Craft Show

Well I've just spent 3 days at the Wide Bay and Fraser Coast Outdoor Leisure Expo plus a day to set up and I have to say I was very tired by the end of it. First of all when I booked and paid for a site the organisers were saying it was a leisure show with a stitches and craft show attached so I thought that's a great opportunity but then about a month away they started calling it a craft show and then they downgraded it in the advertising to a mini craft show (not that they rang me to tell me this, I just saw it on the TV). So to say I was disappointed with the amount of craft exhibitors is an understatement. Plus I've never been to the Maryborough showground before and the craft pavilion where they had us is one of the oldest so we had exposed beams, concrete floors and very little lighting (Malcom said it was rustic, I said I felt like we were in the poultry pavilion) whereas the other two had lovely floors and lights. When they asked me on Sunday afternoon if I'd come back next year I asked them if they would give me a big discount and of course they said I'd have to talk to someone else. Anyway it gave me an idea of how long it takes me to set up and what I would do different next time. I did talk to a lot of people and they were all very friendly so that was good.

Cake

I've just been to a card making class where we did four projects and one of them was this patty cake holder. Nicole baked 50 and then iced them in four different colours to match up with whatever stamp we chose for the front.

You'll notice I say patty cake not cup cake because growing up that's what we called them and I was a little annoyed a few weeks ago when I automatically said cup cake. Some times we can do without the americanised version of our language. Anyway the timing for the cake was perfect because tomorrows my birthday. Mind you Dad's wished me Happy Birthday twice now and I'm fully expecting another call tomorrow. He's been away traveling in his caravan and doesn't have his birthday book so he rang me on the 10th thinking it was then, but it wasn't so we had a chat. Then he rang yesterday full of good humour and birthday wishes but I had to say it's not until Sunday so we had a bit of a laugh about 3rd time lucky and so I'll wait for another call.

The cake however has run out of time as I'm about to make a coffee and eat cake.

It's a Cat's life.

I'm having a busy, busy time lately. Much of it has to do with getting myself organised for The Stitches Craft & Hobby Show in Maryborough on the 22nd, 23rd and 24th of August. It's in conjunction with The Wide Bay & Fraser Coast Home Show & Outdoor Adventure Expo (what a mouthful) which is being held at the showgrounds. It's very easy to get to if your heading south from Bundaberg it's on the right hand side of the highway near Sexy Coffee or if you're heading north reverse it. Oh.... you want to know about Sexy Coffee... it's a very good place to stop for a bite to eat and no they don't serve you topless or have an under the counter menu. Just good food, coffee and a huge sign with a pair of crossed legs on it. Don't let that put you off if you want somewhere to eat. I hear Pudding Lane will also be at the expo, that sounds like my kind of stall. After all Christmas isn't that far away and we're having cool days so what better reason to eat pudding (better buy 2).

So in approx 10 days I will be at the showgrounds with my stock, doing demonstrations and hopefully meeting lots of lovely people. If you're out and about come and have a look and a chat.

Last Sunday I went to the PCYC craft markets (held on the 2nd Sunday of the month) which I do most months so if you'd like to see something before you purchase it that's a good place to find me. Although it's a good idea to email me at helen@lornabluestudio.com.au and let me know what you'd like to look at because I can't fit all my stock on the tables so some of it gets left at home. From there I went to the I Scrap Therefore I Am Sunday Scrap and had a great afternoon. Cassie and Petrina had asked if I would do some packs up and we had a sketch challenge. The atmosphere was great with lots of talking and laughing. It's a bit nerve racking trying to put together a pack as everyone's taste is different but they seemed to go over OK.

Today I spent doing some last minute orders for the show and was assisted by my cat Maggie. She very kindly pushed her way onto my lap, shed all over me, tried to walk on the keyboard and then when I wouldn't oblige by leaving what I was doing to feed and fawn all over her she went off in a huff and fell asleep. Such a hard life.

A bit of news for the family: I had lunch with Aunty Dot and Uncle John yesterday. They called in for a few hours before heading south again.

A Funny Story

I've been away for a week down to the Sunshine Coast to do a few business related things and catch up with some friends and I have to tell you a story my friend Myrna told me. First of all Myrna is a lovely lady who is very young at heart, is always doing things for other people and I'm so happy to have her as a friend. She's also 70 yrs old (young). Just recently she was out with two of her daughters and one of the girls mother in-law shopping at Kawana Waters. They had finished and went to the car to head home. While the girls put the shopping in the boot Myrna was just standing waiting with her handbag held in hand just loosely by her side and the next thing you know a young guy ran past and grabbed it out of her hand. It took her a minute to realise what was going on as I think most of us would.

Now here's the funny part, once she realised she set off in chase after the guy - yelling "thief - he stole my bag - bastard - he's got my bag". When the two daughters realised they started after him as well yelling as as loud as they could. A man who had just gotten into his car heard them and got out to offer assistence. With that the young guy dropped the bag and kept running, Myrna's not sure if it was the sight of the 3 of them running after him yelling loudly or the gentleman who got out to help but she got her handbag back. It doesn't matter really. She did have a sore shoulder for a few days and it's made her a bit more wary when she goes out. I agree with her he is a bastard for doing that, imagine if she had been knocked to the ground.

I also had the opportunity to attend a market day at the Decorative Folk Artists of Qld Annual Paint In weekend. It was held down at the Crowne Plaza Caloundra and I met some lovely ladies who were having a fantastic time - the theme this year was Jungle so lots of vines and wild animals. I had a great day soaking up the atmosphere and got to sell some products as well.

Busy Week

Well I don't know where that week went but it doesn't feel like I achieved much. I did however manage to go and watch my nephew play hockey which was really nice as he doesn't live here so I don't see him much (or his brother). The championships were on (at least I think thats what it was - I really should know - bad aunty) anyway whatever it was I was only interested in Jesse. The gentleman next to me however decided I needed a running commentary, he was being nice but really I had no idea what he was talking about.

Now I have been tagged by the lovely Kylie over at 4theloveofscrapping.blogspot.com and I'm supposed to answer some questions and then tag 4 other people and I promise next post I will. It's just that this blog thing is very new to me and although I read quite a few I haven't commented on a lot of them so it feels a little strange. But I'm willing to play.

My other news is that I've been elected President of the Bundaberg Business Womens Network so that's all very exciting. I've been the Treasurer for the last two years and so now I get to hand that job on and take on another.

Scrapping Sunday

I belong to a scrapbooking group called I Scrap Therefore I Am that meets in the church hall once a month on a Sunday afternoon. It's a very informal club that was started by Petrina and Cassie (blog links to the right) and it's a great way to get together and scrap. We all bring a plate so there's always plenty of delicious food and it's great to see what other people are up to and if your stuck on finishing a layout someone will provide some inspiration or suggestions. Once a year there's a retreat and we also do the Girls Night In for a breast cancer fundraiser. This is a page I was working on at the last meeting, it was almost finished but I decided when I went home to add some chipboard flowers that I "opaled". Opals is a thick embossing enamel from a company in Tasmania, it has lots of applications and it's great that it's an Australian product. The other layout has photo's from the Girls Night In fundraiser obviously the theme was pink.

Gladioli

Most Sundays we take ourselves off to the local markets to shop for fruit and vege's. We're very lucky here because the area has a lot of small crops so it's very easy to get variety and value. The last couple of weeks we've been buying beautiful cauliflowers that I've made into soup and the strawberries are lovely. Custard apples have started to appear as well and they have a velvety texture when you cut them open. I really like the interaction with the stall holders it's much nicer than the sterile environment of a supermarket.

Flowers are also available and on Sunday we bought two bunches of gladioli for $6, you can't beat that. I love cut flowers. Both my grandparents enjoyed having flowers around. Nana lived in Sydney and bought hers although she did have green fingers and maintained a small garden. She was prone to gathering cuttings while you were out walking, talk about embarrassing your grandkids. Mum's parents lived on a farm and Grandpa would grow long rows of flowers that he would rotate every couple of years. Sweet pea's and gladioli are the two that I remember most. $6 is pretty cheap for beautifying your house and maybe making some memories for your own kids.