I have added....

.....the deadline of 30th April  in the blurb at the top of the page. There is an earlier post "Deadline" explaining it more fully,
Happy heart stitching.

Fantastic Fifth Grade class.....

.....at Silverbrook Elementary School in Fairfax Station, Virginia, USA.
All these hearts are handmade and there is a huge box of them....115!!! WOW!!
Thank you to Debbie Crooks who I guess was the organiser. Huge thanks to the children. You have done a brilliant job.

Named & Anonymous

Very elegant hearts from Julie, Pukekohe, NZ. Thank you for 12 beautiful Hearts. Julie was assisted by her 9yr old Grandaughter....big thanks to you too, Corrina.

An Anonymous maker....I can tell they are  from NZ by the stamp.
Thank you, whoever you are.

NZ

Both South & North Island represented here.

From Roberta in Twizel (Sth Is), the three super hearts on the right and on the left a golden heart from Marion, Feilding (Nth Is). Thank you both, very much.

San Luis Obispo Quilt Guild

A generous contribution from this Guild. There are some big hearts in the both the package and makers.

Many thanks for these 27 Hearts.

Stratford Quilters....

Stratford, NZ quilters have sent 40 hearts. Some are named but others aren't so I guessed and placed the hearts together in what appears to be makers!

The following are signed:

Fabulous white hearts from Jennifer, Stratford, NZ.

Cute as a button hearts from Eve and opulent maroon/gold from Debbie.
Heartfelt thanks to all you clever and generous stitchers.

Donated fabric....

Maureen in Victoria, Australia sent some fabric with her hearts. Dorothy and a friend have turned it into great looking hearts. Many thanks.

One third....

The pictures I put up last night are just one third of the hearts that came across the island!
Lots more to see when the camera cools down....(recharges)!

The Stepping Stone Quilters.....

.....of Nassau, Bahamas have created these (53) wonderful hearts. The hearts have been made from either local Batiked cottons -Androsia - or from fabrics by Bahama Hand Prints. I do believe these fabrics are now my new favourite thing! Heartfelt thanks to you all.

Lovely mail from....

......Massachusetts. Many thanks to Stephanie.

From Quilting Friends.....

....in Iowa.

12 colourful hearts. Thank you, so much.

Australia....

Sent by Elaine from NSW, Australia. 15 little beauties!

Many thanks Elaine and Robyn.

Some Quilters.....

.....in North Carolina sent these.

Thank you for this lovely selection.

Above and Beyond....

....which refers to the posts above and beyond this! Stage 1 of a photo frenzy!
An ANZUS selection....

On the left, Special delivery from Janet (she had to walk from next door). Great CQ Heart....I covet that dyed silk ribbon! (I am starting to covet a lot, aren't I)? Thanks, Janet.
In the middle, a couple of hearts from Jodi, NT, Australia. They are little sweeties.....many thanks.
To the right  the last of the ANZUS trio....from Ray in Clarksville, MD, USA....thank you.

SEIZED!!!

One of our precious hearts has been seized. Package opened and  taken into custody by MAF (our bio security agency).  I have taken the photo on top of the letter that came with them, not that it is very clear.
Reason it was seized...."contains plant or seed material".

Jaye from Daly City, USA sent these....many thanks to Jaye and her Mom.

Anonymous delivery....

..... of 16 hearts.
 They are from the North Shore, NZ. (Note: this place always has a 'the' in front of it)! The spotty card tells me they are from Shore Thing. Not sure if that is one individual or a bunch of Shore girls. You can see in the picture a few different styles. Thank you ever so much.

Pictures of the Karuna Craft Group hearts....

....all stuffed and presentable! 38 hearts.

Thank you all very much....great effort.

Deadline....

Yes, there has to be one!  The gathering of hearts will end on April 30th. The timing is to allow the hearts to go to Christchurch ready to be exhibited in May prior to being given away.
There is a shortage of mail delivery days in April with no mail delivery for the four days of Easter. (No delivery on Sundays). On average mail from US & Canada is taking 9 days, from Austalia 4-5 days, UK 8 days, NZ 1-3 days.
To those who have offered to make more...please do so. It is very heartening when a 'repeat' package arrives with the makers simply wanting to do more.
The hearts aren't leaving here on the 30th....there could well be stuffing and of course packaging to be done so I will be able to receive any 'stragglers.'
So who's up for doubling the numbers?

Huge shipment.....

I think the hearts are breeding over at Dorothy's! Remember when I said two hundred were coming over to me? Ha....such an understatement. They are being brought over tomorrow so I may have them tomorrow night or Tuesday. I am so excited (me breaking into song again)!

Karuna Craft Group......

Hearts from Brisbane have arrived but there is a bit of stuffing to do and stitching up of gaps so I will photograph them when they are all done. Just wanted you to know they have arrived safely.

From Australia & USA

The CQ Heart on the left is from Sandra, South Carolina....the photo doesn't do the fabrics justice. Many thanks.
On the right Annette from Victoria, Aus has sent this lovely felt heart. I like the button flowers. Thanks a lot, Annette.

Mail from Chattanooga....

Bonnets, flower and a Teddy from Julie in Chattanooga, USA. Many thanks, Julie ( Your note asking me to email you on their arrival didn't actually have your email address on it so I hope you read here of their safe arrival).

My UK friend...

....is Di.
So, thank you, my friend, for this collection you've sent.

These hearts were made by Rosemary, UK. The 'Hugs' on the side aren't joined to the bigger hearts....clever idea. Thank you.

Made by Di, Northampton,UK. Ta muchly!

I am loving the mini hearts....they are soooooo cute! Above are made by Glenda, UK. Thank you very much.



Today....

....my youngest grandaughter's 1st birthday party....oh, I do enjoy the total abandon of children....a cupcake in one hand and a potato chip in the other....eaten in alternate bites!

Today's mail does contain around 40 hearts to be stuffed so not all are ready for their photo shoot.

These hearts are from Carol  in Nashville Tennessee. Many thanks for the lovely card you sent me and thank you for the hearts. I 'get' being a Scot living somewhere else....me too!

Have you any idea.....

....how hard it is to take a photograph of a swinging object when you are on your own???
The first pic is of a hanging trio of hearts from Jeannie in San Diego.

More from Jeannie....

A 'wall hanging' and two seperate hearts at the top.
Thank you so much.

Let's revisit Friday....

This is a work by Rev. Marci Reid-Smith of Greensboro, North Carolina, USA.
I knew this was coming and also knew it was of a fragile nature. I was just a tad nervous opening this package as I so wanted it to have survived the rigours of two postal systems....not to mention the line out throws of baggage handlers!
Whew!

Cynthia Peck added some more hearts to the shipment (you will see Cindy's other contributions if you scroll back)...

I want to haul out lots of superlatives and adjectives but I will resort instead to capitals....in the 'I am not yelling' spirit....THANK YOU.

Are you feeling neglected?

No pictures yesterday. The suspense must be killing you! There is a bit of stuffing to be done but I am about to take pics of those that are ready....see you soon.

Today brought.....

.....hearts and art! I aim to get pictures up tonight but a bit of suspense won't hurt you!
Camera is charging which shouldn't take all that long but I do have to do some non heart related things...like grocery shopping!
Be back later!
Meantime just have another look at all the hearts....never let older posts languish unvisited. Thanks.

How quickly things change!

1200+ HEARTS

An amazing delivery of 200+ to Dorothy's. The hearts will be brought across the island to me on the weekend so I will get busy photographing them and post the pictures asap.

I am so excitied!

One of those break into song moments!

( A bit of an explanation about the Island! I live on the East Coast of the North Island of NZ and this delivery was to Dorothy on the West Coast of the North Island).

Today I quickly made.....

.....a very special heart! Every heart is special but the reason this one gets a mention is the tally of hearts earlier today was 999!
Now you know why I quickly made one more!!!

1000 HEARTS

More from the States....

Many thanks to Wendy, Nth Carolina for these floral hearts.

A collection of 11 hearts from Cecelia, Pennsylvania, USA. Thank you so much.

Friday Quilters.....

A bunch of hearts from Friday Quilters in Blenheim, NZ
Twenty in all. Many thanks.

Little black hearts.....

Aren't these gorgeous? Donated by Alina, Napier (my very fine pedicurist)! Thanked in person.

As I glanced....

....at the diminishing bag of stuffing I made a mental note to buy some more. I continued opening hearts and unwrapped these hearts...in a flat state.

The anonymous sender included a small note asking they be stuffed and another note with which to buy the stuffing. How kind and where ever you are ....great timing! Thank you very much. These hearts have been stuffed within an inch of their lives!

Felt Fiesta.....

Jill in Lower Hutt has sent more of her felted wonders....

Huge thanks for your hearts and your passion for the "giving of love through our process of hand making and stitching fibre".

Hearty thanks!