Holiday plans

It is school holidays so you all know that means I have set myself some splendidly ridiculous goals. There are pattern writing goals , lion-finishing goals , designing new stuff goals and general get-your-shit-together kind of goals.

 I have to be a grown up and sort out the NBN crap and there was something else that was pretty important too but I seem to have forgotten it for the moment. (probably tax stuff)

I am teaching a kids class at Millrose in Ballan on the second Tuesday (the 7th), where we will make one of the Landlubbers. 

and the holiday boss is watching the clock and locking up the tea-room and suggesting strongly that I get on with things.

Give thanks for doors

I will never live in an open-plan house. 

But wait there's more (and a giveaway)

 If you have been hanging out on social media for a while there is a chance you already know Bec of  beccasaurus blog (her blog is a sleeping at the moment but she is becsibbi on IG.) I have known Bec and her sidekick for years, since the very early blog days. I can happily say Bec is one of my friends. We don't get to see each other that often but we generally manage a catch up at crafty events - or over lunch at Millrose. Bec with her daughter's artistic direction, created this backpack for me. Not only did it look super on the booth it was a very clever hiding spot for my camera and badges and presents and all the other bits and pieces. Hanging jauntily from the chair is the cutest bucket hat ever that bec also made for me - she is a whizz at the little kid stuff being the best aunty on the Internet whipping up things all over the place.

I commissioned this bag from Marilyn Cardinal of Missy Mao Mao. Don't you love the little zipper pouch? You can find Marilyn all over the place on social media and she has a fantastic Etsy shop.  I can't stress enough how beautifully made Marilyn's bags are. This photo was before I left but in the next photo you can see me wearing it. I wore it everyday, it was the perfect size and has all the little nooks and crannies needed. Marilyn is local to Ballarat and is lovely. (plus she has two of the cutest dogs ever !) 

Here I am  wearing my bag and hanging out with Kimberly Jolly of fat quarter shop. I am excited to say they will be stocking my fabrics ! (like really excited ). Behind us, you can see a quilt I made - YEP !!!! 

There is almost no need to introduce Rita of Red Pepper quilts - she is a superstar in the land of quilts and I was beyond excited when she was able to squeeze a commission in for me - it was a tight timeline. What can I say? This quilt is simply stunning. It is better than I ever imagined. Everyone admired it at quilt market and soooo many people said "that looks like redpepper quilts ". Her style is so well known. Rita's work is impeccable and her skill with putting fabric together blows me away. I can't believe this quilt actually belongs to me ! I will take some better shots soon.

As a reward for reading all that - if you pop over to Rita's blog, she is giving away a complete fat quarter bundle of my fabric including the two doll panels. There are no hoops to jump through - just pop over and leave a comment and let her know I sent you.

At last - the booth (part 1)

I have been home and back to almost normal for a week. There seems to be so much I haven't blogged that I don't know where to start. The truth is, I cannot move on until I have thanked all the amazing friends that helped me pull my booth together in such a short time.

Sexiest cushion in the world award goes to the uber-talented Janelle Wind. Long before my fabric was ready I saw a cushion in Janelle's instagram feed that I loved. So I emailed Janelle and worked out a deal. Janelle worked with the teeniest slivers from my strike offs and delivered this fantastic cushion. I am still wildly in love with this. It just feels all circusy to me.

Do you know Cherie Bobbins? I first found Cherie on Pinterest.  I kept pinning her pins. A chance conversation with Emma Jansen about her friend Cherie had me excitedly telling her about this chick on Pinterest - one in the same !!!

Part of the fabric deal involved me writing a quilt pattern (I know...) , and being one not to shirk one's duties, I did it. This pattern is called Circus Stars and is available as a free download on the Ella Blue website. Of course just because I wrote the pattern didn't mean I wanted to sew it. (I did do a test block I promise) Cherie to the rescue ! Cherie makes gorgeous quilts and has the funniest blog ever. I wish that we were friends when I had little kids, I think we would have raised a fabulous ruckus together. Cherie put up with my nervous crazy dumb emails and made me the most beautiful quilt. it is exactly pointy and perfect and wonderful in every way.

I do have real life friends !! Carole and I work together at my real job and we share our love of craft. Carole is an astounding seamstress and can turn her hand to anything. I was so thrilled when she agreed to make me a little frock. I was a bit vague about the details , just that I wanted a sweet little frock. Isn't it gorgeous? I just love it, those little puffy sleeves and the Peter Pan collar. Everyone who visited the booth commented on how cute it was, in fact everyone made that 'awwww' kind of noise when they saw it and then told me about dresses their kids had worn.

All these people (and some more tomorrow) are responsible for making me look good over there in the US. I am so lucky to have these people as friends, real life or internet. I still feel like I am a big fraud most of the time and that one day someone will notice and tell me to bugger off, but I felt very proud to have these beautiful items on my booth. Together, we totally nailed it !

Quick bits

 

 

 

Minnehaha falls

Sculpture Garden

Freaky Albino Squirrel

Books !!!!

Signs

Stuffs

 

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I can't keep up at the moment but thats Ok. I thought I had better share a bit of market. I am struggling with adding links on the ipad but I know you guys are all on the google so you can investigate at your leisure.

This lion quilt from the Michael Miller booth kills me. It was one of the first things I spotted at market. It is by Violet Craft and she is awesome. I took a photo of my lion Frankie, with this quilt and I sniffed fabric with Violetcraft. Yep, a booth had scratch 'n' sniff fabric in lemon, apple, strawberry, grape and wood ! ( oh the sniffing wood jokes never got old).

Smelly fabric. No, I don't really get it either. The people on this booth (I think it was Camelot) also walked around dressed as Batman and Wonder Woman.

Jen Kingwell's booth. Jen is one of the nicest designers in Australia, super helpful and always up for a laugh. Her booth looked fantastic and it was always full of people.

My favourite booth of the show ! Elizabeth was an absolute delight and told me about how her collection came about and then gave me a little pack of fabric. How nice is that

It really is a crazy riot of colour and quilts and people. I have loads more photos but the technology is a bit weird and the whole camera to ipad to flickr to access via blogsy it dementing.

In other news Minneapolis is great, the weather is great. We have been hiring bikes to get around (awesome bike system ) and I have seen squirrels.

I am happy.

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Quiltmarket 2015

It is almost like it didn't happen at all. There was a hellishly long flight and a missed connection and sleeping on benches.

Then there was a trip to ikea and target and a lot of standing on ladders and farting about with hooks.

And then there was a booth ! It was so great to be sharing this space with friends, Rosalie Quinlan, Emma Jansen, Leeane Beasley.

Market was crazy and busy and wonderful. I met so many wonderful people and caught up with so many friends. I may be in a crazy jetlagged state of beyond-exhaustion but I have had so much fun. It is late now and I am guessing it migt be the middle of the day for you, in fact apart from the darkness my brain tells me it is the middle of the day here too. I am in a constant state of discombobulation.

I'll be back soon .

 

 

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