Batik Beetles & OPAM Winner!!

Happy Hump Day to you all!! I hope your week is toodling along nicely ... mine seems to be slipping through my fingers ... how does that keep happening?! :0)

While there hasn't been a lot of actual SEWING happening here at the Meares' Madhouse this week, I have been busily doing some prep for my latest design. It all started with ...

... the quilt I made for my brother's number 2 son. I loved it ... but it also gave me ideas ... which grew when I started to play with ...

... some pieced hearts in bright batik fabrics with a white background. And now I'm adding ...

... some batik beetles! :0) I am having SO much fun playing with this new design!! The bright rainbow colours of the batik fabrics added to fun VW Beetles just makes me smile! :0) My original design idea HAS changed a wee bit as I've worked on it ... which seems to happen a lot, as my design style is very organic ... my designs are rarely drawn out in detail from the start ... I tend to start with one element and then they grow like topsy! :0) As a result of my new direction, I need to make quite a few more of those pieced hearts and since our Friday night sewing group has a mini retreat this weekend, I've been prepping and cutting like mad to have everything ready to take with me to work on. Stay tuned for the next exciting instalment! Tee! Hee! Hee! The finished Beetle quilt will be a companion to ...

... my "Combi Conga Line" quilt ... patterns are available from The Quilters Angel. So you can make your own cheerful, rainbow quilt, guaranteed to make you smile. :0)

And speaking of exciting ... my GORGEOUS Partner-In-Crime Sweet Peg and I are very excited that OPAM is up and running for another year. It's always so inspiring to see what you clever clogs gals have been up to during the month. Things are just getting wound up for the year and there have been some wonderful finishes already ... there were 162 finishes for January and 218 finishes for February! WOW!! Well done to everyone who helped add to that tally!! And a pat on the back, too, to all of you who made some good progress on some longer-term projects. Remember ... taking some time out from your busy "Have To Do" list of jobs to be creative is one of the main reasons we have OPAM, so be kind to yourself. :0)

Now ... Sweet Peg has already done the January prize draw ... so if you haven't already popped over to visit her today, you might be the lucky winner! And with a drumroll ... the winner of the February prize draw is ...

JO B

Congratulations Jo! If you'd like to email me with your snail mail address, I'll pop a little something in the mail for you. (Michell ... I haven't forgotten you, I promise!!) You'll notice that there's only one winner per month rather than the two winners of the last few years. This is because postage charges have taken a pretty big jump for us here in Australia and since Sweet Peg and I haven't yet found a money-tree growing in our back yards (DARN it!!), we've had to make that little change ... even though we'd both love to be able to send prizes to everyone for their wonderful, creative work ... when we win lotto! :0)

Right now, though, I'm off to play Polly and put the kettle on for a cuppa, so my biggest decision will be ... Rose and French Vanilla, Morroccan Mint, English Breakfast, Irish Breakfast, Orange Pekoe, or just plain Dilmah ... oh the decisions! :0) Have a fantastic week and keep creating!! Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!
KRIS