Brilliant Blogland

We had the most fantastic day on Thursday when the Locket tribe invaded the lovely Quilty's home and stayed for NINE WHOLE HOURS!!!!!

Not one or two hours but NINE!

And we had the most fantastic time! Youngest Quilty and Daisy Locket are the same age and get on so well - you'd think they had known each other forever. They spent practically the whole day outside rollerblading (Daisy's first attempt) and were found towards the end of the day rolling up and down with umbrellas hoping for rain?!!

Dorothy Locket and Quilty 3 are the same age and have so much in common - I don't think they stopped talking all day and swapped books, sewed ladybirds and went off for a walk to the Quilty Allotment and had fun there too.


Meanwhile Fred was spoilt rotten by Clare's two eldest daughters - they were so kind and spent ages with him showing him how to play on a nintendo, helping him with puzzles, and playing cars and all sorts. I really appreciated how much time they gave him when they could just have gone off and done their own things and Fred absolutely loved it and tried to attach himself to the table leg so he wouldn't have to leave! When we eventually prized him off he ran and hid behind the curtains instead!

I didn't get many photos but Clare has written a lovely post about our visit so pop over to see the motley crew!

When we eventually dragged ourselves away and got home the children just fell into bed and then at 9.30pm there was a knock on the door...................

my Russian Doll swap parcel from Emma at Silverpebble had arrived!!!!!!

The postie wasn't working overtime - he'd just left it with one of my neighbours who had obviously seen our car and realised we were home.

Now this was a parcel that I was seriously excited about getting - Emma and I have been chatting on the phone lately so she has become an almost real imaginary friend now and she had hinted that the parcel was on the large side - especially for a necklace!


And there were so many lovely goodies in the parcel for me


my gorgeous necklace that I can't seem to get a good photograph of - sorry Emma it really doesn't show it off well enough.

And she had also included all these amazing goodies


beautiful old buttons, fabrics and lace, amazing beads, a really pretty handmade Russian Doll card and a lovely old smocking book

and then there was my birthday present - "for whenever it is" - along with instructions to have a glass of dry white wine - no problem there Emma!


The necklace is made of Chinese lampwork beads - they are so beautiful and make a lovely cluster.

But that's not all! Emma also included presents for the Little Lockets


and it is amazing, Emma couldn't have chosen more perfect presents for each of them


a fantastic science kit for brainbox Dot - she was so impressed!


a beautiful ring that Daisy has turned into a necklace by pinching the lovely turquoise ribbon from my birthday necklace

and a pair of ammonite fossils with a lovely handwritten description of them and web-sites to visit to find more for Fred - he absolutely loves them and no-one else is allowed to touch them!

Thank you so much Emma - everything is absolutely gorgeous and you have been so generous. I've worn my beautiful russian doll necklace every day since it arrived - I love it!

So this brings me to the reason for the title of this post - Brilliant Blogland. I could never have imagined a year and a half ago that I would start a blog and "meet" the most amazing friends - some of you I've never actually met in real life and may never have the chance to, others I talk to on the phone and get the chance to meet every now and then and others live near me so I can meet them more regularly - but you are all wonderful! An outsider hearing about blogland and bloggy meet-ups, swaps and giveaways, would no-doubt be very sceptical about "cyber friendships" (and I'm sure I would have been a few years ago too) but it's the most fantastic way to make friends with fabulous people with such similar interests, tastes and obsessions! I can't think of any other way to find such like-minded friends!

So a HUGE THANK YOU to good old Blogland - you're the best!

P.S. another parcel arrived yesterday.......................... my mini quilt from Trashy! But I'm afraid you are going to have to wait until the next post to see it as it definitely needs a post of its very own!!!

Busy, busy, busy

So I made my scary lists on Saturday afternoon and instead of making the task seem more manageable it just brought home how much I have to do!!!! Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggghhhhhh!


This is my "design wall" (tongue very firmly in cheek here!) complete with my very neatly categorised crafting commitments. The baby clothes pinned up are for a "Betty Bunny" that needs to be done by the weekend and in the fireplace you can see some of my very neatly folded and colour coded fabric!!!

My job list includes

• 11 Pay It Forward gifts
• 1 Russian Doll Swap gift for Emma
  
• 1 reversible messenger bag
  
• 1 appliqued patchwork fleece blanket like this
  
• 1 Janet Bolton style picture for my friend's birthday - it was in April!
  
• 2 Dilbert dinosaurs
• 4 Betty Bunnies
• 2 Pocket & Floss Bunnies
• 1 Magoo
• 2 large owls
• 2 small dolls like these
  
• and 14 mini quilts

Yesterday I practically glued myself to my work table and ended up with a very sore back but I managed to get some things done and I now have 2 dolls stitched ready for turning and stuffing, one Pocket and Floss Bunny stitched and turned ready for stuffing, one Betty Bunny stitched, turned, stuffed and ready for sewing together (although if I'm honest I had already done most of the sewing on these - I just hadn't considered how long it takes to turn things through!)

and a finished Magoo called Magnus


only this one is a midi-Magoo, reduced to 75% on my scanner because he needs to be posted to Canada.

To give you an idea of size here he is with his very much bigger sister Maggie

I'm really pleased with how he has turned out - he is such a cheeky monkey! And isn't it funny how much more "boy-like" he looks than Maggie - and I don't think it is just because of the colours.

On the quilt front, I am at the point of binding on Leanne's, Trashy's and Kate's, three-quarters of the way through finishing the top of Rachel's and I've just made the top of Anne's - and I'm really pleased with how it is going so here is a sneak peek for you........

I know it looks very plain but Anne kindly took me up on the offer of a cream and white quilt built around the lovely embroidered fabric that Lina sent me with my mini quilt - it actually looks really effective in a very simple way!!!

Return of the Little Locket and More Minis

So, yes, she came back - and Mr Locket and I were very very pleased to see her!

So were the other little Lockets

(don't worry, I'm not going to go all "perfect family" on you - it wasn't long before they were all arguing!)

and her bedroom looked fantastic by the time I had finished with it - such a shame about the rest of the house though!

Dorothy has the smallest room in the house and it really is tiny but it is my favourite of all our rooms and I keep telling her that I am having it for a sewing room when she goes to University! I mean, who wouldn't love a room that has built in bookshelves like this..............

Dorothy is an incredible reader and has probably read more of the classic childrens' literature - Little Women, Heidi, Black Beauty, The Secret Garden, What Katy Did Next etc by the age of 10 than I have ever read - and the modern literature she reads is really impressive too. I just love lying on her bed looking up at her books and reading all the titles.

In mini-quilt swap news I can now show you the 9 of mine that have safely arrived at their new homes

Top Row: Annie, Lesley, Michaela
2nd Row: Katy, Lina, Est
3rd Row: Lissa, Jodie, Val

I now have 4 more in progress including this one for Kate

and this one for Trashy


which only leaves another 10 to start from scratch!

I spent a while this afternoon writing scarily complicated tables of all the things I need to make - commisions, mini-quilts, PIF gifts, presents and my Russian Doll Swap - I am now feeling rather panicked! I'm not quite sure how I am going to get it all done! And then there's the chaos and mess masquerading as our house and our jungle-like front and back gardens - not to mention the allotment - and at some point I really need to get a job - anyone got any good ideas?????

Lovely Linaloo, lovely Lesley and Lucky Locket

As you have all been saying I am a very lucky Locket!

On Saturday, just as Fred was opening his presents, the Postie appeared with a parcel for ME from Lesley full of the most fantastic goodies!

She sent me a share of some gorgeous fabric that she had recently bought


and when I saw the bird one I was sooooooooooooooooo excited because I have been coveting this in various Etsy shops for ages - and amazingly (considering I speak to the poor girl so often) Lesley didn't even know I wanted it! I have plans to make it into a new messenger style bag with denim and pockets and things so I can use it and see it every day.

and then there were these gorgeous buttons


so pretty!

and then - if you can find it amongst my seriously mahoosive bunch of keys - there was this lovely key ring (which matches the pretty purse Lesley sent me a while ago that I use to carry my sewing around)


and finally, possibly even more excitingly, look at all these keyring blanks ready for me to customise to my heart's content!

Lesley also included a card thanking me for arranging the mini-quilt swap and for being her "very lovely and very silly friend" - thank you so much Lesley - the feeling is entirely reciprocated!

On Monday another exciting parcel arrived, this time all the way from Linaloo in Canada.

When I first mentioned doing a mini-quilt swap Lina said she would probably not be able to play but would be interested in doing a mini-mini-quilt swap directly with me. So in effect Lina is probably responsible for the whole extended Lucy Locket mini-Mini Quilt Swap - thanks Lina, it was a fantastic idea!!!

So I was obviously very excited to see what she had made - and it is gorgeous!

I just love those birds and the tree and the circles and how the birds ARE circles (with a little bit added) - it's just so deceptively simple and so very clever. And the colours are so happy and spring like - it's perfect!

Lina also included this wonderful embroidered fabric and a really pretty bookmark.


I immediately started planning a mini quilt in my mind using one of the embroidered flowers in the middle and then building it up log-cabin style with different cream and white fabrics with pearl buttons and cream embroidery etc - so if any of my swapees fancy a quilt like that then just let me know!!!

Thank you so much for my wonderful parcel Lina, and once again, thank you for sparking the initial idea of my mini-Mini-Quilt swap!

On Sunday I was idly wandering around Lesley's etsy shop and I wondered why on earth no one had bought her beautiful pink and grey felt purse. Then I looked at it more closely and saw the gorgeous lining fabric and was even more confused.

Finally it dawned on me - the reason no one had bought it yet was because they were kindly leaving it in the shop for ME to buy - obvious when you think about it!!!!

So I did.

(image borrowed from Lesley because my photo was rubbish!)

But, instead of fitting neatly through my letter box, the parcel from Lesley was sent back to the depot.

Why was that? It was only a little purse - my letter box isn't that small.

So I duly trotted off to the sorting office yesterday once I had regained the car from Mr Locket (fancy needing it for work!)

And look what was (very unsuccesfully) hiding behind the purse in my parcel


all of these gorgeous balls of crochet yarn! Lesley knows that even though I am only a newbie-crochet-er, I have discovered that I only really like crocheting toys in smooth or mercerised yarn rather than fluffy wool.

I think it is a control-freak thing - I like the knotty shapes that crochet makes (and no, that doesn't mean I've done it all wrong!) and mercerised cottons and smooth yarns show that off whereas soft and potentially fluff-able wool ends up getting, well, fluffy so you can't see the "pattern".

Anyway, I digress. Lesley found the yarn at a very good bargain price and knew how much I would like it so snapped it up! What a fabulous friend she is!

And finally, because I do listen to you all, I will leave you with some photos of the Should-Be-Famous-Lucy-Locket-Quilt-Wall


the only problem is that the display is getting so big it's really hard to photograph as it is in the hall and I can't get far enough away to fit all the quilts in - so I will leave you with a few photos and will go and have a re-think about where I am going to display these wonderful creations!


I hope you all have a lovely weekend!

Lucy x

Rainy Tuesday

It always amazes me how much the weather can affect my mood. When it is sunny or bright I naturally feel optimistic, when it is grey and rainy I feel grey and dispirited too. I know that is pretty obvious and a fairly universal reaction to the weather but I wish there was an easy way to change it!

So today it is raining. The children are all at school and the house is very quiet but still messy and I feel flat.

But you don't really want to know that so I have decided to do a positive blog and see if it lifts my mood - you never know, I might even put some music on and make a cup of tea too!

As always I have a gazillionty projects on the go at the moment. It is my little baby Fred's 6th birthday on Saturday (I can't believe he is going to be so grown up!) so I have my usual collection of birthday presents to make for him - sorry no pictures just in case he spots them. I also have some orders for bunnies and dolls to be getting on with (and I really should get on with them!) and loads of little bits of stitching and crochet that I am playing with.

The latest quilt swap news is that Est of My Cuppa Charms over in Malaysia has been the first to receive one of my mini-quilts so I can show you what I made her


this little quilt is made up of 2 inch squares with tiny hearts appliqued on - I just love these 30s colours but don't look too closely because I'm sure my seams don't match up properly!

Hopefully Jodie, Lissa and Lina will receive theirs in the next couple of days as I sent them at the same time as Est's.

I have another 5 nearly finished for posting this week so dotted around this post are some sneaky peeks for Katy, Lesley, Annie, Michaela and Val - I hope you like them but I'm not saying whose is whose yet!


And in the last couple of days I have started two more. One for Rachel and finally one for my official swap partner Leanne (sorry for the delay!!)


This should hopefully mean that I am nearly half way through my mammoth challenge to make 22 mini quilts (I must be insane!)


I really must be insane as I have also signed up to Katy's Russian Doll Swap - can't wait to see who my partner is!


Oh and don't forget about the 11 PIF gifts I need to make and send.......................!


But I will leave you today with something I am very very proud of


Beautifully stitched by my beautiful Dorothy - this is the very first time she has tried blanket stitch, chain stitch and fly stitch - hasn't she done brilliantly?

Quilt-tastic!

Today has definitely been a day of quilts.

I am pleased to say that I have managed to post out 4 of the 22 on my little (long) list! So here are some sneak peeks of Jodie's


Lissa's


Lina's


and Est's
mini quilts - I hope they don't take too long to arrive with you and that you like them!

What is more exciting is that I received two parcels today!

Fortunately I had left a little note for the Postie because I thought I might be out when he arrived so he squeezed one through the letter box and left one with a neighbour so I don't have to do battle with the sorting office again!

The first was a lovely parcel of goodies from Kate


with this gorgeous quilt - the quilting on here is just amazing, I wish I knew how to do that - you need to click on the picture to see how intricate it is!


these lovely fabrics for me


and some fabulous novelty fabrics for the little Lockets


Daisy has already claimed the shoe ones!

Thank you so much Kate - your work is always so fantastic and I love my quilt!

My second parcel was from Gina but I had to wait very patiently for my neighbour to get home so I could collect it and then I had to scramble around to find the camera so I could rip the packages open!


I knew that Gina was going to do something in Janet Bolton's style because she knows how much I love it - but nothing prepared me for the gorgeousness of this quilt


I just love it - and of course it is Dorothy, Daisy and Fred which makes it even more special and those fabric combinations are so me!

Gina sent me some gardener's soap from Barnsdale for when I'm stinky from the allotment,


this gorgeous card


some chocolates for the children (no time to photograph them - they were devoured!)

and these lovely fabrics


Thank you so much Gina - I'm so very, very lucky!

I'll have to wait until tomorrow to do the quilt wall photo as I have run out of white-tack (my temporary adhesive until I decide how I want to arrange them all).

I worked out how to set up a flickr group for this mini-quilt swap and all the participants should have received an invitation to join it. If by any chance you haven't received it then do let me know. I also managed to work out how to put the badge for it in my sidebar so it will be there for you to look at any time!

I'm off now to do some more of Daisy's birthday present making!

Lucky Lucy Locket x