What I've been doing in 'The Shed"

It has been a busy week up in the shed. It looks spick and span after the delivery of the shelving and cupboards and I am working more efficiently as a consequence. I decided mid week to take a spot at the Old Bus Depot Markets on Sunday as it is a sort of long week-end with Australia Day falling on Tuesday.

So it was finishing orders and starting new projects.

Too long

Is it already the 13th January!!

I had a good break away from "The Shed" between lovely Christmas and New Year after a mad scramble before Christmas. But now it is back to work. I missed my shed and had many good ideas which I am longing to try out. And this is not easy because we are sweltering under a heat wave which seems to just go on day after day after day. Looks as though we are in for another scorcher today. The house has all the curtains closed to keep out the heat and it reminds me of summers when I was growing up. Endless days of blue sky, that time after Christmas when everything seemed to slow down and relax, swimming in the pool, lying under the shade of trees, staying up late and being as brown as a berry so that I had a white skin swimming costume when I was naked.

Since New Year, it has been a very busy time again with wedding invitations and place cards to complete and orders to fill. Inbetween all this, I thought it would be a good idea to tidy up my studio. Well - I have had one trip to the tip so far - the car filled to the brim with stuff. It needed to be done but maybe the timing could have been better. Some shelves and cupboards were delivered yesterday so I can get organized - and more importantly STAY organized. So I will continue today.

I have almost finished the first two Paper Quilt picture patterns which will be on my web site next week. This has been a long time coming but we are here at last. I decided not to go to any markets in January so I could concentrate and focus on this side of Wren's Nest Studio - I just wish it wasn't so hot!!

It's that time of year again

While summer is a time for relaxing and having fun on long and lazy days, there are a number of things I don't like about it. Heat when the house heats up, flies, reptiles, dry, brown land and fire. Yesterday we were reminded that fire is part of Australian life when the Tea Tree Creek fire broke out about 40 kilometers south of us near Michelago. It was one of those stinking hot days and in the afternoon a gusty wind sprung up. Driving back from Queanbeyan we saw the sight we always dread. A huge billowing column of smoke rising up and forming a huge ominous cloud. As night fell there was a red glow to our south. We had a cool change this morning but this afternoon it is heating up once more so we hope there will be rain and we are thinking of the families who live close to the fire and who have already been affected.

Old Bus Depot Christmas Week-end Market

I was back at the Old Bus Depot Markets for the Saturday and Sunday Market this week. This makes for a tired girl today - but happy. It was a great week-end and I was next to some lovely stall holders. Cambows Heirloom Sewing and Melanie Swan Designs. I worked very hard to make sure I had enough stock - even Saturday night/Sunday morning. My Butterfly Dancing pictures made from my range of Collective Memories papers were the big stars of the stall along with Paper Quilt Pictures. So the hours in The Shed and at the dinning table (where I retreat when it just gets way too hot in the shed) paid off. I'm off to to do it all again next week.

Handmade Market Christmas

Yet another incredible event was organised by Julie Nichols and her band of Christmas fairies and elves over the weekend. The Wool Shed at Yarralumla in Canberra, looked every bit the part of the great Australian image. The rustic wooden shearing shed with its iron roof, rose out of a field of golden grass turned to straw by the recent hot and dry weather. Talcum powder dust was all that was left of the approaching drive and car park. All we needed was a host of sparrows under the eaves to complete an image of one of my favourite Australian Christmas carols -

CHRISTMAS DAY

The North Wind is tossing the leaves,

The red dust is over the town,

The sparrows are under the eaves,

And the grass in the paddock is brown;

As we lift up our voices and sing

To the Christ-Child the Heavenly King.

The tree-ferns in green gullies sway;

The cool stream flows silently by;

The joy bells are greeting the day,

And the chimes are adrift in the sky,

As we lift up our voices and sing

To the Christ-Child the Heavenly King.

Thank you to everyone who came to visit my stall and support my work and to learn about making Paper Quilts. There are some more photos up on my website http://www.wrensneststudio.com/ (just click on Handmade Christmas near the top of the page) which Bill took. I took a few photos too. We had a great time - now it is a day of rest - except for tidying my shed and unpacking the car. Oh dear!!! No rest for the wickedly untidy.

Spring Fling

It's hard to think Spring Fling when it has been so hot - but it is still November so it must be springtime. Our roses are just starting to put on a beautiful show but very quickly because of the hot sun. They are so beautiful and I must get up and outside early morning to take some photos.

Last Saturday was the Q Theatre Spring Fling Markets and it was another lovely day there. I was set up next to Bennedict House with Kates lovely jewellry, scarves and fresh produce (including the most delicious tiny apple pies - how could I resist).

What a lovely week-end

Saturday began with a one on one class at a White Dragon Papercraft where my talented student made The most beautiful harleguin Handbag embellished with crystals. I wish I had taken a photo. It was elegant and spectacular all at the same time.

The afternoon saw us driving over the big hill to Burra to visit 'Tijara Iris Garden' the beautiful garden belonging to wonderful Len and Shirley Pain. This incredible garden is nestled under the brow of Warri Hill and has commanding views over the Burra Valley and over to the Tinderry Mountains. The 23 year old garden is a mixture of cottage garden perennials, annuals and over 700 varieties of tall bearded iris which frame the specacular view. There are also some beautiful speciman trees and shrubs. This garden relies almost totally on natural watering from rain. The steep paddocks are kept under control by heards of cheeky goats and apart from the abundant bird life singing away, the only other sounds are from the ducks and chooks. It is always a wonderful experience and I look forward to returning in August next year to collect my iris order.

Sunday we got up early to buy our weekly vegetables and fruit from Fyshwick Markets and have our morning coffee at Deli Planet. Then after a long session of weeding the drive area, I set off to St Paul's Angican Church Burra just down the road, for a discussion about Landscape Architecture, Heritage and Gardens. St Pauls is a tiny church which was built in 1868. Unfortunately, the lecturer must have lost his way but it was delightful to just sit under the huge elm and robinnia trees in the church yard and talk about the future of the church garden with Rev.James Wood and the other visitors. I then watched a demonstration on building a mud pizza oven - it looked like fun but I don't think I will be doing it any time soon. Back home to do some sewing.

Countdown

The next two weeks is going to be very hectic in 'The Shed' for Wren's Nest Studio. Hopefully there will be no feathers flying and no birds squawking.
Tuesday I am demonstrating Paper Quilting with a Christmas theme at Spotlight in Queanbeyan 6 - 9pm.
Next Saturday it is the Spring Fling Market at the Q Theatre in Queanbeyan 10 - 3.
The the following Friday and Saturday it is A Handmade Christmas at Yarralumla Wool Shed 5-9 then 10 - 4.

Inbetween there are a few commissions to finish and a particular package I have to finish to send off OS to a very particular lady. I'm not sure why I wrote this all down - now I just feel even more nervous! I can only do what I can do in a day.

But, this weekend I have to make time to visit the iris garden in Burra. It has been a wonderful year for iris and I'm sure the Payne's garden will be looking incredible. I will take photos to show you just how incredible it is.

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