Celebrating family & friends................

This has been a week celebrating the achievements of family & friends. I was delighted to receive a phone call from my friend Marea who with her husband Chris is enjoying a “grey gap year” adventure travelling around Australia. Marea was calling from the warmth & sunshine of Broome in WA where she was watching the sunset over the beach!! You can read more of their adventures on their blog.

On Saturday I attended my friend Robyn’s 60^th birthday party. The invitation invited guests to wear fur & riding boots! Now I don’t own riding boots but I did delve deep into my wardrobe to rediscover a fur jacket from my youth. A few hours in the sun and some minor repairs and it was ready to go partying..................

While fur may not politically correct these days, I’d forgotten how luxuriously warm a fur jacket can be on a cold evening. There were a range of fur coats, jackets & collars on show at the party. However the birthday girl left fur and riding boots to the guests - she looked fabulously glamorous in a Grace Kelly style black taffeta & lace dress. It was a great party - a wonderful celebration of family & friendships.

My rabbit fur jacket - circa 1970!

On Sunday it was off to visit my Sydney based sister, Bernadette, and hear more about the upcoming outback flying adventure she and her partner, Vasant, are planning. Recently Bernadette told their story on Radio National’s Life Matters program. It’s an inspiring story - you can hear it here.

I also enjoyed dinner with my lovely Sydney based nieces & their partners and heard all their latest news – fun, work, conferences, and of course babies.................

I’m back home in the Hunter enjoying the good crisp country air and getting on with my creative endeavours and home decorating projects. Until the next patch, K ......................

Sunshine at Long Last..............

We have enjoyed a weekend of glorious winter sunshine after weeks of heavy rain, severe winds & flooding. The Hunter & Paterson Rivers which run through the lower Hunter Valley are swollen with dirty brown water, causing some low level flooding. After attending the local Farmers Market on Saturday I did a spot of flood water sightseeing!

While out and about on Saturday we came upon Closebourne House in Morpeth. Having grown up in the area I know Closebourne House well but was unaware of its history. In 1821 Lieutenant Edward Close, founder of Morpeth, built this beautiful Georgian home & chapel out of locally quarried sandstone. He named his grand home - Closebourne House. From 1848 to 1912 the residence was home to the various Anglican Bishops of Newcastle. Still standing today the house is one of the oldest in mainland Australia.

Closebourne House, circa 1821

The Morpeth area and its surrounding town & villages are rich in history. A long time home to our indigenous people, the first Europeans in the area were a party lead by Lt Col. Paterson who undertook an exploration of the Hunter River in 1801. Paterson named the area Green Hills. In 1821 the land was granted to Lt Edward Close, a veteran of the Napoleonic Wars, as a reward for service as Engineer of Public Works at Newcastle. He commenced building Closebourne House and set about establishing a private town which around 1834 took the name Morpeth, originally the name of a town near Newcastle in England. I have a long association with the area as my fathers family has lived in the area since around the mid 1850's.

Thats enough of the history lesson! I'm off to the 2011 Sydney Quilt Show on Wednesday - am looking forward to the delights this annual exhibition always offers. More of the arts & crafts in the next blog! Until then - enjoy the sunshine where ever you are, K..................

Update from the Hunter.....

Hello again – I know it’s been a while between posts but there have been a few “hick-ups” getting connected to broadband in my new location (as ever the wheels at the telecommunication companies move slowly!).

Since my last post I’ve relocated from Sydney to the NSW Hunter Valley. It has been an exciting & exhausting time – packing up (the truly exhausting part....); the big move day on May 2; unpacking and settling into my lovely new home. All boxes are now unpacked, furniture & accessories are still being moved around but are quietly finding their “place” in their new home.

The last of the boxes waiting to be unpacked!

Lemoyne Star quilt - machine pieced & hand quilted in 2005

While I spent my early life in this area I haven’t lived here for many years, so I’m enjoying exploring and getting to know the local area again. The area has a rich history dating back to the early days of white settlement which began in Australia in 1788. Last weekend I visited the Dungog Film Festival. Dungog is a small town nestled in a pretty valley in the lower Hunter and has been home to the Film Festival since its establishment 5 years ago. The Festival was established to celebrate Australian films and increase the appreciation of Australian screen culture and heritage. It is growing in popularity every year.....



Dungog's main street

Its winter here & one thing I had forgotten was how cold this area can be in winter - looks like a good excuse to go shopping for some more winter whollies!!
Until the next post, K .................

The Arts & Crafts Movement

I was interested to learn that The Arts & Crafts movement is celebrating 150 years since its beginnings when William Morris founded Morris & Co in 1861. The March issue of Country Life (British Edition) includes an inspiring article titled "The Art of Craft" which pays tribute to William Morris and the Arts & Crafts movement. According to the article William Morris "set out to champion craftsmanship and quality in design, something that was waning in the wake of industrialisation".
William Morris famously said "Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful". I like that sentiment.............
In our times it is wonderful to see an increasing number of artistians and craftsmen incorporating old & ancient skills with modern technology to produce a wonderful range of hand made items.

I've included some images that depict the Arts & Crafts movement................



In 2009 I visited the William Morris Gallery in the outer London suburb Walthamstowe. William Morris lived in this house in his younger day. In recent times it has been established as a gallery devoted to William Morris displaying a collection illustrating his life, achievements & influence. If you are interested in the Arts & Crafts movement and are ever in London it is worth a visit.

Of special interest is William Morris's Australian connection - the Art Gallery of South Australia has one of the biggest collections of William Morris's work outside of the UK.

Enough of my ramblings about the Arts & Crafts movement........................today is Good Friday, so I hope you all enjoy a happy, safe & renewing Easter time. K

Vintage Finds....

Recently I've been perusing the growing number of eclectic shops in the Surry Hills suburb of Sydney, selling a wonderful & diverse range of vintage goods. My major find was this vintage Australian made factory mannequin from the 1930's - 1940s. I purchased it from David Met Nicole, a wonderful shop in Cleveland St Surry Hills selling a wide range of unusual & eclectic items. http://www.davidmetnicole.com/

The mannequin has already found its place in my new home in the Hunter Valley. It's standing in my Studio wearing my grandmother's wedding dress.

The mannequin provides an ideal display piece for this beautiful dress which my grandmother Margaret Ellen Hogan wore for her marriage to George Ryan in August 1912. Overall the dress is in wonderful condition given it is nearly 100 years since it was made. I just love the lace on the bodice and sleeves. 

Planning & packing for my move to the Hunter is underway and the removalist has been booked for May 2nd!!
Stay posted........ K

On the Verge of the Next Adventure........

Dear Reader, I'm excited to report that my Sydney apartment has been sold, the contracts exchanged on Friday! This was a wonderful result given it sold within a few day of going on the market......  Isn't that signboard with the SOLD sign in place a wonderful sight??????

Needless to say I'm very excited & looking forward to time for creative endeavours, decorating my new home, some travel & other life adventures.

To excite my creative juices I spent this morning roaming around the Kirribilli Art & Design Markets which are held on the second Sunday of the month. The market has a vibrant atmosphere with a designers & artisans selling a wide range of goods including clothing, jewellery, art work, fashion & homeware accessories. Great food is on sale to be enjoyed listening to live music! A visit is highly recommended - see their website for more info: http://www.kncsydney.org/index.php?content=artdesignmarket.html

Stay posted for news! K

Early Morning Inspiration....

Yesterday I enjoyed an early morning walk along the Cremorne Point Foreshore Reserve - a 3 km walk along the Sydney harbour foreshore from Cremorne to Mosman offering spectacular views from North Sydney to the Harbour Bridge, Opera House, Sydney city skyline, Woolloomooloo Bay, Fort Denison and other Sydney landmarks. This is a beautiful walk on any day however on this autumn morning the early morning light was dancing through gaps in tree foliage and the sweet perfume of orange blossom filled the air.

The walk must surely offer some of the best views in the world...... spectacular panaromas of Sydney, yachts moored in Mosman Bay , ferries passing by taking people to work in the city or maybe tourists beginning a day of sight seeing with a relaxing ferry trip across Sydney Harbour. And there's more.......the reserve also offers the opportunity for a swim in the salt-water MacCallum pool with the city skyline as a backdrop. This pool has been used by local families for around 100 years.

For those Sydney siders & others who not able to enjoy the walk in person I took a few photos along the way for your enjoyment.......................

Spectacular panoramas of Sydney......

Yachts moored in Shell Cove .............

The MacCallum pool - imagine enjoying a swim on a hot day with these spectacular view in sight.......

I hope you enjoyed the photos. I'm sure you will agree that the reserve is a credit to those who care for it including Bush Care & the local council staff.  Until the next blog........ K

PS: Fingers crossed - my Sydney apartment is just about sold........ More news tomorrow!