The mermaid pattern is available for the introductory price of $5 for the next 24 hours, then the price goes back up to $7.50. Get in quick to catch a bargain.

I’ve put the Fishy Fishy Fishy pattern on sale for $5 too! I have every intention of making another beachy/seaside quilt with some of your favourite and requested critters. Stay tuned!

Did you know that there is an easy-to-make mermaid (and merman – my daughters suggested I call him a mer-dude) doll pattern in the Happy Quilts book?

If you have the book and don’t want to use felt for the hair, click on the Happy Quilts menu at the top of the page and there is a tutorial on how to make the hair from cotton.

I’m a little unsure what to write here anymore. I have had a number of emails telling me to stick to quilting and to keep my personal life out of it. I’ve thought about it a lot.

My favourite blog is one where the writer is openly bipolar. She’s a self-admitted hot mess, but she’s warm, kind, loveable, and human. Her life is more calamitous than mine could ever be, but she’s never boring and I’ve never come across anyone as willing as her to give of herself. I would rather be a loving mess of a person than a perfect, cold, advertising machine.

So what have I been doing this week? On the quilting front – I’ve started five new quilts, and have written a list of 100 quilts I want to make. I threw out three old quilts that were beyond fixing, and have saved most of the fabric and HeatnBond from the great hot water flood of last week. Boiling water and HeatnBond don’t mix!

We’ve had most of the plumbing replaced in the house and have our hot water back – no more boiling saucepans for baths. I was fine with bucket baths until the mercury took  a plunge into the depths of Winter. Our bathroom was like a scene out of Game of Thrones… icy cold (and full of white walkers).

I saw my doctor this week, trying to get a handle on my stress. My body has decided to react by breaking out in hives from bottom to top and I’ve had enough. What do you do when your Doctor is just as stressed as you are and asks your opinion on the state of the world? It just goes to show that we’re all stressed in different ways and should always be kind to each other.

We’ve made pastrami, chocolate cake, and pizza this weekend. My favourite K-drama (Korean drama series) is coming to an end and it has us on the edge of our seats. I just want the protagonists to get a happy ending. Recently I have had this childish need for ‘happily every after’ endings. Perhaps it’s a reaction to the madness in this world.

Right now I’m sitting next to a warm, purring ginger furball, the Benadryl is kicking in and I’m not so itchy. I’m thinking of making a hot chocolate before I jump into bed with a hot water bottle and some sweet Korean dreams.

Monday morning signals the end of Uni for this semester, plus hot coffee and pancakes for breakfast. Senior High has a few weeks left, then it’s hols from the stress of exams for a couple of weeks. Yippee!

toni xx