Invite to Stash Manicure

I'm soo excited... I'm a guest over at the Stash Manicure blog!!

Thanks for the invite Madam Samm!

Check out my post, it's my Dot Dot Dash tutorial from the Moda Bake Shop.

As I mentioned before this quilt was inspired by the work of Scottish artist Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

Earlier this week we braved the cold weather and went for a walk in Fardross Forest, not far from our home.We had the whole place to ourselves...Isn't the moss fantastic?The snow has gone away, but the weather is still quite cold..Yes, that really is ice on the stream...I was standing on the stepping stones when I took this picture!

Anyway for the rest of this week, I have been busy working on a new quilt.

Sorry no details yet!

Tomorrow I'm going to help out at a Girl Guide holiday weekend, it will be action packed - tie dying t-shirts, grass sledging, sing songs and probably very little sleep - all part of the fun!!

The postman brought me a beautiful parcel today, something to think about when I'm away...

Felted jumpers

I am busy this week preparing projects for a patchwork class I am starting next week in a local Church Hall. Its very exciting to start something completely new.

I've also been experimenting with felting. Late last year I went to a felt making class. We made felt from wool tops, and after a little bit of work we made beautiful little bags. I'm really taken with feltmaking. I don't think it will replace patchwork with me, but it's nice to do something a little different occasionally.Anyway, recently I gathered up a few old wool jumpers and put them through a really hot machine wash...of course I got minature jumpers! (Although there were a couple of pure wool cardigans that didn't shrink at all, you just never know what you'll get out)

I cut the sleeves off, then trimmed off the seams..

now I'm all set to make a patchwork felt handbag..
I'll let you know how it turns out.

Dot Dot Dash Quilt

Here's my new quilt for the Moda Bake Shop...A little bit inspired by Charles Rennie Mackintosh... I had a model to help me with the photos...
who was a bit camera shy...
and another model...
who had to keep her paws off the quilt!

It was long arm quilted by Yvonne McKee,

beautiful butterflies..a little touch of Spring in Winter..

Hope you like it, I sure had fun with it!

A New Year... a new start

Tomorrow 3 out of my 4 kids will be back at school.

We have had a great holiday with family and friends,

but it'll be so good to get back into routine again.

Projects that were on the back burner will be approached with a new enthusiam.

Mind you, some will, with out a doubt, stay there!

Over at Jaybird Quilts the new year has started with a bang,

Julie is hosting a giveaway sponsored by me!

So for your chance to win this quilt kit, hop on over to Jaybird Quilts!

And to all my new followers, Welcome!

I was reading all of the comments over at Julie's blog and was amazed at how many people would love to visit Ireland. Did you know the first ever Internationl Quilt Festival of Ireland will be held in 2012? Now there's an excuse to plan a trip if ever I heard one! And just between you and me, if you like the official Quilt Festival facebook page, you automatically get entered into a draw to win a trip to the festival! Imagine that! So watcha waiting for?? Hop on over, tell Jim I'm spreading the word!

Crafting with the stars

I've decided to give it a go, and entered a blog competition!

Crafting with the stars is going on over at the Sew Dang Cute blog,

I've entered my Sparkly Trees - I made them just before

Christmas from old buttons.

Why not enter something?

Go on, you've got nothing to lose!