A play in the treehouse....

Well, my machine is growing cobwebs at the moment, mainly because just when I hit the business end of my uni subject, work gears up like never before!!!!

BUT

a day just for me was scheduled into the groaning calendar

at 

Treehouse Textiles

to learn how to sew a dress - a Schoolhouse Tunic to be exact!!

5 girls with Sarah (Emma's mum) lavishly handing out coffees on order, macarons, and serving up lunch DELISH!!

Emma was on call the whole day - she was exhausted, at least she should have been! 

maybe as much as me!

This is Emma - one half of the team at TT (she is frantically working on someone's tunic, cos I  she came out of the bathroom with a look on her face as if someone had stolen her toy!  I  she didn't like it! I she claimed! It just didn't fit right, too puffy all around and made me look like an inflatable beachball!!  (you guessed it was me? big sook)

One of the gals, Anne, made one just like this - it looked fantastic!!!  Just make sure you get the print up the right way! (we all sighed with relief when Emma noticed the pattern pieces just before cutting!!)

What an invention!!  An Overlocker - new toy to me - never seen or used one - not an O.Virg..anymore hehe!

I did happen to choose (at very last minute) a random piece of remmant I bought v.v. cheaply the day before, and thinking it looked sooomething like a light flowy denim, I wanted to use that.

Best laid plans and such.....it was fairly horrible to sew with, and not that nice to wear - kinda scratchy and ugh nylon-y ugh.

Super hard to iron - went all shiney and did not behave.

So wish I had chosen my other stash cottons I took....will be using a light voile next too!

Emma WHIPPED it off me and set to work, determine to make it look decent - bit of tweak here and there and a lowering of the bodice by unpicking seams and whatnots and 

here it is.  Won't show you the back - back pleat is really unnecessary for me - so next one is definitely going to be worked on to reduce puffy puffy!

Finders Keepers Market

SERIOUSLY thinking of going - it looks absolutely fantastic!!  WHO's WITH ME???

(Going Fri night - gotta work Saturday to pay for the goodies bought night before hehehe)

Quilts of talent and making a connection

The beautifully spacious and grand Exhibition building hosting Australian Quilt Convention

Just a few random photos - they were all really lovely - I enjoyed this year alot!!

(I've tried to match quilt with detail, hopefully correct!)

Sarah Fielke

 I think it is stunning!!  Well done artist!!  I particularly love the background fabric - the randomness of the circles complete and chopped up appeals to me, for some reason??

 

Don't think I have the details of this one - love love love the light pouring through the trees - so so so clever!!!

The Japanese contributions to the Quilt Show were spectacular - I love quilts that are organic, artistic, full to bursting with colour and form and idea and thought and emotion; 

it is what I would love to do one day

if only I had some talent???!!!

Can I just encourage retailers who have a stall at a show like this - SELL you wares; don't just hand it over and take the money, with barely a smile, a word

Give me, the customer, a reason to remember your shop - there must have been hundreds and hundreds of potential new customers to add to your customer base - if you don't interact with the person in front of you, then your business is NOT going to grow!

Upsell to a another product; suggest ideas to go with the pattern just purchased; add a business card; a flyer  with incentives to increase traffic to your online/bricks shop; a reason for people to come back you!

Online shops are plentiful and if you don't make the very most of Every Opportunity handed to you, we, the buying customer will go elsewhere.

Don't complain to me about Aussie shops being undersold by overseas - the ones that do well KNOW how to have a connection with their maybe one-time buyer and that connection is what makes us talk to friends about them, recommend them and ultimately spend our money with them again and again!

Okay, rant over!

Easter hunting in the Fern Gully

Helen from Johanna River Cottage told us that the EB always visited the fern gully .....

and she was right!


, a photo by Whippet Good on Flickr.

The Gumboot man

Do you remember Cliff Young?  Marathon winner who trained in his 60's by chasing his dairy cows up and down hills in the Otways, wearing his gumboots - he was an absolute Aussie legend!!!


, a photo by Whippet Good on Flickr.

Otway Delights

Dahlias are just superb in this hills - they need a bit of TLC, but boy, do you get rewarded for your hard work - I want a whole paddock full, just to fill my house everyday!
, a photo by Whippet Good on Flickr.

Country goodness

A bite of Country Goodness - Akane Organic apple - sweet purity in one taste!
, a photo by Whippet Good on Flickr.

Birregurra llama

Birregurra llama, a photo by Whippet Good on Flickr.

Not the kind of pet you see everyday being walked down the street. Birregurra Easter festival

, a photo by Whippet Good on Flickr.

Wild Whippets. Somehow the country life may be a little harsh for these city gals?

The Rube-star

, a photo by Whippet Good on Flickr.

One happy Whippet!

Twelve Apostles

, a photo by Whippet Good on Flickr.

, a photo by Whippet Good on Flickr.

Fire is fun!

Johanna River Cottage

Johanna River Cottage, a photo by Whippet Good on Flickr.

A week in heaven. This is our view every day and night. The birdlife is amazing. I want a county life It's in my blood now. I'm not leaving. No I'm not.