'twas the day after Christmas

Hope we all had a lovely Christmas - this is the first time, if I recall correctly, that we have not cooked our Christmas dinner in the weber but used the oven. All worked well although the butcher was so busy cracking silly jokes that he wrote the order down wrong and I ended up with meat sans stuffing and other various things. I shall really enjoying having a go at him to pay him back. Great meat though but if I had realised before the shops shut I could have remedied the stuffing situation.   And with the extreme heat I cleaned up the studio, making sure I put everything in its carefully designated place, and we had our time in the comfort of air con. I bought some reindeer heads for the lucky children - you will notice I didn't buy any for Ian or me. All in a good cause though, as the money went to breast cancer research. Pistol Pete was lucky to be part of our Chritsmas family but not Hannah - she had lots of family Christmas dinners to attend. She and Grant came for breakfast this morning and I forgot to take a photo.... They fly back to London tomorrow and then off on the snow train to France.

 

 

We started with prawns and oysters but actually I think some people ate a lot of marshmallows first.

 Then we had roast lamb, roast pork, roast potato, roast parsnip, roast  pumpkin, roast kumera - all those things we love - and of course salads

And if that wasn't enough, we had pavlova - with a new sauce on the top of raspberries poached in rose, and Cassata and homemade ice cream. Such decadence. One year I will make a Xmas pudding to go with it and then we really will roll off the table.

Today I have been enjoying one of my Christmas books - actually I have nearly finished it - she is certainly a superb writer and loves words and involvement. So I have been rather lazy but apparently it is okay as it is only Boxing Day - although I have done the several orders which have come in today (and yesterday...)

Ian has been very busy loading music onto his new i pod and has spent most of the day with his ear phones on so if I talk quietly to him he doesn't hear me but it is okay as he doesn't listen to me anyway - ha ha.

Finally - this is what is in store for us the coming week - definitely indoors with air con on - I am about to go out now to our warehouse to deliver stuff and bring stuff back because I fear that any time tomorrow will be as bad or worse. Then I am planning to work indoors. Soon as I have finished my book I will be in the studio working...

'twas the night before

Greetings to everyone from Western Australia - this is our beautiful WA Christmas Tree.

We have been really busy today - amazing - I think people have time to think and then they order stuff.  As well as that we had magazines appear - we processed and sent out Art Journaling, Sew Somerset and Cloth Paper Scissors but they did not make the web. Yesterday We went to a wedding so in between the church service and the reception, I make the icecream and played with the gummy silk paper. Looking to create some parchment type things. I used the new Signature Stencils - really like these.

 I sprayed Gossamer Gold Moonshadow Mist through the stencils - worked a treat and when it was dry i added some Medieval Gold Glitz Spritz. I like the Glitzes because they give a mica shimmer without clouding everything in colour.

 Three together.

 This one has worked very well - Runes is the stencil

And a big box of wool nepps arrived today as well - I was allowed to open it and ooh and aah but I am banned from doing any further for a couple of days - says Ian....

Well I have also made the pavlova so we are good to go - almost. it is going to be 40 they say so we may be in the studio (means a very fast tidy up) and we may have to cook in the oven indoors if there is a total fire ban.

Hope everyone has a wonderful day where ever you are and with whoever you are.

drama and more drama

We have had a pretty traumatic week - lost the internet and apparently the modem on Monday afternoon and have had to do everything through my i phone. I think I did amazingly well actually. Had to hand write people's orders and learn new skills. Particularly frustrating for Ian communicating with people who don't speak sufficient English, in other countries unrelated to where our server actually is. And getting bad advice. However at the death knoll (i.e. everyone about to go on holiday) all was recovered with a dollar or two cost and a new modem. Grant arrived this morning from Hamilton Island and showed us what to do if it happens again, without any angst. Thank goodness for techno in-house.

My Christmas shopping has been rather bleak - I set off yesterday and rapidly lost interest. bought some wine glasses for us and came home. But I did find these annoying Christmas Tree pens.

 Being off line meant Ian couldn't upload all the things he had on the wait - he has starting working again. He loaded lots of new colours in the silk chiffon ribbon and then a parcel or two arrived from Jacinta with some hand dyed ones. This is Kimberley Dreaming and I have stolen it for myself. Will be fabulous with the embellisher because being chiffon.... and also for all sorts of surface stuff plus maybe some wrapping and knitting and weaving. Too many ideas I have.

 This morning the latest Art Journaling magazine arrived and we will send them out on Monday - there are more in stock. Somerset Studio should arrive on Monday as it is part of the same shipment. Plus the topup ot of Art Quilting Studio and Sew Somerset arrived during the week. All the poeple waiting - we have sent these.

 And we also received the latest Artistcellar stencils - this is Romans - they are wonderful - I have set mine out with the intention of playing but tomorrow. In fact hoping to do a bit of playing tomorrow morning only as we are off to a wedding.

I

 Did some grocery shopping today and made the first of the decadent desserts - Cassata - make my pavlova and icecream on Monday. I have decided to try a new special sauce for pouring over the pav - if it works - raspberries and peaches - I will pop it in my fav recipes.

Hope everyone is not bogged down by Christmas - it is going to be 40 here and we always do so much trad. But - off to put up the Christmas Tree. Better to be late than never.

finally back on track

 Thought I would show you the cheap nylon netting  I use for silk paper making - this was from our Fibres Day when we were making silk paper and I threw the nylon in the sink and left it until today to rinse out - tut tut - but we used the Sun Dye Fabric paints to colour the tussah silk and so now I know how effective these paints are on cheap nylon netting. Just so you know. Spotlight special.

 The Sun Dye Fabric paints are quite brilliant I am finding - everyone knows I love sprays so I decanted lots of paint into spray bottles, carefully labelling them. Ever so efficient. Such an easy way to use with stencils etc and for sun painting.

 One of the ladies in my Christchurch workshop gave me some lovely paper napkins so I thought I would have a play today. This is the napkin.

 My first one which I messed up a bit so I decided to do a second one.

 It is a wee bit darker but has worked well - I used black kunin felt - ironed webbing to the surface - bonded parts of the napkin - ironed on silver and red foil - actually I didn't iron it on I ironed the surface and while it was hot I lay the foil down and rubbed with my fingers - I like that effect better - then I bonded black Gossamer Fuse over the top - stitched and used my Versa Tool to make my pseudo buttonhole edges. you can have mega fun with something simple (I was going to say inexpensive until I remembered the price of the Hundertwasser ones)

 Then I took strips of Hot Sheets and used left over foils on them. Very easy to do - just heat and iron down all your foil scraps. You can stitch these down or roll them up for buttons or whatever you like.

 Grant is on Hamilton Island for the SB20 World Championships - looks like lovely sailing.

 They have had a couple of seconds and further backs - that is them on 3037

 There they are again

Early in the week along with all the other parcels in and parcels out (we have been very very busy) - the first run of my new booklet arrived - Let's Play with Romeo - Ian just has a couple of things to alter and back it goes so we should have it beginning of January sometime. It is always so satisfying when you can tick something off your list and I had an article deadline I nearly didn't meet but I did - so now that is out of the way I can get to my long list of next drop stuff.

The latest Embellish magazine arrived and it was very exciting to see my Kimberley Dreaming piece on the cover. I have just booked our next little break to Broome to use up some of my Qantas points in case they take them away.

Have also loaded my Christmas desserts in my favourite recipes since I have had a few emails asking for them. Looks like I will have to start my thinking about Christmas cooking very soon. I don't make a Christmas cake or plum pudding (although I do like them) because, quite simply, we don't need to eat them. And Christmas Day is just a mammoth eating task as it is....

sad tale of a hibachi stand basically

A couple of pictures of goodies I collected up in NZ to photograph and draw - I didn't have anything red with me for drawing, spraying or stitching but i just fell in love again with the pohutukawa flowers so everything is looking a little Christmassy although that was not intended.

 Just another one.

 As we often do, we had a bbq last night and I am reporting that first - the hibachi is coming to the end of its life - this is our third or fourth. However, worse than that, Ian had some extra flames firing away and his chair has burnt through. He is somewhat devastated and I do hope our spicey coated lamb chops marinading away right now do not slide off tonight.

A slightly sorry state of events.

Loads of people have emailed about the Hundertwasser paper napkins I bought in Kawakawa. There is a gift shop there which sells them although they are not on their website. They are also available on ebay but in smaller numbers and therefore slightly more expensive but if you want them that won't be an issue - the ones I saw come from Hungary and there are more designs. I shall expect to see lots of interesting work done using them!

Since we made a slightly executive decision, we are about to embark on the painting etc of our bedroom. This is a major job in that we have to clear everything out first before painting and new furniture etc. We do have a LOT of books. It is going to look wonderful when it is done though - we just have to make ourselves move on this one so we can get onto the next task.

Hundertwasser

When we were in Kawakawa where the Hundertwasser toilets are, I treated myself to three packets of Hundertwasser paper napkins - outrageous price I do have to say but I shall be using them wisely.




There were also some wonderful cups and saucers but at $195 each, we decided very quickly to pass. What would happen if we used them and broke one?




I have lovingly popped them in my Hundertwasser basket and they will wait until the moment is right.

Back we go to Perth

Sitting in the Koru Club at Auckland airport with rain pouring down and thunder and lightning - our wee holiday is over and we shall soon be winding our way back to Perth but in Premium Economy - thanks Air New Zealand. Yesterday we went to Waiheke Island and had lunch at Mudbrick Vineyard and restaurant - we have been there a few times - it is a wonderful spot looking out over the water and islands. It was a bit wet but I took a few photos. Coming from Perth we never mind the rain.




Looking out of the restaurant window. We had a chatty waiter and have made a date to go to his show - Dark Stars - at the Perth Fringe Festival.




As you see, Jonathan likes having his photo taken more than me!




Another photo looking to the sea. We walked back down to the ferry and got there just in the nick of time. Just as well we had or umbrellas.




They have veg gardens in the grounds and I couldn't resist the basil. Sitting in the club right now I have just wonderful pesto on a bread roll. I do hope my several plants are growing away when I get home. This year I am planning to make lots of pesto.

Last night Bev came into town and we had a great night. We haven't caught up for quite some time. Ian has the photos so for another day.

One thing about being at home is that it will be easier to load the next six days of Christmas. It has been rather a challenge loading the tag each morning and no way have I been able to add my picture so that is why it is on the blog.

Lots of things to do in everything when we are back but one is playing with Encaustic Wax - I have been planning this for some time - I have a set of blocks waiting for me.

The end of the far north

We have finished our lovely break up north and today have driven back to Auckland.


Got rather carried away with our panorama taking - we had a verandah right round so this was the front.




A pic of The Old Oak from around the way - I have really loved all the pohutakawa flowers which are coming out everywhere and have loads of photos in various stages and have done little drawings. I have been stitching on green


But I need red thread for my pohutakawa bits and pieces. Actually I have done very little thread stitching - more brain stitching (thanks Shelagh for those words) and lots of ideas forming into action for 2013.

Over the last couple of days we have been to Kataia and Shipwreck Bay and visited a lovely vineyard with a wonderful view of two seas and a very chatty but lovely owner. I have learnt more about cows than I ever knew - did you know that a lot of dairy farmers are only milking once a day - amazing. And then there are the self serves where cows go do their own thing. A lady told me yesterday that it works well but some cows are too lazy to go and then there are the ones who pop in and out all day. Just like humans you might say....




We have been photographing red hot pokers in various stages



Yesterday I visited the Doubtless Bay Embroiderers group with a wonderful host in Donna and country hospitality abound. Loved the lemon slice.




Interesting photo I know... Last night we went to The Pear Tree in Keri Keri for a nice meal (not as good as Wharepuke though). Right outside the window in the water was this pole and Ian assures me it is the one we tied up to back in 1977 when we sailed in the Bay of Islands and lost our anchor. We motored to to Keri Keri, tied up and walked up the hill to get a new anchor and a bag of oranges.

We also went on a fab side trip on the way down to Keri Keri - magical places We hadn't seen before.



As you can see I am a bit obsessed with the pohutakawa flowers.

Relaxing times

Wedding anni dinner at the Waterfront Cafe in Mangonui and very nice too. Ian has discovered panorama on his phone so we have both been very busy taking panoramic photos




Here is the restaurant from the outside - Mangonui is a great spot to visit




I have been busy with the Pohutakawa flowers and drawing and photographing them. Have plans but no red colouring things or thread with me




Cabbag tree




Flax - coming from Foxton I know all about flax and the very tough on your knees carpet we had in our dining room




Yesterday we went to Keri Keri - I emptied my suitcase to the lovely ladies at the Embroiderers Guild - they meet at the airport - and then we went to dinner at Wharepuke - great food, gardens etc. This is their award winning desert - apparently the best in NZ according to Metro magazine. Kafir lime and lemongrass panne cotta with the best rhubarb I have eaten (and even Ian ate how so that does say something)

Got up at 3.30am to watch the ABs game - not the result we wanted but the English team were well deserving of their win