Favourite Things Friday...

Today I really want to show off & honour one of my favourite, most inspiring quilters - and show you the third parcel that I received from her this week and so cheekily made you wait to see!
Oh wait - it's probably not very "Politically Correct" to choose favourites...
I better stop now then!

Meh - just kidding - since when did not being PC stop me! ;)

If you've been following my blog for a while, then you may remember that at the beginning of the year I was involved in the Doll Quilt Swap 10 over on Flickr. I sent a dolls quilt away to someone and I received this mighty fine one back...

My brief was that I'd love something bright, whimsical & cheerful for my office wall. - I'm sure you'll all agree that this more than fit the bill! The details in it are quite amazing!
Check out this aeroplane!

Houses perched on hills, rolling hills, sheep, ducks & windy roads - reminds me so much of my home in New Zealand!! (No hills where I live now in Australia I have to say!)

I love this quilt more than words can say, and it has adorned my office wall since the afternoon it arrived, helping to inspire me as I sew!!

Ever since then I have been an avid admirer of it's creators work. Well more especially since really, because I admired it before then too!
This amazing lady is creative like no other. She uses bright and vibrant colours - my favourite kind! Her work is whimsical and unique. Her tendency towards rainbows especially makes me swoon. And lastly - she is not only talented when it comes to arty appliqued quilts from her own drawings, but also when it comes to teeny tiny piecing too!!

Here is a mosaic of some of my favourites of her work...

Pretty neat huh!
I could have actually chosen everything in her photostream - but I figured if I did that they would be so teeny that you would not be able to actually see them...

So when a few months ago, while "spying" on her blog, I saw this person creating some charming imaginary sewing ladies...

Then move on to making fabric versions of some of her friends...

I knew there was only one thing for it - I was going to have to somehow coerce her into doing a commission of me!
(although without the fat cheeks & small forehead of the imaginary lady, tee hee!)

As it happens I did not have to resort to the extent of kidnapping her or anything too sinister.
Which is just as well too, as my children are quite happy having a mother out of jail - Imagine the stories that could entail -
"so why is your Mummy in jail?"
 "Because she kidnapped someone so they'd make her a quilt"...
hmmm...!!?? I think they would then be so cool! Not!

So after kindly agreeing to make me, I have been even more eagle eyed on her blog & flickr stream than normal. But the mean mean lady wouldn't show me even the sneakiest of peaks, so I was stuck waiting...
and waiting...
and waiting...
and waiting...
Not her fault - we only have 1 mail man for the whole of Western Australia didn't you know. Well I'm assuming we must, because that must be the only possible reason for my mail generally taking FOUR weeks minimum to arrive! (Still waiting on one which has been over 7 weeks I might add!)

So Tuesday I finally had a box.
EEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I knew the look of that box!
I had received one of those same looking boxes before!
And I was not wrong...

I would love to introduce you to my favourite new piece of art...
Please meet the fabric version of Flutter.Kat:

Check out those eyes! Hazel - brown with a green ring, just like my real eyes...

Then there's the tape measure, pins in the mouth & thread earrings - perfect for a sewing.Kat!

And of course a portrait of Flutter.Kat would not be complete without a butterfly -

Aren't I cool?
(No rude comments from the cheap seats please - you know who you are!)
Here we are together....

Look like me?
Well apparently it isn't mummy according to Hannah - it's a dolly didn't you know! And 3 year olds are always right of course ;)
Although the next time she saw it she then changed her mind and said - "look Mummy it's you again..." so I guess she's decided it is now pfft....

So who is this incredible lady creator you ask?
Well, if you are not familiar with her stunning work already, then allow me to introduce you to Carol. aka Mamacjt over on Flickr.

Not only is Carol the incredibly talented maker of all these fine things today, but she is also an amazingly generous person. She makes many many angel quilts for swaps (to send to people who's partners can no longer make or have dropped out), and her packages are always brimming full of very thoughtful gifts. (Trust me, I know from experience!) She is an all round inspiring person to be blessed to know, even if it is just "virtually".

So Carol, there you have it. You and your beautiful artwork are my favourite things this Friday!
I hope I made you blush good and proper so you know how thankful I am! tee hee...

And for everybody else I hope that if you don't already then you will head over to her blog and admire some more of her artwork.

Linking in as always with the also fabulous Madam Pyjama's Favourite Things Friday, and Things I'm Loving over at the also uber creative and cool Paisley Jade.

Happy Friday!