'Doggy paddling' and a lovely blog award :)

I'm still doggy-paddling a bit and trying to catch up after getting the boys back to school and organising some other stuff which has been going on in the background, but I'm getting there!  Alessandra awarded me this lovely blog award towards the end of my break - so without further delay, here's the deal!  Firstly I must  post the award on my blog and thank the person who awarded it to me - well, that's easy, I love Alessandra's blog - great photography, great 'makes' and a  fun personality - what more can you ask from a crafty blog, hehe!  Thanks Ale! :) :)

Next:  "Give the award to five bloggers that have less than 200 regular followers and inform them about the award with a comment or via email."

Now, I don't really get a lot of time to catch up with new blogs - I'm a bit of an old faithful friend and tend to stick to my 'regulars'!  Here's five I've come across though which I've found very inspiring:

www.curiouspebble.com/

www.biglittletales.blogspot.com/

www.seaweedandraine.com/

fruitfulfusion.blogspot.com/

myredwellies.blogspot.com/

As I've said, I don't get a huge amount of time to read  blogs but I do love to visit them from time to time and get such  a lot out of them when I do.  Some of these talented ladies will possibly have more than 200 followers - but I did TRY to follow the rules, honest Aslessandra!!!!  :) :)  I will try and inform these lovely ladies this week - I'm guessing some of them might be a little like me though - doggy-paddling* like crazy, so I won't hold it against them if they don't manage to respond!

* My use of the term doggy-paddling is a metaphor for 'frantically moving in the water, trying to stay afloat, while juggling a hundred and one things at once'! (. . . and probably not managing many of them!)   

Sounds familiar,hehe!! :D

Bye for now - lots of crafty stuff to report later in the week!
Alison x

P.S.  Sorry - my font-size has gone a little funny in this post - ooooops again! :)

P.P.S. - sorry, I can't leave my post without adding some craft stuff - I just couldn't do it LOL!  Here's  a lovely gift I received from Juliet - it's a long story, but isn't her quilting work just amazing - her attention to detail is  just incredible :) :) 

And a little close-up (sorry it's a bit dark and cloudy here today - apologies for poor pics) :

Love her choice of fabrics too!  Thanks Juliet, and the chocolate was yum too - sorry no pics of that, I ate it too quickly, hehe!

Lastly, I haven't forgotten my 'Granny Square a Day' - so here's a couple I made during the hols - I think that's me covered, pheeeew :)

OK, I'm definitely going now - Byeeeeeeeeeee :)