The Big Apple...

The decision is made.
Finally.

I am so so SO excited, I can barely breathe.
6 weeks in the sunny U S of A.

Wooooo hoooooo!

Now... anyone got any advice, ideas, suggestions?

Bring it on people... because now the decision is made, anything is possible!

Air Mail...

This little surprise landed in my post today.

So much nicer than another bill.

Have a good weekend everyone.

Feeling a little bit stuck...

And I'm feeling like I'm going nowhere fast.

But before I whinge TOOO much and you leave because you can't stand to hear another whiny post about me not knowing what to do or which direction to turn, I am working on it.

I am doing morning pages again (the main exercise from The Artists Way which I always find effective and stimulating) and I am reading "Finding my own North Star" which I am really starting to get into. Thanks to Kate one of my first blogging friends, for the recommendation, it's definitely relevant.

Funnily enough (in a sad sort of way) as I'm reading each chapter, it's actually all sounding very familiar, confirming I am waaay off track. Oh boy, am I off track! This book could well have been written for me!

Hopefully soon, as well as describing the smog filled life that I am living and confirming that this is not where I want to be, it's going to give me some answers and help me (help myself) to get outta this mess.

Has anyone else read this? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Friday fun

Is it just me, or is this just the coolest camera?
Yes, it's made from LEGO! And it works - holding up to 80 pics.
Why buy it for the kids?
I don't have kids, and I want one for me!

I first saw it here.
And if you want one too... you can buy it here!

Undosay... if only I could!

Many times I have wished I could take back things I have said.

undosay!

Sew it Together... a lovely crafty gathering

Well, it's Monday night and I have promised myself a computer free night, but before the week disappears, I just want to tell you a bit about my weekend. A weekend where I got to hang out with over 60 amazing crafty lovely ladies, all connected by the world of craft, sewing and creativity and everyone of them bloggers.

First up. It was busy. It started straight after work on Friday when about 30 of us met at Nikki's studio to meet and greet and enjoy a few nibblies with one or two drinks... and really I didn't stop until I hit the sack on Sunday night. 

Today at work, when asked what I did on the weekend, I could happily say that I caught up with friends. Now, understand that I had not actually met most of the people I spent time with on the weekend, but   (being lovely bloggy readers) you will understand that having spent most of the weekend with creative bloggy people was heaps of fun. And that whilst I had never met the majority of these people before, I already counted them amongst my friends

Across Friday night and the Sew it Together day on Saturday, there was much squealing, smiling, hugging and laughter as people met one another (more often than not for the first time) and as people put faces to blogs and made connections with people they had met and got to know only through their blogs. Throw in lots of crafty inspiration, sewing, good food and sharing of tips and tricks, and it was always going to get noisy and be lots of fun.

What a treat to spend time with such lovely women and make connections that had begun on the internet! And make lots of new friends too.

Sheridan and Susie (and others) made the trip from QLD. Trash came along all the way from the UK (well she was here visiting family but what great timing... and it was so nice to meet her and sit next to her on Saturday while we all sewed and knitted up a storm together)!  

I was lucky to hang out for most of the day with these lovely ladies... Deborah, Rachelle, Jan, Lizzie, and Jodie travelled all the way from Ballarat! Imagine! Crazy hey!

I also got to spend time with Holly, and Cathie and Sandra and Nikki, and I met the lovely Karen and Juddie and Ellen.

There were lovely prizes, swaps and even the paparazzi were there!

If you were there and I haven't mentioned you (sorry - there were so many new faces and names to remember), please make sure you say hi and I will come and visit you!

Sheridan, you did an amazing job organising it all. Thanks for all your hard work, it was a fantastic couple of days.

And then, as if I hadn't had enough excitement for one day, I spent Saturday night making kiddie cocktails for one gorgeous 11 year old and her friend!

Happy Birthday Violet!

Stitches & Craft loveliness

Last Friday, I took the day off work and headed to the Stitches and Craft show. It's always a treat to take a Friday off work, but to be spending time doing crafty workshops and meeting lovely crafty people and bloggers is hard to beat.


And then, as if Friday wasn't enough, I also went on Saturday too to catch up with more crafty goodness.

I created a sock owl, in Claire's workshop. Go take a look at her blog and say hi at Craft Schmaft. She is gorgeous and the workshop was lots of fun, she was so patient and looked after us all (even when I took the LONGEST TIME EVER to decide what colour sock to choose. The owls were all so different and so so cute.

Then, how could I possibly go to the Stitches and Craft Show and not do a workshop with Sandra from Pepperberry. I actually met Sandra last year at the same show at Flemington, where we found ourselves in a few of the same classes. She is AMAZING and I love her creations! And she has done such incredible things in the last year. Truly, I don't know how she does it all.

She has such an incredible energy and is obviously loving what she is doing, it's impossible not to be inspired.

I also caught up with other faves Nikki, Michelle, Cathy, Jodie, Bec, and met lots of lovely new blogging friends too... Caitlin from pippijoe, Holly from two cheese please, Jacqueline from Zippyzippy in Horsham, Gillian from Silly Gilly fame, and Kim from Emiti Crafts (she is new to blogging, so make sure you drop by and say hello).

I know I met lots of other crafters and bloggers too, so I am sorry if I have forgotten to mention you here, but it was lovely to meet you all and thanks for dropping by and saying hello to me. Leave me a comment and I will come and visit.

And, as it is Friday already, I am excited to say I will be meeting lots of these lovely people again, and lots of other crafty bloggers too, as we all head to Sew it Together, tonight at Nikki's studio, and then all day tomorrow in the city. Hopefully I'll see you there.

Yay!

Exhibition Invite...

My friend Melati and her brother Siddhartha are having a combined exhibition in celebration of the Australian Landscape. And you're invited.

It is opening this Tuesday night and then runs until the 23rd of May. 

It's being held at Melbourne Central, so if you happen to be in the city it's the perfect opportunity to drop by and have a look at their beautiful work.

Colourful chaos...

I have been wanting to re-hang my printers tray on the lounge room wall, since I rearranged my studio and didn't have any suitable wall space left. Finally last weekend I managed to get around to it... 

I stuck a hook in the wall and using the same wire from before, I hung the tray up and it worked exactly as I had hoped. Pleased with my progress, and congratulating myself on my decision, I got to work and filled it with cotton reels and lots of little bits and pieces that I have collected that are small enough to fit in the holes. And it was looking good. 


And then, just as I was adding the final bits...


I heard a tiny ping ping ping as each little bit of wire cable snapped in quick succession and, as I tilted my head to listen to try and work out what was going on, the wire snapped, and the printers tray with all it's collection fell off the wall!

Made quite a crash too. Who would have thought that tying wire in knots to make it shorter, would weaken it!!! Lots of stuff scattered EVERYWHERE.


Surprisingly, I didn’t even swear! No really! Who’d have thought it was possible.

But seriously, I was like a character in a cartoon scene. I was left standing there with a cotton reel in my hand... chaos all around me, and a look of stunned silence on my face. Is there such a look as stunned silence? Believe me, there is!


Thankfully nothing damaged or broken, though it did seem like a waste of over an hour and it has taken me another week to buy new wire and hooks and eventually re-do everything!

I'm very happy with the result. I think it's looking good. 
Again.

And order is restored... just as I like it 
(until the next bit if chaos hits that is!)
What do you think?