Melly & me

They are done!

It is time for celebration!  I have finished my last project for the "Girls Day Out" retreat with Country Thyme Patchwork!!  For a girl who has never designed a stitchery or applique pattern before I am quite proud of myself to have my 3 projects completed and to actually like them!!!  I am in love with the completed project from my last sneak peek and wish I could share it with you but this is not to be......In late May it will all be revealed, maybe some of your will be at the retreat in Mooroopna and can be the first to lay eyes on them!?  I hope so!  On the weekend I designed and made my third and last project for the retreat and am quite pleased with it!  Here is another little tease..

So now it is starting to look like I may have some time in March to dream up some new Melly & me designs - Yippee!!

I am very excited this week as Rosie and I are heading up to Townsville on Friday for the weekend!!  Rosie is going to be teaching at the "Tinkers Cart" retreat and I have decided to go along for the ride.  I have always wanted to see Townsville and am really looking forward to a weekend of fun with Rosie as well as some quiet time on my own to dream, design and draw.  I am hoping that this may be able to be done in the sunshine on the beach but I think with Townsville's last few weeks of weather I may have to be happy with sitting in our beautiful hotel room with pad and pencil.  I can still hope!!

Reece wrote to us this week asking if we were going to run another Scrappy Cabin scrap swap this year - we would love to hear people's feedback - is anyone interested in a Scrap Swap # 2 ?  If so we will definitely get one started - nothing is better than new scraps!

And now here is a picture of something I have no idea why I made and no idea why I am showing it.  But for no apparent reason whatsoever (other than having a photo to show!!) meet "Itty Bitty Kitty" - Melly

A few lovely days.

Thank you so much to everyone who sent their wishes for Little Floss's birthday.  We had a wondrous day that ended with a few very tired people!!  I have to admit I was exhausted by the end of the day but we enjoyed every moment and it was so much fun to see Little Floss's amazement and excitement at each and every sight, noise and smell.  As you can see he also brought a few of his new trains to play with on the stops along the way - it is always too hard to part with new gifts even if it is to go on the Puffing Billy!

Over the last few days I have been working on my second project for the "Girls Day Out" as mentioned in my previous post.  I really have been having so much fun playing with hand sewing and am really liking the way everything is turning out.  I cant wait to complete this item tomorrow but here is another little sneak peek.  For those of you who asked, these patterns can be revealed and will be released after the retreat in May - until then I need to be very secretive!!

And Rosie came back from her retreat in Tasmania with a beautiful gift for her little sister!!  What better gift could there be but fabric??!!  Thanks Flossie, I cant wait to get into them soon!!

So all in all it has been a lovely few days here other than more dental woes which are soon to be rectified by my new best friend the Sleep Dentist!  Ah, sleep and dentist - don't those two words sounds so good together!? 

Off to do more fabric shopping this afternoon - wow, this week is getting better and better! - Melly.

Peeks and celebrations

Thank you all for all the amazing comments on my scrappy cabin quilt.  I am glad you all love it as much as I do.  I really enjoyed working on my quilt last weekend and I am staring to enjoy more and more the memories that are sewn into this quilt.  As I make each block I think about the fabrics I am using and remember what was made out of it.  Some are from original designs, some are from ready mades, some are from my lovely scrappy swap partners and some from my beautiful sister Rosie.  They all hold meaning, memories and they all make me smile!!  I cant wait to find another weekend to devote to the 3rd quarter but it may be a little while still.  At least that gives me time to create lots of new scraps and memories.

This week I have been working on one of my projects for the "Girls Day Out" retreat that I will be one of the guest designers at in May.  This retreat will be my first ever and I have to admit that I am really nervous, scared and excited all at the same time.  I am really lucky as Rosie will also be there wearing her "Rosalie Quinlan Designs" hat so I will have her for support and much needed guidance.  The retreat is put on by "Country Thyme Patchwork" in Mooroopna and will be help on the 24th & 25th of May.  I need to come up with original designs for the weekend and I have to admit this has been stretching me.  Each project that I decide to design for the retreat needs to consist of a large part of hand sewing, whether it be stitchery or hand applique, so that the girls will be able to work on or complete the hand sewing section on the day.  This has proved a bit scary for me as hand sewing is not something that I have yet designed in.  It has been great to feel stretched and have to think outside of my box.  I have completed one designs and have 2 - 3 more to come up with over the next few weeks.  As these projects need to be original and new on the weekend I am not able to show you my finished project but I thought a little sneak peek couldn't hurt!!

Tomorrow is a special day in our household with my Little Floss turning a big 5 years old!!  It seems like just yesterday that he was still a little baby with all of those delicious rolls and chubby cheeks.  How does it go so quickly???  We are off for a fun day tomorrow with a trip on Puffing Billy which is a historical steam train that runs through the Dandenong Ranges in Victoria.  Little Floss is so train obsessed at the moment and I am sure it will be an amazing unforgettable day. 

I hope you also have a fun weekend ahead of you!

Melly

oops.

"Melly"

"Yes Rosie"

"Look what I just found in my fabric pile!"

"Wasn't that supposed to be finished by the end of 2007??"

"No, surely we said 2008!"

"Do you think anyone is on to us??"

"I know!, I know! Let's take a photo of it with Baby Floss.  Surely the cute factor will win us an extension!!"

"Great idea!!!"

So guys, did it work??????  Have we bought some time??

We have to admit that our original challenge to each other did not quite get done in time!!  We could blame it on Houston, we could blame it on the Boogie, but I think we will spare you the excuses and extend our challenge to the end of 2008.  Phew! That feels better!!

Melly's catch up session this weekend produced the second quarter of her Scrappy Cabin quilt..

So here is her quilt so far!  1/2 the quilt is done - yippee!!

So if you want to turn this.....

Into this...

or this....

It's not too late.  We have officially extended the Scrappy Cabin challenge to December 2008.  Take a look at our tutorial here and our Scrappy Cabin post here if you want to join along or be inspired to continue if you started when we did.  This is our guilt free pardon to us all!

Melly & Rosie

Creatively Challenged

This post will be the first and hopefully last post that will be photographically challenged!  Yes, it is true there will be no picture with this post - how depressing!  I vowed never to do it but it has been an exceedingly busy and creatively challenged week.  The start of Kindergarten with crazy shortened sessions, my computer dying after a virus (there may be a few emails in my in-box that I have not responded to so sorry if they are from you, my computer will hopefully be back this arvo), helping Rosie set up her new blog, my 6th unsuccessful dental appointment for my root canal which seems to be problem after problem, folding patterns after a fabulously large order from the US and just general life and appointments.  I was so determined to do a lot of crafting this week with a number of deadlines looming.  Every day I have planned that the next day will be devoted purely to sewing but that day never comes.   I have so many ideas rolling around in my head and I am so anxious to put them all into action - but when????!!  I feel a weekend coming along with very few obligations and I am starting to feel very tempted to use that time for sewing despite my "no work on the weekends" rule.  How can you call if work when you love it so much??  There is a loophole there, I am sure I can use it to my advantage!!

So as a result of me doing this post at my parents house, without my camera and without anything at all to show for my week it is picture-less.  I promise I will attempt to never repeat this faux pas. 

There must be a creative avalanche coming.... I can feel it!!  - Melly.

New Beginnings

Thank you so much to all of you who voted on our last post!!  It was pretty close in the end but I think we can safely say that Ayden's was the winning photo!!  Congrats Ayden, you truly did do a fabulous job with your Dilbert and you have amazed and inspired us all!!  I hope you are ready to make up another masterpiece by choosing another pattern from our range for your prize!!  Please send us an email to let us know which you would like.

We have sent off our prize package to Marie for winning the grand prize for our photo competition with her amazing African "Melly & me" scene, and thought we would show her lovely package.   She has received the full set of four new patterns, a Pussycat bag, a couple of hand-printed cards and a few fat quarters to get started on her new creations.  We hope you enjoy it all Marie!!

The last few days have also seen a few more creations making their way for sale in our Etsy store ....

But the most exciting news that we have to share with you today is the news of a new blog beginning!!  Yes, Rosie has decided after much prompting to tackle her Internet phobia and start a "Rosalie Quinlan Designs" blog!!!! We have spent the last day setting it up and making it all pretty and you really MUST go have a look see and welcome her to blog-ville!!!

May the Floss be with you!!

Melly & Rosie.

More to see.

As we mentioned in our last post, the reaction we had to the photo giveaway was just amazing.  We were so excited to see all of your work and there were many giggles and oohs and ahhs in the Flossie household as we looked at each and every one.  We decided to do a second giveaway for another lucky photo entrant so we have picked a selection of 10 of our favourite Melly and me (and a couple of Rosalie Quinlan Designs) creations to share with you.  There are still so many we have not shown and although we wish we could share them all I think the blog would crash with all of those photos uploaded!  So here are another 10 creations made by you guys and we would love you all to help us pick one to reward with another pattern.  I will number them 1 to 10 and if you could leave your numbered vote that would be so much fun!  We will add up the votes next Tuesday and announce our winner.

1.  A pair of adorable Sangsangs made by Rosalie...

2.  Pocket and floss made by Angela, I just love Pocket's overalls!...

3.  This yummy Dolcetto bag made by Nicole (love the fabric combo!!!)...  

4.  This very chummy looking pair of handsome Magoos by Jessi...

5.  Another creation by an inspiring young sewer.  This one was a little late for the last giveaway but HAD to be shown here! This Dilbert was made and is being shown off by 14 year old Ayden.  Just amazing!!!

6.  This Rosalie Quinlan Designs "Buster" doll made by Cathie, we just adore his outfit!...

7.  This vibrant and fun Freya doll made by the beautiful Nicolette...

8.  These deliciously fun Silly Bunnies made by Heather...

9.  This bundle of fun softies made by Teresa - just love the different look of them in plain fabrics!!

And last but not least...

10.  This Rosalie Quinlan Designs "I remember" quilt made by Jenny.  It is absolutely stunning...   

Isn't all of this work just amazing!!!  It is such a buzz to see all of these photos and we love being able to share a selection of them with you.  So please get voting for your favourites and we will be back on Tuesday!!

Thanks to everyone who shared their photos with us, we really do appreciate seeing all of your work and we would love for you to keep sending us your pics!  Have a beautiful weekend!!

Melly & Rosie