An idea for vertically challenged people

well so much for getting my mojo back for too long. End of financial year hit!! I have nearly got everything done so i treated myself to a new piece of clothing (plus i had one of those agh moments when i contemplated where all this work was getting me).

unfortunately i am one of those people who ALWAYS has to take up their pants. normally i would stand in front of a mirror and try to guess where the hem should be while sticking myself with pins rather than the pants. then i found this great tip - wish i could remember where but anyway. so easy - turn the pants inside out, try them on and then pin!!! it looks a bit funny (better off to do it without your family seeing otherwise there will be jokes) but it's magic, the bottom of the pants are already turned the right way and you don't attack yourself with pins as much.

something so simple but so clever.

footnote - yes that is how much i have to take up, i am a very short person.

footnote 2 -hopefully i will pick up a new (well second hand) baby over the weekend, very excited!!!

Help Wanted

I've been thinking for a while that i would love an overlocker. i've had a look at the various sewing outlets and some are great but i don't know if i can justify buying a new one if i'm not going to be using it every week. so i'm asking everyone out there if they have or know of someone who would like to sell their old, maybe un-used machine. i like the thought of a machine having some sort of history and plus mr won't have a complete barmy if it's second hand.

i've already got a list of projects that i want to start (and hopefully finish!!!!)

It's back!!!!!!

well the mojo is definately back after my trip to sew it together on saturday. i haven't laughed so hard in a very long time and that was just the train ride to melbourne.

i had a great trip with jodie and got to give her brooch. i also met for the first time deborah, jan, and then lizzie who joined us at ballan. who needs coffee when you've got some crazy craft ladies!

the day itself was amazing. all these creative gals in the one room. the only time it was quiet was over lunch (when we all had food in ourt mouth so we couldn't talk) and when the group photo was taken.

the 'ballarat' table was a hoot with a couple of other people prepared to put up with our craziness! it was lovely to meet jacinta, trash, holly and ellen.

to top off the day i won a $50 voucher to spotlight. oh delight, to be able to spend it without a care of the world!!! unfortunately i didn't finish any actual project (i have to be consistent with my crafting) but i did get to try my hand at crochet. a big thank you to lizzie who patiently tried to teach me even when i was clearly going off the track! i promise to practice.

before i knew it, it was time to go home. while i thought the train ride down was a hoot, the ride home was even better. who ever thought that 5 crafty ladies could make more noise than a heap of footy fans, but we did. a great end to a fantastic day. thank you sooooo much sheridan. you are worth your weight in gold. i will lie, cheat and steal if necessary to make it to sydney next year. maybe a train ride or bus trip from ballarat to sydney??? i don't think my face would handle it with all the laughing.

I can feel it in my toes!!

it has been a whirlwind couple of days but i finally get to tell on my fantastic day at the stitches show on thurasday. i dropped the older two off and mister james and i were on the road. we had a slight detour to monash uni across the road to see my mum. she hadn't seen mister james walk before so he was a show off to everyone (i was lucky to escape with him - i think a couple of the ladies wanted to take him home, 18 months old and he already knows how to charm the ladies!!)

we then made it across the railway tracks and i felt like i was home, all the material, craft supplies, it was unreal. mister james was a very good boy and even managed a sleep so that i could try some of the free crafts. i made a thank you/wedding box and a fabric flower badge. unfortunately his sleep didn't last for me to try the crochet. better luck next time.

i had a great chat with jodie and bought some of her amazing patterns. i told her i would make her badge for next saturday. anyone know if she likes chocolate or potato chips better?? all will be revelaed!

before i knew it it was time to go home. a great start to getting my mojo back. to think, this time next week i will be at sew it together. can't wait!!

Getting my mojo back

Things are slowly getting back to normal in our household. School is back (thank God!!), better than anything else, paperwork and checks and balances are not ruling my life.

I realise that i need to get my craft mojo back. I haven't picked up a needle since Easter. My fingers are starting to get itchy. I have devised a 2 point plan.

1. To actually take the time out for 'me' and go to the Craft and Stitches show next thursday. I have been to a few, the last one when my eldest was a wee baby (he's now in prep), my first when i was a teenager. I can still remember the first show at the old exhibition building. I went on my own because craft wasn't cool back then. I had saved up my money and was just gob-smacked and hooked!

2. I have been on the wait list for the sew it together saturday craft session for ages. Sheridan emailed me and told me there was a spot - it was like winning tattslotto (just without the big fake cheque and the cash). But anyway, i have advised mr that due to my extraordinary work commitments of late, I think I am worthy of having a day off without the kids to do something that I enjoy.

Note to everyone: if you know someone from Ballarat who is going to either event, i would love to car pool or catch a train ride together.

I can't wait for the next few weeks. I can feel my mojo coming back already (might be the cherry ripe i have just polished off??)

Counting the numbers

Well it has been a long time since i was in blog land. My excitement for getting a stall at the Daylesford Market and being featured in Thaw was soon over taken by a mammoth task that i took on. I am a book keeper, numbers is my thing. I was asked to take on some book work which resulted in all day Sunday stints, lots of very late nights and lots of why????? I won't go into all the details but it was a lot of hard work, everything else basically took a back seat.

I'm happy to say that i now have it under control and I finished everything just in time for the Daylesford Market last Saturday. I was very excited to have a stall however by the end of the day i was a little deflated. Sales were not so good. I think that i have a good thing because plenty of people said so but it just wasn't for them and i think it is more a 'summer' craft. i will not be deterred, etsy will hopefully find some homes for them (when i get around to listing them) and summer will come again. I do have a couple of retail outlets to investigate, so watch this space.

I am so happy to be back in blog land and will have to spend this weekend lying on the couch (did i mention that i now have a cold and a sore throat!) catching up on what everyone has been doing, while of course eating Easter eggs!

In Print

I still can't believe it but i am in print!!!! Thaw has just been released and my picnic sets have been previewed (page 7 if you are looking). I have also aded the sets to my newly opened etsy store etsy.com/shop/rachelleandco

stop by and have a look and see what you think!!