Pleasingly Pickled!

Crafting station

Plays this

Crochet addict

Recently in blog-land I was wandering about and happened upon a refreshing lovely blog. A real life this is me warts and all no pretentious crap to see here blog! I feel at times in blog-land,there's a whole lot of nothingness and not a great deal of soul to be had. So thanks goes to Picklebug for providing a great honest read with lovely photos, craft and real stuff. Well done xx
Above images from Picklebug blog. 
Go take a look for yourself.

Addicted Much?

Well I have a confession to make. It appears I may have become addicted to knitting! Although there are many things one could become addicted to, at least knitting is productive.  It began just prior to World wide Knit in Public Day (I was practicing to make sure I was an ultra cool looking knitter) and it seems I can't stop. There are so many beautiful yarns around and the weather is just perfect for getting all snuggled up on the couch and knitting. The kids have even dragged out the family scarf, which was knitted by each member of our family on our Tassie holiday a few years back. Clearly they are reminiscing about the feel of the yarn and the clacking of the beautiful wooden needles. I wonder if they are feeling the urge to knit too?  I believe it is quite contagious. Go on try it sit next to someone knitting and tell me you don't feel something, I dare you!!

The Square Market

Hello from glorious Bendigo. Today I attended a very nice market filled with creative and beautiful people.
It was The Square which is held in the wonderful Town Hall. These clever peeps were there with the most beautiful handmade great Cards.  I purchased one for a special boy in my life that is turning 2 next week.  It was lovely to see a number of Mildura girls there too. The lovely Rowena with her gorgeous skirts, Leah with her Vintage chenille goodies and many others.  Tomorrow it's on to explore what the Finders Keepers has to offer. Oh yeah and I am getting to play with my friends too. How lovely........

The Crochet Wheels are turning

It's all happening. The awesome girls at fine & sunny are set and we are having a craft workshop....Yay!!!!!
Sophie is gearing up to teach a class full of eager and excited curious crafters how to get their crochet on.
After Thursday the 24th of March, I won't  will be able to crochet!!!!   It's all set to kick off at 6:30 pm and for $10 participants will receive a crochet kit, with wool, needle and instructions to take home.  We shall have to have a cup of tea and something yummy to eat before going home and dreaming of granny squares!  Love, Love, Love it!!!!  

Christmas Craziness

So it's nearly here. Don't you just love the "Are you organised for Christmas?" question. It seems to be the only time of year when complete strangers express concern for the level of our organisation. To avoid a twenty minute conversation about the complete lack of anything remotely like organisation going on in my life, I reply rather meekly and politely  that it's "Going well, thank you for enquiring."
The honest truth would actually sound a little like this.  Wellllll.............The kids have some presents, the marvellous M has possibly far too many, the dining room is my work area with a wrapping, stamping and tag writing station as well as many works in progress...The cute as bunting for a favourite boy, a key thingy for a workmate, a pair of jeans that need urgent repair for a friend.  I still haven't unpacked from the Craft Up @ Artback, I have yet to bag up hair accessories for my neice and I am constantly trying to keep all things Christmas away from Pierre and The Baby. Add to the list planned drinks and catch ups, a Christmas party, 2 night duties, friends in town from Alice Springs and we are going away in 4 days!
I have managed to only experience one major meltdown.........o.k two meltdown's this week. 
Meltdown #1- A little background on the lead up to paint the picture; I have started a tradition (which is important to me that I maintain as I am particularly inconsistent with stuff at times) of MAKING each family member an individualised Bon-Bon to snap open at Christmas lunch.  Finding appropriate things to fit inside a cardboard tube the size of a toilet roll is not that easy.  Anyhow I have eveyone's BB gifts sorted, that correct amount of cracker pulls, crepe paper, printed labels etcetera.  That is until.......an early morning phonecall from the host of Christmas Lunch.....my wonderful Mother in Law (sincerely & honestly) to say she had a few orphans joining us for lunch, possibly 6!!
There was a small 3 way conversation between M , the MIL and I about adding extra BB's for the newly aquired guests and going to one of the many $2 shops around to source extra BB's.
Ten minutes later I found myself sobbing in the bath, crying big salty tears into the bubbles and blubbering that I go to so much effort...BLAH, BLAH, BLAH! I ended up having a shower to calm down and  sleeping for 3 hours after my tantrum. 
Note: The catalyst for my irrational thinking and behaviour may have been due to a sleep depravation. Sleeping 3 hours in 48 is far from recommended.


My amazing MIL and I spoke yesterday, she was calling to say the orphans had been promptly re-accommodated to Christmas lunch elsewhere and she was hoping "we" were Ok.  I informed her I was delerious, irrational, hormonal and wanted to punch my own head in! 

I think most of us need a disclaimer at some time or another in December don't we?
My brain hurts too much after re-living that to write about meltdown #2, another time....maybe.

Craftin' it up before Chrissy

I have been meaning to get a plethora of crafting done prior to Christmas, however I seem to be chasing my tail. So I have found the ultimate solution, get everyone together and have fun while we work on our To Make Lists. Invitations are open to other likeminds who also need to get their stuff happening.  So we will be celebrating our craftiness, making some handmade lovelies to gift all while we eat, drink and be merry. 

This would not be possible without the sheer kindness of the lady herself, Anne Hederics at ArtBack in Wentworth. So pack the project, pop in the car and join in.