Christmas Joy Warms the Heart.............

Christmas 2011 has arrived................. Christmas Eve has dawned bright & sunny which is most welcome as we in the Hunter are experiencing an unusually cool & wet start to summer!

Wherever you are are spending Christmas I wish you joy & peace! I'm looking forward to gathering with my family to enjoy love and laughter, the spontaneous joy of little people tearing open presents, good food and of course a drop of good wine!! Our family is also anticipating a new addition to our family sometime over this Christmas period, my niece and her husband's first child is due to make its appearance any day soon.... We all send them our love and positive thoughts...................

Wishing you peace, love & joy. Until the next blog, K.............

November - been & gone!!

Greetings..............I started a "post" some weeks ago, titled "November" - well November has been & gone, so thought I should get on with it before December & with it 2011, escapes me..............

What have I been doing: finishing a quilt and other small projects; spending a wet drizzley day in the country; attending a Baby Shower for my lovely niece Rylie whose first baby (little Billy!) is due to make its appearance any day; started Bridge (card game) lessons; and getting together with my Wednesday sewing group & the Saturday Stitchers, among other things.........

The Baby Shower - baby photos of the guests (ages ranging from 1940's to 1980's!) 



Recently finished quilt, hand pieced and ready for hand quilting
- my interpretation of Sarah Fielke's "Jazz Hands" from Material Obsession Two.



A close up of one block - there are 72 pieces in each block!!



The very cute "Dilbert the Dinsour" which I made as a gift for the Baby Shower



Another project - completed at last................. I embellished this beautiful piece of fabric using Perle cotton & made it up into a cushion

A trip to the upper Hunter Valley on a wet & drizzley day........

Visiting my friend at Roughit in the upper Hunter - even with the rain the country is looking lush & green......

Another day out in the country but this time on a very hot & steamy day - a suspension bridge over the Allyn River near Gresford. Believe it or not this bridge take vehicular travel, albeit one vehicle at a time!!

 During November I also enjoyed a trip to Sydney with my friend Robyn, where we indulged our senses by feasting our eyes on some delicious quilts, fabrics, patterns & other textile paraphenalia............. We visited Material Obsession; Calico & Ivy at Balmain & Quiltsmith at Annandale. Needless to say we purchased some beautiful fabrics and a couple of patterns along the way. On leaving one shop, Robyn was heard to comment that she had spent too much money but it didn't stop her indulging at the next opportunity!!

The other exciting thing I'm doing is planning a trip to Burma (now known as Myanmar). I depart Australia on January 11th, so more about that next time..........

Now I'm off to Sydney to attend a wedding tomorrow. Nicole the daughter of my dear friends Marea & Chris is marrying Angus. May they enjoy many years of happiness.

May you enjoy December and your preparations for Christmas. Until the next post, K..................

Chance Encounters.........

By chance in 1978 in London I met the renowned child psychiatrist, Dr Anna Freud who is the daughter of Sigmund Freud, the famous founder of psychoanalysis.

Again by chance, but this time in 2011 in Maitland (Australia), I had another connection with Anna when browsing through a book I came upon the following quote which resonated with me and is attributed to Anna:

“I was always looking outside myself for strength & confidence, but it comes from within. It is there all the time!”  Anna Freud

Over the years I have recalled that day in 1978 and always remember Anna sitting peacefully in a chair, lovingly supporting her sister. Anna died in 1982 at the age of 87.

In 1978 I was a young nurse enjoying the Aussie tradition of a “working holiday” in the UK. I was a private nurse (caring for people in their own home) and Anna Freud’s sister was one of my clients.

In 2011 I am a recent retiree enjoying free time............ time to roam, to enjoy coffee with friends, browse through shops and take the long way home!

India, spice markets in Jaipur - another of life's great adventures!

India again!

Isn't it interesting where life's journey can take us? Until the next post, K..............

Traditional Quilting this time...............

Back again........ I want to add to yesterday’s post with a story about traditional quilting & creative textiles..... Each week I join a group of “stitchers” at Southern Cross Needlework in East Maitland. Owned by Rhonda Eddy, the shop is located in a lovely heritage building which in itself provides inspiration. The talented "Wednesday" ladies are stitching a range of traditional quilting and embroidery projects. Ruth has embroidered and hand pieced her interpretation of the Victorian Post Card Quilt. She has made this beautiful quilt for her granddaughter, who I'm sure you will agree is one very lucky little girl!

The completed Victorian Post Card Quilt

One of the cute hand embroidered blocks

Another block......................

Recently I visited the Mosman Markets in Sydney where I purchased a charming fabric wreath which I have hung on my Studio door. Isn’t bright yellow such a cheery & happy colour????

As I mentioned yesterday the diversity of textile arts & crafts is an ongoing inspiration!!

I've just about completed a lovely quilt top - so hope to have that to share next time. Until the next post, K .....

Exploring Creative Textiles......

The variety and diversity of textile arts & crafts continues to inspire me. Last week I took a step away from traditional quilting to explore art quilting when I attended a 2 day workshop with the very creative & talented Lorraine Parker.  Lorraine practices a range of creative textile work and is a very experienced tutor, I recommend a visit to her website Creative Textiles

The workshop was titled “Paint & Free Surface Play”. We began with a blank canvas of white fabric on which we painted our own background colours providing us a wonderful canvas on which to express our ideas with fabric, yarns, threads and any other medium of our choosing. Lorraine shared her skills generously, guided and inspired us as we let the background colours "speak to us". This is Lorraine's beautifully embellished quilt.


Lorraine's completed quilt - our inspiration!



Lorraine encouraged us to approach our design with a free spirit & let the quilt to speak to us as we embellished with a variety of soft fabrics, yarns and delicious threads. She further inspired us by doing a bit of machine work on our individual quilts........... 

Of course in the time available we couldn't finish our projects. While our quilts are still in the early stages of design, what amazing creative possibilities await us as...............

I’ll let the photos tell their own story of emerging art quilts:

Suzanne's quilt




Caroline's quilt




My interpretation




Trish's interpretation

It was a wonderful workshop meeting new people, sharing skills and knowledge as well as pieces from precious fabric & yarn stashes.......... All this colour & creativity is good for the soul!!

May creative energy be with you! Until the next post, K ................

Wonderful Weekend Weather......

Here I am again!! I must report on last weekend's adventures before too much time passes! The weekend treated us to wonderful warm weather - a taste of summer to come! On Saturday a number of friends gathered at my home for our inaugural "Saturday Crafting Circle"! It was a great gathering of friends with an interest in a wide range of crafts. I think it would be fair to say that more talking was achieved than stitching!! I didn't manage many photos but here is a tiny taste of things to come.........

The start of Suzanne's applique quilt - watch as it progresses.....



Glorious bunch of parsley - a gift from Ella's garden

Sunday saw me ambling around the annual Maitland Garden Ramble. This long time initiative of the Maitland Black & White Committee aims to raise funds for Vision Australia. It was a lovely ramble through the lower Hunter country side and the gardens we visited were wonderful - a great credit to the commitment and vision of their owners. Well done to all involved in the preparation of the gardens and organisation of the event! A small glimpse of the beautiful sights on offer....

May there be much enjoyment & sunshine in your life. Until the next post, K....................

Summer at last.........

It's been a while since my last post, so here's a post especially to welcome summer. Summer has arrived in all its beauty with a welcome burst of lovely warm days and clear blue skies. This weekend was especially wonderful - it even gave us a hot 30 degree day yesterday! So I hope you have also enjoyed a relaxing weekend.

Before I get to the events of this weekend I must tell you about my trip to the city last weekend! Last Sunday I travelled to Sydney to visit the Kirribilli Art & Design Markets. A long time favourite of mine the markets are held on the second Sunday of each month - for more information see here

I must confess I had a special reason to visit the markets to catch up with my lovely niece Merran & other family members. Merran was working on a stall selling a wonderful range of products created by the very talented Peta of Smitten. The girls did a roaring trade offering a lovely range of scented candles with a wide range of delicious scents to warm your home. I bought a Lemongrass & Sage scented candle and am enjoying the gentle spicey aroma. I recommend a visit to the Smitten website: Smitten - also check out the link to their blog for some delicious recipes. You can also visit the Smitten stall at the Mosman Markets on the first Saturday in October.



Peta & Merran and the gorgeous Smitten stall

Apart from visiting markets I continue to embrace the freedom of retirement and exploring the world of textiles and crafts. This weekend I enjoyed the company of friends for our inaugural sewing day and yesterday I delighted the senses with a visit to the annual Maitland Garden Ramble – but more about those events in my next post.

I hope you enjoy a creative week. Until the next post, K....