CHARM ABOUT YOU

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is that a turkey up your t-shirt?

24 December 2012

well no but it kind of looks like it. I thought I'd show you just how big I've gotten...


37 (nearly 38) weeks pregnant

I'm not trying to be Santa either, I'm wearing my husband's t-shirt (which barely fits) but I really do look like I've stuffed something underneath!
This is my miserable, no make up, 'I'm so uncomfortable' face:



Hope that's given you a giggle, even to me it looks so surreal! I can now barely reach over the bump to eat my dinner but legs crossed the baby won't come tomorrow.


Now onto the winner of the $20 gift certificate to ChristaQuilts! Mr Random kindly chose:




who was Sheila (thought I'd show what she had to say about the shop too!)- so nice to have a bloggy friend be chosen. Congratulations Sheila, I've sent you an email.


Christa has some amazing deals starting now, so all head over to ChristaQuilts quick







I hope those of you that celebrate have a wonderful and very Merry Christmas!

Wishing you all a joyous New Year too!

I will be back blogging in 2013 :)



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stars

21 December 2012


 **Be sure to enter my fantastic giveaway here - open until Monday!**


Only the smallest of finishes this week. I made another star based on Blonde Designs tutorial (let's ignore the fact I said no more decorations!!). This time, since I find it more comfortable sitting with my feet up, I decided to english paper piece this one. I cut out the five shapes of the template twice, pieced the stars and then sewed them together. This star is slightly larger than the others but, to be totally honest, her method is way faster and easier.




I also finished up two more rose stars recently - here's block 27 and 28:




Last night I also did a bit of stitching, which was just so relaxing and fun. I used some Summersville (available here or here) and just embroidered whatever bits I fancied using perle thread. I know a few people have done this and I was totally inspired this summer after I saw the fantastic talents of Allegory and Susan. Mine was simpler but still effective I think:



This is on it's way to being made into a Christmas present.


Linking up:

at Sew Well Maide this week

and Finish It Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts



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treats

20 December 2012


**Enter my giveaway - win a $20 gift card for ChristaQuilts and shopping coupon for everyone!**


Nothing like some fabulous post and friends to lift your spirits...

Recently the wonderful (talented, kind, funny and all round brilliant) Hadley so kindly sent me a little bundle of all I need to get on with some more hexies! She has a Sizzix so I'm hoping it didn't take her long and I have some papers and lovely fabrics to create some EPP. Thank you Hadley!



Then yesterday I got my secret santa gift from fellow Bee A Brit Stingy member Jan. I was literally chuffed to bits!! She was just so thoughtful and everything she sent was perfectly me, needed and hugely appreciated. The fabric basket is beautiful (on both sides) and she included a bunch of fab extras.



I was totally down yesterday and this was perfect timing to bring a smile to my face. I was squealing each time I opened one of her little packages (she had even bothered to wrap things up so nicely!). Thank you so much Jan.


Finally, as a big push to snap out of it, one of my best friends popped round today and she brought with her a special gift for me... not my christmas present, just one she wanted to give me because I'm pregnant. It was just what I needed, in more ways than one! Hopefully a nice bath and slather of lotion will help ease my dry skin :)



Thank you to all of you for cheering me up with your kind words recently, sorry for moaning but I'm keeping it real!

The only making going on here is the baby growing but I'm thinking I'd like to sit with some nice embroidery - part of a little pressie, so you'll find me on the couch after my bath!


Linking up:

Thursday Think Tank
Live A Colorful Life



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down down down

19 December 2012

Is it ironic that the baby is moving in that direction and that's how I have been feeling?

There was a false alarm on Monday, when I thought it could be the start of labour but actually it was the baby engaging it's head - painful.

I think I feel a bit let down after the possible excitement of the baby coming, in combination with just feeling fed up and so, so, so, so tired (as well as being sick again).

I have forgotten what my feet look like

That's the end of my little rant for now and I will focus instead on the kidlets that are already here.

I'm going to try and promise this is the last time you'll see decorations we've made but I might have said that before and it is fun and passes the time so we could make more yet!



Together we used our old friend, paper! Actually I got my daughter to draw on some card, cut out bird shapes with a hole and then used some pretty origami paper I had to fold into 'wings' (any paper will do though). I taped the wings together at the top and threaded some twine through a hole at the top of the bird. An easy, quick project!


After seeing this great tutorial at Blonde Design I had to make some stars. Sadly I'm lacking in Liberty prints but I like the mix of scraps I used. I will be giving these as little gifts.





To get some perspective and cheer myself up I have been reading my favourite book. After all tomorrow is another day.



**make sure you enter my giveaway from ChristaQuilts!**



Linking up:

WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced



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A GIVEAWAY and cracking coupon code!

17 December 2012

**GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED**

It's time for another giveaway! This one is sponsored by ChristaQuilts who is offering one lucky reader a $20 gift certificate for anything in her store! 




You will have a hard time narrowing down your choices if you win, because Christa offers oodles of charm packs and jelly rolls, along with thousands of fat quarters and a wide range of Kona Solids. 






She even custom creates stunning kits with free pattern tutorials on her blog.






**GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED**

Here's how to enter: 

 - sign up for Christa's newsletter or become one of her blog followers and leave a comment here on this blog post saying that you visited Christa's shop or blog (you can also tell us which lovely fabrics you have your eye on!) - only one comment please

- If you are following Charm About You (GFC, RSS, email) leave another comment to let me know (optional entry)

Make sure your contact details are available, if in doubt please leave your email address in one of the comments. If I can't contact you then you won't win.

The giveaway will be open until 24th December and one winner will be chosen by Random.org.

And as an amazing bonus, Christa is offering a special incentive just for Charm About You readers - use the coupon code B12CHARM to save 5% off any one order from ChristaQuilts.com. 
Once Christa sees the code, she will tag your account for a permanent group discount on every order in the future, with no further coupon needed. How cool is that?

Christa ships all over the world every day for a flat $10 fee (free to the US).



Good Luck and happy shopping!


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Blog hop party winner

15 December 2012

Thank you to everyone who dared share their fashion disasters from their school days - it was so fun reading all the hilarious comments. Welcome to those of you that decided to stick around and follow the blog, I look forward to reading more comments and getting to know you all better :)

There were 330 comments, announcing the winner is bound to cause some disappointment... so before I do let me tell you there will be an awesome final giveaway of 2012 this Monday. Check back on Monday for chances to win!


For the school days winner Mr random.org chose:


who was


and because that wasn't the giveaway question (and just to embarrass her a bit) here's the delightful disaster from her school days!


Congratulations Dianne! I've sent you an email.

In some sort of rush of insanity and enticed by the idea of solids only I have signed up for another bee! This one will be organised geographically and is Flickr based.

There are still spots needed for the UK/Ireland group so please go take a look!


Simply Solids: a modern {bee}



Hope you all have a great weekend and come back on Monday!


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the cushion my husband thought I should call 'lilypad'

14 December 2012

I asked him why and he said 'because it is green'. I mean really, *eyes rolling*.

I can see the shapes and colours somewhat resemble a lilypad but it's just not a name I want to give this cushion.

I will just call it my first English Paper Pieced Hexagon cushion, which isn't as poetic but right now I'm not in the mood for flowery language (hormones again?!) and, after all, that is what it is!

So here's my first English Paper Pieced Hexagon cushion:




This fabric was sent to me by the wonderful Amanda. I just adore Denyse Schmidt fabrics and Amanda sent me a gorgeous bundle. I picked out the greens and blues and I loved e.p.p.ing hexagons - they go together so fast! It's really nice to have some hand sewing and hand quilting to do because I can hardly sit at the sewing machine for any length of time and it's much cosier on the sofa.



I hand quilted using perle cotton around the hexies (Fluffy Sheep Quilting have some great colours!) - mostly using soft blues and greens so it wouldn't stand out too much, I did do one orange bit though, just for fun.

I chose this divine print for the back and straight line quilted it on the machine:





There is a simple white zip on the bottom and I hope this will stand up to being thrown around by the kids, although they seem to know it's something special and it has been getting lots of strokes and gentle hugs.



**If you haven't already, be sure to ENTER MY AMUSING FABRIC GIVEAWAY HERE!**
giveaway closes 15th Dec.



Linking up:

at Quilt Matters this week, 
where M-R has done the most beautiful free motion quilting


and Finish It Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts



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p.s. The midwife appointment went well and things all seem fine but my iron levels have come back low again so I have to up my dosage of iron tablets - yuck! They somehow seem to make me feel even more tired than normal so I might now completely conk out!! I officially only have one more week until I am allowed to have a home birth (you have to be 37 weeks) but only if my iron levels increase. Off to blend a spinach smoothie now...


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Hello!
I'm Lucy from Manchester, UK.
A modern / traditional quilter and stitcher with miscellaneous style.
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      • is that a turkey up your t-shirt?
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      • building Log Cabins - free ebook!
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