Everyday at Wren's Nest: Whirlwind

Well I’m back in the “small smoke” after my whirlwind week in Melbourne for the Stitches and Craft Show. Did that really happen – or was it a dream?

We took Monday to drive down the Hume Highway for the start of the big adventure. It was a very pretty drive with the beautiful country scenery all green and full of autumn colour. It is years – no decades since I have driven this road. I loved seeing all the names of towns that I have heard of many times like – Gundagai, Rutherglen, Wagga Wagga, Jugiong, Albury, Wodonga, Tarcutta, Wangaratta, Cootamundra and Holbrook.

Then we hit Melbourne and the tall buildings rose out of the flat plain ahead. Cities in the distance are always a thrill for me. It is a city of opposites. Cutting edge architecture and city sculpture combined with old classic elegance which only old world money could build. I love the beautiful trees and garden parks and the romantic bridges with chandelier light posts crossing the Yarra River which winds its way through the city. The city is full of the most wonderful shops and arcades and everywhere you go, whether in the city or suburbs, there are wonderful cafes and restaurants. It is a foodies paradise.

BUT, most of the time I was at Caulfield Racecourse for Stitches and Craft. I was on the 1st level surrounded by the most incredibly talented group of craft creators. It was just bursting with the most gorgeous handmade products. It was a joy to come to work everyday.

My trusty sewing machine came along for the journey and I received such a positive response to my Paper Quilting. The days flew by – each with its own rhythm, and before I knew it, it was 5 o’clock on Sunday afternoon and time to dismantle my space and lug it all down to the car again. It is always a sad time. All over – until the next time. Is this what being a gypsy feels like?

This week, after the drive back and then the unpack I started work on “Celebration of Wool” this week-end at the Old Bus Depot Markets. What has this got to do with you - you may ask. Well it’s a fun day and I love seeing the people who grow, spin and dye the wool into an infinite variety of colour and texture. It will be a fun day.

Here are some pictures of the journey.