Dash to get jobs finished

I've been trying to catch up and overtake my swap commitments this week and it's a good job I did as last night my mil had a stroke so my time for the next few days will be all taken up. She's stable but we don't yet know the extent of any brain damage. It's keep our fingers crossed and pray it's not too bad and she'll get her speech back and be able to use her hands again.

I've done a few Journal Pages and am now caught up, just one left to do but that's not due until January. The two below I've called 'Not quite crazy JP's' and are based on contrasting colours but I got this bronze one wrong. Well not wrong really I just liked the colours and was compelled to do something with them.

The purple and green was is the one to go to Elizabeth as part of the Surface Design group swap. I had made the flowers ages ago and tonight when I was putting the embellishment on they fell out and landed on the page so I took it as an omen they needed to be there. I hope Elizabeth thinks the same.
I also received two Journal Pages this week, the green one is from Emmy in the Netherlands and represents monocolour. The landscape is from Ann in France and depicts peace, tranquility and the qualities of Mother Earth. I feel it does give you a sense of peacefulness.

I also received two wonderful needlefelt book covers as part of the four seasons swap on the UKEmbellisher group. Lynne's beautifully felted Autumn cover has leaves cut from the felt fabric and sewn onto the cover. Ann's book cover was a first attempt and I think the snowdrop is really well done. I shall really enjoy using these books.

I sent out four swaps today and I can't believe I didn't photograph or scan any of them!!! but I didn't. I made christmas trees out of inchies for the Integrated Inchie swap and made some more for a christmas swap but in different colours. They looked really good when I had finished and I think I might make some more for family and this time remember to record them. I also finished the 'Something beginning with L' by making white lace leaves and sewing them onto red velvet. I had to put a lace edging on the velvet as it kept popping through the thread when I tried using a satin stitch on it. The last swap I posted today was "Coffee, Tea what will it be" for the Fun Friendly Fabricpostcard group. This is my first swap with this group so I hope they like it.

Having said all that I won't be making any more cards this year as I really need to get some sewing done for Christmas. I bought a bag pattern that I want to make for my mum, a table runner for the coffee table and this year I really would like to make a small wall hanging for the door. I say that every year but never get it done.

My 730 keeps telling me it's time for a service and to contact my dealer so I've done that and it will go up to David Drummond's in Edinburgh for its annual (first one) service. I'm sending up the embroidery unit too as I get an error message whenever I use it. But it does mean that in three weeks time I will be sewing machineless, oh how am I going to cope..... Then on the 10th December I'm off to Valkenburg for a short break.

Finally good news on the padfolio front I've heard from Myfanwy and with a bit of luck she'll return it to me shortly. I've a good home in mind for it as a Christmas present - so keeping my fingers crossed I'll see it again soon.

Will let you know when (if) I get