It's been kinda busy around here

Yes indeedy, the past couple of weeks have been busy.....assiduously busy! They have vanished into a smaze of frenetic activity which all that remains is a memory of a swirling, obscure cloud of creative activity.

There have been the daily kiddo lessons.

Here at the 'Kim Sharman School of Stitching Excellence' my 'little' girls have been playing with the big girl's toys. A couple of my clever girls have quilted the baby quilts they have stitched, on my quilting frame.

The girls had the best time swirling and twirling the sewing machine round and round, up and down in a meandering fashion all over their quilts. They took to it like the proverbial wee li'l ducks to water, in what seemed like no time at all. Amazing really....there is no limit to their talents. It was a wonderful exercise in free hand machine quilting, without the safety net of lines to guide them. The absence of lines is such a freeing activity. It releases them from the 'ho hum-ness' of following the lines and worrying about making li'l boo boos. So much more fun to divert from that predetermined, drawn line. They enjoyed it so much that they are now keen to make a patchwork quilt for themselves and quilt those on the frame.

After finishing the quilting the girls then stitched the binding to their quilts. From start to finish they chose the fabrics, placed the squares in an arrangement that was pleasing to them, to the sewing of  the last stitch on the binding.

One of my girls stitched new patchwork curtains for her newly painted bedroom. Yes indeedy, they are all learning life long skills.

There was a little stitching for the school fair. I tarted up a few op shop finds for li'l earthlings. I dived deep, deep down into my hamper filled with fabric scraps and embroidered pretties and gave these denim garments a li'l bit of new life. I happened upon an op shop here in Tassie, where one can fill a shopping bag for $5! I always seem to squeeze oodles of 'finds' into them. I think the last visit I managed to squeeze about 15 articles of clothing into one bag. A bargain in anybody's language. These were popular amongst the school community.

Though I set up a small stall to prettify my li'l corner of the school hall, my prime focus was a to set up a craft table where the madding crowd came and created funky pencils. My husband and I stood for hours helping the kiddos create their pencils, adding beads, chenille sticks, googly eyes, feathers, cutting out foam......whatever else they dreamt up to make their one of a kind funky pencils. Alas, no photos.......there wasn't a second to take any happy snaps. Before I could pop out the camera the school bell rang and then the bedlam fun begun. Though of course I would have been a very strange sight. Throughout the evening I rather resembled the abominable crafty monster with all manner of strange things attached to my personage. We were deluged with a whirlwind of  non-stop juvenile creativity. Each year I have a table where I conjure up some kinda craft activity for the kiddos to do and all funds raised go back to the school. 'Tis always exhausting but sooooo much fun!

Alas there are limited aesthetic parameters and restraints within a school hall to make a stall look spiffy....but I did try. I fear that I don't do the ubiquitous table where everything is plonked on it.... a DNA deficiency deep within me, I'm afraid. No siree, in the pursuit of all things inventive, I cart my props that furnish my home and use them to mix it up a bit.

I had a very busy night chatting to the community who happened upon my stall. Some mums were interested in having their children come to the 'Kim Sharman of Stitching Excellence'. Oh and I might add that my hexi quilts initiated oodles of conversation. It seems the madding crowd were unaware of my hexies (strange I know....as I am thinking you are all a li'l bit over them) but they have come home with me.....again. Jack and his li'l family and the cute as cute house that he built has come home to hang out with me in my humble abode, for a li'l while longer, as well. It seems that the throngs weren't as enamoured of my li'l family as some of my bloggy friends; or if they were their purses remained tightly clasped shut! If nothing else my stall  put a smile on the odd dial.

Speaking of hexies......remember the hexie that I fashioned for a wedding gift for the bride and groom. Well....'tis finished. Hallelujah!! Please forgive my unbridled joy but as it was all stitched by hand it seemed at times a gargantuan job, and I am a li'l relieved that I don't have to try and cajole the slippery, satin varmint to behave anymore! Alas, I finished it rather hurriedly and had to catch the post en route for a quick dash to ole Sydney town, so I only took one or two quickie happy snaps.

Apparently the groom proposed to the bride in a hot air balloon, so I stitched a free hand machine sketch and placed it on the block in celebration of their momentous occasion. I quilted wide teal ribbon over every seam on the back, so in essence it is two quilts in one.

Even though I haven't come up for air very often these past weeks, to catch my breath, I have strolled around the garden to have a bo peep which floral pretties are popping up their pretty li'l heads....and....of course I have been filling baskets with floralicious Spring delights that are beginning to bloom, to prettify my humble abode.

To retain some semblance of sanity, I intermittently found my way to our sunny front room to while away a few snippets of time, enjoying a cuppa, a mag or two and of course marvelled at the pretty outlook of the windows. This room is one of our guest rooms and as it has a north-east aspect, it is bathed in sunshine and light for most of the day. There are big picture windows on three sides and there are so many oh so pretty vignettes, all jostling for the prize of floral prettiness. Mmm...think I might go in there and sit awhile right now!

 I was in need of a 'side table' for my li'l nook so I placed a pretty Wedgewood dinner plate atop an old lamp shade frame....and.....VOILA!! I must say I love it!!

Over the next couple of days I am going to make a concerted effort to sit and drink in the floral filled Spring vignettes and have those knitting needles clickety clacking away and finish my brightly coloured jumper. Believe it or not, although Spring has tentatively begun to spread it's warming, colourful hands here and there, down here in Tassie, it is still a wee bit chilly and there will be a few more opportunities to gad about in my hand knit. I can but live in hope. The mornings are still a wee bit frosty.

So with the knitting of my woolly in mind, it's toodles from me. Hope you all have the most wonderful week!