~ Hello Again ~

It's been a while since I dropped by to say hello but over recent weeks I seem to have been suffering with what I have self-diagnosed as 'blogger's block'!! After a couple of unsuccessful attempts at writing posts I reminded myself of the little logo I have seen on several blogs which reads ~ 'Blogging without Obligation' so with that in mind I told myself I would get over it and not to worry.

And so today, with 'my shadow' at my feet ((just as I like it) I am having another attempt.

Well actually this time, I have something really special to write about and I want to share with you the wonderful time I had over the past couple of weeks with my dear friend and SAL/Internet buddy, Sandra from the UK. You may remember I mentioned several posts back that Sandra was going to be coming out to Australia and that we were finally going to meet in person. Well, she came, we did meet, time went very quickly and now she is back home in the UK and our meeting certainly left me with lots of happy memories even if I didn't get many photos. (Well, that is another story ) However, we did get at least one that I can show you so here we are sharing a pleasant afternoon actually sitting together and not on opposite sides of the world as we have been doing for years, stitching our current SAL project Blackbird Designs ~ 'Flowers for Sarah' from the 'Thank You Sarah Tobias' book.

Along with Sandra's lovely long time friend Diane, from South Australia, who I was able to meet as well, the three of us spent a great day at the recent Craft and Quilt Fair in Brisbane and all managed to come away from that with a little bit of stash and also get ourselves some fabric and threads for our planned next years SAL which Diane is going to join us in. We also visited my LNS and the lovely Patchwork Angel, dined out and enjoyed a barbeque together with our husbands. It was certainly a lovely time and has left me with many happy memories.

We had lots of 'gift swapping' and just look at what my dear friend had stitched me for my birthday.

It is a Barry Horton Shaker Box from France. Inside Sandra has lined it with dupion silk and stitched a band, pincushion and tiny scissor fob which is weighted with a coin and has the tiniest gold scissors attached. The pins have been coloured to match perfectly. Oh my goodness!! Needless to say, I was speechless. Thank you so much dear friend, I just love it and will treasure it.

Now, you will have heard it said "Wait there's more"!!!..... Well yes, there was more.....

Not only had Sandra brought DH the most beautiful book with pictures of York, as well as gifts for my little Granddaughters, this is what else she gave me. I was so spoilt. Everything is beautiful and thank you one more time Sandra not only for the beautiful gifts but for your friendship and as I was writing that I thought of the wording around what I think was the first thing I ever stitched for you which was a little Shepherd's Bush pinkeep and the wording around it was...

"Although our lives be miles apart, friendships dwell in soul and heart".