what blogging is all about . . . heart & soul

Greetings all,

Da dah, my 600th post, welcome.  It's a dedication post.  

No, i don't know how to screen dump, after 600 posts!!

I may have spent the weekend at Blogopolis learning about blog 'opportunities', yet that was never my intention when i started, my blog was merely a personal touch to compliment my design business.  It soon grew beyond the children & craft, to my adventures & opinions, so my heavily-deployed-soldier-husband could keep in touch from war zones.  Along the way, it has become a fantastic connection with like minded mums, crafters, designers, clients, fundraisers around the world + engage beautiful supportive folks.  I had no idea it would lead to life long friendships & amazing collaborations.

 In the past 12 months - with surgery on both hands & a husband away at war . . . i have barely sewn a stitch!!  So last year when a new follower named Jan-Maree from Cherry Red Quilter with her heart of gold, read that my husband was deployed, a light bulb lit up & she asked if my husband or his soldiers needed anything.  Why yes, there was something . . . personalised laundry bags.   

 

My husband's original laundry bag (left) complete with sergeant chevrons & the new Aussie Heroes version (right).

The first time my husband went to Afghanistan in 2006 he took a handmade laundry bag with appliqué initials, to stand out with the 100s of white, navy & green bags.  His embarrassing bag soon became the envy of his soldiers (each deployment) as his uniforms NEVER WENT MISSING!!  With this information, Jan-Maree swung into action, asked for all the initials of my husband's troops & gathered her sewing troupe for laundry bag duty.  Of course, people with hearts of gold can't stop at one gesture, they think big, like military operation big.  Jan-Maree surprised me by saying "the soldiers will receive a laundry bag & a patchwork quilt for Christmas 2011" + each box was jam packed with treats from home . . . Aussie Hero Quilts was born.  The morale boost was incredible, even if you don't support the war, we care about the soldiers.  Even at the Army wedding we went to last month, the first thing the bride & groom said was how much they loved & appreciated the quilt!!

Finally, after a whole lot of blogging, phone calls & emails, we met Jan-Maree for a delicious homemade morning tea which lasted almost 6 hours.  I cried when she presented my husband with this folksy quilt, which she created for our future homestead, so thoughtful.  

What an incredible surprise & such an honour, beautiful Jan-Maree (a mother of teenage twins) has always created charity quilts & was looking for a new cause . . . i can't believe it started with my handsome soldier & this little blog.  I blocked out my husband's name, he's just known as 'The Warrant Officer' to the sewing ladies.  In the past 10 months they have sent over 300 quilts to Australian soldiers around the world + gazillions of laundry bags!!

Jan-Maree's house is filled with stunning quilts, i am completely inspired to finish a hexagon quilt now, i can see myself hand stitching in a chair adorned like this!!

I believe - with blogging - you can gain so much, posting from your heart & soul.  I am truly blessed to have kind readers & huge-hearted-can-do gals in my world.  To say thank you, there is a giveaway celebrating 600 posts here.  There is no community like blogging, it spans around the world & it's free!!  Incredible right??  

Of course Aussie Hero Quilts is always after ladies willing to sew, especially in Sydney (quilts come in from all over Australia - it's simply amazing how many ladies out there who love quilting, also have Army connections - a grandfather/ father/ husband/ son or daughter who has served in war zones.)  All details are on the Aussie Hero Quilts blog, including how to donate fabric & cash for sewing supplies.  Spread the word, what a fantastic project for your sewing group, school class or friends, to piece together a quilt for a soldier, especially the Wounded Warriors who are flown to Germany - breaks my heart - along with the sad news we lost another Special Forces soldier this week.  Jan-Maree gladly accepts quilt tops too & all skill levels are welcome!!  Heart & soul blogging, that is what it's all about!!  Love Posie

going under the knife, crafty surgery 101

Greetings all,
When it rains, it pours in life, right??  We've accepted an offer on our Darwin apartment, exciting news, but our 2 favourite farms (both on the market for ages) just sold - all in a matter of days - i'm a big believer on patience, time & place, it just wasn't meant to be.  Then this book arrives in the mail (to be reviewed next week with a giveaway) . . .  

 well these are my hands: mother, designer, crafter, patchwork quilter for 13 years & suffering carpal tunnel syndrome for the past 8 years . . . swollen, achey & about to be sliced up & fixed.  Feel so silly i left it so long.  Such a typical craft related injury!!  We need to look after ourselves better people!!

 My hands drop things, are numb & can't grasp, + i've managed to give myself Tennis Elbow.

 So it took all my strength to lift & purchase this stone pear today (a birthday gift with money from my parents).  But when i picked up a sheet set at Sheridan, the weight almost broke my arm.  I frightened the sales assistant as she innocently passed the sheets to me & they went thump on the floor, straight through my hands. 

Other exciting purchases today included cotton knickers for theatre & rubber gloves for showering.  Did you know silk underpants can create an electrostatic charge in a surgical theatre??  I did, but wasn't planning on making the effort of dressing up down there, for a hand surgeon.  Moving right along, who knew i loved biscuits?? 

  Jan-Maree of Cherry Red Quilter blog & amazing leader of the Aussie Hero Quilts must have baked all weekend to overnight express an amazing variety of fresh cookies 'to help out with my children's recess'. What a lovely surprise, how gorgeous!!  Thank you Jan-Maree, you are so thoughtful.  Can you believe she got her girlfriends together & organised to make laundry bags, patchwork quilts & endless treats parcelled up for all of my husband's soldiers in Afghanistan??  Of course you can, she's an unstoppable force of love, care & generocity.  More on Aussie Hero Quilts later!!

 I've sampled some crumbs, they are delicious & Caramello koalas - tonnes of them.  Mmmm, thank you Jan-Maree.

 Finally, a treat for my hair, i've let it grow, so i'll need to pin back my fringe post surgery, what better way to do it, than with a giant diamonte heart??!!  The other clips will be shared with my girls - including my middle daughter who scored Vice House Captain (she's only in year 5) for red house at school.  The Seed red bow clips will be adorable for the up coming Swimming Carnival. 

So folks, i've dropped off my admissions paperwork & now just have to wait for the surgery.  The hospital is amazing, like a fancy office style hotel, the kind of place Hollywood folks would go for 'proceedures', very glamorous.  I'm going to take a little break in blog transmission as my hands are truly numb, clumsy, with shooting pains up my wrists & i'd rather be a princess, rest them on ice . . . than take drugs to power on.  I'm exhausted!!  Have gorgeous weeks everyone, don't ever take your precious hands for granted, love Posie

things i'm loving . . . 'finding fun'

Greetings all,
Can you believe my husband has been in Afghanistan for a month already??!!  I'm finding plenty of fun ways to keep busy, happy, distracted & positive . . . i do have tears as well, i'm not made of stone, i'm just very well practised in this routine of solo parenting 4 children while my husband is away at war.  Thanks for your support bloggers!!  One amazing blogger Cherry Red Quilter has gathered her troup of seamstresses to sew laundry bags for our troops, thanks Jan-Maree, you're a doll!!

I have always found sewing projects = avoid boredom.  A young lady ordered a lllloooonnnngggg pencil roll in Babushka fabrics from the last Handmade Market.  I delivered!!  

 Like the pencil & texta combination to fill the 16 pockets??

 First week of term 4, my primary school children have a new 'focus of inquiry' . . . 'outer space'.  This is not my forte & i wish my i-can-navigate-by-the-stars husband was around.  He might also ace camping, but i totally nailed glamping!!  Anyway, i can make some fun bunting & hand flags for Team Gravity.  I'm the teacher's pet-parent!!  

 How much fun are giveaways & swaps in blogland??!!  I am in an international swap with NZ Green Buttons blog, who sent this parcel of kiwi goodness.  Thanks Louana!!  Check out the play NZ money, maps, badges, stationery, chocolates . . .

 meanwhile i'm busy at the post office, this is my 4th parcel to handsome soldier.  This random box includes a diary, wind up kangaroo, moisturiser, soft-thick-luxurious-daddy-toilet-paper, a little softie & some meusli bars. 

 Finally, still losing myself in the Dottie Angel book, she's a fellow Babushka fan.  I've added more Russian Nesting Doll goodness to my collection this week too.

I hope you enjoyed the little tour around my head this week, Things I'm Loving is finding fun in my world.  Those who know me will be shocked i'm reading so much, it's the sunshine & my new slow down attitude. 
Don't forget my latest giveaway, it includes a Babushka fabric pencil roll.  Follow my blog now as i have new giveaways coming up with Sesame Street Wii games & hello . . . Donna Hay products!!  Stay tuned. 
Special shout out to Julie-Ann who featured me on her Decorating Forum all week, thank you, 'twas fun & welcome new readers - i believe i've taught you a some tricks from day beds to glamping.  Love Posie
PS PaisleyJade hosts things i'm loving each Friday, go check out her last few posts, she is one amazingly dedicated, cool mummy of 4, you should see what she made for her son's birthday (crocheted gift, layer cake & party games!!)