Sunday, May 17, 2009

Got a book full of half ideas and a heart full of wonder

So here it is - the new blog. I had started to write lengthy prose on the reasons why I've switched names, but it would have bored you to tears. I was certainly feeling dozy writing it, and I'm sure the glass of wine I'm currently drinking had nothing to do with it. So the abbreviated explanation is : community, continuity, branding, not-just-about-quilting, pretty name, ooh look sparkly new banner!

(You got bored at "branding" but perked up at "sparkly new banner", right? I know you people too well).

To celebrate the new blog I'm going to have a giveaway in a week or so, as part of the Sew Mama Sew May Giveaway Day. So make sure you add Buttontree Lane to your blog readers to keep up to date with the giveaway!

Saffron Craig fabric

I promised to show you the Saffron Craig fabric I recently bought.

PICT3197

Pretty, no? The owl panel will go into a quilted satchel for Brown Owls meetings, and the other fabric will go into a quilt. I'm itching to get started on both projects.

Stamps

And from Japan, I received the most gorgeous little boxes of stamps. Isn't that box in the photo above the cutest thing ever? It's taking a lot of self-control not to jump back online and buy the box of letters.

Stamps

From now on, people who buy stuff from me are going to get the cutest paper bags as packaging!

Stamps

It's going to be a very crafty week for me. Today started with breakfast with the Canberra Souther Cross Quilters, followed by a lovely walk in the sunshine to the Old Bus Depot Markets, where they were having a wool day. There were some really lovely things to see there and much smooshiness to be felt. I was tempted to buy some Burrawool, but then realised I had a lot of undyed alpaca at home that I should use first. But instead I succumbed to some Glenora Alpaca/Silk laceweight and Waratah Fibres Wensleydale.

Glenora Alpaca/Silk laceweight

Waratah Fibres wensleydale worsted

A friend and I decided that it was OK to buy these things, as they were special and didn't come along every day. Do you like our reasoning?

Tomorrow night we have our quilting group, where we spend more time reading magazines, talking, eating, drinking, knitting and crocheting than we do quilting. But it's always heaps of fun and having it on a Monday night puts me in a better mood for the rest of the week. And on Saturday is the Handmade Market, as well as Brown Owls, where I'll be hopefully making this pincushion, and trying not to die from the cuteness.

Crabapple, sunset, autumn

I'm going to leave you with a photo of my crabapple tree, taken this afternoon as the sun started setting. It finally lost it's leaves a week ago. This tree is beautiful no matter which season we are in - from the beautiful flowers in spring, to the lush green leaves in summer, the startling yellow in autumn and the stark sculptural branches you see here. If only it fruited so I could make crabapple jelly! That would be only complaint, and it's a tiny one at that.

24 comments:

  1. i think switching names makes infinite sense. Buttontreelane is just a gorgeous name, apart from anything else.

    We got the same red yarn. :-)

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  2. What a delightful sight/site. I love your new layout. I felt a wave of happiness as it came onto my screen. Colours can do that to you, n'est-ce pas?

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  3. Yay - I am your first subscriber in bloglines...
    Great purchases, great banner - great new blog.

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  4. Nice blog, nice name, wonderful you! I just like to see you posting, no matter which blog it is for!

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  5. Ack, those stamps! So cute.

    Am really liking the new layout!

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  6. oh, looky, shiny sparkly new things!! and not just the fabric, yarn and stamps!! Loving it all!

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  7. The new blog is fabulous and will suit you to a tee!
    PS Sounds like you had a fab craty weekend.

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  8. Love the new look. And I still love the reasoning behind the yarn purchases. You have to buy special things sometimes.

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  9. Lovely new blog. Of course you got me at the sparkly new banner!

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  10. ooh love the new digs! =)
    I'm so jealous of your Saffron Craig fairies - when I (finally) did my shopping there was only pink left! Can't wait for the grey brown owls bag! =)

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  11. Nice place you've got here! I'm thinking of going to the albert hall gig next weekend, but not sure. Have you seen the softies at CraftACT? Next to the show of books curated by &Duck...

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  12. Ooh how nice to have a new blog and banner too. I love the name Buttontree Lane, and seeing all your gorgeous goodies makes me want to pop online and purchase some too, (must hop off straight after reading this), and I love those owl panels, very special indeed.

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  13. nice work - and of course I followed the link straight to the letter stamps and had to give my self a good talking to not to buy them.

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  14. Glenora must have had a busy day today - I picked up some possum/merino/silk from them too ;-)

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  15. Love the new look. All your new goodies are lovely, especially the stamps.

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  16. Four things:

    1. Love the new blog - and it's still nice and quilty up top.
    2. Your wool-buying reasoning is spot on
    3. Your crab apple can no doubt get away with non-fruiting murder (she's a beauty)
    4. You need to cut to the chase and buy the lettery stamps.

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  17. Bedazzled by the gorgeous new blog header. Hope you have a fab week.

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  18. Love the new blog and the new banner! That owl fabric is just gorgeous! I picked up some of those Babshka stamps before leaving Japan - they are adorable aren't they!

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  19. Well done with the new blog !!

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  20. Nice new digs!

    Alpaca-silk laceweight needs no justification.

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  21. great loot
    i have that stamp set also and all my letters end up being stamped
    it actually started a wooden japanese stamp addiction for me
    i understand

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