books

It was my birthday earlier this week so I ordered myself some books and they turned up yesterday, it was very hard to not just stop everything and read.

This book is The Shining Cloth, Dress and Adornment That Glitter by Victoria Z Rivers.
It says inside the cover that it is an encyclopedic array of dazzling garments, accessories and objects.
Besides all of the glorious photos it has a lot of information and history of cloth and fibres that I can't wait to read.

I just love Monet's water lilies and can't wait to make more pieces based on them.

and what can I say about this book - people that know me, know that I'm stuck in the 70's

weekend in Melbourne

Early last month I went down to Melbourne with our friend Tony for the weekend to see Circus Oz's final show before they headed to Edinburgh for the Comedy Festival.
My husband Tim had spent some time with Circus Oz a few months ago training up the teaterboard troupe so we decided to catch the last show so I could report to him as he didn't get to see the act as he'd already gone overseas before the show opened, though he is about to pop over to Edinburgh in a couple of weeks and catch up with them.

This is Tony and I looking very weary at the circus as we were up at 4.30 to catch a train to the airport for a 7.45am flight down to Melb, luckily it was an afternoon matinee show cause I don't think I would have stayed awake for a night show, as it was it was a fight to stay awake and watch Dr Who back in the hotel room after dinner.

We were staying near all of the Asian restaurants and had lunch and dinner in different noodle restaurants, I had this really bizarre drink which I think was semi frozen grape juice topped with lychee's and sultanas - had to have it as I lurv lychee's

The beauty of Melbourne is the fact that they have turned all of the little lanes and ally ways into cafe strips, this is where we had breakfast the next morning before we flew home, this was taken for Tony's wife Kirsten as he was trying to describe the atmosphere to her.

and this is the view from where we had breakfast, I had pancakes with maple syrup and strawberries, yum it's making me hungry just remembering it.......

it was a great weekend with great company - old friends are worth hanging onto

lots of scarves

I have been soooooo busy of late, down to Melbourne twice in the last month, down for the weekend with our friend Tony to see Circus Oz, will post photos of that later and the week before last to work at the Melbourne Quilt Show.
When in Melbourne I stay with my niece Tani who has a shop called Blue Attic and I took down a handful of my goodies for her, below are the knitted or crotcheted scarves and shawls I delivered but silly me I forgot to take a photo of the silk bowls I left there.

Monet's Mixed Media Garden

just a quick post as I have lots to do before I head down to Melbourne for the Craft and Quilt Fair, starting on Thursday.

I will be working/demonstrating on the Unique Stitching stand selling all the wonderful fibres and mixed media products and will daily be teaching a class mainly aimed at textile school aged students working with Angelina fibres, Tyvek, yarn and beads to make either a Dream Catcher or to just learn how to work with these products.

I will also be teaching a class called Monet's Mixed Media Garden (photo below) at 5.30 on Saturday evening, using Tyvek, Textiva film and silk throwsters waste.




come and say hello if you are there and maybe we can tempt you with some wonderful products.

now must away and wash so I can pack.........

Stuff

Have had a good few days of sewing and finished a quilt top and also a few bowls, will post photos of them soon.
We have been having nasty damaging winds all week and when I went out yesterday morning to do a fence check before I let the dog out I discovered a few branches down up the back, I'm so glad one of our back neighbours cut down a huge tree in their yard a few months ago as I recon it would have reached my studio if it had come down our way.

Now this is a photo I feel a bit thingy about showing but here it is anyway..........
Prior to going to Perth we were having trouble with mice and no amount of traps or baits were getting rid of them, I thought I had them under control but it's amazing what damage a little mother to be can do in a sock draw, she shredded my very old draw liners and took rubbish from my bedside bin and also shredded a whole lot of Spanish reviews that my husband had been keeping in a box under the bed, luckily I caught her before she gave birth.

I went into my room to clean out my sock draw and got carried away and went through all of my draws and wardrobe and filled up 6 bags of clothes to go to the Op Shop.
There were a lot of pants that I was hoping to get back into and all of those shirts and jumpers that you can't bear to part with, out they went - so I'm feeling quiet virtuous as my house has gotten out of control and hasn't had a good clean out for years, I had my hips replaced 3 years ago and not much got done leading up to that and then things have just built up since so these holidays I intend to make a dent in the house and try and declutter and do a bit of personal housekeeping and not hang onto things - don't panic Tim I'll hang onto you.

a few assessment pieces

here are a few more of my sculpture pieces that got the teachers excited last week when I had assessment.

this piece is only about 6" high and one of my favorites.


This is my first piece of carved soapstone, I really enjoy working in this medium as you don't quiet know where it will take you till you start carving it.


I've posted 2 of these 3 framed pieces before but not the 3rd one in the series with the offset frame, for those that didn't see them previously, they are cut up chair legs and building blocks

and at least I hung this piece this time and it was hung the correct way (it was hung sideways in the gallery at TAFE)