Sewing For Sydney - Team Blue!

You may have heard about a wonderful quilting collaboration - Sewing For Sydney - happening at the moment?  The delightful Molli Sparkles came up with a wonderful idea - to make quilts for the families of the two people who were sadly killed during the Lindt Cafe siege in Sydney before Christmas.  I was totally on board the day I saw the call out, and whipped up five blocks and sent them off.

A few days later, I noted just how many blocks Molli was receiving, which meant his goal of making a "couple" of quilts was going to be very quickly blown out of the water, and he may just need a little help?  I sent him a quick message, telling him I'd be more than happy to put a quilt top together if need be.  It was a resounding yes, and a couple of weeks later, 168 lovely little hashtag blocks arrived on my doorstep.

And a couple of hours later, I had a layout, ready to sew together.  It was a very random layout, as requested by Molli, and I loved the way the colours all looked!

The quilt top was reasonably quick and easy to put together - it helped that I was directed not to worry about lining up the hashtag seams - cos that wasn't going to happen!!!

 

Yesterday was our Melbourne Modern Quilt Guild's sit n sew day.  I took the quilt top along, as the Blue Team's baton was being handed over to Andrea - a fellow Melbourne quilter who had offered to put the backing and binding together.  We showed the guild members - some of whom had contributed blocks to the cause.  It was a really lovely way to demonstrate how a community of quilters, from ALL over the world, can come together to hopefully bring some cheer to families who have lost such a dear loved one.

So, this lovely quilt top will soon be off to our Team Blue's long arm quilter, for some magic to happen, before it is bound and sent back to Molli for distribution!

So - I just want to send out a big THANK YOU to Molli, for allowing me to be a part of this bigger picture.  You've done a good thing girlfriend. xxx

Collaborate For A Cause 2013 - A Handmade Love Fest!

A few weeks ago, I shared a work in progress with you all, and mentioned Collaborate For A Cause.  Well, the time is almost here for the biggest Facebook auction of the year to start!  If you haven't heard of C4AC before, then here's a very quick intro - The wonderful Jen Kennedy from Ainslee Fox Handmade started it three years ago, pulling together the handmade community, to collaborate with one another and raise money for charity!  Last year over $40,000 was raised!  You can learn more about C4AC HERE.

Tonight, I'm sharing with you my finished collaboration with Danielle over at Cottonberry Kids!

 

I had never actually heard of Cottonberry before, but put my hand up looking for someone to collaborate with, and Danielle was brave enough to approach me (I don't know about you, but approaching people I don't know is hard, for fear of rejection!) and of course I said a big YES!  We got to brainstorming about what we wanted to create, and a few days later I received The Intrepid Thread newsletter via email and the Riley Blake "Hipster" range jumped out at me!  I messaged Danielle and suggested the range - and it all went from there!  Julie from The Intrepid Thread kindly gave us a discount on the fabric when she found out it was for charity - so thanks Julie!!!

For my half of the collaboration I used THIS pattern/tutorial for a little pinwheel doll's quilt.  I made a few little changes, just by adding extra borders, and the finished size is 19.5".  And the backing fabric is a gorgeous Riley Blake polka dot in the same bold colours!

I sent the little quilt over to Danielle, and she did a fabulous job photographing it - especially considering the horrible weather she had to deal with!  Her beautiful doll - named Rylee-Kate - is so utterly divine and just screams Happiness!

Our collaboration is raising money for Red Kite - a national cancer charity that offers support to children, young people and their families while they undergo their cancer journey.

If you love Rylee-Kate, her quilt and little pillow, you can bid on them from the 26th of July, at 8pm HERE.  The auction finishes on the 28th of July at 8pm.  There are HUNDREDS of collaborations in the album - and they are all absolutely, positively AMAZING!  You NEED to check it out, and you NEED to tell everyone you know about it!  There is something there for everyone - and it's a great time to grab some awesome handmade goods to put aside for Christmas!

So go on - what are you waiting for?


PS - Last chance to enter my GIVEAWAY tonight! Free fabric anyone? xx

An Underwear Wrap

It just occurred to me, whilst sitting here looking at the screen blankly, that I failed to write a post about the Underwear Drive, and the end results!  Back in the first week of January (we're almost at February people!!!  How did that even happen?), bushfire season started with way too much of a bang, in the beautiful state of Tasmania.  We had just returned from a week there, we left the day after the fires began, and I entertained the idea of doing another Undies Drive.  I ran one back in 2011 for those affected by the devastating Queensland floods, and thought I would be able to get a box or two together to send to Tassie......

The difference between 2011 and now is that I have a much more viewed FB page, with lots of charitable people it seems!  I set up Events on both my personal and business pages and before I knew it, had parcels arriving on my doorstep, people I had never met before knocking on my door and strangers trusting me enough to deposit cash donations for me to purchase underwear on their behalf.  K-mart became my second home and I became accustomed to strange stares in the underwear department as I filled trolleys and baskets with a varied and interesting array of knickers, socks and bras!

The best plans can sometimes stumble, and when my hope for how it would all be delivered fell through, I went searching.  I found a fabulous page on FB that a lovely gal called Mel had started called  - "Tassie Fires - We Can Help".  I found a post from a lovely lady in Melbourne called Tess, who was taking a 3 tonne truck down on the ship to Tassie, and would be happy to take any Melbourne donations.  I got straight on the phone, and before I knew it, had a way of getting it all there!  I also messaged Mel to find out who I could donate the underwear to, and she pointed me to Foodbank Tasmania.

I was astonished and very proud at the end of the ten day drive to tally everything up.  The Queensland drive delivered just over 400 pieces of underwear.  The Tassie drive?

225 mens jocks, 102 bras, 528 ladies undies & 49 camisoles, 89 pairs boys socks & 6 singlets, 107 pairs mens socks & 6 singlets, 151 pairs ladies socks, stockings, 94 pairs girls socks & 19 singlets, 350 girls undies, 303 boys jocks, 4 schools bags, 6 lunch boxes, 2 drink bottles, 15 hand knitted jumpers & cardi's, 2 bags of school supplies and odds & ends!

That is a ridiculous 2029 pieces of underwear!!!

My house was taken over by bags, boxes and coat hangers.  My kids got used to strangers dropping undies at our door.  And I was overwhelmed with the kindness of people all over our beautiful country!

All the boxes piled up during sorting.

Waiting for more boxes...

All sorted and ready to go!  15 boxes FULL of brand new underwear!

I'm happy to say they were all delivered to Tess on Saturday the 19th of January, and they were to be delivered to Foodbank soon thereafter.

So a big THANK YOU to everyone who participated, spread the word and eagerly helped out!  I'm sure that all the recipients of your generosity would thank you too if given the chance.

And as our country continues to be ravaged by Summer storms, I would urge you to help out a little more if you can.  The Red Cross have appeals set up for bushfires, floods, everything!  You can find details HERE.

On a slightly different but same note, I was just reading over at Edenland, and Eden asked why her readers read her blog?  Amongst other things, Eden gave me a gentle nudge the push I needed to become more charitable last year.  I'm planning to continue.  Do you have plans to be charitable this year?

Ps - Giveaway finishes TONIGHT!

Another Pox Post

We made it home from holidays.  Usually not a news worthy statement, but it was a bit touch and go there for a while!  If you read my New Year's Day post, you would know that Murphy's Law ascended on us and gave my eight year old son a good, decent, solid case of the chicken pox.  It knocked the poor kid for an absolute six.  What was most unusual about this scenario was that I remained strangely calm and relaxed during it all!  I'm still rather confused as to why I was, but also very impressed with myself....

Once we could get to a pharmacy, the day AFTER the pox arrived, and spent a small fortune stocking up on Pinetarsol (that shit stinks), Sol Site gel (expensive little tube of scar healing gel) and Phenerghan (GOLD), my poor little man just slept off the pox.  He also became a beautiful, darling little child, who actually came to me for a hug and let me look after him.  So, basically the complete opposite to what he would normally allow me to do!  Cadyn is a Daddy's boy..... Well, he was - until Daddy pushed him in to the ocean for some salt water therapy.  I think the other beach going families thought we were attempting some sort of strange baptism.  I went forth and explained to one of the families that we weren't in fact trying to kill him, but that he had chicken pox and we were trying to heal him.

Anyway, a couple of days later, and our cheerful lad returned in all his smart-arse glory.  Straight back to annoying his sisters and non-stop commentating of sporting events.

I called our airline to check what I needed to ensure that we could get on the plane home in a few day's time.  I spoke to Marg from the airlines, and was directed to get a letter from a Doctor to say he was fit for travel.  That's it.  So I made an appointment at the nearest GP, 20 minutes away in Beaconsfield (yep, the Beaconsfield that is unfortunately famous for the mining disaster) and when we presented there the day before travel, a hippy like looking GP wearing boardshorts and a check shirt with a leather necklace wrote me a little medical certificate to say we were A OK to get on a plane and not infect everyone with the pox.....

We spent our last 24 hours in Tassie at the beach and also having lunch at the marina, then headed to the airport.  And this my friends is where my calm, relaxed facade instantly disappeared......

Our family of six lugged all our shit to the start of the line and when called went to the check in desk.  I presented our booking forms and then proceeded to explain our son's predicament and gave her the medical form.  Airline lady looked momentarily perplexed as she looked from the medical form then to Cadyn and back again.  She then got out a small folder and flicked through, clearly not having any idea what to do.  Next step was heading over to another older airline lady and asking her advice.  Young airline lady disappeared and older airline lady headed towards us stating that the medical certificate was not enough and that young airline lady was going to consult their nurse.

WHAT THE F*CK!?!?!?!!?

Right about then was when my cool disappeared and my ranty pants returned.  I managed to rant without expletives, which in itself is a miracle.  I felt Andrew's hand on my shoulder as he tried to calm me down, but I was so frustrated at the thought of doing all I was told to do, and then possibly being stuck in Tassie whilst half our family left....

My cool returned whilst we stood waiting patiently shitty as hell for around ten minutes.  We'd sent the four kids away to sit together in case Andrew had to lose his shit upon airline lady's return.  We also now had a very captive audience of fellow traveller's who were becoming increasingly restless with the wait.  Airline lady appeared with folder in hand and asked to see Cadyn.  So we called him over so he could be inspected in front of everyone, and she asked if his spots were all scabbed over (fuck I hate that word)?  Well, you're looking at him lady??  Then, in all her wisdom, she declared he was able to fly!

HOORAH!

So we got our tribe home, relatively happy and healthy and I'm just biding the time waiting for both girls to present pox like symptoms so that the school holidays can just be that little bit more FUN!

I have a couple of lessons for you in this post - 

1.  Do not think that just because your child is immunised against chicken pox that they won't get it.  And don't think that if they do get it, it will necessarily be a mild case.   A friend asked me why we couldn't just get on the plane without saying anything?

My point made....only a balaclava would have made getting on to the plane easier.....

2.  Don't trust an airline phone operator with a Malaysian accent called Marg.  

3.  DO GO TO TASSIE FOR A HOLIDAY!  You may or may not be aware that they are currently going through a terrible bushfire season.  100's of homes lost and no respite just yet.  This was our second holiday to the Apple Isle, and I can highly recommend it for a great place to visit.  I am planning on running an Underwear Drive to aid those who have lost everything (including their undies), and have contacted Foodbank Tasmania, to be recipients of any donations.  If you would like to contribute to the underwear drive, please email me msmidge1@bigpond.com and I will forward details.  If you can't donate underwear, you can donate to The Red Cross Tasmanian Bushfires 2013 Appeal.  If you can spare a few dollars, they will make sure it goes a long way.

Beautiful Green's Beach, Tasmania.

Amazing Cataract Gorge, Tasmania.

So - how are you getting through these holidays?


****  Edited to say that I will in fact be running the Underwear Drive!

Dolly Drive

Nope, I'm not talking about the magazine I spent hundreds of hours flicking through in the 80's, I'm actually talking about REAL dollies!  Am I going bonkers?  No!  Although I very well may just do that now that I have committed myself to making a doll/softie.....

The lovely gals over at The Sewing Library (I know, I know - I'm a sewing geek!) have organised a fabulous Dolly Drive, and their aim is to provide Australian Children's hospitals with 1000 dolls and softies to donate to sick kiddies.  Fabulous yes??  They have teamed up with the amazing Sarah from Dolls and Daydreams, who just happens to design amazing little dollies and sells the patterns.  BUT, upon further investigation today (yep, I'm a bit late to the party) I've discovered Sarah also has a blog called Dolly Donations.  It's a fabulous blog with lots of great stories of dolly drives throughout the world!  And last Friday she wrote a post about our Aussie drive.

There are many, many amazing doll makers out in the world, and my kids are very lucky to own a few themselves, which is great, because I have never had the urge to make one......until now.  I have just purchased this gorgeous Nesting Dolls pattern, because quite frankly - the idea of sewing and stuffing little limbs makes me extremely nervous!  If my attempt at softie making is successful, then I shall make a couple to contribute to the cause.  And if it's a big fat fail - I will still contemplate sending it off (with an apology letter !) because the dolly drive is not about perfection, it's about chipping in for charity!

If you would like to join in the drive (1000 dolls/softies by the 1st of March!) please pop on over to the TSL Dolly Drive 2013 page and get stuck in!  I will be sure to keep you all posted on my progress or lack thereof with this little project!  I'm thinking Ms Chelsea may even like to join in the fun!

Random Acts of Kindness - Amidst the Sillyness!

So I've been trying to be all up-beat and stuff about this whole festive thing happening at the moment.  I've made a myriad of handmade gifts for teachers and friends - and even my kids.  I'm taking Chloe in to the city on Thursday as a surprise, to go and see the Myer Christmas windows and whatever else Christmas themed we can find in there.  I've been to Christmas gatherings, have my work dinner this week, and am heading to a friend's house from our old neighbourhood on the weekend for a catch up.  For good measure - I'm even baking a frigging Christmas cake!!

I've finished the gift shopping.  Still yet to wrap everything.  I've sort of decided what we will be eating Christmas day, but still really have no idea.  I even managed to track down the last remaining hire car 12 seater mini van in Tasmania, for when we arrive there after Christmas.  We are thinking this holiday will be rather reminiscent of National Lampoon's Vacation!

I'm still looking forward to the excitement my kids bring to the table on Christmas Day.  The ripping open of wrapping paper, the untwisting of stupid bloody plastic ties ensuring parents cannot help Barbie escape from the box she came in.  The fighting over whose toy is who's, and the closely followed by threats of Santa asking for said toys to be sent back to him...

Amongst all of this excitement and happiness, there's also the reality that there are so many people out there who are doing it tough.  Whether it be financially, poor health or they will be missing someone at their family gathering.  A few days ago, I followed the lead of a couple of other business pages on Facebook.  I posted on my Ms Midge page that I would like to get in to the spirit of giving, and asked people if they knew of anyone who could with a little extra Christmas cheer?  I had 13 lovely ladies respond, without telling me details, just that they knew someone.  The following day I had to choose.  Which I couldn't really do!  So I chose to send a bigger gift to two little sisters and the other recipients would all receive something small.  

To say I was touched by the response would be an understatement.  Many people messaged me to say they would be paying it forward.  That they themselves would find someone to give a gift to and lend a helping hand.

I posted my packages today - and I had absolutely no idea what to write in the cards!  So after a bit of procrastinating, I scribed that it was a Secret Santa gift, to brighten their day.  I'm hoping it does.

Random act of music - I love this song.  I think it could be an anthem for the World.

How are you getting through this "silly season"?  Any random acts of kindness?  Paying it forward?

The Door

I'm sure that tantalising title just made you rush right here to read?  Thought so!

Yep, this door.  Our toilet door.  After living in this house for three and a half months - we finally got our new toilet door hung today!  In the scheme of things, I know it's no big deal.  But we had every single door replaced in this house before we moved in, all except this one.  This very special door was also apparently a huge pain in the ass.  It was measured and ordered multiple times before the correct size was finally delivered.  And then we waited patiently frustratingly another few weeks to have it hung.  Which was Monday just past.  After a couple of hours of banging, drilling and getting high on the smell of putty, the builder came to declare he was finished.  But instead asked us to come and see why - in his words - he is a dickhead.  He'd hung the door on the opposite side of the door jam - and right on finishing hanging and beginning the painting,  discovered it was on THE WRONG SIDE.  Which just happened to cover the light switch......

Fast forward to this morning when it was correctly hung, painted and left in peace for the day.  Joy!

You may remember my post months ago when I announced we had bought our first house?  Well, the last few months have been met with much excitement, frustration, phone calls, money and tradesmen.  And we're nearly there!  We've I've finished decorating a few of the rooms, so thought I would share......

The all important laundry.  Somewhere I spend way too much time.  I just bought those drawer thingies from Ikea to see me through until I decide on what sort of cabinetry I need in there to solve my throwing things around in a tanty......

Kid's bathroom.  Boring but functional!

Chelsea's bedroom!  I love love love her room - and so does she!  I made her rag quilt and am pleased to say she uses it all the time.  I also made her cushion and put together those painful pom poms hanging from her ceiling!

And I covered a cork board for her to use to hang her crap on - but I need to get longer thumb tacs to use!

Terrible lighting = shit photos.  But this is our front lounge room.  The mirror was bought to hang in our bedroom, but was too damn big for where I wanted it.  I'm glad it was because I love it on that wall!  My other favourite thing is the big turquoise cushion - I bought it from Ishka and Andrew is not a fan.  Which makes me love it even more!  You can't see in this photo, but to the right is a gorgeous big bright red floral print canvas!  Yet another of Andrew's favourites.......

I picked this heavy timber sign/hanging up from one of those daily deal email things that pop up - it was $26!!!  It hangs in our back living room - which is currently doubling as my laundromat so did not get featured in tonight's post!

We still have a long way to go.  Next week, we are hoping to get our new driveway done - weather permitting.  The staircase has been sanded and under-coated and is awaiting its gloss (which will take weeks of painstakingly tedious work) and the deck and backyard are yet to be completely sorted.  But all good things come to those who wait - so I'll try and be patient!

And on a completely different note - my Out To Sea Market Night went relatively well last week!  I declared I would donate 10% of the night's sales to Foundation 18 - so I'm chipping in $35!  Doesn't sound like a huge amount, but every little bit helps.  If you're feeling charitable - pop over and chip in a few dollars for their fabulous funding for the kids of Indonesia.

Is your home a work in progress?  Do you have a toilet door?

This Good Girl is Going BAD

Oh don't worry (Cos I know you were?) I'm just joining Blog Action Day.  Eden Riley wrote a great post today about Bloggers using their Blog for Good.  And it got me thinking - again.  In the past year I would have to say I have donated more, taken part more, and been called to action more.  Is it because I'm getting older?  Because I'm out of the selfish 20's and in to the reflective almost 40's 30's?  Or just because my eyes are opened more to the outside world and what is going on outside my immediate bubble?  Probably all of those and more.  Whatever the reason, I want to help more.  And if that is only by giving money, then that is better than nothing yes?

Soooooo.  Today I have decided I will be donating 10% of all sales I make from my Out To Sea Market Night to Cate Bolt's Foundation 18.  Cate builds orphanages, amongst many other things.   I have donated numerous times to Foundation 18, and mentioned them here on the blog, so I guess you could say it is one of my chosen charities!

Another awesome way of supporting Foundation 18 is by purchasing buttons from Skull Buttonry!  I received my first purchase from them a couple of weeks ago and will now be a regular shopper there too!

With only TWO MORE SLEEPS until my MARKET NIGHT, I need to pick up the pace!  Spread the word!  I would dearly love to be able to sell everything I've made, but am a realistic woman too.  I have fallen in love with this collection of clothing, and am hoping you all have too, and will join me Thursday night for a few $1 give-aways as well as some early Christmas shopping!

You can find the full Market Night Album HERE, but these are a few of my favourites up for grabs on the night....

Thoughts?  Causes?  Buttons?

Hope to see you Thursday night! 

xxx

Being Charitable and All That.....

You may remember a few days ago when I posted about my impatience and love of Instant Gratification?  Well, I've had some progress!  Today, I decided to throw myself in the deep end and attempt a REAL quilt block!  And I'm quite pleased with how it turned out.

WHY would I do this you ask?  OK, you didn't ask, but I'm going to tell you anyway.  My lovely friends over at The Oz Material Girls are sponsoring Do Your Block Quilts for Charity!  Which I thought was a great idea, and something I could be involved in.  Basically, it is a bunch of like-minded crafters pulling together and whipping up a basic quilt block, then sending them all to someone who can put them all together to make quilts for some worth recipients.  Good idea yes?

The girls have put together a downloadable instruction sheet HERE.  So if you think you would be able to put together one or even a few lovely little quilt blocks, pop on over to their Facebook Event Page and keep up to date!

Remember - you don't have to go out and buy new fabric for this - once I had committed myself, I then looked around and realised I have packed up 95% of my fabric stash!  But luckily I keep all of my scraps in plastic bags, sorted into fabric collections, so I could open up a bag and put one together.  And this is what my first REAL quilt block looks like!

Isn't she gorgeous?

Whilst you're blog-hopping, pop over to EDENLAND and check out her LATEST POST about being charitable.  She mentions a fabulous charity Foundation 18, which I have now donated to a number of times.  So GO!!

Do you quilt?  Do you like to be charitable?