Matters of a Swappy Nature and Some Scrappy Grannies

The follower clicker just turned over to 300!!  Woo hoo!  Thank you to Bianca for being the three hundredth follower and to everyone who has clicked that button over the last 13 or so months.  I can`t believe my eyes but thank you so so much.  Your visits, comments, input and advice make my day. Perhaps we need a giveaway.  I shall put my thinking cap on.

Anyway, yesterday was a squeely moment of excitement and nothing to do with being on a camel with Laura Jane!  I received a pouch from my partner in the Mouthy Stitches swap and it is a beauty!!

It was made by the lovely Ali of Very Berry Handmade and I love it so much.  When Ali was about to insert the zip she asked the Mouthy Stitches flikr group what colour we would like.  I plumped for purple and was very much in the minority as most people chose teal.  When I saw the update that a purple zip had been put in, I started to get very excited. I checked my mosaic and saw that I had included some Drunkard`s Path blocks as inspiration. I waited and crossed my fingers.

Yesterday, I was in the middle of lunch (chicken couscous cooked by my MIL if you must know) and the doorbell went. 3 packages - thank you postie! One was significantly fatter, came from England and was a `handmade gift`. I chobbled down the remains of lunch and tore the package open. I couldn`t believe my luck!  I love the design, my very favourite fabrics, the gorgeous hand-stitching, the wooden leaf zip pull - everything! 

Oh and the scraps! I will be able to use each and every one of these.

Ali even included generous pieces of her Liberty Lawn fabrics...see the front three on the left? Amazing. Ali couldn`t have read me better - she was an awesome partner. I couldn`t be happier - thank you so much Ali!  Thank you also to all the swap mamas - Susan, Hadley and Cindy for all their hard work in putting the swap together and making it such fun...and a particular thank you to Susan for pairing me up with Ali.

Turning to the For the Love of Solids 2 swap, international shipping has started and I need to get my package off.  It`s finished and ready to go.

I made a zip pouch to match the mini.  I had a reject block that I cut up and used with some Kona charcoal and a lovely olive green zip.

I was a rebel and broke the rules slightly by using the Downtown print for the lining.  I hope I`m not in too much trouble!

I had no trouble putting the zipper in...

...and here`s the back...

I use the variegated grey and black thread that was part of my FMQ prize from Rhonda.  I really hope my partner likes it.  It`s her style and in her colours...she`s been positive online so fingers crossed!

Lastly, there are some scrappy grannies in town.  Yesterday morning I needed some indulgent me me me sewing.  Having admired the granny blocks springing up over the blogosphere. I made these bunnies.

  

I`m using my scraps and the blocks are fun to make and quick too. I`m using my second camera at the moment as I can`t find my charger (grrrr) and so the colours aren`t great - they are brighter in person and not so pastel.

My mum arrives tomorrow, the sun is shining, there are blue skies and we have temps around 26 C (79F).  Life is good here.  Hope it is wherever you are!