Ernst's Big City Adventure

Ernst was very excited about going to Sew It Together. He was so looking forward to meeting some lovely bloggy crafty friends and living it up in the Big Smoke for the weekend.

Ernst had a lovely time admiring all the things being crafted at Sew It Together.

After lunch, some of the girls went on a shopping trip. Ernst was very excited, but his face fell as he watched everyone leave without him. "Wait for me Jodie" he cried...but Jodie didn't hear him. Poor Ernst.

So Ernst decided to do a little sightseeing of his own.

 . Ernst was very excited about going in an elevator (There aren't many elevators in Ernst's town!).

Not far from the hotel, Ernst made a most delicious discovery.

It was very hard to choose just one!

Next stop was Clegs. Ernst thought the stripes would make a very nice shirt, and wondered if Jodie could be distracted from her wool purchases long enough to check them out...

And of course even a little turtle knows that you can't visit Melbourne without a stop at Tessuti's. Ernst loved the soft cottons, and thought this gray gingham would look very dapper on him!

Oh Ernst, what are you doing? Those are ladies shoes!!!

Back at the Citigate, Ernst sat back and drank in the creativity around him and thought he would never have such an exciting day out again. What a lucky little turtle!

In the know

Pic from here

Ooh I love learning new things! I 'collect' information the way some people collect stamps and others collect vintage teatowels. I love to know stuff. I like to learn new things. If I find myself wondering about something, I just head straight to my faithful friend Mr Google...but often I get really annoyed at having to wade through a bunch of self promoting websites telling me they have all my answers if only I would sign up to their account/pay a membership fee/join their mailing list/buy their product...when all I really want is to hear from someone who has tried it/bought it/made it. Like, say, a craft blogger!

Well, on Sunday at the Stitches & Craft Show, in Studio 4 at 1.30pm I learned a very useful tip and an easy to find just the information I'm looking for.

Thanks to Jodie, I learned there is a way to search within blogs only, which is a fantastic way to find real information from real bloggers not pushy websites trying to sell you something!
When you open Google look across to top where it says:

Web Images Videos Maps News Books Gmail more 

Click on 'more' and select 'blogs' from the drop down menu, and get searching! Thanks Jodie for keeping us all in the know ;)

Mothers Day @ Stitches & Craft Show...

does it get any better than this?

My day began with real coffee and honey toast earnestly prepared by the kids, and loads of presents, not least of which was a pen and ink drawing of yours truly. I queried the 4 year old artist about the *ahem* detail in the picture..."That's your boobies Mummy" he grinned at me. I was desperately afraid to ask for any more detail but was thankfully assured it was my belly button. Phew! And then I had a lovely day at the show with The Junior Crafter and my very crafty Granny (who lives in Perth so it's always a treat to see her!).

I met up with an old friend, Carolyn and a new friend, Carmel and we went to Jodies talk in The Studio which was fab! Do you know Jodie? Have you heard Jodie talk before about something she is really passionate about? Like Craft? Or maybe blogging? Well, today she was talking about both and her level of enthusiasm almost put a rent in the space-time continuum (and almost got her told off again by the ever so sensible business type fellow giving a very serious and dignifed talk in the Studio next door!). Anyway the talk was funny and entertaining and informative and really quite inspiring...a bit like the girl herself really *grin* I made a little purchase at the RicRac stand, very exciting.

I ran into Bec and had a bit of a catch up at Nikki's stand, while Bec's daughter and my daughter sized each other up, liked what they saw and wandered off to draw some pictures together for the storywall. Saw Nikki of course, (and the other Nikki!) and admired the beautiful bags and hats, and oh my gosh, I really wanted to get a kit and make one of her gorgeous purses but there were too many choices and I didn't know what I could do (not having actually made any purses before and not being at all good with zips or those metal closing thingys!) and I got so overwhelmed by choice I didn't choose anything at all, and now I'm kicking myself VERY HARD because I wish I had bought a kit to take to S.I.T. next weekend where there will be plenty of crafty girls on hand to help me if I get stuck! Not to mention Nikki herself will be there! Doh!


I introduced myself to Caitlin of Pippijoe who was lovely and who's fabric designs I have admired for quite some time! I just missed Liesl but will be admiring an iron with her next Friday over a little glass of something bubbly and at a certain crafty girl's place.

It was heaven on a stick for a crafty-bloggy girl and has made me more excited about Sew It Together which is only a week away!

Need more time?

It's a busy time of year for everyone. I get that. But lately, I simply do not have enough hours in the day to cope with all the Christmas preparations (not the crafty kind unfortunately), the many end of year school and kinder events, not to mention preparations for my sister-in-law's wedding (which is next week. Yes, really.) and which includes two of my three kids in the wedding party. And all this is being done on next to no sleep thanks to my little Poor Point 3.

It's little wonder really that I have no time left for crafty adventures! However, I seem to have found the answer to my problem in this great little Crafter's Clock I picked up at the Daylesford Makers Market.

Jodie, you're a genius. I'll be back on top of everything by Tuesday.