Over the last couple of months, I realise I've become addicted to Cottages! They seem to be appearing everywhere in my designs! We have a beautiful home which I absolutely love, but a modern large home just doesn't cut it when it comes to applique and stitching!!! My Rosebud Cottage was the project I taught at the Creative Craft Retreat last year, and now it has been published and the pattern is available in Australian Country Threads magazine, Vol 14 No 1. Of course a sweet country cottage needs a wheelbarrow full of flowers: and a fountain through an arch: As you can see, it is a practical project - a 6 inch box for all your treasures: I was looking back through some of my designs to see when I started becoming addicted to Cottages. I think it began with my Country Cottage Calendar a couple of years ago: Then my free 2011 Block of the Month Quilt, Consider the Lilies, had this cute little cottage: and last year Maisie lived in this while she tended her Market Garden: Now we're up to this year! Remember my 100th published design, Calista Cottage? The pattern is now available for purchase along with my other cottages on my Wall-quilt page. If you prefer instant download, you can purchase the pattern at my Craftsy Pattern store. Our house is rather quiet now. Our daughter who lives overseas was living with us for the last 6½ weeks and she went back home on Friday. She has a very hearty laugh and kept us entertained with lots of anecdotes. Now it's time to start meeting some of the deadlines that are looming - a cushion, a tablecloth, a stitchery, answer to Profile questions and some embroidery for an editor who phoned to ask did I have anything in mind for her! I love my retirement career! As if there aren't enough photos in this post, I will finish with a sneak peak of another cottage which will be published later this year: Happy stitching! Val