More Rainbow photos

We walked we went boating, we went to the Eumundi Markets, we surfed so apart from the markets these are photos of surfing, what you cant see are John to the left and Jill to the left catching a wave and still in it. Then the Fraser island barges arriving at Inkskip point and the third is a not very good one of me but with the sea and double island point somewhere behind me. and this wonderful stretch of beach. Definetly in holiday mode.
I am soo tired, we were up before 5 am to leave for the Markets, arrived at 6.45 and had breakfast, bacon and eggs and coffee, wicked but terrific. The Eumundi markets are quite famous, they are quite big and so interesting, I bought an Indian skirt that I must convert a bit to take to wear at the muck up night at Horsham, an orchid and some thing for daughters. We had done all our shopping before 9 and headed home for a surf, then a trip in Scott's boat to Tin Can Bay and out to where the Fraser island barges go across, I love the names up here. Home for a smoko and then a huge walk down to the long beach with the coloured sands.
The fellows are playing pool and we are going out to dinner tonight.

Rainbow Beach

This is the back garden of Jill's brothers house at Rainbow beach, beautifully tropical and different. The fellows were supposed to go fishing this morning and couldnt as the wind came up, sothey were up at 4.30 am and back in bed at 6.!! The one who had 2 travel calm is out for the count!
I have walked but also relaxed, am sitting trying to get the knotted cretan stitch done and am having no end of problems working it out, as we were all awake so early this morning it is difficult to know what to do.
we had an interesting drive up, crashes on the Gateway Bridge in Brisbane meant we detoured through the heart of Brisbane, havent been there for ages. we had lunch at Maleny in the hinterland and then on to wander Montvilles galleries. Then on to Rainbow.
I bought a new pair of bathers yesterday, for some reason they always have bathers that fit me and at half the price up here.
Photos are a bit hit and miss, I have been forgetting it which is a pain.

More Photos

These are taken from the Nerang River side of Surfers, we walked from Jill's house to the arts centre and there is a wonderful walk around the river with all sorts of strange bits of sculpture, I did take a few photos of those but my battery in the camera died so this is the high rise that i took from the beach the other way and there are some ibis on that log with all the traffic going over one of the bridges in the back ground, all hussle and busstle out there and very peaceful where we were.
It was blowing from the wrong direction for the beach. we have packed our stuff and are off to Rainbow Beach today, I think we are going up to Maleny on the way, I want to find an orchid for our hostess and it has been too hot on the coast. Maleny is in the mountains behind Noosa, this is a fascinating land, sea and then well not high mountains but quite rugged small ones and spectacular scenery.
I think I am really into holiday mode, not doing a lot but reading and walking, will be a shock when I get home. Apparently we have had some rain but not enough, we have interim drought status and am not sure how that will affect us.
Well back to being a holiday drone!

More photos of Surfers Paradise

We did an evening canal trip with dinner the other night and I was trying to see what my camera would do of the fantastic lights in the towers and buildings as we went past the second one is of the sails I think at sea world but I could be wrong, maybe I had it on night setting, moved it around so much I cant remember. I think these were done on the museum setting but I am not sure, obviously there was a time delay but I love the way the lights blurred and moved. The bottom one was of a different beach walk with the different colours of gey in the buildings and sky, doesnt seem to show up all that well in this transfer, with some of the "wildlife" it was dog walking sunday on a dog allowed beach, I have never seen so many people with so many different dogs but I really didnt have time to get a shot of that. Having a great time, head for Rainbow Beach north of Noosa tomorrow, not getting much done, lots of eating and drinking, catching up with friends ( that is where the eating and drinking comes in, I was on soda water yesterday!) and resting and feeling as if we are on holiday.

Surfers Paradise

I can down load the odd photo so can keep this blog going a bit. no photos of me, I am the one with the camera!
The first one is Jill and John walking along the beach, a morning occurrence before a surf, and the second one shows a bit of the wild life around, and Jill on the left and John just by the fellows nose about to dive under a wave.
I dont think I look respectable in my bathers any way, had to buy a new pair and then completely re do the bra area as I kept falling out of them. we have done nothing but go out for drinks, meals and sleep or walk the beach and fall into the pool. I have walked and sketched every day, but no scanner so the sketches cant go up and no time to do a proper painting yet!

Take a Stitch tuesday, up and down buttonhole

I had a lot of problems getting my head around this at the begining and then had a lovely time with it, wandering all over the place as usual, can I never get anything straight! I blame my wonky eye but perhaps I am just wonky!!
Any way it was fun to do and another stitch to add to ones I now more or less know what to do. Thanks to Sharonb.
This one is done on linen as i couldnt find any more felt the right colour and using athe lovely valdani threads.

This mornings Sunrise

I raced out unclothed (sounds better than stark naked!) this morning with the camera to try and catch this incredible sunrise. You would have thought we should have had some rain but no, just clouds.
I am packing, what to take away for 2 weeks, camera, laptop,all the cords that go with that and the mobile phones, knitting, hand sewing, beading stuff, paints and pens and paper, and no clothes have gone in yet!
Notes to be done for those feeding dogs, chooks and ponies, for those staying in the house and watering etc etc.
It has got cooler here and the nights are at times quite cold but Queensland will be hot and sticky I think. I just hope it rains while we are away, no one waters as well as I do.

Embellished cloaks

These are my little Forest people and the cloaks that I have embellished for them. The cloaks will be sewn on and a bit more added to them. I had a lot of fun with thier cloaks, all based on felt with a variety of wool and threads.I am taking some of these to Horsham in the hope that I might sell some. The money to go to next years fibre forum.
A lovely day today, cool and a bit damp after yesterdays rain. I am tidying up some of the things I need to get done before we go away on Tuesday. Queensland for two weeks, bliss.

playways ATC swap

These are my Playways swaps and from the top right they are from, Lyn, Dianne Ceray, Sadie, Linda Stokes and Joyce Weeks. They are a stunning collection and I am so pleased with them. I would love to know how they were done.
I have been finishing off things today, also have a physio appointment later and best of all, IT HAS RAINED not a lot but at least it has washed off the dust and I dont have to water the pots. Smells so nice. About 4mm which in the paddocks hasnt even soaked in and if you kick the soil it is dry just under the surface but perhaps it is the start.

Liz's ATC

I made this atc for Liz, she and I did a swap and I have two lovely ones from her as well.Very hot today, I dont know what the weather beaureau is doing but they were way out with their temperatures today.
John and I went to Adelaide, originally I was going on my own but he decided he needed a beard trim before we go away.
We delivered Birthday presents to my older sister and take her out to lunch, only a coffee and sandwhich but quite nice.
I saw my mother and had an hour and a half with her, she looked very tired and a bit fragile, then on to deliver a birthday present to my younger sister who was looking tired and fagile as well but that is because she had just taken delivery of a new puppy, a gorgeous Poodle retriever cross baby, but he was sad and crying and her older dog doesnt much like him.
It will be interesting to hear how she gets on with him.

Goolwa PD racers

I was asked by pdracers.blogspot.com if I had any photos of the pd racers at Goolway, I cant find any of them sailing but the yellow odd shaped little boat is one, I think, I hope!
I am not sure if there are any more in the other photo as I am not really up on them but they look like a fun little boat. actually this gives a quite good impression of the crowds around the boats that were there on the Sunday.
I thought while I was about it I would show the photo of the rather fat me, scrambling awkwardly through the fence and up the dry creek bank to feed the ponies some grain. Thank goodness they have been moved so I can now go through a gate in a civilised manner. My friend Paddy took this photo, I dont know why she always make me look fatter than I am sure I am. Sorry I have tried to edit this, there is a sentence over the photo that you cant see but I cant move it.
Hot again today and I have been sewing some little people to hopefully sell at Horsham.

Late EDM challenge, a clock

After I hd scanned this I realised that it was a bit wonky in places, my excuse is that this old Ansonia clock is way up with a few others on top of a very tall bookcase and with my odd eyes that is what it looked like! At one stage I collected old clocks and had a large collection but now I think I only have about 6, all different and I love them.
My little bantams have settled in well and there is a drawing on my other blog.
A trip to the physio today so I am feeling a bit fragile, one more before we go away. It doesnt help that I had to drive in in the farm tray top Toyota which bumps all over the place.
A load of heifers have gone today on their way to China, I hope it is greener there than here.

Barred chain stitch

This was last weeks TAST challenge for Sharon b, I found this difficult to manage and the first row was completely wrong, I did get the hang of it a bit in the circle.Then more wonky lines. I think I like wonky lines.
Busy day today as well, my aunt by marraige and her second husband came for lunch which was very enjoyable, I had made something previously so not a stressed day at all and she brought me the most delightful little Japanese Bantams, a cock and 4 hens, I had made a space for them in the big old cage near the back door and they are having a lovely time. I have looked at the Japanese bantams at the Royal show every year and never had the money to buy them, or for that matter the time to go and collect them after the show so this is a delight.

Goolwa Wooden boat show

You have probably gathered that I love boats and the river port town of Goolwa on the Murray is only about half an hour away and today I wallowed in boats!We went over around lunch time and spent about 4 hours walking standing, looking and taking photos. The one with the two sailing boats I am not sure what they are but was intrieged (sp?) with their rigs and the huge sweep on the white one, the central one is a paddle steamer, a new one, completely built in the last few years, about 1/2 size I think and based at Goolwa, the third, white one is the pride of the paddle steamer fleet, the Oscar W built in about 1908 and also based in Goolwa, I have sailed on her.
There were buskers, boats for sale, putt putt boats, river cruisers dinghys, tiny steam powered you name it and all made of wood.
Lots of fun of the fair as well, people selling the most incredible ropes, paintings, boats (I saw one I wanted!) food of all kinds, our local aboriginal tribe making baskets, and I know how to make them because we did them last year at Horsham, but so beautifully done. People we knew dogs, children and the steam cockle train. Absolutely magic. And lots of music.

Total disaster area

I was showing my friend Paddy who is staying for the week end how to use the embellshing machine and she snuck in and took photos, well I really wasnt expected to be seen in such squalor, as I hadnt had time to clean that room up, I was just going to shut the door!
I had just come home from spending about 4 hours with Isabelle at the netball clinic at Myponga sitting in the shade under a tree with a breeze blowing it wasnt too bad but I came home on mostly dirt roads so the car is now a dusty mess. John has been trying to fix up a pipe into one of the tanks so it will automatically fill while we are away, of course that meant even more problems, and Sarah was selling one of the mares while I was over with Isabelle.

Embellisher treasure

I have Sarah Lawrence to thank for this added bit to my embellisher stuff, she had an article in the Magazine Stitch which is put out by the UK embroiderers Guild, arrives late in my newsagent but at least it arrives.
I had fun doing the base on the embellisher and then as i didnt have much in the way of faces or feet I made some with polymer clay, this face is a stamp, the foot was a mold of some sort.
It was wool roving on a piece of scrim like stuff (actually a cotton polishing cloth I cut up) with some odd bits of ribbon wool I found in my stash, backed to felt hand stitched, beaded using a couple of Dale's new square sequins and others, it was
a nice way to end the day after a frustrating series of events.
We have actually had some moisture on the front terrace, probably not enough to measure and certainly not enough to do any good but it smells nice and fresh, especially as it is going to heat up soon.

I needed a necklace

I needed a bright necklace and as I had bought these beads in Melbourne when I was there I made this on Sunday to wear to Adelaide on Monday. I love them, they look like lollipops, made in about an hour they were fun and easy to do. My mother always loves to see what I have made and was fascinated in them.
I am having a slow day today, windy and very drying outside, better get my act together and feed my ponies.

My grand mother's sampler

Sharonb in her' in a minute ago' blog said that her husband had found some samplers which made me go and have another look at the one my grand mother did. She was 10 years old and it was done in 1878. It is a little faded so I have enhanced the colour a bit after I photographed it. I think it is probably cotton thread done on linen.
I wonder if I should be making sure it goes to some textile museum or something or still be kept in the family, a rather vexing question.
Susannna Garnett was born in England and came to Australia to try to stop her from eloping and here she promptly eloped with my grand father (or so family history goes). I met her as a small child, a tiny autocratic woman but never my grand father.
Today was a trip to Adelaide to see my mother, she is well but it is so depressing, I took her for a coffee, she loves to get out and see other people and I dont blame her.
I then proceeded to buy a pair of sandals I hope I will wear.
Came home to hear of the death of an aquaintance that I liked. Not totally unexpected to us but apparently to her family it was. Very sad.

A cool day at Pt Willunga

John went to the Clipsal 500 car race today as he had been invited to the State Corporate box, I wasnt but then I didnt want to go any way so i spent a lovely day at Pt Willunga with Paddy and we went and did all sorts of wicked things like buying a bike for me, now I have to get it home and re learn how to ride it, not sure if this is a good idea but for the price I paid I can always give it to a grand child to use while they are here.
We fossicked in the most incredible junk place I have been to for years, we bought wine glasses, the trophy sort with gold on them and not too big, I found a David Dridan one which I am pleased about. Also some thing, no idea what, that I could I think use for texture on fabric or paper. All for $3.
I bought 2 books for k#1 from the library sale and we walked on the beach, amazing how rough it was after yesterdays calm and heat and it was wonderfully cool.
The photo is me on the beach infront of the caves that were carved from the cliff for the fishermen to keep their boats in and the other is what is left of the old jetty. I have sketched this.
All in all a good day, we gossiped and laughed and played the fool and John obviously had a good day as well, meeting up with lots of people he knew, but he did say he couldnt get very enthused about the race or the noise!

from The thread Studio

Doreen asked what I had bought from the Thread Studio stall while I was in Melbourne so I have taken a photo, the yummy colours dont seem to show up as well but they are yummy.
There is a pack of silk paper, some wool felt, silk organza, mulberry bark, 3 different valdani threads, a heap of artgirls charms, some wool tops, some persian jewls threads, some assorted sari silk strips and some fancy fibres some other fabric strips and some treasure gold, amazing what it added up to! But I keep looking at it and smiling. I havent added what I bought elsewhere, which was some wonderful lolipop coloured beads and my wooden Indian stamp.
I found I had what was probably referred to as scrim curtains at the back of my stash while I was looking for something else, it is a very coarse weave linen type stuff I remember buying from the op shop and I am playing with using that as the base for some embellishing, seems to work quite well.
Off to feed my ponies early as I am going to spend the day at Pt Willunga and John is off to the Clipsal race.
At least it is cooler today than the nearly 40 degrees yesterday, but still sticky and humid.
Tiring.

TAST fly and cross stitch

As I didnt get my TAST for fly stitch done last week for Sharonb's in a minute a go TAST challenge I decided to combine the two, I embellished some scrim onto some felt and then embellished the bits of wool roving and then stitched first the fly and then put a border of cross stitch around it. I worked over the cross stitch to give the border a bit more depth. I have been having a lovely time using more of the valdani cotton I got from Dale at the Thread Studio, I really like the variations in colour.
I bought some yummy stuff from Dale while I was in Melbourne, I will take a photo and get it up.
I sent off my Module 4 for Playways on the net yesterday, and the workshop on the net stuff was printed off yesterday as well. Glad to see there is more on using the embellishing machines.
Last night we had a trip to Adelaide for a reception for the clipsal 500 car race, John was networking! A pleasant but warm night up there, very pleasant and a lot cooler down here. They are forecasting thunderstorms over the week end, we may be lucky.

Will and Evie

Will had a lovely time while I was staying with them jumping onto his surf board and pretending to surf, usually falling off with a great crash. Evie goes to Little Athletics and here she is half way around the 800 metre course, with a shoe lace undone. She came in 4th and a personal best time.
The joys of two computers that are supposed to talk to each other, the photos are on this one and I cant find them in the other, the scans are on the other and even when I re scan here they have gone somewhere I cant find them! So the sketch that was to go with Will will be on my other blog (in the links).
I feel much better today, although the hot and sticky weather is difficult to deal with. I had a few hoses on yesterday, as with no rain for so long things look dreadful, and then I went to look at the dams and they are getting lower and lower so I think that only very precious stuff will get watered, we have been lucky up till now but with our deep sands the big trees are going to suffer. I hope we get a rain this month.