Pillow Fight Fought

I've done really well out of another swap!  I think I'm just a bit jammy really aren't I?
This is what I sent out (it was well received - phew!)

This is what I received back (received very happily!!)

Emily did me a lovely cushion in solids - she'd cleverly figured out that I've got a bit of a thing for solids at the moment - and such lovely colours.  She also send an adorable wee pouch in Corduroy (love cord!) and a monkey!   She also, (not in picture) made a colour card for me with the details of each of the solids she'd used in case I might need to match them - how thoughtful is that?!

The weather here has really gone bad.   The dark is coming...  Daylight is currently from about 8.30am to about 3.30pm, but even that is poor.   There hasn't been a day all week that I've not had to put a light on inside to see properly.  Wind has been howling round the house threatening to take the roof off, rain has been lashing at the windows desperately trying to get in, and the temperature has dropped from Mild put a jumper on to Cold put 3 t shirts under said jumper and a few extra pairs of socks on.  Then get a couple of hot water bottles to sit with....   Miss Elliecat is not impressed.  However, at least she is happy that she has been able to reclaim "her" half of the bed, and I think she's also pretty happy to have all of my attention should she desire so...  Not that she's not missing her male human.... she has gone and fetched her toys to me a few times so she clearly misses their playtime.

I'm going to take a few days off the laptop this week, so if I don't reply to comments quickly (or leave my usual quantity) you know why!
Back soon...

One swap done and one more to go

First of all, I'd like to say thank you for all the really lovely comments, and all the much appreciated encouragement you've all given me to stick with the not smoking.  It really has helped so much.

I've got my Brit Quilt "Pillow fight" package done, wrapped, and ready to go.  I really like the cushion, and I sincerely hope my partner likes it too!  I've been feeling a bit sheepish that its not something directly related to her inspiration mosaic, but it was very much chosen with her in mind so I hope that counts for something! Wish me luck....

the Chocolate Orange Snail Mail Pillow...

I also had some fun trying this tutorial to make the wee extra.  Admittedly I'm not a big fan of batik, but my secret partner I know likes them, so maybe she'll like this?

Lets hope so!!  If all that fails, there is chocolate in there too....

I'm not going to blether much today as my news is all crappy.  My man left on Saturday, away for the next 3 months or so, and he managed to leave me with his man flu too so I've been a big snotty teary mess.
Not to worry though, I'll snap out of it and in the mean time I've still got a mountain of sewing to get done this week!
This'll keep me smiling though....

Trudi - Quilting Prolifically

I take the mickey out of Trudi and her "rotten jelly", and she sends me some to try!!   I am not worthy...  

Trudi, you are WONDERFUL!  

And so is your rotten jelly....  

Thank you xxx  

Mmmmm, I'm off to have some more now, on some hot toast...

The smoking bundle of lush...

Warning :  not suitable for those afflicted by fabric envy...

First of all, beloved friends and family please have a look HERE

as there are all the ideas you could possibly need...  especially in THIS POST...

I don't normally do stash posts.  This is a bit different though.  This is a good one.  This is one pile of awesome I do not and will not feel even remotely guilty about purchasing.  This one I really deserve, I've worked hard for it!

I've been a bit low of late.  The not smoking is TOUGH.  One thing I hadn't considered was the effect it would have on my sewing.  I thought not smoking would be great for my sewing, that I'd get a lot more done!  I guess I forgot that I take so many breaks primarily because of the Narcolepsy, not specifically because I wanted to smoke.

I cant "do" sitting and concentrating on something for ages.  I need to get up, go somewhere else, have a rest, a cuppa or a quick nap.  So when I'm sewing, I start to feel I need a nap.  I've got to really, its no use "powering through it" or whatever nonsense you want to call it.  After all.  I am not working BECAUSE it's been proven I am incapable of ignoring it, I need breaks, sometimes I hardly manage anything, its all break!  Annoyingly I still fall asleep / go auto even when I do take naps....   but at least with breaks I make slightly less mistakes...  Previously, every time I took a break, I went downstairs or outside and had a cigarette.  Now, I take a break, and... well, I just don't know what to do with myself at all.

I make a cuppa.  I want to smoke.  I sit and put the telly on.  I want to smoke.  Eventually this turns into "I want to eat" or "I want to sleep".  Unfortunately, perversely, I cant actually sleep ON PURPOSE.  Really I don't know whats worse.  Groggy confused out of it Sarah that's falling asleep far too much, or miserable Sarah that cant stop thinking about the extra calories and hating herself for not sticking to the diet...  So its been really hard to go to the sewing cupboard and face that.  Anyway.  All of this has been translating to very little sewing being done.  Just lots of thinking about it.  Dreaming about it.  Planning it.

I've gotten myself into a little bit of a hole with regards to the sewing I had planned, versus the sewing I've gotten done.... in relation to when its supposed to be finished....  Oops.  My man is off to sea again this weekend, so instead of the customary two or three days crying and feeling sorry for myself I'm going to get stuck in, use the bed next to the sewing cupboard, and not do anything other than sew and sleep!
I am determined.  I have things to finish!

Which brings me back to the stash purchase awesomeness.
12 weeks not smoking.  Less 4 weeks buying nicotine replacement, equals 8 weeks.
8 x  £7 for baccy
3 x  £3 for cigarette papers
8 x £0.90 for the coffee I'd buy at the newsagents when I bought my baccy
2 x £5  approximately for the occasional magazine I'd buy with my coffee and baccy
Equals
           £82.20

Which this time, not always, but for the moment, equals

from one addiction to another....  

And, because its about time, and because I will need the cheering up, I finally spent my Christmas gift voucher!  (I know, I know, I spent about 6 months waiting for them to get a specific line in, and they didn't, that's why it lasted so long)

merry Christmas (2010)  to me...

Now if I can just get the things I've started finished... then I can play with all this!
Although having seen Meg's winter survival guide I might just have to spend a day or so doing one or two of these first :-)

A little looper...

I got a little bit of pretty in the post...

I was reading Alli's blog post and she asked if we could identify the fabrics she'd picked.  I am such a fabric geek...  I couldn't resist...  I got all but two, and one of them was a dots....  Should I be proud or ashamed?!!  I don't know.  What I do know is that Alli is an absolute sweetheart, cos look what she sent me as my prize!

My gorgeous scraptastic pressie!

Just for goodness sake don't ask me to identify them (cos I'd have a good go...)  

Meantime, Miss Elliecat had her annual check up yesterday, and has once again been declared "obese".  

Gratuitous belly shot

I swear she gets dried biscuits (the veterinary recommended ones too, she wont eat nice cheap ones...) and she gets a bit less than the recommended daily amount.  But like pet, like owner - she's a fatty.  I was a bit surprised this time though, to be honest, I mean, she's been very playful the last few months.    

First there was the new toy (pics in this post) which since said post I must hold my hands up and admit I was wrong, she loves it.  Then there's the afternoon paper.  At least one of us enjoys the news...

Might look a fairly leisurely affair but that's got more to do with my lack of skills with the camera, just cant keep up with her.  Especially when she takes a big run up to land on the paper at full speed and skid across the carpet.   

And then there's the chasing...  I'm gutted this is so shockingly dark, it wasn't great to start with but blogger seems to have made it even worse, so screw your eyes up a bit - what can I say, I couldn't get her to perform in a well lit area...

So yeah.  She gets exercise, she runs and jumps and somersaults about on a regular basis.  But still she's a porker.  Oh well.  What do we say to diets? All together now...