SSCS...The Look What Was Under My Tree Edition!...

The bestest part of the SSCS experience is of course being finally able to succumb to the temptation and rip open that parcel of temptingness that has been taunting since arrival...first up I opened the card so I could finally know who my Secret Santa from across the ditch in New Zealand is...Raewyn!... then it was rip open the wrapping paper to reveal...

Oooohhhh...undo the buttons...

Unfold the bottom flap...

That hexie in the pocket?..its a cute little needle/pin book...isn't it fabulous...straight away starting thinking "mmm which project wants to live here!"

Raewyn included some more surprises to open...

lovely red and white fabric, a magnetic list pad, Christmas hankies/tissues and yummy smelling Made in NZ hand lotion.

The design detail...

the most beautiful stitching...

Thank you so much Raewyn I love my present.

Thank you also to Chookyblue for continuing the SSCS tradition during a very trying time, big hugs x 

SSCS - The Main Present Report

Merry Christmas day arrived and that meant...open SSCS present time! As the "Main Event" in Germany is Christmas Eve I put "open on the 24th" on Sylvia's present...well the 24th rolled around in the Northern Hempishere and Sylvia has let me know that she has opened her parcels and is happy...this is what I made for Syliva...

Started with a bag in fabrics that absolutely demanded to be included (really, wandered into Spotty just a looksee and these linen blends were very pushy and loudly insisted that they were the only ones that would do for the job)....and...

then a couple of other projects from the same book jumped up and down until I let them join in.

The bag, zippered pouch and notebook cover from Anni Downs' book "In the Life of a Bag" (which I think might be out of print, it was printed in 2010 and it isn't on Anni's website anymore).

So happy you like the presents Sylvia and to have you as my SSCS friend this year.

And wait until you see what I opened...will have a photo shoot and post tomorrow (right now I'm suddenly mega weary and need to go and have a lie down on the couch)...happy little vegemite!

Merry Christmas and Happy Stitching!...

SAL Update

The SAL blocks have escaped their box and jumped up on the design wall...

It took a little bit of switching about of individual blocks to get the various designs in a layout I was happy with but the basic configuration of large and small blocks is to Anni's plan.  As I've used fabrics from the scrap basket without any real planning, just going with what I liked for the particular shape on the day as long as it kind of fit in the general tonality of the other blocks, they go together pretty well I think...no one jumps out as a jarring non-fit with the others.

I have had the centre square background pieced for a while and now the blocks are all up together I'm going to have fun sorting out which fabrics to use for the centre applique (once I've finished cutting out the templates)...

Definitely not within time of the SAL but not forgotten...

Happy Stitching...

SSCS 2015 - The Ornament Edition...

I've found out where the SSCS parcel was headed...the Sleigh landed and dropped off the parcel to....

Sylvia in Germany

Sylvia has opened the ornament parcel so now I can show what was inside...

Two of the FignBerrycreations designs we received at the stitching day at Stawell back in August. Of course I didn't exactly follow the instructions (ha ha as if that ever happens!) and used a thread from the floss box stash (from memory a Threadworks one) and added seed beads which weren't in the original designs. The bauble has the original satin stitch balls and the present one has seed beads instead and I added seed beads around the circle edges - just because I could, for a bit of bling to finish them off.

So glad Sylvia likes them...they were fun little designs to stitch...now to wait until we can open those main presents - oh the temptation of waiting!!!
 

Happy Stitching...

SSCS 2015...The Sleigh Report...

(Yes I know, the sending of the SSCS report is late - you get that when you work full-time, live between two places and have limited not-always-every-weekend access to the IT resources and therefore bloggy stuff...moves are afoot to rectify deficiencies in the system within the next few months - she says fingers and toes crossed.)

The sleigh called by for the pick-up and went off but whoops! I forgot to make a note of where it was going before it zoomed away...

oh well, guess it will mean waiting to see where it arrives!...

Even more exciting was the postie person calling into work, which doesn't happen often as we have a post office box...so that must mean...a parcel for ME!...

From over the pond in New Zealand but who from? The sneaky sender declared her name to be SSCS on the post bag...and her identity is hidden in this instruction...

Might have to do some detective work while I am home this weekend...I do like to send a personal email to acknowledge and say thank you...

Of course I did get to open the decoration parcel...fun!...and inside...

how gorgeous is this...beautiful stitching with crochet lace edging...so cute...love it...thank you Secret Santa...

Happy Stitching...