Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Happy Australia Day, a 6-0 Win, and Auction/Raffle winners announced!



Happy Australia Day to one and all!!! :-)


And what a happy day it has been so far! Mr SUDs recorded the Socceroos vs Uzbekistan match last night from the Asian Cup, and my family of four watched it this morning.


Whoo-Hoo! What a game!


The Socceroos were outstanding and no-one could have predicted the 6-0 win! As I understand it, Australia has never reached the semi-final before in this Cup, and now to get through to the FINALS is AMAZING! We play Japan early on Sunday morning… I might even paint my face green and gold!!! Ha ha!


socceroos 1



High Five, boys!


Socceroos 2


I did feel sorry for the Uzbeks though, especially the Goalie… just look at this poor chap…


Socceroos 3


Awww, I did feel like giving him a hug - but then I realised that there are plenty of Uzbeks to do that - and I should really be celebrating for our boys!!! Because they SO deserved their win! :-)


I’M SO PROUD OF YOU AUSTRALIA!!


~~~


Auction/Raffle WINNERS!!!


I held both an auction and a giveaway for the QLD Flood Appeal organised by the wonderful Toni from Make it Perfect, and her equally wonderful sister, Carli. What an amazing job they did of organising and administering this wonderful fund-raising event.


THANK YOU so much for your support, whether you placed your raffle tickets and bids here, or elsewhere – YOU ROCK!


The lovely Outback Crafter placed her winning bid of $100 for the Springtime BOM pattern-pack. Thank you SO much, sweetheart! I have emailed you and look forward to sewing your bespoke quilt label!


The winner of the ‘Are we there yet?’ travel sewing caddy is Lucky number Seven – Debra from PDTE!


Random no


Congratulations Debra! Please send me your snail mail address and I shall get your prize in the mail!


Until next time – Enjoy your Day!


Hugs! Vikki xo :-)

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Profiled in Country Threads and new designs!

It was Mr SUDs birthday on Sunday so we all went out to dinner with his folks to celebrate. Later in the afternoon I had a conversation with Dad that went a bit like this:


Me: “Ah guess what Dad?! I had my profile published in Country Threads!”


CT yearbook profile


Dad: “Ah that’s good – congratulations!”


CT yearbook profile 1


Me, (overly excited): “Yeah I’m really chuffed! There were six pages, Dad! SIX pages!!!”


CT yearbook profile 2


Dad: (cheeky glint in eye…) “Must have been a slow week for them!”


Me: ROFLMHO!!!!!


My Dad is very proud of me but never misses an opportunity for a little jibe! I love him for it! Don’t worry – I give as good as I get – I’m surprised I didn’t get a clip round the ear on New Years Eve when I started impersonating his gorgeous Scottish accent! “Ock aye Dad and d-y-wan-sa tatties wif ya haggis?”


Back to Country Threads – I’m delighted! I sent in a couple of new designs to be photographed…


Spring punchneedle


‘Birds in Spring’ punch needle embroidery featuring gorgeous bird buttons designed and hand-painted by the lovely Barb at Theodora Cleave.


Notes book picnickee


‘I heart notes’ notebook cover, and…


Christening bag picnkice


‘Chloe’s Christening bag’. This design isn’t new – it’s about six years old, but I have never shown it before. A friend asked me to design and make a special gift for her granddaughter's christening, so I came up with this. A personalised keepsake bag for cards and gifts. It could be used for a baby’s first birthday, too.


The patterns are all underway for these projects and will be available in a few short weeks.


The design I contributed to Country Threads is named ‘A church in the Country’…


A church in the country


The pattern for this project and my profile can be found in the Appliqué Yearbook issue of Creating Country Threads, Vol 11 No 7.


CT front cover Jan11


Back soon with some more show and tell! Ooh – and don’t forget I’m still raffling my last published project – a handy sewing travel caddy that fits to your car’s sun visor –the raffle is open until Wednesday – go visit THIS post! :-)


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Catch you soon! :-) Hugs! Vikki xx

Sunday, January 16, 2011

A special ‘shabby’ apron, sneak peek and other goings on!

I thought you might like to see a (relatively) recent finish?


Before I left the branches of the Gum Trees, us girls had arranged an apron swap for Christmas. You can see the bright and cheery (and very ‘me’) apron that Vicki made for me, here.


My swap partner was Fee – and she really is a shabby girl at heart! She’s always repurposing furniture and finding vintage goodies at flea markets… and she’s no stranger to a pot of white furniture paint!!


This is the gorgeous shabby chic apron I made for her!


Fee's apron 1


I designed the actual apron with long wide ties and a flower-pot-shaped-pocket - but the standout is obviously the painting design!


I can not take credit for this (although I wish I could!) as the design is the amalgamation of two painting patterns by the talented Kerryanne English of Woodberry Designs! The Victorian boot design is my all-time-favourite and it is Christmas themed, but I wanted to use the same design with roses so that Fee could use the apron all year-round. The roses were the second design of Kerryanne’s, featured in Handmade magazine a year or two ago. Mine look nothing like the original – try as I might! LOL!


Here’s a close-up. Although it’s difficult to see, I used a bit of crystalina sparkle on the finished roses… and the buttons are sewn on, not painted.


Fee's apron close up roses



Shabby apron 3


I think it’s the prettiest project I’ve ever made, although Rosie’s nappy stacker came close! :-)


I’m working on a new design at the moment – fancy a sneak peek?


Red polkadots


Mysterious? This project has been designed for a special friend, I hope to finish it next week, while I also work on some special sewing kits for THIS good cause…


New beginnings


The Gum Tree Designers are collecting sewing kits to give to those affected by the flood disasters in Queensland and NSW. Just click on the button above to see if you’d like to help – you don’t have to be a sewer – there are other ways of donating – whether it be purchasing needles and threads, or donating money for postage costs.


I am going to make up a few kits and was going to use fabric already in my stash, until I headed to my local craft store yesterday and picked up this fabric at half the usual price…


Lynette Anderson fabrics


It is called ‘Stitches’ by Lynette Anderson Designs for Henry Glass Fabrics. I thought it was PURRfect (sorry couldn’t resist!) for making up sewing kits… will show you more as I progress!


On the subject of Flood Relief – I have put a list of favourite auctions and raffles in my side bars and will no doubt keep adding… the more exposure the better!


If you haven’t done so already – I am raffling my recently published travel caddy, and also auctioning a complete set of the ‘Springtime’ BOM designed by the Gum Tree Designers… I think it retails for around $160… so you never know your luck – you could grab a real bargain! Details at the top of my right-hand side bar – or just head here and here!


*Please feel free to use the pictures/blog buttons of my auction/raffle to post on your blog*


Until next time – enjoy the sweet fragrance of those shabby roses!




Hugs! Vikki xo :-)

Friday, January 14, 2011

Giveaway/Raffle – as published in Homespun magazine!

If you have been reading my blog this past few days you may remember seeing my most recent design, the ‘Are we there yet?’ sewing travel caddy?


Well – today it’s up for raffle! The actual caddy that was photographed and featured in this month’s issue of Australian Homespun magazine.


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Are we there yet 1


The caddy is secured to the sun visor of your car and comes complete with lanyards for needles and threads, and a pair of embroidery scissors.


The Raffle will start NOW and will END midday WEDNESDAY 26th January (Melbourne time). The winner will be picked via the Random Generator.


Conditions of Entry





  • This giveaway is open to everyone – bloggers/non-bloggers, and people overseas




  • I will cover all postage costs




  • To enter this giveaway you must donate $5 to the Premier's Flood Relief Appeal




  • You may enter as many times as you like but each entry / donation must have a separate receipt number




  • Please ensure you leave an email address so that I have means of contacting you!




  • Stop press: Please also remember that this raffle is to RAISE funds for the Flood Relief – It is fabulous if you have already donated – but please donate the further $5 to enter this raffle. Thank you so much.


QLDFloodAppeal


After you have done this, return here and leave your comment with your receipt number.


If you don't have an account to leave a comment you can email me with your name and receipt number and I will comment for you. :-)


Update: I will delete comments that are not entering the raffle simply to make it fairer and easier when choosing a winner using the random number generator! But thank you for those who have left comments! xx


~~~


I will be back soon with some Show & Tell… but just want to say that wherever you are in the world… take care and lots of love to you. xx


Hugs, Vikki xo

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Flood Appeal – My Auction - ‘Springtime’ BOM

I am sure that the majority of people now reading this post are fully aware of the devastation that has been caused by the floods in Queensland. It is mind-blowing to think that 75% of the state has been declared a disaster zone, and that equates to an area the size of France and Germany, put together.


It is beyond comprehension, so many people’s lives have been affected, or worse still, lost.


I have been in silent prayer the past few days, but mourning isn’t as effective as action. Toni at Make it Perfect has organised a huge on-line auction and all proceeds will be going to the Premier’s Flood Appeal.


I am auctioning a complete set of patterns for the ‘Springtime’ quilt, designed by the Gum Tree Designers for Fresh Hope Patterns.


Fresh Hope BOM complete set


There are nine patterns for nine stitchery blocks, with comprehensive instructions for how to put the quilt together.


Springtime QUILT




Fresh Hope BOM my block


The winning bidder will also receive a bespoke quilt LABEL made by me, which will have EACH GUM TREE DESIGNER’S NAME SIGNED on it.


Here is how it works…


1. Bidding will start at $50 Australian


2. Place your bid by leaving a comment on this post with the amount you are bidding, together with your email address


3. I will pay for postage anywhere in the world


4. The Auction will start NOW and will END midday (12 noon) Tuesday 25th January (Melbourne time)


5. I will notify the winner at closing


6. Winner will pay direct to Premier's Flood Relief Appeal


7. Once proof of payment has been received the BOM will be posted. The label may take a few days longer to post, due to some of the gum tree designers living in states that have been affected by the floods, and therefore not receiving or being able to post items themselves. But it WILL follow!


Remember that every single cent goes to those people who need it in Queensland.


I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank you for your generosity.


I’ll be back in a short while as I have another special item to offer as a giveaway/raffle… see you then! x


Hugs! Vikki xo

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Are we there yet?! Beach, banter and a Homespun publication!

How many times have we all heard that?!


“Are we there yet?”


I can still vividly remember uttering those words myself on family trips down to Cornwall, in England. Seven hours of driving felt like an eternity for the young Miss SUDs who wiled away the time listening to such bands as Spandau Ballet and Level 42 on her ‘walkman’! Gosh, those were the days without seatbelts too – I sometimes sat in the back of my dad’s ‘estate car’ (known in Australia as a station wagon), waving at the merry bands of holiday-makers travelling behind us. Safety first eh?! I’m very thankful that times have changed on that score.


Cornwall4446loganrock


As a family we holidayed once a year, and going to the seaside was a real treat because we lived in an English town that was furthermost from the coast in all directions. To this day I still feel the same excitement at siting the sea for the first time from the windscreen of our car; and was sharing this story with my son yesterday on our drive down to Rosebud on the Mornington Peninsula.


It was a hot day, but the sea breeze was refreshing. DS was off with four other teenage friends having fun on the waves with a giant raft.


Jan Aaron beach 1


DD and I stayed on the beach, jumping in the surf, searching for shells and building sandcastles.


Jan Beach Rosie 2



Jan Rosie beach 1


After a leisurely drive home to the suburbs, I picked up my mail and discovered a copy of Australian Homespun magazine.


Jan Homespun project 1


My “Are we there yet?” travel sewing caddy was within its pages and I had to smile to myself when I looked closely at the feature photograph – for it had a tourist brochure within it depicting a house in the Mornington Peninsula – where we had just spent the day!!!


Jan Homespun 3



Jan Homespun project 2


The caddy attaches to the sun visor of your car - so if you are a crafter who has outgrown 1980’s pop music *giggle* - you can pick up needle and thread and sew the hours away! :-)


It attaches to the sun visor with velcro straps…


Are we there yet 1


There are lanyards for needles and thread cards, and a special pocket for housing your embroidery scissors (“Destination Points” ha ha…) The scissors are secured by a magnetised fabric strip, and have a ribbon lanyard so you can put them around your neck when in use.


There are some fantastic projects in this Yearbook issue (Vol 12.1) including 11 Aussie designs such as the gorgeous Kookaburra softie by Kate Henderson of Two Little Banshees, and the most amazing Echidna embroidery project by Betty Johnston of Betty’s Creative Threads. Not to forget part-two of a chic and stylish sewing-accessory-set created by the lovely Roslyn Mirrington of Bloom. The icing on the cake is a fabulous quilt designed by the internationally renowned talent of Kim Diehl.


If you live overseas and would like to purchase this magazine, please refer to the list of international suppliers on my side bar.


To all my gorgeous blogging buddies, visitors and family members who read my blog…


HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!


May it hold many blessings for you all!


Until next time… Are we there yet?!! :-)


Hugs! Vikki xx

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