Well ... !

Well ... I have no idea where the last few weeks have disappeared to. There’s been hardly any sewing or stitching here & I’m WAY overdue with the OPAM roundup ... to the point where it’s almost time to remind you about the NEXT tally check in. 😜 Things at the Meares’ Madhouse seem to have been madder than ever, so I’ll catch you up on what I can remember has been happening ... grab a cuppa & get comfy. 😜

I mentioned last post that GB had shared his nasty head cold with me ... well that took a couple of weeks to shake properly (& our weird cold weather regression has brought back the tickly cough ... GRRR!) but thankfully I was over it in time to enjoy Stutchers Dream Day hosted by the lovely mother/daughter duo at the helm of The Quilters Angel  Marvellous Marion & Stupendous Steph. Low numbers due to many things, including border closures & concerns about snap lockdowns, meant the event couldn’t go ahead in its usual format. However, the Queens of Reinvention put together a fabulous online stitching adventure, as well as hosting a stitching-in-the-garden day for those of us close enough to come & play. I didn’t even pretend to stitch this year ... I just swanned around chatting, giggling & admiring everyone else’s work. 😜 Here are a few happy snaps I took on the day ...

Some of my Friday Nutters sewing tribe enjoying a cuppa & chat on the glorious spring day.

Lovely to catch up with some of our regular crazies. 😜 These gals always make each other a SDD gift ... this year one of the clever clogs made sun hats from Australian wildflower fabric to fit the day’s “Australiana” theme. There was a story to go with the bloomers ... but it makes me blush! 😂🤣

Michelle is one of our overachievers & shared her finishes from Girls Stitch In back in March & last year’s SDD  ... I loved her version of my “Bloom Where You’re Planted” project bag. 🥰

More show & tell pretties.

Last year’s SDDO projects completed.

Felicity modelling her Australiana hat & some finishes.

Julie sharing her version of my “Spread Sunshine” tote & Mabon Bear patterns.

We had a fantastic time together & we’re all incredibly appreciative that Marion & Steph bent over backwards to make sure SDD went ahead. Thank you, lovely ladies! 😘 Big thanks to this year’s designers, too ... Katie Dawson of Cottage Garden Threads (who couldn’t come & play in person as she lives in Victoria) & lovely local designer Lauren from Molly & Mama. If you’re interested in joining us for Girls Stitch In or Stitchers Dream Day, visit the Quilters Angel online store to see more, sign up for their newsletter to keep up with what’s new ... or by pattern, fabrics, kits & notions! 😂🥰 

Just a little note from me about supporting our local businesses & events ... I know some people are hesitant to book into events at the moment because we’ve all had plans disrupted by lockdowns & border closures ... BUT ... if we don’t keep at least TRYING to support events organised by our local businesses (quilt shops, local community groups, councils etc) they won’t be there in the future for us to enjoy.

On to the delayed OPAM draw for August ... there were ...

92 FINISHES 

For August ... WOW! Our biggest creative month so far this year! Well done everyone! And the random draw winner is ...

MARIA W

Congrats, Maria! Drop me an email & I’ll send you your PDF pattern prize. 😉

And if you’ve made it to the end ... you deserve another cuppa, so go & put the kettle on ... that’s what I’m going to do! 😂 Whatever you’re up to this week, I hope you’re staying safe, staying well, stitching up a storm & keeping a smile on your dile. 😊 I know life is topsy-turvy for many people at the moment, so please make sure you look after your special people & look after yourself. If you’re struggling, please reach out to someone for a chat ...& you can always drop me an email, too, if you need a splash of crazy in your week. 😉 Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!

KRIS 

Spring Sulking!

Hello to my lovely bloggy buddies out there! I hope your week has been wonderful. Mine was pretty busy but uneventful & I was looking forward to today so I could catch up with some stitching friends ... but now I’m sulking! You see, spring arrived this week ... which I was happy about ... & I’d made it all through winter without any winter lurgies pouncing on me. And then ... my Beloved Geek Boy brought home a nasty head cold & “kindly” shared it with me. SIGH! A spring cold somehow adds insult to injury. 🙄 Add to that, today was supposed to be when I caught up with some stitching friends, but since I didn’t want to share my germies further afield, I decided to stay home. So I’m sulking cos I feel crummy & because I’m missing a catch-up with friends. DOUBLE SIGH!

But ... my lovely stitching friends have been checking in with me through the morning & sent me a couple of photos that made me smile.

Wendy & Julie modelling their finished versions of my “Spread Sunshine” tote bag that I designed for Girls Stitch In last year. Didn’t they do a fabulous job!

And Julie also finished her version of my Autumn Solstice bear, Mabon. I’m always chuffed to see the projects that people make with my patterns & it’s especially lovely when good friends enjoy making them. 🥰 (Thanks to Chriss for being official sewing photographer. 😉)

So ... I think I’m going to make myself a cupcake & snuggle under my flannel blankie with my kindle to ride out this cold. Of course, I’m incredibly grateful that it is ONLY a cold making me feel a bit snuffly & out-of-sorts & not something more serious. Big hugs to all of you struggling with illnesses, especially when lockdowns & travel restrictions are adding further stress. Big hugs, too, to those of you being affected by lockdowns. Stay positive & find something that makes your heart happy to concentrate on. 🥰 And to all of you ... stay safe, stay well, keep stitching & keep smiling. 😊 Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!

KRIS