Gum Valley Patchwork

Craft Alive....Ballarat!

In just 2 days I will be on my way to Ballarat to attend my very first Craft Alive event as an exhibitor. I have chosen to do 3 events with the Craft Alive team this year and am really looking forward to the experience of working with them as well as meeting new customers and I guess ultimately selling stuff!

I will be bringing quite a few new bits and pieces with me on my trip so please stop by and check out what I have got.

The shop will be open while I am away.

Well I had better get back to it!

Linda    :)

Stitching by the Sea

I have been rather preoccupied lately getting everything organised for me annual Stitching by the Sea Retreat. Port Campbell is the perfect venue for my Retreat as there is plenty of accommodation and restaurants for those that stay.......and you really can't get a better view than this.....
The weather was perfect.....nice and sunny. We set up the room on the Friday and were happy that it was all done by 1.30pm.....Jodie had a Deb Ball to attend and I had baking to do.

The name badges were ready and waiting to the 46 ladies to arrive on the Saturday......my new card making supplies certainly came in handy!

The ladies didn't take long to get stuck into their stitching.......although I am sure that some were more productive than others!

And just like that the 2 days were over. I am sure that everyone had a great time, but if you attended and have any suggestions on if I can improve anything, please let me know.

I'd like to put out a special thank you to those ladies who helped pack up the chairs and tables. It certainly helped me to get home quicker and put my feet up!

And big big thank yous to:

Jodie who helped to set up, worked in the kitchen (even though we kept telling her to get out!), and for helping to pack up the shop and load the ute.

Emma and Hannah......Emma worked in the kitchen and Hannah worked the shop for me. We really do have 2 great kids young ladies.

Tabatha who worked off her Honeycomb Cheesecake by vacuuming the whole room......though she was very pleased when Shane showed up and got out the big vacuum cleaner for her to use! Tabatha also helped to pack everything up.......Thanks!

Oh and I can't forget Russell.....who patiently does what he is told....lol! He was missing on Sunday as he had go-karts in Cobden but was back just in time to pack the tables away and load up for the trip home. We (just) managed to squeeze everything in the 2 vehicles....phew!

For those interested in attending the Stitching by the Sea Retreat in 2018, it will be held on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th March. Registrations will open in October......more details later.

Linda    :)

It's Retreat time again

Not to be confused with the Stitch in Spring.....which is in September, the Stitching by the Sea Retreat weekend is happening again this coming weekend. That means that the shop will be closed on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, while I am in Port Campbell helping the 45 ladies to enjoy their weekend of stitching, fun, friendship, eating and shopping. Sounds great doesn't it!

For those coming along, hopefully you will have received the newsletter about the weekend (via email or messenger). If you haven't, you can download a copy here.

Download 2017 letter to ladies re Retreat

Linda   :)

 

And we're off

It might be a public holiday here in Victoria but I have been working my butt off since 10am this morning. Yes registrations for the Stitch in Spring opened at 9am sharp and at 10am when I turned my phone back on to listen to the messages this is what I saw.

Yes that's right.....46 new voice messages from eager ladies wanting to book in for the Stitch in Spring. Forty minutes later I had booked in 126 ladies with only 2 spare places.....which were snapped up shortly afterwards. I have messaged, texted, and emailed those who rang and left messages.....so please check to find out which day you got in to. Saturday was booked out by 9.02am. I do have a waiting list, but at the moment I have 8 ladies who have their names down.

I have the Registration forms here for downloading:

Download STITCH IN SPRING 2017 Registration Form Saturday

Download STITCH IN SPRING 2017 Registration Form Sunday

I will also have some in the shop and also at the Retreat this coming weekend in Port Campbell.

Linda      :)

A lovely celebration

It was party time this afternoon.......the classroom was transformed.

There was plenty of food and drink

and Party bags

and CAKE!

An action shot......

I would like to thank everyone who took time to call in to the shop this afternoon to celebrate 'my' birthday, and to those who bought cards and gifts along......it is very much appreciated.....I am so lucky to have wonderful friends. 

It was also lovely that my sister Cathryn and sister-in-law Andrea were able to join me as well........and thanks for doing the dishes for me! Unfortunately my brother Peter couldn't come as he chose to go cray fishing instead of marking this milestone with me.......why am I not surprised.......lol! I did send him home some cake though :)

A reminder that registrations open tomorrow morning at 9am for the 2017 Stitch in Spring. You can read all of the details here.

Linda    :)

Happy Birthday to me

When I started out teaching a very basic beginners patchwork class in my lounge room at home in 1996 I never in my wildest dreams thought that I would be where I am today. My small but growing group of students gave me the confidence to open a bricks and mortar shop so I started the process of investigating options. I ended up buying an old Church from Tarnagulla (near Bendigo), which turned out to be a longer saga than my rose coloured glasses (and the vendor!) had first led me to believe.

Visions sometime change....and this change was certainly for the better, and in November 2005, after 3 years of planning the first of the timber was delivered.

Ten days later the frame was up.

Progress slowed, and as always (when it comes to tradies) the squeaky wheel gets the most oil. I didn't squeak enough so the progress dragged on, but by February 2007 the building was almost finished.

I couldn't wait any longer so on the 15th March 2007 I opened the doors to my shop.

This photo always makes me laugh....to see such a small amount of stock in my shop.....but I felt on top of the world. I had finally done it! It certainly looks a lot different now......both outside....

and on the inside.......

It certainly has been a lot of hard work to get where I am today........but I wouldn't have swapped it for anything. I have met so many wonderful people over the last 20 years since I first embarked on this bumpy ride, with many of you now being close friends. I could not have done it without you all.

So to celebrate my 10 year milestone I am throwing a party!.......well an afternoon tea.

It will be on Sunday 12th March from 2pm. It would be lovely to see you here..........and there will be cake!

Linda    :)

Missing in action

Apologies for not blogging but it has been cray cray crazy here lately. Late February / early March is always hectic in our household with frayed tempers and often tears......although the tears were absent this year.....which was good! The reason.....Heytesbury Show time. I have been the head steward for the Homecraft Pavilion of our local Ag Show for 11 years, and although it has become a fairly routine practice for me, there is still a week of work in the lead up to the big day. It starts early in the week with cleaning out the pavilion....pressure cleaning all of the dirt and cobwebs away.

The primary school art and writing is judged and put up. The staple gun and I were having a love / hate relationship on Wednesday so Russell ended up using it.....the result was great!

Our judging day is on the Friday and was an early 5.45am start for me. I had gathered my flowers the night before but decided to pick the vegetables that morning......yeah great idea...not! Why is it that time goes so quickly when you don't need it to. I was up at the showgrounds at 7.45am just in time to let the first exhibitors into the shed with their prize winning entries. By 11am we were all ready for the judges to do their stuff and by 5pm the displays were all up. We had a great display.......prize winning vegetables

And a very proud Des Free finally cracked it for Champion Dahlia with this beauty.

The craftwork provided plenty of eye candy too.

I even won a few prizes......my container of roses certainly turned a few heads, and took out Best Container in the Show.

Saturday's weather was perfect for the Show and the day started off great with the Mystery Show Bag being extremely popular with the young and young at heart. Unbeatable value for $5.

The Homecraft Pavilion was abuzz with lots taking the opportunity to get in out of the sun for a while and check out the exhibits.

The animal nursery is also a must see experience......for everyone!

I especially loved the pig and her 3 day old babies.........they were soooo cute!

My most favourite memory ever at the Heytesbury Show was the year we had a sow in the animal nursery giving birth. There was a row of kids (and adults) about 6 deep watching her.......and every now and again over the PA would come an announcement about another birth......it was the best!

And just like that the day was over and it was time to pack it all away until next year. My work isn't quite over as I am also the Treasurer of the Ag Society, but at least the hard part is done. I have got 2 big weekends coming up but I will be back tomorrow with a special invitation to you all.

Linda     :)