Scars...not wounds.

Lately, I've been contemplating those heady days of the mid 00's, when I found myself in a vibrant and connected community of like-minded and crafty souls. Since then, many of those blogging buddies have become real-life friends, staying in touch across other digital platforms and real-life meetings instead of through blog posts, comments and late-night email conversations. The bonds that we formed over chats about knitting needles and ironing board covers remain solid.

In those early days, this blog was a mix of business, personal life and crafty hobbies. Sometimes I drew threads of connection between those. Other times, I would have a bit of a rant, promote a new product or event, or simply share a moment of joy.

Blogging gave me the habit of regularly reflecting on life, as I was living it. It served as an archive for photos of the things that my then-wee-girl and I were making and doing, as much as it connected my business to the world. It gave me the space to write - to craft sentences and play with words - and I loved it.

In the last few years, I've rarely had the ability to blog like I used to, and I've felt that loss acutely.

Times change.... Life has changed.

The social media landscape is completely different.

The "wee girl" is a teenager.

I've scaled YOU SEW GIRL right back - to mostly an Etsy store and a few teaching gigs.

Teaching in higher education has led me in exciting new directions (...fancy a lesson in Design Thinking, anyone...?).

The original You Sew Girl feels like a lifetime ago and I wonder how relevant blogging under this banner might be.  And yet, I still want to write here - in the old way... to pull the threads of life together - for myself, if for no other reason. Old habits, I suppose.

For the last few years, it's been difficult to find the time... but more than that - it's often been a struggle to find the words and pictures.

The other day, I heard the phrase "share from your scars, not your open wounds"  and it resonated. The conversation was about allowing for time and perspective before we can channel our experiences into something creative, so that other people can connect to them.  I realised that - unconsciously - this is indeed what I have been doing here (if perhaps not in real life!).

Life events in the last few years have often been such, that photographing and writing about my knitting, sewing or teaching has felt irrelevant and trite, but without the lens of pretty purses and crochet to help me talk about things, I felt that I would bleed all over the page if I tried to write.  I was stifled and stuck between these two hard places, awkwardly trying to work out what... and how... to share... when there was so much going on that I was trying to process.

Since starting my #chemostyle project, I'm more able to share the life/work journey.

I'm excited by the way that this project is taking shape, and value the experiences and connections that it is creating.  Soon, it will get a proper name and a social media space of its own.  I'm working on it!

And who knows? Maybe one day I'll start blogging here again, about my knitting and everyday life.

Or I might share a bit more about my machine embroidery.



By the way, if you'd like to join in on a #chemostyle hat-making workshop, the next one is 24th Aug.
Bookings here.

Ahem.... where was I...?

It appears that I've had better things to do than keep up a blog about the things I've been doing....  This hasn't been the case.  I've just done a bit more driving about the countryside (and collapsing - exhausted -  in a heap at the end of the day) than usual.

Last weekend, the wee girl and I made the trip out to beautiful Ballarat to see Annie at the quilt show and catch up with Jodie, Rachel and Kathryn there.  

We spent a good part of the day being led on several wild-goose-GPS-chases around the city before finding the old Mining Exchange building and the fabulous quilts it held.  I was so excited about eventually getting there (!!) and seeing the girls, the only time I thought to take the camera out was while waiting for the girls to get their cups of tea and join us at the table.

On Wednesday, there was my trunk show at The Blanket Box in Geelong - a first-outing for these newest Shell Purses.

Thanks to the lovely people who came to say hello, try on skirts and dresses and peek inside bags.

I love this Pippijoe Waterhen print.  I had a tiny scrap left over and had to use it, so teamed it with the tiny scrap left of the Portuguese linen that Meri sent to me years ago.  Fabric gold....I couldn't waste any of it.

 And there was more hacking into the GJ's haul.  I have a Shell Purse workshop and a trunk show coming up at Bargain Box Fabrics in Mornington on 28th March, so I'm making up lots of new little samples for that and thinking through all the new tricks I can show people who come to the class.

There was a fair splash of Saffron Craig fabric about the place this week, too. I'm preparing for a workshop for the International Federation for Home Economics Congress, which is to be held in Melbourne this year. I wanted to infuse an Aussie flavour into the class, so chose Saffron's cheerful prints for the job.

Precious scraps of Ink&Spindle and Yardage prints were also put to use this week. 

I'd started this patchwork bit for a workshop last year (at the Technology Teachers Association conference) and finally put it all together on Friday. 

 I made a bag (the piecing above appears on the back of the bag). 

 And I'll admit to a bit of blog-finishery here..... so that's as far as le tour de bag goes.

Oh look... there's a bag-making class....

 Yesterday was filled with the finer points of bag bases and straps and zippered gussets.... a Customised Bag in a Day workshop.  We focused on the details that make a super-special handmade bag even more special.

 (And yes, Patternmaking gals from Thursday's class... perhaps your toiles could be used as scrap tub covers after all.... the current Yoplait models could do with an update!).

There were some very satisfied bag-makers at the end of the class, and quite justifyably so.  Love ya work, girls!

So... it was a bit of a busy one and I didn't have the brainspace left to blog at the end of each day. 
But I still love you.....

Don't you love a group of crafty gals...

..who don't think it's weird when you invite them over for lunch and a spot of scissor-sharpening? Instead of leaving my scissors to be sharpened somewhere, I like to have the scissor sharpening guy (Steve) come to me and sharpen while I wait.

Since I moved away from all the fashion businesses in my previous building, I had to think of a way to make it worth Steve's time to visit.
Umm... do I know anyone else who might need scissors sharpened...?
Oh boy, do I! We had a great catch-up over cuppas and lunch. Steve the scissor guy was mighty happy (...with everything except the dodgey cup of tea I poured for him. Sorry Steve - I think the pot had been sitting there a while....).
And the entire building was completely utilised for the event.
We had babies and blocks on the balcony....
The electronic games arcade on the stairs for the bigger kids....
The small children were sent to the dungeon (the garage, resembling crafty-kid Heaven).

The intricate and careful design work in the hama bead creations spoke volumes about the world these kids live in.

As did the resemblance of this beauty, to a granny square!! (Guess whose kid...?)

Big thanks to all who came along. These lovely ladies and their great kids -

Karen

Carmel and Liz

Ann Marie

Leonie

Dee

Bec

Melissa

Nicole

Brianna

Lara

Mel

Jennie

Claire

Juddie

Michelle

Judy

Cathie

EDITED TO ADD: Distracted by the call (from a small girl) to teach a small girl how to crochet this morning, I forgot to add the grand finale to the scissor-sharpening lunch. The seedling queen (my sister) made sure anyone with space in their garden took home some of her surplus seedlings. She gets a bit excited about planting seeds, but is lacking the 40,000 acres to raise them to adult plant stage. Several of us spent some happy planting time this weekend, and look forward to heritage variety vegetables and flowers - thanks, Leonie!!

Feeling the (button) love....

...You guys..... !!

I'm quite lost for words.

You truly are wonderful, caring and thoughtful.... and I feel blessed to be a part of this community.
When Cam dropped by my house today, I thought it was to give a belated Easter Egg to the smallest in the house. She handed me a big parcel containing countless vintage buttons, cards and sweet, sweet words....all sent from different corners of the crafty Blogosphere and each one wrapped in a unique and beautiful way.

I loved reading each note - the stories behind the buttons and the thoughts that went with each gift. (And I loved the chocolate, Kate!)

A huge thank you to Christina, Cam and ... oh, if I do ll these links, I'll be here all night.... THANK YOU EVERYONE who was a part of this "cheer-up project".

I can confidently assure you that your mission was accomplished!!

Can't talk.... writing.

I'm not ignoring you - although that's the way it might appear...

Big scary deadline looming.

No time for chat just now.

Apologies for brief or unanswered emails/comments, for the lack of comments on your blog and for the lack of thoughtful blog-posts of late.

Big fish a-frying here. Back soon.

Very soon.

Scary soon.

Several blog posts behind....

Everything is happening in May and I can hardly keep up with my intentions to blog about the goings-on here.

I promised Stitches and Craft loot a while back, so before it's last year's news, here it is....

A goodie bag from Notebook Magazine, which I must say I'm really impressed with (the magazine as well as the Baci chocolate.... how did they know it was my favourite?). I took the magazine to the hairdressers on Friday instead of reading the trashy gossip magazines they usually offer. Super good read.


New felt from Winterwood - a mix of wool and viscose. I'm dying to try this stuff out - it's lovely and thick.

I treated myself to a metre of stunning Ink&Spindle fabric to make a skirt and also found some remnant pieces of Dick & Jane fabric at Earthgirl Fabrics.

A Crochet necklace from Crayon Chick and a Sausage Dog Kit from Craft Schmaft.

Edwina Bolger was next door with these irresitable egg cosies - so beautifully presented in their little noodle boxes that I went home with two of them.

I have great plans for the new Pippiejoe fabrics.... you'll see more of these.

I couldn't resist a few more button badges from Red Parka Designs. The wee girl and I seem to buy them at any craft market Jen goes to.

The always-thoughtful Nikki (as opposed to this particular Nikki) helped me on my stand at the show, and she made this book to keep my writing-obsessed girl busy.

It really speaks the wee one's language. She's been telling us that she's a frog for over a year - and now she can WRITE it!!!

I may not ever catch up on all the blog posts I planned to write. Each week seems to present a new focus, and windows of blogging oportunity pass quickly. This week is all about work on the book and then a weekend in Sewjourn. I'll fill you in when I can!

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.

Presents

I haven't been very present in blogland of late. A combination of a hectic teaching schedule, working on secret-squirrel stuff and my WILTING in the hot weather (!!) have all conspired to keep me away (....and there's also a small matter of the home - read: blogging - computer being in a room other than the one with the air conditioner).

But I've had some lovely presents lately, including this portrait of me, made out of Hama Beads by Bec's gorgeous girl on Saturday.

These booky presents arrived, too. A present to me... from me. I needed some fresh eye-candy and these also double as "sewing library reference books". (Phew!...Justified that one!).


Edited to add: Yes - I had read reviews about errata in the Heather Ross book, but as I'm NEVER likey to use a pattern or follow instructions in it, I didn't mind. (I only have to look at something and can work out how it's made.... it's been my job for 20-odd years). I really did buy the book for its eye-candy value. It's also good for me to keep a finger on the pulse by knowing what's going on in craft book world.

And I've been giving presents, too... just forgetting to blog about them. We drew our October "Spend over $50" prize last week and Wendy from Heathmont (Vic) chose some new gadgets.

For the November prize..... let's say a $25 voucher to spend in our shop. All you have to do to be in the draw is spend more than $50. We'll random-number-thingamy the invoice numbers for the month of November - and the first over-$50 WINS!

Ok... I'm off to find an air conditioner.... and think about secret-squirrel projects.