Last night in London

For our last night in London we all went to eat at a restaurant - don't ask me where but we ended up in a little pub where Tony 'fingers' Pearson plays the piano twice a week and there was a wonderful singalong with songs we haven't heard for a long long time and which Grant and Jessica have never heard. Annettte even insisted on singing along as well. Raylene and Ken had already left for home but Jessica had arrived so theoretically we were only 1 number down and if Terry had been back it would have been equal.

Annette will love this photo which Ian took in a very busy and very hot restaurant but the food was good....

Jessica Grant Annette and me with some sort of description. It must have been boring becasue they all certainly look sombre.....



Ian and I didn't make those two scars - I think he ran into something but at least he didn't trip over outside the laundromat like I did.

and the 3 of us - very rarely does one get pics of Grant...


Back to Paris - this is looking into the lounge of our lovely apartment


and here is Ian shutting the red door for the last time - one thing we learnt in Paris is that you cannot hail a taxi and you must be in the exact spot for one to stop for you....



tomorrow before the game will be the giveaway draw..... and congrats to Kazuko who has got herself a new position in radiation/oncology. Supa stuff.

Imelda is back once more

well that certainly brought you all out of the woodwork. After consultation with Doreen, we shall get our aussie friend Jonathan to do the draw from the infamous beanie (actually he has many) before the Bledisloe Cup match on Saturday - that is the rugby game between OZ and ABs in Hong Kong. That way all nationalities have a fair chance....



So here are my shoes - this pair looks suspiciously like my red ones - and in fact they are the same except that they are green. I bought them on Montmarte Boulevard as they called from the shop window. I have to say they were half the price of the red ones bought here in Perth. Ian says I should have got the purple ones as well since they are so very comfortable but a girl has to call a halt sometimes. I rushed in and asked for 'trente-neuf' and wasn't going to try them on except that they insisted - I think they wanted to see how silly they looked with my orange and pink striped socks. Potiron - I paid 99 euros for them and the shop is on the right walking up Montmarte Blvd towards La Fayette. I don't know the name and I paid cash so I don't have a reference. You can't miss it! The shoes are El Naturista.

Now this red pair is very special - I love the shape and you will see it in my Paris book which I have in my head and in my little sketch book. The thing about going away is that the brain has plenty of time to think up all manner of excitements.
This is the sole and I am not planning to wear them outside until I have 'done' things with this so watch this space. I did however use the tissue wrapped around the champagne to so some rubbings, only I forgot my Shiva stik and had to use some cheap crayons I bought along the way.

Thanks for all the comments - I am glad my Paris pics inspired you. We had the most wonderful time - didn't go to most of the places on our list but who cares - next time or the last time we went. I think the highlights were Rue Mouffetand and the concert at Saint Chapelle. Not to mention the champagne in our apartment in the evening watching the Seine and Notre Dame - oh and everything else as well. More pics to come now that Ian has loaded them.

Jacinta and I are planning a little collaborative activity which should keep us both out of mischief and stretch our brains a bit. You will see this I hope in Ratty Tatty Papers.

give aways

No time to download all the photos as yet - very busy with orders and unpacking the returning stuff from Geelong and getting ready for all the lovely goodies coming back from London. lots of new things on the horizon but in the meantime I have a few freebies.

Two postcards I sent off to Quilting Arts for something came home today so I am happy to send them off to new homes.

A book 'Speaking in Cloth'


and 4 packets of clear polymer stamps which have never made it to the website and won't. Designed by Stacey Aperitos, they are all ones which I use regularly but I am clearing the decks a bit.

If you fancy any one of these goodies, leave a message and we will do a draw from one of Ian's delightful beanies.

Julia Caprara

Very sad news that Julia Caprara died Friday 24th October. She has been a great source of inspiration to me especially through my City and Guilds days. Fortunately we have her new book, Exploring Colour, which we bought back loads of from London. That is what she was a master of - colour and stitch. I still delve into her first book often too - very inspirational.

Good Shoe Week

Clowns have been meeting in Mexico City for the Latin American clown convention - obviously not just me who likes shoes......

getting ready to sign off...

Last day in London - tomorrow we fly off at noon. Fingers crossed once more that we get our upgrade on points and this time we will both have spare knickers on our backpacks.
No pics until we get home as I am not prepared to pay £8 a day for wi-fi in our hotel room....

Fabulous trip back on the Eurostar and what a small world it is, Gina - we were off to do a round on the London Eye with family - it is pretty spectacular at night. 5 of us and 3 who suffer from vertigo can you believe? Then Grant joined us and we had a good night eating, drinking and talking. Today I am off to the V and A and Ian to the clocks at Greenwich, and after tomorrow, it's all back to work.

I dare admit I bought another pair of shoes in Paris - green ones - and now I have banned myself from shoe shops for a decent while but they certainly were cheaper then in Perth.

Brain is busy and head full of new ideas.......

day six in Paris

spent the morning in Saint Chapelle - magnifique - so much inspiration
Then we had a Croque Monsieur and a Croque Madame for lunch and Ian went to the Pompidour Centre and I went shopping - ended up at La Fayette - eat your heart out Melbourne Myer. Last night we went to Restaurant Christophe for a second visit - would highly recommend it.
our lounge in the apartment - this morning we are off to catch the Eurostar back to London

day five in Paris

lots of Eiffel Towers everywhere
Luxemberg Gardens - well worth a visit
seen in Luxemberg Gardens
another vista
We had lunch at Le Select in Montparnesse
then we joined a large protest march for some time - something dear to our hearts - state education.Haven't been in march for a long time

Last night we went to a fabulous concert at Saint Chapelle. Off to explore Saint Chapelle this morning.

day four in Paris

today we went to Rue Mouffetard - a long bustling street full of all manner of excitements. Stopped by a wine merchant for good look
then we passed by the fishmongers- all those lovely scallops - the trouble with being on holiday and seeing these wonderful goodies at the markets makes you want to buy and cook - however we are still eating all the fruit from previous days....

looking up into the markets from the bottom

couldn't resist these wonderufl mushrooms either
and the rose shop - to die for - Ian thinks it's just as well we don't live here or
I would be bringing these home every day - all in colour co-ordinated sections and open until oh so latecouldn't resist this though - tart au frambroise - afternoon tea back at our apartment.

day three in Paris

a visit to Shakespeare and Co - a book lover's mecca
a visit to the Louvre to see a Picasso-Delacroix exhibition and a bonus purchase at a book vendor along the Seine of Delacroix Moroccan Journal Watercolours for 10 Euros

and some wonderful ceramics seen in a shop window.

day two in Paris

In the morning we went to the Maubert markets and bought some provisions - wonderful raspberries etc which we are enjoying
then we checked out the veges - there is something enticing about fresh food spread out before your eyes and we got carried away with cheeses and stuff
one of the stall holders wanted to photograph us in action....
Ian at work on the eepc back at our apartment
the view from our apartment - I can't work out how to delete pictures from blogger so a bit of repetition here but looking over to Notre Dame
the light is wonderful - it is going to be a a lovely day day 3
looking the other way towards the islands
a wonderful sunlit view - no wonder Monet loved the light. We wandered the Latin Quarter some more and I tramped for miles to visit an embroidery shop with very little in it. Came across a Mephisto shoe shop but resisted. No purple shoes Sue - the El Naturista shop said they are old season - the shoes I have are new season! I am wearing them in indoors but sturdy walking shoes for outdoors.

Off to visit the Picasso and Descartes exhibition at the Louvre and then maybe some more wandering. The book stands over the road are opening up today - I have found a a few interesting old postcards for something coming up for sure.

Last night we went to dinner with Annette, Ken and Raylene - yes they are here too for a couple of days. We had champagne and nibbles before we set out. On the other hand, Kazuko and Bruce have been slaving away back at Chez Rollerson getting all the Quilting Arts out - they finally arrived on Friday afternoon at 3pm so we will owe them a meal. It's scarey when Kaz emails me to say they have finished at 5pm when it's only Friday morning here....

day one in Paris

of course one of the first things you do in Paris is to have a cup of good coffee - in this case AFTER a purchase of another pair of lovely red shoes.... think I shall draw the line now. We spent most of today wandering around the Latin Quarter - Tues night we found a lovely little restaurant - Christoper - in Rue Descartes - recommend it to anyone and last night we popped to a little Italian just down our alleyway so Ian could compare the spag bol with Luigi's.

Then couldn't resist a visit to the Sennelier shop where I resisted - think I have everything! Maybe not.

Then we walked through the gardens and went to see the Monet's at L'Orangerie. Off for more explorations today. Colds almost a gone and rain as well.

back online at last

Here is Ian very comfy in his business class seat with 3 windows....
London very early in the morning from one of his 3 windows
one of us working hard at Ally Pally

it has taken me a while to be able to use the eepc - I couldn't get it to work at the internet cafe in Muswell Hill so gave up and then found the battery was flat.But now that we have arrived in Paris I am able to connect so here I am again.We had a very good flight from Singapore to London and scored our upgrade which was fantastic but there is always a price to pay and this time our suitcases did not leave Perth with us. I had not realised how much you rely on being able to change your clothes and I missed my perfume and makeup bag. We were very pleased to see them - much as like my clothes I don't normally wear the same ones for 2 and half days at a time.

Ally Pally was great - we sold out of flimsies and sari ribbon pretty fast and many other goodies and I am bringing lots of new stuff back. It was lovely to catch up with so many friends and customers and the exhibitions were wonderful as always. We caught up with the family for 2 noisy evenings and some of them are even following us to Paris. We had Monday to recover and do boring things like the washing and stuff and of course I got a cold and Ian caught it so we had a relatively quiet day catching up.

This morning we were up bright and early to get to St Pancras station to catch the Eurostar to Paris and here we are looking out of our window at Notre Dame. Off to explore.more pics to come - this is my first effort on the eepc you have to realise!

the best made plans

Got to the airport nice and early and got our upgrades all the way but infortunately the plane from Singapore had a mid flight crisis and had to make an emergency landing at Learmouth - lots of people injured. All the people flying on beyond Singapore wre put on SIngapore Air flight and sadly we went from row 1 to row 61 - never mind - at least we got here to make our connection and for the long haul we are indeed up front so wil have a good night's sleep. Sarah tells us rain and cold - we are prepared! See you in London tomorrow!

Off We Go

Just found out we have got our points upgrade from Perth to Singapore and possibly Singapore to London - fingers crossed from everyone please. It makes it so much nicer in the morning when we arrive in London at 6am and catch the train to Ally Pally. We seem to be so well organised that it is a worry not that I have packed my clothes as yet. I have been busy spraying the pages of my little holiday sketchbook and filling my little bag with my arty stuff - Sarah bought this little bag when she was here. Have to take the scissors out though. I have sprayed the pages with Moonshadow Mist, Glitz Spritz and Radiant Rains - the latter are much stronger colours on paper but the acrylic binder meant they would take longer to dry and statring it this morning I didn't have enough time.


This is a very handy little bag - I am hoping to do some drawing and stitching on the plane especially sitting in comfort.... And I am planning to collect stuff as I go - watch out for new paper napkins for sure - and fill my pages to the brim - that's a promise....



and in case you missed it - here is a Radiant Rain


Looking forward to London very much and then Paris next Tuesday - getting excited now but off to finish sorting the clothes. Had to open the big bag as I missed the rod for the hanging thingie we take - much harder to get things back in. Look forward to meeting you Jenny - I hope it will be a bit of a fun and frivolous workshop. Plus if the eepc works okay and likes the camera, I will be able to post words and pics!