In Sydney

We left Brisbane on Saturday morning & had an uneventful drive as far as Gloucester, New South Wales - it's a lovely drive down Thunderbolt's Way from Uralla on the New England Highway. Nothing much at Gloucester - an evening meal at the Roundabout Inn but it wasn't as good as we remembered last time we visited.  On Sunday morning through Dungog, Paterson, Maitland & on to Sydney arriving at our neices just after lunch.  My laptap does not want to recognize my bit thinggy from the camera & so can't download photos - will try to recitify that today - if not - will sort it when we get home.  Technology!!!!! It can be very frustrating.
 Hope everyone is having a pleasant Christmas break - I am sitting on the deck at my nieces, all is quiet - HofM has gone to golf with nephew - niece is as work, great-niece is still sleeping - the birds are noisy & the river is also quiet.  They have a magnificient view - photos to follow!

Pimp My Postcard

Received 2 postcards from Sherri & she invited me to join her MailArt call - Pimp My Postcard  - of course, forgot to scan the unaltered cards but this is what I ended up with.

Christmas Mailart

This lovely piece was sent by Helen - think it's wonderful!

This one is waiting to go out!

Christmas Break-ups

It's that time of year - Christmas break-ups!! For my OS readers - here in Australia it is now summer & most everything stops for a month or so - all groups that meet monthly will not meet over either December or January depending on what week meetings are held.  So - tradition demands that we have our break-ups - golf (HofM) at a Thai restaurant on Thursday night, Inner City Circle Quilt Group on Saturday breakfast at the Red Hen and yesterday (Sunday) brunch/morning tea for Purple Paddo Patchers at Forget-me-Not Tearooms.  This was my dessert - delightful mornings (both of them) with all my good friends.  Merry Christmas, everyone (there, I've said, ONCE!)

Suzanne showed us the Hawaiian quilt she has been making for a niece - it's a Christmas present so it has to be kept under wraps - this will be the lable.  It's hand appliqued & hand quilted - defintiely a labour of love. I think Suzanne will heave a sigh of relief once it's handed over.  The other niece has not been forgotten, she's getting a beaut hexagon quilt (large hexagond in purples) - again all hand work! You'll have to believe me when I say they are beautiful.

Playing Tourist

We took our English guests out for a drive around Brisbane & re-discovered a bit of out city. This is a view of the Brisbane River from the bandstand at Newstead Park. Blue river!!!!

Gondolas on Brekkie Creek - for your next romantic outing??

Mosaic armchair at a lookout on Latrobe Terrace.

View of the city from the armchair - not bad, hey!

Had desert at the Taiwanese dessert place at Sunnybank Plaza - thanks to Sue for introducing me to this little place - our guests were impressed!

Backyard Update

This large bromeliad has sent up a shoot from the middle - we think it's a flower - just have to wait & see.

One mango hanging on & getting bigger - there are a few more on the tree. HofM grew this from a seed - hope it tastes alright when we harvest it. 

We now have a pan piper in the yard.

Something flowering - sorry am not good with names of flora!  It's pinky/purple & looks pretty!

Quilting Update

Mum's portrait is finished - very happy with my first attempt at realistic portraiture - hope Mum will like it too.

Three little quilts finished - machine pieced, machine quilted - these will go to a couple of babies and one little girl.  The top one was a number of orphan blocks that ended up looking great with the lime green.  It's funny that as you work, you make choices & are usually quite happy with those choices, then once the quilt is finished (just labels to go), you think of a better way of doing something or a better design - hindsight - such a wonderful thing!

The middle one was started by my niece (now 16) about 6/7 years ago - I decided to finish it off - used charm squares for most of it.  The bottom one was also made from charm squares - all fabric used in the three was from my stash. No, can't see any difference in the amount of fabric I have.

Storm in Auchenflower

Neighbour's son leaning on their tree ready for work?? Or maybe not!

This is the tree - the storm uprooted it entirely.

Fortunately it missed the house - little bit of damage on the gutter - even missed the clothes line.

Haig Road - power lines down - no driving down there for a little while. Our German guests are really impressed with the lengths we will go to to provide entertainment for them.  They had never experienced a storm like this one....

Quilt @ the Winter School

Fibre Arts Australia is holding Quilt @the Winter School with a number of national & international tutors.  Check out what classes are on offer at http://fibrearts.jigsy.com  & then enrol!!!!

Retreats - what a weekend!

Ten lucky ladies spent the weekend at Staceys', The Gap www.staceys.com.au/ - sewing, laughing (lots of that!), a few drinks, delicious food - a wonderful way to spend the weekend. 

Jen found a nice spot to finish off the binding of her daughter's quilt.   

Here's the quilt - for Ruby's 21st birthday - minke fabric & cotton fabric reminiscent of her time in Africa.  Yes, it has a fringe!

Hilary has been working on this - all foundation pieced - quite an amazing quilt.

Margaret has designed this one - the Celtic work is a wonder to behold. Drunkards' path on one border and there are 2 more borders to come - she is using the quilt as you go method.   This is only a taste of the work done all weekend - such talented ladies and they made my weekend. 

Who loves Elvis!

A piece of Elvis fabric that has been manipulated with pleats (bit hard to see)

Fabric that has a shibori look about it - further enhanced with stitching & fabric.

Still doing FloodArt - collaged & stitched. Do love making postcards whether with fabric or paper or FloodArt.

It's official!

Received this piece of Mail Art from the USA -

This is one side &

This is the other side - maybe I'll put it on the fridge & make sure I repeat this to myself each day!

Mail Art

A promotional card altered for a birthday boy.

Photos transferred on to fabric & collaged to make a birthday card for a friend.

We have become hosts on Airbnb www.airbnb.com & I make these postcards as a momento of our guests' stay with us.  This is affordable accommodation available all over the world & we'll be checking out a few places when next we travel.

Fabric Portrait

For a first attempt at a realistic portrait - it's not too bad - only practise will help with shading.

Thread painting has started - don't think I will do much on the face - the teeth have to be stitched - hope she doesn't end up looking like Dracula or something!!!

Have started stitching the hair - that will be thread painted more than the face, I think. Don't forget to check out Quilt University www.quiltuniversity.com - there are such a variety of classes available.

Harvest time!

HofM was given a mushroom farm in a box for his birthday -we took our time preparing the box (not because it needed time - just a bit lazy, him not me, of course!) & now we are reaping the benefits of our labour!!???!! Well, he did have to keep the mulchy stuff moist.  Friday we had small mushrooms & when we opened the door to the dark area under the internal stairs this evening - this is what greeted us!  Think we'll set up a stall!

There were some smaller ones and some really large ones - some as big as the palm of my hand. Looks like we'll be having mushrooms for breakfast, lunch & dinner for a couple of days. Already had some in the salad tonight at dinner - delicious.

Queensland Quilters Annual Show

Our State Guild - Queensland Quilters or 2Q www.qldquilters.com held its annual Quilt Show last week.   The winners are posted on their web site so I have posted some other quilts - not necessarily winners.  This was one of mine and below is another - my kitchen chooks provided a few laughs.

They are chooks with attitude!

One of my friends, Jane quiltingjane.blogspot.com won a couple of ribbons!!!  Congratulations, Jane!

Another friend, Jane (different Jane) displayed Quilt Tarts - hand pieced and machine quilted.  I'm doing this pattern too batiks on black - it'll be finished one year - definitely NOT next year.

The arty side of 2Q - 2QAQ (Queensland Quilters Art Quilters) displayed a number of challenges we had completed over the year and a few of the girls shared their knowledge & expertise with members of the public.  Above is the portrait challenge we did earlier in the year.  It is so much fun channeling your inner child and just playing.

Love shibori!

Another friend, Suzanne, entered this in the Art section & while I was doing white glove duty (keeping the hordes from touching the quilts with any part of their body!) I heard lots of great comments about it.  She used a black netting to join it it and the 'frame' was fabric over foam.  It is a very tactile piece.

There was also a display of red and white quilts from a city in north-west Queensland, Mt Isa.  It was a stunning display.  There were over 500 quilts were on display - the biggest number the Guild has ever managed to have on show - wonder how many we'll be able to get togther for 2013.  Congratulations to all the winners and those who supported 2Q in displaying their quilts and also attending the show.