Meditation my way

A few more of the meditation stitcheries - love the hand work and trying to stay calm while I find the fabric, buttons and threads I want to use.  That's the hardest bit.

My little sister turned 60

This was made for my little sister who celebrated her 60th birthday last week.  Simple squares, simple quilting and it's made to keep her warm as she lives on the Darling Downs & that gets cold!  (cold for Queenslanders anyway)

I try to use old doilies for labels.

Stitch Meditation

On retreat this past weekend - so nice to have 3 days of laughing, talking, eating oh, and sewing.  I'll share more of what I accomplished soon.  Margaret & I watched a tutorial/interview with Liz Kettle about her Stitch Meditation process and were inspired.  These 3 are my first expressions.

Small scraps of fabric hand stitched to a wadding scrap (maybe I'll get rid of my off-cuts?)  Bits of lace added.

Buttons also added - again maybe that collection will shrink as I do these.  I asked the dumb question "What will I do with them?"  Answer - "It's the process and put them all in a basket & when someone complements you on one - give it to them!!!!"  Sounds like a plan.

Flowers, Fruit & Fading

Last year around this time, our textile art group, Broadstrokes, held an exhibition at the Warwick Art Gallery - using the Margaret Olley exhibit at the Murwillumbah Regional Art Gallery as inspiration.  We all (9 of us) produced four hanging thinggies covering Flowers, Fruit, Fading and Friends. What to do with them?????

I turned them into a little book.

I added bits of lace, buttons & other bits & bobs and thoroughly enjoyed putting this together.

 

Last Day in Cairns

View over Yarrabah - just south of Cairns 

A last ice cream at the Esplanade overlooking the mud flats and watching the pelicans and other birds.

 

Cairns City Golf Course

Always a beautiful drive around a course.

A lovely few hours despite the showers (ooooh - it ryhmes!)

Views & native animals

Rex Lookout on the way to Port Douglas

Friendly natives at a Croc Farm

More native Aussies

We always have our cuddly ones.

One of my favourite Australians

Lookout at Port Douglas - it was a lovely day

Food & Flowers

Breakfast in Lake Street.

Devonshire Teas at Lake Barrine in the mist,

Botanic Gardens - always a great walk.  Enjoy!

Our tropical flowers are so vibrant.

Butterfly Sanctuary, Kuranda

Some of the butterfly species and this lady is releasing some new ones into the enclosure.

Interesting insects

All on the railings of the walkway down to the Barron Falls.

Barron Falls

Trinity Beach but I'm not going swimming.

The twisting roots & vines were totally amazing.

This is the Barron Falls as a trickle!  It was so noisy - apparently is just incredible in full flood and must be deafening.