SIT 2012...the weekend - Friday

A little late...but much better than last years event which was never blogged!

A couple of weeks ago I packed up the backseat of the Volvo with way more luggage than one woman requires for a two night stay away from home and the boot was full with Sheridan's excess fabric stash, all the goodie bags for SIT and the Sunday Stencilling Workshop bags.

I headed towards the Hume with a carefree attitude, a tank of petrol and no-one else to please but myself for 2 whole days! How exciting!

Driving by Lake George I decided arriving into Civic in Canberra in peak hour with a full bladder was not sensible so stopped for a quick break. With breezeways at top and bottom of the cubicle it was the coldest toilet I have ever experienced!

After a quick check-in at the Canberra YHA I crossed the street to meet the other gals who had been on a shopping trip during the afternoon to Addicted to Fabric and Bison ceramics and finished at the lovely Shop Handmade with bubbly and macarons.



A pic taken at Shop Handmade just before I arrived. (Photo taken from Donna's blog)

Thankfully I arrived in time for a couple of these delights! (Photo taken from Gillian's blog)

I headed out to dinner all rugged up for the minus temperature with about 20 lovely ladies and we managed to find a Thai restaurant in Civic that could accomodate us which was located right next to a bottle shop...the dinner gods were definitely smiling down on us!

On they way back to the YHA the effervescent Kylie suggested we swing by a supermarket to purchase Lindt chocolate and a few litres of milk and then pop over to her car to collect the Thermomix!!!

Never before seen at the Canberra YHA is in-room hot chocolates!!!

Kylie working her stuff!

After a bit of room hopping and late-night fabric lusting/shopping whilst Megan sorted her sale fabrics across the floor...we called it a night before trasforming into pumpkins!

SIT 2012...Name Badge Swap

Sew it Together is an annual get together of craft-bloggers organised by the amazing, albeit very humble Sheridan aka Chaletgirl and her fantastic assistant Donna the Creative Controller. The first SIT was held in Melbourne in 2010 then Sydney in 2011 and this year it is was held over the June long weekend in Canberra.

Each year there are a few traditions, including the highly anticipated swaps. Prior to the event is a name badge swap and during the SIT weekend a sample swap.

This year the effervescent Gillian of Silly Gilly raised her hand to co-ordinate the name badge swap. Everyone is given the name of another person attending the event to make a name tag in specified colours. Colours for 2012 were red, white and blue. All must be kept secret until the recipient has received their badge.

My lovely recipient Susie of Yarnplanner is versed in all things yarn, a sewer and recently started quilting. When a woman can accomplish a pattern such as this what else could I do but make something yarny!

Here is the badge I made for Susie...complete with Perle 8 thread knitted onto toothpicks!

This is the beautiful badge I received from Lily of Cascade Lily in the most delighful package of pink and green (my absolute favourite)!

My model declared as we opened it at the Post Office..."Oh, mummy it is beautiful". She was right, thank you Lily - I love it!

More SIT Canberra 2012 posts to come!

What is the smallest item you have ever created?

Friends...

When we arrived in Melbourne 15 months ago I had one person I could call friend who had also recently moved from Sydney. Just prior to moving the lovely Cass introduced me to Karen at Sew It Together Sydney 2011, we arranged I would call Karen when we settled in and organise a craft catch up.

Little did I know that Karen was in the process of organising a new craft group Stitch and Yarn (SAY) and I arrived in time to make the first get together. Over the last year through SAY I have been so priveleged to call these four women my friends. Karen, Judy, Cas and Wendy meeting through our shared love of all things crafty and thrifty has made my Melbourne experience so much sweeter and I can't thank each of you enough.

These very special women made me the most amazing gift as a farewell to Melbourne.

Can you believe it.....a quilt!!!!!!

This is made even more special as Karen described it "they crossed over to the dark side" as Judy and Karen had never quilted before! The ever convincing and extremely talented Wendy assured them a Wonky Stars quilt was achieveble and they secret squirrelled away on a few nights without out me to create the most coveted quilt you ever did see! Using their combined stash scraps of pink and green (my all-time favourite colours) the blocks were made and pieced together and then machine and hand quilted by these gorgeous gals! Some fabrics were even purchased right under my nose...on an Op shop adventure I commented to Judy the pink and green apron she just purchased was gorgeous...not knowing it would become part of my quilt.

Here are some shots of my reaction when opening this beautiful gift!

Gorgeous label made by Karen

 This quilt is...

more than a very generous gift...

more than beautiful quilting...

more than thoughtfulness...

more than crafty creativeness...

more than kindness...

more than friendship...

more than something to keep me warm on a cold winter night...

it is a beautiful representation of four amazing women I am so proud to call my friends.

Thank you...treasured forever.

Also, loving the panel in the centre back with pictures of all things Melbourne!

What beautiful gifts have you received from friends?

December/January Holidays... Part 1

To record our holiday antics and remind me how many wonderful activites we participated in over Dec/Jan I thought I would do a few blog posts.

Here is Part 1.

The start of summer hailed the need for some new nighties. I located a tutorial online for pillowcase nighties and a couple of hours later...Ta Da!!! Pretty nighties for 2 gorgeous girls! A couple of crafty gal pals have also been creating these in the past few weeks... here and here.

Then Grandma arrived in her new motorhome for a stay. When you hit the big smoke what else to do but head out for a cino...

Nothing as exciting as finding an Elmo ring in your cupcake!

Last day of swimming lessons for the term and Squirt (from Finding Nemo) made an appearance!

What a gorgeous way to spend the day...a backyard picnic with a lovely friend!









Exciting Delivery!!!

I knew after receiving a phone call a few weeks ago that this delivery was on its way. The courier arrived with it today! In the lead up to Christmas I saw the cute Reindeer Tarts advertised by Arnotts and subsequently purchased the required biscuits, made and ate the tarts and then completed 2 entries into their competition.

I won on both of them and this is what we received!

There are 2 lucky little girls here tonight!

Only 4 more sleeps to go!!!!!

Well the time has come for my biggest little girl to go to Prep (or for those reading in NSW Kindergarten). Why can't each state use the same terminology???

So Miss Lily decided we needed to have a dress up day to share some photos! And she plans to stay dressed this way until bed time!

Don't you just love the excitement in her face!

To go with the uniform we needed an art smock... not just any art smock but the most colourful one we could make! Thank you Grandma...

Then we needed a matching chair bag! Thank you Grandma!

Next to come was the matching swimming bag, library bag and pencil case!

And the last matching school items come courtesy of a size 12 uniform I found at my local Salvos... now chopped and sewn into hair bands and hair ties... thanks for the inspiration Karen!

Many more of these already made and gifted. Still quite a few to go...!



A long time coming...

What is 6 months between posts? A long time!!! 2012 will be my year for a new computer and better internet connection so that outdated and unreliable technology is no longer an excuse for not keeping my blog updated.

Here are some pics from Christmas... my Mum, Sister, BIL, Niece and Nephew came to visit from QLD.

Look what Grandma made the girls for Christmas!!! Isn't it GORGEOUS!!!! Thanks Grandma...

Here is what my sister made them!!! Not the best picture as it is impossible to stand still when there are Hobby Horses as beautiful as these to be riden! Thanks again Aunty Helen! 

Many pillowcase nighties have been churned out here over the last month. Here are the cousins in matching ones for Christmas - gorgeous whether you are 2 or 13!!! Pillowcases found at the local Lorraine Lea Linen Factory Outlet for 50c... it cost more for a metre of satin bias for the straps! My nephew couldn't resist crashing the photo with his new fluoro orange sunnies! 

The kind of reaction you love to see when your 5yo opens her Christmas present! Twister - YAY!

These groovy little table decorations were made by my 10yo nephew! Isn't he clever. FYI instructions from BH&G 2011 Christmas magazine...

My FIL also made a brief appearance from Sydney on his bike for a few days before Christmas. Lily loves her new PowerWing Gang Gang... thank you!

My girls with their favourite boys...

 

Bye Gang Gang... see you again soon!