Ohh - by the way, I have some pretty exciting news.

Friends and family have patiently followed and supported my wonky creative progress over - now many years. Seven years ago they saw me jump the art fence over to the Craft side and start all over again. They must have thought I had really lost the plot when I started sewing bits of paper together. Paper Quilting has been an incredible journey for me with many highs and a few lows along the way. The development of the craft. Then going to the markets, craft shows, demonstrations, talks, teaching, the book and then tools, materials and patterns. It has become something I think about constantly.

Well I have news.

I am taking Paper Quilting across the Pacific to be part of the Craft and Hobby Association winter trade show in Los Angeles. I am going to put my big toe in the very, very big craft pond and see what happens. I am finding it hard to believe that I am actually doing this and I am full of butterflies as I write. Stay tuned in for the next chapter.

11 Days

It's only 11 days until the next Handmade Market so there will be papers and gold thread flying all over the place for the next 7 days while I try to get everything ready. I have been trying to think of (yet) another way of setting up my space and I think I have something which will work well. You never know exactly though until you arrive on site and set up.

I will be off to Bunnings, the hardware store, in search of a few things to turn my easles into picture christmas trees - yes I know it sounds a bit weird but in my mind I can see it all very clearly. Then off for some tinsel. I have been creating some new signs for my new business name - Paper Quilt Creations. So we will be all linen, pink and white this time around - and into the future. Please let me not change my mind or get bored of this colour scheme.

Today I will be sending off my project to Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine for the March/April fashion inspired issue - part by post, part over cyber space. I hope that the team there are pleased with it and that it photographs well. Fingers crossed.

November & Freezing

 A new iris in the new garden

 The lavender garden with iris and Seduction roses about to bloom

 Peony in bud

Iris on parade at the house gate.

A white delphinium in the new white garden

It must be about 2 degrees this morning - I think the weather man forcast snow showers on the mountains!! I braved the cold to take a few (more) garden photos. The roses are still in bud but the iris are putting on a pretty amazing show this year.

Apple Blossoms

Pictures of the big rain - just the beginning

 Our little creek, which this time last year was dry, is now a river for the 3rd time in as many months. But this is the biggest river we have seen yet - the roar from the back and front doors is incredible. The rain is blowing at right angles and looks like a moving curtain in the breeze. Thankgoodness we have a house on a hill. Nature is putting on a spectacular show once again. I'm not sure how we are going to get out to meet the school bus.

One of the waterfalls on the back hill.



the two dams have now turned into a raging river



The pump station about to be flooded too

Poor trees trying to stay upright in the torrent

beyond the dry stone wall - water rising

And a swarm of bees in a pear tree

We are very lucky at Wren's Nest to have a variety of ornamental and fruiting pear trees. This is the last pear tree to flower each year- the fruiting variety. This year it is an absolute picture of beauty - and the bees from up the road agree. I hope they are making lovely honey - and pollinating the flowers to make lovely pears in 2011. Thank goodness for bees. It is a shame about the pears perfume - well it's not exactly a perfume - more a pong - but the incredible show makes up for this.

Canberra Times Feature

Thank you to the Canberra Times who asked me to write a piece for their Designer Talk feature for Homelife in the Relax section which was published today. Picking up the paper from the front gate has never been quite so excitting.

Hand Made in Bloom Review

I ask myself the night before each Handmade, “Will there be as many people visiting as the last one?” I don’t know why I ask this because the Handmade Market never disappoints. It is Canberra’s - if not Australia’s - premier market for all the beautiful things which are handmade. So much talent from so many parts of Australia join together to create an event which people mark in their diaries as THE event which they just can’t wait to attend every quarter. It is busy from before opening till after closing time with visitors enjoying the Handmade experience – buy handmade with pride and joy.

As the afternoon came along and lunch called the many hungry shoppers to the variety of tempting eateries, the feeling of the market changed to one of a festival. It was wonderful to see so many people enjoying the springtime sunshine with family and friends in the beautiful surrounds of Kanberra Wine Company. I’m pretty sure that the rock feature, bridge and pools were not built as a children’s adventure play ground but this area fulfilled this task perfectly. One of my favourite views was a Dad holding hands with his little boy, tightrope walking along the rock wall. It reminded me of ABC Catalyst show in Thursday evening about the type of play Dad’s do with their children. The play that Mum’s (no matter how old) find hard to watch but which is so incredibly fantastic. Just plain old fashioned pure fun.

Here is a link to some fantastic photos of the day by Tania McCartney http://canberrahandmademarket.blogspot.com/2010/09/handmade-market-blooming-fabulous.html  Thank you so much to everyone who popped by to say hi and say they enjoyed looking at the new work I have been creating. I had a fabulous day.

Handmade in Bloom - 2010

Well - apart from at least half a dozen ice cream buckets scattered all around my studio to catch drips of water from the torrential rain over the week-end, I am on track for “Handmade in Bloom” on Saturday at Kanberra Wine Company. What a week-end!! Lovely, lovely rain – even blowing sideways. The result is overflowing dams and a raging torrent turning the creek into a wild stretch of rapids and water falls. You can still hear it from the house. Awe inspiring.

Handmade - this time in Bloom, coincides with the first day of Canberra’s famous Floriade. Spring is here and cherry blossoms are everywhere making a gorgeous and very pretty show. It’s a bit colder than the same time last year, but Spring is here none the less.

I’m really looking forward to setting up my little shop at Handmade. I will have new work, including some little owls, along with a larger section for visitors wishing to try Paper Quilting for themselves. I will have my 4 new patterns for cards which I launched in Melbourne – Cinderella Shoe, Afternoon Tea Dress, Handbag and Christmas tree along with the beginners Gift Tag Kit. These are great as presents for crafty friends and family. I will also have my sample packs of the most beautiful Anna Griffin papers. I decided while I was in Melbourne that I would stock Anna’s papers. They are very hard to source in Australia and they are very hard to beat for quality and colour. They are perfect for Paper Quilting, card projects, scrap booking and for people who love paper. To say I adore them is an understatement.

I'm also looking forward to wearing my new apron. (what on earth you may say). Well I love aprons by Nell Design. http://www.nelldesign.net/ . This is my second apron by Nell which I found at ArteForge a lovely shop in Fyshwick http://www.arteforge.com.au/ - and they have become my uniform for work. Fantastic.

I look forward to seeing you at lovely Handmade in Bloom this Saturday, 11th September, 10am – 4pm - Kanberra Wine Company, Northbourne Avenue, Epic, Canberra.

Paperific Expo 2010

What an incredible time I had at the 3 day Paperific Expo in Melbourne last week. It’s hard to believe that this time last week I was packing up my car and organising the last minute bits and pieces for the show. Now here I am, back home once more with lots of great memories.

I stayed in the city of Melbourne this time – and oh dear, what a shame – David Jones and Myer were just outside the door!! So a bit of retail therapy was just what I needed after my 8 hour drive from Canberra. Lots of lovely things to look at. One day I will own a Chloe handbag. Dreams!!!

Next day it was a little bit of shoe shopping then off to the National Gallery of Victoria to see the European Masters Exhibition. There were some magnificent works on show and I loved it. Two of my favourites were Fritz von Uhde “At the Window” and Pierre Auguste Renoir “After the Luncheon”. Absolutely beautiful. Then upstairs for a look around the beautiful Asian Ceramics - a very serene area of any art gallery. And to finish off my visit, a stop at The Tea Rooms on the first floor for coffee and the most delicious and beautifully presented sandwiches. Playing ladies for the morning has never been such fun.

Then back to business. Off to the Melbourne Showgrounds for set up. This is the first big craft show that I have attended when I have set up on the ground floor. WHAT A RELIEF. No lifts and waiting around. There were even flat bed trolleys to unload your car so I had only 4 -5 trips back to the car instead of the usual 15-20. At last I was set up with no more to do so the butterflies set in just ready for the start of the show.

Flemminton Racecourse where the famous Melbourne Cup is held each November. These beautiful gates were on the way to the melbourne Showgrounds.

Setting up day

The 3 days were busy all day - every day. I released the 4 new Paper Quilt card patterns which everyone seemed to like and sold out of the Cinderella Shoe - so I think I'm on the right track. I managed to have a quick look around each morning at all the fascinating products for sale during the show. Fabulous new papers, embellishments, computerized cutting machines, pens, sparkles and kits. Then it was head down and almost non stop talk about Paper Quilts. I received a wonderful response and I hope as always that I have inspired people to have a go at this craft I love.

Thanks to Naomi Swan and her team of wonderful and cheerful helpers for making the Paperific Show such a great experience for me and everyone who attended. I look forward to my next trip to Paperific and beautiful Melbourne.