We have a winner

I didn't disappear off to England this time. Instead it was my computer that went on a trip - to the see the nice bloke who knows all about computers who works with my husband.

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I wish my husband had given me some warning about this trip, mind, so that I could have made sure that we had a copy of everything on the PC. My 'My Pictures' folder was a casualty, so I'm missing all the pictures that I have been sent by others. Yet my husband's gaming stuff suspiciously survived. Hmpf... Still, the computer returned acting more like its former self. Now I've just got to find a bunch of software cds for reloading things and hope that I still have all of my camera's memory cards (I should rephrase that: My husband had better hope that I still have all of my camera's memory cards...).

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So, I've extended the closing date of the giveaway to this morning, as I wasn't around to announce a winner. Drum roll, please...

The winner is Liz:

Liz, I'll be sending you an e-mail to find out your address.

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Thank you so much for entering, everyone. It looks like I've got a nice long list of new blogs to explore. Now, if anyone is still reading, I'll bore you with my pictures from my trip home:

Most of our time was spent with family and friends, but we did get out and about a little bit. Unfortunately it waited for us to leave before it snowed properly, so we didn't get to go sledging on our local hill, though. Tch, I miss home...

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Now, I'm not sure if this counts as a translation of the day, but I had an American friend ask what this 'sledging' thing is - it's sledding. Everyone I knew growing up referred to hurtling down a snow-covered hill on a wooden sledge made by your dad as sledging, but I don't think that it is just a British term. Then again, it might just be that my friend still has trouble understanding my mumbling English accent...

Happy New Year and a giveaway

Happy New Year! I didn't forget about you all over the Christmas holidays. I went home to England. I would have let you know that I was disappearing off, but I've read that people like to find out where you live and burgle your house if you post about a holiday on the internet. Not that anyone would find anything worth stealing in this house. My kids have made it their mission to destroy anything of value (yes, I might still be a bit bitter about the hole put in the leather armchair). Still, it's embarrassing when people break in and then don't take anything. I'm still upset about the people that decided that my bike wasn't worth stealing. If you're going to break the lock off a shed, at least take the rickety old thing for parts or something...

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Anyway, I'm back. I'm sure I'll be boring you shortly with the few photos that I took. That will have to wait until next time, though, as I have promised you a giveaway. Yes, I have finally reached my 99th post. It's only been a couple of years since I discovered blogs and a new world opened up to me. I've learnt to sew, knit and crochet through your tutorials and links. I'm not even too sure why I started blogging, except that it might be the closest thing that I get to grown-up conversation around here some days. Surprisingly enough though, I haven't been talking to myself. So, thank you - for listening, for your support and for understanding why a grown woman might still be making homemade ornaments for her Christmas tree.

One BIG surprise from 2009 was a novice like me having a couple of my patterns appearing in print. Some of you might remember my mentioning a year ago, that my fabric dollhouse was going to appear in a book called One-Yard Wonders. The book contains 101 projects that can be made from just one yard of fabric. I have a habit of buying a yard here and there of fabric without a project in mind, just because I know that it might be perfect for a future project. Now I have a book full of things to make with those cuts of fabric. One Yard Wonders has now been published and Storey Publishing have kindly offered to give away a copy to one of the U.S. readers of my blog.

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Here's a sneak peek at some of the projects that you can find in the book: .

And near the back you'll find my fabric dollhouse:Recognise it? It's the one that I posted about here.Ooh, that reminds me - you really should check out the flickr group. There have been some absolutely amazing fabric dollhouses made that really put my simple versions to shame, so if you want some inspiration, there's lots to be had there.

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Back to the giveaway. I'm also going to be giving away some one yard pieces of fabric, that I, uh, bought last summer, as I greatly overestimated my blogging speed and thought that I would have reached this 99th post long, long ago. Several Robert Kaufman fabrics, a Michael Miller, a Heidi Grace and a David textiles piece, of various styles and weights, that will hopefully be perfect for a few one yard wonders of your own:

All you have to do is post a comment on this post by, um, Wednesday 20th January and then I'll draw a name at random. This blog is on blogger, so I only have access to your e-mail address if it is posted on your blogger profile, so please make sure that I'll have a way of contacting you / check back regularly. International entries are welcome for the fabric, but the book is only for U.S. entries, as Storey Publishing will be sending it.

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I'm too jet lagged for a translation of the day, I'm afraid. Please ignore all errors and nonsense. Here's hoping that I might eventually sleep past 2am once again...