Pinwheels & Pretties!

Here I am, back again! No, I haven't been blown away by the recent Queensland storms as some people have asked - just somehow lost track of what day it was and how quickly time is scooting past! I popped into Carin's blog yesterday and was horrified to find the "Countdown to Christmas" is in the 30's - EEK! Not at all ready for that - too much to do, too many things to make, too many deadlines to meet!! I should be ready for Christmas by ... say ... March?!?

Having said that, I have managed to make a bit of progress in the last few days. I've completed the bear I'm submitting to Bear Creations (YAY!) and now I just have to write the instructions. (GROAN!) And on the weekend, I made a start on my Secret Santa Swap that Chookyblue is hosting. Now, it's a secret, but I can show you what I've done so far, because it really bears little resemblance to what the finished product will look like. (I hope!!) OK, I started with ...


Spotty squares!! You know I'm just dotty about spotties!! Tee! Hee! Hee! Hmmm ... what will happen to them next?


Here's an action shot - me trying to take the photo left handed without shaking and making the photo blurry!! Tee! Hee! Hee! I drew some diagonal lines through half my blocks, put two together and sewed either side of the line. Hey Stina - see where my machine is made?? Next ...


They were chopped down the middle ("Don't chop the dinosaur Daddy!!" Sorry - Australian ad reference!!) and folded out to look like ...


I know some of you have guessed what I'm doing with my dotty, spotty squares! Because then I put four together ...


I think most of you know what I'm making now ...


Ta Da!! Pinwheel blocks!! Ahhhhhhh ... but you'll NEVER guess what I'm going to turn the pinwheel blocks into, so I'm going to keep you in suspenders! Tee! Hee! Hee!

So that was how I spent some of my time on the weekend. Now, my beloved Geek Boy was away for a few days, so I convinced him (with encouragement from Jo!!)that he really should take me to a couple of the local antique shops for a little look - something we haven't done for quite a while. Now ... mostly, I was good and did just LOOK, but one thing did follow me home ...


A very cute tin plate that is the same colour and about the same vintage as the bickie tin I bought from Kerryanne's yummy selection of Art For Sale on her Shabby Art Boutique site. It's pictured with a few cute little felt cupcakes I bought on a visit to Linda and Laura's pretty shop, Lilly Cottage. So where is my plate now? On it's way to Kerryanne's studio because she's kindly offered to paint a pretty pink rose on it so it matches my bickie tin! Isn't she a sweetie!!! Thanks Kerryanne!! Can't wait to find a spot to display the two 'face-lifted' vintage pretties!!

And the other pretty I picked up last week when shopping with my dancing buddy Deb (on that shopping trip that saw my poor Baby car so badly treated!!) was ...


A Ladybird bag!! Isn't is great!! It's the perfect size for me to fit all my bear making paraphernalia when I teach a workshop, and I have a few of them planned already for the new year, so I'll be able to test it out! There was a matching overnight bag, too, that I would have loved to get, but since GB and I only got our overnight bags for Christmas last year, I couldn't quite justify it! SIGH! I hate it when that practical streak rears it's ugly head!! It doesn't happen too often, but when it does, its a voice that sounds remarkably like my mother's! Tee! Hee! Hee!

The last pretty I'll share with you before I toddle off to play with my spotty pinwheels is a little treasure I discovered in my front yard yesterday.


I planted four agapanthus clumps about five years ago. Last year for the first time, I had two flowers and yesterday, I discovered there are four flowers - YAY! Obviously they're happy and settled. Hmmm ... just noticed I've only caught three of the four flowers in the photo. Oh well, you'll just have to take my word for it that there's another!! I'm trustworthy ... really, I am!!!! Tee! Hee! Hee!

Well, I'm off to play with spots and dots in the sewing room to try meeting one of those deadlines that's looming closer and closer. Hope you're all having a good week - we've had almost 300pts (75mm) of rain in the last few days, so everything's looking fresh and green. Here's hoping at least some of it ran into our dams, as they are at a low 9% of their capacity. Apparently there's more rain on the way, too, so - fingers crossed! Sorry to all you wheat farmers who don't want it to rain while you're harvesting - we've waited a loooooooooong time for good rain, though!! Til next time - Bear Hugs!

CHEERS!
KRIS