SEWING SUEZ

fringe furniture and the birthday girl

2011-10-11T04:57:00.000-07:00

Just one more photo of the birthday girl.
In the amazing- shooting out of a canon- costume.
Whipped up by the equally amazing Amy.

We have been to see the Fringe Furniture Exhibition at the Abbotsford convent.
And who was the star of the show "Sally Mill"
and her amazing bed spring lamp shades.
Noel must be happy with all the hard rubbish workouts they have done.
They are so lovely and work truly well.
Very worthy of the awards they won on the day.

HOORAY ITS CIRCUS TIME

2011-09-26T00:09:00.000-07:00

WE ARE READY TO GO.
21 AND SO FULL OF IDEAS FOR A CIRCUS THEMED PARTY

The sisters standing in front of the "big top"
somehow it doesnt look so exciting in the photos,
In the dark it is hard to see the details but it was so full of colour and beautiful lights.
On the far left you can see a screen showing an old Charlie Chaplin circus movie.
With two red curtains making the entrance
and a frame out of bamboo with tiny bud lights over it

Balloons....
and Lena in her- shooting out of a canon- Costume including a "BANG" sign attached..

. Here is the circus cake . Delicious choc mud cake with icing and animals and a hidden stash of golden chocolate coins.
We also had chicken and carrot and coriander sausage rolls and beef and Thai red curry sausage rolls and mini burgers with lamb,cucumber ,spinach and tzatziki and chicken and satay burgers with cos lettuce and popcorn in striped boxes served in Match -Girl boxes with straps over the shoulders.
Four different punches to drink and a fire stick twirler and a band!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Eri and Ash early party goers on the dance floor. With the band." Sarah and the King Bees" setting up their equipment. Hooray they were amazing.

" Miss Turning 21" up the ladder setting up the tent and curtains and bamboo frame
It all went so well it was a great night and we all had an amazing night . The last to turn 21. no more parties for a while but it really was lots of fun

Vale Richard

2010-10-05T02:05:00.000-07:00

(oops and big oops. I did spell the name wrong.It is Richard Kenley Ludbrook)
Our dearest Richard,
We miss you.
Our family has been touched by you and your warmth and fun.
We are locked into Yarnuff for ever and ever.
We love you for that.

2010-09-06T17:00:00.000-07:00

here are some pictures of my trip to Kent . South of London to visit a friends, mother-in-law. A very sprightly 83 year old in her flash car. Narrow english roads are no barrier in a car like this.

Also some images of her garden and her house. there was a bird feeder with young blue tits and a woodpecker who came to visit just outside the breakfast window.

You can see me as a ghostly image in the window

Then off for some stately home action. This is the home of the young Anne Bolyn including a bed of Henry the 8th

A giant Yew hedge for us girls to wonder about

Inside the kitchen of Blickling Hall just near Norfolk. I love the details of the kitchen without the theme park looks of some of the rooms with on over abundance of antiques etc.

I want the job of polishing these beautiful copper pots.

My trip to England was full of highs and lows. I miss my sister already and Richard in his frail condition. I am back home now and the weather is very wintery and cold. I have cooked for the masses,sewed up a storm, visited a very unwell Matcham, dug my garden and weeded and whipper snipped to get the sweeping therapy really going. It is also good to be home with my family again

so.... to pics of england

2010-08-07T08:33:00.000-07:00

We are on our way to London.
It is quite expensive to travel on the train from East Harling
but if you book your ticket ahead it brings the price down a lot.

This is as we arrive at Liverpool street station.
It is the main station to arrive at from Norwich.
Then we had to proceed to the underground,
to find the train to buckingham palace.

.
On the way to the palace we spotted deck chairs
and wondered why not many were being sat on ..
.Then came along the man with the machine to take our money
for the privilege of sitting on the chairs so we immediately sat on the grass!

SQUIRREL!!!!
OH so cute and English. The little squirrel was so tame
he was very used to being fed by the tourists.

The walk through Hyde park,.
The weather was sunny and warm lots of people visiting
as it is the summer holidays for all of England, and then the beginning of a new school year.

This is the Princess Dianna memorial in Hyde park.
A water feature for all to enjoy . A favourite place to play in the summer
with little pale children in bathers having fun.

A special place for Joey the Macaron shop near Picadilly circus.
Very expensive but so beautiful.

Us inside the "Queens Theatre" .
We are ready for the performance of "Les Miserables"
which has been going for twenty five years in the same theatre.
A very special treat thanks to Roxi for finding a two for one ticket deal

Then after a three hour performance we were off to Carmody street
for some window shopping. These pictures are for Lena

We even found shoes with tape measures on this one is for Amy xxx

This is honesuckle in the garden of Ickworth, a stately home we found

Roxi and I out the front of Ickworth.

Some serious sock knitting has also been done. Second pair on the way

Diss auctions a world of the unexpected .
And england on a good day to prove that there IS blue sky in the UK..

a ruinous day

2010-08-01T10:18:00.000-07:00

Roxi and I headed off for a small adventure to Bury St Edmonds. A big town nearby, with a big cathedral. We also found ruins from the 13th century.So hard for us to even slightly comprehend.
This building was actually built within the ruins, adding windows and doors in the ancient rock walls.This area of the UK...(Norfolk) is known for its buildings made from flint.
This building also shows how it was built on the ruins and stone columns of the 13th century.

We walked and walked and found areas of true ancient ruins
with families picnicing all around.
There were also amazing gardens very finely manicured and tended.
I did find in the flower beds, beautiful grevilea robustas
.I wonder if they realise how big they could grow.

we

a mid summer walk

2010-08-01T09:55:00.000-07:00

We are off in the car for our morning walk
. The roads are so narrow that going in the car to the woods is the best way to go.This is school lane which is the back of jo's hous .
At the end of this road we head to the left and on down the road. Past the gypsy camp with horses and a true wooden gypsy wagon.

We then walk on the Harling Heath. With the occasional sheep and such an abundance of wildflowers.
These flowers are a common knapweed.
Amongst the other flowers we have seen are....
Wild carrot,Yarrow,Perforate St Johns Wort,Field Bindweed,Harebell,
Vipers Bugloss,Ragwort,White Campion,and Scabious.What a bunch of wierd English names..

one by one

2010-08-01T09:37:00.000-07:00

this is a hollyhock outside. the church in East Harling.. you can also see the flint walls and a glimpse of the lead light windows.. summer is here and so are the hollyhocks and wildflowers

my first pictures of the uk

2010-08-01T09:08:00.000-07:00

here is my first image of the UK as I sit on the train to Norwich.Out the window is a field of wheat already to be harvested So many hours to get here but once you touch down it all seems not nearly so far...The Friday that I arrived was a heat wave of about 30 degrees and everyone was flagging in the heat although I still had a couple of layers on.It was so lovely to see my little sis and give her a real life hug and no more virtual world kisses.I have also been to the hospital and given a big hug to Richard from the land of Oz. It is so wonderful to be near them and for me to find my role as the mothering type here as well.
As Jo visits the hospital I have stayed home and cooked and knitted and read (Girl with the Dragon Tatoo)
Roxi is also here from the land of OZ . It is an amazing thing to be here in Summer and it is a concept the Brits find hard to realise... that its ...Winter in Australia.....

Far away across the sea

2010-07-22T07:48:00.000-07:00

I am here at last. What a long way to fly.I managed to find my way from Heathrow to East Harling ,(well actually Diss ,where Joey picked me up in the car). On a couple of trains and a wait in the Liverpool street station with opera music blaring.
hate to brag but the weather is so sunny and summer here.The sky is very blue and the sun is positively warm!
We do head off to the hospital every day to see Richard .Many hours are passed either talking or reading or just sitting quietly.Although we have managed to play a couple of rounds of Yarniv with Richard. He can manage to walk to the Day room which is for families and friends to chat without the other patients listening and staring..... Well I do stay home sometimes and knit and cook the dinner while Joey and Roxy visit Ricardo. Richard is doing OK . He has good days and bad days and on the better days you can see joeys shoulders rise as her spirit lifts as well.

I have also been on the double decker bus from the hospital into Norwich to go exploring.Up and down many small alleyways and narrow streets to find textile galleries,bridal shops,juice bars,homemade things shop,market stalls selling spices and nuts and seeds etc.,a helpful visitor centre for my hit of postcards,a small supermarket for supplies for dinner,even found a gallery with "ink and spindle" fabric from Melb.

Travelled slightly further afield and found a fabric shop, wool shop and furnishing fabric shop. In amongst Indian food stores and lots of op shops and pawn shops.I think I might have to go back for some money spending next time.
I did find out the hard way that the buses all finish by 6.30 at night so I wandered around for ages to really be sure, even though the hospital is open till 8 for visiting hours. So I had another adventure in a British taxi. Very spacious . Quite pricey as well.

I will sign off now and will write more soon and try for some pics..

Our holiday to Bruny Island

2010-03-02T03:14:00.000-08:00

Bruny Island Isthmus. The sand spit near the penguin colony and the narrow road to the south,

.The "Lady Nelson 'in the still sunny waters of Hobart.
Then largest ocean liner in the harbour we have ever seen.
As big as a whole shopping centre.
Consequently the city was tripled in size by the crowds.

On the car ferry across the water to Bruny. The weather was so lovely.
The best summer in ten years according to the locals

This is the view of the water from the house we stayed at.

On the north end of Bruny.So still and blue.

This was a board walk to the beach to see the penguins. At dusk the fairy penguins come ashore to find their babies huddled away in there burrows.The boardwalk is there to protect the sand dunes.We did go back in the dark with torches to see them. There was a very full moon and so the penguins were easy to see. No crowds only us . The other special thing was as we left to head back to the house in the car in the west in the dark but with the moonlight and a slight drizzle there was a RAINBOW. In the dark maybe it should have been called a moonbow!

We also found oysters growing in the tidal bays of Bruny near the house. Joe from "Get Shucked" has his oysters growing in the waters of Great Bay.
The baskets were hanging in the clear waters. The oyster farmer had the inspector
coming so had to have all the mussels cleared from the oyster racks.Well lucky us we hopped in to help

In the low tide we found about five kilos of mussels very quickly and also pippies floating to the surface just ready for us to scoop up into our bucket and the off to our dinner pots.

It did have a bit of a boys weekend at this point!

This is the lighthouse at the Southern end of island.The weather has turned to more like normal about fifteen degrees and a freezing wind and all the coats on a bit like an add for a raincoat company.

We did think though that it was the best way to see a lighthouse so far south and on the edge of the southern ocean

We then walked and walked and walked and walked about fifteen kilometres. up a hill climb to the ragged bluff, along the sunny clean waves of the south side of the island. Coming eventually to the penguin viewing ramp and the five k's more to get back the the car. Phew a bit hard on the sore heel and challenging on the stamina..

The when our time was over back on the ferry in the sun again .Tasmania was a great place to visit in the days of global warming....

the new year

2010-01-26T03:47:00.000-08:00

the sun is so hot that we all have our different ways of keeping cool
I found a clean wheely bin from the garden and made a lovely vertical
"plunge pool " Every time I got too hot inside I would come out
and step into the water from the tank and cool down. Then at the end of the day
I would drive over to the vegie garden and syphon the water out
onto the garden.There's recycled water for you... On the next hot day Lena and I made a trip to the Yarra Valley
to find a cool place to visit.

What a lovely grown up girl!

I just love these trees,

Merry christmas to all

2009-12-30T20:19:00.000-08:00

ready for christmas. Sorry about the serious face. We were deep in conversation about something .I think this was boxing day. Like the red chrissy shirts?... We had late xmas lunch at Sandy"s in the city.

. MMMMMMMMMMm baked salmon and salsa verde..

And amazing prawn and scallop salad...So fresh

Then my rolled stuffed turket breast with pecans, cranberries,

garlic, fresh sage and onion.

there was also my raspberry and moscato jelly ,that I forgot

to photograph before it was demolished.....

The making of the jelly with the muslin for straining,

the raspberries cooking and the Moscato

( sweet and slightly fizzy chilled wine )bottle

and a sparse but weighted xmas tree. Brought inside from the hot sun.

Early December

2009-12-02T02:13:00.000-08:00

Happy HAPPY CHRISTMAS. to you and to you and to you...

My gourmet traveller is full of chrisymassy ideas..

Just a small snippet of our place this week.

I did find a few branches from the pine tree outside

to bring inside and put in a vase. Then I put a few large baubles on it and

gingerbread cookies. and with the warm glow of the evening you can also see the gingerbread stars.

they are from the newest gourmet traveller christmas edition.

It is a recipe for speculaas,mmmmmmm

yum very buttery and made with freshly ground spices.

and then my happy hens

have been hard at work trying to hide the latest eggs.

And then the hoya has produced the most perfect clusters of flowers. Five separate blooms. They are quite hard to photograph

the vegie garden

2009-11-08T19:19:00.001-08:00

This is the vegie garden out the back near the house on stilts.
We have fenced off an area to make new garden beds
.there is celery,leeks,beans,spinach,broccoli,cos lettuce and the odd pansy plant as well the pea straw has started to sprout as well which always adds to the green..
the rabbits cant get in and we pick every day for the kitchen.

Since we took these pics we have also added a big herb area as well.

The coriander in particular has shot ahead.I haven't grown it before.

spring has sprung a lot

2009-11-08T18:47:00.001-08:00

My garden has come alive in the bout of warm and wet weather we have had.

I have grown these Flanders poppies for the first time .

they are so beautiful and so much like a ladybird up close.!!

From little things.....

2009-10-06T05:12:00.000-07:00

Here is the dress that I made Liz, for her daughter Kate's wedding.( mother of the bride )
We started with a picture ripped out of a magazine from the dentist.by Liz.
We had a few practice goes of working out how the hang of the fabric would work and
then it was all systems go!!.

The outside layer is a rusty red silk satin , backed with a finer silk in a bright orange.

The idea was that the arms were draped with the lines of silk satin with open strips, to hide the upper arm slightly and for the fabric to drape and flow.

The main dress is a dark burgundy with a stripe of the rust red fabric sewn at the bottom. Also a lovely embroidered silk in a pink and orange that we found to match.
With a covered button in the same fabric.

p.s. the wedding was A HUGE success more pics to come soon.

Marmalade time

2009-07-22T02:10:00.000-07:00

These are an amazing fruit that I found at the roadside stall on the way to St Andrews market. There is a lemon and lime and kaffir lime leaf, stall where you can stop and buy these freshly picked. I was looking for cumquats and I had no idea what these were. After looking on the Internet I found they were Australian blood limes.
I cut up the fruit and soaked them as per the cumquat recipe. What a beautiful colour.
Bubble bubble,
Waiting for the sugar to be the right temperature

These are the cumquats freshly sliced

and ready to soak in the water over night

Time to bubble again

Wow here are the jars ready to go.

These are both the cumquat marmalades .

The blood lime is slightly bitter and more of a strong lime flavour.

Already for some fesh bread and lots of lovely butter

my version

2009-07-22T01:27:00.001-07:00

Here are my photos of Imam Bayildi ,I made after reading Joeys blog.
It is the most delicious eggplant dish .With many steps but worth the wait.
I asked the Turkish lady at "R couture"about the dish
and it translates as "the Imam fainted".
So we will all be fainting with the beautiful taste.
Although no Imam's around.

The eggplants are all fried and slashed ready to go into the oven
My parsley freshly picked from the garden.

The tomato mixture is ready in the pot with lots of garlic and onions and currants.
The slices of eggplant are mounded high with the tomato mix and topped with the extra tomato and put back in the oven MMMMMmmmmm dished up with buttery pumpkin and Jerusalem artichokes.
Perfect.

...oh such a special occassion

2009-07-14T06:01:00.001-07:00

Here is Amy
trying to win tickets to her beloved Brittney concert.
.in a radio competition.

sssssssssssoo sad . no luck .

Luckily there was the ticket sales on the day still to come
and now all is well, and waiting for the ticks to arrive in the mail

cloudy skies

2009-07-14T05:55:00.001-07:00

As I left work ,
the sun came out and made such a beautiful rainbow
in the dark stormy sky

new camera time

2009-07-14T05:30:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of our african things we are making for Christina

- the first is a vest ,simple, no lining just darts in the back and two D-rings.
This one is woolly fabric made with a low front neckline and loose square armholes

This is a dress made from a bed spread .Not all the fabric is authentic African ,

there is also a mix of fabrics from her op shop collection

This is another unlined vest. In a smaller size and different fabric

This is a copy of Amy's -Prom at the Prom- dress in an amazing African fabric.

Cant quite see the pattern but the large shapes are snails.

There is also purple tulle underneath

The lovely Amy is here hard at work sewing for Christina.

We have been to Noble Park to see the shop. It was not very big .The room, in the middle of a coat of paint.
There are three or four African tailors ready to move in as well to help share the rent .They have a differnt style to Christina.

I think they do a mail order to Africa.
With a pattern and colour of fabric chosen from a poster..

the workroom

2009-06-08T01:15:00.000-07:00

The piles of fabric are building as we speak

Here is an African top on the stand in the window.
The fabric is a damask that has been printed over the top

This is a bag I have made from Pomegranite fabric from Ikea.

.With a band that does up with a button

The workroom is ready with a fresh dusting and re arrange of cushions and fabric

These are made from Rosies fabric from Timor, such a vibrant yellow I havent seen

before.

There are still some patches of sun in this cold wintery time of year.

It is very hard to tell ,but Amy and I have been busy sewing...

We have just sent off abou sixteen things to Christina for her fabulous shop in

Dandenong..

We are going off to see the shop in a few weeks.. So we have to sew and sew again

so we can take more stock as well.

She is a very easy client not fussy at all as to how many things or what size or which fabric

new cushions

2009-05-28T04:03:00.000-07:00

I thought it was time to write again.

The sewing machine has been running hot.

the sewing room is chockablock full.I am making two new cushions to enter into the nillumbik art prize.Mostly there are paintings and drawings in this art prize . There are a few 3d pieces so I thought i would have a go. $5000 prize money or $1000 peoples choice prize.

first cushion- beautiful blue feather pattern. with purple crushed velvet on the outside.

second cushion -silk leaves appliqued onto silk leaf pattern and velvet-I think I will add some more sewn on leaves maybe in kimono orange.

I also have clothes to make as well.

black fringed top and gold silk shirt for Suzanne

silk shirt and separate top for Rada.

alter long black velvet skirt for Lucia

things for the african shop.

then think up an embroidered label for the sewing room..Amy and I are thinking of .

.....A and S the glasshouse...not sure really.

2009-04-15T04:35:00.000-07:00

We had an adventure on the train to Warrnambool.It was Good Friday and we headed off on the train all the way from Eltham. Into the city and then three hours on the v-line train.
The weather was amazing. Apparently the best Easter weather for five years.
I also had a revelation that joey and I were born there and I didn't realise it was
THE BEACH..... There were lots of swimmers and surfers and surf ski's .
The water was clear and we did brave a quick dive into the waves for a swim.
... We walked everywhere as we had no car. We walked along the boardwalk for miles in each direction. We came to the whale viewing area but I think it was too warm for the whales yet.

We also had a well travelled bowl of hot cross bun dough that came all the way with us.

When we got to the house, Sue put it into a bowl in the sink with some warm water. and we headed off for a long walk.When we got back the dough had swelled over the top of the bowl and spread into the warm water.Which made a large gooey mass of hot cross blob.We gave it some sort of a drain and then cooked the lump anyway.

So we had hot cross loaf all Easter..ha

Then we also had a few nights of learning to play mahjong...It was a great game but I feel there were lots of fine skills and scoring we had not mastered.But the winds were beginning to blow well for us.

chickens and cushions

2009-03-29T03:45:00.000-07:00

My cushions are for the latest Montsalvat exhibition. which is for the bushfire fundraising appeal.

ON the night there was also food and wine and amazing music and such a feeling of community spirit .

The whole hill of Montsalvat was full of people sitting down and watching the music.

Sandro played trumpet,Mike Rudd sang and played guitar.Judy Jacques sang and read poetry,the Tesky brothers played some mighty fine guitar duos...WE all clapped and sang along in a wonderfull feeling of solidarity...That is something that fires have done and that is to create a community feeling that we did not have before.We decided that Montsalvat could easily have more, similar events.

There is an exhibition in the barn gallery with all the artists donating their work with a silent auction as the means of selling. I have put these two cushions in

The first has vintage kimono fabric and black silk velvet.

The second one has the blue and brown kimono fabric and also a vibrant red kimono as well. I have had lots of people commenting on them so I hope they sell. Apparently you dont know the winning amount or who has bought, but I thought the buyer might come and ask for MORE!!!!

---------------------------

Here are also some pictures of the fast growing chickens we have at the moment.

They have been allowed out of their house to explore the garden and dodge the pecks of the one other chook.. They are so excited to be out, that they flap and fly with their cute feet hardly hitting the ground.

The only problem being that they are hard to get back into their house in the evening. they are rather scared so the best thing is to leave them to settle SOMEWHERE and then go looking for them in the dark and pick them up slowly and carry them off to their bed.Very cute really.

Cake time

2009-03-29T03:27:00.000-07:00

I have had a bit of cake making lately.

An engagement cake for Catherine's step daughter.Beck.

I made a two tiered, white chocolate mud cake in the heart shaped tins. With white and dark chocolate dipped strawberries and a delicious raspberry coulis.
No photos of the finished cake but here is the process including the knife of all knives to cut the cake..... borrowed from one of the ladies at r-couture.
The strawbs worked like a dream each one looked like those shell chocolates from Guylain....

The cakes also worked well although the finished cake tastes pretty much like a rich butter cake..

I hired a cake stand from the "Greensborough cake kitchen."

and I think the whole thing was a big success.....

Just a snippet

2009-03-06T22:45:00.000-08:00

First of all ,the plants are so confused they dont know whether its summer or autumn.

This is my ginko beloba a beautiful tree that I have nurtured through the terrible heat ,with the shower water. It normaly loses its leaves in autumn but decided to put on a new burst of growth after being cooked in the 46 degree heat of those bad summer days .Who knows what it will do next

Off on a big adventure.......

we are at the airport to see Lena off on her big adventure to see the world.

Trying to look serious but excited at the same time

Not to forget the terrible fires and the loss of Adams tools and tool trailer .

And also the lovely house that they were working on in Yarra Glen.All that remains is the classic two chimneys standing tall and thats a

Here she is ,speeding off to meet her plane....

a short story

2009-02-02T02:50:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time there was a family.They lived in a small house in a leafy suburb in Melbourne.It was the middle of Summer and the weather was very hot.After an extraordinary week or forty degree days .Sue and Lena decided to go to the beach for a little bit of seaside fun away from the belting hot summer sun in the outer suburbs. There was a new skiffle board to try as well. One sick Adam stayed at home with bronchitis,too sick to leave the house really.
Sue and Lena swam and swam at Canadian Bay near Mt Eliza.The sea was cool and the sun did not seem so fierce.Then there was a phone call.....Adam called to say there was a SNAKE inside...."what, where, how,where is it now,what should we do" ..... .... Poor Adam was too sick to deal with it ,so it was a case of just sit tight and see what happens.
Sue and Lena had one last swim and then headed home with trepidation.
With sand in between toes and salt in the hair,the road back home was filled with worry and there was no way to know what would be found at home.
There was Adam sitting on the couch coughing and coughing. The television was on and somewhere there was a snake.Every room has a hole in the floorboards and a gap where the floor joins the walls,perfect for a snake to fit, but how could you know, if it hadn't been seen. Adam suggested that we call a friend, David ,to come and search as Adam had no way of focusing, let alone capture or seek out a snake .David arrived and Adam took himself off to bed.Sue and Lena were standing on top of the dining table with teeth clenched. There were a lot of boxes moved and lots of STUFF shifted in the search, but no sign and all was quiet under the furniture and in the corners of the room ...."could you please just have a look behind the couch"..... AAaahhhh SHIT there it is... down behind a wooden box in the corner of the room coiled between the floor and wall,a four and a half foot tiger snake.!!!!!!!
A quick look through the phonebook found ."Snake Busters" the phonecall was made....."Hi I live in Eltham and we have a snake inside"........"Right what is the address. dont disturb the snake I will be there in ten minutes"....Waiting and waiting with torches shining on the small gap between the couch and the bookshelf and the other end of the couch and the tv.Torches gripped and eyes peeled ...waiting and waiting...At some sign of slight movment Sue turned her head towards the open front door and there was a large snake disappearing out the door ....Was it the same snake?How did it get past the close watch of the torch bearers?Was there a way out under the floor boards towards the front door, snake size? the snake was followed from a distance as it dissappeared around the side of the house and under the house through a tiny hole. Back inside to check out the original snake and lo and behold it was still there so you know what that means
NOT ONE BUT TWO SNAKES..........
.Knock knock knock on the door and its the snake buster,with the numberplate ...Adder1..
"where is it? hhmmm he is ready for a fight his head is curled around to meet its tail."
Then the snake man wipped out the snake tool which was a window cleaning squeegee and a plastic storage tub to put it in.With swift moves and one eye on us the snake was caught whipped into the tub and... "so any more?." well actually.....
Then there followed a tour of the back yard. with mutterings of ..".my god this place is ferral "and....".can we come back and film here.?"
....$130 later the snake man was gone and we could rest slightly easier.

an email from Hugh.

2009-01-19T17:38:00.000-08:00

A depressing start to Summer. Apols 4 abrevs. Its that or nothing! (PJ = Project/ion/or)

The St Andrews Man in Moon Show went downdowndown. It threatened to rain all arvo as we set up but we had to go for it as I’d recvd the $ and spent it all/ready! Around 6 it started to rain and never stopped till very late! We had stuff outside under raincovers
but cooden of course run it. Rain covers weren’t enuf! Steve & Richard flew the balloon 3 times. 1st time unlucky. 2nd time tethers broke due to extra weight of rain. 3rd time success but rain spoiled & it looked like gi Teardrop rather than Moon! And Proj onto it imposs due to rain!
My Fr Rob Hall got my 2nd Blue Laser happnin but in end we only took one feelin we wouldn’t get to use any! (right) Steve had serviced my 3 HD Turntables and polished my 5 Mirror Balls. The power supp for my hi powa Scan PJ was under cover I thought but it was only under the verandah! Filling with water! But its prob only $200ish.
Another NEW Pj was in the Van but also got wet! And lotsa stuff got wettish.
Steve lost all his Keys TWICE!
Steve (unfamil with the area) came down from Tilba Tilba to help me with the show and return to TT with a load of my old Slide PJs. He followed me to St A’s in his car coz I coodn q fit it all in my red van. On our return he zoomed ahead (inst of follo) got lost, got a Melways but left road and hit a Tree 2 Ks short of my place! Broke his Leg, totalled the Car (and my 5 Mirra Balls and my DVD Recorder with all my one-off
effects, a sep DVD player, the blue Laser Powa/Supply, a discharge Spot, and the just christened Moon Balloon Bag!) anyway the Police attended the Scene (I didn’t hear till 4 hrs later)
but could not even tell me where the car was! I had to do a Towing Co ringaround!

The Tow ers aren’t overly friendly and will not even allow me to retrieve anything!
since the Car’s uninsured! Havnt seen it yet. Waited an hour in Heid today but they never showed up! (thought just mebe the HDD data could be saved from the DVD Rec tho I doubt it. But I’m told mebe! But I want the Moon Bag & Laser P/S etc & even Mirror Ball debris!

Pain beckons……..

Tues. revisit Accident scene and ppl there have found Laser P/S and a Turntable! Something! Looks as if we WILL be able to retrieve stuff from the Car for what it’s worth! Very little I fear. Mebe the Moon Bag?

On Sat.15th Nov. I was having Tea and a Tooth broke! What was left was razor-sharp and threatened to cut my tongue on every swallow & chew! So no food till Mon when I went looking for a Dent. Coodn find one who’d see me so ended up having to go to Dental Hosp! Worst needle of my life from Coloured Dentist (not that that bothered me tho he was a bit agro) and kept saying ‘Open wider!’ and worst dentistry except for Dental Hosp of 1957 when I was having Panic attacks with mouth full of drills and hands! Anyway, recover slowly over few days tho tongue remains half dead! By Wed 26 e/thing suddenly gets v painful including swallowing, chewing and being in general! Neuralgia in jaw, cheekbone, and headache in top of head, deep. Movement of tongue in mouth, swallowing and opening to admit Tablet all become unbearable! After few days I feel permanently Nauseous. And very scared!
Every so often I bite my cheek which seems to have grown enormously on the inside,
and the Knee-jerk (Cheek-jerk?) reaction is to open the mouth fast, which of course is the most painful thing I can do, producing extreme pain spasms right down one side of my head, not to mention the inner cheek!
My Teeth are coated with thick plaque I cannot address! I begin taking 2 Codrals but try to keep it minimal fearing it might take some time. Google Jaw pain & find some very scary stuff on post Dental maladies! Doc puts me on Anti-biotics. Says ‘5 days!’
Sounds like Eternity! Have to do me BIG Show on 28th! Anyway to cut a long story short, DO the Show with much help, and on the 5th Day I felt I could bear to avoid Pain killers, and on 6th Day there was suddenly a noticeable improvement! I could almost get a Grape in my mouth and could chew!
JOY JOY JOY!!! Yet STILL, my jaw feels as if the Anaesthetic hasn’t quite worn off!
But 95% of the Pain has gone! (Thought it was over but not yet!)

The other thing that saddens me is that Debs Mum, who is a very lively, fit & healthy 90yo, ended her Life 2 days ago! She is still in a Coma, (Tues pm) prob coz the cocktail wasn’t designed for one with such a strong constitution! She’s been talking bout it for a long time (depressed due to all her friends being gone) but I was hoping (and thinking) she wouldn’t do it! I thought we were Dining together tonight! My oldest & newest friend! (She passes away Wednesday.) hadn’t spoken to her for a week and was looking forward to the Chinese meal she & Deb owed me. (now that I can almost EAT again).
Life aint fair!
Thurs. Deb is seeking a baby Elephant and Cart to carry Sylvias painted Coffin!
Get equipment remains from Car. One Mirror Ball hardly damaged! Well still usable!
See Pic of Steve (broken Leg) & Car! Chiz hu

Just to say some people have ALL the luck.

weather balloons R us

2009-01-19T17:20:00.000-08:00

I know I am a bit slow but I finally have some photos of the Hugh Mcspeddon weather balloon cover.......
First the balloon, made from latex was put inside the cotton stretch cover and slowly inflated with a vacuum on reverse. It slowly started to rise and the apparition grew and grew in the barn at Montsalvat.

I had to keep checking that the fabric was not caught on the floor and we kept watching as it grew.

Matcham just sat there so mind blown by the event he kept saying "whats it for "and "oh my WE could make a building scaffold out of this"

I was so happy to see it grow .We did have to stop blowing before it got to full size as we thought it would hit the rough timber of the posts in the barn.I tended up about twelve feet diam.With the perfect shape of the sphere in the cotton interlock fabric.

christmas is here

2008-12-21T22:00:00.000-08:00

The shopping is done and the tree has a few presents under. The turkey is in the freezer and the roast pork is ready to go.The best thing I have found to do is wait till you have an idea for a gift and then head to the right spot
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES GO TO JUST BROUSE.
Yuck just ttooooooomany sad christmas shoppers out there.Brunswick street has been good and I found a really lovely girl in her shop called "claude the bird". Plenty of hand made gifts for the most deserving amongst my family and friends.

A few more pictures

2008-12-10T02:33:00.001-08:00

These cushions are from my screenprinted chicken fabric. this pincushion has black and white Japanese print
with red goldfish on cotton and pink ribbon and a pearl button.

This one has black and pink silk a small piece of orange and pink trim

and a pink silk covered button

Japanese crane fabric and the same red goldfish.

with piping and black and pink silk.

wow for the cushions

2008-12-10T02:23:00.000-08:00

Here are some cushions that I am putting in the exhibition at Montsalvat.
Amy and I are part of an exhibition of the residents and tenants of Montsalvat.
I have been sewing and sewing for weeks in all my spare time.
I have made some small pincushions as well.

These ones are courtesy of inspiration from the lovely sister Joey

Lots of pearl buttons from the Camberwell market.

Thai silk in squares to sew the buttons in.

2008-11-29T02:12:00.000-08:00

SO here we are Amy and I are in an exhibition at Montsalvat.I dont know if you can read it but it is a joint exhibition of residents and tenants of Montsalvat. There is an arts officer who has been great and she has got this off the ground.I have made four cushions so far .No photos yet!!! and I am making a couple of pin cushions as well. We will wait to try with the placement and display as we get closer to the day. "Bump in" is Tues 9th. and the opening is Thurs.So excited you never know there could be a sale or two. Does anyone have an idea about price,Because I am not sure.I have some beautiful silk and pearl buttons and shot silk and lovely feathers for stuffing....

there was an old house

2008-11-06T23:13:00.000-08:00

These photos are really in the wrong place ....... the story starts about five or six pictures down!!!!!
All of the photos are a bit haywire:
this one is inside the house as the lining has been taken off and the weather boards as well. A new window will be in this end wall as well.There is pressed tin on the ceiling and that will take a bit of hunting to find more to replace some that is damaged.
This is the view to the east of the house looking out across the paddocks to the old railway line and beyond that the hills of Healesville.
This is the only image of the mural I can find not the best, but maybe you can get an idea

This is the house before any work was done.

The house has been re stumped and the rabbit holes and wombat holes have been filled in under the floor.The plan is to also extend the verandah out further by about three feet.What a lovely place to sit on a warm summer evening.

There was once an old house way out in Yarraglen, It once belonged to the Boyd family(in about 1910). It now belongs to a rich lady who wants to use it as a holiday house.

The house was lived in for a while by Arthur Boyd's grandparents.

Adam is helping to do renovations to the building,probably till Christmas.

On one wall there is a mural which we have found out was painted by Minnie Boyd,Arthur's grandmother. The story goes that she was a bit of a crazy religious lady and kept painting sunsets and seasonal pictures on all the walls ,with bible quotes and as this was not too well accepted by the husband he would paint over them.

There is one wall ,high above the picture rail that has one remaining mural. It is very hard to photograph. I have tried and I am still waiting for a good photo to emerge

I have been out to the house and I had fun exploring in the out buildings.The property also backs onto the high reaches of the Yarra river . The property was bought for one million dollars there is eighty acres of land and maybe you never know the new owner might need a tenant or a manager !!!!!

This amazing tree sits just outside the front door. It has been valued at $30,000.00 as it is an amazing example of a weeping elm (and we all know about their life prospects).It has an amazing shape, almost Japanese.A bit like a giant version of a bonsai.
There are the loveliest outbuildings to explore. I had fun thinking of the people that had lived and worked there.

Apparently the people sold because there was just too much money and labour involved in maintaining the property....Good luck to the new owners.

The house was built in the early 1900's so not quite a period house but still well worth the visit.

2008-10-07T23:15:00.000-07:00

The birthday girl is ready and waiting.....
We were all in the kitchen cooking up a storm.

The sun was out and the white cloth was so bright that all sunglasses were on.

the familiar German birthday song is being sung.... Commonly known as "oyxta boyxta"

Another birthday up our sleeves.

Today it was Amy's turn . We sat outside at the long table near the house on stilts.

The table was laid with big branches of jasmine over a white cloth.

We piled onto it platters with lots of paper thin crepes, with fillings to put together yourself.
The first was fresh tomato, red onion and basil,
The next was Poached chicken with pesto and ricotta
and the last was pear, bacon and blue cheese with cream cheese.

I also made mini raspberry muffins in a pile for the birthday cake. Followded by a large fruit platter with mango pineapple, strawbs,canteloupe and watermelon .And also the traditional large lolly bowl.

Yeah !!!we had a lovely day.

who is this?

2008-10-02T05:18:00.000-07:00

What the hell...... sorry just playing and found a cute lizard.....

Its a birthday

2008-09-22T13:20:00.000-07:00

Finally the girl has turned eighteen .such a big weekend we had. There was early present opening followed by rushing off to the movies . Adam and I rushed off to the engagement party of Simon,Suzies son. At the same time for early morning champagne breakfast.

As we had such an early start we thought we should do it properly and head to the market REALLY early.We got to the market at ten past six. We managed to do all the party food shop and be back home by eight thirty .With kisses and hugs in bed followed by presents.

We then went our separate ways and met back again at twelve thirty for the birthday pancakes with icecream and strawbs and candles.

We then lolled about with the viewing of a dancing dvd

that Amy gave Lena "Stepup 1....and 2".With some hilarious copying of the dance moves.

It was then time to get ready for the football event .which was Sue and Chris and Eri taking Lena to the football semi final to see Hawthorn play ....someone (I forget ). I made asparagus rolls and packed them off in the car with Lena driving on her "L's" still, in Amy's Car.....While Lena was away I made the poppyseed cheese cake for the birthday cake.and prepared food for the party on Sunday evening.And maybe caught some breath.

Now as I write their has been new updates. Lena HAS her licence and is ON THE ROAD HOORAY!!!!!
Helping me with some chores involving the car.As she heads off into the sunset I have to try really hard not to be too much of a worrier.But god help us from being like Doro!!!
Sorry no photos yet

first day of spring

2008-09-01T05:46:00.001-07:00

Here are our lovely chickees. They have grown heaps and are now in the cage outside. They love the grass and weeds .the best to eat is the oxalis.
And any amount of cut bread slices.
The sun is out today and there is warmth in the air.

It is already September. Lots of things happen in September.

A big eighteenth birthday and also a driving test.

We have to plan a party and think about the big sisters birthday next as well.

My garden is growing and growing.

The peas I have trained up the trellis.

I think they are the pea straw flowering but it doesnt matter they are

the mostbeautiful colour.

Also the broad beans and their red flowers are doing really well
.

time for some news

2008-08-07T05:36:00.000-07:00

Wow it has been a while .... sorry.
We have three new chickens inside in a box.
They grow every day and make more and more smells.
We just have to be nice to them for a while until they start to lay eggs for us
.
I have all my jobs still.
The Lane is busy and I cook lots of breakfasts and lunches on my shifts.
At the moment I am there on tTuesday and Friday

I have been near the sewing machine as well.
The couch and its loose cover are coming along well.
It has had three fittings now and all is well. I have been to buy a zip at spotlight and
then sewing on the skirt and some hemming is about all....
oh ....as well as the two seat cushions..It is made out of lovely fabric called Cochin twill in the
colour geranium, from an Indian fabric wholesale place in Fairfield .

my home- grown ......friends

2008-07-02T15:29:00.000-07:00

this photo is a new broad bean that I found with red flowers.
they are a bit hard to see but they are amazing...
such a deep maroon and we are yet to see,
the colour of the beans WOW......
. can you guess what I have eaten for the last two nights my own .......

BROCCOLI......

You cant believe the joy I have had watching my broccoli grow.

I dont even mind that I had to share last nights with two large green grubs.

our winter solstice

2008-06-25T04:28:00.000-07:00

The big night of the big bonfire.

We had made the precaution of notifying "Vic Fire" about our imminent bonfire,

but we had forgotten about letting the local fireys know about the blaze

and so we did have a visit from the boys in the red truck.

After they said they had been looking for us all over Eltham,

they finally left. as we had done the right thing

and registered the fire in the first place and they did say

"have a good one!"

Also as a regular event on the shortest day we have a requirement ,

that you have to wear shorts if you come.

Lucky for us it was quite a mild night.

And so with the intense heat of the fire you could have your coat off and still be warm.

We made homemade potato wedges and treacle toffee and a wee dram of brandy

to keep us warm.

the open road

2008-06-03T04:50:00.000-07:00

We drove up to Mildura and beyond to Renmark for the funeral of Sonia Skipper.
Sonia died at the age of ninety just after her birthday.There was a ceremony at the graveside and then we headed back to the house for tea and sandwiches and wine and beer and amazing stories and family feuds.

Eight hours in the car watching the landscape of Victoria pass by .It was really hard to take photos as we were driving they all came out blurry. So we stuck to photos on the day.

Sonia's house was a typical Mallee house with very wide verandahs

to keep the house oh so cool in the sizzling heat of Summer.

All the rooms inside had paintings by sonia and the Skipper clan and friends.

The mighty Murray wound its way around the landscape and we caught glimpses as we drove then back to Melbourne via Adelaide.

We had an overnight stop to see the Rhodin sculptures at the Adelaide gallery.Then back on the road for pizza in Murraybridge and a brown stay in a brown motel in Bordertown.

Then mile after mile of ploughed fields ready for the wheat to sprout

and the whole western wheat belt to grow ,to feed a nation

lovely smoke bush

2008-05-18T04:52:00.000-07:00

the loveliest smoke bush
is the one outside my workroom window.

Sewing?... what sewing?

2008-05-11T22:44:00.000-07:00

I just had a little think and my blog is not true to its name at the present.
my sewing has gone to the back of the shelf ,due to a sick mother and a VCE
daughter and a vegie garden.
As Autumn turns to winter the idea of the cold workroom is a bit hard ..
If I think about it though I do have two heaters I can turn on,
and I do have a couple of projects on the go.
One is two large seat cushions which I have made out of an amazing Persian rug
from a friend .I have actually done the sewing including backing each piece
with calico as it very loosely woven.
Also gussets and strong zips and strong thread.
The hard part is turning them inside out and filling the foam inserts.
i am going to bring them home and get "Muscles"(Adam) to help me.

I am off to Montsalvat to photograph the Smoke bush and my right side in
cushions..

and more

2008-04-25T00:26:00.000-07:00

We have also been hard at the painting of the house.
The south side of our place is getting a lot of attention at the moment.
I have painted and scraped and sanded the wall,
I think you should be able to see some before and after photos

little garden growing.

2008-04-25T00:18:00.000-07:00

Oh how my garden has grown.

weekends are busy too

2008-04-13T05:17:00.000-07:00

We have had a crazy busy week and weekend.
First there is my normal first half of the week where I do cleaning at Gwens.
Tuesday at The Lane.
Wednesday at Catherines.
Thursday was sewing day.I am making an apron for Sue Begg as a sixtyeth birthday present,from a friend of hers.She has asked me to make an apron that is to be like a uniform to put on when she is in "painting mode".A painting smock/apron.With fabric from which Amy and I made her wedding dress.Also other fabrics that I know she would love to wear.I am making the apron reversible so it really become two aprons .Maybe one for her to wear when she works as an art therapist and one to wear at home painting...

Also went to Kate Hudsons exhibition to see her wonderful lino cuts
of small,Australian birds in the branches of native flowers and plants.

Then on Saturday night we went off to Leonies Fiftieth birthday.Such a blast from the past evening.
I talked to Mandy Watson most of the night we hadnt seen each other for about twenty years which seems to be the case at fiftieth birthdays. Lots of great food,including about twelve different flavours of icecream made with the help of a new icecream maker...mmmmmm yum!!!

for Joey

2008-04-06T03:53:00.000-07:00

Today I found Coxes Orange Pippin for you.I remembered that our dad had a tree and that it was the same as he also had when he was growing up.
Two years ago, on the second of april, he passed away to find a whole field of Coxes Orange pippins...

I went to Pettey"s orchard today to help on Janets stall.
It was the annual Autumn,open day with apple tastings,and vote for your best apple,and cider to try, and lots of permaculture ideas for those with small gardens to think about...
and all the heritage apples growing that we never see in the shops.
Janets stall had us making hot chai tea,Mexican hot choc. Homemade apple cake,biscotti,hot fresh roasted chestnuts and beautiful Autumn figs....

At Janets farm during the week we picked chestnuts.
Seamus and I picked and scrounged and peeled and bucketed all day.
With cups of tea coming and going,we managed to collect about 90kgs
of the beautiful brown shiny chestnuts.

garden beds

2008-03-30T02:52:00.000-07:00

The plants are sitting in their box ready to be planted into their new home .

The new mulch is so delicious it looks good enough to eat.

We now have new ......chives,leeks,parsley,salad mix,silver beet

and orange pansies.With water from our rainwater

to keep them happy ,the virtue is overwhelming...

and just to top it off I picked the last of my Summer produce

from the back garden So I can start using last years mulch

to add to the new garden. Black capsicum,green eggplant,green zucchini

and basil...

earth hour

2008-03-30T01:30:00.000-07:00

We have had such a busy weekend.

First Lena and Adam have been doing her bottle top lamp for graphics at school.

Out under the studio there has been a hive of activity.

Lena has learnt to weld as she gets her lampshade off the ground.

then on Saturday night we waited for earth hour .No lights on for an hour to show we care about the carbon emmissions from our houses.

We went off to wells's for mussels and blue swimmer crab for dinner, by candle light .Delicious rissotto and a dark but candle lit game of yarniv!

Then today is Sunday and the garden is first on the agenda

The no dig garden beds are ready for the mulch and manure layers

and the excitement of planting.We have had about 50ml of rain in the last week

so the beds are ready and waiting.....

Easter Sunday

2008-03-23T21:39:00.000-07:00

My how the week goes by .It is Easter now.We have managed to leave the burbs and go off camping .We have been to Murrindindi.Just on an hour from melb.With big big trees and a small racing river(the Murrindindi river).Icy cold but refreshingly so after a 7K walk and hot and sweaty.Also to wash the smokeyness from the cooking fire off.Babbling over rocks and stones with lyrebirds in the shy distance.the river kept us aware of being away from the sounds of traffic and the city.

The weather was much cooler this week so we planned more cool weather food.

Also as we were outside we always eat more and seem to be always hungry.

We cooked and cooked on the fire in our camp ovens......hot cross buns,

yeasty pitta breads cooked to perfection on a large flat granite rock from the river...

goulash and spetzla,big roast dinner with gravy and Yorkshire pud,

we did forget to bring any easter eggs at all !

So we had a healthy easter with our chocolate for Lena safely hidden at home...!

Bells and Sirens

2008-03-16T14:52:00.000-07:00

WE have had another record breaking week. The weather is the main factor.We have had Twelve days straight with the temp. being over thirty five degrees. With over the weekend sitting on 38-40, both days .It sure makes it hard to keep on with the garden beds and stump fixing.

we have also had sirens and bells going past all this weekend .First there was an accident just up the road. with Lena and I out there directing traffic up Dalton street so the road wasnt blocked.Took one person off in the ambulence .Apparently they hit a plain tree on the side of the road and then spun around and swiped another car.Pretty scary.No.1

The yesterday a large house next to Montsalvat caught on fire.I think that at least ten fire trucks and other emergency vehicles screemed past as the weather was so hot .I am sure they were worried that the fire could spread.It wasnt too long before the smoke was no longer visible from our place. We went to visit Matcham in the afternoon and the fire was out but totally destroyed the house and two large pine trees... Well done to the fire men and women .......
Scary no.2

where in the world

2008-03-08T20:25:00.000-08:00

We have been trying to picture where Amy might be and thanks to the world of the internet we may have found her or possibly where she might like to be.

This photo was titled ..."REAL FRUIT ?".....The photo was taken in Cartegena,which is where we last heard from Amy .We are keeping our fingers crossed that all is well and safe with her and Trent.May they keep having adventures...
Also the other members of the family are all good as well..
we saw August at the Vic market tempted by the draw of a birthday present.(a ring he had on layby of Matchams at montsalvat) he was thin but excited about going to Sydney next weekend to play at four separate gigs!

Lena is off to Warrnambool to a volleyball competition with the Falcons. armed with all her study books and a slight inclination to do homework!!She will be back Monday night ,as it is a public holiday for Labour Day..maybe she will have played well and come home fit and well .....,BUT hot ,as we are in the middle of another heatwave..

Adam and I have got ourselves very hot by trying to dig the garden bed out the front ..with one less elm tree root we have sore backs and blisters....Too hot to do more now so I am inside on the computer but getting ready to go back out when it cools down...

also looking at Easter camping at Murrindindi Scenic reserve ,

Quite close to Melbourne but we can have a fire and cook lots ...there could be water but only for paddling not really swimming...

My Own Sorry day

2008-03-05T00:20:00.000-08:00

BIG BIG BIG SORRY.I have been gone and I havent written anything here for so long.November last year is ridiculous(is that how you even spell it?).But with Amy away it has made me think about what happens to our lives in Aus. while travellers fill their lives with adventures..
So my weekly antics start NOW...

spring???

2007-11-03T20:47:00.000-07:00

As the weeks progress I wonder what the weather will bring us for spring.This week we have had....rrrrrrrrrRAIN.Just as we where ready for the next heat wave the sky opened up and down came the rains....

Luckily we have plumbed in our water tank...5000(potential) litres of water for the garden and maybe in the future ,water for flushing the toilet..
the gutters are flowing and we keep going outside to tap the side of the tank to work out how full it is...

also I have been back to the farm to re acquaint my muscles with the job of planting vegetable seedlings .Whoa are my muscles sore as sore...wWe had a planting gun team with the rows filling as we watched .But still we had time for lots of tea and cake breaks..

Cosmos

2007-10-07T05:14:00.001-07:00

I also just love these cosmos

maybe I will paint them on my wall

in the bedroom ,opposite the white cosmos,blue iris and yellow daffodils wall....

new projects

2007-10-07T04:49:00.000-07:00

I am about to venture into the world of shop window displays.

In the bookshop in Eltham,Meera wants me to make a stage curtain and backdrop for the window of the shop ready for Christmas.With lots of red velvet and gold tassles and trim...

The whole stage area will only be about two metres tall and one metre wide so it is more like a diarama. I am trying to find some red velvet,probably crushed and polyester because the window faces west, so has sun on it all day and will cause the fabric to fade..

I had a great play looking at images on the web and have decided ambitiously to be inspired by this amazing image and am doing my best to create it (if I can find the fabric.)I am off to Sally Mills on Monday to have a look at what she has in the way of velvet and red..

I have also made aprons for the publishers reps. who come to the shop. At the end of the year Meera gives them a gift .In the past it has been bottles of wine etc, but this year they will receive a Sue Thomas apron with the bookshop logo of an owl reading... screenprinted on the front..

birthday in the park

2007-09-26T06:06:00.001-07:00

there is an important date in September to remember. The 20th is Lena's birthday.Turning seventeen! We started with a dinner at our place with the usual gang of us and Wells's and Trent and Matcham and Marcus. We ate fantastic roast lamb,slowly marinated in olive oil,lemon,rosemary and salt,and then slow cooked in the oven for three hours...Mmmm yum! Then we had flourless orange and almond cake and a large bowl of lollies.

we sang happy birthday and the German version and laughed and giggled for hours...

Then on Sunday we had the next party which was for Lena's volleyball friends.We headed to the Fitzroy Gardens and carried the B.B.Q. a table and esky,lots of food and drink ,more birthday cake, a large basket full of balls and other sporty activities.The bbq was fired up and the balls started to bounce and fly.

Then the fun began.One of the footballs ended up,very lodged in a palm tree.So then the rest of the day was taken up with trying to get the ball down .First another ball was kicked up to the tree but was too far to kick.Then Adam found a rubber mallet in the car and that was tied to a rope and was swung up to the tree .Then the rubber came off the handle and was also stuck.Then all sort of other balls and rocks were sent skyward.(keeping an eye out for passing elderly citizens)But the palm tree was very protective of its new found friend.

The sun set and the wind came and sent us all home to our warm houses. and the ball and the rubber mallet were still up the tree, Hopefully no-one is near when there is a big wind in sunny Melb.and objects start to fall out of palm tree in the Fitzroy Gardens...

another busy week

2007-09-09T05:59:00.000-07:00

As the week progressed I found myself in ...
the city to see a fashion parade for spring fashion in Melbourne, with the girls from the bridal shop "Catherine R Couture"we were disappointed that the catwalk display only lasted about 40 minutes.
The clothes were by Melb. designers and were a range for Summer with way too high heels ,very high skirts and not much to really inspire us.Except the full catwalk shabbang!....
....with cameras and loud pumping music and loads of crowd watching on my part .Plus a show bag with treats to explore;bottled water,magazines,chocolate,skin care products, ideas from the designers,even a profile of one of the boys in August's house who is trying to make it in the fashion world.
A small town version of Milan or Paris maybe....
with one small town girl watching it all in awe..

Then off to Wagamama for some dinner and delicious apple, mint and lime juice (so yummy).

Then off again to find somewhere for coffee.We found a restaurant in Burke street, very Italian,to have coffee.We had a lovely waiter called Fabio who went out of his way to be the waiter of the year for us.
We were the only people in the restaurant so we got lots of attention including all the glasses and napkins removed and then replaced with fresh glasses of water with ice and fresh napkins delivered with a spoon and fork-a la carte style...
then we had coffee and profiteroles and a complimentary plate of delicious chocolates.and I had an affogato(which is icecream with a shot of coffee on the side and a liquor as well)perfect for the end of the night. we all marched out the door at the end of the evening and in a syncronised line all said....
"ciao fabio" and giggled all the way back to the car .... what a lovely evening.

lovely lunar lady

2007-08-28T05:57:00.000-07:00

There has been a lunar eclipse tonight.

Slowly the moon started to be eclipsed and then the dust in the atmosphere caused the moon to appear red, a lovely soft red glow, so beautiful.

I found this photo on the internet staight away as lots of Australians were outside taking photos and posting them on the net...

Is it Spring yet

2007-08-28T05:42:00.000-07:00

spring is in the air and it is still only August.We have had warmer days and so the blossom is out and the wattle is flowering. the warmth just makes you want to be outside and so I have....

the new chook yard is calling and so I have been pruning branches,chopping rogue elms,digging in the dirt,moving rolls of wire,cleaning out the old ticket box which is where the chickens will sleep,and planning how big to make the yard.( also keeping up with my other jobs so I have a bad case of sore tendons in the elbow from too much chopping and pruning )Then the fun part of deciding which breed of chooks.

Leonie and Massey have beautiful spangled Hamburgs which would be great and also I would like some Isa Browns which are such docile birds and great layers...also toying with the idea of Guinea Fowls, which Lena is not too sure of she thinks they are ugly and noisy.. I think that you need to have chickens in the yard to please the eye and the soul. something to while away the spring and summer days as long as we can keep Mr Fox away...lets keep our fingers crossed..

WORK and more WORK

2007-08-07T02:22:00.000-07:00

I thought there was not a lot of work happening in my life,since I had my trip to England.... So I sent out the feelers saying ...." Say you have no work enough times and something will come your way."...and boy has that happened. To list my jobs at the moment

Monday:Gwens ..cleaning three bed and breakfast's in three hours,

....then 2pm till close (6pm)at the Lane in Eltham,

....making coffees and food

....then come home and make dinner for the family. ....

Tuesday:Gwens ..two hours weeding in the garden getting ready for the open garden .in Sept.

....a flying visit to Montsalvat to check out the long lost sewing workroom.

...found fabric had arrived for twelve cushions to make for Rosaria (decorator)

....checking meterage for all twelve cushions ,slightly short so one more call

... to Rosaria......

....phone calls to organise insert delivery.

....home to pick up Lena at lunch time to drive to the city for a spot of shoe

shopping for a formal dinner for the vic. team of volleyball.

....back home at 6.30 ready for dinner again

....PHEW its only Tuesday Next installment will be following soon

still wintery

2007-07-30T03:22:00.000-07:00

The days are still cold we are waiting for some warmth to come from the sun .Today I have been to "Diggers Seeds" in Dromana . With Gwen and Nerri we went to be inspired about planting and growing vegies for our families. The idea is to be "locavores",to eat what you can grow locally or at least lower the food miles that are involved in feeding the family.It was a very grey day with slight drizzle and the garden was holding its breath for the signs of spring to come.I found some red flowering broad beans,curly kale,orange callendulas,blue lake climbing beans and delicious rissotto with brussel sprouts from the cafe ....YUM.... have a look at http://www.diggers.com.au/ for some inspiration

winter fun

2007-07-21T02:58:00.000-07:00

Today we have ventured outside ,the sun was shining slightly and the fresh air was calling .Grabbed the football and soccer ball and the ute and headed to the back paddock. A game of kick to kickwith the footy ,with some time to gather sticks for a bonfire Large and small the gumtrees have been shedding branches and there is nothing better than dry eucalyptus for getting a fire started...Some kicking of the soccer ball as well. Then the cool of evening started to ascend and we stopped the sporty stuff, dropped off the sticks in a pile (for a later bonfire)and headed toward the house, The moon was rising and darkness was upon us,an end to another wintery July day.

New Beginnings

2007-07-19T23:38:00.000-07:00

I have decided to make myself a blog to write about things in my life that I would like to share. Every day I discover something that is trully amazing and that I would like to write about or photograph.Lets see how we go!!!

2007-07-19T22:22:00.000-07:00

It has been raining at our place and the drops are hanging around on all the leaves in the garden, the greens are back to being SO green after the drought.The time has come for the inside activities..no wool.. no problem, all those cupboards full of fabric can now be used to knit over winter. Just start ripping into long strips and start knitting.just like a rag rug but on a smaller scale.
it is very wintery and we are stuck inside feeling like we are just hanging around getting FAT