Back to life...(and trying to remember where I put the reality).

Yep.  I made it to Sydney and back (...yes, even with ME driving!). I'm just trying to get my bearings again, having had such a big focus for the last few weeks.

All went relatively smoothly in Sydney.  I managed to set up and pack up and do a whole show in between, all without tears.  Nothing was stolen and nobody said anything unkind.  I met lots of interested and interesting people and had a very nice time.  I must also say that the organisers of this event are just wonderful.

We now have some more stockists, and you'll be able to find my patterns and supplies in a few more places around Australia and New Zealand.

Over the weekend, I was seen to be fondling bits of fabric on other stands, and you may well be seeing more of these prints in these-here parts.

 Two ranges that took my particular attention were by Surface Art and Veritas Design (Australian designers), and as I sat opposite them throughout the show, I thought up fabulous 50's-inspired full skirted dresses and skirts and all manner of homewares.  LOVE it.

Another new independent designer on the wholesale scene was Buddies Corner. The stand was really fresh and inspiring and the designer (Tammy) is just lovely.  She has a career background in textile design for large companies and has branched out on her own.  GO TAMMY!

 I loved the mix of yardage and panels and the mix of boys/girls children's designs.

 I didn't think to get my camera out in class, but I had to take a few photos at Peg's Pieces, before I left the shop.   Along with loads of fresh and fabulous fabrics, they have just a few (thousand) buttons....

...and the cat-themed fabrics had my head spinning with choices for a Mummy's been away gift for the smallest crafter in the family.

 Best of all, while in Sydney, I got to stay with my great friend of 25 years, Sarah.   I even finished the Divine Hat I started crocheting for her before I arrived and started a new (knitty) one.  The hat fitted Sarah's 2-year-old as well as it fitted her.  (Lots of brains in that kid's head...!)

And now, having barely landed (and taught a patternmaking class last night), I find myself cleaning up the chaos I left behind a week ago and trying to remember where I was up to in my various and scattered mental lists of loosely-prioritised to-do's.  I'm yet to muster the courage to look at the calendar ahead of next week.

Thank goodness for the long weekend ahead.  I have nothing planned.  By Tuesday, I hope that there will be a renewed focus ...and that the enormous pile of laundry at home will be a distant memory.

Another day, another adventure

Here I am, aged about 23 or 24, sitting on top of a mountain in the Lake District in England.  I'm nonchalantly crunching my way through an apple, looking for all the world like I walk up mountains every day.

 If I remember correctly, the climb nearly killed me.  I think there were tears. 

Here I am, ten years later, in Florence, looking for all the world like a natural Irish redhead on a relaxed holiday.

The months leading up to this trip were difficult, difficult times and the maintenance on that auburn do was a full-time job  (because I'm not naturally a redhead ...nor am I Irish).  You'd never guess any of this from the photo, would you? (And those 3 weeks in Italy were fabulous).

When I think of adventures, there's always a background of something overcome...  darkness before dawn,  little engines that could...  GETTING THERE is what it's about and it makes everything worthwhile.

Tomorrow I'm off to Sydney, to the AQM and to teach some classes.  Nervous-Nellie-newby-driver that I am, I'm driving up BY MYSELF.  (I plan to take lots of breaks, lots of snacks and a couple of audio books).

I'll show you photos when I get there.

Good in a crisis

I am. I'm a lateral-thinker. A problem-solver. A survivor.

It's probably because I get SO MUCH practise with it... what with my life being a litany of Things Going Slightly Askew, and all.

People who know me will say that perhaps if I wrote lists or did one thing at a time, or was generally less chaotic, things would run more smoothly ...but sometimes, things just HAPPEN.

My week at the Sydney Quilt and Craft Fair was a perfect example of this.
Monday's crisis: Volcanic ash cloud. No lists or tidy workroom could have saved me.

Lateral thinking: At the first whiff of a cloud over Adelaide, I was packing my bags in Melbourne and running for the nearest railway station. Somewhere during that long 12-hour overnight journey to Sydney, I received a text message to say that my Tuesday morning flight had indeed been cancelled.

Result: Although sleep-deprived and grumpy, I arrived in Sydney on Tuesday morning, in time to set up my display. My sister (who was also booked on the same Tuesday flight) arrived Wednesday morning.

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Tuesday's crises: Lost credit card (found later in the week on my desk back in Melbourne, where I'd left it mid-parking-fine-payment, when I dropped everything to jump on a train. Shame I'd cancelled it before it was found...and before I remembered to pay the parking fine). Dead phone battery and no charger for it. Publisher trying to contact me to deliver books for the show. Me, trying to contact the publisher, my sister (my helper for set-up and the show), the bank and my office (to see if my credit card was on my desk). No help to set up the enormous display.

Ok, I admit it - a bit less multi-tasking and a bit more list-writing might have saved me on the credit card and phone front. But give me a break... I was running for the one train that would get me to Sydney in time to set up.

Lateral thinking: I bothered the staff at the exhibition centre for a phone every hour or so, found a bank in the street and cancelled the credit card, stayed late and got in early Wednesday morning to finish setting up the display. I finally found a charger to borrow and found out that my sister was on the way... on the bus.

Result: I slept (guiltily.... thinking of Leonie on the bus) on a soft and comfy hotel bed, only having had one moment of near-complete-meltdown during the day. Ready for business on first day of the show.
My hanging mobile of Tulip Dresses and children's accessories received a lot of attention, which was good because it'd taken some serious lateral-thinking to work out that little corner of the stand.


The books arrived, and sold so well that I needed a second delivery before the weekend. Despite two boxes of them having had a rough courier ride, there were still enough undamaged copies to get me through the show.
"You Sew, Girl!" , the book, was well-received. I even had people who had bought it elsewhere coming up to thank me for writing it. That was nice.



Then I lost my voice. And my right eye swelled up (some sort of bite between my eyelid and brow). Luckily, I had the best bunch of helpers I could have asked for and they did an amazing job. Many thanks to Leonie, Cass, Peta, Gay, Nicole and Fiona for keeping the show on the road.This morning's crises were mere trifles... trying to exchange about $400 worth of $1 and $2 coins before banks opened and my flight was due to leave. My bags were overweight. I got up extra-early and managed to swap coins for notes with various vendors about the airport and then checked in.... only to have the flight delayed until midday. My bags were still overweight but the check-in girl didn't notice.

I got home and I'm happy to be here.

I can't say that I enjoyed my week in Sydney, but I did enjoy being at the show itself. I enjoyed meeting new people and catching up with old friends. I enjoyed seeing people enjoying what I do. I'm also glad that my history of dealings with badly-aligned planets, chaos and disorganisation stood me in good stead for all that was thrown at me. I'm glad that I survived.

Ok. Melbourne Quilt and Craft up next.

How to spot a 40-something blogger

Beyond caring what strangers might think (and always thinking of the next blog post), they can be seen in crowded boarding gate lounges at airports, trying to capture the dishevelled state of an outfit that looked reasonably elegant at the beginning of the day. (Note to self: wear more georgette and less linen).

Just to record the moment, they will occasionally photograph worn out shoes and swollen, blistered feet. It tells a story, ya know?

Poetry in a Kodak Easyshare moment.... (see? I even put in a link... I must be a blogger).

Then there's the photo of the bag that tells a lot about the difference in the climate between Melbourne and Sydney. (Yes, the Beach Bag can hold an overcoat, and can be carried around on a hot humid day in another city... a hilly city... in heels).

So anyway.... that's 40-something blog-talk for saying that I had a Day Of Very Important Meetings all over Sydney early this year. Contracts are now signed by all parties, so I guess the worst-kept-secret in blogland is no longer a secret.

So... I'd better get back to work.