🌷 Showtime is over 🌷

So I'm back for real now! No more sneaking around and hiding my craft work and what I've been making. 😂 It is always difficult in the months leading up to our annual show to make things to put away, to complete commissioned work for customers and to make things and show on my blog. I will have to think up a new system on how to get around this problem.

 

Again, the entries were down in the pavilion, in most sections and this is a pity. Our young generation may never get to see all the amazing crafts out there in the world. People have told me repeatedly that their work is not good enough to enter, and it cranks my handle a bit when I hear that. The show is really a display for the whole community to see and it is a means of attracting people from other places to visit our town. I don't know how to overcome this problem as it is the same for many other regions. 

In the meantime, friends of mine and myself continue to make as much as we can so there is a display in the show. 

Below is my knitted scarf that won first prize🏆 and won the blue ribbon in the Needlework section for overall winner. I haven't won the ribbon before, Heather the feather has, so it was nice to win it, though I would rather see someone else take it home. 

I made this bag and entered it in the Craft work section. The pattern was something I saw on Youtube and really loved the texture and design. It won first prize and will go with me to the markets to sell.

I had fun testing my crochet skills with these two little cute baby jackets. They didn't win any prizes but it was good to get more practice in crochet.

Now this beauty did win 1st prize and I have to say, I really love it. I loved making it, the colour is super and the feel of it as it was made was so soft.

I'm loving old Youtube, honestly, I have found so many interesting patterns that by reading a pattern, I would never have understood what to do. Below are a couple of woolly hats, they were fun to knit. I love the smocked look on the pink hat and the bobbled hat was fun to make purely because I loved the feel of the yarn. I know, crazy hey!!

My first prize baby booties....love them.

So here is the old gym gang at our coffee get together. We decided to meet at an old pub in town that had been closed for about 20 years and Esther (grey and black striped top and standing to the left of me in this photo) and her husband have been renovating the pub for about four years. Finally it is open as a coffee, eatery, alcohol beverages and a gathering place. It is fabulous.

Oh Lord, that grin!

Well my precious friends, I am off now to catch up on so much house work it isn't funny anymore. The last two weeks, build up to the show has just been crazy. I have also judged in the Needlework section in a neighbouring town for their show. I was honoured once again to be asked to judge at their show. I would love to hear from anyone in regards to ideas on how to encourage people to enter their works in to the show. I am almost at the end of my ideas and would love to hear from you.

Ciao, Anita. 🌻

 

🌷 Happiness often sneaks in a door you didn't know you left open. 🌷    

Hello beautiful friends! I only have a few pieces of work to show you because all my time has been spent on making show entries for the 2021 annual show here in town. I can show you this woolly hat, mitten and scarf set I have made for a customer. A cute little shark set for a boy. All pieces have been made without any pattern and just by looking at photos of what I've seen on the internet. 😂

I love the teeth and red gums of the shark mouth on the mitts. lol I ran out of the grey yarn otherwise I would've added some fins.

We have been saving hard to buy an outdoor setting, and as they are expensive, we first bought the two seat piece and then the two single seats. It is not a very good photo because today it is overcast and the light is shining through the blinds.

In recent weeks I've spent lots of time out in the garden. That is in between all the rain we have had this winter. I have scored lots of bargains over our buy and sell page on facebook. I picked up two very tall blue glazed pots yesterday for $50 each!!! They are heavy and they are beautiful. I have placed them at each end of my Greek garden.

I also bought a Moses statue last fortnight. He is amazing and a much loved addition to my garden.

The other additions to the garden are....   

a new outdoor umbrella to fit into the wrought iron seating that has also been moved to the outside area.

Used brick blocks that have replaced the old wooden sleepers that used to be in my Italian garden area.

Concrete angel shelves gifted to me from lovely Chris. I love them! 😊

I have also purchased a gorgeous plant called Red Anna. I'm waiting hard to see how this little beauty grows.

Everyone in town is stunned by all the rain we have had this winter and I have to say, I last remember this kind of winter when I was a child. There have been so many days in a row with continuous rain, and for my Italian friends, just to let you know, this is not usual for Australia. Especially not in our area.

So now I leave you all for another week and hopefully I will have some sort of craft work to share with you next week. 

 

I am also waiting patiently for Heather the feather to return to Western Australia. She has been on a holiday which has become an extended stay. The longer she stays away, the more havoc she will cause. 😂😂😂😂😂😂.

Ciao, Anita.

 

 Best friends  

they know how crazy you are and still choose to be seen with you in public  😂

I think I know what it feels like to be one of those bears that have gone into hibernation for the winter!!! 🐻🐻  The last month or so I have concentrated on my health especially and through the month of June my gym group were in a Push up challenge. Every day a different amount of push ups were to be completed. A few days we had 220 push ups to get through. This was all for mental health and raising money, so it was a worthwhile cause. Now I am doing a walk/run challenge. So I believe that is were all my time has been spent on.

In the way of my craft work, I have spent time stocking up on finger less mitts,  ponchos and head bands. I can't ever keep up with the demand of either item, people just love them in the winter. I'm pretty happy about that. 😁

Beanies are another essential item that people love and that I love to make. I often get given small amounts of yarn that people think they can't make anything with because it is a small amount....but you can always find something to make. Like these two soft woolly hats.

These circular vests are amazing too!!! It's one of those relaxing projects I love sitting there making. They can be made in multi colours or in one single colour, what ever you fancy.
 

As for these amazing ponchos, three of these in this photo have been sold already. I am so happy these have come back into style because they're another favourite project of mine.    💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

When I said I've been concentrating on my health.........😅😅😅😅😅....I meant it. lol Our new instructor means business and she takes no hostages. The crew in the Running Club are another amazing bunch of people. Something I have noticed as I age, sometimes people doubt your ability to do certain things. I love it when you show them you are very capable, especially when you've out done them in something. 😇 I'm certainly not referring to any of the groups I'm with now but it has happened in the past. lol

These amazing people below are from the Running Club and they've welcomed me with open arms. I've never been a very good runner but when the gym I'd been with for years stopped offering classes then I looked for other options. I found the Running Club and slowly but surely my running is improving. A one legged ostrich could run faster than me but I keep pushing myself.

Every week we find a different place to run. Each week there is always someone new that joins in, it's so much fun. We run at night, day, rain, no rain, in puddles lol.

So as always around show time, I have nothing much to show you in my craft work because I'm busy hiding it all so no one sees what I'm making. lol Heather or Chris might copy my ideas. or they might find a better pattern than I have. 😂😂😂😂 Next post I will have something to show because I am also doing orders for people.

I hope you are all going well and healthy. I'm off to make a cuppa now, I've waited for a fair while this morning before turning on the coffee machine. I don't want to wake up His Lordship who is still asleep. lol

Love you girls!!!!

Ciao, Anita.

 The two most important days in your life are the day your were born and the day 🌷you find out why. 🌷 

Well hello lovely people 🌻 I finally have my act together and I'm sitting down to blog. We are having a typical winter's day, complete with rain, wind and the cold. lol. That kind of weather always makes you want to stay inside and chill. Last night I briefly attended my niece's 40th Birthday party until it was time to drive her children to their overnight sleepover house. It was such a lovely night and I'm so glad to have such a beautiful person as my niece. 💖 

I had double the pleasure yesterday. I got to look after Lisa's children while she went to work. So one of the amazing things I got to do was to sit outside in the sunshine, on a pallet of brick pavers, to teach a little Ninja Turtle how to crochet.😂

In my spare time, I've enjoyed my knitting and crochet work. Most of the things I make are for the markets but just quietly....(because I know Chris is reading my blog 😂😂)..I have been working on show entries as well. I won't show those things though. lol 

The pink baby set below was a commissioned item. A friend wanted a gift for a baby girl and I really loved this project. The yarn had a splash of gold shine in it, though it didn't make the item rough. You will notice that often, any yarn with the gold or silver shiny yarn entwined makes the whole project a bit scratchy.

My poncho collection for the markets is growing and a never ending flow of colour I use really makes my stock pop out. I'm determined to really to promote bright colours in my work and how exciting to see the children in my little town walking around in amazing colours. 😊

 

Another item that seems to sell extremely well are ear warmers and headbands. I have so many left over half balls of yarn sitting in my sewing shed it's not funny, and I've decided that they're going to turn into something. The striped headband below is one such item made using a half ball of yarn. Whoever buys it will be so happy with how soft it is and how pretty it looks.

The green project is a pair of ear warmers. This is one of my favourite shades of green and it is a chunky yarn. Very soft, very nice. There are endless free patterns for ear warmers on the internet.

Of course, I am always knitting or crocheting little booties because they sell very fast.

I've had some time to spend in the garden as well. I'm getting the yard more organized since getting the circular garden edging placed right. We had to get our over grown Bottle brush tree pruned right back because we had let it get right out of control. Soon we would've been getting a knock on the front door from the power authority to say.....get those branches away from the power lines. lol

Let me just contain my excitement about the bird bath I purchased on the local Buy and Sell facebook page. I took a bit of time to decide where to place it, because, believe me, it is heavy. Let me know what you think of where I placed it. I wanted it near the native trees that the birds live in.

i will leave you all for now and thank you for dropping by to see me. I love the comments you leave and I value your friendships. Have a beautiful day.

Ciao, Anita.

 

Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them.

Marcus Aurelius

 🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Hello there lovely people 😎. So many things have happened since I posted last, and I just can't believe it. My youngest son and his girlfriend have made the move to the city and will experience all that comes with living away from home. I wish them all the best in the world and I know it will be amazing for them. I do miss them dearly but would never hold them back.

I have been crocheting like a wild woman, getting orders completed, making a start on my show entries and making gifts for babies. I found this pretty baby jacket on You tube and thought I would have a go at making it. I love You tube.

I've actually made heaps of beautiful things and when I've finished making all the commissioned items, I love nothing more than having free time to make whatever I want to. One of my favourite things are the circular crocheted vests. The one below has been made for the markets and I had some of the colour left over so I made a cute little beanie to match.

I am continuing to add to my poncho collection and this cute little number below is still in the making. I need to add a tie and tassels and it's done.

I have been very successful lately on our local Buy and sell Facebook page. I managed to pick up some cement garden edging for $60 and here I've made a start in the garden to include them. I still have to re-arrange the brickwork now but that will be an on going project.

I also was lucky to pick this amazing bird bath up for only $50 and it is very heavy.....and one of the nicest bird baths I have seen in a long time. It was on the Facebook page for 13 minutes when I snapped it up. By the time I got to the sellers house they told me they had received so many messages from people wanting to buy it. How cool.
 

At work I have received over 700 little reading books that I need to catalogue and cover. Volunteers have come to help me with getting the books done quickly. Here we have the lovely Neville and Chris helping me with the covering of the books. Thanks you guys, you're just gorgeous.

On Saturday I babysat my great niece and nephews, but before I left home Mr Balloon decided to fly over and be all beautiful. 💓

So, as it is after 10pm, I think I'd better think about settling down for the night and getting some sleep. Thanks for dropping by and visiting me here. Peace be with you. 😇

Ciao, Anita.