Blogging Buddy Bonanza!!

In the three and a bit years I've been blogging, I've made some wonderful blogging buddies! We comment back and forth on each other's blogs and email, even the odd phone call keeps us in touch. And if we're VERY lucky ... we manage to arrange  'in person' play dates! :0) I've now met quite a few blogging buddies 'in person' and it is always so much fun!! It's fabulous to spend time together (often at the Village Green for coffee and a visit to my home-away-from-home! Tee! Hee! Hee!) and even better to find that after an hour or so, you feel like you've been friends forever. :0)

Well ... last week for me was a BLOGGING BUDDY BONANZA!! In the space of three days, I met up with FOUR blogging buddies! How cool is THAT! :0) Now, this could take a while to recount, so you'd better grab a cuppa, Chookyblue, and maybe come chocolate to tide you over til the end! Tee! Hee! Hee!

 My round of social engagements (sounds a bit posh, doesn't it! Tee! Hee! Hee!) began on Friday. I headed out to see Marion and Steph at the Quilters' Angel (AKA my home-away-from-home!) to see if I could help with the quilt drive they're co-ordinating for victims of the flooding in our local region. Can I say there was a FULL HOUSE of people out there helping! In fact, Marion told me she'd had to start taking bookings for people to come and help because there just wasn't enough room in the work room to fit everyone who wanted to help! Crafters are the BEST, aren't they!! :0) Now it happens that one of those merry crafters playing in the back room was Fiona from Bubzrugz. Fee is a Toowoomba area local too, but somehow we'd managed to not bump into each other until a mutual blogging buddy, the lovely Rosey, clued us in. It was lovely to chat with Fee and she's got some photos of the busy quilting bees on her blog ... including one of yours truly sitting at the naughty table! Tee! Hee! Hee! A position I'm VERY well acquainted with! :0) I on the other hand was busily removing staples from swatch samples and forgot to take a pic - OOPS! :0)

Now, the meet up with Fee was a bit of a happy coincidence ... us both being mad stitchers wanting to help with Marion's Quilt Drive, but I had been emailing back and forth for a week or so with Maree at Farmyard Crafts to line up a time for us to catch up in person for the first time. Talk about a small world ... Maree went to school with one of my Beloved Geek Boy's sisters, recognised my surname when I commented on someone else's blog and we've been chatting back and forth ever since! :0) Maree and her beloved John and their kids were passing through Toowoomba on their way to the beach, so we met up for a lovely lunch ... so lovely in fact, that neither of us remembered to take a photo! BLUSH! What bad bloggers we are! :0) I had a wonderful time chatting with Maree ... it felt like we'd known each other for years and she enjoyed hearing the Meares family news. She also made a very generous donation of a complete quilt kit to Marion's Quilt Drive before she headed off ... Thanks for the catch up and your generous donation, Maree!! :0)

That was Friday ... On Saturday, GB and I threw a few things into an overnight bag and headed off down the range, which had only been re-opened a few days earlier after the flooding. Our main range crossing was down to one lane each direction (when will the silly government work out we really do need that second range crossing!!) due to landslides and washouts, so it was a VERY slow trip down, but we were then able to take a few backroads to head off to visit the Lovely Lilly Linda and her beloved hubby Tim and their kids on their island. What fun! We always enjoy catching up with Linda and Tim!! The boys talk 'boy stuff' and Lilly Linda and I stitch to our hearts' content! Tee! Hee! Hee! That was blogging buddy number three for the weekend ... on Sunday, we headed off to Old Petrie Town where Linda shares a cute cottage shop with two other crafters for the Sunday markets. If you haven't visited Old Petrie Town you really should! It's a lovely spot to visit any time, but the Sunday market was extra fun ... just don't ask the boys ...

They seemed to spend quite a lot of the day like this! Tee! Hee! Hee! Linda and I, on the other hand had a ball! :0) And what did I buy? Well ... an old table and an old table cloth! Tee! Hee! Hee! Doesn't sound very appealing, does it ... let me show you ...

It's definitely seen better days, but I'm going to have it sandblasted and powder coated to spruce it up and then it will live in my garden. Somewhere for the faeries who live there to have picnics. :0) And the tablecloth ...

It's actually a lovely vintage cotton table cloth (bit hard to see the detail cos the flash washed it out) ... a very good sized one that was in good condition - I just LOVE vintage linens and laces! :0) And after browsing the other shops and stalls, we headed back to Coutes Cottage where Linda, Rosey and Renata display and sell their pretties. Renata wasn't there, but, Rosey was ...

Here we are ... three blogging buddies! :0) Rosey also very kindly gave me one of her crafty items to pop into the prize pool for OPAM this year - Thanks Rosey! Don't we all look GAWJUS, as another blogging buddy Joy-Belle would say! Tee! Hee! Hee!

So ... how do you finish a fabulous day when you're on an island? Fish and chips for lunch overlooking the water! :0) Although ... we DID notice a big difference from our last visit. This was the main bridge onto the island on our last visit ...

Look at that blue water! And this time ...

EEEEEEEEWWWW!! Icky brown water! This is from the flood runoff and I think it will probably stay pretty icky for a while to come. Still ... the company was wonderful and we had a fabulous break away. Thanks for a fun weekend visit, Linda and Tim!! Can't wait til we get together again for our next play date! And thanks to Fee, Maree and Rosey for the catch-ups, too.

This weekend has been a quiet one at home and I even managed to spend some time in my sewing room ... and haven't messed it up again TOO much! :0) This is what I was playing with ...

My yummy Rural Jardin layer cake I treated myself to last year. I got very brave and chopped it up, sewed a bit and this is what it looks like now ...

I had originally thought that the fabrics are so pretty that all I would do from this point would be to add a narrow inner border and a wider scalloped outer border ... but my brain has been ticking over and I have an idea for some applique. No wonder I take so long to finish projects ... I can never seem to keep them SIMPLE! Tee! Hee! Hee! Do I do it and take a while longer to finish it, or do I keep it simple and just enjoy the fabrics??? Decisions, decisions! :0) What do you think?? Stay tuned and I'll tell you when I decide! :0)

I also spent some time adding people to the OPAM 2011 sign up spreadsheet ... still a few places left and after chatting to Peg today, we've decided that sign up will close when we reach 200 sign ups or by February 1 ... whichever comes first! :0) Once that happens, Peg and I will both add the full list of OPAM 2011 participants to our sidebars so you can all start popping in to visit and encourage each other - it's a great way to 'meet' new blogging buddies and who knows ... you may end up having a weekend like I had last week! :0) If you've sent either Peg or I an email to sign up to be part of the OPAM fun, but haven't yet received a "Welcome To OPAM 2011" email ... please let Peg or me know and we'll check that you're on the spreadsheet and send a copy of the letter, as it has a few important details for you.

The other decision Peg and I made today was that we won't do a January end of month draw, because we're still adding names and people are getting themselves set up with buttons and lists etc. Instead, we'll have a double-whammy draw at the end of February ... Peg and I will each draw out three prize winners from the finishes for January and February, so get stitching/knitting/crocheting and don't forget to update your sidebar lists of finishes as we go along! :0) Thanks to the lovely ladies who have already started to send their January finish numbers through to me - so very much appreciated! :0)

PHEW!!! I think I'm all caught up again now! How did you go ... did you need TWO cuppas to get through it all?! Like my sewing projects, my blog posts never seem to stay simple ... or SHORT! Tee! Hee! Hee! I just talk too much! :0) But I'll sign off for now and wish you all a very good week. Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!
CHEERS!
KRIS

AAAAAARRRGGGHHHH!!!! Technology!!!

Technology is a wonderful thing ... SOMETIMES!! Today, it is NOT my friend!!! SIGH! As those of you who have already signed up for OPAM are no doubt gathering from failed links, several emails from me, Patient Peg or my Beloved Geek Boy ... OPAM has been experiencing some technical issues this afternoon!!! So, hopefully (fingers and toes crossed!) this post will help sort them out. Peg and I had NO troubles adding out new OPAM 2011 logo link the other day ... be something seemed to happen in the meantime!!! EEK! So, here's some step-by-steps from GB to add the button link to your sidebar.

This is partly my mistake, too ... though it did take GB a while to pick it up! :0) You need to add it as a PICTURE and follow the steps below ... NOT as a HTML/JAVA SCRIPT element as I put in the welcome email ... sorry about that! BLUSH!!

1 . Click on "Add a Gadget"

2. Click on "Picture"

 

3. Paste the button link into the "From The Web" box, add a link to my blog or Peg's blog in the link window in this same element and save.

You can then drag and place this gadget anywhere you like in your sidebar as you would for any other buttons. If you're still having problems, email me and GB will be put on the job of solving the problem! :0)

PHEW!!! Hopefully that sorts it out! So very sorry for all the mucking around ... my poor brain is fried and I think I need to go have a cup of tea and a lie down! :0) There are still some places left, so if you're wanting to join the OPAM 2011 craziness and fun ... read the post below and email me or Peg! Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!
CHEERS!
KRIS

PS. To those bloggers who HAVEN'T signed up for OPAM 2011 but have received emails ... sorry about that! GB started to sent the fix-it email to LAST year's OPAM list rather than THIS year's. Sorry for any confusion. BH! KRIS



The Eagle Has Landed ... errr ... Launched!!

One of my all-time favourite cartoon characters is Snoopy from the Peanuts comic strip. He has this crazy imagination that gets him into all sorts of trouble (BOY! Can I relate to THAT!!! Tee! Hee! Hee!), but everyone loves him anyway ... well ... except for the cat next door! :0) One of his 'characters' that he pretends to be is the World War I flying ace and he's often heard to use the phrase ... "The Eagle Has Landed." I feel a little like that, except in this case ...

"The Eagle Has Launched!"

Yep ... it's time to dust off your "To Do" list, drag those WISPy WISPS out of your sewing cupboard, rummage through your stash and decide what projects you're going to tackle this year as part of ...

Emails have been flying fast and furiously between Peg and I and we are EXCITED ... and just a bit NERVOUS!! ... as we announce the start of this year's OPAM sign up!! YAY!! Now, from the emails we've been receiving in the last couple of weeks, I KNOW a lot of you have been waiting for OPAM to kick off, so grab a cuppa and settle back to read this year's guidelines for OPAM - there ARE a few changes, so even if you've played along with us before, make sure you read the guidelines to help us all keep things running smoothly. It might even help you to keep a copy of the guidelines somewhere to help jog you memory throughout the year, but of course, if you have any questions along the way, feel free to email Peg or I. Are you ready? Let's LAUNCH!!!!

The One Project A Month (OPAM) Challenge Guidelines 2011

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 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 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. (sorry non-bloggers, it was too hard to keep track of people who didn’t have a blog and dropped out of contact.) If you change your blog address, drop us an email telling us your old address and what you’ve changed it to. If your blog is already, or you change it, to invitation only, please send Peg and me invitations, or we can’t check your finishes list each month.

2. The number of participants in the 2011 OPAM Challenge will be limited to 200 - first in best dressed!

3. Participants can sign up via email to me 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 my or Peg’s blog. Don't do this until you receive the welcome email from Peg or me because the format for this year's button is a little different ... not just copying an image.

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.)

7. Only ‘soft’ crafts are included in the OPAM Challenge, ie. Projects made from fabric 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. OPTIONAL: If you are able to email Peg or me 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 me from getting square eyes! Tee! Hee! Hee!)

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)

So what are you waiting for?! Email me or Peg and then get that "To Do" list updated!! It's going to be a FANTASTIC year and I can't WAIT to see what all your clever-clogs crafters will create!! :0) But right now, I'd better get ready for work or my boss will be on to me! :0) Til next time ...
 

BEAR HUGS!
CHEERS!
KRIS

Something ... Is Coming!!!

One of my all-time favourite movies is "The Mummy", with Brendan Fraser and Oded Fehr. Not only is there lots of action, lots of suspense, lots of humour and lots of eye-candy (I DID say Brendan Fraser and Oded Fehr after all!!! Tee! Hee! Hee!) it also has SOOOOOOO many wonderful lines in it's script. One of my faves is uttered (not sure who says it!!) soon after the cursed mummy is accidentally raised from the undead (though how one manages to ACCIDENTALLY raise an undead mummy, I'm not sure!!!) The line is ...

"Something ... (dramatic pause) ... is coming."

As the movie unfolds, we see that this is enough to win the award for "Understatement Of The Year", but it applies here too. You see, we're in the FINAL COUNTDOWN to the launch of OPAM 2011!!! YAY!!!

You'll see on my sidebar that I've added this year's brand-spanking-new OPAM 2011 logo ... created by my Beloved Geek Boy, who has once again worked his computer magic. :0)

You'll see that this year, we've added a running total to the button, which will be updated at the end of every month ... how AWESOME is it that since May-Britt and I first started our "little" challenge in January 2009, OPAM participants collectively have finished ...

12,890 projects!!!

How about that!! Like the hapless heroes in "The Mummy", May-Britt and I didn't really know what we'd 'unleashed', but WHAT A RIDE! Tee! Hee! Hee! And Peg and I are looking forward to our second year of co-hosting OPAM and I think the ride will get even more EXCITING!! :0)

You'll also see that I've also added a count-down to my sidebar under the new logo, because sign up doesn't start until January 25, Eastern Australian time and some of you were a bit worried you'd miss it. I think I've set the time on the countdown for midday ... cos I didn't quite have the hang of working out the time thingy! :0) But sign up will begin AFTER Peg and I post on the 25th with the guidelines for OPAM 2011. Please don't try to sign up before that, as we won't be adding names until then to keep it fair. Places will again be limited to 200, so first in best dressed, as they say, so watch the countdown and my and Peg's blogs! :0) And the list of OPAM participants from last year has been taken down and Peg and I are listed there, just waiting to be joined by 198 of you fabulous blogging buddies! :0)

I have a feeling that, although it got off to a VERY bumpy start, 2011 is going to be a GREAT year that sees lots of FANTASTIC things happen and I look forward to sharing it with all of you, my blogging buddies!

And since I probably won't have too much time to sit with my feet up next week, I'm off to have a cup of lavender tea and perhaps do a bit of stitching ... or maybe I should keep working on those pattern instructions I should be writing ... or maybe I'll just drink my cup of tea and daydream for a little while! If anyone's looking for me, I'll be off with the faeries! Tee! Hee! Hee! Til next time ...

{A friend had this made for me ages ago and I've not had a chance to use it til now! :0)}

BEAR HUGS!
CHEERS!
KRIS

Sun, Stitching, Cricket - Must Be Summer!

Today actually FEELS like summer! The sun is shining and drying my washing on the line and I'm enjoying some stitching time in front of the one day cricket. Yep ... maybe it's summer after all! :0)

What have I been stitching, I hear you ask? I've been finishing off a couple of little needlekeepers to send off to the Gum Nut Gals for their "New Beginnings" flood appeal. Have you popped over to visit the Gum Nutters to see what "New Beginnings" is all about? You might be able to help out. My little contribution so far ...

Two needlekeepers. When I was deciding on a stitchery to put on these, I tossed up between a few and finally decided that what was more perfect for items going to a flood appeal than  Noah's dove with it's olive branch in beak and a rainbow overhead. Both remind me of God's promise after a somewhat larger flood than we've faced here in Queensland. Whenever I see a rainbow, my thought is, no matter what's happened, there's a promise of better things to come. I've used the cute little dove from Lynette Anderson's Noah's Ark BOM and added the rainbow ... Lynette's BOM was so much fun to stitch and one day I might even finish putting it together! :0) When the needlekeepers are opened up ...

Both are the same, so I've showed the outside of one and the inside of the other! :0) I raided my stash for rainbow colours to match the stitchery and inside, have added pockets to hold threads or new packets of needles, as well as somewhere to poke the ol' needles in to keep them from poking into YOU! :0) I suppose that's why they're called "Needlekeepers"! Tee! Hee! Hee! I'm hoping to make a couple more little bits and bobs to send off with these, too, but it was good to make a start.

Don't forget to pop across to visit Toni at Make It Perfect to see the full list of auctions being held to raise money for the flood appeal too. There are some FABULOUS items up for grabs ... Toni at The Red Boot Quilt Co. is auctioning off a GORGEOUS teddy quilt with accessories; Vikki is auctioning her cool sewing travel kit that is featured in the current issue of "Homespun" as well as a full set of the "Springtime" BOM patterns; and Rosie and Melly are each auctioning a year's worth of patterns/fabric ranges/books ... whatever each of them design and publish this year, a copy will go to the winning bidders of their auctions. How exciting ... not to mention that all money raised in these auctions will go to help flood victims rebuild and recover. There are literally HUNDREDS of items being auctioned to raise funds for the flood relief appeal, so it's worth taking a peek.

I have to say, that as much as it has broken my heart to see my home state going under water (I have seen most of these areas firsthand over the years) and the terrible destruction that has resulted ... ... my heart has swelled to overflowing to see the HUGE outpouring of community spirit, generosity and goodwill as the cleanup and recovery begins. I've just seen some news footage of volunteers lining up for over a kilometre to register to join the clean up and take a provided bus to the area where they can help. I've seen people from all over Australia (some still recovering from their OWN flood damage!) and all over the world not hesitate to put their hand up to donate, to organise events to raise money and to give of their time. It brings tears to my eyes ... though THESE tears are HAPPY tears! My new New Year's wish is that we all carry that generosity and spirit of community with us throughout the whole year, because I think it will be a long, hard road to recovery in the eastern states of Australia.

Right now, though, I'm going to go see if I can help the Aussies break their losing streak in the cricket ... maybe we need to bring back Rod Marsh, David Boon, Dennis Lilly and Thommo! :0) Hope you're making the most of your weekend, too. Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!
CHEERS!
KRIS