Some questions for you...

Well what a surprise I got the other day when a beautiful email found its way to my inbox. It constantly amazes me that I can sit here in my little house with my comfy little quilt over my knees (yes really :)) and have people from all over the world buy my patterns and then love them so much that they change them to suit themselves!
Jutta from Germany made these awesome Tea Cup Carriers. I just love the way she changed the second one. That African fabric is just stunning! Don't you love it!

What Have I been up to? Well even though I have been really quiet on my blog, I have been tearing my hair out trying to get my to do list done. I have 2 advent swaps to get finished, a pattern to write for my free pattern for the Gum Tree designers blog and I have been commissioned to do lots of projects for Express Publications. They are the makers of Handmade magazine, Patchwork and stitching magazine and Country Threads among many others.

I am so excited and can't wait to see my first project published in the Handmade issue that hits the stands in December. Keep an eye out for it.

What else have I been doing, well I am about to start on the free projects that my sisters from under the Gum trees have offered so far. I think I will make two of each so I can give them in my advent swap, I've also been drawing a few new things for the magazines and wishing my voice would come back :) I lost my voice a few days ago and actually its not been too bad. I haven't got the head cold, just no voice, so I have been able to sit down and get some stitching done. Unfortunately it is all secret at the moment so no pictures just yet. :) sorry hehe

A few questions for you:

What are you up to at the moment?

I'd love to know what you like to receive in your advent swap... do you like all handmade stuff or supplies or chocolate? This is my first advent swap as part of the Australian Yahoo group SCQIS... so I'm a bit nervous and want to get it just right.

till next time, hugs P xxx

New Pattern & Hug Swap

You may have noticed the new Pattern on my sidebar, a few people have been asking me for the sewing machine pattern that I made using my spring garden stitchery, so I have finally gotten my act together and typed it up for you :)

I've also been meaning to post about this for ages but kept forgetting, so here it is, my gorgeous Mug mat and Mug wrap that I received from my swap partner Dolores from True Blue Canadian Isn't it gorgeous!

New Flickr Site

I have been very slack lately with my blog I'm sorry. Since coming home from hospital I have just been enjoying being with my Cherubs.

Anyway, I have set up a Flickr site, because a few of my loyal readers have been showing me what they are doing with my designs. I can't tell you how much this excites me to see that people have liked my little drawings enough to print them out and actually stitch them up! Or better still, have spent a few hard earned dollars and actually bought one of my patterns.

If you have used any of my pattern I'd love you to put a pic up on the flickr site.

The address is http://www.flickr.com/groups/sewlittlefabric/

Maggi of To dream to stitch has been very busy and has whipped up these little beauties!Maggi has an awesome blog and is very inspiring, so check it out!

Don't forget a new design will be available for you on the Among the gum trees blog on Monday. Have you made the first 2 yet? Judith and Joy did such a great job on their designs didn't they!

Anyway I must go, the girls have to go to dancing lessons and I have missed so many of their classes that I really want to go with them today, so remember if you have made any of my designs I'd love for you to put them up on my Flickr site, or just email them through to me and I will do it for you. paula.storm@gmail.com

I Love Mail! Gumnut Babys and a Canvas work Pincushion

I'm sure by now you have heard of the Gum Tree Designers and the Among the gum trees blog, if you haven't you must have been hiding under a rock! These 8 other women that I have joined are the most generous, genuinely caring beautiful people I have ever met! As an example This is what turned up in the mail for me a little while ago, just because she saw some fabric that she thought I would like!!

I was recently commissioned to do a version of my tea cup carrier for 'Homespun Magazine' Yeah! Super excited! Anyway its for their Going Green issue and so Dawn found some beautiful 'Green' fabric and she thought I'd like it so sent it to me, but not just that, this amazing little tin full of beautiful buttons! I love then they are so cute! Thanks Dawn, I Love You, sis!Other stitching news I drew up and stitched out these 9 cute little gumnut babys, theres a story behind it I'll tell one day, but I'm having a hard time trying to decide what to put it on.... What are your favourite projects that you love to make?

And finally today, I promised Hubby I wouldn't be on the puter this weekend, oops :) You may remember I went to a Sewing day a few weeks ago and this was one of the projects we did, I finished up while I was watching the Rugby League Grand final (trying not to cry ;))
I just love it, thanks for the pattern Fiona. Fiona is my Embroidery groups Leader and a lovely Lovely person. Her blog is here. If you like embroidery, Fionas Blog is so full of inspiration, you will need another cupper!

I'm Back & Lifes a Hoot Part 2

Thank you soooo much to everyone who has sent such kind messages, prayers and wishes! I am finally home from hospital and hopefully don't have to go back! Yeah!

Although the views from my rooms weren't too bad. This was the view from my room in Batemans Bay....

And my view in Sydney :) Not bad huh! If you've got to be in hospital, it's not a bad view to have :)...Anyway onto the really important business, I must apologise for Part 2 of my BOM Life's a Hoot being a week late, but as you can imagine it is a challenge to update a blog when you computer is at the Drs and so are you :)

Without further ado, here is part 2 and I promise part 3 will be on time next month!

Have you started yet? I'd love to know. Oh and I hope you remembered the 1st christmas giveaway on the Among the gumtrees blog. Judiths Christmas gift bag is just gorgeous!

I'm sorry the BOM file is enormous, I've had no end of trouble trying to fix it, so maybe a long sleep and fresh eyes will find the problem, but I wanted to get this 2nd part up tonight.

*Update* I have finally got the PDF's working. I have been working on it since 9am and it is now 4pm. (I'm glad I didn't stay up last night to fix it) A whole day gone and not 1 stitch! Such a pain. Oh well I hope you like part 2. My pictures aren't the best but anyway. (Can you tell I'm a bit over part 2 :) Oh well thats life. Let me know if you are still having problems and a big thanks to the girls who let me know about the problems!

Hugs Paula xxx