On the move!

At 7 months and less than 6kg, Grace is smaller than most, but it certainly hasn't slowed her down. She's been crawling for over a month, and is now pulling to stand and cruising along furniture. This means I'm constantly following her around picking up choking hazards off the floor. This video was taken a couple of weeks ago, the first time she walked along the couch (try to ignore my extremely high-pitched motherese voice - I was a bit excited).

Grace is also sleeping better, and every time I take her into her room to go to sleep she reaches out to her brother's bed so she can hold onto the side and bounce. It's now part of her bedtime ritual (note the grubby knees where she's been crawling around).

Needless to say, I really haven't been doing much quilting, but I've enjoyed watching Dane painstakingly pick out and place every little bead himself to create this fantastic pot holder. He has such patience and persistence

And Sarah is doing amazingly at school - already doing basic reading. She loves it... except when she dresses up for Christmas dress-up-day, and ends up being the only person in the school dressed up (she was two weeks early). If I was a good mum I would have packed her uniform just in case. Ah well... I'm teaching her resilience :) And she looked soooo cute.

A wonderful surprise

I've just been in Sydney spending time with family for the last couple of weeks, and it was a lovely surprise at the end of the journey (it took 21 hours to drive home with the kids!) to see a copy of "A Quilters Diary" in the mail. I've always wanted a quilting calendar or diary.

Well you can imagine my astonishment when I flipped it over and saw my Whirly Garden quilt on the back!! How cool is that?

And then ofcourse I had to go digging to see if any more of my quilts were inside and ... yes in deedy I found another one - Blowing in the Wind (renamed Baby Mobile). I can't decide whether to actually use this diary or keep it for posterity :) I might just have to go and buy another one to use.

It's reminded me that I should get my but into gear and release the 'Whirly Garden' pattern in my shop (for those who didn't get the magazine) as I've already written it up. I just have to take a couple of pretty pictures for the front of the pattern. I love the quote that was paired with this quilt - "I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read (all the quilts I want to make) and all the friends I want to see - so true.

I haven't been on the internet lately, but I just checked over on Saffron Craig's blog and was blown away by her new fabrics. It's a mix of some of her favourites (and mine too) in new colourways. There's some Magical Lands there in a reds (so beautifully unique)...

... love the squiggly flowers in red...

and a brand spanking new one - Dandelion Kisses. Absolutely gorgeous!

Check out Saffron's blog to see her other amazing fabrics and enter the giveaway while you're there - entries close Friday.  I certainly can't wait to get my hands on some. A little sundress for Gracie perhaps?

Hope

This quilt is dedicated to Sylvie Hope, a precious baby girl who couldn't stay. My thoughts and prayers go out to her mother, my wonderful friend, Lauren (who miraculously survived the birth) and her beautiful family. I couldn't imagine the pain.

May the light and love of the Saviour continue to shine in their lives, especially in their darkest hours, reaching out and giving comfort and hope that only He can give. They are an eternal family and Sylvie will forever be theirs.