A pretty perfect day

 I didn't sleep well last night: firstly because I was being picked up at 7:40 this morning so had to set an alarm (which always puts me on edge as I'm paranoid that it won't come on or I'll sleep through it), and also because I'd taken the opportunity to drop a large box of stuff at the op shop as I was in a car for the first time in ages: so the energy of the flat was in a bit of disarray because of the removal of over 100 things (did I mention I've been doing an unofficial seven-things challenge for the past year?)

 And my brain was still buzzing because my friend and I decided to go out for dinner after a busy evening setting up last night, and then I blogged when I got home, so hadn't had the time to do a brain defrag before bed.

Which meant that I headed out this morning before I'd breakfasted,and took the opportunity before things started happening at the show to go find some food in the small mall next to the hall (crikey! Say that 3 times fast when you're sleep depraved 😉)

While contemplating a fruit bun or similar I decided that perhaps I could take some quiet time to regroup and have a coffee and sit-down breakfast before I needed to be on duty: and while exploring my options spotted some very familiar-looking pastries, looked up to see a very familiar-looking face behind the counter and was delighted to discover that in my absence from mini club one of my favourite cafes (owned by the chap that used to own the excellent cafe next to my work's old building) had opened a small branch in the mall.

(I didn't have a gold chocolate croissant for breakfast, but I bought one for my friend who most definitely deserves a gold chocolate croissant, and who I knew would have her mind blown that such a thing exists in the first place. Luckily for me she decided it was too big for one and ended up sharing it with me!)

When the roster for the day had been sent around I'd said I was happy to be a floater: filling in wherever I was needed. And I started the day on the door. Continued my day on the door. Spent a bit of time on the raffle table then went to work... on the door.

Luckily I had an excellent one-the-door buddy who was 'also' a new member (quote marks because she's rooly trooly new whereas I'm newly-returning after many years away) who seemed very happy to have me blow her mind in the quiet times by telling her about things like printing fabric at home, printing fabric on Spoonflower, and that miniature knitting hurts a lot less if you use piano-wire knitting needles rather than sewing pins, and who reminded me of myself when I joined my first mini club and realised that there was a whole world of people out there who were just as obsessed with tiny things, and were happy to share their knowledge if you sat (or stood) still long enough.

I found it really interesting being at a show as a member of the hosting club and not a stall-holder for the first time in... decades? as I found my focus was quite different, but at the same time also found it interesting that auto-mode kicked in from the days when I was editor of The tiny Times as I had to remind myself several times that no, I didn't need to pop out and take photos or schmooze with potential advertisers.

The other thing I found really interesting was how accepting and welcoming everyone was. How we fell very quickly into pretty deep conversations when we hadn't seen each other for 5, or even 20, years (or, in a couple of instances, had only met for the first time minutes beforehand).

Case in point: someone I haven't seen in 5 years said that I was welcome to stay with them if I decided to go up for this year's Sydney show.

But I fear I'm rambling and you must be getting a tad frustrated that we're so far down this post and all you've seen is a picture of my not-breakfast (stunning as it was).

So here are the photos I took and posted on Instagram (I took a few more but I'm not sure if they're worth sharing: a job for the morning):

This card-catalogue drawer unit by Ann Dowdall with dove-tailed joints (alas not on the Victorian Dollhouses website that I can see) has been on my radar for a while, but not within my budget. I was sorely tempted but held strong until I have an occasion to celebrate to deserve such a thing of beauty.

Marilyn Pride and Lewis P Morely were showing some new pieces: alas I meant to return to take a photo of the whole of this piece by Marilyn, and the information sheet, but completely forgot.

(If you're interested in their work and are within striking distance of the Blue Mountains, you might like to pop into and have a look at the exhibition they're currently part of at Arts Blue Mountains Gallery.)

This wee house that I spotted for sale caught my eye as it reminded me of the house that I'd bought way before I had a blog, that had never turned up. And I had a hard time deciding that this wasn't reason enough to buy another house that I didn't have room for in either my budget or flat, difficult as it was to make that decision.

My final photo (ignoring a scene of the crowd of shoppers which isn't of lasting significance or interest) was this one of 2 motor scooters and a motorcycle in a parking lot as part of the club display which was themed on a day in the park. Alas I didn't take any more photos of the scene.

I bought a few (more) things, which I plan to share tomorrow once I've recovered, and returned my flat to some semblance of normality.