Link Love: Bats, Slice and a Bit of a Tease

I have decided that this is the last time this year that I am going to fall ill. Seriously. I’ve had enough. I’ve been skirting around the edges of a cold all week, which seems only fair given the Little Man has had a cold for the past week or so, but I woke up Sunday morning and my body just went “Yep, you’re staying in bed.” It was horrible. I’m coughing, I’m hot, I’m cold, I’m tired, I’m restless, my body aches and all I want to do is sleep. So, I spent Sunday in bed. I really couldn’t afford a whole day without working, but sometimes you’ve just got to do what you gotta do. I’m not sure why I’m still getting sick, maybe it’s my body just letting go of the last lot of stress. Who knows. But I would be keen to hear any recommendations you have for keeping the winter lurgies at bay.

It’s been just over a month since I quilt my job and so far it’s proving to be the best decision I’ve made in a very long time. I can’t get over the difference it’s made to our home life, my mood and my outlook. I’m still about 2 months behind on my to-do list, but I’m slowly gaining ground and for the first time in what feels like forever I can see a light at the end of the tunnel. It’s also meant that I’ve been able to start thinking about all the things that I’ve wanted to do for ages but just haven’t had the time. I’ve already hinted at what one of those things will be over on Instagram (click here to see it) and I’m really chuffed to see how people are getting excited about it. The official launch will happen 27 July.

I’ve been working on some smaller projects as well to keep my hands busy while I’m not at the sewing machine. I’d forgotten how much simple joy I get from selecting fabrics, playing with shapes and hand stitching. It’s also a by-product of no longer juggling two jobs – I get more time to enjoy just sitting and being. I’m really looking forward to getting some more work done on some of the English Paper Piecing projects I’ve been dreaming about.

Today however is all about getting caught up on the things I didn’t do yesterday and getting the household chores done. I hope you have an amazing day!

FUN THINGS TO CLICK ON

Looking for a beautiful and quick quilt to make then check out the Forager Quilt from Bonnie Christine. Click here to get the free pattern.
This recipe from Liz at Bizzy Lizzy’s Good Things had me drooling into my keyboard and wondering if this recipe was uniquely Australian. Click here for the recipe.
Looking for a new challenge Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts is doing a pin cushion a day challenge. Click here for more details.
Have you seen this tutorial for using paper to mark your quilting? Find out more on Leah Day’s Free Motion Quilting Blog. Click here to read the article.
I’m a sucker for anything Halloween and so this new pattern series by Nadra at Ellis & Higgs has me really excited. Click here for the pattern details.
How amazing is this giant ice-cream cone softie from Deborah at Fish Museum and Circus? Click here to get the free pattern.

COMMUNITY CORK BOARD

If you love English Paper Piecing and you’re keen to try some new shapes and possibly win a whole stack of amazing fabrics, then head on over to Tales of Cloth and read this post. Click here for details.
Have you heard about the Modern Makers Retreat? Three quilty friends had an idea of a fantasy weekend away – where they could sew all day (and night!), gossip and eat delicious food with like minded makers. Follow them on Instagram as they celebrate modern design. Find out more by clicking here.
The Berry Quilting Retreat is happening on 27 & 28 August 2016 and the line up looks amazing. Jen Kingwell will be teaching there and for her wisdom only it’s worth attending. You can find out more by clicking here.
Trixie at Coloured Buttons is hosting the Sew-a-Softie Day this July 16 to help get adults and kids excited about sewing. From July 1 until July 16 sewists from around the world will be sharing tutorials, tips and tricks and encouraging everyone to make a softie. You can find out more information by clicking here.

SPONSOR MESSAGES

If you’re like me and you like to dabble in more than just sewing and quilting creative work then check out these free downloadable papers from Sizzix. Great to use in any graphics work you might be doing (like blog banners)! Click here to get your free papers.
Fat Quarter Shop have released their new monthly subscription service: Sew Sampler. It looks amazing and I love that unlike other subscriptions this one comes with all the information you need to make a quilt. Each month contains a quilt block recipe card that you can use to make a full 12 block quilt. Genius! You can find out more by clicking here.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase those items through my links I will earn a very small commission. You will not pay more when buying a product through my link, in fact in some cases I can offer you a better price via an affiliate link. I will not recommend something that I do not use myself. These commissions help me keep being able to provide you with great content for free. Thank you, in advance for your support!