Taking A Breather!!

WOWSERS!! What a BUSY few days I've had!! So I thought I'd take a little breather and tell you what I've been up to. As I told you last post, I headed out to my Home-away-from-home on Sunday because the lovely Marion and Steph of Quilters' Angel were hosting their annual ...

Marion describes the "Girls Stitch In" as ...

"Taking time out to appreciate the joys of being a woman and embracing all things 'girly'!"

(I even typed it in pink writing, just for you Marion!!) And BOY were all the 'girly' gals SPOILT!!! :0) Imagine a marquee draped in satin swags, lit by crystal chandeliers and decked out in 'girly' goodies and you get ...

... THIS!! You can just see one of the chandeliers in the centre top, but you get a good idea of the rest of it! :0) On top of this, two guest designers were on hand with brand new projects designed especially for "Girls Stitch In". This year, the guest designers were Sue Daly of "Patchwork With Busy Fingers" and Linda Blake of "Bella Embroidery". Throw in a GORGEOUS Parisian-inspired bag full of goodies and everyone was in girly heaven! :0) Yep ... a day of stitching and indulgence ... including DELICIOUS morning and afternoon tea and a healthy but SCRUMPTIOUS lunch ... with live entertainment!!

Oops! They're not the singers Marion hired!! :0) But ... Robyn and Marcia had a BALL singing along! Tee! Hee! Hee! Meanwhile ... up the back of the marquee ...

... the party girls were bustin' out their moves! :0) Sue confessed that it was just as well she hadn't had a glass of wine with lunch or she'd have been dancing on the tables ... we offered to get a glass and clear a table for her, but she declined! Tee! Hee! Hee! Oh ... and just in case you were wondering where I was ... in that gap between Sue and Marion! :0) But you'd probably guessed that, right! Tee! Hee! Hee!

And although Linda wasn't up the back with us dancing, she WAS up to a bit of mischief ...

This looks like a nice, sedate picture of Linda modelling her gorgeous project for the weekend, a girly-girl apron featuring her signature crinoline ladies, right? HOWEVER ... there was a slightly SAUCIER modelling of this apron that involved Linda's skirt hem going up and a bit more leg showing!!! The French Maid's version of the apron perhaps!! Ooh! La! La! :0) I was too shocked to take a pic! Tee! Hee! Hee!

Now ... there WAS a bit of stitching going on amidst all the modelling, singing, clapping and dancing ... APPARENTLY! :0) Here are some of the 'good' girls stitching away ...

Some of these gals were local to the Toowoomba/Highfields area, but others came from all over to play for the weekend ... some from the Atherton Tablelands, Mackay, Emerald, Bundaberg, Brisbane ... and probably a lot more places that I didn't get to hear about. And working away in the background to help Marion was ...

... Marion's lovely Mum Ethel!! :0) This lady is just the SWEETEST and she gives great hugs! :0)

A huge CONGRATULATIONS to Marion and Steph (who kept things running smoothly in the shop during the weekend) for another FABULOUS stitching event!! I doubt that anyone in Australia spoils stitchers more during a weekend retreat! If you're looking for a fabulous weekend of stitching, chatting and being spoilt ... make sure you book in to next year's "Girls Stitch In" you will NOT regret it!! :0) Pop across to the Quilters' Angel web site or give Marion and Steph a call to get more details or book your spot ... it's never too earlyto book, cos places fill up pretty quickly!! :0)

While I was out chatting, dancing and being spoilt by Marion, my Beloved Geek Boy was beavering away in the sewing room to prepare it for it's new colour. So ... I have a question for you ... What is "Sea Note"??

Answer: It's the colour I'm painting myself ... Oops! ... I mean ... it's the colour I'm painting the sewing room!! :0) Yes, I started painting the section GB had filled and sanded cos I just couldn't wait to see how the colour looked on my walls! :0) I am STOKED at how it's coming up and can't wait to see it all finished and decked out! It will be so exciting to have a neat, tidy, stylish creative space to work in ... even if it isn't likely to stay neat and tidy for very long! Tee! Hee! Hee! There's still piles of 'stuff' for me to sort through, but I'm making progress ... slowly!!!

"Sea Note" is also very close to the new colour of the smaller writing at the bottom of the OPAM Button ... take a peek at mine in my sidebar. If yours doesn't have blue writing, drop me an email and I'll send some step by step instructions to help you update it. Oh ... I've also had a note from someone to say that I typed Peg's email address incorrectly in the "Welcome To OPAM" letter that you would have received from me or Peg when you signed up. I fixed it everywhere else, but missed that one! Oops! Peg's email address is ...

pegcoen@bigpond.net.au

The incorrect one has an "H" in the gorgeous Peg's surname that doesn't belong there. So, if you email your finishes at the end of the month to Peg, please just double check the address ... or you'll actually be emailing a lovely, patient lady in Western Australia called Penny! :0)

Right now, however, I'm off to pop the kettle on for a cuppa. Don't forget to tell me your "Old Ted" story on the previous post before Friday to be in the draw for one of two copies of my new pattern. I love hearing about people's favourite teddies! :0) Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!
KRIS