Gum Valley Patchwork

Petite Projects

Thank you to everyone who called in to the Shop over the weekend and took advantage of my sale to stock up on their sewing wants needs for the coming winter nights. If you weren't able to make it don't worry as my Stocktake Sale will be here before you know it (I can't believe that it's almost April)!

I received a lovely parcel of patterns yesterday in the mail from Gail ........they were the first four patterns from her new series of Petite Projects. They are very cute little patterns that are quick to make......making them ideal to give away as gifts. There is:

Little Tweets

 
Oscar Owl Project Folder

 
Cottage Flowers Pincushion

 
and my favourite......Butterfly Dilly Bag

 

Priced at $6.50 each

Linda   :)

 

My Birthday Sale

Yes that's right.....it has been four years since I first opened up the Shop after teaching from my lounge room way back in 1996. What better way for me to celebrate 'my' birthday than to give you all 20% off all stock (excludes gift vouchers and BOM's). Although a little belated (my 'birthday' was on the 15th) the Sale will be on Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th March........yes that's tomorrow and the next day. 

Linda   :)

   

It had to be green!

Last weekend was one that I would prefer not to repeat in a very long time.......actually if I have my way it would be never! It all started when Russell went away for an extended weekend.......not usually an issue......I just run the shop and then milk the cows.....takes me a bit longer but it gets done. Well not this time. We are in the middle of calving some heifers (first time mums for non-farming bloggers) which makes milking a WHOLE different ball game. I won't go into the finer details of my Sunday night milking but I will say it involved swearing, yelling and crying - all by me! As Russell drove in at 9pm I was just finishing off at the dairy. But all of my tears of frustration (and tiredness) were replaced with happiness when I saw what Russell had bought me........

 
I have said for the last 12 months that I was going to splash out and buy myself a new mix master to replace my tired old Sunbeam one.
Don't get me wrong....she's been a beauty and made more pavs than I could ever count over the last 25 years......but the beaters are worn & pitted (and have broken a couple of time - lucky Russell welds!) and the bowl doesn't spin anymore. I have replaced her with the new machine.....

 
A bit nervous to try it out.....what happens if it doesn't work as well as the old girl.....time will tell. Don't you just love the colour....it had to green!

Linda    :)

 

Two's company or is it?

This morning was no different to any other morning......left home and headed to the shop. Stopped and put the OPEN sign out.....drove in to the carpark......backed the vw into position and cut the engine. What on earth was that noise!!!!!!!! ..........it sounded like someone was trying to skin a live cat! On closer and rather hesitant inspection I found not one but two of these fellows in the tree.

 
They were only about 3 metres off the ground. The larger Mr Koala was trying to get to the shy Miss Koala further up the tree. She was having no part in his advances.........obviously the animal attraction just wasn't there! Later in the day I heard more noises, this time closer to the shop......so I went for another look. The pair had moved further along the tree belt but Mr Koala had not given up on his mission. This time the pair were wrestling around, almost falling out of the tree. He retreated and then started his grunting / snorting noises. To the untrained ear these noises are terrifying, especially at night (and when fishing at the dam.....isn't that right Emma!).

Here are some facts:

Koalas breed once a year.
Mating normally occurs from September to March
Gestation lasts 35 days, after which one koala is born.
The baby koala, "joey", is blind, hairless, less than one inch long and weighs less than 1 gram (0.035 oz).
It then crawls into its mothers pouch completely unaided, relying on its sense of smell, strong forelimbs and claws. Once inside the pouch, baby koala attaches itself to one of the two teats and stays there drinking milk for the next six months.

So maybe, if things go Mr Koala's way tonight and he gets 'lucky' we might get to see a new addition in about 7 months time!

Linda   :)

Congratulations

We are really excited to announce that our eldest daughter, Emma got engaged earlier in the week. Ryan asked Russell for our permission to marry Emma at the very same time he handed Russell a bottle of 16 year old single malt whisky......how could he possibly say no!!!

 
Congratulations Emma and Ryan!

Love Mum and Dad

Stitch in Spring in Simpson.....Registration form

STITCH IN SPRING IN SIMPSON

with Gail Pan & Lenora Jenkins

Saturday 24th September 2011

10am - 4pm

at

Simpson Recreation Reserve Clubrooms

Lavers Hill Road, Simpson. 3266

Cost : $90 per person

Includes : patterns (x4), starter kit, morning & afternoon tea, lunch, tea/coffee/drinks, a ‘goodie’ bag, lucky draws plus more

(No charge for the fun, friendship & laughter)

Gail and Lenora will also have a display of their work,

with patterns available for purchase.

And I will relocate as much of the shop as I can!

Places are limited.........Book early to avoid disappointment

(already have 37 ladies booked in)

Enquiries - Linda @ the Shop 0427 943 201

Download STITCH IN SPRING IN SIMPSON PDF Form

 

'Happiness' ......Block of the Month

I know everyone has been waiting patiently for the new class list to be completed.......don't worry it's just about ready for a press of the print button........just a few more tweeks.......fingers crossed! In the meantime I really wanted to show you the second of the two Block of the Months I will be offering this year. The first is Gail's 'Berries and Bluebirds'......click here to see the details.

But I am just so excited to be able to offer you all the chance to make Lenora's very first Block of the Month - 'Happiness'.

 
When I was talking to Lenora the other day she was off at the gardens at a special photo shoot with her quilt.....can't wait to see those photos. If you would like to have a closer look at the 9 different blocks click here and check them out.

The Block of the Month will run for 9 months, starting early April, for just $28 per month (plus postage if required). This includes your pattern, all fabric for the top, Cosmo threads, staflex and binding (not included : backing and wadding). I will also be offering it as a Pattern of the Month for $10 per month (plus postage)..........this means that you will get your pattern each month so that you can make your own very special version 'Happiness'.

If you are interested in either of the Block of the Months, please contact me. 

Linda   :)

 

 

Stitch in Spring in Simpson.

After thinking about it for about 12 months I have finally done it........the very first "Stitch in Spring in Simpson" day.

The date is set : Saturday 24th September.

 
The venue is booked : The clubrooms at the Simpson Recreation Reserve, Lavers Hill Rd, Simpson, 3266.

The Tutors have been booked : Two very talented designers -

Gail Pan

 

and Lenora Jenkins

 
 

The cost : $90 per person. This includes a minimum of 4 patterns, fabric to get you started, lunch, morning and afternoon tea and drinks. There will be a goodie bag for everyone who attends and also lucky draws on the day.

Gail and Lenora will also bring along samples of their designs.

And of course I will relocate the Shop for the day.

If you would like to register for the 'Stitch in Spring in Simspon', please email / phone / or see me. Places are limited so a deposit of $30 will be required by the 15th July to secure your position. I already have 5 ladies on my list .........    

Linda   :)

The Heytesbury Show

Sorry for the absence but I have been a little tied up with our local agricultural show...... the Heytesbury Show. Every  year around this time the Simpson Recreation Reserve comes alive with thousands of people enjoying our country show. And for the fifth year I have been 'in charge' of the Homecraft Pavilion and the exhibits of produce, flowers, fruit and vegetables, handcrafts, knitting/crochet and photography. I work with a great team of ladies to put on a display that rivals many of the larger shows. This year we had just under 850 exhibits. Friday was our judging and set up day, and yesterday everyone got to enjoy the display.

 
 
Some very beautiful quilts were entered.....check out Julie's version of Gail Pan's 'All things Christmas' quilt.......and it won first prize!

 
I try to enter a few things in the Show every year......but this year I was a little light on. My hexagon quilt has taken me away from stitching (or at least finishing projects) and the garden has also suffered from my lack of attention........with the vegetable garden being a no go this year. But I did manage to scratch around and enter a few flowers.....and as a 'special' entry put this in the class called 'collection from my garden'. The judge awarded it equal third because of my inventiveness.........how many of you have flowers like this in your gardens?

 
It included: wild radish, deadly nightshade, scotch thistles, milk thistle and sticky thistle!

Another fabulous feature of the Heytesbury Show is the Mystery Showbag. My girls have always done it and this year I did it for the first time with Hannah. For $5 you get a bag and a map which you take around the showground, stopping off at 20 different points to collect your goodies. This is what I got this year:

 
All this for $5 !!! But if you plan to come along next year to have a go be warned.....the bags go on sale at 10am and yesterday they were all sold in about one hour.......it's limited to 250 bags.

The Show was a great success and the weather was perfect.......and the entry is only $15 per family!

Linda   :) 

 

Remembering

Today would have been my Dad's 78th birthday. It's been almost three years since he passed away but I think of him everyday.

 

Linda