2016 Free Boms

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Happy New Year

So here we are at the beginning of another year and many of us are starting afresh with hopes for a wonderful 2014. I'm hoping for better health and less stress, fingers crossed for a much happier year.  

I've been playing around with my blog in the last day or two.  I've changed my header and background to better co-ordinate with the projects I'll be making this year.  I'm finding more and more I love the retro look that's around. So that's the look I tried to capture using bits and pieces from my sewing room and keeping it bright and happy.

I'm introducing a new feature this year called Let's Share the News and that's exactly what I plan to do under this logo.


If you hear about a bargain, a new swap, a blog hop, a quilt show or you are organising something yourself and would like help to spread the word, please let me know.

I've changed the look of my Fabulous Free Stuff logo but the idea hasn't changed.  Each day I'll share a link to a fabulous free project or tutorial shared by a member of our wonderful creative blogging community.  I plan to list all 2014 links to projects on a Pinterest Board called Links to Fabulous Free Stuff. 
If you click on this logo

in the side bar it should take you straight there.  This should save you from having to go back through old blog posts if you want to find a particular link you know you saw here but can't remember exactly when or where. 

I've been sorting and sifting and giving away some of my stash so that I can be better organised this year.  I've taken the Fabricholics Pledge and so, as Jenny of Elefantz would say, I'll be shopping in my stash to let older fabrics have their turn to shine.  

It's also time to get out some unfinished projects and either finish them, revamp them or give them away. I'm planning a wall of mini quilts this year, so out came a project from 2010. 

It was a round robin kindly shared by Helen of Hugs and Kisses and I made it with some stitching friends. I'd wanted my version to be in red work so that's how I stitched the centre block.  The next person to add a round loves bright colours so she decided to change the theme. 
The third round was perfect and then another friend finished it off with the outer hexie layer and she tried to bring it all together by adding blue, yellow and red hexies.  I know it is really ungrateful but I hated the second round and so into the cupboard this project went and I thought I'd never finish it.  In fact it nearly went to the Op Shop a couple of times.

Ahh but now it's a new year and I've got a new attitude - recycle and reuse - so out it came and I'm changing it to suit my taste.

Off came those ugly little hexies (don't worry this person doesn't read my blog, so she will never know) and I tea dyed the background.  Then I added two strips of beautiful French General hexies.
The fourth round was added by my Mill Rosie friend Rosalie.  The butterflies and snails she stitched are gorgeous.  I left on the red and yellow hexies and plan to add four French General flowers to complete the round. 

The four extra flowers made by Rosalie will go onto a blue and white tea towel so very little wastage at all.



Are you playing along with Cheryll's Heart Swap?  Maybe you are getting ready for Valentine's Day?  Or maybe you are just a romantic at heart? So I thought I'd share a couple of links to beautiful heart projects and there is no better way to start than with a link to delightful Cherry Heart.


This gorgeous heart is shared in a tutorial HERE.  Many thanks to Sandra for sharing with us all.

About.com can always be counted on for good things.
  HERE they share three adorable stitchery heart designs.

And finally there are so many delightful heart printables around.  
Just like this one at Babble
I love the buttons from Theodora Cleave.  There are some amazing bargains at the moment, including buttons reduced from $8 to $2. Go HERE to take a look.

Fabulous Jenny from Elefantz is starting the new year by generously sharing a free and totally adorable stitchery with us.  Just go HERE


Happy New Year
Love


20 comments:

  1. Happy New Year Mel...I love the new look and as always you have some beaut ideas too. So looking forward to catching up with you soon. xx

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good luck with all your plans and have a wonderful 2014.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Looking forward to a great year Melody, sending love your way too. xxx Love the interesting changes to your blog, Lovely and fresh.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Inspired by the New Year I went surfing for a basic calender to print out and to my surprise, there are tons of options out there, Love this site,
    http://meinlilapark.blogspot.ch/2013/12/30-free-printable-2014-calendars.html

    ReplyDelete
  5. Happy new year Mel I love the transformation it looks fabulous !!!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Love the new blog look, a great way to start the year. I hope I will have a mini wall by the end of the year too.....I have a feeling we were both inspired by the same person (but you have seen it in person!).

    ReplyDelete
  7. The blog's new look is fabulous, so fresh...I spy little hexies in that header, will there be a purse?...the renovations to the round robin top were certainly needed, that second border was totally jarring it had to go!...have a great year, with good health and lots of happy times, hugs...

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh I love it all Mel....looking great. Here's to a wonderful year....big hugs xxx

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh Mel, I love the re-vamp! It has such a fabulous retro look to it! And good for for rescuing that stitchery and making it the way YOU like it! I did that with some bee blocks I received this year- shhhh, don't tell!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Love what you have done to your blog but I especially love what you have done to your little quilt it looks fabulous - who doesn't love a The General. Hope 2014 is wonderful to you.

    ReplyDelete
  11. The new look to your blog is lovely Melody! I love the re-worked SRTB - it will be a good start to the new year finishing this up! Great idea to use the pinterest link. Happy New Year, may it be a creative and healthy one for you.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Happy new year to you as well and love the changes you are doing! I am currently hosting a dishcloth swap and also a simplify my home challenge on my other blog which you might be interested in putting under your news items. They can be seen at http://www.the7pillarshome.blogspot.com
    Hugs Sharm

    ReplyDelete
  13. I'm hosting a hexy swap. http://www.flickr.com/groups/2429808@N21/

    ReplyDelete
  14. I'm hosting a new hexy swap. http://www.flickr.com/groups/2429808@N21/

    ReplyDelete
  15. Your new look blog looks wonderful Mel... with new buttons and additions. LoVe it!
    Such a "filled with info" post today... you started off 2014 with a bang!
    All the best for a healthy and stress free year xx :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Love your new look blog Melody! Fabulous post full of so many wonderful bits and pieces. All the best for 2014 and I do hope you have a smooth run health wise and stress wise!!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Happy new year Mel. I'm loving your new look Nd what your doing with thus project t. Here's to a better year health wise. Hugs xx

    ReplyDelete
  18. New year, new start...it all looks great! :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. Your changes for the new year look exciting. I love how your round robin is looking now, very beautiful!

    ReplyDelete

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...