Where did the time go?

I can hardly imagine how fast the time goes. It has already been two weeks, since I made a last post. I have been working on several projects, but since a lot is also happening in and around the family, there has been less time for it all. And, then there are projects I can still not show because they are secret swaps. Some nice objects for another post.

This week my PIF from Sherri arrived. Sherri is a wonderful person and makes very inspiring and often unbelievably pretty projects. I found myself very lucky, when I was able to join her PIF! Here is a detail of the tablerunner she made. Look at her quilt work!



And this is the tablerunner. The picture does not do it justice, but it was the best. It fits perfectly on our livingroom table and brightens up our room (this picture was taken outside, so that you don't get the idea that it is our table in the living room).

This is a handmade card and look at the cutest mini-honey bun from Aviary Sherri added to the PIF. Thank you so much, dear Sherri, for these lovely PIF presents!

I've been spending quite some time on Leanne's House Block II. A block with a lot of stitchery and lots of French knots. Not sure whether I will finish it this month, as I also want to finish the Christmas Wish and Verandah View BOMs.

I am also still working on The 12 Days of Christmas stitchery by Anni Dawns. So much fun to make in between all those other projects. One of my sisters already finished hers. She did it within 12 weeks! Now that was a very clever goal. She now started one for one of my other sisters.

And this is the one my daughter Laura is working on. Click on the picture and you will see the tiny tiny stitches she uses. Incredible.

Here is a sneak peek of one of the presents for The Christmas in July swap. Luckily the Quiltshop I go to sells Christmas fabrics all year round!

The quote I want to share with you this time:

"That's when you're at your best, when you're focused and you're serious and passionate about what you do, but at the same time you can relax and have fun and be confident."
- Derek Fisher


HAVE A LOVELY LOVELY AND CREATIVE WEEK (o:

Six years later

In 2003 I started a quilt for Laura, so she would have something nice to feel comfortable under when she went to high school. Well, 6 years later and only a few more weeks of high school left, I finally, finally, finally finished her quilt. Now she can take it with her to study in Amsterdam...

The blocks are quilted by hand and the border with the machine. For the machine quilting I used invisible thread for the first time. I really liked that.

Then, I finally finished my PIFs for four people. I enjoyed making the pincushions so much, that I made one for myself too.

Now this 'funny' thing happened when I sent away the PIFs. One was for an American blogger. And instead of sending it to the USA, I sent it to Australia. Lyn told me to have faith. And she was so right. Today I received an email, saying that my PIF had arrived in the USA! Thank you for the great service, mr. Postman.

A few weeks ago I send Suzie one of my packages from the Quilt Fabric Delight Pin Cushion Club. I didn't like it and after showing Suzie a picture, she said she would really like to add this one to her pin cushion collection. I told her she didn't have to do anything in return, being happy to have found someone who liked it. And look what the postman brought me this week:

Looking at the wrapped presents was already a delight! I guess Suzie really knows I love pink. She even added a poem about Pink to it. And look at the cute chicken. Thank you so much Suzie for the wonderful gifts AND candy!

And finally I want to show you what I have been working on this week. In Holland we have the foundation De Regenboogboom (The Rainbow Tree), a foundation for children with a handicap, a chronical or life threatening illness. Quilters can make a quilt, a droomdekentje (dream quilt) for this foundation, so that these children can find some comfort and warmth in them. I will be making a quilt for this foundation and a similar one for my 3 year old godchild Jasper. The fabrics are from the Vroom collection by Avlyn.

Here are the 260 blocks for two quilts and ...

here is the top to the first one. If ever, you are not able to find a fabric, go to this site and you will very likely find what you want. Debbie Taylor from the Fat Quarter Shop was so kind as to give me the name of this site, since she no longer sells Vroom.

Wishing you a very happy weekend with lots of sun shine and happy moments. And remember,"The optimist sees the rose and not its thorns; the pessimist stares at the thorns, oblivious to the rose." - Kahlil Gibran

Pay it forward

In November I made a promise to make something handmade for three people. Until now, two people signed up. So please join in and make three other people happy (O:

These are the rules...It’s the Pay It Forward Exchange. It’s based on the concept of the movie Pay it Forward where acts and deeds of kindness are done without expecting something in return, just passing it on, in the hope that the recipients of the acts of kindness are passed on.

So here’s how it works. I will make and send a handmade gift to the first 3 people (I already have one, so to the first two) who leave a comment to this post on the blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I do not know what the gift will be yet. It will be sent to you within 6 months.

What YOU have to do in return, is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.

Pay it forward (PIF)

On Stina's blog I found this lovely idea, which I had seen on other blogs before.




And these are the rules...
It’s the Pay It Forward Exchange. It’s based of the concept of the movie “Pay it Forward” where acts or deeds of kindness are done without expecting something in return, just passing it on, with hope that the recipients of the acts of kindness are passed on. So here’s how it works. I will make and send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment to this post on the blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I do not know what that gift will be yet, and it won’t be sent this month, probably not next month, but it will be sent (within 6 months) and that’s a promise! What YOU have to do in return, then, is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.