Who stole my week?!?!

OK!! Who stole my week?!?! I seem to have misplaced four days! I remember posting here on Monday - and then suddenly it's Friday and I'm pretty sure someone stole four days in between! Tee! Hee! Hee! Whew!! What a BUSY week I've had! I'm sure if I tell you about it, you'll excuse me for not posting more often this week - but perhaps you'd better get a cuppa first, cos this could be EPIC! Tee! Hee! Hee!

So ... I started my 'grown up' job on Monday - I am now working Monday to Thursday mornings as an Administrative Assistant/Receptionist for a retirement village at Highfields - which is VERY handy ... but more about that later!! Even though it means I'll have a little less designing and sewing time, I'm really excited about my 'grown up' job, because already, I'm meeting lots of interesting people with lots of great stories to tell - yep I'm a big kid at heart when it comes to listening to stories!! Oh, a few people have asked why I keep referring to it as a 'grown up' job. It's just because I have to be a 'responsible grown up' and get up and be at work on time and work formal hours, as opposed to my 'fun job' of designing from home, where my hours and work schedule are fluid and flexible.

Now, where was I? Oh, I remember!! My new job is at Highfields, which, very conveniently, is also the home of Quilters Angel - one of my fave patchwork shops!! And this worked out even BETTER (as if that could be possible!!) because it's also where my friend Miss Mary and the girls from the Fresh Hope program have their monthly sewing day. So, after finishing work on Wednesday, I joined them for an afternoon of stitching. And, wouldn't you know it?! Some fabric followed me home! At least that's the story I told my beloved Geek Boy, so it's the one I'm sticking with!! Tee! Hee! Hee!


I'm starting to think that all good things come in BROWN PAPER BAGS, not small packages!! I know it's kind of a strange combination, but that's because they're all for different projects. The pretty pink and green fabric with the roses and butterflies is for a border for this half-finished project ...


And the brown/blue/green fabric is for a border for THIS version ...


See? This design is SO new that I'm still stitching it!! You'll have to wait a little while to see these finished! But one design you WON'T have to wait any longer to see finished is the ladybird project I gave you a sneak peek at on Monday. Here it is ...


Ta da!! A mug bag to match my new dotty coffee mugs!! Very handy to carry your fave mug - or tea cup for the more refined of us! - to sewing groups or patchwork classes, or like I intend to, store your work mug so it doesn't get dirt or bugs in it! The stitchery forms a pocket that is just right to pop in a few teabags, gourmet coffee sachets or even a teaspoon and while you'd already met the ladybird, you hadn't yet been introduced to Bert the bear! There is a second part to this pattern before I have to get down to writing instructions, but I thought I'd show you what I'd been up to. Here it the back view - it's a little hard to get the overall look of it in one photo.


I used some of the jumbo rick-rack I bought at Stitches and Craft to dress it up a little and am pretty chuffed with the overall results. Now I just have to find the time to finish the second part of this pattern ... and then write instructions - GROAN!!

Another creative achievement for the week was in answer to a request from Lisa at Button Bliss. She has started a fund-raising page with proceeds of the patterns here going towards research into Epidermoloysis Bullosa (EB), in memory of a friend's baby called Xantha who was born with this disease and passed away because of it. Children with EB are often called 'butterfly' children, so Lisa has set up a Butterfly Page as her fundraising effort and all patterns/buttons etc sold from this page feature butterflies. Lisa has asked a number of designer friends to donate butterfly patterns, which I got back to do this week. Here's a sneaky peek ...


This is part of the sketch I emailed to Lisa - well you can't expect me to reveal EVERYTHING!! Tee! Hee! Hee! I explained to Lisa that I'm a bit pressed for time at the moment with a few deadlines starting to loom, but she assures me she has a friend who will stitch up the prototype, so keep an eye out for it on Lisa's site.

I also managed to find all of my bits and bobs from the bedroom that had been scattered around the house when we were painting - it was a bit like a cross between a treasure hunt and hide and seek!! Here's the cane hutch in situ adorned with all it's treasures ...


So ... that's what I got up to this week ... THEN ... I had my dancing buddies, Deb and Lynda over for lunch and cuppas and catch up today, which was fabulous! Deb and I have been able to catch up a little, but Lynda's part time work (she's not sure if it's a grown up job, because it's Kindergym and she says she has too much fun for it to be grown up work!!) has kept the three of us from getting together for our regular weekly cuppa and chat sessions, so it was great to have the trio together today. And Lynda said she didn't really feel too left out, because she knew what I'd been up to - she's been reading my blog! Tee! Hee! Hee! We did decide 'in person' is more fun, but the blog is a good stop-gap measure!!
So ... THAT has been my week!! Am I excused for being a bit slack with my posting?!? Too bad!! Tee! Hee! Hee!

Oooohh! Before I forget!! If you haven't already, you REALLY SHOULD check out Rosalie Quinlan's blog to meet her latest creation for the Melly and Me label she creates under with her sister, Melly. His name is Dudley and he is GORGEOUS!! He made me laugh out loud at his fabulous colours and slightly bewildered expression. You see, Dudley is a DODO!! No, no, no - I'm not being cruel!! Rosalie's latest character is a stuffed dodo and I think the pattern will have to go on my wish list!! He is too, TOO cute!! And you'll enjoy a fun read on Rosalie's blog, too!!

OK, that's really it for this post! You've probably finished your cuppa and moved on to munch on bickies (wonder if Chookyblue has had a chance to make the choc chip bickies I gave her the recipe for yet?!?!) so ... I shall sign off for now. Hopefully it won't be quite so long between posts next time. Oops! I think that means I need to get busy stitching so I have something to share with you all!! Til then, I hope you have a relaxing or productive weekend - whichever you're most in need of! Hmmm ... wonder if I can manage to do both!! Bear Hugs!

CHEERS!
KRIS