Giggle Buttons Blog!

A little sad news...

Since our blogs are about sharing a little about our lives, I am a bit sad today, my Maggie Moo (Magpie) passed away last night...

 

I found Maggie on the side of the road back in October, when he was just a tiny fluffy baby.  he had a bad eye and we think he may have been mostly blind, but he could tell when we were near his cage.  Each morning I would call from the kitchen window, 'hello Maggie Moo' and he would squawk back at me and flap his wings till one of us came out with his morning bread...

He will be sadly missed....

Until next time, keep smiling and happy stitching...

I visited Penelope today...

I stopped by my friend Penelope's house today, but she was busy getting ready for her lunch date with Roger!...so I couldnt stay long, but long enough to have a peek at her beautiful dresser and all her 'bling'...I was so jealous!....

 

She has the most beautiful taste...I must be sure to pick up a set of those earrings!

 

And I am sure her hat boxes store some beautiful bonnets for just the right occasion!...

Penelopes dresser is one a few new patterns I will be releasing at the Newcastle Show...keep an eye out on my website so you can purchase one of these patterns.  It will be available with several options...either pattern only, pattern and 5 buttons, and complete kit! 

Will get writing for this one, so I wont be late, perhaps I might find something else at Penelope's place next time I stop by...

Until next time, keep smiling and happy stitching...

Nearly ready...

Sorry I havent been here for a little while, but I have been busy painting my stand props and getting new table skirts, and painting buttons, and finishing new projects, and getting magazine deadlines done....did I forget something....Oh, and covering THOUSANDS!!!! of books for my four kids back to school....

 

These are the buttons for my new project in Country Threads....Fields of Blue...I just love my pumpkin, and my small sunflowers are a newish button to the range...

 

This is a sneak peek of my new trays for 2009!  I am very chuffed with the white...how it makes the colours of the buttons look even more eddible!!!  Although I wouldnt recommend it...otherwise the dentist might have to see you...

I am off to finish my project for my magazine deadline...not sure how its going to end up, but I promise I will share a peek really soon...

Until next time, keep smiling and happy stitching

Bums up!....

I couldnt help but share this photo...DH Geoff called me down to the kitchen pen the other night...and when he flicked on the torch, this is what I was greeted with!!!

 

Mummy hen is IN the box, but the six little babies decided they were BIG chicks now, and could sit on the fence!!!...please excuse the messy box, but I dont exactly go down and spring clean in there, and well...chooks will be chooks, I just wish they would use toilet paper!

Ok, back to it...no rest for the wicked!

Until next time, keep smiling and happy stitching!

Rose so sweet...

I have put away the pretty dress and washed off the makeup, and back to it...

 

Here is a sneak peek of just a little of my new pattern Rose So Sweet.  I have just started it...and am loving the way it is turning out.  I went for a drive to The Quilters Store and Embroiderers Store (I just missed Lynette by a whisker apparently) and found just the right thread for my stitchery, a skane of hand dyed 100% pure silk!  It is perfect!

Anyway, off for a game of ten pin bowling on the Wii with the kids, and then back to stitching!  I am almost finished Dorrie's Bag, and cant wait to show you the finished product.

Until next time, keep smilling and happy stitching...

 

Just being a girl for a day!...

Today was my turn to be a real girl!!!  I have never had my makeup professionally done before, and I am going to be a bridesmaid on April 4 for a very special friend...Rio (Riannon). 

 

(l-r:Me, Jeanie (Makeup artist) and the bride Rio... (isnt she stunning)

I have had the pleasure of knowing Rio since she was 11, she was actually at my wedding when she was 12!!!  I have given her a few chances to have a younger prettier bridesmaid, but she is adament that I am to be in the party...I will be the 'old bag on the end'!....Her sister Kirsten, and long time friend Nicole will also be bridesmaids...the funny thing is...we are all married, never been a bridesmaid, and so I have named ourselves ' the old maid bridage!'

Today was a pamper day...and I thoroughly enjoyed it, and so for all the ladies coming to the Townsville show on the Saturday or Sunday, sorry I wont be there...but blame Rio!!!

Ok, enough downtime, back to work.  I am off to do stocktake to get ready to start packing stock and equipment for the first show of the year...Newcastle!  Wow, I cant believe we are almost ready to get back into it...

So until next time, keep smiling and happy stitching...

   

Dorrie left her bag behind!...

After a very busy day in the shed, making and sanding buttons...I am pooped!  But I have been working on another bag for my new range of patterns for 2009...Dorries Bag!

 

I am in the middle of stitching the top sections for the handles to attach to and then it just has to be lined and Dorrie's Bag is ready for release!  I will be showing this sample off at the first Craft show for the year...in Newcastle...Natalie Ross will be popping in with her sister Melanie for a lovely visit and play...

Well I cant get anything finished here, but I do love 'chatting' with you all...and I will have another peek at another new stitchery wall hanging I am also in the throws of stitching...I will chat more about that next time...

Until then, keep smiling and happy stitching...

A peek at Rosie's Bag...

I promised you some sewing, and some sewing I will deliver!...One of my patterns, Tartan Rose Handbag was a huge success, and I decided that it needed a makeover in a new colourway...

 

There is a little bit of hand stitching still to be done! A little running stitch along the top edge, and some French knots along the ric rac!...I went to the sewing room to take a photo of the fabric that I had chosen, and two hours later had the bag finished!...I will reveal more later...

So whilst in the mood to sew, with mum in the shed busy painting buttons, Fiona at the cutting table, cutting kits, Robbie (in Melbourne!) keeping Giggle Club Ning up to date!...I am going to get another new bag pattern made to share next time!

Until then, keep smiling and happy stitching...

 

More stitching!...and playing...

More of a stitching peek for you...I have finally finished another piece which is going into another new project that I have the goal of finishing by the end of this week!...if all goes according to plan, I will have a bigger 'peak' to show you by the weekend!...

I used some Prismacolour pencils to colour these flowers with, and am really happy with the outcome.  It really gives the stitching a new lease of life...

Will be sure to share some more of this one, when I have stitched the project up, so more can be revealed!

Its school holiday time here in Australia and everything takes twice as long with 4 children at home, plus sleepover friends...speaking of which, Samantha had her friend Caitlyn visit for a couple of nights, and whilst I was working yesterday, decided to play dress ups!

 

Caitlyn (l), Samantha (r).  Samantha has such an imagination! right down to the cotton balls on sticky tape for her moustache!...the boots are lovely girls!

Off to get some sewing done...now my 'business clock' is ticking, and time is starting to run out before our busy show schedule starts again...and there is still lots to be done before I start travelling to all the shows, but I must admit, I am very much looking forward to getting on a plane and travelling to my first show for the year, I love setting up my stand with all my new projects to show off!

So I better get back to it, or there wont be as many new ones to show you...

Here we go!...

What a very busy few days it has been here at Giggles!...Robbie found this new Ning...thing! and we proceeded to set up our very own Giggle Club 'chat room'...where all the Giggle Club members, if they choose to register, can meet one another, share their stitching journeys, photoes of Giggle Button and Club photos of projects made and give any advice, if asked.

I have also finally written up the pattern for the first Giggle Club project, I wish I could show you, but it wouldnt be fair, but I will give this sneak peek though...

 

You may be able to guess from here, but thats OK, perhaps ladies who have not already joined, might be enticed to join after seeing one of the beautiful buttons that will be included in your parcel!

I have lots of other exciting happenings to share with you, but will have to save them for another time...the button factory opened today for the first time in 2009!...Mum, Barb and I got lots done, some maintenance work that Mum has been in my ear about getting done...is finally done, so she is happy...and get about her job more efficiently again. 

We are gearing up for what looks like a very busy 2009...my numerology tells me that '9' is MY number, so hold on girls, we're in the for the ride of our lives this year!!!  I have lots of new things on the drawing board, and I wish I had more hours in a day to get more done, it just seems the days are getting shorter and shorter....

 

Just completely changing the subject befor I head off...Geoff called me down to the chicken pen the other night to show me what was going on...We have had 'Granma' chook for quite a few years, she is the last survivor from our original brood of hens.  Anyway, down we go...and what do we find, little baby sitting up on mum's back (sorry it isnt a clear a photo)...but how about that.  She is such a good mum, she runs after the kids every time they try to pick up one of the babies, its a funny sight....bantam mother hen chasing (in her mind) large person (small child) and children running in all directions, because they are scared of her!  Quite a sight.

Anyway, I am off to bed, the brain is racing a million miles an hour, and having trouble sleeping, but hopefully I can reveal a bit more soon...

Until next time, keep smiling and happy stitching...