A Thankful Thursday Post - minis & mug rugs!

You might remember me getting carried away describing how I sew at the kitchen table last year when tagged in the My Creative Space blog hop hosted by Julie @ Pink Doxies and Mayrse @ Mayrse Makes Things?

Well, I showed this one photo of my computer space with my ancient macbook (its so old, its one of the ones with the silver keys - but still going!)  I do spend quite a bit of time at the computer, writing for this blog and Modern Quilters Ireland, playing with design software and following and commenting on blog posts.  It amazes me how much of  what I consider quilting time that I spend online!

What I didn't show you is G's stuff in this room.  Turn away from my desk and its a hoarders delight.  He is terrible at de-cluttering computer bits and bobs, books and magazines.  Now I have a lot of stuff - fabric, books, notebooks, and I have been gathering a small collection of swap items and mini-quilts.  There isn't any real space to show mini quilt swaps so I have been making do by rotating them on an easel and brightening up the corner of the man cave.  This Christmas after tripping over a gearbag, a box of astronomy magazines and accidentally knocking a bunch of tiny screws of the coffee table I had enough, I moved out!

Upstairs to the box room.  I gave up my window view (useless in the summer as the sun directly shines in and I can't see the screen but don't tell G that as I am milking this one to make him tidy up!).  I moved a wardrobe and chest of drawers around to the other bedrooms and took over this wall - all to myself.  He did help with the heavy lifting though!  That's what happens when you can't use your sewing machine,you end up re-arranging your house!

This is what the wall was like when I moved my desk in - bare except for an Egyptian papyrus print bought in Las Vegas (I kid you not!).  So I've hung up all my swap items (except Lara's Wilbur & Charly mini which is in the kitchen beside the tea pot clock over my sewing machine!) and removed Las Vegas souvenir closer to the bin!

From top left : Schnizel & Boo mini round 2 and 3 and hoop from MQI exhibition last year. 

Bottom row:  Cork board with swap items from @Shevvyrox for nerds craft it better on instagram - Serentity, Star Wars & Millenium Falcon, gift from Suzanne, Pay it Forward gift from Deborah, Mug rug (Christmas swap 2015), Little Red riding hood mini's from Fairytale swap on IG. 

So I have to say a big thank you to all those I've swapped with and a special thank you to Deborah @ Sunshine Through the Rain for the purple improv mini (and the extras all the way from Indonesia) and Mags from the Modern Quilters Ireland group for the cup & saucer mug rug which made such happy Christmas post.  Thanks a million guys - this space is looking brighter and more crafty now thanks to you all!  

And there's room for a few more yet!  I'll be spending quite some time here this year as I hope to get finishing on some pattern writing and have lots of design ideas to play with.  More on quilty resolutions and the Finish-A-Long list in the next post!