Terrific Tuesday Tidbits...

 Wowee do I have a lot to show today!
- I was already going to overwhelm you with photos today - then I got 3 parcels in the mail this morning!
WOOOOO HOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

You know it's a good day when your mailbox looks like this:

Lucky Lucky me! I am still doing the happy dance!!!

Let me show you the contents of a couple...

Parcel 1: Goodie Swap parcel all the way from Ireland from Karen...

Oh my goodness I am in love with these!
Karen did an awesome job of stalking me and used my favourite colours together! Look how cute those balloons are eeek!!! And the needle book is not only beautiful but useful as well. I can put that straight to use since I have been wanting one for ages! And she also sent me some cute Irish fabric. I already have an idea for what to use that for....
If your name is Debbie and you are my Irish bestie then watch out baby because this cool fabric is coming to a purse lining near you!! Heheh :)

Let me also show you the back of the mugrug -

Karen printed off the names of Irish towns on linen and appliqued them on to remind me forever of the mugrugs origins. What a sweet and special idea!

Parcel 2: Goodie swap parcel all the way from Canada courtesy of Caroline Clarke...

Another perfect package to make my day! Caroline also really did a superb job of stalking my likes. Check out those blue butterflies!! Is there anything more me than blue butterflies? My favourite colours, beautiful fabrics, some stickers for my girls and an awesome needle book - again with a very fitting butterfly.

So I've gone from not having any needle books to being spoilt for choice! But don't worry girls because I can definitely fill both of them up! I think I will make the one with pockets for my travel hexie kit (you know - those pesky handsewn things that I adore and I'm supposed to be having a go of! Must make myself pick up a needle & thread soon!)

Feeling soooo lucky right now!

Parcel 3: .... hmmmm.... now what was in parcel 3? 

Doh, you know what? - I've "forgotten" ;)
I think I might conveniently remember on Friday though, so if you're curious to know what's in my glorious 3rd parcel then pop back on Friday for a look. It's worth seeing - I know you will be awed!!

*** 

Ok.... so now onto what I had actually planned to show you today...

I have been a very busy girl over the last 2 days and had a little sew-a-thon. I had my mind set on finishing a few things because I know that I have lots of orders and classes coming up in the next few weeks and I was kind of feeling the pressure a little! So yesterday was head down, tooshie up while I focused on sewing some swaps & bees. I'm pleased to report that I'm almost up to where I'd hoped to be.

I'll just show you in pictures...

Pretty {little} purse swap pouch:
Front:

and back:

Rainbow decorative stitches...

(please excuse the night shots... gotta make use of the time while I have it!)

I love this pouch! My partner was quite a fan of the rainbow one I made in round 2, so I decided to go with a similar theme. Totally improv style - I love starting with a stack of fabrics and no real fixed plan and seeing where it ends up. Tends to waste a lot of time, but it's the most fun way to sew if you ask me!!

Then on to make a pouch for my Scrappy Swap Partner:

One side:

And the other side:

Love this little pouch too. Another totally improvised project. The theme (obviously - since it's a scrap swap and all) was scrappy - so I just opened up my scrap box and took out a selection of my itty bitty favourite scraps and away I went. I used the same method as I did for my scrappy quilt-as-you-go pouch (tute down the right side bar) but I made it a zipper pouch instead.

I think it turned out great (if not rather bright!) but I'm yet to see if my partner thinks the same, so it may be that I need to go back to the drawing board for this swap... I have so much fun making scrap projects that I will not need much of an excuse to try something else!

Then I caught up on a few quilt blocks:

First a few scrappy wonky stars for Molly in my Sew & Bee-Happy bee:

I decided to continue with the rainbow theme, since it had served me well in the last couple of projects!

Then some wonky tea-cups to send to Jill as requested, in return for a cheeky block...

These were fun! Of course I had to do a blue one for her! She has a great tutorial over at her blog if you wanna give these a try too.

And lastly, progress has started on my DS Doll Quilt swap:

Not much progress yet I might add (that was a last minute thing last night) - but progress none the less...
I yet again have absolutely no plan for this - I'm making it up as I go along and making it improv style.
Love it!
All I can tell you so far (which will no doubt change) is that it will be rainbow. And I can also tell you that there will be pinwheels to come. But apart from that don't ask me how the final result is supposed to look because I'm not sure yet!

And it's a bit of a novelty sewing with a fabric range again since I've pretty much worked exclusively from my scrap box for the last couple of weeks (it's starting to look a little like it needs topping up again with good stuff now!)

Ok - sorry this was so long!
Hopefully full of eye candy though :)

Tutorial for the twirly skirts is coming I promise - Thursday is the day ok!

Linking up as usual with fabulous Fabric Tuesday!

Take care