The threads in this patchwork are sparkly with festive cheer, swaying in the wind after a breath of fresh energising air up the mountain. And a wee bit of a round-up on crafty happenings.

Mountain Air

Hey! How are you doing? I’ve been head-down-bum-up lately with my day job so it feels like a while since I last dropped in with a blog. We had a shocker of a week with a heatwave last week. We reached temps of 35 to nearly 40.

So, our getaway to Tamborine Mountain last weekend for our wedding anniversary was well-timed. It was a bit cooler up there, lush and fresh, calming and relaxing. The community up there are friendly and helpful. We enjoyed a stroll along Gallery Walk and visited our favourite speciality shops; Tamborine tea, Witchscents, Angela’s Pantry, The Cuckoo Shop, and a new one called, Why Hello There! The owner, Kylie, is such a lovely lady. We found a lot of common ground with both being from NZ, and we learned a bit about the power of crystals. Fascinating! We went to MKIII for dinner Friday night (10/10), then another plate of deliciousness and great music at Bailey’s Irish Pub, Saturday night. Oh my goodness. Great food, great service and great vibes. The Sunday Market was fabulous, we found some lovely handmade quirky gifts.

I love it up on the mountain. There is a special kind of energy up there, making it the perfect retreat from the hustle and bustle of the daily hum.

In my Craft Corner

My craft corner was in a state of disarray until recently when I had a big rearrange and sort out. I have crochet, writing, and sewing all in progress in one corner. Recently, I renamed my Busy Birdy Book page to The Corner Craft Shop, as I am working on more than one project. And for the bird owners out there, my Birdy Books are under review! I am reinventing them to meet the ever-changing demands of discerning birds. My son’s green cheek conure, Lucy, has taught me much about bird behaviour. I’ve gone from zero to hero with understanding her. Then there are other days when she will throw a curve ball and flummox me again. Birds like to do that, as I have also discovered on bird pages on the ‘socials’. They are complex, cunning, creative, cheeky, intelligent, funny, and so cuddly.

I could rave on about my wee beautiful feathered grand-birdy but enough said…she needed a toy to keep her busy, so I made the Busy Book prototype three years ago. Since then the book’s design has changed and evolved and is about to have another makeover all for the maximum enjoyment and safety of busy birds. So watch this space on The Corner Craft Shop page.

My Big Fat Book Edit

I am currently editing my first novel; published 10 years ago. It’s so empowering to read and see where I can strengthen, freshen, declutter and clean up. It’s the best spring clean ever! It will become two shorter books. Books 2 and 3 will follow the same path, being split up. Just like separating a spring bulb! The characters will have a fresher presence when this project is finished. The titles will change in this process, with new covers, and a great reveal when Book 1 is done. #scifi #amediting #fantasy #empowering #booklovers #bookworms

A Messy Cupboard

That moment when I’d had enough of not being able to find my dishcloths in a compact and cluttered cleaning cupboard. I set to making a bag tidy. It’s a simple design, often used for holding plastic recycled bags and such. Mine now holds dishcloths and hangs inside the cupboard door. This may not sound too exciting...actually, it doesn’t at all lol...but it has revolutionised my cupboard! I will be adding this amazing space-saver to The Corner Craft Shop, so watch that space too!

Quenching on the Go

Another project in my craft corner is the ever-useful drink bottle holder. Whether it’s a plastic bottle you carry or a metal double-walled one to keep your drink cold, I’ve been crocheting holders to fit most sized bottles for convenience and ease. These holders have a short handle to swing along on a spare finger, however, I am making a new batch with longer handles to wear across your shoulder. The hands-free option! I am currently building a stock of them, so watch that space as well!

If any of the above crafty items sound like something you need or sound perfect for a gift, drop me a message!

Well, that is my round-up for now. I’ve been a bit quiet on the blogs, as life gets busy and time spent catching up gets limited.

I hope the silly season is playing nice for you, may the wheels of your shopping trolley all go in the same direction, may you be met by smiles at the checkout, may the petrol prices plummet if you are planning a holiday getaway, and may you get exactly what you want for Christmas!

Talk soon!

Thanks for reading