where are they..........

OMG they have just arrived............gotta run............off to GDITC tomorrow.............may or may not get back here............. .........take care til next time.....Chookyblue.........

Comments & word verification......

UPDATE have done a new post on this..............you can find it here

Was talking to a friend today about the new comment word verification..............I know it is driving everyone nuts......No idea why they changed it as the old one was working fine.........I hate turning it off as I always get spam comments once i do it.............but for the last week or so i have turn it off and changed the "who can comment" settings and have only got one spam comment so I thought I would share if your interested..........and the spam comment was sitting in the comments TAB spam area so not published so I thought that was great............

I have changed my blog, Stitch-a-long and Snappy Friends and all are fine at this stage. If things change I will turn word verification back on. BUT it is driving me nuts on the few blogs I have commented on............

I am still using the old interface not changed to the new one as I can't control the users in a group blog like I can in the old one............

Sorry it's a bit different in the new interface (just looked)  so you might need to go to the comments and the email and mobile areas.........

If you want to go back to the old interface go to the dash board and click on the cog/wheel top right corner then a menu drops down then click on old blogger interface..............

See on the settings ---> comments tab below I have changed the who can comment to Users with a Google account. Most bloggers have one and if they don't (ie Typepad or Wordpress users) they can set up a profile anyway so they can comment plus include a link to their blog address

in the new interface it is under settings ---->>posts and comments........

Also I have for a long time had comment moderation turned on for comments on posts over XXX days old. I used to have this at 10 but have changed it to 5 days. Most spam was left on older posts anyway. 

But usually people comment on your posts within 5 days and if they haven't they won't mind you publishing their comment once you have read it.

Make sure you have your email address in there so the comments can be emailed to you.

Also move the dot on the Show word verification to NO...........SAVE SETTINGS...............

See how you go.

I know there have been quite a few posts about this so do what works for you.............

I'll add this post to "how to...........blog bits" on the sidebar

Better go hang out the washing...........cloudy and breezy here but no rain and definitely no flooding like down south..........goodluck if you're in the very wet weather area...........

Summer is officially over but we have enjoyed the most mildest summer ever..............

.........take care til next time.....Chookyblue.........

sunset and giveaway...............

Sunset.............more here..........

and this little bundle will be off to someone 

Fairy Girl picked the magic random number and I counted down and I do have that address so someone will get a surprise in the mail and I will update this post once it has arrived.............

THANKYOU for all your lovely comments............

Of course it has to include a bundle of blue.............the gorgeous fabrics and notepad are from The Home Patch if you want any..............
Shez is the winner of my giveaway............congrats Shez..........

Catch you later..............

Chookyblue

5 = 1000...............

 A few weeks ago I had something different much more upbeat planned for this post............especially when I realised that I was going to hit 1000 posts about the time of my 5th blog birthday (which have coincided).......

(photos courtesy Fairy Girl)

5 years ago I would never have thought I would have still been blogging and made the connections and friendships that I have "in real life" and "online".............but life takes unexpected twists and turns.......highs and lows..........some you see coming some you don't so all I want to say is thankyou for everything you have given/inspired/shared with me over the last 5 years..........

lets see whats happening in another 5 years and 1000 posts...............

THANKYOU

I was going to make something but you know my mojo is missing so I got a little parcel organised as a little thankyou for one of my readers...........

and thank you to a couple of girls who have out of the blue emailed me privately....

....thanks you know who you are...........and I am glad you emailed me.........

.........take care til next time.....Chookyblue.........

motivation.............

MISSING

Motivation

Reward offered if found

.........take care til next time.....Chookyblue.........

red, red, red...........

Hi everyone...............sometimes i get emails from people asking for info............. I am always happy to help out if I can.............But sometimes I am unsure of the best answer....

I do have a little fear of red........also worrying sometimes about what Lyn has asked...................

I notice Susie has posted her Tis the Season on the SAL blog and is also worrying about the red............

here is part of Lyn's email - hope you can help.......

"I'm emailing as I seem to have difficulty with 'red' fabric running, I have the colour catchers and use vinegar and yet many still run and I buy from Spotlight and the good fabric stores still it runs and as I have a grandson and of course reds work well with boy quilts I was wondering if you have problems. Your Anni Downs had red so it triggered my question.

 

If you have a trick up your sleeve this frustrated quilter would love to know about it."

.........take care til next time.....Chookyblue.........

friendship...........

I have made some wonderful friends thru blogging...........with so much happening here Fairy Girl and I decided we needed a few days away together..........a good distraction............so we had thought about going to Cardygirl's.....(some of you may have worked that out on Cardy's blog)......there was a lot of  on/off on/off on/off..........finally we decided it was on and there was a quick rush to pack some sewing and clothes and head off..........it was a bit of a wet trip but not tooo wet like some parts of the state......thank goodness.....I didn't want to get stuck somewhere.........

Anyway we've had a great time..........checked out quite a few patchwork shops in Newcastle one day.......so many nice things but I was very reserved and only brought a couple of pieces of fabric for a project.........I have never got to so many patchwork shops in such a short space of time..........lunch with Patricia from "Too many eggs" ...........didn't even think to take a pic but it was a lovely time away..............quite funny when we went to leave there were cows walking down the street out the front of Cardy's..........more like something I would see at home..............thanks Cardygirl we had a great time.........

&&&&

This is also another catch up post..............

some goodies I have received at Christmas from "blog friends"

I just love everything..........

This little bundle was from Lise...........can't wait to see you at Girls Day In the Country in Nundle 

well I am sure you can guess who this parcel was from.............

Yep it sure is Polkadots and Ric Rac..........Cheryl thanks for the lovely Christmas runner and note book..............

Satu sent me this bookmark and drink coaster..........wrapped in very cute paper......

Karol Ann  sent me this decoration for my christmas tree............perfect colour for me........

Nemo sent me these goodies below............

the breeze and light catches it very easy and ...........so cute.......

And this knitted decoration...............different to the one Anne 

Heidi sent me but they look great hanging on the tree together.......

Laila made me this selvedge zipper bag..........I have been using it to keep some of the essential charger/cords that I keep mis-placing........and chooky buttons.......

I am so lucky to have great friends online............

Catch you later..............

Chookyblue

SSCS sent..............

Back to the belated posts................on christmas day I got the most exciting phone call.............Bookworm answered it and said "it's for you Mum and it sounds like a Kiwi"
I thought no it couldn't be Nicky.............but yes it was...............
Nicky had opened her SSCS present and decided to ring me up to thank me
We had a great chat...........thanks Nicky it added to my wonderful Christmas day..........
it was like chatting to an old friend............
And this is what I sent to Nicky............
Peaceful Garden by Anni Downs Hatched and Patched

I changed one of the little stitches into a dodgy drawn by me chook as Nicky and I both have chooks.........
I stitched the dress etc instead of applique............

a few other bits and pieces included in the parcel............

I even used one of Anni's labels.............
This was a project design from Girls Day in the Country last year so it was great to get it finished.............

Now I just have to stitch one for me.............
It's very wet here..........we had a big dump of rain early Tuesday morning..............

Catch you later..............

Chookyblue