Waiting with mixed feelings

I keep waiting for my computer to be well so I can blog again, but the time and motherboard have come to realise that might just be a while so it's back on the ipad .

It is almost time for the hijinks and Bookface has been awash with photos of very generous donations by people. Highjinks is actually the day before I return to work ( yep, thats it folks - 7 months gone in the blink of an eye and no I do not want to talk about it. I am pursed at both ends at the thought.)

All the following people have donated things for either our goody bags or door prizes and they all deserve a big round of applause. We have SO MUCH GREAT STUFF to give away.

Merrilyn Sim of Threadneedle Craft in Daylesford

Linda White of Gum Valley
Fran Ibbott of Whip stitchy

Karen Pior of Sew Well Maide

Rosalie Quinlan

Leslie Keating of Maze and Vale

Morgan Wills of The crafty Squirrel

Emma Jansen of Ballarat Patchwork

Jodie McGill of Applecartco

Julie Sebire of Narioka

Nicole Mallalieu of You Sew Girl

Marilyn Cardinal of Missy Mao Mao

Nic James of Yardage Design

Fiona Ransley of Fee's shabby shack

Camille Condon of Curlypops

Claire Gee Of Matching pegs

There are going to be little demonstrations and mini-workshops, there will be some stalls where you can buy crafty goodies and there will be a special opening of The Crafty Squirrel ( about 10 mins from the hall) in the afternoon.

If you would like to come along, you simply have to go and buy a ticket . This is not a money-making venture folks, the cost of the ticket covers morning tea, lunch, coffee tea etc plus the cost of the hall. This is a bloggy hangout venture and I, for one, have been polishing my bells and whistles in anticipation !

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Are you free?

Is anyone heading in to the Quilt and Craft fair next Saturday the 24 th ?

Being the rather anal librarian type that I am I have organised a little schedule

Depart Ballarat train Station on the 8:13 train

Arrive Melbourne 9:23 am

Meet at Ballarat Patchwork stand (103) at 10.30 am

Re-convene at Amitie (H36) at 1pm so then we can have lunch and check out each others shopping.

How does that sound? Want to come and join us - it'll be the usual Ballarat crafty crowd (everyone welcome).

If you want to meet up - just join us at either Ballarat Patchwork or Amitie- or drop me an email and I'll give you my number if that suits you better.

(please remember that you will need comfy shoes and large bags. I recommend only bringing small axes if you plan to go on an I-met-my-friends-on-the-Internet-killing-spree )

in doubt...........

So, whilst we push Mr Fox to the back of the brain and concentrate on finishing up Milligan.......I suggest we have cake.

This is Jen who I am lucky enough to know. Jen used to work at Ballarat Patchwork but just last week she opened up her very own coffee shop, aptly called 'cake.'

This coming Saturday some of us bloggy /crafty types will be gathering at Jens' new shop in Main rd Ballarat at 2pm. Not for any reason except cake and coffee and hanging out with friends.

So the invitation is open , if you are a local or even if you are not , if you are a blogger or a not-blogger, if you are in twenty craft groups, or none at all. If we have never met, met once or practically live together - why not come and have a coffee and cake at Jen's new shop?

I know I'll be there and so will Jan and Lizzie and Annie and Deborah - just let me know if you are coming so I can make sure Jen has enough chairs!

come on , we can't all be axe murderers can we?

friends, bloggers, countrymen, I need help

If busyness begets busyness than I am almost begetting myself into oblivion!
With the costume sewing providing a steady stream of tasks, I of course go off on a tangent or two and am suddenly all fired up to make other things and finish things off ...

What I really need to lend my mind to ...is the two studios I will be running at the Stitches and Craft show in Sydney later this month. My gorgeous assistant and I will head up on Saturday morning early and head back late Sunday afternoon. I will do a Saturday afternoon studio and a Sunday morning one as well.....

So here is where I need some help guys..... Firstly I need some Sydney-siders to give me some approximate directions via public transport for Annie and I to get to the show from the airport as well as a bit of a guesstimate on the time it will take. I haven't been to Sydney for years ! Maybe we could do a blogmeet at the show?

and then the big questions? What will I talk about for half an hour (a bit less if we have some questions and answers). I'm not sure of the technology available so lets just presume it is just me and a whiteboard!
What do you want to know about blogging if you are not a blogger?
What do you want to know if you are a blogger?
What would you particularly want to know from me if we were having a blog chat ?
Would you like a few handouts?
I was thinking a basic handout or two might be good.

(Why did I think this would be a good idea?)

Perhaps a hand-out about blogs that are about blogs (if you know what I mean) to help people get started. I was thinking Whip Up , Craft , The long thread, Cuteable, sew mama sew, One Pretty Thing, Mixtape....what do you think ???

If helping me to sleep better at night is not motivation enough.....every comment on this post will be entered into a giveaway (yay free stuff...open to everyone)

and the winner will get a choice of either a parsley or Beet of their very own. (Sorry no gumboots - Paddingtom Bear stole these ones back....)

So lend me your mind guys......I'll pick a random winner in a few days or sooner of my brain starts to explode!

The good,

The good involves

a super fun blogmeet at Nikki's last Friday . It was great to catch up with bloggers I know well, bloggers I know a little bit and bloggers whom I hadn't met before. Nikki is definitely the hostess with the mostess - she even had a craft table set up to keep the kids occupied (although for the most part they seemed more interested in the cakey goodness).

an unexpected and delightful gift from the wondrous Tinnie Girl (stay tuned some of that fabric is getting used TODAY) On a side note the tinnies are now an endangered species so if you want one you'd better get moving.

These cute little buttons I bought for absolutely no reason except that they made me laugh. I got them from this great Etsy seller and they arrived from New Zealand in double-quick time.

Piles of supplies, both new

and thrifted

and two glorious weeks of holidays stretched out before me...........