A new modern day pen pal (and whiffs of a new challenge)

I've been saving up this post for a few days, as my day job gets so busy and after work I'm a wee bit exhausted. Blogging and taking photos just seem too time consuming, and when you work my hours (EARLY), you have to look after your energy. Today's been a really great day, so here I am refreshed!

I also wanna write nicely for you, and be peppy instead of BORING about my day job (which is exciting in way, but not really a crafty adventure) and one of the most wonderful things (I'm sure you'll agree if you are a blogger yourself) is all the lovely people who you meet through blogging and these ace relationships that can form via cyberspace (sorry I'm so 90s!). But, what I wanna do is send Amanda from Adelaide some gush and if she had a blog I'd linkydink to her right now, but she and I have been emailing as pen pals for a little while now and it's time to share her wonderful mad skillz!

Amanda is very awesome (she is a Occupational Therapist during the day) and dreams of vintage crafty adventures of her own when she has time. We've been chatting (re: writing as penpals) about how to get motivated and also being time poor (remember that was a buzz word a few years back before we were even time poor?) and.... about vintage patterns! So I wanted to share with you a care package Amanda kindly sent through to me, as I smell a whiff of a new challenge:

There are 13 original patterns, all ones I haven't got in my own collection, and all on lend by the lovely Amanda of Adelaide. But can you see the darling doggie in the back ground?

It's my own dear heart Doggie Darling that Amanda designed, stitched and sewn all on her ownsome! How freaking CUTE!??!! Thank you dearheart!

Awwwwww!

So my idea (and a 2010 kickstart for my sewing) is to sew up a pattern a week, and talk you through it, and show you my results. I'll give a little pattern review (all the rage) and a little blah blah blah on my creation. There are 13 darling patterns, so it'll roll out over 3-4 months, and be a really nice steady stream of sewing for me (and hopefully great fashion for you) and the best bit... I'm going to start RIGHT away!

Ooh Doggie Darling seems interested!

I might name this challenge "Amanda's Vintage Pattern Challenge" and I'll let you know tomorrow what I'll start with.

Thank you Amanda, you're a dreamboat.