Gum Valley Patchwork

The 5km apple radius

Every year for the last 15 years my beautiful Jonagold Apple tree has provided me with boxes and boxes of apples. It is a cross between the Jonathon and Golden Delicious Apple varieties and produces large juicy sweet apples. This year has been an exception with just 2 boxes picked. I have enough to make my usual batch of apple pies for the freezer, but Russell has faced a life changing question......Apple Pies (his favourite dessert) or Apple Cider. Last year Russell made cider (6 months worth) from the left over harvest but alas this year there won't be enough for both.

After a little trouble shooting we set off on a road trip with plastic tubs and ladder on board. Our task......to find apple trees along the sides of the roads. Living in a rural area means that most children travel by bus to attend school........children eat apples when traveling on buses......when they finish they throw the apple cores out of the window for "the birds to eat" ......sometimes the birds don't eat the apple cores and they grow into trees......generally within a kilometre radius of the school......the distance it takes to eat an apple...... or sometimes a little further for the slower eaters.

We came home with three full tubs of apples and a happy Russell.......now to make the pies!

Linda    :)

Yay for Hannah!

Yesterday was a day of celebration for our family.

We attended the Deakin University Graduation Ceremony at the Lighthouse Theatre in Warrnambool.

Hannah graduated.

and received this

There were proud parents, family and friends in the theatre watching their loved ones receive their degrees, and we were honoured to be there.  Hannah has worked very hard over the last 5 years on her Uni Degree while working full time at the Colac Otway Shire. We are all very proud of her achievements and know that there is more to come.

She is one determined young lady.

Linda    :)

Change of trading for tomorrow

Just giving everyone the heads up that the Shop will be opening a little later than normal tomorrow (Thursday 27th March). We will be attending Hannah's graduation in Warrnambool in the morning. The shop will open at 12.45pm.

Linda    :)

Tape Measure Bangles

After a very long wait the tape measure bangles finally arrived last week. They took 5 weeks to make and then set off on their wayward journey to Australia. From India they headed to Thailand, then had a stop over in Singapore, flew to China before finally landing in Australia......phew.....what a journey!

At this stage I only have the 3/4" wide bangles but will be placing an order for the 1/2" (and more of the 3/4") in the next day or so.......now that I have seen them in real life.

The resin bangles have a brass back and have an inner diameter of approximately 67mm. The bangles are handmade and due to the nature of the production they may have small scuff marks and imperfections.....every item is unique but they still look great!

I only have a limited number for sale at the moment. I have organised advertising for AQC so I need to have plenty to take there. If you are attending the Australasian Quilt Convention between 10th to 13th April, stop by Stand 46 and check them out.

Linda     :)

Colac Quilt Show

Every second year the Colac Quilters put on a fabulous Quilt Show with a most wonderful display of their members quilts. I have never been disappointed and this year is no exception. I have attended as a shop owner for the last four Quilt Shows and have a lovely time catching up with all of the ladies, as well as the other quilt shop owners. I set up my stand yesterday morning with just a small sample of what I have available at the shop.

There is not a lot of hanging space but I have used the church pew to display some of the quilts.

I was able to have a quick wander around the quilts after the official opening. The ladies always have a theme on the stage and this year's is Hexagons.

It is a well thought out and absolutely beautiful display of vintage and new hexagon quilts, hexagon shaped tins & display boxes, and a gorgeous antique sewing table which Wendy has promised to give me.....lol!

There are so many beautiful quilts on display including this Suffolk Puff one by Lyn Ilett.

Lyn said that she used quite a few yucky fabrics in her puffs but the end result is certainly the opposite! Absolutely stunning on the black background.

The show is on over the weekend....Saturday 10am - 5pm and Sunday 11am - 3pm, St Andrews Church Hall, Corner Pollack and Hesse Streets, Colac. (Entrance on Pollack Street)

The shop is still open.....Jodie is charge for the weekend.

Linda     :)

PS. I haven't been able to blog as we had used all of our download and it was slowed right down.....painfully slow. But it reset last night so I'm right again.....yay!

Wow what a day.

After trying to work out the fairest way to take names for my Stitch in Spring, I decided to go with the mobile only option. So this morning I turned off my mobile at 8.50am and waited for about half an hour. I thought that everyone wanting to book in would be able to just leave their message and then I would check and write them down in the order that they were left.....easy.....well not really. I turned my phone on, quickly dialled 101 and then it hit me......"you have 33 new messages"....what!!!! With pen in hand away I went. With 9 messages left at 9am and 8 at 9.01am, I had 81 names by half way through the 9.01am messages. So then I started on the waiting list. With 45 names on the waiting list I was sad that so many lovely ladies were going to miss out on my 2014 event. After a few messages and emails to the tutors, I am now able to let everyone on the waiting list know that I will be having a day 2 on the Sunday for the Stitch in Spring. It will be exactly the same as the Saturday session, but just on the Sunday. I do have a couple of spaces left for the Sunday so if you would like to come along, please contact me asap.

If you have been told that you are booked in for the Saturday, please print off and fill out the following registration form, and return it by the 1st April.

Download STITCH IN SPRING 2014 Saturday form

If you have been told that there was a chance of a Sunday session, well it is now confirmed and you are booked in for it. Please print off and fill out the following registration form, and return it by the 1st April.

Download STITCH IN SPRING 2014 Sunday form

Please note that I will NOT be sending out reminder notices, emails or texts if you don't get you form and deposit back to me by the 1st April. Please let me know if you have changed your mind and I will take you off the list.

Thank you to everyone for your wonderful support and I look forward to planning another great event!

Linda    :)

Stitching by the Sea Retreat 2014

When I first decided to run a Retreat, I wasn't quite sure how it would go. I have run 3 successful 'Stitch in Spring' days, but a Retreat is a little different..... 2 days of stitching, no tutors or kits, sewing machines vs hand stitching, start / finish times, how many people, meals etc etc. I need not have worried as the weekend was a great success. It all started on Friday when Jodie and Hannah helped me to set up the Santos room at the Port Campbell Surf Life Saving Club. It is a wonderful big room which overlooks the picturesque Port Campbell bay. The bare room was transformed in about 3 1/2 hours to this.

Nine tables to seat the 38 ladies who would be arriving at 10am the following morning. After they collected there name tags the ladies checked out what was inside their pretty goody bags. Of course all Gum Valley Patchwork goody bags would not be complete without a yummy treat from GORGE Chocolates....this time it was a trio of chocolate frogs.

The urn was boiling and morning tea was ready. Hannah was kept busy in the pop up shop

while Russell, Emma and I were occupied making sure that roast was cooked for lunch and that there was enough dessert for everyone to enjoy.

The weather was overcast which meant the room was dull, (which was disappointing) but it did make for a wonderful rough sea with lots of waves.

The day finished at 6pm and while some ladies travelled home for the night, others took the opportunity to stay in Port Campbell and enjoy the lovely seaside town.

Sunday started 'bright' and early with me making the pavs for lunch and fresh scones for morning tea. The ladies started arriving a little before 9am, and it wasn't long before the machines were whirring and there was laughter in the room.

The skies were black and as the rain fell no-one seemed to mind......in fact the farmers in the room were quite happy! As a special treat I took along 'Elenor Jean' for a little outing.....only her second public viewing, and 'Prudence' tagged along just in case someone wanted to look at her.

There were some lucky draws.....some demonstrations......lunch.....afternoon tea......and before we knew it it was time to start packing up and saying our goodbyes.

It was just so lovely that ladies had travelled from near and far to spend two days stitching, talking, laughing, eating, while making new friendships and renewing past ones. My Auntie Gwen and her friend Laraine travelled from Melbourne, Granny Loz made the long trip from South Australia, Jenny &  Helen from Swan Hill, Cindy from Healesville plus many more......Melbourne, Geelong, Colac, Camperdown, Warrnambool and local ladies.

All of the ladies have put their names down on the EOI booking list for the 2015 'Stitching by the Sea'. Along with some extra names it looks like it is almost booked out for next year. If you are interested on going on a waiting list, please contact me asap. I will be releasing the date & details over the coming weeks, so keep following my blog.

Finally, I would like to thank Russell, Emma & Hannah for their incredible help over the two days......I would not have been able to do it without them. Special thanks to Vicki for making special gifts for all of the ladies to take home.....absolutely amazing.

Linda    :)

Ready set go.....at 9am.....

Sure do hope my phone copes at 9am tomorrow morning and doesn't end up like this.......

Linda   :)

Gearing up

The lists are written and the countdown is on. My first 'Stitching by the Sea' Retreat is on this weekend in Port Campbell. I know that there are 38 excited ladies that will be walking through the doors of the Surf Club come 10am (or before!) on Saturday morning and I am hoping that I will be ready for them! Russell and I went down last week to check out where the power points were and decided to have lunch while we were there. It was a beautiful sunny day.

I also want to let everyone know that because of the Retreat the shop will be closed on Friday 14th, Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th March. Apologies for the inconvenience.

Linda    :)

 

 

 

 

 

Stitch in Spring 2014

With only a week until registrations open for the 2014 Stitch in Spring, I thought that I would put together all of the information so that everyone is on the one page. I have been thinking about the registration process for quite a while now. Last year was very hectic with phones ringing, emails coming through, people messaging me on fb, and leaving messages on my 101 service. It was a bit of a nightmare really......and something I don't want to repeat next Monday.  So I have thought long and hard about the fairest way to take names......I don't want anyone to miss out........ but I know that this is going to happen. So I have decided that the only way people can register is by phoning me on my mobile. You will be able to leave a message on my message bank and I will check them often (very often), and I will confirm if you have made the list. You can book in for friends but I must have their names, to avoid double bookings. The maximum number anyone can book for is 8 (ie. you and seven friends), and you will be responsible for letting your friends know that they will need to fill in their registration form and pay their deposit by the due date. I will not be chasing people for their deposits like some last year, as I just don't have the time. If it books out (which I am expecting it to do), I will take names for a waiting list......just in case I have any cancellations. Okay I hope that makes it all a bit clearer about the registration process.

Now onto the fun details of the day.......

Gum Valley Patchwork

presents

‘Stitch in Spring’

with Gail Pan & Leanne Beasley

Saturday 20^th September 2014, 10am – 4pm

at the

Santos Room, Surf Lifesaving Club

Cairns Street, Port Campbell

Cost : $125 per person

 

Includes: Patterns & kits for 4 different projects designed by Gail & Leanne; morning & afternoon teas; 2 course lunch; tea, coffee & drinks; special goody bag; lucky draws plus much more.

No charge for the fun, friendship and laughter.

Gail & Leanne will have some of their beautiful creations on display, with patterns available for purchase.

I will also have my shop set up for a little retail therapy.

All of this while enjoying the beautiful view over the Port Campbell Bay.

 Registrations open at 9am (and not before!) Monday 17^th March

by phone only to 0427 943 201

Places are limited with only 80 places available

 A deposit of $50 is required by 1^st April to secure your place.

The balance of $75 is due by 1^st August 2014.

Cancellation Policy: If you cancel before 31^st July, your deposit will be refunded in full. Cancellation after this date, refund will only be given if your place can be filled by someone else.

Full refund if the day is cancelled by the organiser (Gum Valley Patchwork).

 

Now I hope everyone understands this.......if you have friends who aren't internet savvy please let them know the details if they are interested. If you still have some questions please don't hestitate to contact me.

Linda    :)