As I take a look back at the year that was 2018, I cannot believe how the last 12 months have flown by. It's always fun to read my blog posts and pick out the highlights from the year, but at the same time it is scary to think that time is whizzing by so fast.
In January I started my 'Circle a day' quilt......well that went well didn't it! It certainly hasn't been worked on every day but just when I get the urge. I have the centre pieced together but have now decided to add a border of smaller circles around the edge.
February saw me continue on my 2018 NY resolution to design, make and kit up one new project a week in readiness for the shows that would be coming up. Like all NYR they are made for failure, but I did give it a good crack......lol! February is always Heytesbury Show prep month so not a lot of pretty blog photos there.
March was a busy month, parts I hope never to repeat again. The Heytesbury Show was a great success, followed up by the disaster of my Stitching by the Sea Retreat which 'coincided' with the bush fires in our area. The following week I attended the Colac Quilters Biennial Quilt Show and had a lovely time. The new venue was great with lots of room for the quilts and shop owners.
April is AQC month.......many months of planning and hard work come to fruition........new fabrics, kits, notions, samples all pulled together for the 4 days of vending. I was particularly thrilled to have Gail Pan join me on my stand for the signing of her new book 'Patchwork loves embroidery too'. The books were so popular that I have reordered them. I still have some available for $40 if anyone is interested.
My favourite seasons are Spring and Autumn, so May was a gardening month for me. I find that gardening helps to both reinvigorate and relax me. Lenora and I also changed our Friendship Frolic from June to May. We were hoping that the weather would be nicer in May, but alas that really didn't happen. But despite that, everyone had a great time and it will be returning in 2019!
June June June.......Mt Gambier Craft Alive kicked off the month followed up by a trip to Sydney to the Craft & Quilt Fair. I didn't take the shop but attended just a visitor as it coincided with a go kart race meeting that Russell had up there. I helped Lenora a little bit and met up with some friends, including Chooky Blue.......it was lovely to finally meet Donna in real life!
We jingled in July with my first ever Christmas in July event held in Simpson. It was such a fun day......probably my favourite event of the year! I loved this photo so much that I even got Christmas stamps made with it this year......lol!
I also returned to Adelaide for my yearly trip to the Sewing, Stitching and Handcraft Show. It is lovely to catch up with the South Australia customers, and we always seem to have beautiful weather every time we go.
August was shit month......I'm not going to sugar coat it.....it was crap! I hurt my back lugging furniture around, then I got a cold which turned into infected sinuses and needed two lots of antibiotics. Then pop went my back again! It was wet and cold and I couldn't get outside in to the garden. The Winter blues hit hard. But I rested up, did the essentials only, and by the time September arrived I was feeling much better and ready to get back in to it........thank goodness!
Stitch in Spring is September.......it's all I do and I love doing it. We had two fantastic tutors in Gail Pan and Clare Horsman and ladies traveled from near and far to attend. I will be announcing our 2019 tutors very soon so keep following to find out!
We set sail to Tasmania in October and took the shop on the road........some of it even ended up on the road!!!! We really enjoyed our time on the island state and fingers crossed that the Craft Alive Show might fit in with our calendar so that we can return next year. October also saw me spend more time outside in the garden than inside sewing as the wedding was fast approaching.
November was a month of celebrations. A wedding in the garden......
Jodie's 50th birthday celebration in Melbourne.......
and finishing the month off with a very Kransky Christmas with Dawn, Mourne, Eve and Hannah in St Kilda.
We are still in December, but in a few short hours it will be January and the start of a new year. 2019 is going to be a very different year for our family and a very busy year in the shop. So from our family to yours, have a safe and happy new year and I look forward to seeing you somewhere in 2019.
Linda :)