Get Ready for Blogtoberfest!

OK, in a weak moment I have signed up for Blogtoberfest. I have been blogging for nearly a year and if I stick with the Blogtoberfest challenge I will increase my total blog posts by 50%.



Hopefully I can find something interesting to post about...

Hopefully I manage to take some photos to accompany my posts...

Hopefully it doesn't send me over the edge into total insanity (or has that already happened)...

Anyway, in order to make it more interesting for everyone involved I think I'll join in on the Blogtoberfest generosity and have a bit of a giveaway. But I won't post about it all today - I have 31 posts to do over the next month, don't want to put all the good stuff in here now!

Girls Night In!

I'm having a Crafty Chat as part of the Cancer Council's Girls Night In! If you're in Hobart and want to come along on 16 October from 8pm then let me know. If you'd like to donate then click on the link below. Thanks (and I bet you can't wait to see photos from our Crafty Night In).

Girls Night In!

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Look what I read about...

...I have copied this idea for a post directly from Splitting Stitches! But there are plenty of giveaways and bargains out there that I want to share.

Firstly, Fiona over at Mother's Cupboard is having a sale in her shop and a giveaway to celebrate. Go check her out at http://mumscupboard.blogspot.com/.

Also, you can win the bits and bobs for a quilt top, some already sewn, most already cut out at http://greenfairyquilts.blogspot.com/2009/09/new-new-new.html - half the work already done for you if you win!

I've also been checking out the Spin Spin shop and blog - I wish I was this clever (or i could resign myself to the fact that I work hard enough and earn enough to buy this stuff)! http://spinspin-handmade.blogspot.com/

Oh, and Sandra is having a giveaway at Pepperberry & Co. http://pepperberryandco.blogspot.com/ - gorgeous handmade cards!

Happy Birthday Trev!

Yes, that's 8 candles on the cake meaning that Trev is 35! Happy Birthday for tomorrow and enjoy your few days in Melbourne for work.

Retro Mummy Giveaway

Have been blog-hopping this evening (instead of sewing - my mind wants to sew but my body is tired). I started out at Two Little Banshees and then discovered that Corrie at Retro Mummy is having a giveaway.

I love this fabric - my Mum adores ladybirds so maybe I'll need some of this to whip up something for Christmas or her birthday!

And this pattern is lovely and I'd really like to make another jellyroll quilt!

Or maybe this one - I can't go past a good matryoshka doll!

Wish me luck or go check it out for yourself!

The blog-world doesn't know what's hit them now that The Gumtree Designers have decided to launch!

http://gumtreedesigners.blogspot.com/

Go and check it out! Tomorrow is the start of their giveaways and then the freebie designs start being posted from Monday 5 October - helping us all get ready for Christmas (AAAARGH - to much to do, so little time!).

A visit from Grandma!

We have had a lovely few days with my grandma visiting us from Devonport. She came down on the bus and we spent five fun days with her tagging along with our usual stuff.
We went down to the Tahune Airwalk and had a lovely time wandering amoungst the trees. She and my grandfather were avid bushwalkers but Grandma broke her hip a couple of years ago and it has slowed her down a bit.

We also spent a morning playing at the West Hobart Train Park, wandered around the shops before lunching in Salamanca Square and generally had a lovely time.

I think it's great that my kids get to hang out with a lady who is nearly 90! My grandma is hopeless with names and spent the whole time calling Matilda "Angela" - to which she politely replied "I'm not Angela, I'm Matilda!". After the five days Matilda was just answering to Angela - even at 3 years old you can work out when it's just not worth it!

Kelvin was also 11 months old during the week. He and Grandma had a wonderful time together - chatting to each other and just hanging out. I can see how raising children in a house full of extended family might work. The oldies would hang-out and play with the littlies, singing to them, chatting with them - not having to worry much about the running of the household.It was lovely having Grandma to stay - life gets a bit lonely for her since my Grandad died five years ago and I'm glad we made the effort to catch up. However, she was staying in the spare room (aka my crafting space) so I'm itching to get back in there!

Made by Rae Jackpack Backpack GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

I have been following Made by Rae for a while and she is giving away a backpack or a sewing pattern for the backpack at Grosgrain - check out the link below and wish me luck!

Made by Rae Jackpack Backpack GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

The Marathon is Over...

...and this is what I have to show for myself (part of the "contemprary" mystery quilt)!

Last night I also laid out the sashing and attempted my first try of applique! I think vlysofix / "wonder-under" could be my new best friend and I have many ideas...

You can see my blocks on Helen's site - I'm not so sure about the colours but Matilda informed me the other day that her favourite colours a red and pink so this might have to be hers. I used fabric that would never normally choose - it was Basket of Flowers by Mary Engelbreit (the jelly roll that I'd won through Quilt Qua).

I was also lucky enough to win some fabric that was donated by The Fabric Cupboard (no photos but it's from the Botanical Fantasy range).

Oh - and here's Kelvin's most favourite thing in the house! Our washing machine - he'd probably stand there and watch a whole wash cycle if I let him!!

Melbourne, Finley & Sewing

We have just returned from a flying visit to Melbourne to meet our new nephew and cousin - Finley! Although we didn't fly, we took our car on the boat.

We had 3 nights in Melbourne and saw a lot of Finley, Kelly and Luke over that time. Finn slept a lot (as all good newborns do) but we did a couple of photos of Kelvin with his new mate!

We spent a day at the Werribee Open Range Zoo and Matilda really enjoyed herself looking at all the animals.
Today was a good day - lots of mail arrived. I have got some fabrics together ready to have a go at the beginners mystery quilt at the Quilt Marathon on Saturday. I'm making it for Kelvin. Decided to do chocolate brown, khaki/green and blue rather than the black, cream and lime green suggested so here's hoping it works out! I ended up ordering some fabric from Funky Fabrix and was really pleased with the service - some lovely fun fabrics that I haven't been able to find locally!I also ordered some woven labels a while back (they say "Built by Ange") - wanting to make my homemade clothes look a bit more professional and also to include them on my quilts (if I ever finish one)! I'm now inspired to get into sewing some more clothes. Matilda has pretty much grown out of her favourite twirly dress so I'll have to make her the next size up for this summer and might make one for some of her friends too.Farewell to the last day of winter - I'm ready for some sunshine!! Bring on the spring...

And congratulations to Meg and Ben who announced their engagement yesterday (on her birthday)!! Trev's youngest sister is getting married.

New Nephew has Arrived

My sister-in-law had a little boy yesterday morning - making me an auntie for the first time!

Welcome to the world little Finley Scott Mackie W - 7lb 15oz. Can't wait to meet you in the flesh next week!

M-A-T-I-L-D-A Bean Bags

Well I had a pretty productive day without Matilda at home. I managed to get the beanbags finished - inspired by Little Blue Boo! I didn't do the freezer paper stencils because I don't have any fabric paint in the house and I can't for the life of me work out what the Australian equivalent of freezer paper is! So I used t-shirt transfer paper and just printed the letters out and ironed them on.

Tilds helped to fill the first two bags before she got bored! Now I just have to get on and do some for Kelvin.

I have also nearly finished a pair of Wiggles pj-pants and another baby quilt top so plenty of sewing going on!

10 Months!

Kelvin was 10 months old earlier this week and I did manage to get photos!

Also, he spent his first night sleeping in real flannelette pj's - that just happened to match Matilda's pj's. They make him look very grown up (compared to the Bonds wondersuit he normally sleeps in).

Matilda is away tonight with her Dad and looking forward to spending tomorrow hanging out with her Mama-Ju (my Mum). Hopefully I'll get some crafting done whilst Kelvin sleeps!

Jewellery Tree Giveaway

I've just seen this great handmade jewellery tree and thought "I need one"!

And the great thing is that this particular tree is part of a giveaway at Missie Krissie who is the talented creator of these little artworks! Go check it out.

Scrapbooking (both Happy and Sad)!

Lots of crafting happening in my head, just not a lot happening with my hands!

The kids have been sick, I have been sick but we're back into the swing of things today and hopefully winter will be over and the colds and flus will be but a distant memory (until next year).

I have been doing some scrapbooking lately. I had a couple of 'sad' scrapbook projects to complete. I am a Creative Memories consultant (as a hobbyist, not to make my millions!) and when one of Matilda's friends from childcare was killed in a car crash last month I was pleased to donate an album so that his friends and carers could put together a beautiful album of memories for his mum. Also, a friend of mine lost a baby boy at 23.5 weeks gestation - they have some beautiful photos of their little man so I put together a personalised baby record book for them. Even though it was pretty depressing putting these albums together it was quite theraputic at the same time (I just had to make sure no tears ended up on the pages - soggy scrapbooking is not a good idea!).

Therefore, it was really nice to get onto some baby record book projects for two other friends and their little girls (who are both now 3 months old). Annabelle got her book over the weekend and I'm just waiting 'til I get a chance to catch up with Nellie and her family - soon I hope.

I have picked up quite a lot of retro bedlinen at op shops over the last week so am keen to try and get onto some sewing. I'm also in love with these and can't wait to make some for my munchkins (and probably their friends)!