Feeling the Close To My Heart Love

Last weekend I went to the first ever Close to My Heart Australasia Convention in beautiful Brisbane.  Many of you know what a struggle it has been for me to lose my Creative Memories business in such an unexpected way last year, and how hard it has been for me to truly embrace everything that Close to My Heart has to offer. Well last weekend changed that.  We were surprised by a visit from Close to My Heart's founder Jeanette Lynton.  Jeanette has not been in the best of health for a few years and I can only imagine the enormous courage it took to fly all this way to talk to Australian consultants.  She was joined by Brian Holman and Monica Whongi and our own Australian boss Brian O'Callaghan, who is one of the most humble, and genuine men I have ever met.

All weekend we were showered with new product and pressies.  The pace was unhurried and pleasant with lots of time for networking and catching up with consultant friends from all over Australia.  We participated in a papercraft swap (so I came home with lots of amazing cards and tags!) The feeling was one of comeraderie, friendship, support and gratitude.  I felt at home, and like I really have managed the change, and lived to be stronger, and in a better place.  At last now I can say that if someone offered me my old Creative Memories business back I would say no.  I am happy where I am.

Along with all of the fun of convention there was a training component and one of the things that came out of that is the realisation that I am not using this blog effectively.  It has always been a "craft" and family blog and I don't want to change that, but I do also want my customers to feel that this blog is of use to them, which is why now every Friday you can be guaranteed a Close To My Heart related post.  The usual stuff will still be posted whenever, but I will make Friday's post related to all things papercraft and memory keeping.

One of the big surprises of Convention was that my amazing team won 2nd in sales for the small team category!!!  How proud I am of this truly awesome group of girls!

A sneak peek and a play with new product from the Seasonal expressions catalogue as well as a nifty techniques book that we completed on the weekend.

And of course, since I've been back it has been a busy week of kindy and I haven't had a chance to get crafty at all.  Tomorrow is my Saturday workshop so here is a pic of the Stamp of the Month display:

Until next Friday, happy papercrafting!
Nell xxx

Crafty Spring Days

Today I unexpectedly hosted my quilting group.  It was a good opportunity to clean up my workshop room (after a big inspired scrapping session last night you couldn't even see the table!)  Anyhow, it was a lovely Spring Day and I brought a little posy indoors:

One of the unexpected joys of having sewing here was that I could use my sewing machine (there are too many of us to fit machines at Christine's) so I got to finish this for Hannah for Christmas.  It will be filled with little bits and bobs for her embroidery.

Project is "Patchwork pouch" from www.modabakeshop.com

Then I got daring and cut this long piece of experimental weaving up and zig zagged it to make a bath mat which was edged with leftover binding.  A very satisfying project as most of the wool came from Ingrid's great destashification at Kathy's retreat last year.  This really was a "something from nothing" project and I love how it turned out.  Now I am kind of itching to go and buy new blue and green towels!

Being able to sew lengths of weaving together opens up a whole new world - I am no longer restricted to scarves!

After the girls went home I sewed in the ends on Evie's ear flap hat so I can get these in the mail to Ness this week.

I think there might be one of these for each of my kiddos in their stockings this year as Hannah and Maddie both loved them.

So all in all, a very productive day here.  Now I want to cast on an evening shawl in this beautiful "Paris" polwarth/silk/glitz blend.

Happy Spring crafting!

xxx

Taking Stock: October

Time to take stock again - it seems to be a bit of a school holidays habit!
Making : lots of little crafty messes
Cooking : easy diet friendly stir fries
Drinking : water, trying hard to get into the habit of drinking lots more water each day
Reading: Alexander Mcall (more of the No 1 Detective Agency series) and about to reread "The Gentle Art of Domesticity" which I just love so much!
Wanting: school holidays to last longer
Looking: at nature playgrounds on pinterest and so many knitted/crocheted projects on ravelry
Playing: with texture (fibre/yarn) and colour (patchwork and scrapping)
Deciding: to clean off the top of the kitchen bench and try to keep it clean (our pool table has been clutter free for over a month so I know it is doable!)
Wishing: for a peaceful world
Enjoying: reruns of Seinfeld, cups of tea (especially T2 chai teabags), hugs with my kidlets
Waiting: to squish nieces and nephews at Christmas time (can you believe it is only 10 weeks away!!)
Liking: my ipod on shuffle, my husband on holidays, clothes drying in the sunshine
Wondering: if I can possibly knit this yummy handspun 4ply into an evening shawl before CTMH conference?
Loving: having my kidlets around, cruisy and happy and in holiday mode
Pondering: nothing too deep and meaningful - most often "what should we have for dinner?"
Considering: how to simplify both Christmas and my life in 2015
Watching: butterflies dance in the front garden, roses bloom in the back garden
Hoping: the sunshine holds, the diet sticks, the kids sleep in
Marvelling: at the beauty of spring and at how good spring makes me feel
Needing: extra hugs from my kids, especially my almost school-girl (so not ready for that to happen!)
Smelling: jasmine by the front door
Wearing: tights and big black boots and skivvies with dresses over the top
Following: pinterest boards and yummy blogs and way too much time on rav
Noticing: how tall they are getting - all of a sudden sleeves and pants legs are shorter and there is less room with all three of them on the couch, how much our lovely old dog is slowing down
Knowing: that kids grow up even when you don't want them too, and that we are lucky to be blessed with happy healthy kids 
Thinking: how truly blessed my life is (found a red and aqua sign today that says "Life is Wonderful" and I had to have it for my happy place)
Admiring: my clever friends; Helena who spins incredibly fine, Nim who makes up exquisite lace designs in her head, Katie who just won Early Childhood Teacher of the Year here in SA, Nic who seems to have 4 children AND a clean house
Sorting: Maddie's clothes, old cm clutter, fabric for library bags
Buying: Christmas presents (got quite a dent in the Christmas shopping today - determined to keep it real this year with the saying "Something they want, something they need, something to wear, something to read")
Getting: tired of the clutter and the excess and feeling like it is time to purge and simplify
Bookmarking: my novel using the cute little tag that Amy and Luke gave me for my birthday a few years ago ( it is red and white spots and aqua and I love it!)
Disliking: the uneasy situation in the Middle East, the million annoying appointments like new tyres and new brakes and dentists etc that are taking over my holidays
Opening: junk mail (spotlight catalogue) and my CTMH order
Giggling: over Maddie's antics with her hobby horse, and Dan's crazy sense of humour
Feeling: loved and happy
Snacking: on pecan nuts
Wishing: this happy holiday feeling could last through term time
Helping: kids cook

Loving Life in general

With thanks to Pip over at meetmeatmikes.blogspot.com for letting me borrow her list.  If you are here and lurking I haven't heard from anyone in a while.  It would be nice to know you are still lurking here.
Happy Spring!
xxx