Just in the nick of time.....ten sleeps to go!

I am not the most patient of people - and you will only hear me admit that somewhere that my husband and children will never read!  I always said that the hardest part of sending the quilts and Xmas boxes (49 boxes in total) off to the Aussie soldiers in Afghanistan would be waiting for them to arrive.  The first lot were sent on the 10th of November and SOME of them arrived a week later.  We were told it could take two to four weeks for things to arrive but a week was so much quicker.  A week later I posted ten more boxes of goodies off and eight of them arrived ten days later.  More boxes were posted, the latest two being sent on the 3rd of December and they arrived about ten days later - and all the while the majority of the quilts and Xmas boxes sent in the first group had still not turned up.  I wasn't the only one getting worried!  Our friendly Warrant Officer had tried to inquire about them too but to no avail.  Just as I was thinking I should try and use some of my military contacts (and thank goodness I still have some) to try and track them down they turned up!

I received an email at midnight last night (yes I was still sewing) to say that a HUGE pile of boxes, 22 in all, had arrived.  HOORAY!!!  That means that now all fifteen of the guys (and gal) that we sent quilts to have finally got their quilts!  I am so relieved and delighted!  I tell you it just made my day, yesterday and today!

I wish I could show you some of the photos that were sent but I can't but there were happy faces and lots of tinsel and decorations and boxes!   The box of Christmas decorations from the kids from my boys' school arrived and were very well received.

It was with a renewed vigor that I got to work today.  First up I quilted the brown DNP quilt that is a Christmas gift for a friend - who doesn't read this blog.   Then I made the binding.  I figured if I chose the colour right I could use the same binding for both quilts that need finishing there by saving on fabric and effort and I managed to find just the right colour, and a check, on special at my LQS.

 It goes beautifully with the backing which was one of my $5 a meter special finds.

 And after doing both quilts I still had quite a bit left over -it will always come in handy for potholders and a soldier's quilt!

 I can't wait to see her face when she gets it as she is going to be so surprised!   She has told me a number of times how much she loves the colours in the quilt without any clue it is for her!

I can't show you the other quilt I have finished till it has been given to it's recipient.  It is for one of my sisterhood friends, Jacqui, Tarja or Sandy.  Tarja reads my blog sometimes.  She knows that I made quilt for Jacqui last year so therefore she knows this year's quilt is either for her or for Sandy. but she doesn't know who it is for.  Each of the girls has very definite and different colour preferences.  Jacqui loves purple and jewel colours and horses.   This is the quilt I made Jacqui.

  So that only leaves Tarja and Sandy.  Tarja loves apple green, barn red, sunflowers, dragonflies and butterflies.  Sandy is into blues, the beach and roses.  So, assuming I have made a quilt to suit their tastes there would be no challenge deciding who it is for - therefore, because Tarja reads my blog sometimes I will have to wait till after our dinner next Wednesday night.  Poor Tarja  She really wants to know. Hee hee.
Of course next year Sandy will know it is her turn but that can't be helped when there are only four of us in the kris kringle.

My other big task tonight was to cook a pavlova.  Guitar Hero saw the one I made for my quilt group's Christmas lunch and wanted some and of course couldn't have any so I promised i would make one for Fly Boy's return home from Gliding camp tomorrow.  It is still in the oven as it has to stay there till it is completely cold so that it doesn't go sticky in the middle but other than that - and adding the cream and fruit to the top tomorrow afternoon - it is done!

Till next time.........happy stitching!