On My Way To Bed ...!

Yep, that's where I'm heading after a busy weekend! I had intended to post today to tell you all about my participation in the Girls Getaway Weekend, but I'm a tired little teddy bear and can't keep my eyes open. So ... just a quick little post (really, Chookyblue, I promise!) to say a big THANK YOU to the gorgeous Kerryanne of Shabby Art Boutique for giving me a couple of awards - the Sisterhood Award and the Top Ten Fave Blogs Award.




Isn't this one sweet - I loooooooove ladybirds!! (even if it is 'THAT" colour!!)

OK, now I'm supposed to pass these on, but I know that some of the bloggers who I would put in these categories have already received these awards or aren't really into them ... I don't care! Tee! Hee! Hee! I'm going to list 'em and if they'd like to pass them on, that's cool, if not, that's cool too - it's just my chance to acknowledge some of the wonderful, unique, quirky, brave, creative, fun ... etc, etc, etc ... women who I've met since taking up residence in blogland. Thank you to each and every one of you - those in this list and those who aren't - I'm only supposed to list 10, after all, not ALL of the blogs I pop into! Here goes ...

1. The wonderful Kerryanne - of course! - who inspired me to start a blog and has become a fabulous friend.
2. Lilly Linda - about the second blogging buddy I made who has also become a great 'real life' friend.
3. May Britt - who was a good blogging buddy before we decided to co-host our 'little' challenge and has become an even better one.
4. Peg - Super Stitcher extraordinaire! Peg just amazes me with how much stitching she gets done and how many projects she FINISHES! I'm really good at STARTING! :0)
5. Stina - another lovely lady who has become a good friend as we chat back and forth, learning more about each other and each other's countries. Did you know they don't really grow pumpkins in Sweden?!?!
6. Rosey - I've only been popping into Rosey's blog for a little while, but love her sense of humour and quirky take on life.
7. Chookyblue - again, a 'real life' friend now as well as blogging buddy - great lady to share a drink, a great view and a fabric shop fix with! :0)
8. Julia - Another international blogging buddy with a fun sense of humour and an emerging talent for designing.
9. Judy S - In the process of encouraging each other to stitch Lynette Anderson's Noah's Ark BOM, we've become good blogging buddies and she takes the best holiday snaps!
10. Newcomer to blogland is one of my 'real life' buddies, Deb L who I've known for ... hmmmm ... a LOT of years! She's a loyal friend with a warped sense of humour - no wonder we've stayed buds for so long!

And I could keep listing more and more of my blogging buddies, but my poor little eyeballs are now dropping right out of their sockets and this is already longer than I intended (sorry Chookyblue! Had to list ten!!), so I'll sign off. Tune in tomorrow to see my Secret Squirrel projects finally revealed, as well as some photos from the Girls Getaway - we had FUN!! Til next time - Bear Hugs!

CHEERS!
KRIS

Mail Surprises, A Bagging & A Sneaky Peek!!

It's one of those days where it's best to stay inside! We may be too far inland to be getting any of the rain from Cyclone Hamish (RATS!!) but BOY!! Are we experiencing some horrible, strong, gale force winds!! Every time I walk out the door, I look like a dandelion as my hair stands on end, then flies around, I do a Marilyn Monroe impersonation with my skirt (without the blond hair and her ... attributes!!) and I have to dodge high-velocity, wind-driven doors, whilst juggling keys and a handbag! All in all ... it's just too hard and I'm staying indoors as much as possible!

But inside can be good! Inside was where I quickly scooted after collecting some fun mail in the last little while! The first package to arrive was from Scottish Nanna. Mary works in a thrift shop and at the end of last year, sent me an email to say a little orphan bear had come into the shop and she thought I would make a good adoptive mother, so she was going to post him along to me. Then, she got sick and has been unwell for a while - but is now on the mend, so pop over and say G'day!! Last week she posted this little bloke to me, complete with a little friend who was holding a note from Mary. I've named them Smudge (bigger bear) and his little mate Joe. They will join the ever-growing population of bears who inhabit our spare room - hope any future guests like bears! Tee! Hee! Hee!

Now the second fun mail came from Simone, who is one of our OPAM Challenge participants. After popping into my blog a bit, Simone had a growing suspicion that I like teddy bears! :0) She said she'd found a piece of fabric in her stash with bears on it that she didn't think she would use and sent it to me as a treat!! Aren't I lucky?! Such lovely generous people in blogland!! Here's a photo of my fun mail ...


Simone was a bit worried that there was more of "THAT" colour in the fabric, but I'm going to call it 'rose red' and it will work just fine! Tee! Hee! Hee! Thank you so much Mary and Simone!! What lovely treats to receive in my mail - WAY better than bills!! :0)

Now to part two of my title - a bagging! Now, it probably isn't at all what you think it is!! I've been MAKING BAGS - two this week, to be exact! And you thought I'd be bagging someone out - I'm a GOOD girl, I am!! :0) The first bag I've made was a bit fiddly, but I like the result. It's actually one of the 'green' shopping bags that cost a dollar or so at Coles - except it's navy! Some Irish logic there getting in early for St Patrick's Day! Tee! Hee! Hee! I've found a pretty sunflower-on-navy-background fabric to match and covered the bag to give it a very practical inside and a pretty, decorative outside.


I got the idea from a similar bag someone sent me. This one is going to my Grandma for her birthday next week (two days before mine, so easy to remember!!) I also added a loop and button to keep the bag closed. Now Grandma will look very swish indeed when she hits the supermarket to do her grocery shopping!!

I've also finished another bag, this one is a giftie for one of my favourite residents at work - it's HER birthday this weekend - only the NICEST possible people are born in March ... right Julie?!?! :0) This bag is a made up one using some 'left over' pieces of my pretty new fabric I bought in Bris last week that I just had to find a use for, cos they were so darn pretty! Here's the result ...


Aren't those fabrics just so YUMMY!! I've appliqued a couple of fluttering butterflies on the front and this little bag will be very handy for the birthday girl to slip over the handle of her wheelie-walker to carry her bits and bobs - nice short handle so it doesn't get caught in the wheels! Hope she likes it! And can you see who else hopped into that photo?? It's Floppsie Bunny who came via Lilly Cottage to live with me. I'm pretty sure Lilly Linda has more cute bunnies who need homes if you pop over to visit her!!

And last but not least ... a sneaky peek! I thought I'd show you what I've started to do with my pretty new fabrics that have left me with the scraps to make the bag above.


Here you see the start of a quilt that I think will be a new Tag Along Teddies pattern - if I can manage to write clear instructions for what I'm making up! Tee! Hee! Hee! I just love looking at these colours - it's like capturing spring! Hmmm ... these strips are laid out on the guest bed and it suddenly occurs to me that any unexpected guests are going to have to fight their way past quilts-in-progress, bags, bunnies and bears to get into bed! Tee! Hee! Hee! Will have to clear it before next weekend when Mum and Dad come for a visit to celebrate my birthday with me - WOO! HOO! Can't wait to catch up with Mum and Dad!!

And on that note ... I'm off to keep playing with my pretty fabrics! Hope that whatever you're up to, you're having a great week so far. Til next time - Bear Hugs!

CHEERS!
KRIS

A Fantastic, Fabulous, Fun-filled Day!

Have you ever experienced days that you would like to somehow save like a computer document to relive it when life gets you down? I had one of those days yesterday! As the title says, I had a FANTASTIC, FABULOUS, FUN-FILLED day, but I left out the best bit cos the title was getting too long ... it was all enjoyed with the best "F" word of all - a FRIEND!

After some careful consultation and juggling of schedules, my best buddy Lynette and I had managed to set Friday aside for a 'play date' day. (Her kids have play dates, so why can't we?! I think adults forget how to 'play' sometimes and take life too seriously!!) So, I headed off down the hill to Brisbane bright and early so we could pack as much into the day as possible, because we had PLANS!!! Tee! Hee! Hee!

Our first stop of the day (I know you'll be surprised by this!!) was "Patches" at Indooroopilly. Oh they DO have such YUMMY fabrics!! And although I went in with REALLY good intentions of not spending much ... you guessed it! Some fabric followed me home!! (It happened again, Kerryanne!!) No sooner had a walked in the door than I was met with a GORGEOUS collection of fabrics and I wanted ALL of them!! But I did manage to contain myself a little - oh, and Lynette said she'd charge double as my porter if I put one more bolt on the pile she was holding! Tee! Hee! Hee! Here's what followed me home ...


Aren't they just so fresh and SPRING-y! As we go into autumn here in Australia, I'm going to hold onto as much spring as I can!! :0)

After I'd finished doing my budgetary damage at Patches, Lynette and I headed off for High Tea! We were inspired by Joy, who not too long ago enjoyed High Tea with her daughter and her daughter's friend. The place Joy went was a little far afield for our time limit (had to be back to pick up Lynette's kids from school!) so we found somewhere closer - conveniently, it was also at Indooroopilly. It's a place called "Fleet Street", which is the tea shop part of the replica traditional English Pub, The Pig And Whistle, and has been set up to look like a little slice of England, complete with a corridor of cobblestones outside and a GORGEOUS chandelier (that I forgot to take a photo of - DOH!) set into a fabulous ceiling dome decorated with painted clouds. We ordered our High Tea, were given pretty floral plates and then our three tiered plates of deliciousness arrived! Here we are with our yummies!


This isn't the most flattering of photos of me (what was with my fluffy scarecrow hair?!?!) but it gives you a little idea of the lovely setting we were enjoying. And just LOOK at those delicious goodies on our plates!! Want a closer look? We sure did!! :0)


Now, Lilly Linda, Kerryanne and Rosey have all commented recently that the family members of bloggers KNOW that nothing happens - parcels aren't opened and food isn't touched - until photos are taken. Well ... Lynette doesn't live with a blogger so you can see her little hand reaching out to snag her first High Tea treat! Tee! Hee! Hee! We both laughed so hard at this photo!! And YES ... everything in this photo tasted as good as it looks!! Ribbon sandwiches, fresh baked scones, mini caramel tart, lemon curd tart, orange and poppy seed cake, brownie and baklava! MMMMMMMMMMM!! We are SO going back there we've decided!!!

After having morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea in our one sitting, we decided we needed to go for a walk around the shopping centre - such a hardship! :0) And in our browsing, I popped into a newsagent to see if the latest Australia Bear Creations mag was out, cos guess who had a project and profile featured?!! MOI!! And ... YES! They had just-unpacked copies. And after one glimpse of the cover, I nearly embarrassed Lynette by doing my clog-dancing elephant impersonation HAPPY DANCE!! My 'bearbie' is a cover girl!!!!


Nighttime Nara is at the back of this photo in her pretty nightie!! WOO! HOO! My first magazine cover!! Now I know how Liz at Teddlywinks feels!! :0) The instructions on how to make Nara are in the mag, but I wasn't very happy with the photo they used, so I'll show you my close up of Nara before she took a trip to the BC office.


Isn't she a cutie even if I do say so myself!! The name "Nara" comes from the Celtic word for 'contented' and I thought the name was perfect for my little girlie bear who looks QUITE contented curled up with her books and blankie ready for bed in her pretty floral nightie and her bloomers. In the same issue, there was also an artist profile on me with more photos of my 'bearbies'.


This is the start of the profile and while I was excited about seeing the photos of my bearbies in print, Lynette was very excited to see part of her lounge room featured - the photo of the bears in the port (suitcase) are ones I've made for her as gifties and I took the photo last time I visited her - along with other things I'd made her before I had a camera to take photos of them! Tee! Hee! Hee! And the rest of the profile ...


Aren't my bearbies photogenic!! I sound like a proud Mamma Bear, don't I! Tee! Hee! Hee!

So ... there you have it - my FANTASTIC, FABULOUS, FUN-FILLED day! And now you know why I want to save it!! But the very best part was DEFINITELY that it was all shared with my BEST FRIEND!! Thanks Lynette!!

And after all of the excitement, driving and Happy Dancing yesterday, I'm muddling along in low gear today, but will be hitting the sewing room this arvo to make my Grandma a birthday giftie. Her birthday is two days before mine, which means I have to post it this week - EEK! Why do I always leave these things til the last minute!! Whatever you're doing, I hope you have a FANTASTIC, FABULOUS, FUN-FILLED day too! Til next time - Bear Hugs!

CHEERS!
KRIS

Finished At Last!!

I can finally breathe a sigh of relief!! I've finished the sample for part two of my Secret Squirrel project that I will be teaching next weekend (EEK!! Nervous twitching!!) at the Girls' Getaway Weekend hosted by Marian and Steph of Quilters Angel at Highfields. I've had part one of the top secret project finished for quite a while - over a month! - and although I had managed small amounts of progress on part two of the project ... it just never seemed to come together. BUT ... after a couple of busy, feeling-slightly-icky days where there was no stitching, I buried myself in my sewing room this afternoon and finished it ... completely ... except for the instructions!!! (GROAN!!) That will be tomorrow's task, but today, I'm HAPPY DANCING!! Hippity! Hoppity! Shuffle, shuffle! Booty shake!! :0) Oops! Neighbours once more wondering when we adopted a pet elephant and taught it to clog dance! Tee! Hee! Hee!

Now ... I can't show you my finished project - which is a bummer, cos I LOVE how it's come up and I want to share!! - but I CAN show you a sneaky peek! Ready???


Does that whet your appetite?!? Cheryl of Polkadots And Rick-Rack will love this as it has both of her favourite things included! I promise I'll show a full reveal photo - of the project, not me!! The world is NOT ready for that! But until after the weekend of March 13, 14 & 15 the ONLY way you'll see more is to join Marian, Steph and I at the Girls' Getaway Weekend! I'm really looking forward to it and my best bud Lynette rang today to say she MAY be able to come too! WOO! HOO! Ummm ... wonder if I should warn Marian?!? NAH!!! Surprises are good for her! Tee! Hee! Hee!

Hope you've had a productive day, too. I'm ALREADY getting emails from OPAM Challenge participants with finishes for March!! WOW! There must be lots of space in sewing cupboards by now with so many projects being finished. Or NOT?!?! :0) Happy stitching and Bear Hugs!

CHEERS!
KRIS

OPAM Challenge Monthly Winner!!

Yes, it's that time of the month again and some of you are probably holding your breath in anticipation of seeing who is this month's winner .... BREATHE!!! Tee! Hee! Hee! Well, after 479 finishes were posted for the short month of February (thanks to everyone who emailed their end-of-month list to May Britt or I!!!) May Britt and I took a quick cruise through the remaining blogs to get the totals, so if you hadn't updated your sidebar list - YOU MISSED OUT! The finishes were fed into the random number generator thingy and the winner is ... posted on May Britt's blog! Tee! Hee! Hee! Pop across and see if it's you or to congratulate the winner. And a big CONGRATULATIONS to everyone who finished even one project - that IS after all the name of our Challenge!!

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In other news ... hmmm ... suddenly I feel like Sandra Sully ... without the blond hair, sexy voice or curves! (well-known news reader for overseas visitors who are scratching their heads!!) I made a trip to my little neighbourhood post office last week to post off some goodies. My good mate Raymond was, as always, very helpful and slightly bemused at all the different overseas destinations I post to! Tee! Hee! Hee! Now Kerryanne is always teasing about me having something going with my postie - actually, Raymond isn't my local post office, his little post office is conveniently on my way home, whereas our REAL local post office is in a shopping centre we never go to - shame we can't pick! However, I thought I'd introduce you to my good mate Raymond anyway, since I seem spend quite a lot of time and money in his post office!!

Here he is, in action, weighing my parcels. And one of them took a short trip down the hill to Brisbane to my blogging buddy Joy. Joy sent me a lovely make-up Stitchers Angel giftie, so this was my return giftie to her.


A project bag and heart shaped scissor keep both with Bronwyn Hayes stitcheries on them, cos I know Joy is as addicted to Bronwyn's stitcheries as I am!! Plus a cute little notebook, some handy sharpie pens and a Christmas decoration that I just HAD to send Joy cos it has her name on it! Tee! Hee! Hee! And there was also a selection of hot drink sachets and flavoured teas to give Joy an energy boost and a treat when she's stitching. She says she's already using the little project bag, so that's great! The back of the scissor keep looks like this ...


More of that easy-peasey strip piecing. Still some more parcels winging their way around the world ... you never know WHERE my parcels will turn up next! Tee! Hee! Hee!

But right now, I'm off to cook dinner to keep my beloved Geek Boy from gnawing on the furniture, so til next time - Bear Hugs!

CHEERS!
KRIS