Melly & me

Studio Excitement

It has been 2 years now that I have been designing as a business and have been using my sewing machine most days of the week..... It has been 2 years now that my husband has been saying "I wish we could eat on the dining table!!"  Hmmmm, has it been 2 years that my sewing machine, cutting board, current projects, stuffing, sketches, pins, threads and other sewing paraphernalia has been taking up the whole dining table????!!!  Goodness me, I think is has!!! 

I have finally decided that the flossies do not need a whole room to house their toys, they can easily transfer that mess to their bedrooms while I make a much more pretty mess in my new studio!  Yes, there will be no more mad clean up of my current sewing project before hubby gets home from work, no mad rush to clear the dining table and stuff all of my sewing gear into some unseeable corner when we have guests, no need for a dining room vacuum every day due to threads galore.....ahhhhhhh.....I will have my own lockable, messy studio!  I am sooooo excited.

I know that it will be very untidy in no time but at this stage, before it is a reality, I like to imagine my picture book perfect studio which I can show you photos of to the sounds of "WOW, how do you keep it so clean??" and "How beautiful and inspiring!!"  So while in my fantasy land I have been buying up a few goodies to decorate my new haven!  Here are a few cuties I picked up while at the "Stitches and Craft Show" a few weeks ago.

For a minute I tried to pretend that I was buying these toys for my kiddies, but I knew in myself that they were for me in my new studio!  Aren't they all gorgeous?  The doll comes from AK Traditions and is just the most divine thing I have ever seen!  I am sure that these new friends will bring me lots of inspiration as I look at them each day.  I know I have said it already, but I really am just so excited!  It is the first time ever that I will have a room all to myself, to decorate as I like and to fill with whatever I wish - a true Melly hangout where I can do what I love surrounded by things that I love!  Yay!! 

Now, while I go on about my studio excitement I know you are all saying "yeah, that's great, but what about the giveaway?"  So I suppose I should stop my ramblings and get down to business!  Today we decided to draw 4 winners to each select one of the three new patterns as their prize.  So with the help of our random number generator the lucky winners are....... Kate, Jacquie, Paula (April 1 11:07pm) and Jenny (April 01 05:59pm). CONGRATS!!!! Please email us girls and let us know your choice of pattern and snail mail addresses!

Thank you all for your beautiful comments on the new designs as well as for the emails you have been sending about your great swap experiences - it sounds like there have been some really amazing swap packages being received.  I can't wait to receive mine!  Melly.

Done..... at last!

Hey everybody!!!  Good news, the patterns are written!!!!  I cannot tell you what a relief this news is!!  I had left my pattern writing too long and had too many to write at once, but they are finished!! Woo-Hoo!  I feel like a new woman with a clean slate this morning.

In usual Melly & me style, pattern releases mean giveaways!  So we would love for your to leave us a comment on this post to be in the running for a copy of our new patterns: Fido, Bambino and Meadow.

As for me, I am going to enjoy a few days of being a regular SAHM!!!  Just catching up on things around the house and enjoying the Flossies......only after I send off my swap package today, of course!  I hope you have all gotten your swap packages in the post and that a few of you are already enjoying your beautiful new scraps!!!

Enjoy your week and make sure you leave a comment to be in the running for our giveaway!!  we will announce the winners on Saturday! May the floss be with you!!  Melly & Rosie.

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.