Tag Along Teddies Blog

Happy Birthday Australia!!

2012-01-26T17:20:00.000+10:00

Well, it's January 26 here in Australia (I know some parts of the world haven't quite caught up with us yet! Tee! Hee! Hee!) and that means that it's

AUSTRALIA DAY!

When you scratch the surface, most of us are pretty patriotic ... especially if our national sporting teams are competing! :0) But Australia Day is a day where we particularly take a little bit of time to think about what it means to be an Aussie and how very blessed we are to live in a land of beauty and opportunity, a land of helping your mates, a land of 'have-a-go' and 'she'll-be-right-mate' attitudes.

As part of Australia Day celebrations around the nation, awards are given at federal, state and local levels to recognise the contribution that people make to help their fellow Aussies. Well ... today in the little country town of Mundubbera, a very special lady's contribution to HER community was recognised ... yep ... MY MUM received a Certificate of Appreciation for her contribution to the cultural life of the town of Mundubbera. :0) I would have loved to have been on hand to see her reaction, but I had a chat to Dad to get the lowdown.

Apparently, they started to read out the various ways in which the award recipient contributes to her local community ... volunteer work with Meals on Wheels, the local visitor information centre, the art gallery and Driver Reviver. At this point Mum commented to Dad, "Gee, they do a lot of the things that I do." The announcer went on to add that 'this person' also volunteers to read the local paper onto tape for the sight-impaired, helps organise regular singing mornings at the local hospital, makes meals for new mums or folks going through tough times ... she still hadn't twigged that it was her!! ... this person also helps at many community events and co-ordinates the collection and packing of hundreds of shoe boxes every year as part of the Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child. FINALLY at this point, Mum turned to Dad and said, "That's me!" Dad grinned and said, "Yep." She apparently gave him a poke in the ribs and said, "Did you know about this?" He replied, "Yep." (A man of few words, my Dad! Tee! Hee! Hee!) It was at this point that Mum turned to him and said, "You bugger!!" Tee! Hee! Hee! It's not often Dad gets one over Mum, so I think he decided it was worth the poked ribs! :0)

I am so very proud of my Mum ... even without the special award. Cos when they were handing out her certificate, I bet they didn't include things like ... she was always there for my brother and me when we came home from school to give us afternoon tea and listen to our day's adventures, she supported us in whatever endeavours we undertook, encouraging us to be the best we could be, to work hard and dream big. Together with Dad, she provided a stable, loving ... slightly loony!! ... home for me to grow up in, somewhere where I know I will always be accepted and loved ... along with any friends and strays I may bring home with me! :0) I guess this Australia Day award really just confirms what I've known all along ... My Mum is FABULOUS!!!! :0) Congratulations Mum ... I love you heaps!!

Here's a group photo of all the award winners. Congratulations to all! Without the efforts, contribution and flat out HARD WORK of every-day Aussies, our communities would be much less than what they are. Oh ... and I just have to mention, too, that the overall Australian Of The Year award went to a boy from Toowoomba ... Geoffrey Rush! Go Queensland!!! :0)

So ... I hope you've all had a great day, whether you're overseas and it was 'business as usual' or if you're in some part of Australia celebrating what it means to be an Aussie. :0) Til next time ...

AUSSIE! AUSSIE! AUSSIE!!

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!
KRIS

Did You Miss Me??

2012-01-25T17:04:00.000+10:00

HA! You didn't even know I'd been gone, did you?? :0) Well ... the last week has been a bit of a whirlwind in the Meares' Madhouse ... what's different to usual, I hear those who know me well ask! :0) You see, not only was I kept busy preparing for the annual inundation that accompanies the sign-up for OPAM (One Project A Month), my Beloved Geek Boy was diagnosed with a nasty case of tonsillitis ... AND ... we went on a little weekend jaunt to Mackay ... some 1200km from our hilltop home!! No, we haven't completely lost our minds ... well ... perhaps!!! Tee! Hee! Hee! But let me explain ...

You see ... GB found that he had to travel to Mackay ... where both sets of our parents' grew up and we each spent lots of time as kids for school holidays ... to install a video conferencing system and when he was booking his flights, he found we could get cheap tickets for me to go too. So we thought ... "Why not?!!" You didn't really think we'd DRIVE all that way for a weekend, did you?!?! :0)

So ... ports were rapidly packed, with fingers crossed that I'd remembered all of the essentials ... you know ... stitching, the latest issue of 'Homespun', iPad, laptop ... oh and clean knickers of course! Tee! Hee! Hee! Very, VERY early Friday morning (even earlier than Kerryanne's wake up time!! Tee! Hee!) we crawled out of bed and drove off to Brisbane to catch our flights. And it was about half way to Brisbane that I realised I'd left my camera sitting beside my computer! DOH!! What a bad blogger! But never fear, my iPhone camera came to the rescue ... sort of. :0)

Friday was a whirlwind of busy-ness with flights, car rentals, GB completing the job that had taken us north in the first place ... but Saturday morning was to be spent relaxing before meeting up with some of GB's extended family to start plans rolling for a family reunion later in the year. First stop had to be breakfast. We decided on a funky cafe on the river called 'Traffic'. And I ordered my most favourite brekkie ever ... Eggs Benedict ...

YUMMO!! Oops ... you can see I couldn't resist a bite or two before I thought to take a photo! Tee! Hee! Hee! How do you spot a blogger? They're the one taking photos of their food instead of eating it ! :0) Though eating this yummy brekkie very closely followed the conclusion of the photo shoot! :0) When we were leaving, we took time to have a closer look at the very special feature wall near the front entrance ...

Talk about a literal 'records wall'!! :0) While we were standing there, the cafe's owner came over for a chat ... she was as fun and funky as the cafe! She pointed out that she hadn't been able to bring herself to break some records ... it turns out they are all LP's released by Aussie singer John English and since she is a HUGE fan, she just couldn't bring herself to break his albums! Tee! Hee! Hee!

We then went for a little wander in the main shopping area ... where parking is not fun and one way streets appear out of nowhere!!! ... to visit a gorgeous little shop I discovered on a previous visit to Mackay ... De Ja Vous. Sorry ... no photo of this sweet French inspired shop due to the fact that I would have had to stand on the road and Mackay drivers are CRAZY so I wasn't going to risk it! :0) But I'll show you what I bought ... you just knew that SOMETHING followed me home, right?! Tee! Hee! Hee!

Don't you love that gorgeous aqua colour of the bag? But I digress ... I found the sweetest shabby/French photo frame ... not sure whether I'll pop a photo in there or a vintage postcard of some kind ... a couple of pretty notepads (I'm always on the lookout for pretty notepads for my birthday basket!), two pretty rose scented sachets that smell GORGEOUS!! and two sweet vintage giftie tags that will probably never be used as giftie tags, but were too pretty to pass up! :0) There were SOOOOO many other fabulous things that I would have loved to give a new home, but GB was very quick to point out that there is a weight limit for luggage when flying. DRAT! :0)

The rest of the time was spent catching up with GB's family at an aunt's beach cottage ... and would you believe it, I completely forgot to take photos. SIGH! Oh dear ... we'll just have to go back for another visit to get photos! Do you see the method in my madness?! Tee! Hee! Hee! And then on Sunday it was time to fly back to Brisbane and drive home to an overcast, cool evening on top of our 'hill' ... SIGH! Who keeps stealing my summer weather?! It's been cool, overcast and rainy since we got back ... about the only good part of that is it's been inspiring me to curl up with some stitching! :0)

Of course ... in the middle of all our travelling and tripping around, Sweet Peg and I opened the floodgate of emails by launching OPAM 2012. WOW!!! There are already about 130 people joining us in our quest to finish One Project A Month and I can tell it's going to be a FANTASTIC year! :0) I know there are a lot of other 'finish' challenges out there in blogland now ... though there weren't when May Britt and I first launched OPAM ... but I think what people seem to like best about OPAMWISPs (Works In Slow Progress ... sounds better than UFOs somehow! Tee! Hee! Hee!) or brand new projects, a finish is a finish and it goes on your tally. Plus ... it's very low-stress ... if you finish one, one hundred or zero projects in a month ... it's fine! Sweet Peg and I record the finishes you do make and encourage you on the projects that are taking a bit longer. So ... do you think you'd like to play along? You still have a few days left to sign up before we close the list on January 31, so if you're interested, read my previous post and drop Sweet Peg or me an email to join the fun.

And on that note, I think I shall go and make myself a cup of Rose and French Vanilla tea and spend the rest of this rainy afternoon stitching. Hope you're having a FABULOUS week so far. Til next time ...

DAMP BEAR HUGS!!

CHEERS!
KRIS

Brace Yourselves ... OPAM Is On Again!!

2012-01-20T06:47:00.000+10:00

Yes, it's that time of year where Sweet Peg and I ask ourselves ... "What have we done?!?!" Tee! Hee! Hee! Just kidding ... sort of! :0) It's time to start OPAM for 2012, so BRACE YOURSELVES!!

I know some of you have been playing along for a while now, but Peg and I have updated the guidelines a little, so please read through everything before you sign up ... it just helps us keep everything running smoothly. :0) The full list of guidelines for OPAM 2012 is below my signoff, so check it out and join us for a year of creativity and fun.

Without further ado ... LET THE FUN BEGIN!!!! Here's to a year full of fun, fabric and friends. Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!

KRIS

The One Project A Month (OPAM) Challenge Guidelines 2012

The idea of the “One Project A Month Challenge is pretty simple ... To try to finish at least ONE craft project by the end of each month. This can be something you’ve had partly done for a while (a Work In Slow Progress WISP), a pattern you bought ages ago that you finally get around to making up, or a completely new project. This is meant to be a low-stress challenge - if you don’t finish a project every month - that’s fine! We understand sometimes life interferes with our plans. We also realise some projects are meant to be long-term and have a LOT of work involved, like a quilt or a cross-stitch. The main aim of the OPAM Challenge is to give us all a bit of a motivational boost and to give us all a big cheer squad to encourage and inspire us.

However, there is quite a bit of time and work involved in running OPAM, so Peg and I have some guidelines we ask people to take note of AND please only sign up if you intend to follow through. If for some reason during the year you decide you don’t wish to remain part of the OPAM Challenge, just drop Peg or me an email to let us know. Please read through all guidelines before you sign up.

1. Participants must have an ACTIVE BLOG. If you change your blog address, drop us an email telling us your old address and what you’ve changed it to. If your blog is already, or you change it to, invitation only, please send Peg and I invitations, or we can’t check your finishes list each month.

2. Numbers won’t be limited for the sign up for OPAM 2012, BUT ... it WILL close on January 31 ... You must sign up before that or miss out on joining in the fun.

3. Participants can sign up via email to Kris or Peg, or via a comment on EITHER blog AS LONG AS it includes all asked for information.

4. Participants MUST provide all info asked for. * Name (first and initial of surname in case of double up names); * Email; * Blog address.

5. Participants MUST have the OPAM Challenge badge on their blog sidebar and link it to either Kris’s or Peg’s blog. (a link with instructions will come with your welcome email)

6. Participants MUST keep a list of each month’s finishes on their blog sidebar and update it BEFORE the last day of each month. (This is easiest if you add each project as you finish it.) If you can put this directly under the OPAM badge on your sidebar it will be easier for Peg and Kris to find it.

7. Only ‘soft’ crafts are included in the OPAM Challenge, ie. Projects made from fabric or wool. Some examples are: embroidery, patchwork, quilting, cross-stitch, knitting, crochet, practical sewing (curtains, clothes etc), long stitch, appliqué.

8. QUILTS: A quilt will only be counted as a finish if it is COMPLETELY finished ... Quilted and bound. Flimsies/tops won’t count as finishes.

9. BOM’s: Blocks that are part of a BOM (Block Of the Month) program will only be counted as a finish when they are joined, quilted and bound. Individual BOM blocks DO NOT count as a finish.

10. If you can email Peg or Kris your list of finishes each month BEFORE the end of the month, this would be appreciated, as it cuts down the amount of time it takes to check finishes for the month. (and saves Peg and Kris from getting square eyes!)

11. Lastly, participants MUST ... Have fun! After all, the reason we craft and create is to relax, have fun and take some time away from the “Have to” tasks to do the “Like to do” ones! :0)

Second Christmas!!

2012-01-17T15:38:00.000+10:00

Have you read the "Lord Of The Rings" books or seen the movies? (I have to confess to starting to read 'The Hobbit' and giving up on Tolkien until the movies came out!!) At one point the Hobbits talk about eating breakfast, second breakfast, elevenses, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and supper. Well ... part of the reason it's been over a week since I popped in to chat with you was a weekend trip to the Bunya Mountains where my Beloved Geek Boy and I enjoyed a 'Second Christmas'. We usually alternate Christmas and New Years' with our families ... Christmas with one family, New Years' with the other, then the next year we swap ... it works well. This year GB's family decided to head for the Bunya Mountains for the weekend 'Christmas' getaway and due to ridiculous prices over the New Years' weekend, this last weekend was chosen instead.

So bright and early on Saturday morning (Well ... early for us night owl types!!) we packed up our little car and headed for the Bunyas ... about an hour and three quarters' drive from our hilltop home. A large family size villa had been rented ...

Half of this building was ours ... Big enough for almost the whole tribe (9 adults and 9 kids ... 2 adults and 2 kids unable to attend). This was part of our spectacular view ...

I just LOOOOOOVE big, green, leafy trees! The Bunyas have lush pockets of semi-rain forest growth that are gorgeous. And first thing in the morning, I looked out the window and this was the view ...

Soft gauzy white mist, lush green grass and a couple of the very tame local wallabies. Magical! :0)

After all had arrived and settled in, it was giftie time ... I actually made quite a few gifties for the nieces and nephews but forgot to take photos of them before GB wrapped them ... OOPS! I meant to get photos of the items with their recipients ... but again forgot ... DOUBLE OOPS! :0) I did manage to snap one pic of a giftie and recipient ...

One of the nieces with the outfit we gave her ... it had to be put on right away, of course! :0) I bought the pretty skirt at a market stall, then added my own applique magic to a shirt to match ... she loved it! :0) Then we sat back and enjoyed some time catching up with family news and doings ...

Nope ... not a remake of the 'Blues Brothers', though this theatrically inclined nephew would probably be in it!! And what gal can resist trying on her big cousin's hat? :0) Of course, we also wanted to enjoy the fabulous mountain outdoors, despite the overcast and drizzly weather.

The Boules set came out of the cupboard ... you can see it's a very serious business, watching where the boules roll! :0)

Some of us went for a walk through the rain forest ... there's nothing quite so relaxing as the sound of a trickling stream, bell birds and whip birds calling while you stand under the green shady canopy of a rain forest.

And the nieces and nephews took on the challenge of the Climbing Tree. This is a fabulous natural structure created by a strangler fig growing around a host tree over many years. GB (who grew up in nearby Dalby) remembers climbing this tree as a kid, so it was fun to see the next generation of agile spider-monkeys shinnying their way up the tree. Do you see the successful adventurer way up the top there, waving to Auntie Kris ... who was smart enough to keep both flat feet on the ground and take photos! Tee! Hee! Hee!

While not a lot of sleep was had, it was a lovely time of catching up with GB's family. Though we all live in Toowoomba or nearby, busy lives and timetables that take us in opposite directions mean that catch-ups are few and far between, so the times we DO all manage to congregate are fun ... and rather NOISY!!! Tee! Hee! Hee!

So ... that's what's been happening in the Meares' Madhouse for the last week ... most of last week was really getting back into the work groove after a couple of weeks' holiday, but some productive time was spent in the sewing room too, along with a bit of time playing with some new design sketches and some planning for a big and exciting project that I hope to share with you later in the year. Hmmm ... no wonder our current overcast, drizzly weather is enticing me to curl up with a cuppa and a book! :0)

In fact, I think I shall go and put the kettle on ... though I think I'll find some hand stitching to keep me occupied rather than a book. Hope you're having a great week so far ... are you counting sleeps until OPAM 2012 kicks off?? Sweet Peg and I both are! :0) Hmmm ... who will come and play with us this year? I bet there will be some repeat offenders, as well as some newbies to join in the fun and craziness. Sweet Peg and I will both post this year's guidelines on Friday, so stay tuned. In the meantime, start writing your list of projects you'd like to tackle this year and we'll see if OPAM can't help you get motivated! :0) But for now ... the kettle is calling my name! :0) Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!
CHEERS!
KRIS

All Sprung Cleaned!!

2012-01-09T21:44:00.001+10:00

Well ... holidays are over at the Meares' Madhouse and it was back to work for my Beloved Geek Boy and me this morning ... the alarm was NOT our friend when it went off, let me tell you! :0) As always, we felt like we needed just one more week to REALLY get everything done we'd planned ... but I suspect that no matter how long our holiday was, we'd always want 'just one more week', wouldn't we! Tee! Hee! Hee!

We did, however, cross a lot of things off our "To Do" list ... including the bulk of the spring cleaning we wanted to get done ... OK ... NEEDED to get done might be a better way to put it! A few of you have been giggling at me cos I said the layer of dust was so thick that if we waited much longer we'd need to call in an archaeologist to excavate the layers to find what was underneath ... I didn't take 'Before' photos cos it would just have been too embarrassing, but that archaeologist was on standby! :0) And now, we have lovely cleanness all around us ...

The pretties are all sparkling clean and enjoying being displayed on dust-free surfaces ...

The bears have been brushed up and fresh flowers again enjoy clean, dust-free vases. I don't know how long this cleanliness will last, given that we live in a Federation cottage that seems to attract and suck dust in like a vacuum! At least ... that's MY story and I'm sticking to it! It has nothing to do with the fact that we both seem to have missed out on the "Tidy" gene! Tee! Hee! Hee!

Once the boring cleaning chores had been crossed off the "To Do" list, I rewarded myself by heading into the sewing room ... windows open, fan on, ice water in my drink bottle, Enya and Loreena McKennitt keeping me company ... AAAAAHHHH! BLISS!!! :0)

First project tackled was something to get me out of hot water ... you see ... for some months now, every time I pop in to my Home-Away-From-Home, Marion has been teasing me about the state of my handbag. It has been my "go everywhere" bag for quite some time and let's just say that it had seen better days ...

... stitches were pulled out, triangle trims were curling up, bells were missing, the fabric had worn through to the wadding and the straps were so twisted up, you couldn't see what fabric had been used ...

... not to mention there were some grubby 'ugly spots' that wouldn't come out no matter how often it was washed. SIGH!!! It really was time to retire it, the problem became finding the time to actually sew something for ME. Yesterday was it!!!!

I had been ~~hoarding~~ saving some Rural Jardin charm squares for just this event to make myself a version of this pattern ...

"French Shopping Spree" (available in downloadable format pattern). The original was made using another range of French General fabrics, "Pom Pom de Paris". The "Rural Jardin" version turned out like this ...

Ta da! A new bag that won't embarrass me when I catch up with Marion next time. :0) It's a great, roomy bag with a double pocket on the inside to keep my keys, phone and sunnies safe and a wide, reinforced strap with yummy giant rick-rack set in both edges ... everything a gal needs to survive a busy day of shopping ... er ... work! :0)

So once that project was finished it kind of led to another ... a new pouch to keep my surprise Christmas giftie from GB safe ... he bought me an iPad. :0) So it was back to the sewing machine to make ...

A matching French-inspired pouch. I added a narrow strap because while I'll mostly slip the pouch into my handbag to carry, there are sure to be times where I want to travel light and just take my iPad. Most times the strap can just be tucked inside the pouch out of the way. And in case you were wondering ... I didn't pop off to France for my photo shoot ... unfortunately!! :0) The Eiffel Tower background is one side of a double-sided room divider screen that my good friend Lynda gave me for Christmas ... Thanks Lynda! Or as the French would say ... MERCI!!! :0)

Not a bad day in the sewing room, right? But wait ... there's MORE! :0)

Three phone pouches all destined to be gifted to friends, so ... SSSSHHHHH!! Don't tell them ... it's a surprise! :0)

So ... not a bad sewing start to my year ... think what I could have achieved if I had that extra week off! Tee! Hee! Hee! But since I don't, I'll just have to fit in some sewing amongst everything else.

Hope you're all having a great start to your week ... are you keeping an eye on the countdown on my sidebar?!?! Not long to go! :0) But right now I'm off to find a cool drink ... 35 here today, which is a bit unusual for our city on the 'hill'. Still ... beats being cold! :0) Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!
KRIS

More Christmas & OPAM Winners!

2012-01-05T15:55:00.001+10:00

We're still in holiday mode here at the Meares' Madhouse ... back to work on Monday ... SIGH!! We can't complain too much, though, as we've had a nice break after a VERY busy lead up to Christmas. In fact, things got SO busy that I still have a few party pics to share with you before I wrap up OPAM for 2011.

In the week before Christmas, we had a gathering of as many of our Quilting Angels group as could make it to the lovely Fiona's place for a special lunch. There was food galore and Helen mixed up her 'special' pink strawberry champagne daiquiris ... I was driving so only had one! :0)

Here they are ... can you see those sparkling halos?? Tee! Hee! Hee! Bobbi, Bev, Helen and Fiona all toasting with special pink drinks. And at Helen's insistence ...

Helen and I swapped places for another photo. We had a lovely lunch, lots of laughs, more special drink of a slightly less alcoholic kind ...

Can you see the bottle? A personalised bottle of coke to share with Fiona. :0) Still haven't seen one with "Kris" on the label! :0) Oh ... and there were several visits from a VERY special member of the group ...

Yes, even Santa popped in to wish the Quilting Angels a happy Christmas.

Christmas Day itself was spent in the wilds of Mundubbera (small country town where I grew up and where Mum and Dad still live!) with Mum, Dad and my sort-of-sister Tiffy ... perhaps we should just adopt her and be done with it! Tee! Hee! Hee!

Here's Tiffy supervising Dad's giftie opening technique ...

Mum unwrapping the gifties from us ... I have a habit of buying a number of items and wrapping them all separately ... makes it look like there's more gifties under the tree! Tee! Hee! Hee!

Tiffy with one of the lingerie bags I made for her ... she loved them! :0)

And now we're home again for a few days and you'd think we'd be resting and relaxing, right? I wish!!! :0) Nope, we're spring cleaning ... yes I know it's summer now, but spring kind of slipped by me, so it's cleaning catch-up here. My Beloved Geek Boy is playing in the office (he SAYS he's cleaning!!!) and I'm in the dining room dusting my display shelves and ...

... washing my china collection. SIGH! Yep, it's all party, party, party here! :0) I forget how many pretty plates, cups, teapots etc that I have in my ever-growing collection until I have to wash them ... at which point I think perhaps I should stop buying pretties ... and then I come to my senses and go back to washing! Tee! Hee! Hee!

The other thing I've done during my break ... of course ... is to blog-hop around with my partner-in-crime, Sweet Peg, to collect the end of month finishes for OPAM, the last for 2011. We had our second biggest tally for the year this month with a whopping

813 Finishes

for December. WOW!! Well done to you all ... I think you must all have been like me and worked really well under the deadline pressure of making things for Christmas gifties! :0) That takes our year's total to ...

7470!!

WOWSERS!! Congratulations to each and every one of you who has contributed to that total!! I reckon there must be a LOT of room in sewing cupboards around the world by now! Or are you all like me ... have you bought lots of NEW fabrics, patterns and notions using your finishes as justification?!?! Tee! Hee! Hee!

Once again, I'd like to say a big THANK YOU to each and every one of you for playing along with OPAM this year. It's wonderful to hear of people making new blogging buddies by visiting fellow OPAMers and lovely to have people comment that the encouragement received from other OPAMers has helped motivate even more creativity and inspired people to try new things. The main reason that the lovely May Britt and I started OPAM and Sweet Peg and I have continued to host it, is that we know how a little bit of encouragement and positive feedback can inspire us to create. OPAM is not really about the NUMBER of finishes ... though the final tallies blow me away ... I don't think you gals sleep!! ... OPAM is all about busy gals taking a bit of time out from the hustle and bustle of life to take a breath, relax a little and take some time to create and do something that makes us smile. So even if you didn't finish as many projects as you had planned and your "To Do" list is like mine and overflowing ... if OPAM has encouraged you to spend some time with your feet up and stitching, then it's been a successful year! :0) I'd also like to say a HUGE

THANK YOU!!!

To my Sweet partner-in-crime. If it wasn't for Sweet Peg's wonderful assistance in co-hosting OPAM, I don't think I'd be able to manage the deluge of emails and the list of blog-hopping each month. Peg and I were blogging buddies for a couple of years before undertaking the OPAM adventure and I feel so very blessed that our friendship has grown even more ... even though we've still never met in 'real life'. One day, Sweet Peg, we'll get our play date and then it will be ... LOOK OUT WORLD! Tee! Hee! Hee!

Now, to the bit you've all been waiting for ... the December random draw winners are ...

ANNE-LISE

LAILA KS

NARELLE

With that sorted, Sweet Peg and I will have a little break of a couple of weeks before we start all over again when

OPAM 2012

is launched on ...

FRIDAY JANUARY 20

You'll see I've added a countdown gadget to my sidebar to help you keep track, so if you want to join Sweet Peg and I for more fun, stitching and taking a bit of time our for "ME" make sure you stay tuned for OPAM sign up.

In the meantime, there's some dusty china calling my name in the kitchen, so I'm off to play in some soapy water. Hope everyone is enjoying their first week of 2012. :0) Til next time ...

SOAPY BEAR HUGS!!

CHEERS!
KRIS

A Year Of New Adventures

2011-12-31T22:37:00.000+10:00

Well ... It hardly seems 12 months ago that we were ready to welcome 2011. I think I speak for most people ... Particularly Queenslanders when I say that we will be VERY happy to usher 2011 back out the door!! We surely have had a shocker of a year, but despite cyclones, floods, earthquakes (A big G'day to our NZ neighbors!) and other assorted hiccups, there are a few positive things that I WILL take with me into 2012.

The first would have to be the feeling of pride that, in the midst of the year's upsets, there was a strong spirit of mateship, support and camaraderie shown by so many people to help those affected to pick themselves up to start over.

Tied into that is the realization I came to when Toowooma made world headlines with our inland tsunami ... I have a HUGE number of fabulous friends all around the world who care about what happens to me and just 'get' me! :0) What a precious gift!!

Thirdly, I'll take with me into the new year the belief that the next twelve months are going to be wonderfully EXCITING!! I have some BIG plans that I hope to launch ... Stay tuned! And some of my good blogging buddies are also planning big things. Add to that the incredibly positive sentiments that so many of us are feeling as the new year sneaks closer and 2012 is sure to be FANTASTIC!!!

Sooooo .... Are you ready to dive into a year of exciting new adventures with me?!?! Yeah?! Well, in that case ...

2012 ... BRING IT ON!!!

My New Years wish to all of my blogging buddies is that 2012 will see you stay safe, stay well, stay in touch (hint!hint!) and see some of your dearest dreams come to fruition. As for me ... I have to go re-join the party here before someone eats all the pavlova! Tee! Hee! Hee! Til next time,

HAPPY NEW YEAR BEAR HUGS!!!

CHEERS!

KRIS

Christmas Catchup!!

2011-12-28T23:29:00.000+10:00

Well ... after several days of being a bit of a slug and being disconnected from blogland (was still getting emails on my phone so not TOTALLY cut off!!) I thought I'd better stir myself to post some pics to show you just how darn SPOILT I've been this Christmas and thank the lovely friends who've blessed me with gorgeous gifties! :0) It would take forever and a day to provide a commentary for everything and Chookyblue might doze off in her plum pudding (Tee! Hee! Hee!) so I'll just show you the pretties with SHORT explanations ... I promise! :0)

Firstly, I'll show you how Chookyblue herself has been spoiling me ...

This is the rest of the Advent gifties Chooky sent me ... sorry ... didn't take note of which day was which ... they all sort of blurred together for me anyways! Tee! Hee! Hee! I love the wall hanger at the back there - great saying! Love the quilt labels from Anni Downs' designs, the faerie scissors are super sweet, the little bear stitchery is cute, Chooky's cards are GORGEOUS ... oh ... who am I kidding ... I love ALL OF IT!!!!! :0) And on Christmas Eve, before we hit the road to come to Mum and Dad's place, I unwrapped this ...

Isn't this GORGEOUS!!!! Chooky said that as soon as she saw this pattern, she knew it was "ME" to a "T" (or 'TEA' as the case may be!! Tee! Hee! Hee!) I just love it! And Miss Lavender Lil is happy to share a cuppa with her new friends in my sewing room! :0) THANK YOU CHOOKYBLUE!!! I love ALL my gifties! And thanks to Fee for hosting this fun advent swap! :0)

Next on the list is my SSCS ornament and gifties ... I have been a bit slack with posting these - Sorry Trash!! No I'm not being mean and calling my swap partner names!! ... Trash was my swap partner all the way from the UK ... in the middle of renovating a whole kitchen! EEK! She deserves a medal! :0) This was my sweet ornament ...

This sweet hanging got a little banged up in transit, but I just LOVE it! four sweet gingerbread people wishing me happy Christmas all painted by Trash! :0) Then in my Christmas Even un-wrap-a-thon, I was delighted to find these pretties ...

A sweet painted box that will be perfect to protect some breakable Christmas pretties, a fabulous, all-natural, Christmas tree shaped soap (Love pretty soaps!!) and the most FABULOUS green knitted scarf!! Perfect for keeping this hot-weather-chick warm during Toowoomba's notorious winters! THANK YOU TRASH!! I love my gifties! They sure brought a Christmas smile to my face! :0) And a big thank you to the "Hostess with the Mostest" the fabulous Chookyblue! No one organises like Chooky! In fact ... I suspect that if you wanted to invade a small country, she could crack her whip and get it organised in a jiffy! Tee! Hee! Hee!

I've also received some lovely gifties from some of my blogging buddies ...

These pretties were from the Gorgeous Kerryanne ... the notepad must mean me ... "Unorganised Perfectionist" Tee! Hee! Hee! Love the sweet angel orni and the Bear Hugs bookmark. Thanks Kerryanne! Who knows ... the notebook might help me actually GET organised ... maybe! Tee! Hee! Hee!

Do you see that sweet Tweetie sitting on top of my shabby chic birdcage? This was my giftie from the Lovely Lilly Linda ... who gifted me with the birdcage when we had our playdate at Mt Tambourine earlier this year. Thanks Linda!! I love it! :0)

These little pretties smell DIVINE and were a gift from Toni over at the Red Boot Quilt Company. My sewing room smells GORGEOUS at the moment! Tee! Hee! Hee! Thanks Toni!

These cute coasters were a surprise giftie from the lovely Satu ... who is one of our OPAM gals and my SSCS swap partner from last year. Do you see those teddies lurking in the centre of these coasters?! :0) Thank you so much, Satu! These are too cute! :0)

And this was another lovely surprise giftie to arrive on my doorstep ... bet my Postie is glad I'm away for a few days so he can have a rest! Tee! Hee! Hee! This GORGEOUS little teacup teddy was gifted to me by Miss Kitty herself over at The Chocolate Cat. Thanks Lise ... it is so sweet and matches the wall hanging Chookyblue made for me! :0)

Now ... part of what kept me so busy before Christmas was making some gifties for friends and family. I forgot to take photos of everything, but have a few that I remembered to snap before they were posted off ...

A dotty version of my lingerie bag design ... love this colour ... same colour as my sewing room walls! :0)

This is what became of that lovely purple/plum toned French fabric I showed you a sneaky peeky of a while ago. It was a bit tricky to match the purple tones, but I'm really chuffed with the result. :0)

Yet another version of my lingerie bag design ... I had so much fun playing with different variegated threads and matching them up with pretty fabrics to suit the person they were going to! :0) As I said, there were a few more gifties made, but I forgot to take pics - OOPS! :0)

So ... that's enough for one catch up session ... hope you've hung in there, Chookyblue!! :0) I'll try to pop back in the next day or so to share some party pics from my festive festivities.

OOOH! Before I sign off ... OPAM gals ... you've got just a few days left to record your December finishes on your sidebar lists and email Sweet Peg or me with your final tally for the month. It has been so much fun to see the Christmassy projects appearing on OPAMers' blogs ... you sure have been a productive bunch! Tee! Hee! Hee! And for those of you who have started to ask the question ... YES!! Sweet Peg and I will once again be co-hosting OPAM in 2012!!! YAY!! Sign up won't be til towards the END of January, so you'll have to stay tuned to Sweet Peg's and my blogs so you don't miss out. I'll see if I can't find a countdown gadgety thing to pop on my sidebar for you to keep an eye on. Hmmm ... will work on that! :0)

I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and that you're able to enjoy some quiet, relaxing time-out for a little bit longer. Will try to pop back before that countdown into 2012 to share some more pics, but for now, I'm off to keep a date with my pillow. Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!!

CHEERS!
KRIS

OK ... I Give In!!!

2011-12-23T17:33:00.000+10:00

I give in, surrender, acquiesce, admit defeat ... I QUIT!! It really is Christmas in two sleeps!!! SIGH! Like Snoopy, I think I'm just going to lay down and let it happen around me! I've tried very hard to hold it back this week cos the list of things I wanted to get done before Christmas Eve was long and the hours each day seemed to be short. I tried NOT changing the number on my Santa Countdown Blackboard ...

... but everyone I spoke to corrected me. :0) I tried starting a petition voting to postpone Christmas until February ... and I had a LOT of signatures!! :0) But ... alas ... we were defeated ... not enough time for it to go through Parliament to be applied this year! Tee! Hee! Hee! So in the end, I've looked at my "To Do" list, crossed off the things I've managed to accomplish and then crossed out the rest, cos really, in the big scheme of things, they weren't that important. :0)

Of course ... one of those things on my list that got scrapped was showing some pictures of the plethora of GORGEOUS gifties that have come my way from friends and blogging buddies. I promise I WILL do this ... but it will now have to be after the podgy dude in red has been and gone. Sorry about that, but I'm sure you're all in the same boat as me and it is named "Overestimating Time Available"!! Tee! Hee! Hee!

We've booked the house sitter, the dog sitter, the mail collector and the garden waterer and will be packing ourselves up tomorrow to head off for a few days with my folks in Mundubbera, so we're looking forward to a few quiet days ... unless my Mum has been writing her own "To Do" lists for us! Tee! Hee! Hee! I'll have my laptop with me though, so might even get time to finally pop in and visit a few of you, my blogging buddies during the break and of course will be able to answer emails and collect OPAM finishes. Yep ... almost THAT time again, too. HOWEVER ... it's my turn to pick random winners, and since I'm approaching holiday mode, don't stress too much about emailing right on the last day of December. By all means update your sidebar list when you finish things, but if you're emailing, you have an extra day or two leeway this month til I'll get around to the draw, so GET STITCHING! :0)

Before I scoot off to put my weary feet up and enjoy a cup of tea, I'd like to take the opportunity to wish you all a Christmas full of lots of family, lots of friends, lots of love, lots of laughs, lots of special treats and lots of GIFTIES! Tee! Hee! Hee! And wish you and yours a FANTASMAGORICAL 2012 full of wonderful new adventures!! If you're travelling, please take care so you can come back to play in blogland again and remember the Reason for the Season ... the most precious gift ever given ... God's Son!

Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

BIG SQUOOSHY CHRISTMASSY BEAR HUGS!!

CHEERS!
KRIS

Flying In Like Santa's Reindeer!!!

2011-12-19T22:52:00.000+10:00

Oh dear! Oh dear! OH DEAR!!! My Monday didn't just go pear-shaped ... I had the whole pear TREE!!! :0) Nothing drastic, you understand, just ... well ... a MONDAY!!!! SIGH! Not enough hours in the day, too many things on the list and several disruptions to the plan mean it's now rather late on Monday for me to be posting the winners of my Santa Sacks/Christmas Pillowcases as promised.

But ... I've finally got to sit down with a welcome cup of tea at the computer. These two festive pillowcases are ready to go to their new homes, so without further ado, the winners are ...

LYN

and

Quilts By Cheryl

(No blog & 'no reply' blogger)

If you lovely ladies can please email me with your snail mail address, I'll pop your prize into the mail ... I know it won't arrive in time for Christmas 2011 , but you'll have it early for Christmas 2012 ... or you can test drive it with some Christmas in July celebrations! Tee! Hee! Hee! Thank you to all of you for sharing stories about your favourite Christmas decorations ... it really is a magical time of the year and I think most of us have at least some fond childhood memories attached to Christmas. Thanks again, too, to the lovely Kerryanne for inviting me to be part of "Simply Christmas 2012". I hope you'll all continue to be inspired by Kerryanne's Christmas offerings this week as we count down to Sunday,

I have so much to share with you and so much to show you ... my poor Postie has been working overtime and I have been SPOILT with special gifties in the mail. But right now ... my eyes are being held open with matchsticks, so I shall sign off and go keep a long overdue date with my pillow. With today being all about the "Pear" tree, I sure hope I don't get woken up by "Turtle Doves"! Tee! Hee! Hee! Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

(from the pear tree!! Tee! Hee! Hee!)

CHEERS!
KRIS

Christmas Is Coming ... EEK!!!

2011-12-14T14:56:00.000+10:00

Don't get me wrong ... I LOVE Christmas ... the food ... the gifties ... the carols ... the food ... the family gatherings ... the food ... holidays ... the food ... Hmmm ... I think we're seeing here why I will NEVER be a catwalk model! Tee! Hee! Hee! But this year, I just feel somewhat swamped by everything I need to fit in before the podgy dude in the red suit comes rattling down our chimneys. (BTW ... our chimney leads into the outdoor LAUNDRY! The only thing Santa will find there is two bewildered doggies wondering who is invading their bedroom! Tee! Hee! Hee!) Believe me, there is a LOOOOOONG "To Do" list that needs to be addressed before December 24 ... guess I'm giving up sleeping for the next week or so! :0)

One thing I HAVE crossed off the "To Do" list, though was to put together a fun tutorial that is being featured today over at Shabby Art Boutique. For the second year, the gorgeous Kerryanne is hosting "Simply Christmas", which aims to get us all into the Christmas spirit with lots of tips, trick, tutorials and yuletide fun and I am today's guest blogger over there. Remember this photo?

Well ... if you want to see how to turn this odd assortment into some quick, fun, budget-conscious Christmas gifties, then don't delay - hop across to visit Kerryanne!! And see how the above turned into this ...

Ta Da! Santa Sacks/Christmas Pillowcases! This is such a great project for anyone wanting to make gifties, but who doesn't have much time ... can be done and dusted in an hour or so. If you DO hop across to visit Kerryanne and make one of these from my tute, I'd love for you to email me some photos. :0) And if you aren't at all fabric/sewing type crafty or you'd just like to see someone else do the work for you ... you're in luck! Leave me a comment on THIS post telling me what YOUR favourite Christmas decorations are and you'll go into the draw to win one of these Santa Sacks/Christmas Pillowcases. And since there are TWO sacks/pillowcases, then I will draw TWO lucky winners on Monday, December 19 ... QLD time! :0) You won't get your prizes before Christmas ... cos Australia Post doesn't have as good a delivery system as ol' Santa!! ... but they'll be ready for next year ... or Christmas in July celebrations! :0) So ... GET COMMENTING! Tee! Hee! Hee!

And with that little job crossed off my "To Do" list, I found that Kerryanne's Christmas Magic was working after all ... or perhaps I'd tasted one of Michelle's Mum's famous rumballs! Tee! Hee! Hee! Whatever the starting spark was, I decided it was time to toss a few Christmas decorations about. Now, I don't go too overboard ... simply because we don't have much room around the place to add decorations etc and our tree stands just 20" tall to fit into our small lounge room ... one of the slight drawbacks of having a heritage cottage to call home! :0) But I managed to add enough Christmassy cuteness to make me hum carols, so I thought I'd share some of my favourite decorations with you to brighten you day, too, and get you thinking about your comment for the prize draw! :0)

There's the Christmas stocking that I painted my very ownself ... under the careful and patient tutelage of a good friend, cos I am no Michelangelo!! :0) Give me fabric any day to get creating ... but I loved this and wanted to say ... "I made it myself!" :0)

Then there's my Christmas angels ... that actually stay hanging above our bedroom door all year round ... too cute to take down! :0)

There's my Rockin' Santa (he's on a rounded base, so he rocks back and forth when you poke him, like one of those children's toys ... not that I poke poor Santa very often!!!) but my two favourite decorations would have to be ...

My countdown Santa, painted from one of Kerryanne's patterns by the same lovely friend who patiently guided me through painting my stocking, and a lovely Christmas candle that the gorgeous Kerryanne gifted me with last Christmas. This little display reminds me of the wonderful friends God has blessed me with and the warmth and light they bring to my life all year round. Plus ... it's just so darn PRETTY! Tee! Hee! Hee!

So ... how are YOU decorating this Christmas? Are you a bit hit-and-miss like me? Do you go all out like Kerryanne , Lilly Linda and Michelle? Or do you have just a few favourite, sentimental Christmas decorations to celebrate the season?

Right now for me, though, it's back to waving my arms in the air like a lunatic, running around in circles and frantically trying to cross the rest of my jobs of the ol' "To Do" list! :0) Hope you're having a great week ... don't forget to pop over to Kerryanne's blog to see what I've been up to and to catch up on so much more wonderful Christmassy goings on. Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!CHEERS!
KRIS

Christmas Stitching!

2011-12-09T17:32:00.000+10:00

PHEW! There went another week and yet again I don't feel like I got as much done as I should have. In my defence ... weak though it may be!! ... we had a weird weather change that threw me into a spin. We went from GLORIOUS summer temperatures last week of between 25 and 30 degrees Celsius, to this week where we had several days of overcast skies, fog, rain and gale force winds with top temps of 14 to 17!!! EEK!! How rude is THAT in the middle of summer! So as those of you who pop in regularly would know I was NOT a happy camper and went into hibernation mode for a few days. BRRRRR!! I'm happy to say that today is a bit warmer, though the sun is still hiding, and my mojo seems to have come out of hibernation again so I've made some good progress on a few things.

Most of my attention today was focused on these things ...

Well ... this was the STARTING POINT! :0) The results will have to stay under wraps for a few more days. You see, I've once again joined in the fun of the gorgeous Kerryanne's "Simply Christmas" and I will be making a special guest appearance (Ooh! That makes me sound like someone important, doesn't it! Tee! Hee! Hee!) on Kerryanne's blog next Wednesday to share a tutorial for a quick, fun and fabulous Christmas gift idea. So, don't forget to pop over to Shabby Art Boutique to see what I've come up with ... or maybe you'd like to pop across right now to catch up on all the fun Christmas stuff that has been shared already ... make a cuppa first cos there's lots to read and look at! :0)

I've also been doing some Secret Squirrel Christmas stitching that I can't share with you, but will give you a couple of teasers ...

This is the 'makings' pile for another lingerie bag for a friend's gift. Don't you just LOVE that French inspired fabric!! The colours don't match my sewing room, mores the pity, but they're perfect for my friend. This time I've stitched the little stitchery with a Cottage Garden thread ... "Viola". It's the first time I've played with a Cottage Garden thread and quite liked it ... I love the colour graduations ... so pretty! :0) And I've started stitching in some very different colours for another gift for a friend ...

Rainbow colours for this one ... a Cosmo thread ... I have to say, I'm enjoying working on stitchery projects of just ONE colour ... not as much stopping and starting ... just stitching! :0)

Something else I CAN show you, is how I'm being thoroughly SPOILED by Chookyblue in Fee's Advent Swap! :0) Now, I showed you my goodies from Day 1 in my last post here, so this was what greeted me in the parcels for Day 2 and Day 3 ...

Not the book, silly!! Or the pencil! The GORGEOUS "Spring Magic" sweet roll/honey roll (??? I get so confused with which is what!!) was Day 2's gift and the cute mini pegs were for Day 3. The journal and pencil are for me to start designing a fun new project to use my pretty new fabric strips. :0) Then there was MORE!!!

Days 4 to 8. I confess that because it took a few days to get to take this photo, I've forgotten which gifties belonged to which day, but I'm pretty chuffed with some new rotary cutter blades, a pretty swish needle threader (happily I don't have too much trouble threading needles, but will be keeping this for when I need to get thicker threads through small needles) , two cakes of HEAVENLY smelling lavender soap (I feel particularly special to get these, since I know Chookyblue doesn't handle 'smellies' very well!!), a sweet key fob in the shape of a Matroyshka (???) doll, two super sweet teddy bear buttons and a skein of GORGEOUS Cottage Garden thread ... this one is "Larkspur". See?! I TOLD you I was being spoilt! :0) Thanks Chookyblue! And thanks Fee! It is so much fun being spoilt with little surprises each day! I hope Chookyblue is having as much fun with the gifties I sent her! :0)

And that about wraps things up here at the Meares' Madhouse this week! :0) I'm starting to panic a little about getting gifties sorted that need to be mailed next week, wondering how the heck I'm going to fit in all of the sewing I want to do for said gifties, whilst juggling half a dozen different Christmas events coming up this week ... I think I should ask Santa for an extra MONTH as my Christmas giftie this year! Tee! Hee! Hee!

I hope you've all had a fantastic week and that your weekend includes lots of kick-back-and-relax time ... and not too much Eek!-it's-almost-Christmas time! :0) And even if you're madly trying to tick things off your "To Do" list before Christmas, I hope you manage to take some time out to spend with family and friends ... after all ... that's the REAL heart of Christmas, right!! :0) Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!
CHEERS!
KRIS

Defeating Photo-Eating Computers!!

2011-12-01T16:33:00.000+10:00

Tee! Hee! Hee! Suddenly, I'm having a mental picture of me on my white charger (hmmm ... maybe a Clydesdale would be better to cope with my gym-skipping butt!!!) dressed in chain mail, sword in hand, riding off into the sunset to do battle against some dastardly creature that gobbles up innocent photos. Hmmm ... sometimes reality can be a tad less interesting! Tee! Hee! Hee! Yes ... I am fairly sleep-deprived at the moment, which explains most of my funny mental pictures! :0) (perhaps not all, but that's a whole nother story!!!)

Onto my post before Chookyblue gives up in disgust! :0) Actually ... speaking of Chookyblue ... I had a lovely phone call from her the other night. It was a wonderful surprise and can I just say that even though she may be Queen of the Short Blog Post, on the phone (or in person!!) she's just as chatty as I am, so it wouldn't surprise you that, after we'd been chatting for almost two hours, Mr Chooky wanted to know who the heck she was STILL talking to! Tee! Hee! Hee! Blogging buddies are so much fun! :0) And since Chooky and I are swap-buddies for Fee's Advent Swap, today was the day I FINALLY got to delve into that tempting box of goodies she sent me ... I had been a good girl and waited for December 1!! :0) Now, she had told me during our chat that day one's gift was a "Christmas season survival kit". As Alice would say ... "Curiouser and Curiouser!!"

But all was explained when the little parcel was opened. OOOOOHHHH!! There's some Christmas cards for me to send, some cute little Santa pegs to hold any cards I might receive, one of Chooky's SWEET little stitched Christmas cushion ornaments (or a Festive pin cushion???) a CUTE bear hugs stitchery ... already traced with pelon on the back and ready to stitch, with the favourite-colour green embroidery thread. Oh ... and some tasty treats to keep up my strength for all the Christmas run-around! :0) The first of those packets is being munched and crunched as I type! Tee! Hee! Hee! Thanks Chookyblue!! What a lovely way to kick off the countdown to Christmas ... even if I AM firmly in denial about it being less than a month away - EEK!!

OK ... I've also re-taken the photos that the nasty computer ate a few days ago. First thing to show you so you can ~~drool over~~ admire it, is a bundle of yummy fabrics I bought at a recent sale at my Home-Away-From-Home ...

I have been eyeing these off ever since Marion got them in. They're from the "Etchings" range by 3Sisters for Moda. I particularly love the one second from the right in the top row ... its a map of Paris ... yes, I'm still on my French kick and considering some of the exciting plans I'm hoping to implement next year, I will be for some time, so you'll have to live with my obsession! :0)

Another pretty that I have to show you is a sweet prize I won from Lisa at Button Bliss. Lisa has the CUTEST range of laser-cut timber buttons on her website, but she also added some handy (and cute!!) thread organisers to her range and ran a competition with a couple as prizes. Lisa asked us to leave a comment describing our perfect spring day. My response was ...

"The perfect spring day ... well ... my FANTASY perfect spring day would be spent in a gorgeous cottage garden, sitting at a pretty wrought iron table with some equally pretty stitching friends to enjoy a 'high tea' picnic with lots of tasty treats, tea drunk out of vintage china cups and some stitching. Now I just have to find that garden ... shame mine doesn't match up! :0)"

The prize I won when mine was one of the names chosen my Mr Random ...

Hmmm ... perhaps I needed to take it out of it's packet, but I wanted to leave it in there to protect it from the general mayhem of my sewing room. It actually looks like this ...

(photo borrowed from Lisa's blog)

Thanks Lisa! My first thought when I saw these sweet thread organisers is that they would be a great idea to use to do up a kit as a gift for a stitching friend ... choose a stitchery pattern, pick out the threads to make it, pop in the thread organiser and your friend is ready to stitch. You could take it a step further and do what Chookyblue did for me ... trace the design and attach pelon. Your friend would be smiling and stitching in no time, guaranteed! :0)

Last on the list of re-taken photos were two fun projects that I made for my sort-of-sister Tiffy's birthday. (one day we'll just have to adopt her and make it official and easier to explain her place in our family! Tee! Hee! Hee!) I designed this project especially for Tiffy and really enjoyed stitching and making it up ... it was just one of those projects that came together beautifully the first time! :0)

A set of two lingerie bags ... ooh la la!! :0) Yes ... there's still a bit of a French influence there ... couldn't help myself! :0) Now, you may be asking why I've made TWO lingerie bags for Tiffy. Well ... there's a REALLY good explanation ... my Mother suggested it and it's ALWAYS wise to do what your mother suggests! Tee! Hee! Hee! Nah ... well ... YEAH ... but that's not the only reason!! You see, Tiffy is looking at doing some travelling overseas next year and the idea of two lingerie bags is ... one for your CLEAN knickers and bras and one for your WAITING-TO-BE-WASHED knickers and bras when you're packing your port (bag, suitcase, backpack!) so that they don't get lost amongst the rest of the stuff in your port (bag, suitcase, backpack) and if your port (bag, suitcase, backpack) happens to open while you're travelling, there are no red faces over revealing your lacy knickers! See!! I TOLD you my Mum has good ideas! :0) That's why I used two different coloured variegated threads ... so Tiffy can tell the difference so she always knows she's following HER mother's advice to always wear clean underwear ... that's what all mothers tell us, right?!?!? I'll be releasing this pretty and practical design as part of a bigger project next year ... but the cat has to stay in the bag for a while longer ... sorry to all you cat lovers! Tee! Hee! Hee!

OK ... that's me caught up for now. I'd better go start doing some blog-hopping to collect OPAM finishes ... so don't forget to email Sweet Peg or me and update your list of finishes on your sidebar list. And while I blog-hop, I shall enjoy the sound of rain on the roof ... Aaaaaahhh!!! Not a bad way to spend an afternoon ... and if I'm REALLY lucky, there might be a rainbow! :0) Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!
CHEERS!
KRIS

A Hug For The Soul!

2011-11-29T17:28:00.000+10:00

That sounds very Zen, doesn't it?!?! :0) Actually ... it's my way of NOT banging my head against a wall in frustration!

You see ... I had taken photos of a couple of projects I'd finished over the weekend, a sweet prize I'd won from Lisa a Button Bliss a while ago and the yummy fabrics that followed me home from Marion's sale last week, ready to share with you, my blogging buddies. I sat down at the computer, loaded them onto the computer, copied them to the appropriate folder from my camera memory card, then ... as I always do, deleted them from the camera card to free up space for new photos ... cos they were now safe and sound, saved on my computer ... right?!?!?! WRONG!!! Somewhere along the track, something went horribly wrong and the computer swallowed the pictures, then spat them back out into cyber-space somewhere, never to be seen again! GRRRRRRRR!!!

So I shall have to go and dig out the finished projects, prize and new fabrics from where I had very diligently put them away (don't fall over in shock at that! Tee! Hee! Hee!) and take new photos ... but I don't have time this afternoon, so that will have to be a TOMORROW job. SIGH!

So, there I was feeling frustrated at our 'wonderful' computer technology when I decided to use my computer time to look up Google for something. Now, I don't know about you, but when I sign into my iGoogle page, it has personalised settings and backgrounds etc and somehow (more of that 'wonderful' technology!!) I ended up with a horoscope in the bottom corner of my page. Usually I find it a mix of the vague and incomprehensible, but I really liked today's horoscope and thought I'd share it with you. Now, although this was officially the review for the day for Pisces (that's me, two fish swimming around aimlessly ... could explain my 'goldfish' memory! Tee! Hee! Hee!) I really feel it applies to ALL of us for EVERY day, so here's a 'hug for the soul' from Rick Levine.

"This is truly a magical day, if you remember that you can create a positive atmosphere wherever you go by virtue of your attitude. Your spiritual orientation is capable of turning a boring chore into a sacred act of gratitude. But, what others perceive now isn't important. Honour the richness of your imagination and aspire to experience beauty, even if it cannot be put into words."

I hope you are warmed by my 'hug' sent out to all of my blogging buddies. So as I wish on my rainbow ...

I hope you have a week where you can 'experience beauty' in whatever life throws your way ... and I'll be back soon with some photos ... providing the computer doesn't get hungry again!!! :0) Til next time ...

RAINBOW BEAR HUGS!
CHEERS!
KRIS

PS. OPAM gals ... don't forget to update your sidebar lists and email me or Birthday Girl Sweet Peg with your list of finishes for November. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SWEET PEG!!! :0) BH!

How Does Santa Do It?!?!

2011-11-25T23:54:00.000+10:00

Here I am ... back again after a bit of a blog absence ... did you miss me??? I've been snowed under working on some swap gifties that HAD to be in the mail this week ... and after having my Friday off at home ... I made it!!! WOO! HOO! :0) And let me tell you, I have a whole new appreciation for the Podgy Dude in the red suit. How he manages to organise ALL the gifties on that list of his AND stay JOLLY ... is beyond me! Tee! Hee! Hee!

After a few last stitches were stitched, it was time to get wrapping ...

Out came the paper, sticky tape, scissors, the stereo was cranked up so ABBA blasted out to keep me company and I got BUSY! :0) Hmmm ... did I mention that I HATE wrapping!!!! So ... it was quite some time later that the results could be seen! First on the list to wrap was my SSCS gifties that are heading to ... a galaxy far, far away! Tee! Hee! Hee! OK ... a COUNTRY far, far away ... couldn't resist a little Star Wars reference there! :0)

One ornament package for immediate opening upon arrival and one main giftie package for Christmas day ... CHECK!! Can't tell you any more or Swap Mama Chookyblue will come after me with her whip! :0) Hope my swap partner likes her gifties ... I think she will.

Next to be wrapped in the frenzy of paper, scissors and sticky tape (hmmm ... wonder why 'stickytape' was never added to the ol' game of 'rock, paper, scissors'?? It could catch on! Tee! Hee! Hee!) were the gifties for a direct Advent Swap organised by the Fabulous Fee. Now when Fee sent the name of my swap partner, I just about fell off my chair laughing ... and so did my partner ... CHOOKYBLUE! Tee! Hee! Hee! It did make it a lot of fun to buy little gifties for her, though, especially since we've 'known' each other for a few years now through blogging and have even met up for a coffee date. So from amongst the flying paper and sticky tape, there emerged ...

... a pile of shiny, glittery parcels for my blogging buddy/swap partner Chookyblue. These have now been popped on Santa's sleigh along with my SSCS gifties. Santa's reindeer must have been working overtime today ... two parcels picked up from Toowoomba and one delivered ...

Chookyblue tells me that her gorgeous daughter Fairygirl helped by decorating my parcel with Christmas stickers ... looks like she had a ball! :0) Open up the lid and inside ...

... sparkly silver packages!! Chookyblue and I were obviously on the same page when we were picking wrapping paper! :0) Can't wait til next week when I can start unwrapping these little gifties ... who says Christmas is just for kids ... unless they mean us BIG kids too! Tee! Hee! Hee! Thanks for organising this fun swap, Fee!!

And after all that wrapping, tagging and posting ... I'm EXHAUSTED!!!!! No wonder Santa only does this once a year! :0) I think I shall have a cuppa and then keep an overdue appointment with my pillow. I'll be back soon to show you some pretty new fabrics that followed me home this week! :0) Hope your week has been fabulous and that your weekend includes some time to relax, some time to create and some wonderful people to share it with! :0) Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!
KRIS

The Pipes Are Calling!!

2011-11-15T23:25:00.000+10:00

Here I am again, wondering where the last week went. And then I think back over what's been happening and I remember where it went! :0)

Before I tell you what I've been up to I need to apologise ... you see ... we've been experiencing some "Technical Difficulties" here ... the server my email travels through has been having a few hiccups and so I've ended up WAY behind on answering my emails. I started to try to catch up with answering them but ... I need to sleep SOMETIME! :0) So ... with apologies, I'll wipe the slate clean and start fresh. If you emailed me during the last three weeks or so and haven't heard back from me... OPAM gals especially ... I'm sorry about that! The 'issues' seem to be sorted, so I should be able to keep up now ... I hope! :0)

OK ... so ... on to what's been happening and why I have such a strange post title. Most of you will be familiar with the well-loved folk tune "Oh Danny Boy" ... one of the lines is ... "The pipes, the pipes are calling from glen to glen and down the mountainside". Well ... today at the retirement village where I work mornings, the pipes were indeed calling across the mountainside. We had a visit from the Queensland Police Pipes and Drums ... bagpipes and drums, that is! Aaaaaaahhhhh!! It was enough to make a Scottish-descended lass's heart warm and fluttery! My Dad's side of the family includes so many Scottish connections that it's a wonder we don't bleed tartan! :0) Kippen, Menzies, Duncan, McLean, McGreggor ... see what I mean! Tee! Hee! Hee! So it's no wonder the squirl of bagpipes makes my heart go pitty-pat!! :0)

Here are the QPPD in action.We had about 80 village residents, family members and friends on hand to clap and dance a reel or two! OK ... maybe not, but there sure were some toes tapping! :0) Then, it was time for a cuppa and a chat with the band.

And look what I found ... a couple of burly Scotsmen in kilts! :0) Pat and Mark had the lovely rolling Scottish burr and had spent time with the Royal Scots Dragoons. Did I mention that sometimes I LOVE my job! Tee! Hee! Hee! Oh ... yes, I am short, yes Pat was over six foot! :0)

OK ... apart from chatting up men in kilts, I've been spending some time in my sewing room ...

This is as much as I can show you, cos it's one of my Secret Santa swap gifties for ... a certain SOMEONE! Tee! Hee! Hee! Still need to finish my SSCS gifties for ???? so that will be this coming weekend's task, I think.

Apart from that ... we've FINALLY been enjoying some fabulous warm weather (some people say hot, but I'm a hot-weather gal, so to me it's WARM! Tee! Hee! Hee!) my Beloved Geek Boy and I have spent some time out in the garden. A bit of weeding, a bit of pruning, some planting up for gifts and some harvesting of herbs and veges from my vege patch ...

Some fresh beetroots that have since been boiled up and stored in their special mixture ... YUMMO! The last of my mega-spring onions that were previously taking over the world, the first of my snowpea crop to the right there and some rosemary, chives and parsley from my herb garden ... those herbs and the spring onion made their way into a DELICIOUS home-cooked quiche. Did I mention I REALLY love this time of year! :0) Warm weather, fresh produce from my garden ... life is good! :0) What's your favourite time of year?? Are you a summer gal like me, or a winter bear?

Well, I can hear my pillow calling my name, so I'm gonna sign off for now. Hope you're all having a great week so far and managing to squeeze some creative time into the busy pre-Christmas timetable. Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!
KRIS

At Last!! Retreat Pics!

2011-11-09T17:32:00.000+10:00

At LAST ... I'm FINALLY getting around to sharing the photos with you that I took two weekends ago when I taught at the annual Creative Craft Retreat at Lake Perseverance ... some of us are a bit slow! :0) This was the fifth year the retreat was held and the fifth that I've been involved. As usual, a lot of fun was had ... especially in the "Naughty Corner"! And you can just guess which class group was in that corner, right?! :0) I don't know how I always end up in "THAT" corner ... really I don't! Tee! Hee! Hee! However ... I was in fine company. I had six of the most GAWJUS (as my blogging buddy Joy would say!) gals in my class ...

... Lindsay, who had driven up from the Gold Coast to play with us for the weekend. (That's Olive Bear supervising Lindsay. She and Finnegan were the two patterns the gals had to choose from to make their very own bear) ...

... Cynthia and Allison ...

... Margaret and Ann (these two ladies were like Laurel and Hardy ... had us in stitches all weekend!!) and Pat finished off our group ... but obviously I didn't manage to snap a pic or her hard at work.

Now, from the pics, you can see that the gals were hard workers ... heads down and bums up without me ever having to borrow Chookyblue's whip! ;0) And while there was a LOT of stitching going on in our "Naughty Corner" there was also an AWFUL LOT of laughing going on too! :0) I actually think I can say this was the BEST class I have ever taught! Not only did they get their bears finished in record time (before lunch on the last day with two sessions remaining), their finished bears were FABULOUS and they worked beautifully in a group (the ladies, that is, not the bears! Though the bears behaved themselves too! Tee! Hee! Hee!), helping and encouraging each other and everyone chatted with everyone ... if you see what I mean! It really did make my job as teacher so much easier and more enjoyable! :0) Now you're probably wanting to see the finished bears??? OK ... roll call ...

Here's Cynthia with her boy bear ...

... Pam with her sweet girly bear ...

... Allison with her cute girly bear ...

... Margaret with her mischievous looking boy bear ... and he's already made a new furry friend there! :0)

And last but definitely not least ... Anne shows off her pink girly girl bear. Lindsay had to leave early, so I didn't get a photo of her finished bearbie. WELL DONE GIRLS!!! You'd never know this was the first time they'd made bears! Must have been the excellent teacher they had!! :0) Modest too! Tee! Hee! Hee! Here's our group ...

What a GAWJUS bunch of gals! :0) And on the other end of the table ...

... our HUG of bears ... that's what you call a group of bears. Rather appropriate, don't you think! :0) And in amongst all that chatting, stitching and laughing, there was just enough time for a group shot of all crafty ladies attending ...

If you look closely, you can see me to the left of the group ... about third or fourth from the left, depending how you look at it and how you count! :0) And even though it's pretty hard to see, if you enlarge the picture and peer up the back of the group from me and slightly to the right, you'll see the lovely ... but obviously shy!! ... Val Laird. Val is Mum to Janelle, who is the instigator of this crafting weekend and it was lovely to catch up again. :0)

There you go ... finally caught up ... and now you know why I was exhausted afterwards and still feel like I'm catching up! :0) Hope you've enjoyed a peek at our bear making fun ... it sure kept us off the streets for the two and a half days! Tee! Hee! Hee!

And speaking of keeping busy and off the streets ... if you're looking for quick, simple but effective craft projects to help you stock up your Santa sacks this Christmas, don't forget to pop across to visit Kerryanne at Shabby Art Boutique blog. She's started her "Simply Christmas" fun and clever-clogs Clare from Clare's Craftroom has shared a great tutorial on making Christmas bunting, so don't miss out. There's also a FABULOUS prize to be won that sure would help make your Christmas merry, so pop across to find out the details.

Right now, though, I'm off to let the dogs out of the laundry ... the flick man has been here chasing off all the creepy crawlies for me and Lily wasn't overly impressed. Poor ol' Wombat probably slept through most of it! He's getting old and misses a lot these days while he take a grandpa nap ... or two or three! Tee! Hee! Hee! Hope your week is going along nicely so far and that you're managing to find some time to sit, stitch and daydream! Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!
KRIS

Simply Christmas!!! EEK!!

2011-11-06T13:36:00.000+10:00

EEK!!! There are just 49 days until Santa hitches up Dancer, Prancer, Vixon, Blitzon and their friends (who the heck named these reindeer, anyways!!! What's wrong with good solid names like Bruce, Kevin, Bob or the ever-popular Spot?!?!) and packs up his bag of gifties to hit the road/skies/rooftops. Personally ... I am FIRMLY in denial about how close "C Day" is but if you are ready to dive into the flurry and fun of Christmas preparations then you'll want to stay tuned to the Shabby Art Boutique blog from now on, cos Kerryanne has launched her second annual ...

"Simply Christmas", where she will be encouraging and helping people to put the 'homemade' and 'home-baked' back into the Christmas experience.

Kerryanne and a select group of guest posters (Yep ... I'm on the list again this year to share the creative Christmas fun!!) will be sharing all sorts of tutorials and links to help you get into the Christmas spirit and STAY there without getting stressed. There'll be recipes, craft tutorials, gift ideas, shared special Christmas memories and I dare say there'll be some prizes and giveaways along the way, too. So hop across and see what Kerryanne is up to ... she's already shared a tutorial for a Christmas planner to help get you organised and on the right track to enjoy a stress-free, homemade Christmas ... though she and I agree that perhaps I am a write-off when it comes to 'getting organised'!! Tee! Hee! Hee!

Right now, I'm off to start making my Christmas list ... who's been NAUGHTY and who's been NICE?!?!?! :0) Til next time ...

JINGLE-BELL BEAR HUGS!
CHEERS!
KRIS

An Odd Week & Winners!

2011-11-05T17:47:00.000+10:00

G'day all!! I know I promised to be back much earlier in the week to tell you about my craft retreat exploits last weekend ... sorry about that! It's been a really odd week that seemed to flash by before I knew it! I think the biggest problem was, because I spent all last Friday preparing for the craft retreat (and answering the phone that rang off the hook all day!!!), then taught at the retreat from Friday night right through to Sunday afternoon, before heading straight back into the work week ... my poor brain registered an EXTRA-long week and kept waiting for the weekend! :0) Add in a lot of interruptions, a bit of upsetting news and a "To Do" list that seems to multiply like a warren of rabbits every time I turn around and you start to get the picture! :0) I know you'll forgive my tardiness, cos we all have "THOSE" sorts of weeks from time to time, don't we?! :0)

So, that was my odd week and my "Friday off" this week was filled, too, as it was a Quilting Angels get-together day ... but filled in a FUN way!! :0) A number of us who formed the group at the start of the year to take part in Marion's Quilt Drive for flood victims challenge, are continuing to meet twice a month in the work room of The Quilters Angel. Sometimes we'll be working on more quilts that will be ready to present to people in times of difficulty as a comfort gift and sometimes we'll be working on other items for charity/community programs. At the moment, we're being Santa's little helpers and making Santa sacks to give to our local newspaper who run an "Adopt A family" program in the lead up to Christmas. Give us some calico and pretty fabric scraps and we can turn out Santa sacks decorated with Christmas appliques! :0)

Here's a pic of the girls hard at work ...

OOPS! Must be the wrong pic, cos this is a shot taken when we were on our lunch break! Tee! Hee! Hee! And you thought we just got together to sew!!! :0) Bev and Fiona are enjoying some DELICIOUS apple dumplings that Marion is serving up in the background ... YUMMO!!! Oh ... and do you see the whiteboard in the background? If you look VERY closely, you can see our flood drive quilt tally written up there ... 242 finished quilts! :0) Most of those have now been distributed and we've had some lovely feedback from recipients who have appreciated not only the beautiful quilts that everyone worked so hard to create, but also for the thoughts and care that accompanied them.

And here's Helen showing what was in our bowls ... MMMMMMM!!! The only thing better than Marion's apple dumplings is ... Marion's apple dumplings with creamy vanilla ice-cream! Tee! Hee! Hee! Oh .. and we DID do some sewing too!! :0) And do you see those lovely, TEMPTING jelly rolls of fabricy gooness in the background?? That can be a VERY tempting sight indeed for a fabric adict such as myself! But the girls are very helpful and give me jobs to keep me busy so I don't follow my fabric-collecting instincts ... TOO often! Tee! Hee! Hee!

So ... after I got home and curled up on the couch with a cuppa to rest my tired tootsies (I was elected ironer-of-the-fold-downs so was standing at the ironing board most of the day!!) I finalised the tally for October's OPAM projects. Sweet Peg had done quite a lot of the blog-hopping and finish recording a day or two before, so I just had to add the few late email finish lists that I received before doing the random draw for prize winners. And this month's winners are ...

SATU

MICHE'LE

JOY-BELLE

CONGRATULATIONS gals!!! And we have a special treat for you as your prize this month. The gorgeous and creative clever-clogs Kerryanne from over at Shabby Art Boutique has very generously offered three copies of her FABULOUS new e-book "The Creative Mumpreneur ... How To Take Your Craft Addiction From Your Kitchen Table To Creative Business" for each of our winners! WOO! HOO! This is a wonderful book to read through, with lots of helpful tips for starting/expanding a craft-related business ... even if you've only ever dreamed of it before or only want to do something that fits into your 'spare' time. Well worth a read! A huge THANK YOU!!!! To Kerryanne for sharing her book with our OPAM winners. Peg and I sure have been blessed with some wonderfully generous blogging buddies this year who have helped provide prizes for you lovely OPAMers ... I won't start listing them here cos I'm bound to forget someone by doing so in a hurry and that would be BAD, cos you are all so very much appreciated ... THANK YOU to you gals ... you know who you are! :0)

OK ... that's about it for today. I'm still playing catch up this weekend ... missing out on last weekend has left me with an overflowing email 'in' box, an overflowing dirty clothes basket, an overflowing "To Do" list and only two days to try to catch up - EEK! Don't like my chances, do you? So, since it's all too hard, I might just treat myself to a cup of tea and half an hour to start to deal with my email ... Whatever YOU are up to, I hope you're having a great weekend and that you manage to find some time to put your feet up with a cuppa and enjoy some creative time. I still have those craft retreat photos to share, so I promise to try to get back here soon to show them to you. In the meantime, have fun! :0) Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!
KRIS

PS!!

2011-10-31T18:08:00.000+10:00

PS. Happy All Hallows Eve! :0) And watch out for those faeries ... its a faerie moving day, you know! :0)
FAERIE BEAR HUGS!!

CHEERS!
KRIS

Worn Out!!

2011-10-31T18:02:00.000+10:00

PHEW!!!! What a busy weekend I had ... I'll come back tomorrow to tell you about it and show you some photos! :0) But I thought I would pop in quickly today to show you what my postie has been leaving for me in the last little while. The kind of parcels that we stitchers all love ... FABRIC! :0)
First to arrive was ...

... some Ruby yumminess!! I was going to be good ... I was going to be strong ... I said to myself, "Self, you do not NEED any more fabric!!" Then Sarah had a great special that 'Self' just couldn't pass up and 'Self' decided that really ... these lovely fabrics were just right for a secret squirrel project that I will soon begin working on so ... why not! :0) Now ... when I said that this was FIRST to arrive ... I should really have said first AND last to arrive! You see ... Sarah posted two parcels to me on the same day ... one with the layer cake (the red in the photo) and the other parcel with the half metre of the yummy aqua fabric. Now two parcels, posted at the same post office at the same time should arrive at their destination at the same time, right??? WRONG! Somehow, Australia Post in all its wisdom, sent the aqua fabric on a round-Australia tour and it arrived almost a week later! Sarah and I are still trying to work THAT one out!!! :0) Then, today on my way home from work, I popped into my Home-Away-From-Home and picked up the pretty Cosmo threads to match. Can't tell you what I'm going to do with it all ... you'll just have to wait! :0)

The other yummy mail to arrive today was ...

... Some more Rural Jardin charm squares! :0) Yep ... I have an addiction to this lovely range! :0) BUT ... I also have a special project in mind for this pack of delicious French General fabrics, so I feel justified there ... not that it worries me too much! :0)

And after all this delicious new fabric arrived, I was inspired to use up some of my existing stash to make another "just in case" giftie to add to my stash ...

... a strip-pieced notebook cover, beautifully modelled (as are the fabrics above!) by the famous covergirl, Miss Annie-Rose Bear who featured on the Mothers' Day cover of "Handmade". She waived her usual sitting fee since I promised her online exposure! Tee! Hee! Hee! So ... another finish to add to my OPAM list ...YAY! It's been a bumper month for finishes for me ... how did YOU go this month??? OPAM gals, make sure you update your sidebar lists and send off your emails to Peg and I so we can update our spreadsheet results. I've got a lovely surprise in store for prize winners this month ... but you'll have to wait and see! Tee! Hee! Hee!

Right now, however, I'm off to start dinner ... choir rehearsal tonight, so I need to shake my tail feathers and get moving. Hope you had a great weekend and I'll be back tomorrow to tell you about mine ... promise! :0) Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!
KRIS

Whip Stitching!

2011-10-24T18:11:00.000+10:00

No, not stitching in whip stitch ... getting stitching cos SOMEONE has had the WHIP out! Tee! Hee! Hee! I'm somewhat behind on the Gardeners Journal Stitch Along, though I DID tell Chookyblue when I signed up that designing and stitching pattern samples would have to be my priority. But ... with the carrot on a stick being dangled before me that I can't start the latest Stitch Along ... My Favourite Things Quilt from Anni's "Some Kind Of Wonderful" book ... until I've finished GJ, I had to get stitching.

While I'm still not finished, the weekend DID see me make some good progress. I had FINALLY finished stitching the Garden Show block a couple of weeks ago ... not sure why this block seemed to take so long, lots of interruptions, I guess ... so decided to head into the sewing room yesterday to work on piecing the last two blocks ... Block B and Block I. The result ...

Block B finished. And ...

... Block I finished ... WOO! HOO! which left me with this ...

Now I just have to join the blocks together ... oh ... and choose and attach borders ... oh ... and quilt and bind it ... SIGH! Guess it will still be a little while until this is finished!!! :0) Actually ... Chooky made a deal with me ... I told her I want to get this professionally quilted, since I don't quilt anything bigger than a handbag!!! ... and that it will be a while before I save up enough play money to pay for that, so she said that I can start working on Favourite Things once I have the top to this one finished. Isn't she a sweetie! :0) I'm hoping to join these blocks up this week, then have to decide on borders, so may be back to ask your opinion ... or I might put all options into a hat and draw two out! Tee! Hee! Hee!

Not much other stitching done this weekend, though I DID put some of what I'd read in Kerryanne's e-book into practice and spent some time making plans for my design business for next year.In fact, I got so excited about some of the possibilities that I had trouble sleeping Saturday night, cos my brain was spinning out of this galaxy with ideas! That's MY excuse for the bags under my eyes today, anyways! :0)

Whatever you got up to over the weekend, I hope your schedule included some time for you to kick back, relax and create and hope you all have a fabulous week too. I'm off to sew a few blocks together before dinner to see if I can stay a few steps ahead of Chookyblue's whip! Tee! Hee! Hee! Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!
KRIS

A Friend's New "Baby"!!!

2011-10-19T17:05:00.000+10:00

I don't know about you, but sometimes I get almost as excited about good things happening to my friends as I would if good things were happening to me! And today ...

I'M SO EXCITED!

You see ... for some time now one of my bestest blogging buddies, the gorgeous and clever-clogs Kerryanne from Shabby Art Boutique has been scratching away with quill and feather by the light of a flickering candle ... well ... maybe NOT ... but that sounds a bit more romantic, right! Tee! Hee! Hee! She has instead been tapping away on her computer keyboard to write her very own E-BOOK!! WOO! HOO! How exciting is that!!! I've just about been bursting at the seams to stop myself telling people how excited I am for Kerryanne ... not to mention being kept in suspenders, waiting for Kerryanne to finally 'give birth' to her creative 'baby'.

WELL ... I need wait no more ... and neither do YOU! Cos today is THE day ... In conjunction with her dual birthday celebrations she is holding this week, Kerryanne is launching her e-book ...

"The Creative Mumpreneur: How To Take Your Craft Addiction From The Kitchen Table To Creative Business."

Now ... I was one of the first in line to read this baby hot off the presses ... you know how they show photos of people in sleeping bags outside shopping centres in the lead up to the huge Boxing Day sales??? I was a sleeping bag person when it came to Kerryanne's book! Tee! Hee! Hee! I've already read it from start to finish and I just KNOW that I will be referring back to it again and again ... and again ...! :0)

So ... what's it all about, I hear you ask??? Well .... it tackles one of the most recent trends ... Mumpreneurs, or WAHM's (Work At Home Mums). Many stay-at-home Mums are wanting to ... well ... STAY at home as their children grow up and are starting their own businesses to bring in a bit of play money, as well as give them a creative outlet. Since this is exactly what Kerryanne did 20 years ago (and continues to do very successfully today!!), her gorgeous book celebrates her business milestone by sharing some tips, tricks, hints and secrets that she has found have helped her in her business roller coaster ride. Isn't she a clever-clogs to have started her business when she was just about 5 years of age?!?! She must have, cos I'm sure she isn't any older than 25!! Tee! Hee! Hee!

I am not usually one to read "How To ..." books ... I tend to muddle along on my own, but since Kerryanne has been a wonderful source or information, encouragement and inspiration to me with MY little WAH business (I have to leave the M off the end ... unless you count that I'm 'Mum' to two badly behaved doggies and a hug of 'bearbies'! Tee! Hee! Hee!) since we first started 'chatting' about five years ago, I was keen to read her e-book. And I have to say, reading "The Creative Mumpeneur" was just like chatting to Kerryanne ... relaxed, fun, informative and VERY easy to understand ... even when she discusses subjects that are completely foreign to me ... like ORGANISATION! Tee! Hee! Hee! Add some of Kerryanne's GORGEOUS original artwork, some very practical hints, checklists and web links and throw in a FABULOUS craft project as well and you've got a winner!! :0) I can HIGHLY recommend this e-book to anyone who is thinking (dreaming!!) of starting their own work-at-home business and I think it would also be a great reference for gals like me who are already running a little business ... but could use a few tips on how to get better organised and grow their business.

Big CONGRATULATIONS!! to you Kerryanne on 'giving birth' to your 'baby' at last ... you've now put us both out of our suspense! Tee! Hee! Hee! And a HUGE ...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

... to you ... one for Kerryanne and one for Woodberry Designs. I DID offer to sing Happy Birthday to Kerryanne twice ... one for each of her birthdays ... but she didn't take me up on that offer! Tee! Hee! Hee!

"The Creative Mumpreneur: How to take your craft addiction from the kitchen table to creative business" is now available from Kerryanne's website for just $29 ... a bargain for this type of "How To" book that I just KNOW you'll get your money's worth from cos you'll be referring back to it time and time again!! PLUS Kerryanne is giving people a chance to win their very own copy in a birthday giveaway on her blog, so hop across and visit her. And wish her a Happy Birthday while you're there! :0)

And since I can't actually be on hand in-person to help Kerryanne to celebrate, I think I shall go and celebrate by myself with a cup of Daintree lavender and camomile tea (my new hot tea drink of choice!!) and start reading my new e-book from the very beginning again ... I might have missed something! :0) Hope you're all having a great week and managing to fit in some stitching ... I'll show you what I've been working on next time ... promise! :0) Til next time ...

CREATIVE BEAR HUGS!!

CHEERS!
KRIS

Depression!!

2011-10-12T22:42:00.000+10:00

OK ... so maybe I'M not depressed ... but the GLASS is and I was pretty bummed! :0( Are you confused? Me too most days! :0) Some of you who pop in to visit regularly will no doubt have seen my growing collection of green Depression Glass as I share exciting (to mw anyway!!) new additions. Well ... earlier in the year, you might have seen this photo ...

... some new green Depression Glass treasures for me and some pink for my Bestest-Buddy-Since-We-Were-Nine Lynette. So here is today's photo ...

Can you guess what's wrong with this picture? Besides the fact that those two mini teddy bears look like they're cozying up in a spa! :0) Let me give you a hint ...

Yes, one of the little sherbet/sorbet glasses is broken. SIGH!! No one's fault, just one of those annoying hiccups in the day. I put my water bottle on the hutch to get something out of the fridge, went to pick it back up, my fingers slipped on the plastic surface, it overbalanced and toppled, there was a crash, a tinkle, a little bear flying through the air (the little girl bear had been residing in the now-broken glass!) and it was all over before I could take a breath to swear! Though I confess to managing that AFTERWARDS!!!!! So ... while not 'depressed' I sure was bummed to lose one of my treasures, especially cos I've been told these little glasses are a bit unusual. SIGH! The only up side here is that I shall now HAVE to spend more time cruising antique stores to try to find a replacement! :0) Funny how my Beloved Geek Boy looked slightly depressed when I pointed that out! Tee! Hee! Hee!

Hopefully ... your week is going a little more smoothly, with less crashes, tinkles and flying bears than mine!! In the meantime, I think I'll go drown my sorrows in a cup of tea. Enjoy the end of your week! Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!
CHEERS!
KRIS

Productive Weekend!!

2011-10-09T17:34:00.000+10:00

G'day all! Just thought I'd pop in quickly to let you know that I'm still alive and kicking. :0) In fact, I've been VERY active this weekend!! As well as two visits to the gym (No, I don't enjoy it, but yes, I do feel better for it ... once my feet stop aching!!! Tee! Hee! Hee!) I've been whizzing around in my sewing room and feel pretty chuffed that I actually have some finishes to add to my OPAM list so early in the month. I'm setting a good example for October! :0)

Now ... I don't know about you, but sometimes, when I've spent a LOT of time working on long-term projects, I like to treat myself to some smaller quick-to-finish projects, so that's what I decided to do this weekend. It also occurred to me (after several people very unkindly pointed it out to me!!!) that we're down to measuring the time til Christmas in WEEKS now ... EEK!!!! So these little projects will be going into my giftie basket ready to be popped in with bigger gifties, or sent off as 'just because' gifties or used for those 'didn't-see-that-one-coming' giftie exchanges! You know what I mean ... someone gives you a giftie when you weren't planning on giving them one. PHEW! Christmas can be fraught with stresses, can't it?! :0)

OK ... I can hear Chookyblue telling me to stop going on ... and on ... and on!! :0) ... and to just get on with showing you what I made ...

... Two mobile phone pouches up the back there and four tea bag wallets at the front. Six finishes to add to my OPAM list ... YAY! :0) Well ... once I finish sewing all those buttons on, anyways. :0) I know it's completely illogical (why is that not a surprise when we're talking about me! ) but I just HATE sewing on buttons. I know, I know ... I do so much hand sewing and since sewing on buttons is technically hand sewing it doesn't make sense that I hate it ... but there you go! I shall be a good girl, though, and stitch on those nasty buttons while I watch a bit of TV tonight with my Beloved Geek Boy. But right now ... I think I've earned a cup of tea, so I'm off to pop the kettle on. Hope your weekend has been productive ... or at least relaxing!! ... and that the coming week is full of stitching for you! :0) Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!
CHEERS!
KRIS

(There you go Chooky ... not TOO long today! Tee! Hee! Hee!)

What's In A Name?!?

2011-10-04T21:47:00.000+10:00

That's the question that Dawn over at As Sweet As Cinnamon is asking. What is your blog name and why did you choose it ... to be exact! :0)

So ... Why did I call my blog Tag Along Teddies ... well ... that's my pattern design business name ... pretty obvious, hey?! :0) Why did I choose it in the first place? Well ... that involves a bit of a story ... you knew it would, right?! Tee! Hee! Hee!

Once upon a time ... (all the best stories start that way!!) there was a girl who seemed to attract ... BEARS!!

Old Bears ...

... Girly Bears ...

... Boy Buccaneer Bears ...

... Scruffy Raggedy Bears ...

... Old Fashioned Bears ...

... Bikey Bears In Ports ...

... Rosey Bears ...

You get the picture! :0) So ... when the girl decided she would start a craft design business and was deciding what to call it ... well ... what better name to choose than ...

TAG ALONG TEDDIES

... cos the bears just want to TAG ALONG home with you! :0)

So there you go ... a round-about, pretty-picture way of telling you how I chose my business and blog name. Now it's YOUR turn! What's your blog name and why did you choose it?? Let me know and pop across to tell Sweet Cinnamonny Dawn too ... you might even find yourself in the draw for a pretty prize for playing along! :0)

I'm off to make myself a cup of lavender tea so I can sit back in comfort to visit some of the other blogs who are playing along ... and maybe I'll give a few bears a hug on the way past! :0) Hope your week is off to a great start ... Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!

KRIS

The End Is Nigh!!

2011-09-30T19:06:00.000+10:00

No, no!! I haven't become one of those "Doom and Gloom" merchants ... I'm pretty sure the world will keep turning ... at least for a bit longer, I hope, cos I still have an AWFULLY long "To Do" list, never mind my "Bucket List"! Tee! Hee! Hee! Nope, the 'end' that I was thinking of ... well ... there are TWO really ... was the end of the WEEK and the end of the MONTH ... today is BOTH! How's that for economy ... two for the price of one! :0)

So, being Friday, it was my regularly scheduled day off and for the first time in MONTHS I actually got to stay home and play in my sewing room - YAY!! :0) As a result, I have been able to add a couple of finishes to my OPAM list in my sidebar - YAY!! The first finish (which is actually my second finish for the month really!!) was my apron that I showed you the 'before' photo of last time. Here's what I came up with ...

Ta! Da! Some red and black loveliness to keep my clothes clean when I'm cooking ... I have a very bad habit of wiping my hands on my belly or my butt ... probably cos they stick out the most! Tee! Hee! Hee! I took the original pocket off the apron ... and BOY! was it attached securely ... very unlike most bought items!!! :0) I used it as a template to cut a red Eiffel Tower pocket, then used it as the lining for the pocket to give it a bit of strength. Add a blanket-stitched applique fleur de lise and a splash of vivid red writing proclaiming "Vive la France!" and I now have a designer apron. Hmmm ... in more ways than one, since I'm a designer and now have an apron! :0) Here's a close up of the writing and fleur de lise ...

I love how it's come up and I even managed to position one of the Eiffel Towers in the centre of my fleur de lise. Now I just have to make it to the kitchen to cook and try it out! :0)

The second finish today ... third for the month ... was a denim bag that I have been meaning to get around to making for some time. In fact ... I made a bag like this for Mum around this time last year and have had the denim and trim fabric earmarked for another ever since ... today was the day! :0)

It was a bit tricky trying to get a good photo of it, as it is a decent size, so kept sagging in various spots ... bit like me, really! Tee! Hee! Hee! There's a reinforced pocket on the front for keys or tissues ... you know ... those things you often need to get to in a hurry. And on the inside ...

... another pocket with a divider in it. A perfect size for sunnies or mobile phone. Can I just say ... I was reminded why I DON'T work with denim very often!! PHEW! It was hard work to manoeuvre the heavy fabric, especially the reinforced straps. Last year, Toni made a whole quilt out of recycled denim ... I loved the quilt, but have to say ... I will NOT be making one anytime soon! :0)

So ... that was my productive end-of-the-week day at home ... oh, along with several loads of washing and the usual household type chores. I'll now add these to my OPAM list ... and OPAM gals, if you haven't already, don't forget to update YOUR finishes on your sidebar list for September so that if you don't get around to emailing me or Sweet Peg, we will still be able to quickly see how many projects you've completed this month. Oh ... and did any of you notice that the OPAM button on our sidebars has had the total number of finishes updated again?? The number of finishes should now be BLACK ... if not ... you'll never know where we're up to! :0)

Just a little reminder, too ... if any of your lovely OPAM gals have made changes to your blog name or email address, please let Peg or I know so we can update our spreadsheet. I found one by accident yesterday and the lovely gal has now updated me, so we're up to date there. :0) Also ... If you've had a spring clean of your blog and changed the backgrounds etc ... please be sure to pop both the OPAM logo button and your list of month by month finishes back on ... last month I came across a few blogs on our list that didn't have the button or had lost their list of finishes ... these things just help Peg and I as we do our blog hopping.

OK ... well ... that's it from me for today and I think I've worked hard enough today to deserve a cup of tea before I think about cooking dinner. :0) I hope you've all had a wonderful and productive week and that your weekend includes some time for you to sit back, put your feet up and relax with some stitching or a pretty craft magazine ... or two ... or three! Tee! Hee! Hee! Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!
KRIS

A Step Back In Time!

2011-09-25T11:57:00.001+10:00

Well ... the week has flown, the weekend is more than half over and I'm finally getting back here to share some more pics with you that I took while Mum and Dad were visiting. I told you I took the week off work so I could keep up with my Mum ... she runs rings around me! :0) Well ... one of the things she said she'd like to do was to take a little trip back in time and visit the nearby Jondaryan Woolshed because they were celebrating their "Heritage Week" and had all sorts of things going on. So Mum, Dad and I all jumped in the car and headed off ... my Beloved Geek Boy was being a grown up and at work ... well SOMEONE had to be earning the play money that I like to spend! Tee! Hee! Hee!

Jondaryan is about a 40 minute drive west of Toowoomba ... unless there's lots of roadworks going on ... GRRRR! but it really is like stepping back in time. The original property was once the biggest wool producer in the area and a busy little hub for the community. While the economy over the years has changed all of that, the property has been turned into an island of yesteryear, with lots of gorgeous historical buildings being moved onto it to form a little village. The main entry greets you in grand fashion ...

Oh how I would love to have this building to turn into my dream Bed & Breakfast! :0) Once inside the complex, we found that we had arrived just in time for the Heritage Week Grand Parade. There were ...

Horse-drawn vehicles ... I LOVE Clydesdale horses and when I have that dream Bed & Breakfast, would love to have a couple of these gentle giants, along with an open carriage of some sort. Oh ... these photos were taken on my iPhone cos both Mum and I forgot to take our cameras! DOH! So, the quality isn't great, but at least you get a peek at what we got up to. :0) Moving right along ... which the Grand Parade did ...

... There were steam-driven vehicles ... not only did these ones make a LOT of noise, they looked to give a pretty rough ride, so I don't think I want one of those! :0)

... there was old farm machinery that had been lovingly restored. Hmmm ... this actually looks a lot like the tractor I learned to drive on the farm where my bestest-buddy-since-we-were-nine Lynette grew up ... her Dad was very patient with a townie, teaching me to drive the tractor and a column-shift EH Holden ... thought it DID involve some rather hairy moments for all concerned! Tee! Hee! Hee!

... and there were a few gorgeous vintage cars, too. I liked this one cos ... I'm a GREEN girl, after all! :0) Wouldn't you feel like Bonny and Clyde every time you went tooling down the road in this car?! :0)

After the dust had settled on the Grand Parade (Yep ... it's been pretty dry around here lately!) we toddled off to have a look at the other historic buildings that have been moved to the site and restored. This cottage was my favourite ...

It was such a dinky little house, but done up to suit the era inside and the cottage garden out the front was just too cute. Oh ... and that blackboard that you can't read? It was advertising fresh home-baked pumpkin scones ... YUMMO!!!! Of COURSE we had to sample those! :0)

Here's Mum and Dad in front of one of the other cute heritage cottages. You can see who I take after in shape, there, can't you! Tee! Hee! Hee! I keep telling Dad he could have passed on some GOOD genetic traits, rather than just the short podgy ones! :0)

And what would an Aussie heritage village be without at least one outhouse! :0) Here's Mum peeking out to tell us that there were no redbacks on the toilet seat or snakes behind the door ... she wouldn't have been grinning cheekily at me if there were either of those things within a mile! Tee! Hee! Hee! All in all, we had a lovely, relaxing trip back in time. If you're ever in the area ... or you're a local who hasn't visited for a while ... I'd recommend a visit to Jondaryan Woolshed.

Well ... that's about it from me. I still have some pics of the Carnival of Flowers parade to share with you, but I'd better toodle off and do a bit. I've already been a busy bee in the sewing room yesterday putting the binding on my French quilt that's almost ready to go off to "Homespun" ... just have to finish sewing down the binding. I can't show you the quilt, cos that would spoil the surprise, but I can show you a sneaky peek of the FABULOUS quilting done for me by the lovely Joy who teaches free motion machine quilting at my Home-Away-From-Home ...

This gorgeous fleur de lise design is in each of the squares and it has come up a treat ... perfect for a French themed quilt. :0) Thanks Joy for doing a SUPERB job of quilting this for me on such a tight deadline!!! And the most outstanding thing about Joy's quilting ... it's all done on a domestic machine!! She just amazes me with what she can get her machine to do ... sometimes I can't even get mine to sew in a straight line!! Or perhaps that has more to do with the operator! Tee! Hee! Hee!

And while I was playing in the sewing room, I also had a little play with this ...

My somewhat boring black apron that I bought myself a year or so ago ... oops! :0) That gorgeous red and black Eiffel Tower fabric that I couldn't resist on ebay and my "French Inspired Home" book ... what do you get when you mix the three??? Stay tuned and I'll show you soon! :0)

And on that note, I'm off to make myself a cup of tea and finish sewing down the binding on my quilt. Then, of course, it's on to the FUN part of the designing process ... NOT!! SIGH!!! Guess who has to write instructions this week?!!! So, if I don't surface for a few days, you'll know why. I hope your weekend is going along at a relaxing pace and that the coming week is full of wonderful new adventures for you all! :0) Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!
KRIS

Spring Has Sprung!!

2011-09-21T16:56:00.000+10:00

YAY! This warm-weather gal is rejoicing! :0) Here on top of our 'hill' we've enjoyed a week and a bit of GORGEOUS spring weather and I think this bear is ready to come out of hibernation! Tee! Hee! Hee! And even if I WASN'T ready ... I would have been forced out of it last week when my parents were here for a visit, cos you have to get up pretty early in the morning and hit the floor running to keep up with my Mum! :0) The week was jam-packed full of errand running, shopping, visiting, appointments etc, but one thing that Mum and I decided to enjoy together was a visit to some of Toowoomba's public parks to see them in all their Carnival of Flowers finery.

We picked the PERFECT spring day to make the rounds of the parks ... the sky was BLUE, the bees were buzzing, the butterflies were flitting and it was warm enough for us to wear short sleeves for the first time this spring - YAY! :0) So ... first stop of the day was Laurel Bank Park. Oddly enough, this was the first time I've ever managed to visit Laurel Bank Park during the Carnival of Flowers, but let me tell you ... it will now be an annual pilgrimage!! You'll see why! :0)

The tour started with some gorgeous cottage garden-style displays, complete with semi-rudie-nudie statuary! :0)

Don't know if you can see ... but Mum is thoughtfully trying to retain this statue's modesty by holding her camera case in front of where her toga's sagged ... the statue's toga, that is, not Mum's! Tee! Hee! Hee! Don't you love those pretty cottagy colours?

Now ... as well as pretty traditional gardens, there were lots of floral 'paintings' ... flowers planted in such a way as to form flowery pictures in their garden frames. Do you recognise this cartoon character??

Sing it with me ...

"Felix the Cat. The wonderful, wonderful cat. Whenever you get in a fix, he reaches into his bag of tricks ..." :0)

Up, up and away in my beautiful balloon! This was one of the clearest pics ... some of them involved a great deal of crossing your eyes, squinting, standing on your head and just plain guessing! :0)

Some Happy Feet penguins with a pink piggy in the background .... and quite a few others that either didn't photograph well or we just plain didn't know what they were. On the up side ... we made a lot of new friends with the OTHER people who were standing there crossing their eyes, squinting, standing on their heads and guessing what the flower pictures were! Tee! Hee! Hee!

The next stop was the botanical gardens at Queens Park in the heart of Toowoomba. Let me say ... I have never seen so many COLOURS!! It was like a rainbow had exploded and splashed down in the park!! :0)

Pinks and purples ...

... sunny yellows, golds and oranges ...

... tulips. I took this photo especially for Toni who I know LOVES tulips! :0) I have to say ... so do I! They just always look so darn CHEERFUL and bright ... and just a bit exotic, since they're often a bit tricky to grow in our relatively temperate Queensland climate. (though I know 'temperate' wasn't the word I was using for our climate this winter! Tee! Hee! Hee!)

Here's my attempt at an artistic shot ... or I tripped as I took it ... can't remember which! Tee! Hee! Hee! It does show you that brilliant blue sky in the top left corner, though, contrasting nicely with those pretty flower colours.

More sunny colours ... they looked cool ... or should I say WARM against that rusty/red coloured hedge.

Doesn't this photo just scream SPRING to you?! :0) Oh ... and others were taking photos too ... that cherry-picker in the background was to lift an official looking photographer up to take aerial shots of the gardens and the gal in the red top to the left of the pic is one of our local TV news presenters ... obviously they were doing a bit of a report on the carnival build up.

So ... having now walked our way around two fairly big parks, we decided to grab some lunch before heading to a third ... Picnic Point ... for a picnic lunch and a look around.

Here's Mum contemplating here quiche ... chicken and asparagus ... YUMMO! :0) But ... from the other end of the picnic table, someone else was eyeing off her lunch ...

This rather handsome fellow sat on the other end of our picnic table for the entire meal ... I think he was hoping for some barbeque fare, but he had to make do with our sparkling company! :0)

The gardens at Picnic Point were a bit behind the others we had seen, so they weren't really showing at their best, but the Council had reinstated a favourite park feature that had been quiet for a few years ...

The waterfall. Since Toowoomba had been on severe water restrictions up until our flooding earlier this year, the waterfall had been turned off and the pond drained. It was lovely to hear and see it adding a special something to the lookout again. In fact ... when my Beloved Geek Boy and I were considering where we would like to get married, we thought about this spot, but settled on a smaller waterfall/pond/park setting in his home town of Dalby.

And speaking of our wedding day ... it was 19 years ago on Monday, September 19. WOW! That time sure has sped past at warp speed! :0)

Here we are ... looking very young ... and taking up far less space than we do now ... oh dear! :0) And you can just see the pond in the background there. I know I often tease my GB, but I can honestly say not a day goes by that I don't count my blessings for finding such a sweet, patient, clever man to spend my life with. We started out as friends and I am blessed to be able to say he is still my best friend. He's not perfect, you understand ... but he's perfect for me, so I think I shall keep him! :0) After all ... after 19 years, the warranty and returns policy have well and truly expired! Tee! Hee! Hee! Happy Anniversary, Scott! I love you more today than the day we stood by that pond to exchange our vows and I'm looking forward to at least another 19 years of shared adventures!! MWAH!!!

OK ... enough soppy stuff now ... I'm off to make myself a cuppa before I have a play in my sewing room. I'll be back soon to share some more photos that I took during Mum and Dad's visit and the Carnival of Flowers. I hope you've all had a great start to your week and I wish you all RAINBOWS in the coming days ... whether they be spring flowers, autumn leaves, hugs from a friend ... or some new additions to your fabric stash!! :0) Til next time ...

SPRING BEAR HUGS!!!

CHEERS!
KRIS

Homespun Angels!!

2011-09-15T11:28:00.000+10:00

Are you all like me? Do you wait impatiently for a good thing to happen once you know that it's going to happen?? Do you cross days off calendars, double-check the date, check the mailbox several times a day ... just in case the postie was running a bit late ... OK ... so checking the mail at 10pm starts to be a little obsessive! Tee! Hee! Hee! But you know what I mean ... right?? Or is that just me?? :0)

So ... I've shared often here on my blog about the GORGEOUS group of ladies that formed earlier in the year to make quilts for flood/disaster victims, the Quilting Angels. Well ... the lovely Catherine at "Homespun" was touched by the huge response to Marion's Quilt Drive and asked one of her intrepid writers to liaise with us to put together a story about our Angels ... Jeanette has done a WONDERFUL job of sifting through the PAGES of comments and notes I sent her on behalf of the Angels ... I'm surprised her eyeballs weren't bleeding by the end of it all! Tee! Hee! Hee! AND ...

IT'S HERE!!

The issue that features a wonderful three-page spread of story and photos about Marion's Quilting Angels is in the current issue of "Homespun" ... No. 100 Vol. 12.9. WOO! HOO! Waiting over!!

Here's the first pages of our story ... and can you see the two 'Head Angels' in that GORGEOUS photo?? :0) I love this photo of Marion and Steph!! And there's one of my own angels ... made from Anni Downs' "An Angels Story" book a few years ago ... quilt is still on the list! :0) If you haven't already grabbed your copy of "Homespun" you really should, cos as well as the story on our Quilting Angels, there are LOTS of fabulous projects to make ... including a pretty bag by my GAWJUS blogging buddy Joy-Belle, a sweet stitchery hanging by the clever Julie Lovell who I was lucky enough to meet at Stitchers Dream Day Out on the weekend, this month's BOM block is designed by Bronwyn Hayes ... OH! ... and just too many more things to mention that will keep you creating for AGES! :0)

And some good news for those of you like me who have trouble waiting for good things to arrive/happen ... and my blogging buddies overseas ... "Homespun" has gone high-tech and you can now get your subscription online! WOO! HOO! It's through Zinio and the direct link is HERE. So ... no more missing out on issues, no more expensive overseas postage and WAY less storage space needed in your sewing room to store your mags, so of COURSE that means more room for more FABRIC! Tee! Hee! Hee! Not to mention ... that the online sub is a little cheaper than the hardcopy version, so there's also more play money to buy ... you guessed it! ... MORE FABRIC! :0) Hmmm ... I think this will be going on my Christmas wish list ... along with an iPad so I can read my digital magazines and books in bed! Tee! Hee! Hee!

And now ... I'm off to take advantage of the sunny spring day we're enjoying and will hang some washing before Mum and I toodle off to visit some of our local parks that are brimming over with spectacular floral displays ready for this coming weekend's launch of the Carnival of Flowers. Hope your week is going well and that you too have time to stop and smell the flowers! :0) Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!
CHEERS!
KRIS

Stitchers Dream Day Out 2011!!

2011-09-13T17:44:00.000+10:00

WHAT a weekend I've had!! I packed so much into it that it's lasted until Tuesday! Tee! Hee! Hee! OK ... maybe not ... it's just taken me this long to be able to grab some time to sort through photos and write a post about everything that happened.

If you've never made the trip up our hill to be part of Stitchers Dream Day Out, hosted by the GORGEOUS mother/daughter team of Marion and Steph Marshall at my home-away-from-home ... AKA The Quilters Angel ... I can HIGHLY recommend it! It is such a fun day of being spoilt, stitching, chatting and meeting wonderful like-minded ladies ... not to mention being given the first look at SIX brand new project designs!! But ... I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's backtrack to Friday. I rang the shop to ask Sue (who was manning the counter while Marion and Steph finished setting up for the weekend) how everything was going and whether they could use another body to help set things up. Her reply began with ... "WEEEEEEEELL..." Uh oh! That's not usually a promising beginning! One of the guest designers had got caught in bad weather and missed her plane and had to reshedule, which meant the connection with the airport bus didn't work and someone had to drive down to Brisbane, there were gale force winds and it was bucketing down rain ... which led to the discovery that the marquee leaked and the weather forecast for the weekend was an unseasonable cold snap!! EEK! But do you know what?? Marion and Steph and their merry band of workers all pitched in, the rain stopped in time to get set up, the leak was fixed and everything was in place for the Saturday ladies to enjoy their special day of stitching. PHEW!!

Do you see that bleak sky? Brrrrrr!! It was COLD and windy on Friday and Saturday!!

Now ... this was the fourth year that my bestest-buddy-since-we-were-nine Lynette and I have attended one of the two glorious stitching days of this event. And can I say, just quietly, we were REALLY pleased that we booked for Sunday, which was a bit nicer weather-wise than the Saturday! :0) Along with the other ladies, we were greeted by Marion's Mum Ethel with a cuppa and some of the cutest little bite-sized bickies ... which I ate rather than took a photo of ... oops!! :0)

At last ... we were allowed into the marquee ...

Here's everyone settling in to their tables ... do you see the giant pom-pom flowers at the top of the marquee poles? And look at those pretty 'goodies bags'. You just KNOW there's lots of fun surprises in there! :0) Lynette and I were at what we dubbed the "Naughty Table" ... right up the back corner of the marquee! Tee! Hee! Hee! Obviously Marion has been talking to our school teachers who used to separate us as soon as we walked into a classroom! Marion must have decided to keep all the trouble-makers at one table to keep an eye on us! Tee! Hee! Hee! Lynette and I were joined by Lesley and Nicole, who were at our table last year too, along with new table mates mother/daugher duo Maree and Jo ... also repeat offenders! :0)

Look at those smiles ... you can't half tell they're related, can you! :0) And lovely ladies they both were! In fact ... we all took a vote and decided that we'd like to book our table and table-mates again for next year. Tee! Hee! Hee!

Marion then welcomed everyone and introduced our guest designers for 2011. On the left of this pic is Julie Lovell from Calico Farm Designs, the zany Natalie Ross of In Stitches, and you can just see Libby Richardson of Art Smart Craft Cottage Designs beside Marion ... maybe she was camera-shy! :0) Each of these clever, creative gals had come up with two brand new projects for us to enjoy ... and I KNOW you want to see what they were!!

A table runner and little girl's bag from Libby, wristie pouch and iPad cover from Natalie and some super-cute owls and a set of small stitchery hangers from Julie. How spoilt were we!!!! :0) Bet you wish you came now! Tee! Hee! Hee! Each of the participants was given a goodies-bag and included in that bag was the kit to make one of these GORGEOUS projects and my little kit is to make up Natalie's wristie pouch ... since I've never actually COMPLETED a project I've started at SDDO, I'll keep you posted! :0)

Throughout the day, we were also treated to mini-tutorials by the three designers on techniques they used in their projects.

Libby showed us her painting technique that she uses to add some background colour to her stitcheries.

Here's Julie showing a very attentive Lesley how to create the cute crochet flowers she used to decorate her little owl softies. Natalie demonstrated needle-turn applique ... but got a bit interrupted when she got to our table, so no pic there ... told you we were considered to be the naughty table! Tee! Hee! Hee! I DID however get a pic of Natalie and I together at the end of the day.

Yes ... Natalie IS quite tall and I AM quite short! :0) It was funny, actually ... Lynette and I were having our arrival cuppa when Natalie came to get a kick-start of caffeine and she looked at me and said ... "You weren't here yesterday, were you?" I said, no. She put her thinking cap on and said, "Well, you look familiar to me." I commented that although we hadn't met 'in person' before, we've chatted back and forth on blogs and email ... at which point she said ... "Oh! I know! You're Kris from Tag Along Teddies!" Yep ... recognised! :0) Guess I look like my photo in real life! Tee! Hee! Hee! Natalie and I agree that we have quite a lot in common, including a 'chatty' blog style (OK ... neither of us can manage to write short posts ... that doesn't really make us long-winded!! That's our story and we're sticking to it! Tee! Hee! Hee!) ... we both have a slightly 'left-of-centre' sense of humour ... and we're both rather baffled by the popularity of hexagons! :0) I guess you either 'get' them or not!!

And speaking of slightly chatty, zany gals ... here's Natalie and me with the inimitable Helen. Helen is part of the Quilting Angels group and she is a HOOT and a HALF! :0) In keeping with the day, she had decorated her earrings with DMC and Cottage Garden thread skeins, had fabric strapped to her wrists like Wonderwoman bracelets, had hot-pink Quilters Angel bags as cuffs for her boots and roses tucked into her boots to tie in with our "Down The Garden Path" theme. Everyone will remember Helen! Tee! Hee! Hee!

And speaking of 'naughty' ...

We were taking photos of Libby with 'Our Helen' and who should pop up in the background making bunny-ears and pulling faces??? You guessed it ... Natalie! I think Marion may have to make our 'naughty table' a lot bigger next year! Tee! Hee! Hee!

So ... that was Stitchers Dream Day Out for 2011 and despite a few hiccups in the weather and some slight reshuffling of transport, a FANTASTIC time was had by all. Well done to Marion, Steph and their team of busy worker-bees for making the weekend such an enjoyable one for all of us who were 'playing ladies'. :0) A big thanks to Julie, Natalie and Libby, too, for sharing some of their brand new designs with us and braving our Toowoomba 'spring' weather to come and 'play' with us ... can't wait til you all come back again for another play date! :0)

OH!!! I almost forgot!! I also got to have a quick catch up with the lovely Jenny from Bundaberg. I met Jenny when I popped into the local patchwork shop in Bunday on a visit ... as you do!! ... and we had a lovely chat. Hope you had as great a day as Lynette and I did, Jenny!! :0) (I would send you over to visit Jenny's blog ... but I confess to losing her blog address - Oops!!!)

Are you all completely JEALOUS now?? Cos if you are ... maybe you need to pop over HERE to see what's happening NEXT year and book your place ... I know Lesley and Nicole did before they headed home on Sunday! :0)

I still have lots of stuff to share ... busy weekend, obviously!! ... but I have to shoot off. My parents are here for the week and Mum is keeping us hopping to get through her "To Do" list! PHEW! I'll need to go back to work for a rest! :0) Hope you all had a fabulous weekend too ... I promise I'll be back soon with some other news! Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!
CHEERS!
KRIS

Sweet Friends Make Me Smile!!

2011-09-09T11:10:00.000+10:00

You know ... I am very much aware that I have been BLESSED with some GORGEOUS friends and blogging buddies ... it's something I appreciate so much and never take for granted! And just how blessed I am was reinforced yesterday when I came home to find a yellow envelope in my mailbox. Hmmm ... who could it be from? I turned it over ... it was from my gorgeous blogging buddy and OPAM Partner-In-Crime, Sweet Peg. What was she sending me???

What a SWEETIE!! Peg send me a 'just because' giftie to let me know she was thinking of me! (The blue spot fabric she's used for the tie matches my slippies and dressing gown! Tee! Hee! Hee!)

A phone pouch!! COOL!! Peg must have known that the phone pouch I had been using didn't have a catch on it, or a flap to close it and from time to time, my iPhone would make a wild bid for freedom and slide out ... giving my palpitations in the process! :0) I keep EVERYTHING stored on my phone ... addresses, phone numbers, diary dates, 'to do' notes, my music ... EVERYTHING!! So if something happened to it I would be TOAST! :0) AND ... she's used some of my fave fabric from French General ... how very SPOILT am I! :0)

Here's my phone, snuggling in it's new SAFE pouch, ready to pop into my bag.

THANK YOU, SWEET PEG!!

What a truly GORGEOUS friend you are to me!

And speaking of friends ... my Bestest-Buddy-Since-We-Were-Nine Lynette, is due to arrive tomorrow afternoon ... AFTER my parents also arrive for their week-long visit. Busy times and no-room-at-the-inn here at the Meares' Madhouse ... unless you don't mind a matress on the lounge room floor, in which case you're welcome to join the madness!! Tee! Hee! Hee! Lynette is coming up so that she and I can enjoy a day of stitching indulgence at The Quilter's Angel annual

"Stitchers Dream Day Out"

this weekend, hosted by the lovely Marion and Steph. This will be the fourth year Lynette and I have enjoyed a day of being spoiled, fed and indulged in our stitching passion and we are SOOOOOOOO looking forward to it! :0) This year's guest designers are Libby Richardson of "Art Smart Craft Cottage", Natalie Ross from "In Stitches" and Julie Lovell from "Calico Farm Designs". It should be a FABULOUS day out cos Marion and Steph always spoil the ladies attending! I promise to report back with lots of photos ... and I promise to enjoy a cuppa for you all too ... OOOOOOOOHHH!!! I may end up sloshing when I walk and spending a LOT of time in the "ladies"! Tee! Hee! Hee! Perhaps I'll just have ONE cuppa on behalf of you all collectively! ;0)

I hope you've all had a fabulous week and that you, too, have some fun stuff planned for your weekend. Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!
CHEERS!
KRIS

Tell Me Why I Don't LIke Mondays!

2011-09-05T18:05:00.000+10:00

Why??? ... Cos I'm SURE that Mondays have even LESS hours in them than other days of the week!!! Or maybe it's just that my "To Do" list every Monday is so LONG. Hmmm ... I could be on to something there! :0)

Busy weekend at the Meares' Madhouse ... trying to shovel out the clutter a bit ready for a parental visit this coming weekend ... not to mention two very busy weeks coming up. Not sure I achieved even HALF the things on that "To Do" list, but did manage to get a couple done. The fun one was FINALLY getting a few things hung on the walls in my sewing room ... this required the assistance of my Beloved Geek Boy, you see, so it has taken a while to co-ordinate the hammer, nails, hooks, ladder and chief-stander-on-ladders and banger-of-nails. :0) Anything that can be reached from the floor, I can handle, but these were WAY above my reach-up height ... hence the wait. Here we go ...

The bunting that I finished a few months ago has FINALLY made it to the wall and I'm pretty happy with how it looks ... though it was a bit of a challenge explaining how I wanted it draped ... GB doesn't 'get' bunting, so wasn't being very helpful!! GRRRRR!! And do you see my three new canvasses?? I bought these from the Lovely Lilly Linda after spotting them in one of her lovely photo shoots featured on her blog. I emailed her to put SOLD stickers on them for me and picked them up when we had our bloggy buddy play date. (Linda has LOTS of pretty things that she shows on her blog, so pop across for a visit if you haven't already found her!)

Don't you love the postcard-y effect and the yummy sepia tones?? Ooh La La! :0) Oh ... and do you see the faeries in these photos? Linda says these 'lights' that appear in photos sometimes are the faeries playing. Well ... that explains what happens to things I'm looking for that go missing in the sewing room ... the FAERIES hide them! Tee! Hee! Hee! The other item to finally be hung was a groovy hanger thingy (that's the technical term, you understand! Tee! Hee! Hee!) that I found a while back to house my quilting rulers ...

Ta Da!! I'm not sure what it was originally designed for, but it gave me a classy way to keep my rulers out of the way and safe from being stepped on by GB ... yes ... that HAS happened before ... hence the broken ruler you can see behind the centre ruler!!! Now I can also show off the GORGEOUS ruler covers made for me by my equally GORGEOUS blogging buddy and OPAM partner-in-crime, Sweet Peg. She's done such a lovely job making them that it's nice to show them off! :0)

And speaking of OPAM ... the weekend also saw Sweet Peg and I do our round up and blog-hop. A big thank you to everyone who emailed Peg and I with your end of month tally ... it really does help us a lot to have those emails come in. I'm still catching up on replying to the emails I received ... but I'll get there! :0) I think we must all have been busy with 'real life' during August, cos it was the lowest tally of finishes for the year so far. Mind you ... there were still 392 finishes, so that's not exactly shabby, is it! :0) Well done to everyone who added finishes to their sidebar list and also to those who, like me, were stitching away at longer-term projects. Remember ... if you made some progress for the month, if you did a bit of stitching here and there, then you've ACHIEVED something, so well done! :0) OK ... the random draw winners for August are ...

KAYLY

SOFIA

DEBRA S.

CONGRATULATIONS, gals!!! Email your snail mail addresses through to me and I'll pop some surprises into the mail for you.

In the meantime ... like the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland ...

"I'm LATE! I'm LATE!!"

So I'd better scuttle off and get ready for vocal ensemble rehearsal ... Folk Music concert this weekend and tonight is a full run through ... including a solo by yours truly! EEP!!!! Hope your week is off to a fabulous start and that no one has been stealing hours from YOUR day! :0)

BEAR HUGS!
CHEERS!
KRIS

When Blogging Buddies PLAY!!!

2011-09-03T18:50:00.000+10:00

Well ... it's been a little longer than intended since I popped in last to tell you about my FANTASTIC play date at Mt Tambourine last weekend with my bestest blogging buddies the Gorgeous Kerryanne and the Lovely Lilly Linda. I'm finally back to finish telling of our adventures. BUT ... be warned ... there are quite a few pictures to follow ... you know Linda's and my version of A FEW! Tee! Hee! Hee! In other words ... you may want to grab a cuppa, a bickie and get comfy before you proceed. :0)

OK ... so ... what do three blogging buddies get up to when they finally meet up in person? Well ... they go SHOPPING of course! :0) I'm surprised you even had to think about that! Tee! Hee! Hee! Since Linda and her Beloved have been to Mt Tambourine more often than the rest of us, we let them set the itinerary ... well ... Linda did and her brave Beloved was Mr Bus Driver for the weekend! Tee! Hee! Hee! And an admirable job he did, too! :0) First stop ... some antique and vintage hunting ...

Look at that ... a sign that we decided summed us up well! :0) Though ... I don't REALLY think Kerryanne qualifies at an antique!! :0) We made sure that we inspected this and a few other shops VERY thoroughly which led to the discovery of several treasures ...

Here's Kerryanne ... do you see that grin?? That's cos she had just snagged a couple of bargains! :0) Don't you love that rustic ironing board? And the cylinder she's holding is a giant reel of cotton ... more on that later! Now ... after that spot of shopping, we were all a bit peckish and thirsty, so off Mr Bus Driver took us to a quiet little park ... where Linda and I made use of the "Devil-bite-your-bum" toilets! Linda's description of the eco-toilets that made me laugh and conjured up a VERY funny mental picture! Tee! Hee! Hee!

Linda and her Beloved are famous for their car-boot picnics and this is what we were treated to. Here's Kerryanne inspecting the table ... do you see that pretty tablecloth? Who says outdoor dining is roughing it! :0) Then it was back to the shops ... we're not wimps!! We could ... shop all day! The long-suffering husbands were pretty good about our shopping expedition ... mainly cos the shop owners at Mt Tambourine were very good at providing "husband seats" outside. Tee! Hee! Hee!

So ... what did I buy?? I know you want to know. :0)

Like Kerryanne, I couldn't go past the giant cotton reels, especially since they're complete with original packaging. I've popped a couple of my 'normal' wooden cotton reels beside it to show you the scale. The label says the cotton is for factory use in the 'boot, shoe, slipper and clothing trades'. It's now sitting on the shelf above my sewing desk ... where ELSE would I keep a giant reel of cotton?!?! :0)

I found some pretty pieces of pink Depression glass that I've put away as birthday and Christmas gifties for my bestest-buddy-since-we-were-nine Lynette ... she collects the pink Depression glass and I collect the green.

I also bought myself a French cafe` CD ... which I'm enjoying listening to as I type this :0) ... and some pretty smelling soaps to go into my giftie stash. Oh ... do you see that pretty birdcage and the Matroyshka (that's spelt really wrong, but spellcheck won't offer me alternatives!!) dollies? Gorgeous gifties from my equally gorgeous blogging buddies. :0) And in the bags I put together for each of the gals was ...

Some cute little bits and bobs that I've been collecting ever since we set our play date and a little stitchery kit of a special Tag Along Teddies design (yet to be released as a pattern) . Each gift was co-ordinated in the gals' fave colours ... pink for Linda and blue for Kerryanne. There were a few of the gifties that we exchanged that we all now have, including the stitchery that says "Friends are tied by heart strings". Not sure when any of us will get to actually STITCH them, since all three of us seem to be constantly busy chasing deadlines, but we'll have them ready to go when we manage to find some free time. :0)

Now each time I'm at my sewing desk, I'll be reminded of my blogging buddies and the 'time' we spent together. (Get it?? Clock ... time ...oh never mind!!!)

So ... are you still with me?? If so, that's the end of Friday's adventures. Saturday ... the view from our front deck had changed a little from the clear coastal views of the day before and looked like this ...

That pea-soup is where our coastal views should have been. Ah ... yes ... THIS is the view of Mt Tambourine that my Beloved Geek Boy and I are most familiar with ... every other time we've visited, this is the sort of weather we've been treated to! :0) So what better way to spend the day than doing this ...

... and this ...

Did we mind that the weather was icky?? Not a bit!! We were cosy and warm in the lounge room, stitching, chatting, munching and drinking cups of tea and coffee! :0) In fact, we only ventured out later that evening to enjoy dinner out ... and our fearless Mr Bus Driver deserves a medal for negotiating the narrow, winding mountain roads in thick, THICK, THICK fog!! Then ... as it always does way too soon ... Sunday rolled around and it was time for hugs goodbye, promises to start planning our RE-union (very hard to explain to people that we're great friends but only meeting up in person for the first time!!!) and we all headed different directions homeward ... Kerryanne and her Beloved headed south, Linda and Mr Bus Driver headed north and GB and I headed west. We really did gather from all points of the compass for our play date! :0) (no one could have come from the east unless we'd invited a mermaid or two cos there's nothing out there but ocean!! Tee! Hee! Hee!)

So ... that was our VERY special blogging buddy play date. Thank you SOOOOOOOOO much Kerryanne and Linda for an incredibly enjoyable, memorable and special weekend of friendship. I can't WAIT til we get to do it all over again!!

And if you've stuck with me right to the end ... WELL DONE!! Go and reward yourself with another cuppa and another bickie! Tee! Hee! Hee! Meanwhile ... I'm off to do something about our dinner.

OPAM gals ... I'll be back Monday to let you know who the prize draw winners are, so if you'd forgotten to let Peg or I know your final tally for August, you've got another day to do so. Hope your weekend is off to a fabulous start and that it includes some time to relax. Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!!
CHEERS!
KRIS

When Blogging Buddies Meet!!

2011-08-29T16:03:00.000+10:00

When I began my blogging journey some four years ago (WOW! Time sure flies when you're having fun!!) little did I realise that not only would I 'meet' some fantastic, like-minded people from all around the world, but that I would also make two of my closest friends. The first blog I began to follow was Kerryanne's gorgeous blog Shabby Art Boutique.

I had bought some decorative art patterns from Kerryanne previously and when someone suggested I should promote my design business via a blog, hers was the blog I turned to for inspiration. Then, through visiting some of the other blogs on Kerryanne's sidebar, I discovered the vintage treasures and pretties on the Lilly Cottage blog and 'met' the Lovely Lilly Linda.

These, my first two 'blogging buddies', have since become wonderful, supportive and encouraging friends. We've chatted via blog comments, emails and phone calls. I was then able to meet up with the Lovely Linda who lived not-too-far-away in Brisbane, then on her island. We've enjoyed many play dates now and the friendship has only grown. So you can see why both Linda and I were keen to have a 'real-life' play date with the gorgeous Kerryanne, too ... after all ... we often joke that we three have SOOOOOO much in common that we are obviously triplets separated at birth! :0)

Now ... with that back-story in mind, imagine how excited the three of us have been in the last few weeks as we FINALLY got to plan our collective play date!!! WOO! HOO!! The date was set, the house rental organised at the picturesque Mt Tambourine, plans made, stitching prepared, bags packed, husbands told to be on their best behaviour (just kidding ... they're all pretty well-behaved to start with! Tee! Hee! Hee!) ... and we were ON OUR WAY!! We all set off on Thursday and since my Beloved Geek Boy and I had both taken the day off work and only had a couple of hours to travel, we were first to arrive.

Here is the lovely holiday home we'd rented ... plenty of room for three couples ... and all of our sewing paraphernalia! Tee! Hee! Hee! And the views ...

Those white dots are the highrise buildings of the Gold Coast and the blue smudgy bit just above them is the ocean. A little closer look ...

You can see the skyscrapers a little better in this one ... shame about those power lines, but at night it didn't matter ... you couldn't see the wires and the lights of the coast sparkled like a Christmas tree ... my poor little point-and-shoot camera just wasn't able to capture that part of the view! :0)

Couple by couple, we arrived and there were big hugs, squooshy bear hugs and kiss noises all round ... I think the husbands were a bit overwhelmed by it all, but they were very good sports about it! :0) After claiming our rooms ... this was where GB and I camped ...

... we rustled up some drinks and nibbles and settled in on the huge front deck to enjoy the cool-but-not-cold evening and the fabulous views of the Gold Coast. Of course ... being good bloggers, there were also some photos to be taken ...

... it was dueling cameras at five paces! Tee! Hee! Hee! OK ... so ... we were all just a LITTLE bit excited to finally be meeting up! :0) Then we kicked back and chatted for a while ...

And chatted ... and laughed ... and chatted ... you get the picture!! How lovely to find that we all enjoy each others company in person as much as we do online! :0) With the sparkling lights of the coast and ...

... a pile of gifties on the table (great minds think alike!! Tee! Hee! Hee!) ... along with the good food and good company, it was almost like Christmas ... though we decided it must be like Christmas in some European country, since it was cool enough for jumpers and our Aussie Christmas is usually singlet and shorts weather. Tee! Hee! Hee!

So ... that's how my weekend began ... I'll be back soon to share more of our blogging buddy play date and what ~~mischief~~ ... er ... ADVENTURES!! ... we got up to ... gotta keep you in suspenders a LITTLE bit! :0) Hope your weekend was fantastic and that your week is off to a great start. Til next time ...

BLOGGING BUDDY BEAR HUGS!!
CHEERS!
KRIS

P.S. OPAM gals ... it's that time of the month again! Don't forget to update your sidebar lists with your finishes for August and/or email Peg or I with your tally!!

Rainbows Come After Storms ... Right?!?!

2011-08-23T22:10:00.000+10:00

That's what I'm hoping anyways!! I've been a bit absent again from blogland, I'm afraid. I've been having a bit of a crappy time at work. So ... what's a girl to do?

Step 1.Curl up in bed for a good sulk and cry, right? CHECK!
Step 2. Build a bridge and get over herself. Hmmm ... yes ... well ... bridge still under construction ... work is occassionally interrupted by flooding of tearducts. SIGH!!

Still ... this storm will be followed by a rainbow ... I'm sure of it.

You see ... when I haven't been working on bridge construction, I've been busily preparing for a VERY special weekend event ... a play date with my two oldest (as in ... I've known them the longest, not their AGE!!!) blogging buddies!!! WOO! HOO!!!! This play date has been planned and rearranged, written off, re-planned, cancelled, re-planned ... you get the idea!! The process has been going on for about three years now ... and it's FINALLY happening!! I am so excited ... it is the RAINBOW on my horizon after a deluge of doo-doo! :0) I promise I'll TRY to remember not to get so excited that I forget to take photos. In the meantime, I hope YOUR week is a little less stormy than mine. Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!
KRIS

Christmas May Arrive First!!

2011-08-14T19:36:00.000+10:00

EEK!!!! How did it get to be half way through AUGUST already?!?! It really is scaring me how quickly this year is whizzing on by. More and more people are starting to freak me out by saying HORRIBLE!! ... GHASTLY!! ... UNTHINKABLE!! ... things like ...

"It'll be Christmas before you know it."

Bite your tongue, is my standard response! :0) BUT ... I do have to pay some attention to that frightening thought and so I have been doing some more work on a new Christmas design ... all the while chanting to myself ...

"It is NOT almost Christmas! It is NOT almost Christmas!!" :0)

Although ... I do have a bit of a confession to make about this Christmas design ... I had actually intended for it to be released as a "Christmas In July" project, but like one of our much-used family sayings ...

... Christmas May Arrive First!!!!

I've played a little more with it this weekend, so thought that since I didn't actually get to release it when I intended, I'd give you some peeks to let you know it will be worth waiting for. :0) Ready???

Here we have two of three projects that will be included in this pattern ... a small drawstring bag and a Christmas stocking. The idea is ... I've designed three cute "Christmas Wishes" stitcheries that can be mixed and matched with the three projects ... third one in progress! :0)

Here's a bit closer look at the stitcheries ... a Gingerbread Girl and Gingerbread Man ... offering you "Sweet Christmas Wishes". These projects were designed so they can either be made just as the item, or ... as a pretty, creative way to 'wrap' other gifties. You could pop some sewing goodies into the little bag, or a Christmas coffee mug with some special flavoured coffee sachets ... and the stocking is large enough to hold some small gifties or treats too ...

Here is the third project in progress ... it will hold slightly larger items again. So stay tuned for the launch of this pattern ... who knows ... I may get it finished in time for you all to stitch some of these projects up BEFORE Christmas arrives! Tee! Hee! Hee! Oh ... and do you recognise these yummy fabrics I'm using for my Christmas Wishes projects??? I'll give you a hint ... you can see the range and designer printed on the selvage to the right of the photo! :0) These are the wonderful Christmas fabrics sent to me earlier in the year by the lovely and talented Lynette Anderson. They are from her "Scandinavian Christmas" range. Thanks again, Lynette ... I'm having a blast playing with them! :0) And I've been super impressed with the fabric quality, I have to say. :0)

So ... apart from the inevitable weekly merry-go-round of household chores, that's about it from the Meares' Madhouse this weekend. As well as the ongoing Secret Squirrel stitching, that is. :0) Hope you've all had a great weekend that included some time to put your feet up and relax a bit ... whether it was with a craft magazine, a good book, some stitching ... or a calming, cooling adult beverage! Tee! Hee! Hee! Have a fantastic week ... Oops!! Do I hear sleigh bells?!?!? EEK!! I think I need one of those adult beverages! Tee! Hee! Hee! Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!
CHEERS!
KRIS

The Mother Of Invention!!

2011-08-09T18:36:00.000+10:00

Necessity, they say, is the mother of invention. Well ... I'd have to agree this week! :0) And to help explain what I mean, I thought I'd share a little peek into my design process with you. I'm sure people have different mental pictures of how craft designers actually DESIGN. Some may see designers as stitching wizards spinning their web of thread and fabric magic in a crystal sewing cave, brewing up ideas in a giant creative cauldron ...

Some may imagine designers work only with the purpose-designed quilting tools and gadgets while sitting at ruthlessly tidy desks where everything has a place and they work logically through the steps of design ...

And some people may picture a tornado of pins, fabric, pencils and creative chaos ... A bit like the Disney Tassie Devil ... but with stitching stuff! :0)

I confess to being more like that LAST version of a designer! Tee! Hee! Hee! What you probably DON'T envisage is something like this ...

A Dodgy-Brothers-&-Co. lightbox on an ironing board drawing board! :0) You see ... I don't usually use a lightbox to trace stitchery designs ... I can either see through the fabric well enough to trace, or if the background fabric is a little darker, I'll tape everything to the window and let the light shine in. However ... with my latest Secret Squirrel project, I was struggling to see the stitchery design through the pretty-but-busy toile fabric and the border strips were too long to stick to the window. Despite some REALLY heavy hints to my Beloved Geek Boy/Handyman, a lightbox was not forthcoming (I've been putting off buying one for quite some time because GB keeps promising to make me one!!) ... so I had to think a little outside the box ... or should I say INSIDE the box! Tee! Hee! Hee! We all know these clear plastic tubs have 101 uses around the home ... well now I've discovered use number 102! :0) Lay a box on its side, manipulate a bendy desk lamp, set the ironing board to a comfy height and ET VOILA!! A work station and lightbox good enough to get the job done ... for now! I might add that GB has been asked to please bump making me a lightbox a little higher up HIS "To Do" list ... but I'm not holding my breath! :0)

Now ... as I've said, I'm still working on my Secret Squirrel French quilt, so I can't show it to you, but I'll give you a couple of sneaky peekies at what I needed to trace ...

Bonjour!! Hello is always a good way to start a conversation. :0)

Je T'aime! You can never tell your loved ones too often that "I Love You!" :0)

So there you go ... now you've had a little peek in the back door of a designer's workshop ... sorry to all who are now completely disillusioned! Tee! Hee! Hee! Hope you're all having a lovely start to the week ... may the rest of your days be filled with FRIENDS, FABRIC and FUN! :0) Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!
CHEERS!
KRIS

Pretty Bags & Blooming Bottles!!

2011-08-04T16:43:00.000+10:00

Well ... it seems like quite a while since I've been back here to chat to my blogging buddies properly ... where DOES the time go to?!?! I bet if someone ever answers that question and works out how to get that lost time back ... they'll be MILLIONAIRES! Tee! Hee! Hee! As usual, life seems to have been moving at break-neck speed and I'm struggling to catch up ... but if one more person cheerfully tells me "It'll be Christmas before you know it" I just might staple their lips shut, cos I still have lots of BIRTHDAYS to cope with, never mind CHRISTMAS! :0)

However ... in amongst the crazy busy-ness that is my life, I've managed to get a few things accomplished, one of which was FINALLY completing the editing and working out requirements for my newest pattern. Now, I DID show you a sneaky peek some time back, but it's been so long you may have forgotten, so here it is ...

"French Shopping Spree"!!

I know I am a little biased, but I LOVE how these bags came up!! :0) They're made using yummy Pom Pom de Paris charm squares, so VERY quick to piece together, then they have a silhouette applique of the Eiffel Tower ... you can't get much more French than that, right! :0) Add some cute pom-pom braid and shoulder straps with rich red rick-rack set in and you're on a winner. I've added the pattern to my website, so if you're looking to make a pretty gift for someone ... or to spoil yourself!! ... pop across and get your order in. In fact ... I managed to track down another charm pack of "Rural Jardin" fabrics and intend to make myself a version of the larger bag ... it's a great size and has a handy LARGE inner pocket to help keep track of the keys, mobile phone and sunnies ... something my current bag DOESN'T have!!

*****

On to the second part of my odd title ... I was having a little browse through some of my favourite giftie shops today, on the hunt for some birthday gifties (I am NOT thinking about Christmas yet!!!) when I came across some cute glass bottles that just HAD to come home wtih me! I was in such a hurry to decorate them and fill them with flowers ... trying to hurry spring along, don't you know!! Tee! Hee! Hee! ... that I forgot to take a photo of the bottles 'before' I played. So ... this is what they look like now ...

You can't see it very well in this photo, but the bottles are kind of like mini milk bottles ... heavy glass, wide-ish openings and a logo imprinted in the glass. they had some cutesy bows on them when I bought them, but I wanted a more rustic look, so wrapped some strands of raffia around the necks and just tied them in a knot. Then, I raided my poor, sad looking garden ... lavender and daisies were the sum total of colour out there ... see? ... Roll on spring, I say! :0) Here's a slightly closer look at my "blooming bottles" ...

The flash really does wash out the impressed logo, but they still look pretty so I don't really mind! :0) And after enjoying several wonderful warm, sunny days, we're bracing ourselves for some predicted rain, followed by another cold winter snap ... BRRRRR!!! ... so any hint of spring that I can grab onto is on my agenda! :0)

*****

Well ... that's about it from me ... still working on a couple of Secret Squirrel projects, one of which I hope to show you soon ... so I guess it's time to rustle up a cup of tea and get back to stitching. Before I sign off, though, I'd like to encourage you all to pop over to visit the very talented Rosalie Quinlan. Rosie has just been told that her breast cancer is recurring and she's facing a pretty tough battle in coming months, so why don't you all pop over to her blog and leave some encouraging words for her ... along with a BIG SQUOOSHY BEAR HUG or two ... or three ... or four!!! One can never have too many positive thoughts or too many bear hugs from friends!! :0) Right ... I'm off! Enjoy the end of your week and remember to hug someone you love!! Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!
CHEERS!
KRIS

Busy Stitching & OPAM!

2011-08-01T22:26:00.000+10:00

Just a quick note to say ...

"G'DAY!!" :0)

The last week seems to have whizzed by again. I've been stitching away on this project ...

... which is destined for an issue of "Homespun" next year ... but since magazines work so far in advance, the September deadline is starting to snap at my heals ... remember ... there's all that wonderful "instruction writing" to be done before then too ... GROAN!!! So ... I only had one project to add to my July OPAM list ... and it's ...

... a Secret Squirrel project for now, so I can't show it to you ... soon, I promise! :0) However ... a lot of you OPAMers have been busy stitching bees in the month of July ... I know ... cos you've either told me or Peg how many finishes you've had! :0) Thanks for your emails - it really makes our job easier at the end of each month. For those of you who missed the changing of July into August ... Peg will be doing the prize draw in the next day or two, so if you're licketty-split-quick and email your finishes to one of us, they can still make it in time for the prize draw. As always, there are some FABULOUS projects being completed out there in blogland ... if you're in need of a bit of inspiration, I can recommend a blog-hop through the OPAM list on my sidebar. :0)

In the meantime ... I'm off to do a bit more Secret Squirrel stitching, but hope to be able to show you something soon. In the meantime, I hope your week is off to a fantastic start and that you're able to steal some time to stitch this week. Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!
KRIS

Back From The Beach!!

2011-07-26T17:30:00.000+10:00

Well ... what a difference a week makes! Or more accurately ... what a difference a few days at the beach makes! :0) I'm feeling much cheerier this week, back to my usual self after a lovely few days at Burrum Heads with my folks. I really do hate winter and it seems that a beach break is the only way to beat my winter blues ... works every time! :0) Now you KNOW I took a few photos to share with you. (I think I have the same problem with the definition of "FEW" that Linda has - A few photos ... a few craft magazines ... a few bears ... a few pieces of fabric in my stash ...! Tee! Hee! Hee!) So ... you might like to make yourself a cuppa and get comfy before we go any further ... OH! And maybe you'd better slop on some sunscreen ... we ARE going to the beach after all! :0)

So ... Thursday saw my Beloved Geek Boy and I throw a few things into the bags, pack the car ... UNpack the dogs who weren't going with us but thought they should be ... and hit the road, heading about four hours north east to Burrum Heads. This has become a bit of a favourite beach escape destination for Mum and Dad and GB and I as it is fairly undeveloped, so still nice and quiet ... lots of serenity to be enjoyed! :0) We usually end up at Burrum Heads for a break at least once a year, sharing a rental house with Mum and Dad. Not only does this share the expenses, it shares the cooking and cleaning up duties, too, as well as giving us a nice catch up with them ... one of those WIN-WIN situations! :0) For the last few years, we've rented the same little cottage facing the Burrum River during our beach breaks, but this time, we were in a different house ...

This was our home-away-from-home for four days (Mum and Dad are still there ... lucky ducks!!) Do you see that lovely little front porch? Well ... that's where I spent most of my weekend ... soaking up the rays! Told you I was solar-powered ... just like the house! Tee! Hee! Hee! And if you stand on that front porch to look out, you'll see ...

... THE SEA!! We were situated right where the mouth of the river feeds into the ocean, so wonderful water views, as well as the entertainment of watching the boats coming and going. Hmm ... do you see those two little specks near the edge of the incoming tide?

Well ... what do you know! It's the brave fishermen! :0) Dad and GB enjoyed drowning a few worms and prawns ...

And here are the mighty fishermen returning with their monster catch in the bucket! ... Or NOT! Good thing we had steak ready! Tee! Hee! Hee! But as GB said ... they spent some time in the fresh air and sun, felt the sand between their toes and the soothing sound of the ocean, so the time wasn't wasted! :0) Don't you love a philosophical fisherman! Tee! Hee! Hee! I have to say, though, he wasn't wrong. We were blessed with some of the most GORGEOUS beach weather. Yes, it was still cool at night, but the days were all wonderfully warm and sunny ...

... with the most FABULOUS blue, blue skies!! I think this is what they call 'Caribbean Blue'. How's this for a postcard picture? :0) None of the colours have been played with ... it really was this gorgeous in real life and the crystal clear water was graduating shades of teal ... it made me wish that I could dip a paintbrush into it to capture the colours!! None of the photos I took really showed the water colour, so I just enjoyed it in person ... sorry! :0)

So ... what did we do during our beach break? Well, you already know the boys went fishing and they also hit a few little white balls around the nearby golf course. Meanwhile, Mum and I ...

... took Sunny the spoilt Chihuahua for some lovely long walks along the beach. Hmmm ... just noticed that if Sunny had stayed very still, he would have blended in with the sand. Commando Chihuahua! Tee! Hee! Hee! And on our walks we saw ...

... some local wildlife. This soldier crab was a little slower than his several hundred brethren who all scuttled away from us and disappeared into the sand before I could take a photo. We returned him to his regiment after the photo shoot. :0) We chatted to a few pelicans ... but the photos I took were a bit fuzzy, so I won't bore you with those.

We also enjoyed looking at the other houses with beach views ... this was my favourite, I think. Not only is it a cute cottage, it has the prerequisite verandah on the front for sun-sitting and contemplation! :0) And there's that FABULOUS blue sky again!! When we weren't toodling along the beach, there was a bit reading all around, a bit of ...

... sewing. Mum made me a cheerful dotty dressing gown cos she can follow dressmaking patterns and I can't!! :0) I stuck to some hand stitching whilst sitting in the sun, but don't have any finishes to show, just some progress on a Secret Squirrel project. There was also a bit of ...

... jigsaw solving. Whenever the four of us head to the beach, we make sure there are several jigsaws packed ... it's not unusual to have all four of us crowding around the table to work on a puzzle ... though it DOES get a little confusing and crowded sometimes! Tee! Hee! Hee! All in all ... the four of us kicked back to rest up from a busy period that involved colds and work stress. A wonderful way to beat the winter time blues! We're such party animals, aren't we?!! :0)

Back to 'real life' and lower temperatures this week, but definitely feeling cheerier and almost completely over my icky cold. Still counting down the days til winter is over, but someone cheered me up today by telling me they think we'll have an early sping! Can you see my smile beaming out to you from here! Tee! Hee! Hee! Hope you all had a lovely weekend and managed to find some time to do something to relax you and make you smile! :0)

*****

On a sadder note ... my thoughts and prayers go out to my blogging friends in Norway. The events of late last week shook not only the people of Norway, but everyone around the world. I think that with the internet, and for me particularly, blogging, bringing people from all over our globe closer together, such tragic events affect us all because it feels close to home. On the positive side ... it also means that there are millions of supportive thoughts and prayers being sent to the people of Norway at the moment. While we can never fully understand the actions of one man, my prayer is that from this sorrow, unity will grow and flourish.

An event like this also reminds us that it is important to live every day to the fullest and take every opportunity to tell our friends and loved ones how much we love them, so lets make sure that we do!! Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!
KRIS

Recovering ... Slowly!!

2011-07-20T17:52:00.000+10:00

I know ... another week has gone by without so much as a peep or a growl from the Meares' Madhouse. Sorry to neglect all of my blogging buddies, but the nasty head cold really did a number on me. I couldn't take any time off work last week cos my boss was on holidays and someone had to hold the fort (the way I was feeling last week, the Indians would have overrun the fort for sure if they'd attacked!!) so when my work week ended, I hauled in the drawbridge (well ... closed the slightly draughty door!), set forth the moat monsters (one of whom would lick you to death before you made it to the door!) and hibernated.

There were some kindy-kips, some DVD viewing (helped solved quite a few Midsomer Murders!) and once my head settled back onto my shoulders, there was a little bit of stitching ... though nothing to show at the moment. I DID lower the drawbridge long enough for my dancing buddy Lynda to pop in and check that I was still in the land of the living and have a cuppa with me. Isn't it nice to have friends who'll check up on you when you're sick? :0) But apart from that I spent three days in front of the heater, snuggled under my flannel blankie ... and it did me the world of good! I'm over the worst of my bug and just have a bit of a snuffle and tickly cough left ... I think that means I'll survive! :0)

And ... to help my body get over the few leftover symptoms ... we're off to join my folks for a few days at the beach ... AAAAAAAHHHHH!!! Coastal sun, fresh sea air ... even if it rains and is as windy as it is here today, we figure it will STILL be WAY warmer than on top of our hill!! :0) All that's left to do is pack a port and leave a list of instructions for the dog/house sitter ... and decide which stitching projects to take with me, of course! Tee! Hee! Hee! I promise I'll be back next week with a more interesting update ... I should have a couple of things I can show you by then, though I seem to be doing a lot of Secret Squirrel stitching at the moment. Hope you're all keeping well and warm ... or cool if you're one of my blogging buddies in the northern hemisphere. Hope you all manage to steal some time-out for YOU this weekend and you can think of me at the beach ...

Tee! Hee! Hee! Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!
KRIS

I'm Over Winter!!!

2011-07-13T18:01:00.000+10:00

That's it! I quit! I've had enough of frosty mornings, crunch icy grass, thermometers that don't creep much above zero first thing in the morning, sneaky flu bugs and horrible winds!! In short ...

I'M OVER WINTER!!

SIGH! In case you hadn't guessed by my ranting ... and my week's absence from blogland ... winter ills have caught up with me and I'm grumpily nursing a nasty head cold. I'm sure I'll recover in a few days with some naps, olive leaf extract, orange juice and some cold and flu tablets, but I'm not feeling very sociable at the moment. No stitching happening cos my nose drips and my head threatens to fall off, so I shall just curl up with a book and sulk for a bit. I'll be back when I feel a little more like my usual cheerful self. Hope you're all managing to avoid the dreaded lurgy and have found somewhere warm to ride out winter. (for those suffering through winter that is!!) Til next time ...

AAAAAAAHHHHHH ........... CHOOOOOOOO!!

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!

KRIS

PSSSSSSSSSTT!!!!

2011-07-05T14:43:00.001+10:00

Can you keep a secret??

Well ... in this case, it's OK if you can't!! :0)

The Quilters Angel is having a

"CHRISTMAS IN JULY"

Celebration and sale!!

There is a very festive 20% off all Christmas goodies, so make sure you pop in to visit my home-away-from-home to help you stock up for Christmas!!

I'm off to write my Christmas list, I think ... what a shock it will be for my friends if I actually get organised early this year!! Or maybe I'll just go and treat myself to lots of Christmas goodies instead! Tee! Hee! Hee!

Enjoy! And don't say I didn't tell ya!! :0) Til next time ...

"Jingle Bells! Jingle Bells!"

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!
KRIS

June OPAM Winners & Quilt Update!!

2011-07-03T18:21:00.001+10:00

G'day all! How are you all feeling today? Relaxed, refreshed, rested and ready to dive headlong into the new week???? NAH!! Me either! Tee! Hee! Hee! I think it's some kind of weird time warp thingy that makes the weekend days go by much quicker than week days ... I'm sure Dr Who would have an explanation, but since he's not here, I'll just sigh loudly and enjoy my last few hours of the weekend! :0)

A big thank you to all the OPAM gals who emailed Peg and me with their lists of monthly finishes - it is much appreciated!! And thanks to those who popped some pretty piccies on the emails to show us what you'd been working on. It always amazes and astounds me just how many different types of crafts you clever-clogs gals are working on out there in blogland! The variety is stunning and I know Peg agrees with me when I say we feel very privileged to get a peek at your finished projects! Thank you for sharing your creative journey with us!! :0) Something that I particularly like to see is when one of you clever crafters decides to tackle a project after seeing a photo of someone else's finished quilt/softie/stitchery ... it's exciting to see that while we're enjoying our own crafting experiences, we can also encourage others to 'have a go' at something new ... which is, of course the whole idea behind OPAM ... to encourage us all to indulge our crafty side more! :0)

Peg and I have updated the spreadsheet and done our blog-hopping so that I can now tell you there were ...

633 Finishes

... for the month of June! WOW! That is STUPENDOUS!! Well done to you all!! And once again, as I blog-hopped around, I also saw updates on longer-term projects, so if you've been plugging away at one of your long-term projects and made some progress ... WELL DONE! To you too! :0) I just get so excited to see such wonderful projects being created!! OK ... on to the random draw for this month's prize winners. Drumroll please ... The prize winners for June's OPAM draw are:

Carolalee

Tracey

Anne C

Congratulations gals!! If the three of you can drop me an email with your snail mail address I will be popping a little surprise into the mail for you this week. And a big THANK YOU as always to my GORGEOUS partner in crime, the Sweet Peg!! The end of the month is always a busy time for Peg, so her co-hosting assistance is doubly appreciated!! MWAH! To you Sweet Peg!! :0)

******

I don't have anything new to show you for my weekend efforts, as yesterday was spent helping a friend celebrate her birthday (Oops! Must remember to share the photos of that next time!!) and today has been spent proof-reading pattern instructions and editing pattern outlines ... I've just about sent myself cross-eyed!! :0) So it was a very welcome relief to get a call from my brother to interrupt my cross-eyed stare. It's always great to have a chat with Stretch and even more exciting this time, as he was telling me he'd just snapped a rather special photo for me and had emailed it through.

Some of you may remember me showing you a photo of this quilt last year ...

"Moon Dance" was designed to celebrate the arrival of my brother and SIL's first child. Well ... the special photo I received today gave me an update on both my cute little outback nephew AND his quilt ...

AAAAAAWWWWWWW!!!! Isn't he a HONEY!! Not that I'm at all biased! Tee! Hee! Hee! Stretch said that this morning someone decided he wanted to sit on the floor to play and, spotting his quilt on the desk, pulled it down and sat on it, where he stayed happily for a while. Don't you think he looks like he's waving to his Aunty Kris? Actually ... he's probably wanting Daddy's phone that the photo was being taken with! Tee! Hee! Hee! My SIL tells me that the quilt has been a great spot for my sweet nephew to enjoy some nappy-free time. It's so lovely to see this quilt that took a little piece of my heart with it being loved and used. I wonder if he's discovered yet that it was quilted with glow-in-the-dark thread and that if the back is exposed to lights for a couple of hours, then you look at the quilt in the dark ... the stars and moons quilted into it glow like the real thing! Tee! Hee! Hee!

Well ... that's about it from me today. I'm off to enjoy a quick cuppa and some time drooling over my pretty new books before I have to think about getting dinner ready. I hope you've all had a restful weekend and that the coming week is a good one for you - happy creating!! Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!
KRIS