Silk and Smiles

I promised a friend a happy post next - this makes me smile - hubbie and I are dressed up as Thai people - we had such a giggle!!!

After exploring the beautiful Queen Sirikit of Thailand Textile Museum (no photos allowed, but the silk was magnificant!) we were ushered into a maze of corridors that we weren't quite sure about - smiles all around said it was fine - Fine? It was Fun! Some lovely young women welcomed us into the Thai way of textiles and then proceeded to dress us up!!!

I remember having a laugh as the young lady was changing my top into this beautiful Thai silk folded wrap around - it had to be off the shoulder and my bra strap was showing - that can't be right I said - what do Thai women do about that? - we don't have enough up top to worry about said she with a grin!  We laughed and laughed.

Hubbie and I felt like schoolkids pretending to be grownups in another world.

Sawatdi!

Some Thai shots

Trying hard to keep up with Blogtoberfest; not getting there each day, but I guess the spirit of it is to just to some blogging as much as is poss, so that's what's happening in this part of the woods....:)

Some random photos from trip to Bangkok:

A wonderfully retro foyer of a Thai movie cinema - the cinema was enormous, with rocker chairs - make sure you stand up for the King when his special film is shown every time!

Just some pictures of the Wet Markets - the first one is either frogs or bugs, you choose!

 Pink eggs are specially picked - I ate part of one - very very eggy strong - little bit shuddering.

Thai temple decoration

Wet tourist after deluge

Reclining Buddha

Just one of the quirky and kinda endearing statues

Spunky man sipping the local beer

To the end of the Wood

I had a lovely time last Sunday - last day of school hols - the fam and I went on a road trip 1 hour north west of the city to the country town of Woodend.  We dropped DD2 off at an old friend's house, waved bye and 'see you soon', then I was taxied to my 'thing' for a few hours, while Hubbie and DD1 went cafe-ing for hot chocolate and some homework.

My 'thing'????  I took a little bag with me piled with my Garden Party hexagon quilt bits and knocked on the door of a sweet cottage on the edge of the bush (all by myself! I thought I was so brave hehe!). 

Why?

The Retreat - Woodend

(Photo by Abbe of Copperpatch)

Abbe from Copperpatch was having an Open Day weekend of her new and brilliant place perfect for weekends away with friends; sewing, crafting and enjoying life!  - anyone could just come and look around and have a cuppa and do some sewing!!  Yes Please!  You don't have to twist my arm!

I was welcomed in the door by Bec (another MMQG-er! nice surprise!) and many other friendly faces said Hi and come on in!!  Abbe from Copperpatch was the perfect hostess -Abbe was making scones in the (gorgeous) kitchen and took me around the extensive place - great big rooms, huge beds, 2 bathrooms, 2 lounge areas, great craft room with cathedral ceiling - so warm and inviting and that's not just Abbe herself.

I had a lovely few hours chatting away about fabric and patterns and retreats and meeting new people and eating jam and cream scones and tea and sewing (and unpicking ha!), until my 'taxi' came for me and whisked me off to more friends for cheese and shiraz.

Great Day

Great Place

Great People

Abbe is very generously having a giveaway for a whole long weekend and I mean whole (Friday 9am! to Sun 4pm!) - check out her blog, have a really good look around her website and gather your chicks around you and get booking!

Pressies from Canberra

Going in the Name Tag Swap late did sortov mean that the thrill of revealing your own name tag to the group was lost, BUT I was thrilled none the less with the lovely one made by Danielle of Petit Elefants

Thank you so much Danielle!  I love the bunting (very me), the quilting is divine and I love the embroidery!

This is what I made for Danielle - just HAD to use my blue and white petit elefants fabric and I had this strange epiphany to made red elephant ears - I do hope others can see the ears! (not that easy to make I have to say)  I had a shock thought that maybe Danielle had huge ears and that these would be highly offensive - thankfully not true at all!!

The Sample Swap is truly a highlight of SIT for me - after sweating over my Granny Square Cushions - would people like them?  would they hate the colours? would they op-shop them quick as a wink? I couldn't think any more of them, cos I was just in love with MY presents from 5 other lovely ladies:

A gorgeous flower complete with real twig from Sarah of Giftscreated -

Lisa from theredthread - a super sweet birdie cushion - love the vintage barkcloth wing and the red polkadots backing - perfect for my couch!  I was a little bit worried about getting it into my suitcase to come home, but no probs at all!  Lisa also donated some lovely embroidery panels for everyone's goody bag - definitely a Christmas present idea!

Last but not least presents are from Cass - Snailblazer - organiser of Sample Swap for 3rd (?) time running - and she runs it well!!!  Cass made cup holders with SIT 2012 written on linen and lovely granny square fabric - had to pick the Granny!

Then a great zippered pouch from Fiona - from bee-abi - perfect for my new ball of wool, my so so pretty crochet hook and my growing Granny Square! (all from Renae of Suzy Hausfrau)

Then a lovely pouch and needle book from Julie of Relish - gorgeous colours and tiny patchwork - love the tiny donut!

The Handmade Market in Canberra was simple fantastic - very impressed with quality of goods and wide variety of things that made me want to part with my money!

Just a little bit of my goodies - a very turquoisey/aqua splurge - 

Something to hang on the wall to make me smile!

I can put myself in the middle of this picture and dream away!

by Marja Leena

Peoples from Canberra

Sew It Together Canberra 2012

and FB SIT

A very big Bloggy Thank You to Sheridan and Donna - the leaders of the team who make all of this happen - you guys are a driving force behind an event that is super special:

for many who don't have crafty bloggy friends to chat to,

for those who need a weekend away from everyday life,

for those who want to catch up in real life, when online just doesn't cut it for hugs and smiles,

for taking so much time and effort for all of us who come

we all appreciate the fantastic things you do, even when we don't really know how many womanhours it has taken to get this far.

Some wool bought was my only thing on 'need' list and some extras just happened to fall into my arms on Friday Shopping Trip - the Bison excursion was great - but absolutely confused me - cos I honestly couldn't decide - i walked around and around that store picking things up and putting things down - so confusing so didn't get a photo of the rainbow of colours - see Wendy's post for the colours!

Then lastly to Shop Handmade - great shop and very welcoming with glasses of bubbly and scrumptious macarons!

Here's part of our group digesting the treats!

 and here are some truly awful photos of Saturday's sewing and chatting and swapping and dancing!

A little bit of excitement/annoyance/v.v. cold wait outside on Sat night when the fire alarm went off at 2am!

I think Cas's face says it all!

Sunday was a bit of a blur for me - I'm not really sure if I got back to sleep after the fire alarm, so I might have been a walking zombie for Sunday's Stencil Workshop, organised once more by the amazing Sheridan!

These are my results - the first used a premade stencil - loved doing the graduating colour blends!

My own stencil - not really want I imagined - as inspiration I read an article on the newspaper covering the table - a very sad and disturbing piece about the people in Kinglake still suffering terribly after the Fires in 2009 - mental illness, hospitalisation and suicide. The word 'Angel' caught my eye somewhere else on the paper and I instantly thought that these people need angellic help - this became my image for my stencil - try as I might I could not draw angel wings to my liking and went a more simplistic style - I wanted a host of gold and silver angel wings, blue ones sky tipped - the stencilling was really relaxing and I enjoyed it alot.

Judy and Cas

Wendy's many designs

Cas's pears

Sarah's fantastic designs and Peta in the background

Top of Mt Ainslie - thanks again Kylie for our little bus tour around parts of Canberra then onto the airport

A great time was had by all - beautiful weather, smiley faces, hugs and kisses and 

lots of Hellos and Hugs Goodbye!

Getting my ACT together and sewing it

How silly is my title??

Just a quick shout out to all those in need of some R&R in our nation's capital

CANBERRA!!  Check out my sidebar button and click for details!  Then check out my checklist hehe!

Plane Tickets - Check!

Bus Shopping Trip - Check!

YHA bed - Check!

Group of crafty crafters, crafting crafty things - Check!

Crochet tute to attend - to be checked!

Dinner organised - Check!

Crafty crafting to continue - Check!

Some kind of length of time sleeping  - hoping!

Stencil printing workshop - Check!

Maybe a quick tour around the Canberrian sites - last hurrah!

Home again home again, jiggety jig!

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?

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.

A slice of heaven

Do yourself a favour....

 Stay at

French Fields, Blenheim, NZ

The Best B&B In The World!  

Honestly, not kidding

Really and Truly

Magnifique

We were kinda dumbstruck the whole time, cos it was that bl***y good

I think I still am...