An early Christmas give-away

Before I post I just wanted to tell many of you that I am sorry the blog by email service doesn't appear to be working. I have spent hours trying to rectify it but can't seem to work out the problem. So for now you will just have to drop by when you can! It seems to be a common sentiment at the moment that we can't believe it is only 5 weeks to Christmas....so that means only 4 weeks till I turn 60 - Woo Hoo! So to celebrate I thought it was time that I had a little give-away! But first to catching up on news at the Hill house. Larry is back working full-time in the child protection area but only for 5 weeks. The extended family have needed extra support with looking after the little ones as Brett has had University exams so it seemed like I saw Beau and Maisie every day this past week. But we have had some fun times together but I didn't seem to have the camera at hand for some of it except one day when I kept them amused by making a 'house' from old sheets and the clothes line. Maisie especially loved playing Mum and bringing me endless cups of tea.......

 The roses continue to be absolutely beautiful but the watering has started with hot days forecast........

 Today we went for a brief walk (it was a bit hot for a longer one), where we finally went to see the flood damage in the nearby river while we were in the UK. It is so hard to imagine how high the river went but these homes are all vacant on the ground level as they wait to have damage repaired. The river is on the far right so it came up over the road all the way up to these homes......

 some have possessions stored in these pods while waiting for repairs.........

The bridge where I took the quilt photo just a few weeks earlier was entirely washed away........

There is still evidence of damage and debris in the water and up high in the trees.......

And the seat that Beau and Maisie sat on was completely submerged.......so hard to comprehend......

 but life in the river returns as we witnessed today.........

I've also had some frustrating and very disappointing news this week in regards to postage services (again!!) - this time two Stitching with Beatrix Potter books have gone missing and both to the Netherlands! Wiep was the very first wonderful person to buy the book from the website and she is still waiting one month later. Her friend received hers within a couple of weeks and they were posted on the same day and then another girl in the Netherlands emailed me this week to say her book hasn't arrived either but that was only posted 2 weeks ago so my fingers are crossed it is still in transit. It is so frustrating that post goes missing and it costs a whopping AU$18 to post just one book from Australia. The postage fees increased after the website was completed but we are still only charging the old fee, so looks like another book will be leaving us tomorrow with the hope that this one arrives. But to some very exiting news now.......I have been wondering where the reproduction Potter quilt that I included in the book might end up so with some trepidation I wrote to the Manager of Hill Top in the UK to see if they might like it. Well I was so thrilled with the response and it looks like it will be living permanently at Hill Top and on Beatrix Potter's bed! I am excited beyond belief so now I will appliqué Beatrix's parents initials and the wedding date like the original quilt......that will be the next worry about how it will get to the UK safely! For now this is a reminder of the quilt which is thought to have been made by Beatrix's mother and friends on the occasion of Beatrix's parents wedding in 1863. I am so happy that my version is where it should be and will be there for generations to come. The original quilt is rarely seen as it is so fragile so this way the story can be told forever.........

 (Original quilt photo copyright National Trust)

Book sales are chugging along slowly but I am so grateful to several friends who have been gathering their own sales for me! They might have to receive a commission soon - thank you dear Lessa, Faye, Hilda and Laraine! So today we caught up with Hilda with yet another order of books and I was thrilled to have her offer me the loan of this book 'Beatrix Potter's Letters' that Hilda recently purchased......

 Which reminded me of a couple of book purchases of my own from recent weeks. It was exciting to see the Quaker Tapestry in the Lakes while on the Beatrix Potter tour, so books and DVD's were purchased at the museum shop and are now waiting for when I have time.......

 I have long admired the work of Salley Navor of Wee Folk Studio and so this recent book purchase is also waiting for me with plans to make Maisie some little people of her own.....I'd better hurry as she is growing so fast..........

 Another artist I have long admired is Rumiko Higuchi from Japan. Her embroidery is simply beautiful and her version of William Morris's Strawberry Thief is simply stunning........

And of all places to see Yumiko's book? On the Beatrix Potter tour again but this time in the gift shop of the Arts & Crafts Blackwell House so I had to have it......

 I love these bees that Yumiko designed......

 and embroidered sweeties for a little girl's cardigan..........

The other textile artist's work that I love is Deborah Gail Tirico who specialises in wool felt. Her Jacobean style work has always captured me and recently I discovered that our lovely friend Penny from Canada also admires her work. Penny had already purchased the book and after chatting about it online I decided to purchase it too.......

 Penny loves working in wool and when we met up on the Beatrix Potter tour she brought this beautiful handmade gift for me..........

 The wooden tray is lined in Penny's hand dyed wool and appliquéd and embroidered using Penny's hand dyed threads. Penny was delighted with the appliqué technique from the book that gives an almost trapunto affect to the appliqué..........

 I was also thrilled to receive a supply of Penny's beautiful threads. Those of you living in Canada and the US can get Penny's hand dyed products at From the Heart quilt shop in Bethany. Penny uses the label 'Olive and Honey' after her two little dogs.........

 The 10wt perle thread is divine to use and this is where the Christmas give-away comes...........

Without the little people about today I decided to devote this afternoon to making some Christmas decorations using wool felt and Penny's gorgeous threads........

So of course my obsession with pinwheels resulted in these little 3 inch Christmas decoration versions...........

So tomorrow when I have the designs drawn and scanned I will have it available for all of you. I will also post step by step photos to complete them....so till then....Happy pre-Christmas!