Autumn draws near ....

Here downunder Autumn is from March to May ..... and I love the weather here in Queensland at this time of year.. the days are still warm and the nights begin to cool ....

of course my Northern Hemisphere friends are looking forward to their days warming up

Cheryll hosts a Once A Season Secret Swap and I always find myself joining in....  we are all assigned partners but it remains a secret until the parcel arrives.... and we try and send something with an seasonal theme...

This Autumn my secret season partner was Peta and my post bag was just so full of parcels - all wrapped up in pretty golden orange paper....

such fun opening them all...

There is a gorgeous hand made bag with the trees applique... it is a lovely size to carry my hoop and some stitching and sewing paraphernalia when I go to one of my stitching groups....  just perfect - there are also lovely scented candles (I do love having candles lit), kitchen towels and orange truffles and a very pretty piece of fabric... which looks like a Japanese print but is Australian flowers.... it is so very pretty.  So I feel that I was very spoiled indeed...

Have you met Peta?  Her blog is called "Just crafting my day away" - so of course there is lots of lovely goodies to see there....pop in and have a read ....

I was assigned Shez... who has been a long time bloggy friend and we share a lot in common... so I was delighted to be sending her a parcel....

I found this lovely pattern for a wallhanging designed by Natalie Bird - it is from a Country Threads magazine but in all my cleverness I tore out patterns and filed them... so I don't know which issue
(edited... It is Volume 9 No 7 - thanks Linda) 

I used some variegated thread (prewashed so it shouldn't bleed) and some Autumny colour fabrics

and I even did a bit of hand quilting (ooooooooohhhhh!) 

There was also a few other little bits I added in just for fun..... including a dishcloth which is a repurposed tablecloth with some Autumn leaves (designed by Angie Padilla - I won a set of applique designs a couple of years ago)

and whilst we are on the subject of Shez... she sneakily sent me a lovely parcel of goodies last week....

there is fabric, and trims and patterns and thread and christmas applique.... now I am all set up for lots of stitching... thanks Shez....

Thanks Cheryll for hosting such a fun swap..... keep a look out for a Winter swap coming up.....

and just for fun.... we have had a few damp days..... 

I'm sure if I sit quietly enough I will spot a fairy

Righto... Gotta go.... no faeries but I have a grumpy gnome in my lounge room!! - better go make him a cuppa