Day Tripping

I took a day trip to Woodend today to check out Abbe's beautiful new Craft Retreat.

My quickly snapped photos don't do it justice!

It was so warm and cosy inside (just what was needed on an 8 degree day).

There's plenty of space to chill....

Big comfy beds with lovely handmade quilts....

... and somewhere to relax in style.

But of course, the most popular room today was the huge craft space.

The Open Weekend continues tomorrow (Sunday 15th) - you can visit between 10AM and 5PM.  Just contact Abbe via these details. It's a really easy weekend drive from Melbourne.

The Retreat Woodend

Forgive me for this blatant piece of advertising, but trust me, I'm doing it for your own good...

You see, I can't actually enter the giveaway, because I can't leave Melbourne for the weekend.

But, I'm quite sure that there are plenty of crafters out there who would love to win a weekend away valued at $950 with 9 of their crafty friends at The Retreat Woodend.

Pop on over to Copper Patch for all the details.

*International and Interstate peeps who can't make it to The Retreat can still enter to win a $100 fabric voucher from The Fat Quarter Shop.

Random Friday

The first photoshop class was fabulous yesterday. It's been so long since I've been anywhere near a classroom, but it's really re-inforced to me that I'm most definitely a teacher/classroom/textbook type of learner.

The bonus bit - I finally met Cintia from My Poppet as we're both doing the course (thank goodness she tweeted about it or I may have missed out)!


The festival of birthday begins today with watching the Preppie in a class performance at school assembly, and then we have the sisterlyopshoppingpalooza (I'm sure that's a real word), and lunch at my favourite cafe (sorry pulmonary rehab, but I'm ditching you today)!

 Photo courtesy Copper Patch

Abbe needs some help answering some Craft Retreat questions here.

I'm testing out my newly learned vector drawing skills on the May Skirt Sew Along button. I'm hoping that it looks like a skirt in a wintery type fabric?

Anyway, check out the blog on Monday to sign up for the Sew Along. You can make any skirt that your heart desires for the challenge, but if you're thinking about making a You Sew Girl A-Line Skirt, the pattern is available here.

Happy Random Friday!

The best bit about crafty blogging...

...is most definitely the people that you meet.

Red Brick Gallery

Where else can you find so many likeminded souls who'll spend an entire day chatting about craft and fabric and blogging and op shopping?

Thankyou so much to Brianna (my personal navigator), Vic & Punky, Bianca, Abbe & Harvey, Jodie, and Sel for coming along for a slightly forgetful and disorganised day out in Ballarat.

Ballarat Patchwork

PS - I'll be back tomorrow with some photos from the fabulous Group Exhibition at Red Brick Gallery. Can't wait to show you my favourite piece!

Microsoft Office Home and Business 2010 - Winner

Thanks so much to everyone who entered my giveaway.... and now to the exciting part!

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I need it! PLEASE?! I really wish that the giveaway god would smile on me for this one! Thanks Cam!! - Visit Considering my luck I think if I won anything it would be a miracle!! Plus we could do with an update.... :) - Visit It would be the perfect reward for finally finishing my Business Plan. Cause from this day on I have to be more business like - Visit It would be great to win something that would benefit my whole family. Thanks for the opportunity! - Visit Love it, Love it, Love it. - Visit Our copy of 2007 has to be uninstalled when my hubby finishes up work - would love love love to win a copy of our very own! - Visit Id love this software, but am trying to be sensible and save money - please count me in your draw! - Visit I would love to win this; would really help out given Ive just started my own business. - Visit My husband has never been interested in blogs until he read yours over my shoulder. Id love to win this for him, my IT man. - Visit I totally need it because my Microsoft programs area always crashing and having a hissy fit at me. It drives me beserk. - Visit Oh this is perfect timing, Im just about to launch my oilcloth business Messy Essy and need to get a copy of this software,C - Visit Id like this for my sister so she can do her school work on instead of Open Office. That way theres no compatibility issues. - Visit our "new" laptops trial ran out and so did our cash so the old version was installed. would love to upgrade! - Visit Yes please!... see comment. x - Visit This would be one way to keep in sweet with Mr Button. Hes not too fussed on gifts of fabric but this would float his boat! - Visit we had to reformay our whole computer and lost our office suite - would love to replace it for free! - Visit We broke down and finally bought a new computer, but it didnt come with software (trials only). This would be handy! - Visit why should I win? Because Im sick of the little box coming up that says "please validate your trial period". I hope I win :-) - Visit Oh, just what I desperately need....my PC died recently and I havent yet got Office installed.... - Visit If I won this my kids PC would be compatible with my mac for office documents yeah no worrying about backward compatibility. - Visit This is probably what I need to get organised instead of having "stuff" all over the place ! - Visit Its time to update our computer. How great would it be to win this! - Visit My sister would love a copy of this on her laptop! Thanks - Visit I need to write one more essay for uni, Word will make my life much easier! - Visit

the boy would love me forever! and well it would mean id love to use his computer ha ha! thanks! - Visit I need this software! I have a very old system on my computer and it is slowing me down! Help me become speedy and efficient! - Visit Id love to win this Cam, it would be ace for the whole family xo - Visit I have to upgrade my 5 year old laptop and it would be ace to not have to outlay the moolah for some software! - Visit Great give away Cam. - Visit My poor retro pc is chugging along with Vintage OfficeXP so I would be SUPER EXCITED to try such a new fangled version!! - Visit Oh please count me in, I bought the student version last year & it doesnt have outlook *sob* DH wont let me buy this one :( - Visit Oooh it would be great to have the business component and Id love to upgrade the Office. Thanks Cam x - Visit My computer does email and internet but not much else. I think this might just improve things a little! - Visit Id love to win this bec. our computer needs to be "dood-ed up" with useful programs- its embarrassing! - Visit Wow, wouldnt it be nice to be up to date!! - Visit Wow, wouldnt it be nice to be up to date!! - Visit Id love to win this Software because Ive just started my new business, getting a new computer and this is just what I need. - Visit What a great giveaway! I would donate it to my local fire brigade (I am the secretary so know it something we need!). - Visit Oooh I would really need to win this - Visit Honestly, I think the newest version we have is 2005 - this would be a great update for us that we really cant afford! - Visit wonderful Cam! thanks - Visit Seeing as my old version is not doing too well on Vista, I would love to enter. And youve got to be in it to win it, even - Visit A very generous giveaway! Hope you pick me! - Visit Oooh a giveaway!!! Im about to update my computer... so winning this would be fantastic!!! - Visit I scraped and scraped to buy a PC, to find it had no msoffice. A single mum with a toddler my pc keeps me company at night. - Visit This linky list is now closed.

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 The winner is number 32 - Abbe from Copper Patch.

Congratulations Abbe - can you please email me your address and I'll pop your prize in the post first thing Monday morning!

A very important decision

I read Abbe's very sad story about the passing of a work colleagues' husband over the weekend. It immediately made me think about subject of organ donation.

Today Abbe has written another heartfelt post.  During such a sad time, his family have given the ultimate gift and decided to donate his organs.

Please discuss organ donation with your loved ones, and sign up on the national register. You just never know when you or one of your loved ones may need the generousity of that ultimate gift.

Thankyou Abbe for letting me share your story...

Home Again

Watching the lawn bowls...

I'm home again after a lovely weekend away in the country.

I had my market stall at the Daylesford Makers Market on Saturday. The weather was perfect, and the stallholders and customer were lovely, which makes it a wonderful day out . I met Jocelyn from Bye Bye Birdie, Dana from Twiglet, Michelle from Kids with Crayons, Sonya from Sago on Tuesdays and Rachelle from Rachelle and Co.

My stall was next to Amber from UB Design. She had the most gorgeous resin bangles, but my abnormally skinny wrists meant that I couldn't buy one...drats.

There were bloggy visitors too - Jodie, Annie, Jacinta, and Abbe all popped by and said hello (I hope I didn't miss anyone).

I only managed to snap a couple of quick photos of my own stall before the market started, but there are some great photos over at the market blog.

 

I came home with some more bike fabric (still in my suitcase) from Martine at Greenolive , some home made yo yo biccies (since consumed of course), and this lovely hanmade embroidered lavender sachet envelope from Rachelle.... how sweet!

After the market, we all headed into Ballarat for a yummy dinner on Saturday night, and then visited my dad before heading back to Clunes for an early night.

My nephews had a great time playing at the park, and riding their scooters down the street to Widow Twankeys to buy lollies.

The twins climbed everything they could find!

Thismorning it was pancakes with maple syrup and cream at home, before we headed down to the main street for coffee and a light lunch.......

The weekend sailed by far too quickly, and it was time to head home...... I'll be making the same road trip again in April - yippee!

Not my forte

Abbe from Copper Patch put the call out last week for a little bit of help in getting a quilt made for one of her friends. I certainly do not have any quilt piecing skills but I volunteered to help out.

Following Abbe's tutorial, I pieced together my block thismorning.... but it didn't quite end up being the correct size. I think that my quarter inch seams may have been a little more than a quarter inch....

I'm hoping that it's still useful in the overall quilt so I've sent it off thismorning. Fingers crossed!

PS - I think there's still time to get involved if you have time to help.