And The Crazy-Busy Continues!

Yep ... just when I think life can’t get any crazier, it proves me wrong! 😜 Somehow I find myself in the middle of October, convinced Christmas was just last week & my phone’s calendar ap is malfunctioning when it tells me what day it really is. 😝 The last couple of weeks have been even busier than usual with lots of time spent travelling, amongst other things, but there has been some fun stuff mixed in.

Last Friday I took a drive down our ’hill’ to catch up with my Bestest-Buddy-Snce-We-Were-Nine Lynette. It had been a couple of months since we’d caught up so we decided to treat ourselves to high tea at a new spot Lynette discovered.

Don’t you just love these old corner store buildings? And the food ...

DEEEEEEEEELISH! 😍 I think this spot might need to go on the repeat-visit list.

Saturday I enjoyed a catch-up with some of my crazy stitching tribe, which was lovely as always. Then Sunday GB & I took a ‘little’ drive to tow his folks’ camper four & a half hours north to Woodgate beach, helped them set up camp & drove home again in the one day ... deciding at the end of it with sore backs & butts from sitting that maybe shorter trips are better these days! 😜 It seems that although we don’t mind getting older, our bodies are taking it badly! 🤣😂 Monday was a public holiday here in Queensland so it was catch-up-on-grown-up-chores day before heading back into the work week, which was busier than usual due to said public holiday giving one less work day in which to tackle the work needing to be done. With the next two weekends looking almost as busy again, GB & I have decided that this weekend we’re pulling up the drawbridge, releasing the moat-monsters & hiding from the world ... we’ll be hiding in our blanket fort on the sofa, only emerging to find snacks, if you’re looking for us! Tee! Hee! Hee!

But before I get on to building my blanket fort, I thought I’d better pop in to remind OPAMers that it’s time to update sidebar lists (if blogger is playing nicely for you. 🙄) & email me your September finishes tally list. I didn’t get to add any finishes (see previous comments about life being crazy-busy!) but I did get the baby quilt for my Sorta-Sister to flimsy stage ...

Cheeky Chimpies. 😉 The colour isn’t great in this pic ... the appliqué blocks’ background colour is a soft dusty blue & you can see I’m still using up my stash of blues/greens. I’ve now got this bundled up with its backing & wadding to drop into my quilting fairy the Fabulous Fiona this week. This wasn’t going to be written up as a pattern but ... I’m thinking about it now as I love how it turned out! 😜

And that’s about it from the Meares’ Madhouse for now ... apart from letting you know that Facebook isn’t allowing me to post on my Tag Along Teddies page at the moment ... who knows why! 🙄😳  The constant changes & rewriting of rules, conditions & algorithms of social media just does my head in. What ever happened to, “if it ain’t broke - don’t fix it!” SIGH! For now, though, I’m off to hang another load of washing on the line (still playing catch-up with chores. 😜) & then I think I’ve earned a bit of time for a cup of tea & a read. Whatever you’re up to this weekend, stay safe, stay well, keep stitching & keep smiling. 😊 Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!

KRIS 

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 

Don’t Blink!

Not only is this a reminder of my favourite Dr Who episode ever, it’s good advice for me at the moment because it feels like every time I blink, a month passes by! 😜 Amidst work, family stuff, designing & stitching, somehow August is coming to an end. Next thing we know, the jolly, fat man in red will be getting his border passes & QR scanner in order ready to deliver gifties. 🤣 On the up side, the cold winter weather shouldn’t be here too much longer. YAY! 😁

As I mentioned, I have actually been managing some designing & stitching, including putting this block ...

... and it’s friends together for a baby quilt for my Sorta-Sister ...

Here are the blocks laid out ready to join ... they’re together now & I’m about to go & attach the border. The bub is due in a few weeks, so I need to get my butt into gear. 😜

And speaking of getting butts into gear ... OPAMers ... it’s that time again. Time to update your sidebar tally lists & email me with your August totals so I can update the spreadsheet. I love seeing the projects you clever clogs crafters are working on & finishing. 😁

But now I’m off to have a quick cuppa before attaching a border. Whatever you’re up to this week, I hope you all stay safe, stay well, keep stitching & keep smiling. 😁🥰 Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!

KRIS 

Life Is What Happens ...

... When you’re making other plans. 🙄😜 To say the last couple of weeks haven’t been as planned would be an understatement. It’s been crazier & busier than ever in the Meares’ Madhouse. As well as my work situation still being a bit stressful, we’ve had my Dad in & out of hospital a couple of times after tests showed that he had had another heart attack (first was about 15 years ago) or maybe a couple of smaller ones. He’s now the bionic man with three new stents inserted to keep his heart happy. I’ve also been taxi to my Mum who doesn’t drive, have been helping behind the scenes with a big military history event that will be held next year, helped my Beloved Geek Boy celebrate another successful circumnavigation of the sun with birthday treats, as well as madly designing, editing & stitching on the quilt for my Sorta-Sister’s Bub who is due to make his grand entrance next month. Toss in getting the first of our anti-zombie jabs & it’s no wonder I keep running out of hours in my days & feeling exhausted! 🤪

On the positive side ... Dad is home & feeling better, work has settled a little bit, GB had a tasty birthday (fave scrambled eggs for breakfast & lasagna for dinner. 😉), anti-zombie jabs number one done without me embarrassing myself with my needle phobia (though I really think I deserved at least a lollipop for being brave! 😂) & I’m making good progress with the baby quilt ...

This cheeky chimpy has been smirking at me as I stitch. 😉 There’s a bit more stitching to do before I put the blocks together, but hopefully next time I’ll have a quilt top to show you.

And in a smoother-than-the-backroads transition ... I’ve also managed to complete the blog hopping for the OPAM finishes for July. Thanks to those who remembered to email their finishes through ... much appreciated. The final tally for July was...

67 FINISHES 

YAY! Well done everyone! And well done to those like me who are working on longer term projects that have had some progress made. And the random prize draw winner is ...

FIONA

Congrats Fabulous Fiona! Drop me an email & I’ll send you your PDF pattern prize. I may be a bit slack with my roundups each month, but I hope that playing along with OPAM is encouraging you to take time regularly to be creative. That’s our main goal, after all.

Righto ... that’s it from me for today & I think I’m going to take a little break to enjoy a cup of mango tea & a read before I get back to my “to do” list. I’ve just started a new book by a recently favourite author, so I have to be careful not to disappear into the book & forget to come out. 😜 Nothing like a bit of midlife magical crisis & snarky humour to entertain during a cuppa. 🤣 I wish you all a wonderful week. Special shout-out to those of you in lockdown. Be kind to yourself & reach out if you’re struggling. Stay safe, stay well, keep stitching & keep smiling. 😊 Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!

KRIS