Fell off the face of the earth

Well. I don't know where to start with the Summer I've had, so I won't. Far, far too much happened, and something had to give, which for me was the luxury of checking blogs, writing my own, and being a chatterbox in my Flickr groups.

Among all the new things I've learned over the Summer (think mowing lawns, pumping car tyres) there were some great highlights.

Had a half hive get together at Susan's, and threw some kids into the mix




Had a fab time at fellow Bee Ceri's wedding




Had a rip roaring time with another Bee, Judith, talking till all hours of the morning





Attended both the Olympics and Paralympics a few times





Didn't sew all Summer except for this for a swap partner





And these for Miss July








And these for Miss August, though I've been so slack, I haven't sent them yet







Husband was shipped out of the country, children were shipped off to school, and I took myself off to the Victory Parade will a million others in London




I'm trying to adjust to my new circumstances, but I'll have it all down pat soon, meanwhile I'll try and get around to see as many of your blogs as time will allow.

Thanks so much for peeking at my feeble efforts to blog!

Terri x

Home again!

Well Hello!
I know, I've been completely slack since getting back from my little jaunt. So onto the give of my giveaway.
Thank you for all your guesses.  I'm sorry I couldn't post these pictures from my iPad to give you all visual clues.



  The correct answer to where I was, was Sydney, Australia.



Within the timeframe I needed your guesses there were two ladies who said Australia, so I bought a little goodie for each of you. So Leanne and Angie ping me your deets and I'll post off your little prezzie.

It was a trip I never dreamed I'd be taking, but one I'm so, so pleased I took.  I had less than 12 hours notice that I was going. On the Wednesday night my husband suggested I go to my very dear friend and mentor's 60th birthday party that was happening in Sydney on the Saturday!

So after a flurry on "Tintin's web" I booked a flight that was leaving Thursday morning and arriving Friday night in Sydney. Our girls were unaware I was going till I woke them in their beds with kisses as I was heading out the door for the airport. They were pretty surprised, but then having a Mum like me you'd think they were used to surprises all the time.
I swear that I'm storing up years of them going twice weekly to see a shrink because of the trauma I've done to them growing up. We won't be able to afford Uni or get them married off, because we'll be paying for them to lie on that shrinks couch for years.

But I digress.

I arrived back a couple of weeks ago exhausted. Two flights, an 11hr stopover in Singapore and having been awake since 1am the day I left Sydney! I now know why they use sleep deprivation as a form of torture, I would have confessed to anything after that trip. Even killing Kennedy, though I wasn't even born when he was taken out.

Since getting back I've joined the Brit Quilt Swap and my partner is...Oh I forgot, it's a secret!
I was also having a place held for me on the In the Frame Purse Swap and have started on my partner's purse.
I'm also busy chopping fabric and making a flock of geese for the lovely Trudi whose month it is for our Brit Bee.

Hope you're all having a fab day where ever you are. Have any of you ever done off the wall trips that swept you off your feet unannounced but that turned out fantastic?

Thanks so much for peeping at my little blog

Terri x

Second chance

Heya,

This is the first time I've been able to pop in and chat to you all. Either because of commitments or not being able to get onto the Internet.

I took photos to give you all some clues, but alas, they've come out black on my iPad. Sorry.
The clues are; it's been pouring with rain here, I'll have jet lag when I get back, and it's a place I've been before.

No one yet has guessed where I am. I'll give followers to my blog a second chance. (Laura, if you accept bribes, then I will hold onto the goodies I've bought for you!) leave a comment in the last post and when I get home on Friday night I'll see who has come up with my whereabouts.
If no one pinpoints where I am (city, country) then I'll go for the person who has guessed the country.

I won't be able to get back online till I get home again, so I'll be back again next week.

Thanks for peeping!

Terri x

Where's Terri Giveaway

Really rubbish photo using my iPad. I didn't bring my little gizmo to plug my SD camera card into my iPad, to give you stunning shots from my awesome camera...




OK, here's the low down. After a whirlwind weekend last weekend in London, and the weekend before I was in LA, where in the world am I this weekend?
This is a completely unplanned trip somewhere. The first person to guess will be sent a little something when I get back home.

Now there are a couple of rules. I love rules, I impose them on my kids all the time-so why the heck should you people get it easy?


If you are one of the 5 people who are privvy to this information, you're out of the game.
If you bribe or coerce my whereabouts from those people, you're out of the game.
If you are a no reply blogger, you're out of the game.


So for all those left in the game, leave a destination in the comments, try and be specific. Like if you say Timbucktoo, you've got to give me the country as well. Got it?

Internationals are welcome.

Let the game begin!

Terri x

Fat Quarterly Retreat

Hello and Welcome

Well, I've finally arrived in blogaverse. The pressure got way too much over this last weekend at the fantabadoozalistic Fat Quarterly Retreat. The lovely Laura gave me some instructions on how to manage a blog with an iPad. So here we go.

First up for this blog is to introduce you all to the fab bunch that is the Brit Bee. I have been overwhelmed by their friendship and support over this last year of cancer treatment. What could have been a pretty grim time was always lightened by their comments and innuendos, and to keep me toasty warm when my hair vanished they made me the most amazing quilt.
Each time I tell the story of how this quilt came to be, fills my eyes with tears, my throat with a lump and my heart so full of gratitude To be blessed by the generosity and friendship of what were strangers all flung together, to the friendships I share with these women. They are awesome indeed.

Wanna see my mega quilt, affectionately known as Project 51? Here it is, with the fabulous women who made it




It was such a buzz to finally meet up with them all. I had already met Ceri, Judith, Trudi, Hadley, and had met Sarah through Skype. So meeting Belfast Judith, Jennie, Laura, Fiona, Susan and Jo was the cherry on top of the cupcake.

I felt that if I were going to blog properly (ahem) I had to blame it on these ladies if ever I stuff up. Just so you know, I take no responsibility for what I write, they have to, because if it were not for them, I wouldn't be blogging away. Are we clear on that? So don't write cranky emails to me if my pictures aren't perfect, or my grammar isn't correct, or I don't post very often. All the blame must be put firmly on their shoulders.

See you all again soon if this works!

Thanks for peeking

Terri x

Sewing up a storm

Life has not stopped for a second for me to catch my breath. This last year has been one of enormous change and some very very lows, but recently a much needed high.

On craft news I have sewed more than I ever have before. I made a rainbow throw quilt for my eldest daughter the Princess Buttercup, all from scraps including a pair of her too small jeans. I also made from scraps a doll quilt for my youngest daughter Skipity-Flip. The scraps came from dresses, skirts, birthday party aprons and her cot sheet.

I'm now in the throws of making Skipity-Flip her very own throw quilt. All made from her too small night dresses, pjs and some Heather Ross Munki Munki thrown in to keep up the pj theme.
None of the blocks are the same, I'm making them up as I go along. I know thats not "proper" quilting, but I love the freedom of it, and the buzz it gives me when I see quilts that aren't all uniform and exact. Those ones have a place, and I admire the women who can be so exact in their sewing, but they hurt my eyeballs because they're so neat and ordered. My quilts are more like "What happens if I chop this fabric and sew it to that fabric" kind of affair.

I think I know how to post pictures to this blog, so next post I'll be in colour, like show and tell!!

For real!!