Week-End Catch Up

I sent off my Redwork Swap gift last week. Here is a sneak peek.

It has been a very relaxing weekend with winter trying to poke it's head from behind the veil of autumn. We have had lots of rain which has been great for my garden. I have taken the opportunity to do some re-potting.

The vegetable garden is still fuiting it's spoils and today we were able to pick the last of the Broccolli along with Rhubarb, Capsicum, Spring Onions, Spinach and Cabbage. This weekend I have also planted Kale, Silver Beet, Broad Beans, Broccolini & Cauliflower.

I have completed a little sewing and almost have my table runner finished and lso made this little carry bag as a gift for my mother for "mothers day". She loves going to Bingo so I designed it around that. I am going to fill it with "BINGO" needs including some Elvis Presley "Love Me Tender" dabbers - Yes there is such a thing APPARENTLY ........

After such a relaxing time it is just about time that I curled up with Tommy to get ready for another working week.

My next post is Number 50 and will be a "Give Away"

Have a Fantastic Week.

Shop Update & Treasure Find

Here are some pictures from the lovely little midlands country town of Ross where we spent a few hours yesterday. It's tree lined main street is gorgeous this time of the year.

There are lovely little cottages like this which are either B & B's or antique type shops.

Lots of Old Wares Shops. It really is worth a stop if you ever travel the midlands highway here in Tasmania. There are a lot of little communities just like this one.

Another little town is Kempton. We stopped in to a little market there and this is what I found..... My very own treasure chest. It is made from recycled timbers with brass handles and it is just gorgeous.

I love everything about it and just had to bring it home. I couldn't even help DH into the car with it because it is just so heavy.

And now here is an update on my little shop. Here are the walls before being cladded. We decided to have them insulated even though we have installed a reverse cycle heat pump because it gets pretty cold here in winter.

Here are the walls with their covering. My project over the next few weeks will be to paint and decorate. Any ideas on the best colour to paint a shop?

I hope that you have enjoyed your little trip around Ross and seeing my treasure.

Just 2 more posts until my giveaway.

It's Party Time !

Madeliene's Party was yesterday and a good time was had by all. Sam was exhausted as was Grandma. My house had looked like a bomb had hit it by the end but it was a lovely afternoon with friends and family.

Thomas also had a great time and helped his mum unwrap the gifts.

Caramel Tart with Pink Cream anyone?

Or maybe a chocolate mousse tart?

Most of the food had a pink theme - The Scones, Jam & Cream Tree complete with pink cream went well.





I made a gift box for all attendees which included a Bailey's Irish Cream Chocolate Truffle and Rocky Road.




With a little Thankyou note.

The project in the back garden is going well and Jeremy the builder is still toiling away this afternoon. I have taken progress photo's.

We took a little trip up the midlands today and lunched at a quaint little town called Ross. It has lots of little antique shops. We also found a little country market in a town called Kempton where I purchased something yummy for my home which we had trouble fitting in the car. I have taken photo's of that also and will post tomorrow.

I am back to work in the morning and I am sure that I am going to find it hard settling back in but a girl's gotta do what a girls gotta do ...... for now..........

BTW I am getting close to my 50th post - Keep an eye out for another give away.

HUGS,

Party Preparations

Thanks for all of the birthday wishes - I had a fantastic day and evening. My sister cooked main course and dessert for us all and my son-in law cooked a glorious potato and bacon soup. A great night was had by all with lots of nice pressies and good company.

Today is party preparation day. I am cooking my little heart out here and have just taken a quick moment to drop by and say Hi...................

I will take lots of photo's tomorrow of the party girl at her party and of course some pics of the food.

Have a great weekend.

Gifts Galore

What a wonderful suprise today from the Australia Post man on my birthday. 2 Parcels......... I did remember to grab the camera before ripping them open.

The first parcel was some fabric that I treated myself to from Bonnie at Calamity Jane's Cottage

All of these fabrics are so yummy and will feature in a new quilt for my bedroom. Bonnie also sent me a lovely card and a fantastic magazine - Thanks so much Bonnie - I will be back to your shop very soon.

The other parcel was my Spring Swap gift from the lovely Veronica. Veronica has reduced me to tears this morning on my birthday !!! She has put so much thought and love into these gifts that I feel very humbled. The first gift is this gorgeous Grandma's Brag Bag complete with pictures of Maddie and Tommy. She has obviously been spying on me :) I adore it Veronica.

This is a picture of everything that she sent me including delightful little pink mallow chicks, Buttons, Clover Heart Yo Yo Maker, Gorgeous fabric, Pincushion and a pocket tissue cover. Everything is just so lovely.

Veronica also sent a gift for both Maddie and Tommy - Sam is going to love them.

Here is Tommy's Hat. He will be wearing it at Maddies party on Saturday.

Words cannot express how grateful I am for my gifts Veronica. You have just totally spoilt me.

Also thank you very much to everyone that has sent messages of encouragement on my new little venture. I will keep you all posted and will take progress pics after Jeremy the builder finishes his work here.

Future Plans & Dreams

Like most quilters and crafters I have always dreamed of designing patterns, sewing all day long and owning my own little shop selling delicious fabrics, supplies and vintage bits and pieces - I even thought once upon a time when I owned a cafe that it would be nice to incorporate a cafe into that scenario as well. I have to admit that I am not good at taking risks and with a mortgage and 2 girls still at home and in a private school I don't really have the $$$ for making too many risks so have sort of found a compromise which I will have to admit is really scaring me !!!

So what have I decided to do?

Well I am going to turn this :-

into a store front for Mothers Cupboard. The builder starts on Saturday - He called last night to confirm .

The plan is that this 5 car garage will be lined, painted and fitted. New windows will be put in and 1 roller door (the one on the right) replaced with a glass sliding door. The left hand door will become the storage and delivery area and the complete right hand side of the garage will be the shop floor area .

Am I nervous?? - Very .......... I keep coming up with reasons why I shouldn't take the risk like what if I can't put the time in? What if it fails? What if ............. There are so many of them.

A friend visited last night and told me that If I didn't do it that I would always wonder - Yes Sandra you are right and I am going to put all of my fears aside and just do it........ It will not be a speedy process as I do not want to get any further in debt and will just do things as I can afford to. I have been purchasing stock for 12 months now so have a bit of a pile but need to purchase lots more.......

I have lots of vintage trims, fabrics, buttons, embellishments etc which I hope to specialise in a bit and also start to design and produce my own patterns to share with others. I have made so many things from scratch over the years but never really put pen to paper so I will start that process.

The plan is to open up a web based shop (Which is currently being designed) and to also visit a few festivals and agricultural shows with my travelling shop and also to open up the bricks and mortar shop front maybe 2 days per week initially. Hopefully one day I can turn my back on the corporate world completely and stay here full time with my dreams and aspirartions and of course looking after my grandchildren :)

This is the outlook from the shop which always relaxes me

And here is a sneak peek of something I am designing at the moment.

So let me know what you think - Ideas greatly appreciated.

Gifts for Maddie

Yesterday was quite a productive day in my sewing room. Sam had asked me to make her a nappy bag to use when she takes Maddie on outings. I pondered over the Bareroots pattern that I had purchased to make for me and decided to adapt it to suit. The quilting alone took me ages as I am not very good at it.

But finally after a few hiccups here it is. It has 2 pockets on the front and heaps of room inside. I hope she likes it.

She also asked for some burp cloths - I made her 6 -2 of each design above. That should be enough :)

We had brunch today at Richmond which is a lovely little colonial style village around 20 minutes from us. It is a gorgeous day, the nights are starting to get cold so it is nice to have a little sunshine.

This afternoon will be filled with gardening and I might also have time to trace out a stitchery to stitch tonight in front of the fire.

My holidays seem to be flying and I am back to work 1 week from today so have quite a few things left on my list to do. Better be off now to make hay whilst the sun shines so to speak.

HUGS

Happy Easter

Happy Easter from me to you. I hope that you are having a lovely day shared with family and friends and mounds of chocolate.

I have eaten way too much chocolate and am now sitting at my little sewing table looking out to the farmland watching the sheep graze and wondering f they ever get sick of eating grass? How boring would it be if we only ever ate the same thing?

It is a little dreary looking today and a perfect day for a spot of sewing. I plan to make the bag that I purchased the pattern for last weekend. I am also going to make some burp cloths to give to Maddie at her party next Saturday.

These are the fabrics that I have chosen for the bag. Hopefully I will get it finished and it won't end up in the UFO pile that seems to be growing instead of diminishing. Once again

Happy Easter !!!!!!!

And the winner is ...................

Here are the Easter baskets which I made for Maddie & Thomas yesterday.

And the Winner is :-


True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 19 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Comment No 19 - Pam. from Pam's Pretty Designs - Congrats Pam - Please e-mail me with your address details so that I can send it all out to you.

Thanks everyone for entering - This is post 41 so I am not too far away from another give away to celebrate my 50th post.

Good Morning

Good Morning. It is Good Friday morning here in calm and tranquil Brighton and it is my darling Sam's birthday - Happy Birthday Sweet Heart.

I am sitting down to a Hot Cross Bun and Coffee and am about to bake the birthday cake.

Before I do I thought that I might show you a little glimpse of the antique shops that I visited yesterday. We had such a lovely day and saw so many lovely things. I almost bought a cupboard but decided that if it was still there when I go back in 3 weeks that it was meant to be. I did buy a lovely cut glass milk jug and a few other bits and pieces which I will show you at another time.

Here is a peek of some of the loveliness of the antique shops at New Norfolk.

This sewing display was huge and the photo's do not capture it's true beauty - I stood there in awe.........

Some of the gorgeous period and colonial furniture

More loveliness

Some of the dinnerware and kitchen items were just too lovely for words..............

We had a fantastic day which we will repeat as we didn't see all of the shops - There are so many of them. Have a great Friday - I will see you back here tonight when I announce the winner of my "Lucky Draw" - Good Luck ..............