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Punch with Judy - Happy Australia Day 2009 Newsletter


HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY 2009 NEWSLETTER

Email: judy@punchwithjudy.com.au

In This Issue:-

1.   Shows

2.   Show Coupons

3.   Retreats

4.   Specials

5.   What's New?

6.   Made in Australia

7.   Tips & Tutorials

8.  Online Classes

9.  Did You Know?


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Happy Australia Day Everyone!

John and I attended our local Shire's Australia Day Breakfast this morning at Tootool (next "town" west of The Rock) which boasts 6 houses for the town and not one shop or anything else!  Yet the Committee organized a very enjoyable get together for a great breakfast and festivities for 500 people attending.   There was a Jumping Castle for the kids but I think they enjoyed the "Splat the Rat" (no, not a real one), "Rooster Chase" and "Catch the Greasy Pig" better.  The Nail Driving and Brick Throwing were the next favourites with the Horse & Buggy Ride enjoyed by the littlies.  John enjoyed the Classic Cars Display whilst I browsed the stalls. 

The buildings that you see in this picture are their roadside travellers' stop which won an honourable mention for the Tidy Towns Award for towns with less than 300 people.  Isn't it great living in the country?  With all the Community Awards handed out and listening to their stories, you city people don't know what Aussie Spirit you miss out on. (Please don't email me and debate that issue, it's tongue in cheek)  Our Australian Day Ambassador was Melissa Medlicott, a former Olympian who represented Australia eight times and participated in the Barcelona & Sydney Olympic Games as a sprinter in the Relay Team.  Her address was excellent with humour and many behind the scenes great stories.

Being Australia Day today, I'd also like to announce that our youngest grandson, Hunter Sinclair Hall, born in South Korea 10 months ago, is now an Australian Citizen, soon to live in Australia.  Rowan and Jess are the proud parents.

No, I refuse to admit I may be getting old, prefer to think of it as "brain overload", but I bought John a new Aussie Flag for Christmas and do you think I could find it on Christmas Eve when I needed to wrap all the presents?  Took me 4 weeks, but 'twas found this week, so here it is flying at our house today. Sorry the wind was blowing in the wrong direction to have the flag showing as it should be and I didn't think to go around onto the other side to snap the photo!  Notice how dry our country is and not a cloud in the sky? 

One of the other items I gave him was an automated "Grandpa's Chook Feeder" for the chooks.  When they step up onto the platform the lid opens housing their grain, however, the movement of it lifting frightens them away and I'm yet to train them that this grey monster is their food!  I've tried propping it open but it's a monster that moves according to the stupid chooks.  By the way, poor Fifi my turkey, died last week.  I think from a broken heart not having a mate; she was so frustrated.  Plus, the heat has been horrendous and we've had absolutely no rain.

Our week's break between Boxing Day and the New Year wasn't long enough but by the amount of work to come home to, it certainly was long enough.  We enjoyed ourselves immensely at Narooma on the South Coast though our granddaughters would have preferred better beach weather. This is truly the first time ever that John and I have had a break from our business during this time by going away somewhere completely different.

Our January 8th Website Birthday Specials are blustering along and I know you're having so much fun waiting to see what the daily special is each day at 9.00am.  I'm so pleased I'm able to give something back to you as recognition for all your support during the year.  Although we are more streamlined and organized this year for this onslaught, there is no way in the world that the staff and I can cope with sending out every order held over until the end of January immediately the sale finishes.  Please be patient over February whilst we do our utmost to despatch your orders quickly.  Regular orders are up to date, it's only the "please hold till the end of the month" requests.  If you need your order urgently, email me and we'll oblige.

I too enjoyed another birthday in January and did something really exciting and different.  Our daughter, Sharelle, booked us into Club Mulwala along the Murray River, the other side of the river to Yarrawonga.  Unfortunately, Melinda, our other daughter, wasn't able to join our girlie few days away together. It started last year when the three of us attended Sydney's Australia Day celebrations that we decided it would be nice to keep it up each year since it coincided with my birthday too.  We stayed overnight and were pampered on my actual day with a Hot Stone Massage, Facial & Remedial Therapy Massage.  Wow!  We were in heaven for a few hours feeling like Movie Stars or very rich celebrities.  These little jaunts, leaving the fellas at home, are wonderful share-time experiences.  As you know, my two daughters are also two of my best friends.  Great!  Just do it, once in your life, ignoring the cost, just to drool and have some fun memories, but don't go by yourself.  Lake Mulwala and Yarrawonga area is a wonderful holiday spot and there's certainly a lot of new expansion being executed there for retirement villages and sporting facilities.

Make sure you read the "Did You Know?" at the end of this Newsletter.    HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY  

Your friend,

Judy


1. SHOWS

Nearly time for the 2009 Shows to commence.  Our first one is at Newcastle Entertainment Centre from 20th till 22nd February, a three day show again as last year.  We are on Stand F10.  My Daily Seminar will explain exactly how to use the revolutionary range of rulers from Westalee Design.

Workshop 3 11.30am Daily - 1 hour with Judy Hall

Westalee Design Adjustable Ruler - Maximize the potential of the Westalee Rulers, featured on ABC TV's New Inventors.  Using No Maths, No Guesswork Quilting, achieve perfect patchwork piecing results. 

 

Craft Circle 3 1.00pm Daily - 1 hour

Kumihimo - Japanese Braiding with Liz Colledge

Make a funky zipper pull with this easy to learn braiding you can do anywhere - great for jewellery, bags, and embellishments.  Special Kumihimo discs available for use in class.

Kit cost $10.00 Book at Stand F10

I'm truly sorry to announce that Expertise Events has decided NOT to hold any Pre-Show Classes at their Craft & Quilt Fairs this year, or during the evenings on the days of the show.  I know many will be disappointed with this so I assure you I am endeavouring to organize our own, particularly since Sandra Chandler from Just Curves, the inventor of the Curve Master Presser Foot will again be our International Guest at the Craft & Quilt Fairs held in Perth, Sydney, Melbourne & Brisbane at this stage.  Canberra is also a possibility.  Please email me if these will be of interest to you, though you will need to supply your own sewing machine.

 

NEW SHOW ANNOUNCEMENT

CRAFTFEST - A CELEBRATION OF CRAFT

from the organizers of the Craft & Quilt Fairs

March 6 - 9 2009 at The Dome, Olympic Park, Homebush, Sydney

We will be on Stand A01 and will have the same Daily Seminar and Craft Circle as above.

AUSTRALASIAN QUILT CONVENTION (AQC)

This will be held in a new venue for 2009 at the Royal Exhibition Building, Carlton Gardens, Melbourne from 26th February until 1st March.  Australia's own International Quilt Event with guests from all over the world as well as the finest from Australia.  There's so much happening at the AQC this year, I urge you to visit http://www.aqc.com.au for all the particulars.

We'll be on Stand 27 and are pleased to announce we have a slightly larger area for you to shop with more ease.  Proud to announce that Leonie West, inventor of the fabulous Westalee Design Adjustable Rulers will be a guest demonstrator on our stand for two hours in the middle of the day every day.  Leonie will also make a Cameo Appearance in each of my Daily Seminars.

Room 3 10.30am Daily - 1 hour with Judy Hall

Westalee Design Adjustable Ruler - Judy will explain how to achieve maximum potential from the Westalee Rulers, Grand Final Winner of People's Choice Award 2008 on ABC TV's New Inventors.  Using No Maths, No Guesswork Quilting, achieve perfect patchwork piecing results.  Guest Cameo appearance by inventor, Leonie West.

Although we are not attending any Stitches & Craft Shows, if you are wishing to visit the show, do check out their website for full details. Remember that it is a new team organizing these as Reed Exhibitions has sold their shows to Living Creatively.  They will be different to those in the past with many new features.  We wish them well but please don't go looking for us at any of their three shows.

Visit -  http://www.stitchesandcraft.com.au

2.  SHOW COUPONS

 

Don't forget your Show Coupons. Print them from our website and bring them to the Show. 
No Coupon, No Special, No Discount!   I will update them for 2009 shortly.

3. RETREATS

Fun with Embellishments is one you shouldn't miss if you like to have fun with textiles, free-form work, using the new Embellisher Machines, all kinds of other embellishments, felting, felt balls and other shapes,  foils, sheers, making flowers, beading, angelina, boxes, adding textures and so on.  Hmm, yes, it's only 3 days.  What a great Retreat we have now organized for you!  Please note: this is not a retreat for embellishing machines as many have thought, but we do spend one segment using them. This is truly a "let's explore how to......" using many of the newer techniques and new products now made available to us.

Date to be advised for April, 2009.

We've also been asked by several to hold another Machine Embroidery Retreat, so if sufficient are keen we certainly will do so. 

4. SPECIALS

The January 8th Birthday Website Specials continue for a few more days yet.  If you haven't been following these, you've missed some great offers, however, there's still time to participate as I have some more fantastic offers each day until the end of January.  On February 1st, I'll announce the winners of our January Lucky Draw.  Every person who makes a website order during January goes into our Lucky Draw.  The winner will receive a $100.00 open order spending spree and the runner-up a $50.00 open order spending spree.

5. WHAT'S NEW

 

 

 

Several new products will be added over the next few weeks.  I have left them till February to add because of the sheer workload those who have been participating in our January Birthday Special Offers have presented to me!  Meaning many, many orders.  Good things to come! 

6. MADE IN AUSTRALIA

Items in this section are actually today's January Birthday Special Offer to help celebrate Australia Day.

Later this week, I'll be adding some great new Machine Embroidery CDs to this section.

7.  TIPS & TUTORIALS

A great new tutorial on Creative Feet has been added and these will be featured in forthcoming National Magazine Advertisements.

8.  ONLINE CLASSES

I am presently finalizing details for the first of our Online Classes using our PLEAT MAKERS.  If you are interested in participating in these, kindly email me to be on the list for first preference when full details will be added to our website. These will be starting very soon now.

The next one to be launched will be for Punchneedle Embroidery.  Expressions of interest being accepted for both these Online Class Events.

9. DID YOU KNOW?

Did you know the history of the Australian National Flag? 

Prior to Federation, Australia's six Colonies principally flew the flags of the United Kingdom. With Federation and the joining of all Australians under the Commonwealth of Australia on 1st January 1901, there came a real need for a flag to unite the people of the six Colonies. The results of a worldwide competition with over 32,000 entries gave us our flag.  In the upper hoist of the flag was the Union Jack, made up of the crosses of St. George, St. Andrew and St. Patrick.  Beneath the Union Jack in the lower hoist was a large six pointed star, the Federation Star, representing the six States within the Commonwealth of Australia.  In the fly of the flag, five stars symbolized the Southern Cross.  The Union Jack reflected our heritage, the Federation Star symbolized the unity of the six States within the Commonwealth of Australia and the Southern Cross symbolized Australia's place in the universe.  It was a flag showing our history, our unity and our independent position.  In 1908, the six pointed Federation Star in the lower hoist became a seven pointed star; the seventh point included to represent the Territories of the Commonwealth.  The new seven pointed star conformed with the star in the Crest of the Coat of Arms.

Acknowledgement: The above has been taken from Carroll and Richardson Flagworld, the manufacturers of the new flag I purchased.

Did you know that one in eight women get Breast Cancer?  A few years ago the statistic was one in fourteen women, that's a drastic increase. This is a very special concern to the community and I know many reading this will have been touched by this topic, so forgive me for stepping a little aside here from my normal rules of "advertising" for others, but my best friend owns a Lingerie Business and has recently become a fitter for prostheses.  She has been very genuinely touched emotionally by her new work and I have asked her to send me some details.  If one small community can respond in the numbers she has been presented with, then I thought "what about all the other areas in Australia that are not being attended to?".  Hence the following. If you wish to contact my friend, kindly email me and I can forward her details.

"Ten years ago the statistics were 1 in 14, now it is 1 in 8 women get Breast Cancer. Some different types of procedures are radical mastectomy (full breast off and lymph glands), lumpectomy (removing a small part of the breast) and bi-lateral (both breasts removed).  Up until July 2008, women who had a breast removed in the public hospital system would be supplied the first prostheses only, free by the hospital, having a life of about 3 to 4 years. Prostheses cost between $300 to $600 depending upon the brand, shape and type.  Many women couldn't afford to replace them so simply kept patching them with sticky tape or using pouches filled with anything that may substitute or resemble a breast.

Good news!  Did you know the Government have now approved a reimbursement plan for replacement of an external breast prostheses?  As of July 2008, women may now claim up to $400 every two years for a replacement.  Maybe unless women are a member of a cancer group or have some connection with such a group, or having seen a form at Medicare, they most probably never know about this new plan.  Did you?"

My friend, who owns a Lingerie Retail Shop as well,  placed an advertisement in her local paper, thinking she may have received 5 to 10 responses for fitting appointments.  She was totally unprepared for the overwhelming response and in the first 3 days alone fitted over 50 women.  Some of the women had been wearing the same prostheses for 10 to 15 years, some for 25 years.  They came in the store with shoulders slumped forward or breasts uneven with older type breast forms that are very heavy causing back and shoulder pain.  Women relayed stories, shedding tears, because of years of discomfort, embarrassment and feeling less than a complete woman.  Many had nothing less than being described as mutilation.  A large percentage of these brave women are not only dealing with cancer and losing a breast, but also the devastating affect of chemo and ray treatment with the terrible affects of lymphodema secondary cancers etc.  When she saw these women walk out of her shop with their new, modern, lightweight, natural-looking breast form, with a smile on their faces, shoulders back, a new bounce in their step and a newfound confidence, she felt like she had won the lottery.  They all simply wanted to look and feel normal againm but with comfort.  From her customers' stories, she knows how important it is to go to an experienced, fully trained bra and prostheses fitter and shouldn't settle for anything less."

I hope this is of genuine help to possibly many reading the above.

Did you know......

Our NEW PUNCH REWARDS which commenced on 27th May, 2008,
Replaced the PUNCH POINTS VOUCHERS.

Only Registered Online Users will receive Punch Rewards.
Note: This subscription is completely separate to our Newsletter subscription.
Are you a
registered online customer?
Being Registered also enables you to have a Wish List.  Plus, whenever you log on, you don't have to fill out all your personal details each time.  Remember too, you can always ask us to keep your Credit Card details quite separate and then you never have to use them for online orders, simply state "on file".  

If you have any remaining unused Punch Points Vouchers, you have until 30th June 2009 only to use them.

 

Full Details Here    


Till next time,
Judy


Judy Hall
Punch with Judy
P.O. Box 62
THE ROCK (near Wagga)
N.S.W. AUSTRALIA. 2655

Website: http://www.punchwithjudy.com.au/
Phone: 02 6920 2238
International Phone: 61 26920 2238
Email: judy@punchwithjudy.com.au
Fax: 02 6920 2021
International Fax: 61 26920 2021