birthday..... TODAY!!

Yes.... the above photo really is me.   Proof that they did have cameras back when I was a nipper contrary to what Chris and Sally would like to believe.  They never stop rubbing in the fact that they are both younger than me.  Who needs friends like that.... OK... me!! 

I figured that this might be a good time to tell you all that this is my 59th birthday.   So I won't be able to claim to be 50 something on my bio for much longer.     Next birthday I'll be in line for that most prized of awards...... the free bus pass!   Not that it'll do me much good as there are only two buses a day through here... one going nowhere and the other coming back.   

As I have reason to celebrate I thought  today would be a good day to have a Give-A-Way...... a sponsored one to boot.  Well.... there is something  slightly 'off'  about me giving one of you a present on my birthday... not that I'm greedy you understand.  

So without further ado.... here is our Batty Benefactress (aka Chris) brandishing the book that she is has very kindly agreed to give away.   Now don't go thinking it must be a dud of a book if she's giving it away... far from it..... she wouldn't part with her copy.   It's down to the fact that strange things happen to quilters sometimes... like they end up with two copies of the same book!  I'm saying no more(!).... other than thanks Chris for donating your 'spare'!  

 All you need to do to be in with a chance of winning the Best of Fons and Porter Star Quilts is.....

 already BE or BECOME a follower and leave a little comment on this post.... that's it.   Simples eh!   

Closing time for the give-a-way is Midnight (GMT) on Monday 17th December.   One of you is going to be seeing stars soon!  

Now I'd like to introduce a new quilting friend...... Lucy.

She's thrilled to bits with her very first attempt at putting together a quilt and she has every reason to be.   I can't believe that she came over one night to find out how to cut and piece squares then went away and created her own lap quilt..... without the aid of a pattern!    Something tells me the rest of us are going to have to pull our socks up to keep up with her!   

I certainly know how to pick my friends too.  You see..... Lucy just happens to be a Firefighter!!   It's very comforting to know that in a case of dire emergency there is someone out there who will save my stash!  

Chez Dimple has been receiving visitors lately.    First came Tilly (soon to have her own blog launch) who came for two days and stayed a week!   Wish I could show you what she stitched while she was here but numb nut that I am I forgot to take photos.    On the day Tilly left she changed the sheets on the spare bed ready for Kitty.... bed hardly had the chance to go cold before she took up residence.

Mac was thrilled with the visitors.   He spent his time trying to persuade them to head straight to our place when the world ends (!)    Told them to bring as many bags of rice as they can grab with them.  Why he would see 'puddings' as being of prime importance beats me.    It seems his plan is to set up a 'Community' here... for survival (his) purposes only.   He's also discovered that  National Geographic is launching a week of Doomsday programs  in the lead up to Christmas  the End of the World.   Honestly...  who needs the Grinch!!  

Back to Kitty.   I did remember to get a photo of her latest project.....

She did the quilting on it while she was here.   No mean feat!    The fabrics are Kaffe Fassett and the pattern is called 'Economy Blue' from his Country Quilts book.   It's a stunning quilt.  Much, much better than the photo shows.   Mac is totally besotted with it so you can guess what I'm collecting fabrics for now...... 

Heck... I'd better get going.  My mum is taking me out for a birthday lunch.  Actually I'm taking her... to her favourite place for her favourite lunch... fish and chips!!   Boy... we do know how to live it up out here in the sticks!

Have a great fun filled week...

See ya soon....

Josie

p.s..... don't forget to enter the give-a-way... you have to be in it to win it! ;o)