Melly & me

Bambino

We hope you all had a beautiful Easter break and that you are all having a great time chatting with your swap partners!

During the Easter break I have had a lovely relaxing time with the family and have also created another new design, "Bambino"....

A cute little cuddle blanket (or "ruggy" as it is known by in the flossy house) and a cloth animal book.

Here is a closer look at one of the pages inside the book...

I had so much fun making this set and it is in perfect timing for a new niece expected in a few months time!

So now it is time to spend the rest of the week with my head down writing the three new patterns as well as my mystery patterns for the Country Thyme retreat.  I think I am going to be busy and may get a decent case of square eyes!!??

Also, do you remember Ayden, the 14 year old boy who won a prize in our latest giveaway?  You must go and have a look here to see the spectacular job he did with his winning pattern - just amazing!   - Melly.

We wish you all a very flossie Easter!! 

Make sure you over indulge!!! - Melly & Rosie

Swap underway & a new bag!

Wow, what a big swap!!  We have to admit that it did take a good chunk of yesterday pairing you all up and sending out the emails!  Firstly we need to apologise to those of you who had a bit of a cryptic bracketed message in your email that you couldn't figure out.  That is called copying and pasting from the wrong email - oops!! =)

So all of you should have received your email with your partner details and if you haven't please let us know ASAP, it is a guarantee that someone will have fallen through the cracks.  We need Onlinelesley, Sarah in Houston and Amanda (10/3 8:23pm) to contact us due to incorrect email addresses.

So now for a few guidelines for the swap......

* Fabric scraps should be 100% cotton or linen.

* You should include no less than 250gm (1/2 pound) of fabric scraps.

* Scraps should be no smaller than approx 2.5" x 2.5" (usable for the scrappy cabin challenge.)  and should be no larger than approx 12" x 12" to allow for plenty of variety.

*All swap packages are to be sent on or before the 1st of April.  Please let your partner know when you have posted your package or arrange differing dates if required.

* If for some reason you are no longer able to participate, please email us so that we can ensure no one misses out.

* We think it is a lovely idea to include a little extra treat for your partner, although this is not a requirement of the swap.  A card would also be a lovely touch and have fun with your packaging!  Who knows you may make a swapping buddy or pen-pal for life!

* If anyone does not receive a package or has a non-responding partner please let us know!  We don't want anyone to miss out and we have more than enough scraps here to send packages to all of those that have any issues.

* Last but most importantly, HAVE FUN!!

Our hot spell here in Melbourne is supposed to ease today - phew!  We are greatly looking forward to some cool air and a few showers - maybe a decent nights sleep?  It is always so hard to get the energy to spend a day sewing and designing when it is this warm so the cooler weather will make for a much more productive few days!

Here is Melly's new bag that we mentioned in our last post - finally with handles!!  Not the greatest of photos but a fab bag!  I have already made myself one up and am really enjoying it - there is so much room in this one!!

Enjoy the cool change Melbournians and enjoy your swapping!!

Melly & Rosie

 

Woof!!

I am so excited that so many of you are signing up to be involved in the Scrap Swap!!  We will post all of the details of scrap sizes, etc in our next post and if you are only now logging on look at our previous post as you can still join up!

This week and next I have devoted to coming up with a few new designs for pattern release in April.  There have been so many other deadlines that free design time has been scarce and I have set these 2 weeks aside to get all of those ideas that have been brewing into life.  I have made a cute new bag which still needs handles so I will share that with you later next week.  While the bag was put aside for a couple of days this sweet little fella, "Fido", managed to find life!  He is such a fun addition to the flossy home and has already become a firm favourite for Little Floss!  I found them sleeping together last night before he was even completed! 

Today the postman brought an exciting package of fabric to my door too! (he was a bit nervous coming to the door with all the barking going on but was soon put at ease when he saw young Fido!)

Isn't this new Alexander Henry fabric just to die for???!!!  

The colours haven't come out quite true to life on the photo but it is just the most fun range!!  I hope I can fit some of this into my designing next week!

Now I have to go and clean up my sewing table which is a complete disgrace!  I am looking forward to my new studio which will be a reality soon so that the table in question can go back to being our dining table!

May the floss be with you, Melly.

Scrappy Cabin Challenge Scrap Swap #2

There has been such a positive response to running another scrap swap so here it is!!!

If you are participating in the scrappy cabin challenge and need some more variety for your blocks or if you just want to spice up your scrap collection for another project then join up.

We had so much fun last year and I know that a lot of fabulous email pen-pal friendships were formed.  So lets make sure we have a lot of fun once again!

Here is a photo of my fabulous (and very neat) package I recieved last year from my swap partner Net!  If you look at my scrappy cabin quilt so far you will see plenty of these pieces of fabric added in with my own!.

For this swap you will need to send a minimum of 250g (half a pound) of scraps suitable to be used for the Scrappy Cabin Challenge to send to your partner (All 100% cotton or linen patchwork fabrics please). 

If you are interested in participating in this swap please leave a comment on this post by the 15th of March to let us know.  We will then collate the interested parties and send you a swap partner via email.  It will be up to you to make contact and swap postal addresses with your swap partner.  Of course this swap is open internationally and it is likely that you will need to post overseas depending on the partner you are given.

Yay - we can't wait! - Melly & Rosie 

Too short

We had such a lovely weekend in Townsville but only wished we could have stayed a little longer.  On our afternoon off on Friday we managed to go for a nice long walk along The Strand and enjoyed all of the different sights and sounds that Townville had to offer

It truly is amazing how you can be in the same country yet all of the nature, wildlife, sounds and climate can be so extremely different.

We walked along and enjoyed every little different thing that we found and the noises of the bird-life was just amazing.    

We were very thankful for the water park that we found along the way for a much needed splash and not far on from there we found a great little restaurant to enjoy a meal overlooking the ocean.  Needless to say at least one of these had to be ordered....

And of course enjoyed...

On the Saturday my day of designing did not come out quite as intended but I did have a good day of rest as I ventured for a good long walk and lazed about the beautiful hotel we were staying in.  Rosie had a lovely time at the retreat and I am sure she will post all about it soon on her blog.

We only wish that we could have had another day to discover Townsville but if nothing else it was a good taste tease to encourage us to return really soon!  Hope you also had a lovely weekend full of new experiences!  Melly & Rosie

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