More Springtime

The first Lupins.

Apple Tree by the old chook shed.

Yellow Iris

Apple tree over the archway

Last week we had the best rain for years. A little bit every day. It was heaven. The grass in our valley is now beautifully green and the garden is beginning to pop with spring. I'm looking forward to visiting the gardens around Burra on the first week-end of November. I particularly enjoy the Paines Iris Garden, perched high on a hill overlooking the Burra Valley. It is spectacular and well worth the drive if you live around the Canberra Area.

Article in the Queensland Messenger

I met journalist Trish Goodfield at the Sydney Stitches and Craft Show and she asked if I would be interested in taking part in an interview for the Messenger - the local paper for the North Lakes area just north of Brisbane. Here is a link to the article. Thanks Trish for spreading the Paper Quilting word to a beautiful part of Queensland.

www.trishalandesigns.blogspot.com/2009/10/crafters-way-114-paper-quilts.html

Christmas Cards & Tags + Button Beauties

2009 Christmas Cards and Tags from Wren's Nest Studio

As promised - pictures of my Button Beaty Brooch Creations so far.

Christmas in October at Bredbo

Yesterday we drove to Bredbo, a little town on the way to the ski fields in Southern NSW. I was on a mission to find flat gold and silver Christmas decorations for a project I had in mind and The Christmas Barn was the place to go. After a delicious Devonshire Tea I hit the barn. It is a magical place. It is like walking through the Christmas caves which department stores used to set up when I was a child. Packed to the ceiling with every beautiful, sparkly ornament you could imagine.  I wasn't so lucky finding flat ornaments BUT how could I leave empty handed. I left with a whole flock of gold, silver and aqua Christmas birds which will be perfect for decorating my Wren's Nest Studio stall in the lead up to Christmas.
http://www.bredbochristmasbarn.com.au/

Sunday at The Old Bus Depot Markets

Last Sunday I packed up my caravan of Paper Quilt wares and headed off to the Old Bus Depot Market at Kingston in Canberra. I was very pleased with the new colour scheme and less cluttered look (not easy still for me). I had a very busy morning but the afternoon turned very cold and windy which kept visitors away.

I was thrilled when one of my student s came to tell me that she had been making Paper Quilt cards to raise money for the Fistular Hospitals in Africa and had an order to fill. This just made my day and I was so proud of her.

This week I have been up in the shed making cards, cats in gardens, handbags and dancing butterfly pictures. I have also been experimenting with making some button brooches. I started out wanting to make a flower and embellished the centre with beads and buttons. The centre proved to be so lovely that I discarded the petals completely. I have worked on circles, hearts and ovals. They are turning out to be more and more lavish - how is that not a surprise. I love them but we'll see what the others think when they go on show. Just as well I have thousands of buttons and a growing collection of beads and embellishments. I hope that I can exhibit them at the Christmas Handmade Market in November at Yarralumla Wool Shed. Some pictures of these will follow when I take them.

At last I went to see The September Issue again and it was just as wonderful the second time around. I went with my daughter and she loved it too.

Let it Snow

I was dancing in the snow on Wednesday - which would have made a very funny photo but I was here by myself. It wasn't cold enough for the snow to settle in piles by the back door but it continued to float down in big flakes for a good hour which was lovely. All this loveliness has gone some way to make up for our miserable situation of NO RUNNING WATER. We had our old concrete water tank cleaned last week and the cracks repaired. Since that day the weather changed from beautiful spring days to very cold and wet days. The material used to repair the cracks is still setting so now one week on, we are still without running water. It is a reality check and makes us all realise how lucky we are that water usually runs from a tap and is not collected in buckets from far off places and lugged back. Hopefully the heaters will arrive over the weekend and we can have a delivery of water.

This week I have been getting ready for going to the Old Bus Depot Market on Sunday so I have been trying to spend as much time as possible up in the shed. I have gone back to printing my papers in 1 inch squares and stitching them for greeting cards. Today I will be working on an Australia paper and making some Paper Quilts cats. I taught a class yesterday and have another tomorrow.

Shock of the week was receiving the DVD of the workshop I gave at the National Gallery. Seeing and hearing the real you is always a bit of a nightmare - is that really me. Is that really how I look and sound!!!!!! I gradually looked from behind hands over my eyes to be slightly relieved to hear not to many um's and not to much waving arms and hands in the body movement department. It was still very hard to watch.

National Gallery Workshop

Sunday was the perfect day for a workshop afternoon. It was the coldest September day since some time in the 1960's so we didn't feel guilty about being inside at all. I was incredibly excited to be giving a workshop on making Paper Quilts at the National Gallery of Australia. This workshop was held in conjunction with an exhibition of 5 beautiful antique quilts which are not usually on display. It was a wonderful feeling being at the gallery as a teacher of the craft I practice.

I set up in a large room - the small theatre - so we had lots of room to spread out. We accomplished so much in the 2 hours and everyone who attended created beautiful work which you see in the picture here. A gift tag, aperture greeting card and a bookmark. I was very proud of everyone there and I hope they enjoyed the afternoon as much as I did.

Going, going - gone.

Here are a few pictures of the dust storm which came across Canberra and NSW last Tuesday. I went inside after the last shot so I could breath. There was red dust everywhere for the rest of the day. On Friday night we had a return visit by the red dust. This time it came down with rain to form red mud. It is sticky and hosing the car does not remove it. Looks a job for super brush!!! Then yesterday, while I was teaching in Canberra - we had a snow shower at home. Incredible.

On the way home from class, I popped in to see the Embroiderers Guild ACT Exhibition at Albert Hall. http://www.embroiderersact.org.au/ I loved so many pieces including Lorna Loveland's 'Foxgloves and Peas'. It was inspired by the work of Jane Nicolas http://www.janenicholas.com/ who creates stumpwork. There was absolutely beautiful work there. I also bought some lovely bags of vintage shell buttons from Needlewitch http://www.needlewitch.com.au/. I am going to make some white gardens with these lovelies.

Spring Morning

Spring time morning

Through the kitchen window

I'm up early this morning. One of my favourite times of the year - BEFORE daylight saving starts and I wake up very early with the rising sun and no alarm clock! I love this early morning time when I can get on top of the days little tasks. This morning it was computer and then - my most dreaded task - ironing. It was made better with Martha's new series back on to keep me company. This morning she took us on a tour of her beautiful home and garden 'Skylands'. Inspirational. Now I want to change all the furniture etc around, paint walls and generally clean things out. Must be springtime.

Handmade in Bloom

Handmade at Yarralumla Woolshed on Friday night and Saturday - was Blooming wonderful! So many people - thousands infact came to see the woolshed transformed into a shoppers paradise for handmade goods. The event was also a great opportunity for people to meet up with their friends and family over a glass of wine, tea, coffee or chai. It was almost like being on the set of a movie with the lighting, atmosphere and music. http://www.wrensneststudio.com/ - click on handmade top right for photo gallery.

Thanks so much to everyone who came by Wren's Nest Studio to say hello and to all the people who supported my craft of Paper Quilting. Your wonderful support makes it possible for me to keep working and exploring my love of paper and sewing.

Now its back to "the shed" to create new pictures and work on some new ideas. It's also time to start thinking about Christmas (yiks) and creating a new paper for cards and gift tags.

See you soon.