a bit more Sunday

The wind has cometh but it's still hot and no sign of rain yet. The on The Left Markets in town around the cultural centre were cancelled for fear of the cyclone - far enough as you never know. We went to visit the new State Theatre Centre - most impressed with the interior and the way it fits the land. Even booked a couple of tickets to a play in March. Then we went to the Peggy Guggenheim exhibition before it closed.

Grant has been sailing in Sydney in the 18ft champs. Just got a couple of pics in.

Don't you wish you were out sailing?

waiting for a cyclone - a downgraded cyclone - wind - rain - ?

Not quite sure what we are waiting for - a level 3 cyclone it was going to be but each time we tune in it gets lower - but we do have clean gutters and a mostly clean back garden - having eucalyptus trees means lots of leaves and nuts and stuff so it is always a sweepable activity here. But it is still very muggy and I have always associated storms  with cold. We will see what today brings. At the very hint of sound of lightning and thunder, off go the computers though - don't want to push our luck.

We had a great night on Friday for Bruce's birthday - we went to Veritas where we had a heap of very yummy tapas and good wine. Meant to take my phone for photos but forgot but it was great.

The Made on the Left market at the art gallery complex has been cancelled today but we still need to get into see the Peggy Guggenheim exhibition as it closes tomorrow.

Here is a little 9 patch piece I have been working on through the sticky times.

I also found a copy of the latest Cloth Paper Scissors  which we had sold out of - I know a few people missed out on getting one when I mentioned it earlier when it first arrived. So there really is still one left if anyone is interested.

Happy Birthday Bruce

Happy Birthday Bruce - even though it is hot here I am sure you will still have a great day in our air con...... followed by a good night out........

a holiday yesterday

We had a very pleasant night last night for Australia Day at Eva and Malachy's - good to catch up with people - it's funny how you have to have an event to see some people. Naturally we had lots of lamb and Kathleen brought 2 pavlovas -1 aussie and 1 kiwi - the difference i could see was that one had strawberries on top and kiwifruit around the outside and the other had kiwifruit on the top and strawberries around the outside. Since she made a bit of a mess slicing up the kiwi one I swapped the aussie flags to it and declared the other to be kiwi.

Above is a little layered piece  - I am still doing drawings and writing ideas for the Boro class - there is some wonderful work appearing and also on Hot Needles Cool Stitches - I think they are having fun.

Very hot here today and will be for a while but we are going to have a bbq anyway!

onto Tuesday

Because I have been playing with the new moulds I found in my basket some of the Pacifica ones - on the right I made a water soluble paper cast and on the left I used Delight paperclay - it is so soft. I sprayed them both with Starburst Frosty Forest - a very good colour for this occasion. Click on the pic to see it bigger and then you can click again to increase it more. That way you can see the glint and shine. I would like to think this is the sun peeping through the forest. Especially after rain.

The weather is still good although I see it is about to hot up again in time for the weekend. Above are two more balls of sari ribbon to taunt - I haven't ironed them up yet and I am thinking about how I might combine the two - they are a variation of colour not just pink and purple. I am thinking of weaving them inspired by Jude's workshop. Some of the  class members are producing the most interesting and inspiring pieces which are realy inspirational. I have had so many anxious calls about the new sari ribbon - the vanilla beans and old roses. I had an email yesterady to say at least 2 weeks which will mean 3 for sure. Just so you know (these people are usually so very efficient and fast) - I placed my order on 27th October so expected everything to be sorted and dyed by end of November but there was an accident in the factory - not sure what and then I received an email to say all was back to normal and I would get an invoice soon. Well I did but it was for the order I placed in August. Seems that the accident caused chaos and someone got it all muddled. Now they are back to doing the right order. But please don't panic - I will let you know everywhere when it arrives.

The latest QA #49 rocked up this afternoon - well minus a few boxes - they got left behind in Singapore and will be coming down tomorrow. Most have gone today out in the mail today but not all. We will have a few copies left over if anyone wants a copy. It's the travel issue this time - looks rather interesting - we are all into travel or wanna be travel these days.

monday stuff

Well much better weather after a really hot sticky sunday - coolish with bits and pieces of rain. So have been slightly more organised. 2 silicone moulds to match the Karantha moulding mats arrived today - this one is roses and I have been playing with Delight paperclay - this is the lightest paperclay I have used - so delicate and easy to sew through. The best one I have come across and I have tried quite a few. I have used the corresponding moulding mat to stamp a background. Using the wonderful Australian made Opulence Inks and I have also have coloured fingers to match although these were not meant to be.

This is the spirals with the matching moulding mat beneath - this is the most popular of all of our moulding mats - everyone loves spirals. These little gems can be stitched into and through - I can make holes with a long needles for threading thread through and I also tested them with the Moonglow embossing powders as well. Too many things you can do.

Blogger seems to have sorted its picture loading but not its header problem - seems many other people have blurry headers - at least I have been saved from that. In my hours of mucking around yesterday I managed to lose my profile so I had to rewrite that as well. I also discovered why the colour printer didn't like the TAP - that was because I had forgotten that the printer is a laser printer and you must never use TAP through a laser printer. I think it is clean again..... in the meantime my inkjet printer (the only one we have) is still not happy to print in all of its colours so maybe a new one might be in order - how can I complete my lessons for class???? Imight have to move on to the next thing while I wait. I did tidy up one part of my big table where I found the pavlova napkins so Jean - they are on their way to you.

What drama can I get up to tomorow? What I am enjoying is Jude Hill's Boro workshop - I am drawing and thnking rather than weaving and stitching but I have loads of ideas form what is happening so far

basically just a trying Sunday

The Sting concert last night was absolutely wonderful - and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra quite spekky. We took the train from Peth to Midland where there was a shuttle bus - next time we will drive to Midland and pick up the bus. Sandalford Winery is well set up for concerts - it is the first time we have been there. We enjoyed our picnic as well.

I have had a most frustrating day today for almost everything I have done. The weather is horrible and sticky for starters. I am having terrible trouble with the header for my holey moley club blog which is why nobody is allowed on yet. I am rather pleased with the picture but not with where it is trying to put itself and so far I have tried everything - even deleting the blog and starting a new one. But I am sure that sooner or later it will come good.

Then I have been trying to print a picture for one of my hot needles cool stitches lessons and my colour pinter has decided it needs new colours and the other colour printer is so picky that it left the ink on the rollers and not much on my TAP page but I have carried on as it makes a good sample anyway. Looks like tomorrow for that next stage. For my class, this is my image but I can tell you what I printed does not look anything like this. Wait until take 2....

I guess I have done something productive. I have created a few new kits - our Dimensional Magic ones for using puff, stencils and spray colours. Above is the picture for the front of Winter.  At least I got 2 out of 5 all made  and will finish these tomorrow as well. I have a few new experimental kits in various stages of happenings.I also packaged about 100 packets of Romeo.

But right now I am going to sit outside with my book where I think I saw a slight breeze and finish off a mostly pretty unproductive day. I guess we have to have them every now and then.

Sat morning eye candy

I went into town yesterday afternoon - very hot and sticky - to collect the tickets for STING today to save standing in a long queue at Sandalford winineries - we are catching the train and taking our picnic basket and our books to while away the time while we wait for the concert to start. Should be great and we are looking forward to it. We are enjoying the cds he has produced over the past few years.

But when I collected the tickets I couldn't resist these little eye candy treat - the pink is a real magenta - shall I cover the nails with a collection of colours or use them in my textile work....

Yesterday we had a delievery of Shimmer Sheetz - acid free mylar I thought I would get in to have a play with and see how they go. They are on the website - about 12 different colours. THis is Pink Iris and i have whipped it through the Big Shot and embossed it as well.


It's interesting stuff especially when you want a bit of extra bling. this one I have stitched - i have 2 threads in the needle still there from something else and I couldn't resist a bit of flower stitcher stuff as well. You can sand it and then apply Pinata alchohol inks and I am sure a lot more - still to discover more.


But now I am off to make our picnic.....

Flower Power

Just starting to put together the first workshop for The Holey Moley Club - Flower Power - gathering up some of my many flowers and flower stuff. Another big container of samples and stuff coming up. I am just setting up the blog and will be emailing everyone in the next couple of days.


And out of the blue and many days late after I presume wandering around the world - the latest Stitch magazine appeared today. it's on the web - all the orders have been sent and we do have a couple left over. I don't sew clothes much these days but I am glad to see there is a revival and a real interest. There is a particularly good little piece on closures which I have noted for use in non clothing stitching. Like good stitching magazines, it has patterns and up to date info. Well worth it if you are stitching. As you can see from the title - this issue is full of technique - always handy.

blogger seems to have gone back to its old method of photo loading and I have changed my header but with so much interest in the vessel I shall incorporate it into a slide show when I get a chance. I have also had a few inquiries about selling the how to so will work on that as well.

lots of new goodies and online courses

Don't you love it when the delivery man arrives with new goodies? Last Friday before the credit card died (new one yesterday fortunately) - we had a big new shipment of Moonglow Sprays including 12 new colours. Very exciting - they are on the web and I have made 2 new 5 set packs but there is a Frosty  Forest Green which will be part of a new 3 set - maybe something Ironbark -

Yesterday was a busy parcel in day - along with the credit card man, a new print run  of Let's Play with The Flower Stitcher (amazing to think we have sold the first print), a big box of Woven Wire Tube arrived - with all the ones we have been out of and 14 new colours - there is a yummy violet which I love - the other one above it is a pink. Hopefully they will all be on the web before too long.

Then we got 18 new Stylish Stencils - the one above is Harlequin and it is sprayed with Cadbury's Milk Chocolate Brown. The two below are Mosaic Square - positive and negative and sprayed with Cadbury and Golden Sleighbells Gold.

This one will be great with Shiva Stiks as well - the old one I made has had a rough life.

Yesterday was the start of Hot Needles Cool Stitches - I always worry when a new class begins in case things go wrong but now I can relax and get onto the second lesson.

I have also enrolled in 3 different online classes - Carla's The Art of Silliness 3 - not that I have finished 2 yet but I loved 1 and I have them printed out and ready to work on when I have time. I am doing Lisa's beading class which is quite gentle and I have worked lesson 1 - Lisa sent me most suitable beads to match my Stonehaven theme.  My third class is Jude Hill's Spirit Cloth - I love the whole concept of slow cloth - I wouldn't call my efforts spirit because I am not heavily into them but I think the gentleness of the slow cloth matches the feeling we have to slow food. So I shall be busy but these are all things which complement what I am doing anyway.

I started working the first Holey Moley Club stuff - Flower Power is where we will commence.

Bruce is on the plane from Sapporo to Hong Kong and will be here in the morning. We haven't seen him for nearly 2 years. He goes back in May and he and Kaz, after cycling around Hokkaido, will both be back in Perth. The weather in Perth is going to be a shock after the snow in Sapporo. He is bringing one of his bikes - it is not any of these ones in the photo above.

catching up

I haven't been AWOL just busy. Friday night we went to The Cologne Philharmonic Orchestra at St George's Cathedral. Lovely concert - very hot venue - hard for the performers -we have been there before to hear them and it was even hotter that time. You might be wondering what that thing at the top of my post is. Well - it is my precious bracelet which has broken. Ian bought it for me at the Paddington Markets somewhere around 1980 and it hasn't been off my wrist since until it broke. I am heart broken with a bare left arm. It is leather and stirling silver and part of me.

On Saturday we went down to Shoalwater to Val  and Jim's to enjoy some of the lovely crabs they had caught. Really yummy they were. A very nice afternoon. Last night we went out with Frank and this morning we had breakfast at Source Cafe so we have been rather indulgent.

Now - back to work - Hot Needles Cool Stitches starts tomorrow and I am still adding stitch and embellishing like crazy for lesson 1. I must not play with any other things until it is done she says. But I can't resist plotting out Flower Power for The Holey Moley Club first lesson in March. When I told people it was in 2012 I was obviously having a year skip - it really is March 2011.

Our credit card machine died on Friday night just as we were about to put quite a number of orders through. Visa said they might come yesterday morning but did not and when Ian phoned to complain today they promised Monday morning. We always thought it was 24/7 - we certainly pay enough. Aparently even Harvey Norman would have to wait..... I wonder... So if your credit card hasn't been charged yet from us, that is why. We are only able to send PayPal invoices until it is fixed.

Air Con saga - thanks for all the emails. Murphy has been in operation. Ian hasn't had the meeting with TOV - they wanted to come and run the machine again - the readings are very high but they need the sound which apparently didn't work, in case they need to go to court - that is promising. But of course it hasn't been on for 48 hours. Now this is heaven for us but it does delay things.

a new book

I got this new book on Zandra Rhodes in the mail today - it has a lot of her old designs not published before in it. Really fabulous - I love her work. There are a few photos which have given me ideas for The holey Moley Club - enrolments open tomorrow. People have been asking if it is a repeat of last year - no way - all new workshops - 6 in total - 1 every two months. Here is my pic for Saucy Shoes

But the first workshop is Flower Power and it was something in the new book which gave me a new idea or two. Starts March 1st - there will be about 5 workshops each topic plus a guest.

Here's a bit of what I have been doing today - my little flower stitcher keeps popping up saying 'use me'

wednesday eye candy

Jacinta in her big bag of stuff today - mostly wet but dries in 2 minutes here - popped in a wonderful piece of her felting - she has used sari ribbon - another little excitement to add to my list. Isn't it yummy?

Lots of Persian Market in the parcel - merino wool and silk fibres and a flimsie. This is a beautiful colour combo but the best was the Vespa flimsie - I have rushed mine off ot my studio to play with.

Textile Tantrums - I have been waiting for them to come back from DUT as some will feature in DUT #4. I am now just starting to send them back home to their owners so expect them before too long. It has been wonderful having ownership of them this past year. I hope you will all take part in the Pick-a-pocket challenge for this year.

hot needles cool stitches

Working on stuff for the workshop starting on Monday - this is for lesson 4 but I can certainly say that the weather this week here means that indeed my needles are hot and I am trying to make the stitches cool. Here is another tiny landscape - I am starting to get some dimension in and am pretty pleased with this little piece. The flower stitcher is never far away as well. It is sitting on another piece I have been beavering away at.

A starting point but nice thick yarn and a big fat needle. What more could a girl want? For my class I will load you another wee video tomorrow so be sure to go visit the blog - your blog.

Watched abc news this morning and wow - what is happening in Qld and northern NSW? And in our own state with the fires. All we can hope is that people are okay. Love to our friends and customers. My geography is improving once again.

Saga of an air con right here at Chez Rollo - last night we had a champers as it was OFF all day and we were very excited. Went off to dinner and came back to hear it going. Yikes. However it has been off all day - so far. Ian has his meeting with the Town of Vincent tomorrow. Fingers crossed that it will be resolved. Thanks for all the emails of support.

Sunday

Busy working on my stuff for Hot Needles Cool Stitches - most of the class have joined our special blog where I have posted a second video. This is all a learning curve for Ian and me. Some of us are visual people and others happy to read and absorb. I am looking to add to what I write.

If you were on Sydney Harbour today you may have seen the 18ft Skiffs out sailing - it was race 1 of the Australian Championships and SLAM was second afterbeing an early leader. There is Grant at the helm; no doubt they were all working hard.

it's Friday

I thought we would be celebrating today as the air con next door (the 24/7 one on hot running for 4 weeks now) conked out last night after stuttering and splattering but sadly mid morning today it started again. Bring on the council meeting next week....

Been busy playing with samples and notes and stuff for Hot Needles Cool Stitches - above is a little landscape from lesson 4 but no more will I tell you. It's fun exploring new things.

Jacinta in her latest parcel, sent me hand dyed cat hair - her new kitten - any suggestions for use?

Don't forget to Like us on Facebook and then you can be in for the latest giveaway -  box of beautiful hand dyed Valdani perle cottons.

nice big parcel

 Yesterday we got a lovely big parcel of Christmas goodies from Kazuko and Bruce - thanks very much - lots of goodies for me including threads and stamps and a new cat calender so here is our January cat. Kaz has a very good eye for finding cats.  Just a bit cute. Ian is busy running around testing the filter for his camera.

Woke up to rain this morning and it was bliss to swim in the rain. One of the funniest things was that when the rain dropped down, all the kids having swimming lessons hopped out of the pool and ran under the shelter. Meant the pool was more spacious for people like me.

I have enrolled in Lisa's
online beading class which starts tomorrow - the last time I did any serious beading how to was with Val Campbell-Harding so I thought it would be good to learn from an expert. Lisa does wonderful beading. Even though I have loads of beads I asked her for a kit and today a huge container of lovely black and silver beads arrived. They are a bit blurry but I wanted to show a close up - looks like I have a lot of beading coming up. I am looking forward to it.

I have decided to add some tiny buttons to my slow cloth and of course at some stage I have disposed of all of my buttons - I used to use them when I made little doll brooches for the markets. I dropped some clothes off to Vinnes this morning and collected some buttons - they wouldn't take any money for them - reckoned I had given them plenty on my bag of stuff. Very kind. I have been in touch with my sari ribbon man to see how things are going - first reply was that he didn't have any orders in for me - HELP I SAID - but today he assured me everything will be ready to send early next week - so all those people who have emailed anxious for the lovely Vanilla Beans and Old Roses sari ribbon - you won't have to wait too long. I am going to use all the rose petals to make beads to add to it.

I meant to say thanks for all the comments about the blog header I have up - Brenda even kindly sent me a sample one. I am going to change it but first I will make a slide show of my vessels.

blogger drill and more slow cloth

 I have been on blogger learning class today. Ever since Jacinta made my blog a three column blog I have never been able to get my header to fit across the page - nobody has ever been rude enough to comment. I have re-photographed it and reloaded it all to no avail - so today I decided to pop up my Shanghai vessel which is quite a different structure. I had managed a few weeks back to delete feedburner for subscribing and had given up trying to find the code until Teresa told me she had changed her address but couldn't find the place to add her new one. So I spent some time searching and finally success. Hope you got there Teresa....

Then I have been setting up the blog for Hot Needles Cool Stitches and I hope to be able to invite all the class tomorrow. Thanks to Lisa I got a few things sorted - maybe it is the heat which has fried my thinking brain..... Just to make a video in the morning before it gets too hot. I have still got my blogger training shoes on though - things don't stay static these days for sure....

Why the rose? Well I do love them and I buy a bunch quite often - never expensive - there were $10 and I have been creating the start of my slow cloth in those glorious pale colours I call Vanilla Beans and Old Roses. Before you ask, this is my sample sari ribbon - the order is not here yet and I haven't heard as to when but I will tell you in loud letters when they are coming. I have created a piece 80cm long

all woven and at this stage stitched across each row. These lovely old saris are quite fragile so it is going to be something rather fragile to work on.

I plan lots more stitching and lots of tiny stitching and some image transfer and not quite sure what else yet. Maybe some words - yes I think so. 

Last night it was too hot to have our bbq so we went down the road for honey prawns. It is probably going to be too hot tonight as well but I have the lamb cutlets all marinating in spices etc. Might have to cook indoors.

A shipment from India arrived on Friday but it was only half of the order - lots more silk twist and the first of the Mayuri silk yarn. Luscious.

Welcome to 2011

Woke up this morning and things looked the same. I  have no more cats so this year starts with Madrid - we went through here everyday probably a few times.

We have had a very lazy day - having said that Ian worked hard at getting the silk jewels onto the website and I did wind a lot of yarn. But we decided mid afternoon to go drink someone else's coffee in their air con. Ian hoed into his cake before I had time to photograph it.

Here is another little embellisher playing with ideas.
We have been very busy with our facebook site today - lots of lovely people have left comments for our first giveaway and now we have a lucky winner in Lynda. Go visit and click like for the next giveaway whihc will be sometime soon.
Hope you are all having a relaxing day.