Happy Valentines Day.

Well, now the lovely Natalie has recieved her Valentines Day pressie from our EB sewing buddy swap, I can post some pictures of it in the making.

This was fun to make, as Natalie has the same favourite colours as me, pink and purple, so I wasn't going out of my comfort zone! Sewing the heart was an excellent way to use up some of my scraps too. It was a walk down memory lane too, thinking I used this print in so and so's quilt, and this print for such and such a project.


I sewed all random scraps together first. Then traced the heart outline so when I stipple quilted it I would know where to stop close to the edge. Then I sewed the heart shape onto the square that would be the front of the cushion cover. I did intend for the back to be an envelope style so the insert could come out when it needed a wash but I didn't have enough material! Usual Helen trick of committing to a material before checking she has enough!

So then it was just a matter of sewing the two squares together and then the fun part of clipping all the edges to make them raggedy.

Valentines Day is brushed with some sadness in our house as it is the anniversary of my Grandad's passing away. It was 2 years ago today that Mum called early in the morning, just after 5am it was to tell us the news. I always hate it when the phone rings late at night now, as its never good news at that hour. It was sad but also a relief too as Grandad had been in so much pain the last 3 years of his life, always seemed to be holding on for the next family event. He held on for my sister's last child being born in September 2002, then Grace in April 2003. Our wedding in February 2004 was so important to him, we didn't think he was going to make it through Christmas 2003, he was so frail but in true Grandad spirit he fought on. I still remember the last time I saw him. I took Milly to a parenting info seminar on what to do with babies under the age of 6 months, she was 3 months old and I hadn't a clue really what I was doing despite her being my second child. It was in the next suburb from where Nan and Grandad live, so I popped in afterwards with Milly for a cup of tea. Grandad was sitting on a bench outside their unit with his cap on, chatting to a neighbour. I parked the car and walked over carrying Milly, his face just lit up at the unexpected visit and the pride in his voice as he introduced his neighbour to his eldest grandaughter and youngest great grandaughter. We then went in for a cup of tea. I am a coffee drinker except for when I visited them, I was a tea drinker then! Luckily had my cameera in my bag that day and took some shots of Milly on Grandad's lap. That was 2 weeks exactly before he died. I spoke at his funeral, was scared sh*tless at the thought till I stood on the little platform. I stood with all the Grandkids, 6 of us there are, but one was in England and couldn't come back at such short notice. We had all written down our favourite memory of him and I read them out. I'm so glad I did that, I think Grandad would have been proud.

Here is my favourite photo of him and I. I'm 9 months old according to Nan's writing on the back of the print. Sums him up pretty well, standing in front of his beloved shed, beer in one hand, first grandchild in the other and a big life is good grin. We think of you lots Grandad! Wish you were still here.