I booked the choir

Man, I have been busting myself to get this project finished today....

But no matter how many times I tweak and re-tweak, the inevitable crunch came when the perfect fabric ....was about 10 cm's too short. Oh the agony of a finish that is soooo close.
(insert chest beating and clod throwing here)

Today I also wrote a bit of list for myself and totally fruck myself out . The thing is , I'd like to get some new patterns ready for the Stitches and Craft show in May. I have a rather long list of things I'd like to do but in reality I have to accept that they will not all get done , so today I auditioned for projects to become patterns....

First place of course has to go to Ernst and his dear love Pebble...yes?

Then maybe these guys , once I finish their accessories...

and I'd love to do these guys as well.....
What do you think?

Will you be coming along to Stitches and Craft? If you came along last year you might have had the chance to visit one of the uber-busy craft bars.
Well, Living Creatively are looking for people to help "man" the craft bars. Volunteers are needed in Sydney(April 14 - 18), Canberra (April 22-25) and Melbourne (May 5-9).
They are looking for people to share basic sewing and embroidery skills with people at the craft bars.
There is also some fun crocheting that needs demonstrating in Sydney and Melbourne.
In return for a days "work" you'll get two free tickets to the show and a stitches and Craft bag.
Apart from that of course you'll get to meet a bazillion or so crazy crafters and share your skills with craft-lovers.

To find out more email enquiries(AT)stitchesandcraft(DOT)com(DOT)au

and if you're there, I'll be seeing you in Melbourne, displaying my usual grace and decorum and even reprising the bloggy talks of last year, this time hopefully with
less mishaps and less blood!

Seriously guys,

Craft camp has put the spring in my step, the smile on my dial and the duck in my truck!

I laughed, I guffawed, I snorted !
It was only the utmost concentration and leg clenching that kept me from total embarrassment.

(Personally I find this guy oddly appealing, right after I took this photo he winked and asked me to "spring" him. He said he would make it worth my while)

The elephant in the room

So whilst we all ignore the elephant in the room (which is my distinct lack of any bloggable crafting) I'd also like to point out that I am not in fact ignoring you,

Bloglines seems to be hiccuping a bit at the minute and not updating properly...or updating days after the event ..Crazy ! So I promise I am not actually ignoring your blog or not commenting I am just completely out of the loop it seems.

and here is the project that Rachel loves !

This project started as another experiment in softies. This time I was playing with the feel or hold of a toy (I know that sounds bonkers) but some toys you automatically pick up , they kind of fit ! Does that make sense? These little fellows are just right for hands... They "feel" right...

There is a lot more happening with these guys, I promise, I just can't quite shake the EITTTS to get on with them.

But I can tell you , if the EITTTS hasn't nicked off by Friday when I head to Sewjourn, either my head will explode or I may inflict grievous bodily harm on a complete stranger.....

Hey I wonder of the EITTTS argument would stand up in a court of law?

"Sorry your honour, but I haven't sewn all week, everything went wrong and then I was walking up the street and he kind of smirked at me like he knew I would never craft again, that it was all over......he just knew I had quick unpicked for three solid hours....and I just don't know what came over me....."

Yesterday (with apologies to those nice young boys from liverpool)

Yesterday,
All my talents seemed so far away,
now my unpicker is here to stay,
Oh, I really sucked yesterday.

Suddenly,
I'm not half the crafter I used to be,
There's a shadow hanging over me,
Oh, EITTTS* came suddenly.

Why it
went to shite , I don't know, I couldn't say.
I did, nothing right,
yes, I sucked yesterday.

Yesterday,
craft was not an easy game to play,
and my projects need to hide away,
Oh, I really sucked yesterday.

*E.I.T.T.T.S (Everything I touch turns to shit)

- An unfortunately strange and re-occurring malady previously referenced here and here...

Stay alert , my friends.

and the choir of angels cleared their throats

Still hamstered guys, running running , getting nowhere - or that's how it seems.

I am crafting like a little beaver (do beavers craft?) to get my projects finished for the July retreat.

It is filling up quickly ! and Melly has posted a sneak peek of one of her projects over on her blog!

In blog news I made some new blog pages, (see up there under the header) Belinda showed me how and even though mine are pretty dull, I am mighty excited to add the Quilt Barn to my list of stockist - I mean Idaho may as well be on the moon, such is my chance of ever setting foot there, but it tickles me pink nonetheless.

In Flickr news - I have made a new group where you can put photos of stuff you have made using my patterns or freebies, tutorials or scribd download patterns. I'll try and figure out one of those little picture widgets for the side bar at some time. I really love seeing other peoples versions and adaptations of ideas.

and the choir of angles lined up (as they do) at the finish of a new project.....and they cleared their throats, and shuffled a bit and looked at their shoes. Their songbooks rustled and they picked imaginary lint from their gowns.

I wanted to love this project - I wanted you guys to love this project, I wanted voices lifted in song !

* sigh*

They couldn't even hum a few bars...

I'm totally hamstered

So Monday (with the new skirt ) was quite possibly the highlight of the week. It seemed to all go to hell in a hand basket after that.

I think we need a name for that feeling where you are running as fast as you can but going nowhere......
So I am suggesting "hamstered."
As in , "Man I have been totally hamstered all week."
"Watch out ! That new boss will hamster you"
"I can't this week, it's Hamster central , hows next week?"


So, I've been hamstered all week in weird crazy ways ..but tonight there was small hamsterless window....and although I love you all dearly - you know I do....
That one sweet hamsterless hour - was spent with David

he sent his regards

a small ruckus...

As a co-worker pointed out, today was the second time I have worn a skirt to work in about 5 years.

But what a skirt it was ! On Saturday Annie and I went to Daylesford to visit The Makers Market. Of course we popped in and visited Lark and I also popped into ThreadNeedle craft and Purls Palace to show off my first completed project for the retreat.

At Purls Palace I was looking at this fabric when Annie suggested it would be a good school skirt. I agreed and then she kind of dared me to not only make a skirt by Monday but to actually wear it !

Hows that !

So off I trotted this morning, in my skirt - it cause a small ruckus in the staffroom I have to say..and even though I felt a bit nekid and breezy I have decided that I can do skirts, and quite obviously I can make them ...(No-one pointed and giggled and said how home made it looked)

So now maybe I am a wearer of skirts.

The skirt is an adaptation of Amy Butler's A line skirt from the Barcelona skirts pattern.

Voila!

(and because I believe in truth in blogging- you have to know there's a good six or eight inches of fatty boombalatta coverage pinned in the back to hold the skirt on the mannequin)