The Fabric Fairy Visits Again

I am seriously slacking this time. 

I received this packet before Christmas but kept waiting to blog about it until I had actual time and didn't feel so rushed.

It arrived nicely wrapped and tied with a selvage string.

So cute!  I totally have to remember that!

the fabrics are awesome.

S'matter of fact, the print with the lemons on it?  I think I'm in love.

It will be transformed into something for my brand new kitchen.

maybe paired with the orange print next to it.  hmm....

and the linen cameras?  totally wonder-iffic.

The packet also came with a note, reminding me that I'm supposed to use these to create stuff for myself and not to give it away.

So again, thank you Fairy of Fabric Happiness.

I am ever grateful.

unbelievable fortunate to know such wonderful people.

12 Days of Christmas

Here's my 12 Days of Christmas Banner/Bunting.

I adore it.

First time in a LONG time I made something for myself.

Thank you, Fabric Fairy.

It is BY FAR my favorite Christmas decoration.

Well, it's probably a tie with this

Seriously - if you have kids, this is the best nativity there is.  I have a fancy-smancy one too, but I don't set it up.  The visitors that Jesus gets are amazing.  Zhu-zhu pets, spiderman, transformers, polly-pockets, princesses....

Friday's Fabric Goodness!

I had a totally AWESOME package crammed into my mailbox on Friday.

maybe I need to look into getting a bigger box....

Anyway, I got a wonderful surprise from AUSTRALIA!  Yup.  Wow!

Someone halfway around the world cared enough to add a bit of happiness to my weekend.

Really, it did make it all better.

Wanna see what was in it?

Transportation Fabrics!  Linen Transportation Fabrics!

These are totally great.  Especially since they aren't boyish.

They're pretty gender neutral, which is great because girls like helicopters too.

I also played a bit with that panel the original Fabric Fairy sent my way.  I even convinced Mr Chaos that I couldn't finish the project without a yard of fabric from the expensive fabric store.  It was on sale, but yipes!  $7.50 a yard still hurts a bit.  Can't imagine buying enough for a whole project in there!

I finished it, but have yet to take a picture.

The kids have had a blast singing the song every time they see it.

Last night my sister and a friend came over after the kids were in bed and we watched  listened to White Christmas while I taught my sister how to make quilted stockings for her family.

She, who has never touched a sewing machine and only uses a needle and thread to sew up ripped bears and lovies, wants to make stockings.

5 of them.

We got everything cut out last night, no actual sewing.  She was so funny.

"this is way more involved than I thought it would be, I mean, 4 layers!"

(front, back, and two lining pieces..we haven't added any batting yet!)

hopefully I'll remember to take pictures next time we work on finishing them.

and I need to take a picture of the sample I whipped up to make sure my process was good before teaching someone else. It turned out super cute.

Oh well.

December.

Craziness on top of chaos.

happy days.

It Was a Dark and Stormy Night...

When I finally got home on late Saturday night early Sunday morning.

I was exhausted by the time I got to my car at the airport.

Then I had to spend 15 minutes thawing and scraping all the ice off the windows.

then drive home in the yucky cold rain.

I finally made it home and found my mailbox STUFFED with wet mail. 

This was in the mail.  luckily it had be sent in a plastic envelope, so nothing was wet.

Rapunzel!  and Sushi!  and Gnomes!

From Canada!

For those of you that are following, this makes 7 packages.

Seven wonderful bits of happiness.

I am so completely blown away by all of the caring, kind people out there.

Thank you.

I know I'm supposed to use all of them for me, but I feel like I need to give back in some way, so I want to give away a few things.

More than likely I'll be using stuff from my stash and not these beautiful fabrics, I haven't had enough of a chance to pet them!  Can't use them yet!

I did manage to finish The Boy's quilt.  The top has been sitting in the closet for about a year.  He wasn't too sure about the idea of spending the whole weekend away from home, so I told him that he could sleep with this and pretend I was giving him hugs to keep him warm.

May I present:

Holy Wonky Rails, Batman!

It finished at about 54"x60"

It's not perfect by any means, but done is better than perfect.

I pieced the back, making it a bit more subdued so he can flip it over when he's "too old" for Batman.

He doesn't care that it isn't perfect.  Or that the quilting isn't even and smooth.

He loves it.  and really, that's all that matters.

Another Wonderful Suprise

I'm sorry it has taken me to long to post this one, I've been crazy busy and my laptop broke, so I'm using a desktop that I'm not familiar with.

Last week I received this in the mail

It came on a super busy day, I was prepping to take a weekend trip to Anchorage to spend Thanksgiving with Mr. Chaos.  I did a million loads of laundry, cleaned the house and entertained my children - who had a snow day.

When I finally got to open the package, after all the littles were in bed, I think I actually squeeked.  why, you ask?

Because this scrap was on the top of the package

I have NEVER found these mermaids in any grab bag or scrap sack.  I adore them.

There were allso the larger fat quarter and 1/2 yard pieces in the photo above, AND a bunch of nice sized scrap pieces.

Thank you.

I've decided that once things calm down and I get caught up on my bee blocks, I am going to make a few quilties and pretties from all these awesome fabrics I've received and do giveaways.  Sort of a thank you.  Maybe one of the wonderful fabric fairies will win a nifty little pretty.

In other news, Miss Mae finished up her very first quiltie.

She did everything, and I am so proud!  She received this kit from Starlit Nest a million months ago, and we finally got around to finishing it. 

I'm up here in Anchorage enjoying a quiet day.  I brought a few hand sewing projects, but mostly I'm relaxing.  Tomorrow I shall fly home on 4 different planes thru 3 different time zones.  It's what you call cheapest flight possible!

Since I enjoy flying and people watching I should have a good time.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Thank You. I Cannot Say It Enough.

I was totally expecting the post man to knock on my door this week with a couple of Christmas fabric orders.  So I wasn't surprised when he knocked and handed me a couple of packages.

I had ordered from Connecting Threads for the first time.  I needed some red and greens for a couple of Christmas gifts and they had this great sampler of 24 fat eighths.

Yummy!

 I also got a kit for a Starburst Mini I think one of my friend will love.  The fabrics fit her PERFECTLY!  plus, the kit cost less than $9.

What I wasn't expecting this

This wonderful gift included 1/2 yard cuts, fat quarters and nicely labeled baggy of Verna scraps and the two little packets of precuts.

I can't express my surprise and gratitude enough.

I was blown away by the kindness of the first packages, but that it continues is almost unbelievable. 

The next day this surprise was waiting for me.

This little packet is just as special to me as the previous ones. 

I think I'm going to get a bit more personal than I have in the past.  been thinking about it for a while...

I'm bipolar. 

I have other mental health quirks that also stem from the bipolar.

I was diagnosed in high school, almost 15 years ago.

I'm 31 years old and was diagnosed at 17.

I take medication everyday to maintain my ability to function as a normal human being.

In "real life" I don't make friends easily.

I'm a homebody.

Given the opportunity I would probably become a hermit.

I don't like talking to people I don't know, because sometimes almost always my words get twisted on the way from my brain to my tongue.

I take my medication everyday because I love my family.

It wouldn't be fair to them if I decided I didn't like the side effects of the medications.

I am content and love my life.

Having said that, the fact that so many people from across the country have read my ramblings here and were so touched as to find my address and send me something is almost beyond my comprehension.

Stumbling across the quilting community in flickr and all the wonderful blogs has probably been one of the best things for me.

One of the side effects of the medications is that it stifles my creative abilities to design anything.  Show me a picture and I can build it, but ask for a design and I struggle for hours.  The blogs and flickr discussions have really helped to focus what little creative ability I have available to me.

I thank you all for that.

I thank you for the happiness and sense of self that being a part of this community has given me. 

As silly as it sounds it is nice to be known as something other than "Miss Mae's Mom"

Well there you go.  Probably a bit more than you really wanted to know.

Thank you again my fabric fairy friends.  It means a lot and touches my heart that the gifts continue.

Unbelievable

Today, Miss Mae got the mail.  She's eight and is very interested in what comes in the mail.  She wanted to know what I had ordered from "The Fabric Fairy" and where that store was. 

My jaw just about dropped.

I was in the middle of draining a pot of boiling penne, and it almost landed on the floor.  

The kids almost got to have cereal for dinner.

There were two packages, one of which had "The Fabric Fairy" listed as the return address. 

I am in total shock. 

Today I received two more packages from the Fabric Fairy. 

Wow. 

completely unbelievable. 

that makes three anonymous gifts of beautiful fabrics.

I cannot express in words the overwhelming gratitude and appreciation I feel.

I'm not sure what I've done to deserve such kindnesses.

One package had a Santorini charm pack (yumminess in pinks and greens!) and two coordinating fat quarters. (loving the little birds!)

The other package (which smelled wonderful - like fresh lavender) included a figgy pudding charm pack, a fat quarter and five fat eighths. All are super wonderful, exactly prints I would have chosen for myself.  (had I actually gotten past the point of feeling guilty about buying fabric just because it's pretty.)

I called Mr Chaos to share the news about the surprise packages and his response was,

"Karma babe.  you do good things.  what goes around comes around."

Thank you fairies of fabric happiness.

Thank you, for sharing a bit of these wonderful fabrics with me.

Fabrics I will be fondling and petting for....well, awhile.

I'm still unsure of what I've done to warrant such kindness, but I am appreciative.

I am enjoying the fabrics.

I am enjoying teaching my children about random acts of kindness.

I am enjoying thinking about all the possibilities that exist in my little corner of fabric heaven.

Last night I petted, sorted and re-sorted the botany layer cake.  Mr. Chaos just smiled and shook his head.

There are No Words

I don't even know where to begin. 

wow. 

I am truly speechless.  

there are no words to describe how I feel.

my children want to know why fabric has made me cry.

Today I received a package.  (sound familiar?)

with no return address. 

this is what I found inside.

a botany layer cake, a 12 days of Christmas panel and two coordinating fat quarters. 

I am overwhelmed that someone sent me this.

Someone out there in blogland cares enough about me to send this my way. 

And they knew what kind of fabrics I like.

unbelievable.

I had been eyeing the Christmas panel, hoping it would still be around after Christmas.

(on clearance, you know)

And a layer cake? of botany?

with express instructions to make myself something?

I am truly appreciative of your kindness, fabric fairy. 

I don't think I've done anything to deserve such a meaningful gift. 

Thank You. 

Someday, when my children aren't so small and money isn't so tight, I will pay it forward and surprise someone with a gift of fabric.

Unexpected Kindnesses

Yesterday (Thursday) I got a package unexpectedly.

I hadn't ordered anything, or been in any swaps recently, and the package was larger than a fabric packet from a bee member.

When I opened it, I found this.

A couple of months ago a fellow bee ran into some life changing problems.  I offered to step in as the admin on a couple of groups.  I didn't think anything of it, really.  I even wrote off the fabric I had sent, assuming it was gone.  Given what was going on in their life, I was totally okay with that.

The package also included my finished bee blocks. 

This could not have been a more touching Thank You gift for me. 

It doesn't seem like much, does it?

I shall explain.

We're not poor - we have high-speed internet, we always have food, and gas for the van.

We're happy.

I stay home with the kids, the Mr and I both work in an industry that we love, is seasonal by natural, and not always a sure thing.

Making ends meet at the end of the month is hard.

I am completely happy with the choices we've made.

In order to be happy, we've given up extras.  The Mr and I haven't exchanged Christmas gifts in years, he doesn't golf, and I don't have a fabric budget.

The money for my fabric purchases comes from collected change, bottle returns, and any random cash that ends up at home. 

If it's price tag is more than $10, it's not gonna happen.

If I want it just because it is pretty, it's not gonna happen.

I drool over the moda precuts.

I adore the designer fabric lines.

I love working with them when they get sent out in a bee.

I wouldn't ever buy one for myself.

I would talk myself out of it, buying yardage on clearance, grab bags, or fabric I need for gifts.

I have a hard time spending money on me.

To receive a sampler box filled with 480 2-1/2" charms from 12 different fabric lines, is just beyond anything I would do for myself.

I will be admiring the box and it's contents for a long time.

Thank you. 

My thoughts are with you and your family.