FAMILY FIBRES

This is the family Rhodes camping in the New Forest, England,
done in fibre art - before it was finished. The dog had not yet been added here. I would love to see it framed!!
I did this class with http://www.carolinesharkey.com and it was the most fun I have had for a long time. I learned so many new techniques in her class.
Recently I have been inspired to create some more pictures, and actually saved some of my old picture frames from the "throw out".........so....watch this space!!

My Lighthouse

Fibre Art is new to me and I'm having such fun with it. Its helping me to think outside the square. http://www.quiltingartsblog.com is some inspiring reading.
The Hornby Light, South Head, Sydney is a small unique lighthouse with its red and white stripes. AND that is our sailboat racing to Hobart.

Good Morning Glory

There is something about this beacon on the hill that draws us back time after time. What is it about lighthouses?? I read once that "Geography is magical and the place to learn it best is near a light house! By the light house, the compass spins wildly and the air magnetises both the mind and the eyes." Smokey Cape Lighthouse is a magical spot on a head land the gives you great views of the sea...and its always windy there!

The Lifegaurd and His Momma

It was fun to have brekky with Sharon at The Deck on Collaroy beach today. She sure has packed lots into her 10 day visit. Great for her to live life down under for a few days.
Yes, they do have jackets on, but by afternoon we were sweltering.

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving gets celebrated here because of the American influence. We are dining with Cherry and Brent and his mom! on Saturday. They are havesting fresh yummies daily from the little veggie patch. Its so fun for Sharon to have her first Thanksgiving ever in Australia and with her very first grandchild! Lots to give thanks for.

IT'S ALL IN THE LEGS!

Aren't these just the cutest little legs you ever saw?? Enhanced of course by the cutest little 'mary jane' sox that I bot nine years ago for my first grand daughter! I have received 2 grandparent cards! my first! so others think its pretty exciting for us to have a little grand daughter too. It balances out the 2 little grand sons. We are very blessed.
Wide eyed little Scout is 7 weeks old. Its so rewarding to get a smile response from her.
Mamma Kangaroo with her little baby in the pouch!! so that makes pappa a kangaroo too! and he carries baby in the pouch sometimes. Wouldn't it be neat if the male kangaroo DID have a pouch to help out with joey?

A Picture is Worth 1000 Words

As I don't have access to a picture (at SWRocks), I will try the words.
Every afternoon about an hour before darkness, first one comes, then hudreds of rainbow lorrikeets into the Norfolk Island Pines that tower over our balcony. What a cacophany!! They're all excitedly telling each other of their day's news and happenings. Then as amazingly as they came, they all dart into the nearby palm trees to sleep for the night.
I can feel the silence, then I gradually become aware again of the never ending dumping of waves on the shore of the restless sea.

WHoo are you?

WHo am I?? Thats something that is very hard to define. i am someone different to everyone.
Sometimes I wonder... anyway this is one rendition of me!! have a good laugh on me!

Ginko leaves of gold

Quilt Camp last weekend was such fun. I have teasured this fabric with the wonderful ginko leaves on for some time now. I actually found the lime green to accent it, last trip to Canada.
Yan helped me with the design - the interlocking boxes and how to place them so the whole thing got away from the semetrical look. I like the free look - that is what I am working on.

Scout watch

Little Scout is 5 weeks old!! She's rashy and a bit unsettled, but she's still gorgeous!

Jacaranda

I love it when the Jacarandas bloom. It makes me feel like wearing their color. This Jacaranda tree in our back yard has flourished since the trees that were crowding it dissappeared. Its spreading into its new found space and flowering beautifully.
That feels like us in our house. Since all our kids have left, we are slowly spreading out into the rest of the house. It feels good and I'm enjoying the journey. Instead of rattling around in our 7 bedroom house, we are finding new uses for the rooms. One original veranda, sold to us as the 5th bedroom and was my sewing room for the past 26 years, will be returned to a veranda!! Thats quite exciting!! The bedroom where Paul and Sally started out as babies, and later became our office/library is going to become our dressing room and ensuite bathroom!!
SO I guess we will be staying here a few more years to watch the Jarcaranda grow!! ...and I WILL wear purple...

Hallowe'en in Retro

I love the red witch hats. Who said they had to be black??
Fun old cards! I don't believe I have ever seen a Halloween card before. I certainly have never sent one. Today I helped Cherry prepare for her Halloween dinner tonight. 8 friendly ghosts sitting around her table! + one tiny one!! I got a cuddle of Scout today too!

A Bottle Brush?

Australia produces the neatest wild flowers! I just love the little yellow tips. They look like fibre optics with little lights at the tips. The gum nut babies wear them as skirts and caps!! I'm sure the fairies have a special use for them too!

Kanga

It's funny how kids love it when you go away, because they KNOW you will bring them some gifts back...like having more than one birthday or Christmas in a year. My grandkids are the same. Oscar's daddy is here in Australia for less than a week....for his grandmothers funeral and a quick catch up with family and the mentor office. Oscar thinks his daddy is bringing him home a teddy! I had told Oscar last time I was with him, that I would make him a teddy sometime. So I guess if my grandson expects me to produce a teddy...I had better do it. Its taken me 2 whole days to make a teddy out of a kangaroo hide! Why oh why did I choose leather to sew with??...its such tough stuff. But its SO soft and he has turned out cute!

The Music in My Life

"If My Life Was a Soundtrack".....what would the music be? I often think of this question since reading it on 'chickadoodle' a few weeks ago. This morning in my wonderfully green back yard my heart sang: I see trees of green Red roses too I see them bloom For me and you And I think to myself What a wonderful world. I see skies of blue And clouds of white The bright blessed day The dark sacred night And I think to myself What a wonderful world. The colors of the rainbow So pretty in the sky Are also on the faces of people going by I see friends shaking hands Saying:"How do you do?" They're really saying "I love you" I hear babies crying I watch them grow They'll learn much more Than I'll ever know And I think to myself What a wonderful world. Yes And I think to myself What a wonderful world. Oh Yeah.

Of course in my head, this sings in a deep Louis voice!!
So this is part of the soundtrack of my life. Actually a few years ago, i was given a little mp3 player and I put songs there that made my heart sing, that lifted my spirits and helped me to step lightly on the earth. So often on a cd there is only one song that I really like, so it makes sense to compile all the songs/music that comprise the sound track of my life, on to one cd!! Its ideas like this that drive me to learn more how to use this modern technology that I have at my finger tips. I used to have kids here to help me do anything other than 'switch on', but alass.....they have flown the coop.

What's This??

Oh No! my husband has joined the racing car team and he's still laughing!! It was a pretty funny movie, lots of satire and action. ~Talladega Nights.

Happy Friday 13th !

It has been so interesting reading about the history behind the superstition of Friday 13th being bad luck. There was one time in history when it was good luck to be married on Friday 13th!! My parents were married on Friday 13th October 1938 and after all...they had me!! so there must have been some good in it!! That was 68 years ago....and NO.....I am not 68!!
I stayed home all day....so I wouldn't have a car accident and end up in hospital? no, so I could get some work done. We had a party for two in the spa tonight to celebrate. I don't know....do we have to know what we are celebrating? there will not be another Friday 13th in October until 2017. I dont think my mom will live to see it. So I guess I was celebrating her surviving 68 years since being married on Friday 13th.

Scout is 1 week old!

Isn't this just the cutest little thing you ever saw!! We're not biased, we're besotted!! What could be more perfect?!

I Have a New Grandaughter!

This is Scout Willow ~
I've had my first hold!
She is so tiny, so perfect, so sweet.

Home Changes

My Sally moved out, and this has become "guest room 2" New lights being installed next week.
My sewing corner - a works in progress. See the new wood floor.
This is the library, on the opposite wall to the workstation.
I love my new workstation in my new den. Its all custom made.
The view of the kitchen from the sunroom had changed for the better! Love the mocha walls.
The stairs look very nice with the carpet just running up the middle.


Fun things have been happening at my house. The kitchen turned white and I love it! It makes the black granite work tops look quite stunning. The chickens and roosters are congregating in one area, and the blue plates are not so crowded.

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1. New brown carpet with a boarder running down the hall makes big changes.