Mill Rosie Friends

Well last Saturday was blogging friends meet up day at the wonderful Mill Rose Quilt shop at Ballan. We had a day of laughter, chatting, eating and drinking, more chatting..not a lot of stitching, but it was wonderful to catch up with everyone and see what they were doing

the paparazzi were in attendance during the swap openings!! 

Marg with a beautiful bag she got in the swap

Barb's sister Ann with a beautiful box with a stitchery on the front and goodies inside

Mel with her swap items

Shez making a wish!! LoL!!

With her swap item a beautiful doll made by Marg

paparazzi moved to the other side of the table now!!

all the beautiful swap items - Michelle Ridgway inspired...

Marg's doll, some beautiful stitchery there!

We, the Gisborne Girls as we seem to have become known, decided to have a joke with Shez, she has a great sense of humour luckily and we presented her with a book on Mug Rugs (how to make) and we each made her a mug rug from the book. Now we know Shez is NOT a fan of mug rugs...but we had a really good laugh and Shez (after the initial shock) had a really good laugh. Now she has more items for her present box!!

Mug rugs on display!!

and this is some of the show and tell on the day

How is this?? Sharon's amazing quilt top!!

Barb's crochet rug

Tania's mini quilt

Elyte and her mini quilts

Christine and her gorgeous embroidery...love the kookaburras!!

Sue's quilt

Lots of chatting down the table...

Robyn working away at her quilt top - all to be hand sewn!

We had such a great day, I am looking forward to the next meet up!

Wild day out

Last Friday Margaret and I took the toy voyagers to the Ballarat wildlife park to meet some Aussie animals.

One of the local residents

Marg making firends

Sidney L meeting some native Aussies from Kangaroo Island

Such a cute little guy!

Marg being the centre of attention!!

I can't remember this koala's name but she was a she and was very pretty

tourist!!

we saw a Tassie Devil

Marg made more friends.....

and more friends......

and was over whelmed by friends!!! lol!!

For some it was all too much and needed a snooze!

MooseS met a wombat - this little (28kg!!) girl was brought out to meet the tour group and then wanted to come out for a run around!

Sidney L had instruction on how to use the toilet in Australia!!  After touring the Park we went for lunch at the Antiques Centre

I loved this beautiful glass vase

and this old church window made into a mirror..chance for a play with the camera!!

and Sylvia met John Wayne!! We did go and visit the Ballarat Patchwork shop...but I didn't take any photos, it is closing down soon so there was very little left on the shelves, but having said that we all came out with some goodies!! Will have to add a photo at a later date!

Crafty Hijinks

Off to Ballarat I went on Sunday - armed with my google maps directions...I made good time and so decided to drive up Mount Buninyong to have a look...I hadn't been there before and stupidly decided to climb the look out tower - I DO NOT like heights....didn't think that one through did I!! Anyway I got a wobbly photo...I was wobbly after climbing 96 steps!!! But the view from the top was amazing, I just had to hang on and I was ok!

Made it up and down!! Yay!! (Not liking these selfie photos at all!) And off to Ballarat....well google maps were wrong and I was heading back in the Geelong direction before I knew what was happening...so turn back and stop at the tourist info in Bunninyong....the directions were very wrong. So armed with a new map and set of directions off I went. I was alot further away from the hall than I realised, I should not have stopped and been a tourist...but anyway I finally arrived at 10.40 instead of 10 oclock! Bit stressed I might add!! 

No worries I was in time to see the lovely Gillian and Jodie welcome everyone and explain what was happening. On the stage in front of them was a  heap of fabric and patterns...all kinds of things that people didn't want any more... was good to have a look through and yes I did find some treasures! We eventually settled down to some crafting once a cuppa had been made, the stalls checked out, and friends greeted.

Marg and Tracee were busy  stitching

this was most of the view from the back corner of the hall...49 people attending..great for a first gathering!

Tania had her hexagons ready to go, but worked on mine instead, she is a wonderful friend!

Marg and her Christmas stitchery

Bit of glasses comparison going on here I think!!

Tracee working on her Welcome to the North Pole block

Busy, busy here Marg and Tracee are learning the fine art of hexagon making!

Yours truly creating hexagons

The Beautiful Gillian and Jodie with me, we were practising holding our chins up for the photo!! Lol! They are a scream these girls...they are so entertaining and funny, I could listen to them all day...they did such a wonderful job of organising the day.

On the way home I passed a chook farm and these were out the front..I just had to stop and tale a photo - I half expected to hear them singing when I got out of the car! They made me smile! great finish to a wonderful day!