Tick! Tock!

TICK! TOCK! 

Time is slipping away ... counting down to the close of sign up for OPAM 2015.

Sweet Peg and I have been kept busy this week adding names, blog addresses and email addresses to our OPAM spreadsheet and are THRILLED by how many of you are joining us for a fun, stress-free, guilt-free, gives-us-a-little-nudge challenge to aim to finish One Project A Month. What has thrilled me even more is the notes I received from a couple of gals as they've signed up this year to say they had played along with OPAM in years passed, but skipped it for a year or two ... and are now signing up again because they discovered they had achieved much more the years they played along with OPAM! How wonderful! Welcome back to our "Repeat Offenders". :0)

And to the "Newbies" joining for the first time ... I hope you find OPAM helpful in giving your mojo a little nudge ... and reminding us all that it's good to take a bit of "Time-Out" for ourselves, to be creative and to recharge our own batteries before we go back to trying to be all things to all people ... you know what I mean, busy ladies!! :0)

Now ... usually Sweet Peg and I trade off doing a random prize draw for all those who have registered finishes with us each month, but as for the past couple of years, we're not going to do a draw at the end of January (which is approaching with the speed of a freight train!!) instead, we'll do a DOUBLE DRAW at the end of FEBRUARY. But please pop your finishes on your sidebar lists (good to get in the habit early in the year!!) and feel free to email your tallies through to me or my GORGEOUS Partner-In-Crime Sweet Peg and we'll add them to our sparkly-new spreadsheet. :0)

I don't know about all of you, but I LOOOOOOOOVE to see my list of finishes growing to remind me of what I've achieved, so as soon at a project is finished, it's ON THE LIST! :0) It also helps keep me up-to-date in case the end of the month gets a wee bit busy ... which seems to happen so often!

So ... if you haven't signed up yet with me or Sweet Peg ... you'd better get a wriggle-on cos tomorrow night (Saturday January 31) we're like Cinderella and turn into a pumpkin at midnight! Tee! Hee! Hee!

I've got a very special stitching day happening here at Edward House tomorrow, but for now, I'm off to throw on my glad-rags, slop on some war-paint and tizzy up my frizzy hair (actually, it's not too bad now cos I made a date with my hairdresser yesterday!!) and my Bestest-Buddy-Since-We-Were-Nine Lynette is coming for a drive up the 'hill' for a play date - WOO! HOO!! Look out Toowoomba and Highfields! The husbands have both braced themselves for the fallout! Tee! Hee! Hee! Hope you're having a good week and that your weekend is full of fabulousness! Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!
KRIS

Here 'Tis! OPAM 2015!!

I've built a bridge and got over my frumpy frazzled day. I really am basically a 'glass-is-half-full' kinda gal, so my "BLAH!" days are few and far between ... and I have wonderful friends who care enough about me to cheer me up ... thank you, FRIENDS! :0)

And now I'm doing my HIPPITTY, HOPPITY,  SKIPPITTY, SHUFFLE, SHUFFLE, BOOTY-SHAKE HAPPY DANCE cos today is "O" Day ... yep ... sign up for ...

OPAM 2015

... is now OPEN! My GORGEOUS Partner-In-Crime Sweet Peg and I are very happy to once again co-host this fun, low-stress challenge and we hope you'll all join us to play along. Whether you're a "Repeat Offender" or a "Newbie", we think you'll find it helpful to encourage you to be creative and FINISH projects this year. At least that's what I'm hoping for ME! Tee! Hee! Hee!

So ... if you love to be creative, but sometimes your mojo takes a holiday in the Bahamas without you, or you're a "Serial-Starter" but struggle to FINISH things ... we hope you find OPAM useful ... and fun! :0) I shan't waffle on too much (stop giggling, Chookyblue!!) ... if you think you want to join us, please read through the guidelines below and email Sweet Peg or me with your deets, then ... 

LET THE FUN BEGIN!! :0)

Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!
KRIS

The One Project A Month (OPAM) Challenge Guidelines 2015

The idea of the “One Project A Month Challenge is pretty simple ... To try to finish at least ONE craft project by the end of each month. This can be something you’ve had partly done for a while (a Work In Slow Progress WISP), a pattern you bought ages ago that you finally get around to making up, or a completely new project. This is meant to be a low-stress challenge  - if you don’t finish a project every month  - that’s fine! We understand sometimes life interferes with our plans. We also realise some projects are meant to be long-term and have a LOT of work involved, like a quilt or a cross-stitch. The main aim of the OPAM Challenge is to give us all a bit of a motivational boost and to give us all a big cheer squad to encourage and inspire us.

However, there is quite a bit of time and work involved in running OPAM, so Sweet Peg and I have some guidelines we ask people to take note of AND please only sign up if you intend to follow through. If for some reason during the year you decide you don’t wish to remain part of the OPAM Challenge, just drop Sweet Peg or me an email to let us know. Please read through all  guidelines before you sign up.

1. Participants must have an ACTIVE BLOG. If you change your blog address, drop us an email telling us your old address and what you’ve changed it to.

2. Numbers won’t be limited for the sign up for OPAM 2015, BUT ... it WILL close on February 1 ... You must sign up before that or miss out on joining in the fun.

3. Participants can sign up via email to Kris or Peg, or via a comment on EITHER blog AS LONG AS it includes all asked for information.

4. Participants MUST provide all info asked for. * Name (first and initial of surname in case of double up names); * Email; * Blog address.

5. Participants MUST have the OPAM Challenge badge on their blog sidebar and link it to either Kris’s or Peg’s blog.

6. Participants MUST keep a list of each month’s finishes on their blog sidebar and update it BEFORE the last day of each month. (This is easiest if you add each project as you finish it.) If you can put this directly under the OPAM badge on your sidebar it will be easier for Peg and Kris to find it. You may also choose to have a separate OPAM 2015 page on your blog.  That’s fine too as long as it’s clearly labelled.

7. Only ‘soft’ crafts are included in the OPAM Challenge, ie. Projects made from fabric, thread or wool. Some examples are: embroidery, patchwork, quilting, cross-stitch, knitting, crochet, practical sewing (curtains, clothes etc), long stitch, appliqué.

8. QUILTS: A quilt will only be counted as a finish if it is COMPLETELY finished ... Quilted and bound. Flimsies/tops won’t count as finishes.

9. BOM’s: Blocks that are part of a BOM (Block Of the Month) program will only be counted as a finish when they are joined, quilted and bound. Individual BOM blocks DO NOT count as a finish.

10. If you can email Peg or Kris your list of finishes each month BEFORE the end of the month, this would be appreciated, as it cuts down the amount of time it takes to check finishes for the month. (and save Peg and Kris from getting square eyes!)

11.  Lastly, participants MUST ... Have fun! After all, the reason we craft and create is to relax, have fun and take some time away from the “Have to” tasks to do the “Like to do” ones! :0)

A Grumpy, Frumpy, Frazzled Kind Of Day!

Do you ever have those days where you just feel frumpy, grumpy and frazzled ... and that feeling seems to attract more of the same? Well ... that was my day today. When I looked in the mirror this morning I was feeling forty-ish, fat, frumpy, frizzy-haired, fuzzy-faced (genetics and dark hair suck!) and started my work day with computer issues and notes left by my boss who is on holidays ... and a very 'helpful' resident at the retirement village where I work offered some 'personal advice' that just made me feel even frownier! In fact ... I freaked out the maintenance guys by tearing up - Oops! :0) 

They then tried very hard to cheer me up (they really are nice boys!), but it wasn't til I got home and had some lunch (amazing how a full tummy helps your outlook on life!) and had a long commiserating phone chat with a blogging buddy who was paddling the same pity-party canoe today ... er ... misery loves company, perhaps?!?! :0) By the end of our chat, I was still feeling forty-ish, fat, frumpy, frizzy-haired and fuzzy-faced ... but at least I also felt someone understood where I was at. Friends who understand you are great, right!! Plus ... only one of us had a giant shark living under the bed and it wasn't me! Tee! Hee! Hee! (you'll have to visit HERE to find out what I mean!!)

And speaking of friends ... my GORGEOUS blogging buddy Sweet Peg and I are both gearing up for ...

Yep ... only THREE more sleeps til OPAM sign up opens for 2015. And can you see that number on the badge? That's saying that there have been 39, 376 FINISHES recorded for OPAM since May Britt and I started it in 2009. WOW! For the last five years, Sweet Peg  has co-hosted with me and we have been blown away by the wonderful array of creativity that we have seen. We're pretty excited to be hosting One Project A Month again for 2015 ... I hope you'll play along with us! Remember to visit Sweet Peg's blog or come back here on SATURDAY JANUARY 24 to sign up.

Well ... that's been Wednesday ... and just quietly, I'm glad to see the back end of it. Hopefully Thursday will be a little more Kris-friendly. :0) Hope you're having a frump and grump-free week. See you back here Saturday!! Til next time ...

GRUMPY FRUMPY FRIZZY FUZZY BEAR HUGS!!

CHEERS!
KRIS

OOPSIE!!!!

Oh dear! I had a little bit of a "MOMENT" in my last post when telling you when my GORGEOUS Partner-In-Crime Sweet Peg and I will be opening sign ups for OPAM 2015. I had the right date, wrong day - OOPSIE!! BLUSH!! So ... OPAM 2015 sign up opens ...

SATURDAY JANUARY 24

Right ... got it sorted. Sorry for any confusion ... I just thought I'd share a little bit of mine cos I have plenty to spare! :0)

Speaking of sharing ... do you remember a while ago ... QUITE a while ago ... before house selling and buying interrupted the regularly scheduled program last year. :0) ... I shared sneaky peekies of a couple of projects I was working on, but didn't get to share the finishes ... and then put them on hold waiting to finish two more projects for the same pattern. Well, during last week's sewing marathon, I finally finished those two projects - YAY! So ... the set now consists of ...

... a girlie lingerie bag perfect for storing all your important pieces of clothing in your drawer or in a suitcase when travelling. This one features a pretty stitchery and a double scallop frill, which was made using the cool scallop ruler available from The Quilter's Angel. Project number 2 ...

... a matching hosiery bag for your stockings or socks. Another pretty stitchery and a pink dotty frill. Project 3 just finished ...

... a boy version featuring a zig-zag frill and project number 4 ...

... a second boy version to store socks featuring double peepers. The stitcheries for these projects are all the same size and when I get myself organised and write the instructions (BLECH!!) you will be able to mix and match which version of the bag you want to match to which stitchery. I made a duo of these for my sort-of-sister Tiffy when she was travelling a few years ago ... one for clean knickers and one for ready-to-wash items. One of my sewing group buddies has been nagging me for this pattern ever since she saw me stitching the girlie lingerie stitcheries about 12 months ago ... nearly ready Jenny-Lee! :0)

OK ... heading off to hit the shower after watching one of the lowest-scoring cricket matches I've ever seen. Brisbane Heat lot again ... SIGH! But they did put up a good fight, so I guess that counts for something. Hope your week is toodling along nicely so far ... don't forget to mark SATURDAY January 24 on your calendar for OPAM sign up. Happy stitching, everyone! :0) Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!
KRIS

Zippitty Do Da!!

Zippitty ay! My oh my, what a wonderful ... holiday! :0) Taking a bit of liberty with a song that we will probably all have stuck in our heads now ... sorry about that! Tee! Hee! Hee! I'm just coming to the end of my last week of holidays before I have to be a grown up and go back to work ... SIGH! Still ... they promise that if I turn up and be a grown up they will pay me ... so I can buy more fabric! ... so I guess I'm off to work tomorrow! :0)

I've had a REALLY productive week for my last holiday week ... I stayed home for FIVE days in a row - a new record for me, I think! :0) And my Husky has been humming. I've finished a number of projects that have been on the ol' "To Do" list for a while ... including the reason for my title today. Like many of you, I've been a bit of a zipper-phobe ... it's all that changing machine feet and lining stuff up properly ... all a bit too challenging for me. :0) But ... I've often had design ideas that would be better with a zip closure. So ... while I had some uninterrupted time at home to fiddle and experiment, I decided to give it a go ... with pretty pleasing results ...

Ta Da! A nice size zippy pouch to match my new handbag. I didn't get a pic of it, but this pouch is lined ... you should have seen me trying to work out how to do THAT! :0) I think I nearly turned MYSELF inside-out ... and there were a few naughty words muttered during the process, I suspect ... BLUSH! :0) All in all, I'm pretty happy with it as a first try ... I want to make a few little changes next time to get the top corners where the zip is set in a bit neater, but that's just me being fussy, I think. I gave it a trial run on Friday night when our Friday night Sit N Sew gals got together for the first time in 2015 and it held all of my sewing goodies comfortably. Another finish for the OPAM list. :0)

There were a couple more finishes this weekend ... as I squeezed out as much sewing time from my holiday as I could manage! ... but I haven't got good photos yet, so will share them next time. I sure will have a respectable start to my OPAM list for 2015. :0) Are you joining Sweet Peg and I for the fun, laid-back challenge to finish One Project A Month? Sign up will be opened on

FRIDAY JANUARY 24!

And it will close at the end of the month, so if you want to join the fun, keep an eye on my blog and Sweet Peg's blog - we'd love to have you play along! :0)

Right now, though, I'm off to make a batch of yoghurt to add to my summer oats breakfasts for the week, then have a cup of tea to commiserate with the Brisbane Heat, who have just been knocked out of the Big Bash cricket comp for the year ... SIGH! Ah well ... that's sport. :0) I hope you all have a fantastic week ... whether you're still enjoying some holiday time or have to be a grown up like me and go to work. Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!
KRIS

A Little Trip To Paris!!

Don't get too excited about that title ... I didn't need my passport ... unfortunately! :0) How have you welcomed in 2015? Since I'm still enjoying my break from work, my lovely Husky sewing machine and I have been spending some quality time together ... AAAAAHHHHHH! BLISS!! :0)

After finishing putting my new flannel blankie together (sorry ... haven't uploaded those pics yet!) I decided to treat myself to a little bit of fabricky fun ...

... A piece of GORGEOUS Paris inspired fabric gifted to me by the lovely Marion with the instructions to that it was to "play with and make something for yourself ... not a pattern!". :0) Add some yummy script fabric that I've been hoarding for a special occasion, some bright and cheery blue and white dotty fabric and giant rick-rack ... Paris, polka-dots and rick-rack ... you can't go wrong, really, can you?! :0) So ... after some thinking, some playing, a few texted photos back and forth to my designing buddy Toni Alexander the result was ...

Ta Da!  I new every-day shoulder bag for yours truly! I'm too ashamed to share photos, but my old bag has definitely seen better days ... its actually worn through the fabric to the wadding in a couple of spots and VERY grubby from being carted everywhere with me. BLUSH!! Every time Marion has seen it for the last six months or so (you can't rush into these things, after all! Tee! Hee! Hee!) she has shaken her head at me and said something along the lines of ... "You design beautiful bags for patterns and your own bag looks like THAT????" :0) Problem solved, now! Don't you just LOVE that Paris fabric?! I feel like I want to buy metres and metres of it to make doona covers and cushions ... and curtains ... and ...! :0) 

I kept my bag design pretty simple because it will be dragged everywhere with me, so I didn't want lots of fussy bits and it's a nice BIG bag to fit everything in that I habitually carry with me. My brother refers to my handbag (in all its different incarnations!!) as "The TARDIS" ... Dr Who fans will know what he means! :0)

After tossing up about a few different colours for the rick-rack (and consulting my second-opinion-consultant Toni! :0) ) I settled on the brighter red to pick out the red hearts in the Paris print fabric. I also added a length of it down the centre of the handle ... not only to had a splash or bright colour to it, but also to quilt through the handle to help it keep its shape ... hopefully. :0) Then I needed something to add a bit of  a splash to the front of the bag. After playing around, this double rosette seemed perfect ... and it does double-duty of covering the rick-rack join. :0) The lace is the last little bit left over from my wedding dress, so a bit sentimental too. :0)

I'm pretty chuffed with my new handbag ... so much so that I'm rather tempted to write it up as a pattern .... SHHHHH!! Don't tell Marion! Tee! Hee! Hee!

So ... the year is young and I already have a pretty finish to add to my list of finishes ... I'll have to update my sidebar and add a new OPAM list for 2015, won't I? :0) And if you want a low-stress, fun way to keep track of your finishes and encourage you to finish at least one project each month of the year (no penalties if life gets in the way and you miss a month ... or two ... or three!!) Don't forget to keep checking in with my GORGEOUS Partner-In-Crime Sweet Peg and me because ...

OPAM 2015

... WILL be happening! YAY! Sign up will be in the last week of January ... opening date to be finalised. Sweet Peg is a VERY busy gal and I'm still in holiday mode, so we will organise details in the next week or so and let you know. Are you going to join us for a fun year of sewing One Project A Month? Newbies and Repeat-Offenders all welcome! Tee! Hee! Hee!

Right ... I think it's time to go and make myself a nice cup of tea (I know that surprises you all no end! NOT!! Tee! Hee! Hee!) and help the Aussie cricket team for a while before I head back to spend some more quality time with my dear Husky. What are you all up to for the first week of the year? Are you stitching up a storm? Have the holidays kick-started your sewing mojo? Or is your mojo still holidaying without you on a Caribbean island somewhere?! :0) Would love to know what everyone's up to!! Whether working or playing, take care and remember to be kind to yourself. :0) Til next time ...

NEW YEAR BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!
KRIS