A fruitful swap

I found something growing at my place...

My new pear pincushion!

The postie was very kind to me last week with a lovely parcel from Lauren arriving on Friday.

It was my pin-cushion for the super-swap Kate organised.

Lauren was very kind and also included a packet of yummy chocolate eggs (lucky I photographed them when they came, they didn't survive the weekend!) and very thoughtfully sent some foot fizzies to provide some relief for my dodgy ankle.

Lauren hit the nail on the head perfectly for me as I bookmarked an apple and pear pin-cushion tutorial when I was looking for patterns to make for my swappee.

Now I won't have to make them up because she's done that for me.

Thanks Lauren, I love it.

Also a big shout out to Kate for organising this mammoth task and fitting it in among her own sewing, blogging, parenting, farming, baking and everything else she does - well done to you, and thanks.

My Creative Space

I've been getting things finished...

The mushroom house pincushion is finished and waiting to be sent...

I used a great tutorial from here.

I've completed the garden for the fabric dollhouse I plan to make for Miss G's second birthday, with carrot patch and pond with a water lily.

It's from the tutorial by UK Lass in US - it's also in the One Yard Wonders Book if you have that.

Nikki made some rippers if you want to check them out.

They actually go quite nicely together, but I'm only sending the pincushion for my swap!

Check out what more than 100 other crafty types are up to by visiting the list at Kirsty's place.

Magnificent mail

When you're small there is nothing better than getting the mail, my older two girls race out each day to check if the postie has been.

But as you get older and realise that too often the mail means more bills, the gloss wears off.

Yesterday though - the mail was magnificent.

First up a parcel from Susan which contained, among other goodies my fabulous sparkly-lettered name badge for the Sew It Together blog meet.

It was beautifully packaged but I was in such a hurry to get into it that I pulled it all apart without taking a photo.

You can see it here with the cute swing tag Susan made and attached to the 'brown paper package tied up with string'.

One of my favourite things of course.

Susan also included other goodies (oops, I feel bad - sorry Julie you just got your badge!), some excellent Kikki K number tags (which I have used here to indicate my age of course!) and a book which she rightly thought might be just what I need while off my feet.

Very thoughtful, thanks Susan.

The other parcel was a package of goodies from Toni of Make It Perfect with some patterns, including the lovely Blossom skirt, some ribbon, a sweet embroidered pencil-case/pouch, very sweet little magnets, some made with buttons and a piece of my very most favourite Laura Gunn birdcages fabric.

Thanks ladies for making my day!

Here is the progress on my pin-cushion for the big swap, and since this pic, it has progressed a little further.

It's due to be posted on Friday and so far I am right on track - just one more row of stitching to be completed tonight.

My recipient lives on a farm, so I added a pair of red gumboots to the design.

(I don't think that narrows it down too much - there are lots of country gals in the swap)

Oh and thanks for all the 'ankle love'.

The crutches are gone as of last night (hooray) and I am slowly making my way around the house again.

Miss A asked when I would be 'hooman' and I think I will be human again within another week or so!

Name tag revealed

Now that it has arrived at its destination, I thought I'd share the pics with you of the name tag I made for Julie for the upcoming Sew It Together sewing weekend.

Julie makes dresses under licence from Izzy and Ivy - and this is a miniature of the Ava design.

I spent some time checking on her blog to see what the dresses looked like and then set to cutting out tiny pieces of fabric to get it made.

Having time on my hands (while I have been off my feet!) meant I had lots of time to fiddle with the small pieces such as the shoulder frills and the like.


And I have to say that my tiny iron was a huge help in pressing the small dress parts together.

Julie has blogged it and is very happy with her little badge so that makes me happy and glad I had the time to make her something special.

Not long to go now til the big weekend.
Check out the other gorgeous name tag creations in the flickr group here.

About a boy...

Toni at Make It Perfect has been busy again with a new pattern (does this woman never sleep!), this time one for the boys!

In typical Toni style this is a really cute, functional and deceptively easy to make cap.

It has a nice wide brim for sun protection and velcro back so it is adjustable.

Of course I made the 'About a girl' version of her pattern by making it up in some Sandi Henderson Farmers Market fabric.

The pattern also comes with a really cute satchel which any small child would love for toting things around.

Sorry to say I am too late in blogging this for you to enter the giveaway for a copy of her pattern, but check out her blog anyway as there are always new things coming along.

My Creative Space

Has small goings-on happening.

I've finished my badge for this swap, I can't reveal much as it is a miniature item relevant to the swapee - and I want it to be a surprise.

I've also made a start on my pincushion for this mammoth swap arranged by Kate, over 100 swapees - what an effort!

And I am pleased to say that while this was the view from the couch yesterday morning...

The cast has now been removed and I am much more mobile, with a foot that will soon be working well enough to sew at my machine again.

Oh and eventually walk too!

To check out all the other crafty chicks pop over to Kirsty's - she always has something cool going on.

Slowing down

Image from here

In the coming weeks I'll probably be around here a bit less.

In 'two sleeps' (as the girls say) I'm having my right ankle reconstructed.

It's scheduled surgery so we've been able to plan for it, which helps a bit.

Team sport is great, I am a huge advocate of sport/recreational activities in all guises.

It's just that 25 years of quite competitive basketball and many, many sprains, strains and injuries to the same, somewhat weakened joint, has left me finding some day-to-day tasks (like walking down stairs, or stepping backward to push a swing) quite difficult and painful.

So into hospital I go.

My question to you is - what do you do to fill in your time when given an enforced rest?

• I thought I would write a few letters, by hand, you know the old-fashioned way.
• Write the girls a 'now you are four' letter to put away as a keepsake.
• Read, a lot.
• I've signed myself up to Kate's great pincushion swap so I can hand-sew a little something with lots of time and care, and also Gypsy's 'Sew It Together' name tag swap

But what else to do?

Please share your ideas with me about what to do to keep these usually busy hands from being idle.

Things you need to keep in mind;

1. I am seriously crap at crochet and knitting!!
2. It is my right ankle being operated on, also known at the foot that pushes the pedal on the sewing machine, not sure how I will go 'driving' my machine with the left.

PS - thanks for all the lovely feedback for the nappy wallet tute - I will get onto it ASAP but given my 'to do' list it might be a few weeks away! Sorry!