Going to get up to some Hijinks...

Oh, I love having something to look forward to!!

Gillian and Jodie have put their heads together for this....It's going to be ace! I haven't been to a bloggy catch up thing for ages. Meeting some new bloggers and crafters, and catching up with old bloggers that have become real-life friends. Hopefully I wont go all shy and not talk to anyone on the day, then become friends online later on (der, but it has happened).

Sign up now if you haven't and can make it, and we'll see you there!

A Bit Belated.....(and probably a bit long)

 So I picked myself up last weekend from the sadness of giving that lovely quilt away- and moved onto the next one! I first saw this quilt at the first kid's class we did at Millrose Cottage, and wanted to make it pretty badly! So on Saturday just gone I went to my 4th (4th!) class at Ballan, and got started on it!

I'd asked for a fabric pack made up- the 'choosing of the fabrics' isn't my favourite bit! I like a pack, bundle, layer cake, anything that saves me too much 'thinking about it'. Unlucky for poor Liz working that day the fabric packs weren't there, but lucky for me she quickly helped me put my own together- and I helped too! So breaking me out of my comfort zone a bit....

 the original

 

mine

We all got a Dresden finished nearly finished  for the day- 2 girls were hand piecing (eek!) and us others were probably just chatting too much! A great bunch to sew with. Judy was a fantastic teacher, pulling us into line, great explanations, and I'm soooo not worried I can't finish this now. In fact, I got home and continued on, completing 180 Dresden 'petals' but bedtime. 

So why do I travel an hr from home to do a class when a) I can teach myself most things via the net or books and b) I always buy extra fabric and really shouldn't be let loose in that shop at all?

The class includes a great lunch, at the cafe next door, and you pretty much don't think about a thing for the whole time you are there. 'Would you like a coffee?' on arrival, to afternoon tea, at the perfect time you're getting snoozy from a big drive and longish day.

 

 menu

As an added bonus the farmer's market was on that day, so a 'breakfast' on a chicken sausage in bread was a great start to the day too! I think I'd have to do the Farmer's Market on a 'non-class' day, as I don't want to waste sewing time haha

I realised on the day I hadn't blogged about the 2nd 'kid's class' Little Miss and I did over the last school holidays! Nearly the same group...

 they all got on like a house on fire, as did us mums! 

 the 'workroom';

  half a rhino;

 and Humphrey aka Dozer

a 'loon' of rhino's??

bottoms (heeheehee)

and 'stacks on!'

A seriously awesome place!

An awesome day!

I've been anxiously waiting for this day to come....

the venue

the reason 

the pattern

and a hell of a lot of lollies!

The class was HEAPS of fun, great people and kids, and they all finished a toy (better than some adults Jodie said...)

lots of incentives (and distractions) to stop the kiddies from getting bored...

 little prompts to remind the kids about their softie making;

lunch; gosh, have to add a few pics of that! The class included ANYTHING off 

the amazing menu! Plus coffees, drinks and afternoon tea!

then back to it!

And at the end of the day there were 5 finished pups! From left to right;

 Dottie, Spottie, Raspberry, Kevin, and Sally!

(3 mums and 1 Nanna were the assistants)

And my daughter's badge for Jodie says it all......

'Jodie rules'

What a fabulous day!

(and more on Millrose in the next post.....)

The last few days

So having time off over Xmas and New Year's means I still have no idea what day it is, despite a full day back at work today! Here's a bit of what happened over New Years.....

LOTS of reading. All the birthday and Xmas books have been read.

and of course, more sewing! I really can't believe I got 2 quilts done over Xmas and NY with this naggy sewing girl....

May I introduce....Snorkle!

Made from Jodie's pattern Pickle.

 she's not being rude, just mimicking Snorkel's tongue

 I went backwards on those steps! Instructions great (well, I read them anyway) and I gave her some help at the end (I can spot o UFO at 50 paces!!)

We spent the 40 dgree Celsius day on New Years Day public holiday down at the beach, so much cooler!

and sucking on ice cubes at Portsea Pub

Snorkel came too, of course.

blogtoberfest day 12

I have a crazy friend....

who knows if anyone wants Liberty fridge magnets, it would be me!

Now the kitchen is prettier, does that mean I have to spend more time in it?

Blogtoberfest'11 Day 1

Phew, made it in on day 1 in the nick of time!

I have been trying for most of the day to post, but the computer has been playing silly buggers. As my camera has broken (again) as well, this isn't a good start to the month of blogging, but I'm forgetting all those troubles and jumping right in!

Luckily I have some shots from last week of stuff I've made....

First up are bathers for the little girl. I'm a bit tired of hunting and hunting for appropriate ones, and trying to buy then out of season is a pain; in season is expensive! Rathdowne Remnants has such cheap prices (and precut pieces so you don't even have to stand in line to get your fabric cut- sweet!). I walked out of there with a metre of each colour for $12.75 TOTAL. Add in a $5 pattern up to size 14.....

I cut the rashie vest off her old one, and left the neck nice and loose (a pet hate of hers). The tankini below if just the cutest!

 Last week I also headed up on my rare day off to Ballan, and this place of beauty. Seriously an awesome day, hanging out with 2 very funny ladies, an awesome lunch and a bit of Liberty thrown in for good measure. Cup of tea anyone?

I finished another wrap skirt (unfortunately worn, washed and not ironed before this pic) from this day out

and a new summer shoes obsession has begun. Damn you, factory outlets! Bring on summer!

See over here if you want to join in the madness fun; there's giveaway's too, and definitely will be one here on this blog. But will it be announced, or a surprise one? We'll have to comment wait and see!

Long weekends.....

We Aussies love a long weekend, don't we? Actually, anyone that doesn't is a bit odd. I usually don't have plans for the long weekends, I've usually run out of money, but I've started to love pottering around at home for them; a sewing room will help with that!

Saturday morning had The Kid helping her uncle at Essendon Farmer's Market on his Happy Fruit stall; that brought us home some yummy Green Eggs and Nicolas olives. Got to be happy with that!

However, by the afternoon, the 'mozzie' bites Little Miss thought she had were spreading; they were itchy, and a call to Nurse On Call confirmed my tentative guess- Chicken Pox! She's having a mild dose, there isn't much itching or other signs of illness; but unfortunately a contagious disease means we are housebound for a bit longer. I'm confronted all the time in my professional role with idiots people who don't immunise their children, for their own beliefs, not taking in to account the effect on the child. These people spend the whole pregnancy doing the best for the baby, to then expose them for the rest of their to preventable illness! Yes, they may still get the illness, but the effects are so much less. I truly believe those parents needs to tour the hospitals and see the effects on the kids before they are allowed to non immunise!

Sorry, rant over!

So we have had forts; Enid Blyton story Cd's on constant repeat (Curious Connie is SUCH a pain);

getting everything out but not finding 'anything to do';

 and lots of silly message-bot notes.

The other family member is causing just as much fuss. I woke this morning to find the sewing room

on its way to being trashed....

only to find the 'Guardian of The Stash' flat out at work. She had knocked the doily box over in

 her efforts to get to the vintage pile!

Using part of the vintage stash also causes lots of fun- bunny kicks and crazy eyes! What have I created??????