First up - my apologies to any non-Sydneysiders, this post is not only Sydney focussed, even worse it's Eastern beaches of Sydney focussed. Totally localised and for that I do apologise. There is, however, reason to keep reading for everyone - the gorgeous images my spark an idea and get you to seek somewhere similar and local to you....

We're a little off the usual path for our Blog post this week but with good reason. Sometimes we just come across things that just have to be shared - recipes, holiday houses, cafes, products. Well today, it's a fabulous boutique sewing business here in Sydney's Bronte. This is BY NO MEANS a sponsored post - just a little gem of loveliness that you need in your life!

Welcome, my friends, to The Bronte Sewing Room.

This fabulous business is the genius of Colette, an incredible creative lady with a long history in the sewing, retail and textile industry in Sydney. In her words "For centuries people have come together to knit, sew, quilt and weave, sharing a creative journey and a community spirit.With such a passion for all things hand crafted I wanted to create a space for local people to learn these skills."

The Bronte Sewing Room offers classes in sewing, knitting, crochet and all kinds of fabric related skills for adults and children - all in a beautiful, light-filled, fabric and colour filled space in (yup -you guessed it) Bronte.

I discovered this haven for all fabric and textile junkies when my oldest daughter had a small birthday party there recently. Mini-BedNest 1 is craft and fabric and art and creative obsessed ("Yay!" shouts her Mama) but not at all a lover of a large-scale party as she is a shy creature. The idea of heaps of kids all in one place to celebrate anything to do with her is all a bit much but the idea of a few chosen friends getting together to do something crafty and fun totally set her alight.

For 2 hours one sunny Saturday morning Colette helped Georgie and 5 x 8 year old friends create their very own version of "Raoul" - this divine felt owl.

The kids (girls and 1 divine fella) all thoroughly enjoyed their time sitting and sewing under Colette's direction. They loved her warm, encouraging, firm and "so so funny" style and chatted and giggled away like a bunch of old dears at a WI working bee!

Here they are (hard at work?!)...

As you can see they were pleased as bunch with the end result - 5 x Raoul the Owl

There is plenty of space to bring along a (very dodgy handmade in my case) birthday cake to have at the end too...(see how she's still clutching Raoul as she blows those candles!)

The Bronte Sewing Room offer a range of classes for kids - after-school, school holidays as well as parties. Their adult classes are also amazing - our own Nicola from BedNest has done one and her long-time lovely relationship with her sewing machine which had been sorely neglected through the career-building, child-raising years is now firmly back-on-track.

A skill like sewing is a beautiful thing for anyone to have. Call me old-fashioned, but in today's crazy, fast-paced, screen-focused world I think it's a wonderful way for an kid (big or small) to find a bit of "slow", a bit of "creative" and a lot of "fun"!

For more info click on the links above and here or call Colette and her team on 02 9386 9977