Koala Quilt Drawing

And the winner is..............

I printed off all the entries, cut them up, folded them & placed them in this basket.

Then I asked DH to take a moment off from his computer work & draw a name, drum roll please.......

it's Pat from Iowa!

I wish that I had a Koala quilt for each of you & I appreciate all of you for taking time to come by my blog & maybe learn something you didn't know about the beautiful country of Australia & the very unusual creatures that are unique to the land.

I will stop by Pat's blog & let her know that "Koala's in the Window" will be on it's way to her after I get the mailing address.

I have a few other things in mind to give away so I will be doing that from time to time.

Yesterday I went to the AZ Quilter's annual show, this year at Mesa Convention Center.

I did forget my camera so I borrowed Loretta's & she will make me a CD of the photos I took.

After much indecision I purchased this vest pattern "Tack Room To Tea Room" from Lady Hawk Designs & a couple of the needed notions for the all black version Julie had on display- it was so very elegant & although I really did try hard to resist [Loretta will attest to that] I finally capitulated! I have pics. of the black vest-on Loretta's camera of course!

Julie said that her students estimate it takes 30-40 hrs. to construct one of these gorgeous vests & that is a considerable investment of time but I love vests so I have added another WHIMM to my collection!

I found this tiny pair of scissors to use at the long arm, those I have aren't sharp enough & these have just the tiny blades for thread snipping & handles large enough not to trap my arthritic distal phalanges! I wear my snippers on a cord around my neck & if they have longer sharp points, when I bend over to check tension underneath the quilt I have been known to stab myself in the thigh with the snippers! Ouch!

And have you seen these "handy handbag hangers"? I never like to put my purse on the floor so it usually shares my chair when I am out & about but with this hook I can hang it right beside me, cool, huh?

The only fabric I bought was a little $1 FQ for a friend!

Then as if to reward me for my"no-buy" fabric Loretta gave me belated b'day gifts.

These delicious Valori Welles fabrics- LOVE her fabric designs- along with a little wallet & a notion tote for classes & guild meetings that Loretta made from the same fabrics. The button collection is for me to choose my favorites for the wallet & the tote.

The tote opens to reveal multiple pockets & Loretta had included a wee Olfa mat just right for trimming all those Bonnie Hunter 9P's & HST's, a handy 6" ruler & one of those fabulous new ceramic marking pencils I have been reading about.

I felt totally spoiled!

I did purchase a couple of Secret Sister gifts which I can't show, just in case!