Culverden Giveaway

Morning All,

This was supposed to be done last night.... OOPS!!  But I headed off to my workshop to get more sewing done in preparation for the Culverden Fete next Thursday.

So the giveaway.  On facebook there are plenty of rules about giveaways and I have had some help from the lovely Mel at New Zealand handmade.  But to be honest, I am a little swamped with sewing at the moment and just don't have the time to make this too complicated!!

Hence this is nice and simple.  Post a comment on this blog about the Culverden Fete....what you love, what you are excited to see, if it is your first time...etc.  Then email your name and phone number to kate@katem.co.nz.

I will do the draw on Sunday night and contact the winner.  If you are in Christchurch the tickets can be picked up from my showroom on Blenheim Road on Tuesday or wEdnesday morning.  If not in Christchurch I can mail them out to you on Tuesday.

Good luck everyone.  I look forward to reading your comments.

Have a happy happy day,

Kate

A bit of building

With the popularity of facebook for business, my good old blog has suffered once again!!  But with a momentary change in my vocation this week, I felt the need for a wee blog post!!

I am continually looking at new ways to display my wares at fetes/shows.  One must admit that I am a little fussy ( my family would say a lot fussy) about the way my stall looks.  But with travelling so far to fetes sometimes, display items must be easily portable.  Something stylish and portable is a hard mix sometimes.

With that in mind I went on a bit of a blog hop and found this......

Now this I like!

So I decided to become a builder for a day with a little help from a builder husband.

Firstly I needed some tools and timber....

and a large kinda mean looking saw..

Now unfortunately I don't have any more photos.  It is a little hard to photograph oneself cutting timber and drilling holes! But 2 nights ago in the living room my husband and I finished off this little beauty.  Last night it made it's debut at the Lincoln Primary School All things Beautiful fundraiser.  And if I do say so myself it looked fabulous!!

 One pretty happy stallholder here.

Next on the project list is these chairs I purchased on trade me.  Lovley wooden slat chairs that fold down.  Yesterday I got my girls busy painting them....

Not so sure about the paint job but we did have some fun.  Will let you know how they end up.

So a bit of building and painting as well as some sewing this week.

So much fun!

Have a happy happy day

Kate

A few of my favourite things at my house

Since we moved into our house 18 months ago, we are very very slowly trying to 'do it up' (I have a builder husband who is super busy!!!) but at least it is happening.



Here is a few shots of my favourite things......

The purple paint still needs to go but it is slowly taking place.  One thing taking pride of place in the hall is my vintage crate and bottles purchased at the Takaka market in January on our family holiday.....

I think it is way too cool but my husband is not so sure!!  He much rather prefers the framed print on the opposite wall......

I just LOVE LOVE LOVE the wallpaper in the bathroom.  It gives me a thrill every time I go in there.

And last but not least, my son's bedroom.  He wanted orange.  His favourite colour since he was a little chap.  So we went for it.......

and a bit of storage under the bed that my husband built.  Works great

I forgot to take a photo of the new linen room (which used to be the laundry), so will save that for next time.

Hope all is well in your worlds.


Cheers
Kate x

Snow and a birthday

Last week we had our first snow of the season.  Snow seems to be making a regular feature here in Christchurch each winter. I know the friends of mine back in Michigan would get a giggle out of the fact that schools were closed for 3 days because of the snow. Not such a great amount of snow in their world but in ours it causes a bit of bedlam. We just aren't used to it or prepared for it. It does look pretty when it first falls and the kids, of course, just LOVE it.  I took some pictures of the house but completely missed getting photos of the children.  OOPS

 and a photo looking up our street...

Now, of course it is all gone!! But it still has been very cold.

Today was my baby's birthday.  Not really a baby any more as she turned nine.  Molly has been a bundle of energy all day.  Usually I have to drag her out of bed in the morning but this morning she was dragging my toosh out of bed!!!
I took her shopping to the mall this afternoon with my Mum.  What a blast she had.  Here she is with my Mum in her new outfit, shoes, socks in all!

 and at home later with her cake....

She asked for a marble cake.  Something I had not made before.  so I dug out the Donna Hay Kids magazine.  I can tell you my cake did not look like hers.......

I had too much chocolate mixture.  But at least Miss Nine loved it.  I am not brave enough to show you a photo of the inside!!
Miss Nine is now tucked up in bed, very very happy with her day.  YAY!

I must get myself to bed too.  I have a busy rest of the week with Shop Me Pretty work to be done, bags to make, patterns for new bags to work on and a visit to the accountant!!

Hope your day has gone well.
Catch up again Soon,

Kate x

A few changes

Hello all,

Well so much for being better at writing this blog.  Hmmmm...not much I can say about that really!!

Life continues to be busy at Kate M with a couple of trips to Martinborough.  As mentioned in my last post the March fair was unfortunately cancelled due to the 'weather bomb'.  A little heart breaking I .  have to admit.

But good news followed with a re-run organised.  So last weekend my daughter and I made the journey back.  A wee trip on the ferry, which Olivia was very excited about.  It was such a beautiful day for a sailing........

So the fair went well.  A good crowd really and the weather really was very settled....a bit cool and cloudy but no wind and rain.  Thank heaven for small mercies!!


Back to the workshop this week and a much needed tidy up of the tornado zone.  I do have to say that whilst I am in full swing sewing, I am not at all good at keeping my working areas tidy.  Hence the 'tornado zone'!!!

I also decided to have a complete change around in position.  The warehouse is very cold in winter.  This means I tend to spend most days working there in many layers of clothing including my coat and scarf.  Not ideal really.  The oil column heater just cannot heat up that huge space.  So back into the front office I go.  I just have made a smaller 'showroom area' and will only keep a few things on display.

I am thinking at this stage this is a good idea!!

So here is some pics of the results of my days work.  Firstly a before and after shot of the cabinet where I keep all my sewing supplies.....I am so excited about this.  I have even shown my friends already....tragic I know!!!



BEFORE



AFTER

Now a couple of photos of the showroom.  It is only half organised at this stage........

So some good things going on.  Now I just need to tackle the mounds of fabric scraps....oh perish the thought.

Hope all is well in your world.

Happy happy day


Kate x

Oh my poor neglected Blog.....

I have been terribly remiss of writing on my my blog for quite a number of months now.  I am sure it is feeling very very neglected.  OOPS!!

I decided to take on a few (well more than a few actually!!) more craft shows/fetes over the bust fete season.  This meant head down and bum up.  It was a crazy crazy season as I travelled around the country side from the deep south... Winton to the North....Martinborough (twice...once was a bit of a flop as the show was cancelled due to the weather bomb...on a good note though, Mr Mooar and I did have a great few days away togther...NICE!!!)  It also meant many many many hours of sewing and trying desperately to keep stock levels up.

Thanks a million to Mother Pam (my mum) for the endless hours of cutting out and pricing..thank heaven for you.  Also to Mother Mooar (my m-i-l) for many hours of interfacing and helping out on the stall.  To my friends who travelled to shows with me and helped with cutting, a bit of making, a bit of stall jushzing and lots of 'keeping me going'.  Without the help from you guys, I would not have got through

And last but not least to my best mate,  the absolutely wonderful Mr Mooar.  We were kind of like ships in the night for many months, as he came home back I went to the workshop.  He just did whatever I could not get done around the house and was there for me to lean on when I just felt like I could not go on anymore.  He was and is my biggest supporter.  Big props to you Mr Mooar xx

So now I will try and keep up with my blog a little more.  Hope all is well in your worlds.

Happy happy day

Kate x

ps....just a few of the places I have been.....



Ashburton



Waimate

The stall girls looking super smart in Cromwell

my friend Megan with her very proud display in Winton.

xx