A day out in downtown Victoria

Today after a very decent sleep in, we went into Victoria for a wander starting with coffee and a sort of breakfast come lunch come later on. It's a lovely little city and reminds us of many places in NZ. People are so friendly. These were some dolphins I saw.




We didn't go in but the Empress Hotel is the place for afternoon tea - we were wandering - Ian with his nasty back and me looking for a voice having lost it




The Empress Hotel is rather spectacular and there were lots of tourists with cameras




The Harbour




And another angle




And some more. Then we went off to look for somewhere nice to have a bite to eat and found the Tapa Bar




Very good food - just what we wanted and a Chilean red wine.

Someone in my class told me about Emily Carr so we went to Munros bookshop which is a most wondrous place to spend ages (as we did) and I bought a book of her paintings and her autobiography to get me started.

Looking forward to tomorrow's class and hoping my voice appears in the night.....

Reporting in from Victoria

Tonight was the merchant night - a couple of hours of busy selling
Here is the table at one end - I spent time tidying up because we had no containers




Here's the other end of the table - customers before I had everything out




And the middle of the table

I meant to photograph what was left which was not much but we packed it up before I got that far. Thank you all the lovely people who came to buy and enjoy your wonderful new goodies.

I have a delightful class who have been working hard for two days. Tomorrow is a lay day and we are planning to do very little after a sleep in. The weather is glorious and I want to the rhododendron garden.

Finally here in Victoria

After our marathon 40 hour trip, we have arrived - 4 planes later. We left LA on time and arrived in Vancouver slightly ahead of time, rushed as fast as we could (the customs lady told us to slow down, calm down) then we headed to check in and got to the little plane (a Dash 8 I think) and 15 mins later arrived in Victoria. Met by Ann - thank you so much Ann - who drove us to the university where a little comedy of errors meant we finally got a room where we could le horizontal and sleep. This morning they were ever so good in getting our real room ready for us.




There a re fabulous rhododendrons out in flower - I love these flowers - one of my favorites. These photos are the courtyard outside our room.



I am looking forward to seeing them blossom more while we are here.
Now I have to sort all the stuff in the suitcases and then find the kits and get them finished as well with a couple of extras.

Location:University of Victoria

Made it to Auckland

Here we are in the Koru Club at Auckland airport - can't see though the windows but rain is dropping down at great pace. We arrived at 5.30am - had a sleep and breakfast and her and then caught the bus to downtown Auckland for a bite of fish.

Off to Los Angeles at 7.30pm and after crossing the time zone should arrive about noon today - that is before we even leave here. Crazy stuff - we will get that missing day back when we return.

I have typed in koruclub and oamaru so many times today I shall dream this password.

Loving the rain though especially as I don't have to go out in it

Location:Koru Club

hiddee hoddee off to Canada we go

 Today is the day we go to Canada - catch a flight to Auckland at 7.20pm - arrive at 5.50am - have a leisurely lunch in downtown Auckland and a snooze and relax in the Koru Club - fly to LA at 7.40pm  - arrive same day at 12.55pm - fly to Vancouver at 10.43pm and cross fingers we get on our flight to Victoria an hour later. Otherwise Tuesday morning. Ian assures me is about 40 hours. Fortunately our box is safely in a garage waiting for us but not without angst and UPS - useless parcel service - showing their true colours.  Above is Harley's cat door - perspex - she could go out but never work out how to get in except that another cat did.

 So we bought her this one which reads her micro chip - she can get out but is so fat that coming in has not been easy. Only once and that is when we pushed her.

 Ian has created a platform so the next time we pushed her she made it safely. I have no doubt that she will find it handy when we are gone. Cats are independent and smart.

 Here she is pretending she can't see me because she has seen the suitcases. All we have to do with the suitcases is to work out how to get everything inside them and zip them up. Ian has gone off to post all the parcels - yes - posting on Sunday but as we will be away until 28th it was not really a bother.

Jacinta sent some lovely packs for me to squeeze into the suitcases as well.  They are collections of hand dyed fabrics - with eucalyptus leaves. Haven't many but they are lovely. Wonder if they will like them in Canada?

 This is the front side - each if different but all so lovely.

 We have also been busy adding a few things to the web for you to look at while we are away - this is mul-tex - a very interesting fabric - mulberry paper on one side and laminated on the other.

 This is Decovil which is a fusible leather like fabric from the makers of Lutradur and Evolon. Haven't done a great more than feel it and cut it up at this stage.

 and then Ian loaded our hand dyed by Jacinta - wool blanket rolls - they look so lovely in the basket and I realised they were not on the web. If you know our colour themes you will recognise some of them in here.

While we are away Cloth Paper Scissors PAGES will arrive - just email me if you want to be on the list - loads coming but many names on the list already. So many people missed out last year. We will post them as soon as we are back. I have a book featured inside the pages somewhere.

When we are in Victoria we plan to visit the Butchart Gardens - have heard they are beautiful. Looking forward to everything though and feel so privileged to have been asked to teach. I hope the class enjoys it all. Also hoping to post to my blog while we are away and to facebook if I can manage - don't forget to go over and visit and like us - we are nearly at 1600 now - so exciting.

Don't forget to check the SAQA Oceania Studio Blog Hop - it is Beth Miller's today and you can see the full list on my tag above. 

Okay - off to pack those suitcases and then watch the Chiefs play the Reds. Fabulous win for the Hurricanes yesterday. They are doing so well. You can bet we will be following them while we are away - one i-pad each and my i-phone should do the trick....

2 more sleeps

 Only 2 more sleeps until we fly off to Canada - getting organised but really not needing the hassle which good old useless parcel service (aka UPS) is providing. I think Ian had steam coming out of his ears today - I was too stressed by it to even think about it. Last time UPS caused us drama was in London and I cracked knee open. Needed a holiday in Europe afterwards to recover if I remember correctly.

Anyway back to the real world - I spent hours printing out stuff for my workshop - naturally every colour ran out and in the middle I inadvertently kicked the plug out and that wasted a bit more time. All done now. Onto the next thing.

Above is  play on Evolon using the gelli plate  - Used the Paperartsy chalk acrylics which are quite subtle and then I sprayed over with Gecko Green Glitz Spritz. I rather like it and will stitch but not today.

 Ian has loaded two new hand dyed sari ribbons - Carnivale and Persian Market. They are all so exciting when they arrive.

We bought Harley a new cat door because while she couldn't come back in with the old one, another cat could. So this one has her micro chip thingy. Only trouble is we have got her to go out but she won't come back in - I think she is too fat - I have been standing with enticing plate of food and Ian has been trying to gently push her but so far no good. She is so exhausted by all of this effort she has retreated to our bed for the entire day.

Thanks to all who came to see my studio - and Doreen - the big basket of samples is still there just inside the door. I couldn't show everything. I do love my studio and I have to admit there are already lots of containers spread back on the floor. Today is Averil's beautiful studio in  the medieval village of Introdacqua, Italy, to see where she works  http://www.avesrave.blogspot.com.au/

Lots to do tomorrow but what is new...... including a lot more pushing and cajoling of you know who

SAQA Oceania Studio Blog Hop

 Welcome to my beautiful studio in our garden. I am very lucky to have my own place in which to work and the garden between our house and the studio is where we live most evenings in the summer. The studio was designed to blend in with the two eucalyptus trees you can see the trunks of and I enjoy the colours and the way they change during the year. Inside it is not a neat and tidy place because if I put everything away then I cannot find things quickly and it feels like my soul is hidden - or something. That is my excuse. For many years I have worked in the corner of our bedroom but always somewhere which is my space.

Working away at one of the things I like to do - create on one of my sewing machines - 

 I have a decent sized table where I usually have things spread out  - I work in themes so there are always containers for each theme and I hop from one to another. I happen to be one of those people who run on the what if system so often when I am happily working on something my brain thinks - how about trying this and I do.

 Same table looking towards the garden to be outside - this garden to be has been in planning for quite some time - maybe before too long. However Harley the cat loves it and spends ages there doing whatever cats do but having fun.

 My trusty laptop used for creative stuff and not business stuff.

 My precious book collection - never enough space for books and they are always in and out for inspiration.

 A little corner where I often sit for thinking - the studio has a large window space around to link it with the outside and through the window is a spot where we often sit at night and watch the trees in our garden.

 My table today full of stuff I am preparing for my teaching trip to Canada - I work at this table a lot but when I want to work on big pieces or paint, I can easily work outside. I don't dye fabric if I can avoid it - I butter up Jacinta to do it for me. I really like to alter the surface of fabric by layering up

 so here is my small work station - which is marbelled topped and brilliant for working on - and my gelli plate at the ready. For some reason I buy small amounts of commercial fabrics from time to time and wonder why - then I use them for rubbings, overlays, cut them up and stitch them together so they become mine and part of my story. I am slowly working on a journal quilt based on my trip to Marrakesh. You can the first two pages on the right of this photo.

 My beloved embellisher always ready for work

My wet area - yes it is cluttered - and I have loads of Ikea pull out baskets - I like to see my stuff. I don't have drawers which close. My machine threads are in a shop paperback stand on its side on a shelf but since I mainly use my own designed variegated threads, they are always by my sewing machines for easy access.

The corner on the other side looking out - currently a small pile up of folders and baskets of work.

Hope you have enjoyed your visit to my studio - it is a precious place and I try to be in it every day.

A few thoughts

I have been busy pottering today - partly preparing for my workshop in Canada and partly trying to organize my studio for tomorrow's blog hop. Of course I failed that because I have little piles trying to sort what I am taking and then what I still want to finish. I sprayed some silk rods - I love the texture of these when pulled apart.

The latest Studios mag arrived - we got about half out and the remainder will go tomorrow.

A new sari ribbon colour arrived as well - Persian Market this time. I have chosen one for the woven book cover I will try to work on while we are away. Five more sleeps........

a wee last look at Broome

 Some of Ian's photos of Broome for you to enjoy - sunset at Port Beach

 why there has to be one of me sitting on the rocks at sunset I do not know

 our villa at the Bali Hai - love those frangipani trees and flowers - love staying here actually

 through the walkway

Cable Beach - another perfect day

Don't forget to check out the SQA Oceania Blog Hop - see tab above for links - today is Linda Robertus

busy friday and saturday

 One very happy captain of the Hurricanes - and one very happy fan. They are doing very well.

 I have been playing with the Jacquard Lumiere 3D Dimensional Paint and Glue (a big mouthful) - we have got it in all 24 colours as well as some with 3 different tips. I thought I would try it out. I sprayed Starburst Sprays (the Marrakesh set) on Tissutex and then worked burgundy and lime green through the Marrakesh stencil. Guess what theme I am working on today? I like the detail of this stencil and it reminds me of the patterns I saw on Marrakesh. I popped sequins into places and they have stuck very well. I plan to stitch on it next. As it sets the colours intensify and sit raised. Very pleased with this [piece.

 The fourth colour in the hand dyed sari ribbons has arrived - Rivendell. Wonder what magic Jacinta is cooking up in her dyepot for next?

I have made another page for my Romeo book - very dark photos but that is because I left it until late to take my photo. the one above has turned itself around so youhave to turn your head on the side.....You should be able to see that I have stamped my fern stamp on with paint and stitched and washed out.Tomorrow I shall make a cord for it and maybe another page if I have time.

This is another page of Tissutex stamped with the Lumiere 3D paint. it looks really good.

Don't forget to check out the SAQA Oceania studio  blog hop -  today is Lisa Walton - her studio looks far too tidy for me. http://fibreinspirations.blogspot.com.au/

The newsletter is nearly ready to post out - Ian has stopped inorder to watch some rugby but he has his usual beautification to do and then I will post it out. Some great specials this month.