Grati-Tuesday 3 Nov

Well I hope everyone had a wonderful time with the Cup today, whether you were there and very well dressed like two of our recipients that I know of or you watched the race elsewhere.  I just hope you won more than you lost. 

We are all winners tonight anyway with lots of lovely thank you messages to enjoy.

Here goes.....

Hi Lisa

I just wanted to thank you for the quilt you made for me. It's amazing and I think it's great. It's better than what I imagined so for a first for you, you have done great work.

Opening your package brought so much morale! So for that I am grateful.

I remember seeing service personnel coming to my primary school a couple of times and it was great and I hope to do the same! It sounds like a great program you're running with your students which will benefit so many! It's great to hear about things like that.

Keep up the great quilting and the great work you're doing with the students.

All the best. And thank you again for the great quilt.

.....

Dear Debbie,

Just letting you know, that I have received my laundry bag and I just wanted to let you know, that I absolutely love it. Thank you so much for taking the time and effort to contribute to the Aussie Hero Quilt scheme. It is something that is quite valued over here, in being sent something that is so practical, but still has that personal touch by the lovely people who take the time to make the items. I have shown a few of my friends my laundry bag and they all believe that you must have known me to get the colours and theme so right. 

After seeing my laundry bag, I am really looking forward to seeing what great ideas you come up with for my quilt. I am so lucky that you're making both. The minions theme comes from my children. I have three boys back home, who are currently being taken care of by my awesome husband. 

Thank you so much for sending it. Take your time with the quilt. There is no rush. By the time, I get it. the weather will be cooling down to warrant it. Although the air-con can get real cool at times. Thanks for all your efforts.

Kind Regards

.....

Dear Ruth,

Firstly let me thank you for your beautiful quilt that arrived today. Mail call at the best of times is always a great morale boost for the troops but to know that someone took the time to put together something as beautiful and amazing is truly wonderful.  I'm sat on my bed with the quilt already on it. 

As we are the first rotation from Australia into our location we have very little in the way of luxuries e.g. when we turned up we were given a pillow, two sheets and a dodgy blanket that had seen better days. 

It's also hard to picture something that is so simplistic in nature but vibrant in colour as daffodils when my scenery is dust, sand and 50 degrees temps. It leaves a very vivid picture in my memory, so thank you.

Once again Ruth, I can't thank you enough for all you and the team at Aussie Quilts do for us.  Know that it is a significant memory that will be remembered.

Kind regards,

.......

Good Morning Jan-Maree and Natalie, 

Thank you very much for the beautiful quilt and laundry bag that I received yesterday. Thank you also for the bags of lollies too! 

I will always treasure my quilt and laundry bag. 

Thanks and regards, 

.....

Dear Kate,

Thank you so much for the absolutely beautiful quilt you made me!  When I put in a request for a quilt with an Australian outback theme I never imagined it could ever look that good.  I really appreciate all the time and effort you put into making it.  Personally I am not much of a sewer, so to look at the intricate detail just blew my mind!  I definitely think your experiments worked.  This quilt is something I will keep forever and show off to people when I get home.

I am quite enjoying myself here.  I have learned many new things and met so many fun people.  However, I am definitely looking forward to coming home!

Again, thank you very much for the quilt.  

A big thanks to Aussie Hero Quilts for all the work they do.

All the best, 

.....

Hi Carol

Just a quick email to let you know my quilt arrived safely and to thank you so very much for the work you have put into it. It is exactly what I pictured and will sit pride and place with all my other sporting paraphernalia. In the not to distant future I will get a photo to you to show my appreciation of your fantastic work.

You and all the ladies do an amazing job, the gifts we receive with the notes accompanying these works of art really make us feel very special and appreciated. 

Thank you once again Carol and I look forward to further correspondence. Take care  

.....

Dear Rita M,

I have just received your gracious Gift of the Broncos Quilt. Thank you so much for it. It looks supurb and the quality and detail is amazing. From just giving you the words "Broncos NRL", you were able to turn that into something quiet amazing.

I have been serving in the army since I was 18 years old and this is my first deployment overseas. I am employed as a  Fitter Armament. I am a Fitter and Turner by trade but in the Army our main job is the service, maintenance and modification of the weapon systems that are in service over here. 

Thank you again for this wonderful gift. It does really mean a lot to know that there are Australians out there that do support what we are doing and receiving Quilts, gifts and letter like this really does mean a lot to every serving member over here. I know this quilt will be cherished for a life time.

Your sincerely 

.....

Kay C,

Where do I start, thank you is not enough for excitement your quilt has brought me.

It is perfect and as you say a one-off which makes it even more special.

I was going to send you a letter, but decided that would take too long to get to you. I want you to know how grateful I am straight away, so I hope you don't mind the email.

Unfortunately only one of my three boys goes for the Kangaroos, the two younger ones got brainwashed while we lived in Geelong for 1 year and are now Cats fans.

I have decided to hang the quilt up in my room, as it is too special to be on my bed, however I have attached a photo of the quilt hanging and placed on my bed. It has brightened my room up, which is a plain box shape with cream walls and white roof.

Again thank you so very much, it is appreciated beyond words can describe.

Bring on AFL 2016

Kindest Regards

 .....

Hi Sue,

        Firstly let me say thank-you very much for the quilt you've made for me. It was quite a nice surprise to receive your package and it is very humbling that there are people at home in Australia who care about what we do. 

Small packages from friends, family and people in the community really do mean a lot to us and it provides us with a great deal of pride and the motivation to continue.

The quality of your quilt is extremely professional and I appreciate the amount of time and effort that you have gone to make it- so thanks very much. It will be put to good use when I am at home next year in the cold weather. I don't really need it at the moment as its currently very hot here, however it is starting to cool down slightly now that we are coming into the winter months.

So once again thanks very much.

.....

Dear Cheri and Graeme,

It is with sincere appreciation that I say a massive thank you for the time and effort you put in to making the quilt for my daughter. It looks absolutely amazing and I have no doubt she will adore it like I adore her.

The deployment has been very eventful so far as you just have to google the name of our ship to know. This is my forth deployment to the Middle East in five years and it get's harder as my children get older.  I have missed out on so many milestones and am looking forward to getting home next year. 

Your family must be proud of your husbands service and I pass on my thanks to him. My godfather deployed to Vietnam with the Navy in 1968 and 1971. I have always had an interest in modern warfare specially the Vietnam War. I have visited the place which I have found amazing as a tourist and appreciate and respect both sides who fought in the war.

Thank you once again and god bless.

....

Leah,

Just a quick thank you for the quilt and laundry bag you made for me, I appreciate the time and effort that yourself (and your son Flynn) put into both items, they look great!

Yes it's very hard to be away from family.  I am not fortunate enough to have any children just yet but my partner and I look forward to the day it happens!!!

I've just returned from ROCL to your parcel. Was a great welcome back gift. 

Thanks again for your efforts, you have gone above and beyond with all our quilts, perfect timing coming into winter here.

Kindest regards

.....

Hi Jean,

My Laundry Bag arrived today - I'm absolutely delighted. There were a few of my work mates around when I opened the parcel and they thought it was excellent too. Aussie flags, Aircraft and Bega (I especially like the Bega part). My wife is 

Thanks again for the Bag and the best wishes

Regards

.....

G'day Judy! 

First of all I would like to thank you for taking the time to make and send me an awesome laundry bag! It's great and you did a fantastic job creating it.

It's lovely to have some friendly Aussie contact when we are all deployed away for months at a time, away from families and Australia. It is always nice to feel appreciated for the work we do and it is definitely felt across the ADF when people like you go out of your way to send some love our way.

Thank you for sending me some awesome stuff!

All the best from the middle east.

.....

This thank you is for one of our BOM quilts that Sue M and I put together out of half square triangle BOM blocks!

Hi Jan-Maree,

The quilt you sent arrived yesterday it was great, It makes my little room here more colourful and warm once again.  Thank you and all the others for your support time and thought that goes into making all your quilts. I will have this for years to come. I hope you all have a lovely Christmas break.

.....

Hello Joan and Robin

I just received my Laundry bag and had a massive smile on my face,

It is great to have got this and in such short time

Thank you very much for this it means a lot

Will take a photo and send shortly 

once again thank you and best wishes

.....

Donna,

 

Today I received an ABSOLUTELY beautiful quilt that you made for me (with the dragon picture on it).  I absolutely loved the design & colours used, everyone here was jealous but envious of it.

The moment I opened the box and unfolded the quilt I had a big smile from ear to ear for the rest of the day :) 

 

I also enjoyed reading your letter, I come from XXXXX too.

 

I would also like to thank your son for helping with the design. I love it.

.....

Till next time..............keep spreading the word and happy stitching!

Jan-Maree  xx