Well the day has finally arrived and the website is ready to go by clicking HERE......thanks once again to Adam for building these wonderful pages that reflect the essence of Beatrix Potter...........
When you reach the Website there is a page for ordering which takes you through some steps to Pay Pal...but you do not need a Pay Pal account to purchase! And for those of you overseas you might like to wait until February next year when C&T Publications release their copies - this will save you the AU$16.50 postage from Australia. (New Zealand is AU$10 postage). And as I type this post there is already an order all the way from the Netherlands! Thankyou Wiep......your name is first in the order book! So on to our book launch today and what a lovely day it was. The committee have worked hard for months with all the planning. Larry was behind the camera for most of the day so that was great........
Larry all set up for the sales......glad he does that side of things!........
Getting ready to share some pictures of our recent Beatrix Potter tour and more importantly the beautiful film from Lindeth Howe celebrating 150 years since Beatrix was born.....
It was fabulous that the Chief Executive and Public Officer Kathryn Quintel of Alzheimers SA was present and here we are discussing healthy diets and dementia prevention (including the importance of weight loss which I seriously need to embark on!!).......
I donated one of the quilts from the book for the raffle and I am thrilled that all tickets were sold raising AU$1,000 for Alzheimers....hope the winner loves the quilt.......
There were lots of lucky door prizes and then the final raffle draw all done by Kathryn.........
Some members had brought some of their William Morris quilts for show and tell which was lovely.........
One of Lessa's versions of the Rajah quilt
and what fun the committee and helpers had making aprons....some using Morris fabrics and some using the apron design from the May Morris book.......great fun girls and thanks for the giggles.......
Elizabeth has used more of the book designs on runners, tablecloths, serviettes and tea towels......
And Yvonne's beautiful quilt.......
Yvonne has even won awards at some country shows for her tea cosy......well done Yvonne!
I received a beautiful thankyou gift of champagne, chocolates and lots of handmade goodies including these beautiful mug mats (almost like the ones I forgot to give out at the launch on Sunday!) and some lovely handmade William Morris cards....thankyou Elizabeth for your handiwork x
So the book launches are now over and it is time to take a little breather. Finally just to let locals know I will be selling copies of the book at the Adelaide Craft & Quilt Fair from November 3rd-6th with my trusty other half in charge of sales! Thanks once again for stopping by and reading our adventures x
Some months back I planned to have our 'Australian' book launch at a venue where we could have up to 120 people with a cocktail evening with pictures and stories from the recent Beatrix Potter tour and book launch in the UK. But that did not eventuate and instead our wonderful friends Lessa and Roger opened their home today to lots of people......much more personal and fun! We have another launch on Tuesday that a local quilt group are hosting only this will be a fundraiser for Alzheimers's Australia. But today was a special celebration with family and friends and I thank each and every one of you who came (including Judy, Marie and Pat who drove over 3 hours to get there and then turned around and drove the 3 hours plus home......thankyou girls xxx). We sent invites to about 70 with an open invitation to join us and also share in an early 60th birthday drink as well - having my birthday a week before Christmas is not ideal for that sort of celebration! Roger decorated the front of the house most appropriately......and Lessa and Roger's niece made the most amazing gingerbread biscuits.....too nice to eat!........
Lessa and Roger turned their home into a display of the book projects and even the neighbours were involved with Beatrix Potter memorabilia.....sadly I didn't get many photos.....
And there is your quilt Helen.........
I am not the only one who was born in 1956 and all the others have already had their day but I felt it only appropriate they share with me............
Beau even came back for seconds.......it was a lovely moist lemon cake......
Sophie lasted amazingly well (second from left) as she had only had her wisdom teeth out under anaesthetic less than 48 hours ago).....and standing next to her is a friend that I nursed with almost 40 years ago and she actually cared for Sophie at birth when Sophie had life saving heart surgery.........
we did have savouries too I think!
Sophie captured some of the speeches with Roger's back to us as he had to rescue some hot treats from the oven that was alarming!......
It was such a busy afternoon and I completely forgot to give out thankyou's that I had stitched for everybody - a little Beatrix Potter mug coaster.......so I will pop them in the post or catch up with many of you soon!.....
Tuesday is our next launch and then the website will go live. For international friends waiting for the book you might like to wait a wee bit longer to save on the postage costs from Australia - C&T Publications in the US will be releasing a version in February next year (this will also allow shops to get copies wholesale as well)......more of that very soon. Thanks for dropping by xx