Cooped Up

 

Hubby and I are feeling cooped up this week after being confined to just 1 room of the house - My studio!  Our mattress is on the floor and all of the furniture is moved over to make room for it so it has been a fairly disruptive week whilst the painters are here but we know it is no pain no gain !

 

The painters will finish on Monday afternoon and the new floors are installed on Tuesday so the house can begin to be put back together on Tuesday night after work - We can't wait !!

 

As I am not able to get to much of my sewing this week I decided to have a paper piecing week which is the easiest for me to do in this situation.  I have prepped some blocks from "This Goes With That" and also some flowers for my Grandma's Flower Garden Quilt.

 

I love doing these and must make more time for them !

 

It is fun looking for fabric suitable for fussy cutting and even much more fun seeing the flower come together

 

And I have started the boring white hexagons for around the centre medallion of the quilt.  Hopefully I can attach some flowers really soon.

 

Hugs - Fee x

Craft & Quilting Shopping at the Sydney Craft Fair

 

Not only did I have a great time on my stand at the Sydney Craft & Quilt Show but I had a great time buying supplies too.  I bought this gorgeous little kit from the Hatched and Patched stand which is in adorable Tilda fabrics.

 

I added quite a few pretties to my growing Cottage Garden Threads stash

 

 

I bought some beads and accessories with a project or two in mind

 

I bought this gorgeous table runner kit from Appleyard Cottage which I had adored  on facebook before the show and bought it on the first day - Lucky for me as she sold out later that afternoon.

 

And these lovely pink and red fabrics - I have been collecting pinks and reds for a specific project in my future

 

I added to my paper piecing template and papers collection

 

 

And I bought these gorgeous fabrics for an applique quilt I have designed - I can't wait to make a start on it - I have already named it "Rainy Days"

 

 

 

And I bought this adorable Sue Daley kit - There was so much to see at the fair and so many lovely things - But I spent my whole budget and couldn't possibly bring anything else home with me.

 

 

This weekend we are making the final decision on the colour of our bamboo flooring for our family area.  The one on the left hand side has won.  Hopefully we will have it installed soon.

 

Hugs - Fee xx

 

 

The after Photos !

 

Today I have the AFTER photo's to share with you.  I am so pleased with the way the walls and ceilings came up.  Our new painter did an amazing job and he is just so neat !  I changed a few things around and am just loving how the entrance foyer is looking.

 

The dining room is looking great too.  We have been to Beacon Lighting and have chosen new ceiling pendants so we just have to wait for them to arrive and have them installed over the dining table.

 

Looking up the entrance stairs from the front door.

 

The dining room has a lovely homely feel.

 

 

And here is one little area I was determined to make in the new change around of our home - A little reading corner.  Both Amy and I love to read so this nice quite corner will be perfect for curling up with a good book and a quilt.

 

This weekend will be spent dismantling the remaining 4 rooms.  I will remember to take some before shots this time.

 

Hugs - Fee xx

 

 

 

Back On Track

 

The Sydney Craft & Quilt Fair is over and after a successful trip and meeting many lovely customers I am now back home.

 

Dawn and I had a lot of fun and learnt lots it was a great adventure.  Two of the most important things I learnt was that :-

 

1. - I am a home body and 1 week away from my hubby and family is 1 week too long - I was terribly homesick after day 3.

 

2. - My back injury which has been dormant for many months reared it's ugly head and reminded me that I am not able to do the things my brain thinks I can do !!

 

I still have the Hobart Craft & Quilt Show to go next week.  After that I will consider the path the business will take in 2014.  It's exciting to have options.

 

 

 

We have been saving for quite some time to have the rest of the house renovated.  As much as I like my pine lined home I have been dreaming of painting the entire 32 squares white for the longest time (8 years in fact) so 4 months ago I booked the painter to paint whilst I was away at the shows as I knew I would get very stressed with the house upside down and me trying to live in it.

 

 

 

Disaster struck when the painter ditched our booking for a better offer !  To say I was unimpressed may have been an understatement.  BUT I believe everything happens for a reason and I was able to book another painter to begin whilst I was in Sydney.  He started on the foyer and the formal dining room.  I had forgotten to take before pics of the entrance to our home but found these past blog pics which shows you the area.

 

Our home has a lot of character and was the main reason we fell in love and bought it 8 years ago but the wood is so dark and dreary and my white and shabby accessories just don't look that great with it anymore.  So it is time for a major change.

 

 

The dining area has lovely bay windows and is sunken so has a litter stair way and bannister leading to it - I love this room !

 

I'm pleased to say that on my return from Sydney these areas were finished and the new painter has exceeded my expectations - His neatness and skill is astounding !  So much so that he begins the remainder of the house that is unpainted (4 rooms) on Monday and I have also booked him to re-do the bedroom wing of the house that the previous painter had painted last year - The comparison in workmanship is no comparison.

 

I'll be back over the weekend to show you the after photo's.  You will be amazed !

 

Hugs - Fee xx

 

 

 

Melbourne Craft & Quilt Fair + Block 7 of Up The Garden Path

It's been a busy few weeks.  On Monday morning I returned from the Craft & Quilt Fair in Melbourne which I exhibited at.

 

 

My friend Dawn accompanied me and we had an absolute blast.  We met many blogging friends as well as some fellow designers and new and old customers.

 

 

It was a tiring 6 days and mostly work and not much play but it was a great learning experience into the world of retail in this business and I learnt so much which I will take forward as the business grows and evolves.  Thank you to everyone who stopped by and said Hi.  We leave next Monday for the Sydney Craft & Quilt Show so I hope that if you are attending that you too stop by and introduce yourself.

 

 

I'm 2 days late but here I s Block 7 of Up The Garden Path" for you to download over in my Craftsy shop.  How are you going stitching the quilt?

 

Hugs,

 

Fee x