How excitement!

I have two bits of very exciting news!

First off, I won/bought Acute in Melly & Me's auction for the Bushfire Appeal.  I've posted a picture below for anyone who doesn't know what I'm talking about.

Acute is my fave Melly & Me softie, and that is a big call coz I love them all!  I actually just starting making my own Acute a couple of weeks back; he's still in pieces so I really should rectify that .  My original Melly & Me "Acute" should be arriving any day now - how excitement!

Sooooo..... as if that wasn't enough to have me jumping for joy (it was!), I got an email last night from the fabulous Trash, and guess what she told me????  Did you guess?  Yes, I won something in her fantastic Bushfire Appeal raffle, but do you know what I won?  

I won the poster girl!  

Yes, little ol' me won the gorgeous Annabelle, handcrafted with love by Julie from Little Cotton Rabbits.  I'm surprised you didn't hear me squealing with glee and clapping my hands together with delight like a two year old at Christmas!

I got this news via email in the wee hours of this morning while I was piecing blocks for the Bushfire Quilt Project.  I'll post my blocks soon so you can have a look see and suggest what borders might work.

THANK YOU to Melly and Rosie; and to Trash and all the generous contributors to your rafflle. I'm sure those who survived the devastating Victorian bushfires would be truly touched to know how many people are thinking of them and doing what they can to help them out at this terrible time.  

There is still plenty more to do to help those who have lost everything.  To see how you can help, please take a look at the Handmade Help site!  It really is a small world after all!

Guess wot?  The postie just arrived with my little friend and he's sitting here with me right now. Oh, happy day!

Hugs

Kelly & Acute :-)

International Women's Day FQ Swap - Let's Swap!

Hi swappers and THANKS for signing up to take part in my first ever swap!  

We have 18 participants (which is a lovely, even number) from Australia, Canada, UK and USA - so we can definitely say that this is truly an International Women's Day event!  

I have two "no profile" participants (Linny & M) so I can't get back to them and are hoping that they read this post. Linny & M, if you do read this, please email me at kfiedler (at) tpg (dot) com (dot) au and let me know how to contact you.  If I hear from one of you and not the other, I'll do a swap with you.  If I hear from both of you, then you will be paired up.  If I don't hear from either of you, no harm - no foul!

Okay, so that leaves 16 of us.  I put our names in a bag and drew them out two at a time, and this is what I ended up with:

1.  Debbe (Pink Mucky Boots) & Marian (Marian Edwards Dreamweaver)

2.  Vicki (Felines & Fibre Arts) & Beth (Modern Jax)

3.  Katy (I'm a Ginger Monkey) & Kelly (Purple Paisley Patch)

4.  Kylie (Kylie's Stitch'n Sew) & Kristin C (Quilts in the closet)

5.  Nichole (Nichole's family & crafty blog) & Shean (Dairy of an unconscious mind)

6.  Esther (Jumping from One Idea to the Next) & Tammy (Home in Virginia)

7.  Jules (Sew Bull Sew) & Mandy (Manda-a-lin)

8.  Trasha (Trash can) & Quilty Gal (Quilty Gal)

I'll send you all an email to let you know your partners email details so you can organise to swap addresses.  I don't have email addresses for Tammy & Kristin, so I'll post a comment on your blogs to let you know who you are paired with and to ask you to please email them and me.

Please let me know if you have any issues contacting your partner.  I have plenty of purple and green fabric to go around so if you don't hear from your partner let me know and I'll do a swap with you.

All the blogs for those participating (except for Linny & M) are listed above with links so you can check out everyone's purple and green fabric on/after 8 March.

Thanks again for taking part in the International Women's Day FQ Swap  - let the swapping fun begin!

Hugs

Kelly :-)

International Women's Day FQ Swap - contact details

Just a quickie post as I must away to work.

If you are signing up for this swap, PLEASE ensure I can contact you to let you know your partner's details.  

I can't contact you if you don't have a blog or an email address listed on your profile.  

You can email me your contact details if you don't want to post them with your comment.

Thanks! :-)

Sunday Stash

I'm keen to do a little sewing before bed tonight so will make this post brief.

First up, some sweet reproduction vintage florals.

You might need sunnies for the next print, it is from the Beatles range of fabrics and is VERY bright.  I love it!

Before I go, there are a few buttons to the right that you might like to click on.  They are links to the International Women's Day FQ Swap I'm hosting, and the fantastic Bushfire Quilt Project and Handmade Help websites both in assisting those affected by the Victorian bushfires.

Hugs

Kelly :-)

Kylie's Stitch'n Sew Great Give Away Week!

Bet you're all saying, "Oh no, not ANOTHER giveaway!" - NOT!!!!!

I know you love em, and Kylie knows too and that's why she's celebrating her 100th blog with a whole week of giveaways from 11-17 February.

Check out Kylie's Stitch'n Sew everyday to see what's on offer.

Don't forget to see what snippet of info Kylie wants you to comment about, it is great to read your comments and learn a little more about all the crafty folk in blog land (sung to the tune of Noddy's "all the little toys in toyland).

Oh, one last thing - I've got dibs on today's retro scraps and kindred spirit bag giveaway - OKAY! LOL :-)

Victorian Bushfires - How we can help!

The devastation from the bushfires that are still burning in Victoria almost defies belief.  So far almost 200 people are confirmed dead, and the police are expecting this number to increase to around 300 when they are able to inspect all the affected properties.  Many have lost everything except the clothes on their backs, but they are thankful to be alive.  

The hearts of Australians and of many others around the world go out to those affected by this gut-wrenching disaster and we all want to help in whatever way we can.  At the moment the best way to assist is through financial donations.  

If you would like to make a donation please call 1800 811 700 or give online at: 

Red Cross Victorian Bushfire Appeal

Another way you can assist is by buying or bidding on some of the handmade goods up for sale/auction on the sites listed below.  The proceeds of these sales will be donated to the Red Cross Appeal.

http://mellyandme.typepad.com/melly_me/2009/02/bushfire-appeal.html

http://sillygillykids.blogspot.com/2009/02/raising-funds-for-victorias-bushfire.html

Go to Silly Gilly Kids to get the html for the button above so you can add it to your blog and promote this worthy fundraising effort.

If you are not in a position to donate $$ but have some fabric or batting you would like to donate, check out the link below.

http://www.mrsmartinsquiltshop.typepad.com/

Thank you

International Women's Day Fat Quarter Swap

Hi all, after many attempts I have created a button for the swap, please feel free to copy this to your site to spread the word. Hugs, Kelly :-)

The swap is on!  Most of you preferred the idea of swapping fat quarters, so we'll stick with that.  

Okay, so here's how this will (hopefully) work:

1.  People can join the swap until 20 Feb.

2.  We'll each purchase, or dig out of our stash - 4 FQs - these will be purple, green &/or white, or a combination of these colours - these colours have been chosen in honour of the suffragettes.

3.  I'll draw swap partners on 21 Feb and let you know who is with who.

4.  We'll all mail our parcels by 23/24 Feb - this should ensure that our swap partner receives their parcel on or before 8 March.  

5.  If we receive our parcel before 8 March, we'll put it aside and wait patiently until 8 March to open it.  [I'll struggle with this one]. 

6.  On 8 March, we'll open our parcels and put a post up on our blogs with a photo of our lovely purple, green & white fabrics.

I'm still working on creating a button for this swap so you can put it on your blog.  In the meantime, I'd love it if you'd tell others about the swap so they can join in if they're interested.

Hugs

Kelly :-)