Looking and feeling good!

The title refers to my new lounge suite etc ... My old lounge suite was picked up yesterday morning, and it's amazing how different this little place looks - Von and Jenna, you were absolutely right, I do love it now ... as soon as the place became uncluttered again, it made me feel so much better, and I have to admit it looks really nice! Funnily enough, the new lounge suite colour matches my voile curtains I have hanging in the lounge perfectly, and the new Ikea coffee table just sets things off beautifully. I'll try and take a piccie tomorrow soon when I have more time. Unfortunately I had to give the guy a hand yesterday moving the old lounge suite, and I have body aches and a couple of bruises to show for it (but thankfully it didn't aggrevate my already wrenched neck!) ... moving a sofabed down 4 flights of stairs isn't my idea of fun before work, but I'm so happy it's gone now! :D

Funnily enough, Von, it was Melbourne's Freecycle group I signed up with, and that's where I got rid of the lounge suite - what a wonderful idea that is! :) In a fit of desperation I typed "get rid of furniture melbourne" in Google ... and that's what it came up with ;)

Now all the lounge and dining room is free again, I feel as though as I have more head space again for stitching, and life in general - I know that sounds crazy, but I was feeling very cluttered and overwhelmed in every sense of the word ... I feel ready to get moving again, and back into the swing of things :) Just a shame I have to work again now as well ;)

Fraze also just paid me the balance of money he still owed me, and that was a huge relief too (for both of us) ... and this Saturday I'm having my first 'public unveiling' of my flat to some fellow bloggers and friends - Gina and Sharon are coming round for a get-together with Mum and I to drool over stash and have a chat, and I'm really looking forward to it :D So, yeah, life is definitely good :D

Now I'd better get motoring as I've got to get ready for work (it took me 4 hours just to read new emails at work yesterday yikes).

Before I do that, though ... a message to anyone who's reading that's a member of the SBEBB - I've pulled out of the group to give someone else a chance to participate. I was going to stay in until the Redwork Exchange was completed, but due to an admin error it's already been cancelled, and it seems daft to reapply just for the one exchange. I'll keep an eye on everyone's blogs to see the exchanges rolling in ... but I just wanted to say "it's been fun, and I've really enjoyed the exchanges I've been involved in", but seeing as I'd only be doing an exchange once every 3-6 months now, it was best that I stepped down. I probably keep more up-to-date with everyone's blog than on the BB, so at least I can still keep in touch with everything that's happening :) And I'll look at joining in with some of the exchanges on the Robin's Nest BB to keep my hand in :)

Also, to those of you from the Friends Gather BB ... I was very saddened to hear of the closing of the BB without being able to say "farewell" (I couldn't get in when I got back from Hong Kong, so I presume it's all closed up already) ... again, I just want to say to any members who are reading, that I loved being part of that community, and there were some wonderful ideas and groups for broadening my stitching horizons, as well as some wonderful people there - I will most definitely miss that BB most of all.

The one thing I especially loved was the monthly Christmas Ornament SAL - and this is something I'd like to continue myself in the future. I loved KarenV's idea to choose a designer each month, then choose an ornament by that designer - it opened my eyes to designers I hadn't considered before, and I loved some of the stitched choices once I'd completed them. I think I'll continue to do this over the coming year and beyond ... I'll continue with the list of designers we'd had on the BB, then I guess it'll be time to sit down and look at my wishlist of ornies and make my own list up :)

Rightio, I definitely have to run now ... have a great week everyone - hopefully I'll be catching up on blog reading again soon (I'm behind again since Hong Kong oops).