Boy am I ever aggravated

I'm not aggravated about not being able to change my name to my full name as I am sure you will notice that Patricia has left the building and Patti is back.  Everyone here has just called me that for too long so guess I can't go back to Patti after all.

What I am aggravated about is that I won a $30.00 gift certificate from Sara at Sew Sweetness (great blog by the way so be sure and go and visit it) about a month ago for a gift certificate from Stash Modern Fabric.  Well I spent the $30.00 on gorgeous fabric

Sorry photo taken at night so
colors aren't exactly right - my stool is purple irl

and because the gift certificate was for $30.00 I, of course, paid for the postage - no biggie my choice.  That isn't what has aggravated me.  What aggravated me big time was that, as most of you know, I live in the UK so what really aggravated me was

£11.99 for the privilege of getting this fabric and they hold
It for their ransom until you pay


As usual  is the British Post Iffice because they charge £8.00 for charging me the damn VAT (that's Value Added Tax which is charged at 20%).  I have no problem with paying the 20% tax because in this country unless you are shopping at Costco everything you buy is inclusive of VAT so we don't even notice it to be truthful.

Sew to end my tale of woe fabric would have cost less if I had bought it here in the UK and not won it. So please people here in the U.K. let this be a lesson to you because it has been for me.  I will think long and hard before buying fabric from the USA especially as their postal rates have gone up sew much!

Oh yeah and another thing I won't be buying anymore here is The Jewish  Chronicle which has risen in the last year from £1.00 to £1.90 and I shall really miss it.

Okay griping over you'll be happy to know and normal service including a picture of my tidy sewing room after today and a great giveaway which should have been my blogaversary giveaway and even some sewing with my new sewing machine which I haven't even switched on yet and the sewing machine I have bought for our eldest granddaughter for her 10th birthday next month and collecting tomorrow. She will be so excited and photos will be taken of her getting it and using it. I can't wait.

See you soon
Patti xxx
American by birth and MOUTH but British in every other way

I knew that Quilters were THE nices people BUT...

I received not one but two blocks from Donna Pitts who lives in Edmond Oklahoma, in case there are two Donna Pitts who are amazingly generous and thoughtful and belong to the Block Swap Adventure.  I dropped out of this for a while due to all the crap that has been my life of late.

Yesterday I received a note from Donna that said "Patricia it seems you've had more than your share of 'unhappy' lately.  I'm sorry you weren't able to participate in the block swap this month and I hope to cheer you a bit with a new block" and here is the gorgeous block I received from Donna

Then this morning another envelope arrived and I looked at the name that was on it and I thought to myself 'I know that name'.  Of course I know that name it was Donna again with another block.  Donna I just can't thank you enough - you are a living legend in my book.  You are one very very generous person and I truly believe that what goes round comes round and I hope somebody is as nice to you when you are having a crap time as you have been to me.  Here is the second block

It is very like the first block and I love them both to pieces and can't thank you enough.  Thank you so much Donna you are my person.

I have also received some other stuff and will write another post over the weekend and also about a new great store I found here in England that sells amazing fabric, a giveaway I won that I received and oh I don't know just some stuff and next week I am having a giveaway.

Lots of Love
Patricia xxx
American by birth and MOUTH
but British in every other way