Fireworks and Christmas capers!

WHOOOO – HOOOO!

There were fireworks the weekend before last! :-)

When I saw my favourite soccer team - Melbourne Victory -play against Sydney FC at the Etihad Stadium! Winning the game was consequential because the most exciting part of the evening happened prior to the match itself. My DS participated in the pre-match entertainment!!

Along with 50 other kids from various soccer clubs, Aaron waved a national flag to honour Melbourne’s multi-cultural diversity. Fifty one kids – and fifty one countries. Aaron waved the Guatemalan flag…

Here he is… Hi Aaron!!!

Of course, I had to get a photo of the Union Jack, too!! :-)

While the kids walked around the stadium, drummers drummed and dancers danced for the 17,000 people in the audience. What a great experience. :-)

Now changing the subject completely… are you noticing all the Christmas decorations that are popping up in the shopping centres? Love it! I’m making a couple of special Chrissy ornaments at the moment and will have more on that to show soon.

I’ve also enrolled in Kerryanne’s e-course for making a Christmas Planner…

Isn’t it gorgeous? Even if you haven’t painted before, Kerryanne has some great video tutorials on how to do the various techniques to achieve great results with this project (which also includes gorgeously decorated dividers for the inside of the planner). Kerry’s a fantastic teacher too – I know from experience because I was fortunate enough to have “real life” lessons with her before she made the sea-change to New South Wales. Her video tutorials make you feel like she is in the same room with you… the only difference is – she doesn’t giggle at your jokes!

Oh – and I just had to share this!! Check out the Christmas labels I just ordered…

I also purchased return address labels too – aren’t they cute?! You can add each member of your family and the software takes you through all the different design stages to get the right face shape, hair colour, eyes, decorations etc… If you’d like to design your own bespoke labels, just check out this link!

More to show soon… the SUDs’ hands have been a-busy!!!

Share

Craft show and other ‘goings on!’

I had a great trip out to the Craft Expo in (Carlton) Melbourne last weekend! My dear friend and I set out nice and early, the sun was shining, and we enjoyed a day of inspiration!

I took these street scene photos of the office suites in Carlton. I was quite taken with the architecture of the doors, windows and railings and thought you may be interested, too!

I love the colour of this door and the detail!

Here is the street view. The buildings are on the pathway situated on the right hand side.

Inside the Craft Expo, I only took a couple of photos. I had the pleasure of meeting the very talented Libby Richardson and viewing her beautiful designs up-close!

Here is Libby – hasn’t she got the most beautiful hair?!

Can you see what Libby has been working on? A painted Christmas scene ready to be stitched on the lower left-hand side… And can you just about make out that gorgeous teddy wall-hanging in the left-hand corner? So CUTE!!!

And this next photo is of Libby and I stood in front of her gorgeous BOM quilt named “Remember when”

Libby’s work is so pretty! Have you seen her other BOM named Girls Day Out? My friend Mai, has just completed it and has shown some gorgeous photos on her blog – just visit here if you’d like to check it out!

I made a few purchases at the show including these gorgeous hand-dyed stranded cottons by Cottage Garden Threads. I shall be using one of them for this gorgeous stitchery designed by Allie! It’s traced and ready to go! :-)

Ooh! I have something else very exciting to share with you too! The lovely Shelley of Wickedly Divine Creations wasted no time at all in whipping-up a nappy stacker project for her sweet daughter, using my “Rosie’s Nappy Stacker” design in this month’s issue of Australian Homespun. Want to see?!

Shelley added a cute trim to the lower fill and a sweet button on the collar.

Thank you SO much for sharing your photo with me Shelley – you made my day – and I think your project is beautiful! Love those colours! :-) Shelley is a wonderful doll-maker (as many of you may know – also a passion of mine!). You should see her latest creation – absolutely sublime!

Until next time – have fun whatever you are doing!

Hugs! Vikki x :-)

Share

More Christmas inspiration!!

Are you all bursting at the seams with Christmas excitement? Or are you still in the throes of celebrating Fall?

I’m a Christmas girl at heart – you know that excited butterflies-in-the-tummy feeling you get when you think about your hobbies or you’re at a quilt show? I get those same butterflies when I think about Christmas and Christmas crafting! So I am in seventh heaven at this time of year when all the Aussie craft magazines are packed to the brim with festive projects!

A friend told me that she’d seen my Christmas ornament on the front of Handmade magazine… so I promptly went out to purchase a copy!

There it is! Christmas Robins, a tree ornament that some of you may recognise from its reveal on Among the Gum Trees, last year.

This Country Christmas Crafts edition of Handmade also features a wonderful profile of my dear friend, Kerryanne English; together with sweet projects from other bloggy friends including Kris, Barb and Fee!

Here’s what to look out for in your newsagents:

Talking of Fee – have you visited Among the Gum Trees this week? Fee is offering a sweet and useful project for her festive freebie this year.

The Gum Tree gals are back in full swing celebrating the lead-up to Christmas with weekly free projects, recipes and ideas. Aren’t they a gorgeous bunch of darlings? I have taken a sabbatical from the Gum Trees for the rest of this year, and its very exciting to be on the ‘other side of the fence’ viewing all the weekly delights in anticipation of what is to follow! The Gum Trees will also host a couple of very special guest designers this year! Can my “To do list” handle it?!!!! We’ll sure give it a try!!! :-)

I’m off to a craft show tomorrow! Wa-HOO!! And I’ve got some more Chrissy crafting to share with you too!

Until next time! Enjoy the festivities!!!

Hugs! Vikki :-)

Share

Homespun – The Kid’s Issue!

I expect there were a few mum’s in Victoria rubbing their eyes this morning as they embarked on the first school run of this new school term! With an hour’s less sleep due to the clock’s moving forward with Daylight Savings, I sure know I found it difficult to function!

I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve opened the microwave in order to get the milk out of the refrigerator!! And I really shouldn’t keep the dry dog food on top of the washing machine – it has been scooped and poured in to the washing powder dispenser of my machine one too many times! I prefer my clothes to smell like ‘spring meadows’ – call me old fashioned – but ‘beef & liver’ just isn’t my thing!

So while DS went back to High School, Little Miss Chatterbox (oops – I mean DD!) and I enjoyed the morning sunshine out in the garden. My little Miss was much more energetic than I, jumping up and down on her trampoline, but I must admit that once I’d picked up a copy of Australian Homespun magazine from my mailbox, I too joined in with her bouncy celebrations!!

For within the pages of this annual Kid’s Issue…

Is my ‘Rosie’s nappy stacker’ project!

The magazines really do style the projects so beautifully. I’d love to be a fly on the wall when the stylists go out on location, gathering their nick-nacks and visiting gorgeous homes!

As with my previous Homespun project, this one was designed for my daughter (yep – the chatty one!) for her nursery some five-plus years ago. If you’re interested I posted about her room when I first started blogging – just pop over here for a tour.

If you live overseas but would like to purchase Homespun, please refer here for a list of stockists in your Country. (Una darling – I’ll purchase an extra copy of this current issue to send to you!!)

Homespun never disappoints and this issue is cram-packed-full of stunning projects! But my favourite is this delightful wall-hanging designed by Natalie Lymer of Cinderberry Stitches. I plan to make it for a dear friend of mine in England who recently had her first baby.

Oh – and yesterday I purchased some fabric to make Little Miss Chatterbox this top from my recently purchased book (see last post).

I just need to get hold of some more spaghetti bias now and I’m thinking of making my own as it will be cheaper than buying from the US (because I need a vast quantity!!). I can’t find a stockist in Australia – so if anyone knows where to buy the cotton gingham spaghetti bias within Australasia (or economically, overseas), I’d really appreciate the heads-up!

Rightio – I’m off to cook some dinner! Speak to you soon!

Hugs! Vikki :-)

Share

Have you heard?

Gosh, there seems to be so much going on in blogland at the moment!

Have you heard…

That the gorgeous, festive, Kerryanne from Shabby Art Boutique is offering an abundance of goodies – in so many forms – to get us organised for a handmade Christmas? There’s so much inspiration on the agenda over the next few weeks that I heard Santa’s elves had decided to take a mini-break so they can keep up with the goings-on!

Plus, I’m sure they’ll be entering this wonderful giveaway designed and painted by Kerryanne, herself. Who wouldn’t?!! It’s a Christmas planner, all bound and ready for you to insert your to-do lists, recipes and everything else that Kerryanne will be offering over the coming weeks.

Just click on either image to take you to Kerryanne’s grotto – oops – I mean, Shabby Art Boutique!

I plan on getting really organised for Christmas this year, I want to create personalised settings for our table so that dinner is extra-special! I want to make plum pudding and sew gifts for friends and family! I plan to completely over-indulge in the festive spirit and thoroughly enjoy it! How about you?

If Fall is more your thing, have you heard?

That this beautiful covered-candy-jar project is being offered as a freebie by the lovely Roseann of Rosebud’s Cottage?

Check this out!

Isn’t it delightful?!! Pop on over here if you would like to meet Roseann and download her pattern!

A project for my ever-growing To Do list - which I plan to attack in the very near future!!

Last of all I just have to share that the gorgeous Allie of Allie-oops-sweet-happy-life! has designed the most gorgeous stitchery project – it’s absolutely drop-dead gorgeous – and yes you’ve guessed it – another project on my to-do list!!!

Talking of projects on my to-do list, there were several more added today because my eagerly-awaited book arrived in the mail! Kari Mecca’s More Sewing with Whimsy…

I also purchased a few yards of Spaghetti bias to make some of the trims (left in the pic); and Kari’s “Whimsy Sticks” (pictured right) designed to help create many of the gorgeous embellishments used in her designs.

Would you like to see within the pages?

It’s a beautiful book in its own right – how gorgeous is the opening page? Plus – I LOVE each and every project – always a bonus! *giggle*

I purchased my goodies from this eBay shop and the service was friendly and expedient! Now I need to stock-up on a few more ribbons and trims and invade my stash!

My sewing machine is beckoning… no, BEGGING me to spend an afternoon or two sewing! How can I refuse?? That would be just plain mean wouldn’t it?!!

What are YOU getting up to this weekend?

Hugs! Vikki xx

Share