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!!

Market Day

i have some very exciting news. i have been accepted for a stall at the Daylesford Makers Market on Easter Saturday. i'm over the moon but also a bit worried. will i get everything made in time? will anybody like it? are my prices ok? i've got most of my material so i will be sewing in every spare moment for the next few weeks. if anybody can recommend a good supplier of printed ribbon so that i can sew my name onto the stuff, it would be greatly appreciated.

Happy Valentine's Day

We don't normally celebrate Valentine's Day (something about a con by Hallmark and florists) however the kids are getting into things this year. little miss has made cards for her brother and dad (isn't it always the case that mum misses out) and mr wants a card from me too. the kids are going to get some very old style love hearts candy that i found in the supermarket the other day.

i found the tags from good gravy design. perfect.

if i had more time, i would also perhaps make a LOVE plate . maybe for our wedding anniversary later in the year?

heart shape pancakes are on the menu tomorrow morning, with perhaps a rose from our garden.

have a great Valentine's day!

My Creative space

well i never got to have a look through my Cath Kidston books so my creative space has taken a rest for today. I have however devoted this week to getting the kids stuff organised. We have had to crank up the organisation a bit, especially on Tuesdays and Thursdays when i work. Even before i get to work, i have 3 drop-offs to contend with. mr and missy in the middle are next door to each other and then little mister is dropped off elsewhere. i have already been told off by mr for being late to school (all by 30 seconds) to pick him up.

i needed somewhere for all the bags, lunch bags, reading bags and whatever else was needed. This pic is my handmade rack. I still have to add blackboard to the squares so that i can write any notes to remind myself but its a start.

while taking this pic, little mister managed to get out the front door, into the rain and pull out the dirt from my pots. he is trying to hide behind the post so that he can stay outside.

Oh happy day part two

Saturday's trip to the Daylesford Makers Market was enought to make me very happy but my latest find tops it off. Cath Kidston overload!!!!

I have both of Cath's books. I got "Make" on clearance at a newsagency not knowing who she was but became immediatley interested once i looked inside the book. I bought "Sew" as soon as it was released and the other week came across some Cath Kidston mugs. I bought two, one for myself and one for my friend, Laura. Our birthdays are only two days apart and our gifts always have some sort of craft/sewing theme about them.

This isn't any old mug, it is massive. I get a double caffine hit whenever i have a cup of tea (lucky i don't drink coffee). the lady did suggest that it could be used for ice-cream. a coke spider late at night is a definate possibility but for today i am going to make myself a cuppa and have a go at one of the projects. odds on, the drink will get cold and i won't get past page one before the 'kids' interfere. Mmmm, maybe i'ii just go the coke spider instead!