a little of this and a little of that

 I have been awake and ready at 4am every morning for quite some time - mainly for the America's Cup races which sadly did not pan out as all New Zealanders hoped but Dean Barker's gracious speech made me very proud to be a NZ citizen. The America's Cup world has a lot to thank NZ for and even Larry Ellison said it wouldn't happen without NZ. Such deep pockets you need though. I expect my sleeping habits will just come right when it is time to depart for London. This morning we got up early to watch the rugby  - far more important.  The bbq is in the scene because it has rained and rained and rained and we can't use it - actually it is past its use by time and Ian needs to go get another. Someone a while back mentioned a Weber - well we have one of those but we really love this little hibachi. I keep telling him to go get it before the rain stops in case everyone else buys one.  There was a tiny period of non rain today so we could plant half the front garden.

 I am still on the deli paper - this is the Aussie deli paper - it is very similar - I have been using it as a base on which to spray tags with Glitz Spritz - these are the basket tags for Ally Pally - and then I use the gelli plate to create lovely paper. Always more to do later. All the boxes went off to London on Friday night - lots of work - not so much so many boxes but being quite specific about what to take and trying to keep in a weight limit - it is never our desire to have to bring things back - even more expense on return than going. So I hope I have a great eclectic collection of our lovely stuff to appeal to the visitors who come to the show. then Ian has all the paper work to do which looks rather tiresome to me and then pop it all out to the carriers. It should be in London tomorrow.

 I decided to make a bowl whilst vegetating in front of the tv - there really isn't anything much to watch these days - I used the new silk cording we have http://www.thethreadstudio.com/catalogue/exotic/silkcording/text.htm - if you want to check it out. Pleased with how it turned out and then because I had nothing better to do, I made a lid for the top. All in an evening's work.

 Here's the lid on the top like a pudding. Each hank has a myriad of colours - with most Indian silk fibres you get a lot of red but I asked for as much other colour as I could have. Of course - what you stitch with makes a wee difference. I have used a multi coloured wool I had.

Finished the cover or page one of my Provence book/journal whatever you might call it/ Every time we go away I gather and start - drawings - stitching etc - but when we get home I pop everything in a basket and there it sits - I am hoping to get a few pages completed this week before we go away again.

I am trying to decide on a colour theme for my holiday stitch this year - I an setting myself a challenge to work with just one stitch as preparation for one of my articles in the e-mag. I thought of black and white with a touch of red but now I am not sure. Maybe I should stick to the bright colours or.... Any suggestions appreciated. I just am not good at being willy nilly - I have to have a colour  plan in my head. Anyone else like that? It will waste hours while I think and change my mind.

Spoilt Harley still on the go - she actually climbed a tree onto the studio roof yesterday - after Ian popped her part way up it. The other night we sat outside with a wine to watch eh sunset except that Ian had to stand because Harley sat in his chair - that is how spoilt she is. Chez Rollerson is the place for Harley.