Link Love: Scrambling for Ideas for Father’s Day

I’m in denial. How can it be the last Monday in August already? This year is passing at warp speed and I’m totally not prepared for it to be 2017 just yet. Not only that, I’m totally not prepared for it to be Father’s Day next weekend. I have no idea what to get my Dad and no idea what to do for the Dad in my midst. I’ve have found the older I get the more I suck at gift giving. I used to love giving gifts. I felt like I always knew just the right thing to get and give, but these days I got nothing. I can’t even think of anything to sew! I’m a disgrace to the creative community.

I’ve spent the past week happily pottering around in the sewing room and it’s been fabulous. I’ve started to feel my creativity coming back and for the first time in what feels like forever I’ve got room in my head to daydream and doodle. I’m also back to sewing because I love it and not because I have a deadline. It feels so lovely and like something I totally took for granted before this year. There’s some stressful things happening in one aspect of my creative life and I’ve been battling with making a difficult decision, but now it’s made I’m really looking forward to seeing it out and getting on with my life. It’s amazing how liberating finally making a decision can be.

I’m starting to countdown to Quilt Market. I leave Australia on 27 October and I’m no where near prepared. (I haven’t even sorted my passport! Whoops!) I need to start pulling together a list of things I need to take with me, places to eat and all the things I want to buy (other than fabric). I probably should try and work out what else I can squeeze in while I’m there. I’d love to make the trip to Waco to see Magnolia (yep, I’m a fan of Fixer Upper). I’m just not sure if I could drive myself or how easy it would be to get there. Time to ask Google I think.

In the meantime, I’d better book an appointment with the hairdresser and the Post Office to get ready for my passport photo. I should also probably hurry up and decide what to do for Father’s Day. Oh the pressure! I hope you have a fabulously creative day!

FUN THINGS TO CLICK ON

• My Dad’s a fisherman, so maybe this great Kissy Fishy quilt from Sew Fresh Quilts would be the perfect thing to make for him. Click here to get the pattern.
• Loving these crochet jar covers from Mollie Makes. Click here for the tutorial.
• I loved this post on Art Gallery Fabrics blog about the History of the Sewing Needle. Click here to read more.
• These back to school pencil bags look so fun and easy to make, might have to whip myself up one. Click here for the tutorial.
• It’s been awhile since I was in the kitchen doing anything non-routine and these gummy bears look like a fun way to fix that. Click here for the tutorial.
• This post by Pip at Meet Me at Mikes really resonated with me this week; 10 Ways to Feel Better When Things Have Gone Wrong. Click here to read more.

COMMUNITY CORK BOARD

• Love all things Fairy Tale and magically, then be sure to check out the Land of Magic Sew-along that Kerry from Kid Giddy will be hosting, you never know you might just find a gnome hiding out in the land of make believe. Click here to find out more.
• Peta at She Quilts A Lot (and she does!) is getting ready to rock your socks off with the Sweet Stars Sew-along. I’m really excited about this sew-along because it’s going to be teaching the basics, and it’s always great to learn more and reconfirm good habits. Click here to find out more.

SPONSOR MESSAGES

• Fat Quarter Shop are previewing the Scrappy Project Planner by Lori Holt (which is open for pre-order) and it looks great. I just love the sewing stationery accessories you can get for it as well. You can find out more by clicking here.
• Have you seen the Quick Make video tutorials available from Sizzix? I just love their new Sweet Spring Home Decor Quick Make – just in time for our rapidly approaching Spring. You can see them all by clicking here.

#100DAYS100BLOCKS SPONSOR INFORMATION

Blocks 11 – 20 of the #100Days100Blocks sew-along are brought to you by the ever fabulous Make Modern.

You can find Make Modern in the following places: Instagram | Website | Facebook

Australia’s modern quilting magazine. Talented pattern designers. Thought-provoking articles. Digital, enabling modern makers everywhere! Subscribe now.

Prize: 5 Individual winners will win a 6 Month Subscription each. Total prize value $89.75 (AU).

How to win:

• Post a photo of the block on the day that the block is due (in your timezone) for blocks 11 to 20,
• Hashtag blocks 11 to 20 #100days100blocks and #makemodern,
• At the time of the draw you must be following @makemodernmagazine, @gnomeangel, @sweetlittlepretties and @sunflowerquilting on Instagram.

Open: Internationally

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!