TIF for November finished

Only by the skin of my teeth was this page for my fabric book finished. I am not sure if I got either the theme, although I have S shapes in the corner, or the colors quite right and when I scanned it it has a very puckered look. This was more or less the free pattern that Sharon B put up on her website pintangle.
Only one more month to go and my book will then have to be completed.
I am doing this blog entry early as we are off to lunch today and I may not feel like fighting with a slow computer when I get home, so much for fast broadband etc etc but here it depends on which way the wind is blowing I think as to how well we pick up the wireless transmissions from the nearest tower, which is over the hills and far away!

Walking this morning

I am not sure why these come up in the reverse order I put them, never mind the mysteries of blogging.
Last night we went to a political fund raiser at Parri Estate wines, we had never been there before and the last photo is the view from the car park, it was lovely and you dont realise from the main road how big an area of vines there is. Any way it was a fun night and the speeches were not too long and the bbq and salads were excellent.
This morning John was still struggling with budgets, every day things change so I went in to get the papers and went for a walk near Hayborough on my own, apart from a couple of dog walkers the beach was my own, lovely although a brisk wind was blowing and the sky was a bit overcast.
Being Saturday the yacht club was a hive of activity and I was really pleased to get some shots of the small yachts sailing.
So the first photo, which I lost is looking towards Pt Elliott, then two of the yachts, then looking towards Victor and then the Parri Estate one.
Maggie Grey's next lesson has been downloaded and I have had a lot of fun cutting out pages in a book we are altering and then sticking them together again, hope I havent overdone it.
I suddenly realised too that tomorrow is the last day of the month and I have Novembers, Take it further stitchery to do so am trying to get that finished as well. I if you want to know what I am taling about have a look there.I have finally added Sharon B's web site to my list of links so if you want to know what I am talking about have a look there, she has just changed from one site to another but all her old blog is on her pintangle one.

Family

I had a lovely afternoon with my daughter Tabby and her daughters Gaby and Millie and Gaby's son Mason.
I hadnt seen Mason for a few weeks and he has grown and got quite heavy. Milile was most excited to see Gaby but not quite so sure about Mummy holding Mason. With me there we had the 4 generations, but of course I had the camera!
We all gathered for a cup of coffee and caught up on all the news, since Gaby moved in with her father we dont see her as much as we did. I think it is a good thing she is in the town as she can now get to the young mothers group, although it has opened her eyes as to what goes on, she is quite horrified at the age of some of the girls who are pregnant, and to tell the truth so am I.
we are having a bit of drizzle at the moment which is nice but it is such a small amount it really doesnt do any good.
Had a lovely day with the girls yesterday, lunch in town is a great way of getting over seeing my mother, shouldnt say that but I feell pretty depressed after seeing her and a table of fun friends was a tonic I needed.

The eye of he peacock

I am still messing with this mixed media stuff, this is on a small canvas. I am really enjoying it but need to stop and get on with some more stuff for Christmas. I sewed up two more angel bodies today and their heads, this is the Jill Maas pocket angel pattern. I also got wings for the small angels sewn up.
As well as mundane household stuff.
I did an early morning walk this morning and the flies still bit me even though I had fly repellent on.
Adelaide tomorrow to visit my mother and also go to lunch with some of the doll girls which should be very pleasant.
Apart from feeling I will never get done all I should do all is well here but the weather has certainly warmed up and I worry about how dry everything is and how much water I am trying not to put on.
Oh the title, this is actually the head of an Indian wooden stamp with a peacock head on it. Paper casting again and then lots of other stuff put on and around it. I do get a bit frustrated at the color that comes through, this looks much more metallic in real life.

Zygopetalum

I know I have put up other photos of this orchid but this one is currently in flower in our bathroom. I love the zany mix of colors in this particular plant.
Warming up here again, and after having Tabby and John and Millie for a pasta night last night a bit tired!
Millie has a nasty burn on her hand as she staggered a bit and put her hand out and touched the fire which heats up the water for John and Tab when there is not enough sun for the solar power. They have no electricity and are all on solar normally.
she was a bit solemn about the fact that she only had one hand and the other bandaged and in a sock. Absolutely delightful at this age. Walking but not completely confidently.
Tab brought a chicken she had rescued out of an egg and luckily my Japanese bantams have just hatched out a clutch so I will have a larger baby as well, it was ok this morning.
I am trying to get a few things done for Christmas, 10 small angels are finished and another 10 cut out, now to get them done, a painting done and a base for another mixed media piece so I suppose I have been productive. More cutting back in the garden too.
I think I get into a bit of a panic just before Christmas as I always leave it too late to get things done.

Weekly stitchery for Gail

I had nearly forgotten all about this but added the final bits this afternoon. I think I will call it The Hobbit House.
we had a good dinner party last night but without a dishwasher the dishes this morning looked huge but we got through them easily.
I felt a bit large and fat again today but spent quite a lot of time in the garden repotting a few things, cutting back the valerian or kiss me quick or properly centranthus that is going to seed and then went for a walk around the ponies, so I hope that will help, I must stop eating the thins I know I shouldnt.
I believe we won the leading rein again at the very prestigious show that the girls went to this week end, and the hunter pony, with the same small welsh mountain so we are doing well.
I will be so glad when schoolies is over and our computer gets back up to speed.

Texture and paint

Here are two samples using slightly different methods.
the one with the faces is done using layers of paint over gesso and paper cast images and some scrim added while the other is a rubber stamp put into thick texture paint and then painted with layers of paint.
Photographing these is rather difficult as they never seem to look quite right.
We have had just over 5mm of rain today until 9 am and more showers since, not a lot but absolutely anything helps.

Early morning walk

John was up at 5.00 this morning as he had a breakfast appointment in Adelaide with the Premier and a lot of other people, what it really was the Premier saying how good he is. Never mind, I was up early too so went in and parked the car at Encounter Bay before 8 and walked along the bike track and took photos of a lovely calm morning with wonderful clouds and the pelicans sitting on the rocks by the new boat ramp.
I then went shopping and came home feeling as though I would like to go back to bed. Not to be of course, I fiddled with a few more bits of texture, I think I am in love with paper casting, and it got colder and then began to rain, not much but anything is welcome, our rain water is getting low.
Friends in for dinner tomorrow night so discussions on food when John got home and some tidying up, we need to sit at the dining room table and it is/was covered in papers. Question is will we ever find those papers again?

More Texture

Having finally got onto the internet I couldnt remember what I had put up and what I hadnt.
It is schoolies week down here and I think that there is an overuse of the 3G network, or something because everything is so slow again.
Been to a funeral today, saw my mother yesterday, enough said.
this is a piece of lace with household paint on it, then various layers of acrylic paint and some alcohol ink and some gilding paste rubbed on. Looks much better in the flesh than from the scan which is a shame.
So late the drink I had after the funeral and with dinner is taking affect!

my book cover has changed color

I threw a few other things on this, some alcohol inks and some turquoise dye and it has changed color!
probably all right.
today my friend Wendy came over and we discussed what we might try to do next year, no time left in this one.
I have beenpainting samples again, interesting colors i am getting.
We had a minute bit of rain overnight bujt it is quite a lot cooler.
Adelaide tomorrow so probably I wont post.

Unfinished

I had a lovely time playing with layers of paint today, the first one for the Fibre in Form class and the second for Maggie Grey's class. I am way behind but have at least got this far. A few more layers and gilding cream may do what I want it to.
the first canvas really needed more moulding paste on it.
Not a lot else done except domestic stuff and a visit to the doctor to get more meds.

Paper casting and the cockle train

For some reason these have come up in the wrong order, the first is a paper cast with gesso and then various colours added to it, this is part of Maggie Grey's online class so I cant say too much about it.
Today we went looking at art shows, still to do with the biennale, first one at Goolwa and then one a lovely one over at Strathalbyn, would have loved to have bought a couple there. This was a special one curated by David Dridan, who is a friend, and from artists around the Fleurieu. It has a lovely setting in the Town Hall with lots of room and had sculpture and basketry as well as paintings.
On the way back we passed the cockle train, so the slightly distant ones were taken out of the car window and the other, the second photo is of the engine, in winter we have a steam train but it is too dangerous now that the paddocks have dried out as sparks can and do start fires.
The cockle train runs for quite a lot of the lenth between Goolwa and Victor harbor along the shore line and is a wonderful way to see the coast, named the cockle train because the locals used to take it to get to Goolwa to harvest the cockles and return.
The close up of the engine was taken as we were having coffee in Victor having beaten it back, a slightly wonky angle as I took it in a hurry and originally I had my back to it!

Sea and ponies

The first two are for those who follow my blog in the northern hemisphere.
Surf at Goolwa beach and the view from the car park at Kings Beach.
Then our precious ponies, if you would like to know more about the stud go to Rivington Stud on the side bar and under news you will find all about what we did last week end.
Here are our two Champion mares, the cream Welsh Section B Rivington Sunday with her colt foal and the grey Section A mare Rivington Folk song and her filly foal who was Best Foal at the show.
Gosh that was a week ago and I am still recovering.
Adelaide, Thursday and yesterday. I saw my mother who is much improved and it was lovely seeing her, we spent the night with my friend P and as John went out to a dinner we managed to have rather a lot to drink and a lovely dinner she had prepared.
Up early the next morning to get John into meetings and I did my mother bit, didnt do much until mid afternoon after that when we drove back to morphettvale to collect the ute which was having a service and home.
Today I had to shop and have fiddled around with a few things and as it has got cooler felt tired, and a little depressed, just discovered a lass who I have known all my married life down here, she was married around when John and I were, has died unexpectedly from complications after heart surgery.

The garden and my weekly stitchery for Gail

I took these photos before it got hot, although the pots look much the same but the rose has dropped all the rose petals in the last two days of heat.
Still hot this morning but a change expected. Muggy which I dont like.
I will be going to Adelaide and spend the night as John has a dinner and I will see my mother tomorrow.
I was pretty tired yesterday so found a few bits and pieces and finished the little stitch challenge, I used a background piece of silk paper I had made at Geelong and cut out shapes from the left overs from the fairy shoes and hand stitched them on and then added the satay sticks to balance it. Then hand stitched to black felt, actually I scanned it before I hand stitched it but it is now done.
Feeling pretty flat after all the running around and now this heat, a not at all pleasant night last night.
Karen I am glad you like my beach scenes, sometimes I would like a bit of cool weather! We are never satisfied are we.

The last few days

first is a close up of the little book cover I am doing in Maggie Grey's on line class for those who have bought her book, Textile Translations, then there is a photo of the two Welsh Pony judges I have been entertaining after our very succesful All Welsh Show over the week end. They are from Holland and the tall one Aart Zoet from the Vikarien Stud and Herman Valk from the Wildzang Stud.
We did extremely well under them which was a thrill and they had never heard of our stud Rivington until they came to stay.
So the second photo was looking at the vines and garden of Fox Creek Winery in McLaren Vale where we tasted some wine and also went up to D'Arenberg, they loved the views across the vineyards and lots of photos were taken.
Then yesterday we looked at different views, so here is first Aart on the beach at Goolwa and then Herman photographing the beach, they loved the beaches and said they had had very little time to see them, I think they enjoyed their stay with us, John chased kangaroos for them, they took loads of photos of the birds and parrots we have around in the paddocks and garden and of course saw the ponies.
I wonder if they will remember who is what when they get home!! They told us they must have seen over 2000 ponies on their trip. I think they got a bit ponied out and were happy to look at views and wander around the farm.
John and I certainly enjoyed having them to stay with us.

This arrived in the mail today

I love what Angie Hughes does and I was so pleased when this book arrived in the mail yesterday from The Thread Studio.
I have had a lovely browse through it but all is on hold until after the week end now.
We had a scattering of showers and awful winds today which negated any good the showers did.
I really do wish the weather bureau would get it right instead of building up our hopes. Of course it may get worse tomorrow when we have our show.
Off now to the opening of the Fleurieu Biennale at McLaren Vale, lots of lovely landscape paintings, of which I think today we may see two exhibitions, the main one and the students one for a scholarship.

Millie's first Birthday

Here I am being a proud Grandmother and great grandmother. Today is Millie's first Birthday and last night the family came for dinner.
So of course I had to take some photos of her showing how she can stand, and she can also walk a couple of steps but prefers a hand, and then some of Mason, and in one Celina practicing on her recorder. Mason is rounding out and looking lovely.
OOps thought I had got rid of the red eye but obviously not completely.
The last is a piece of a mixed media book I am doing on Maggie Grey's on line class, cant tell how it is done but it was fun.
Today I drove to Adelaide for the Craft Fair, 2 and a half hours was enough, bought some odds and ends and some beads but they had none of the stuff on my list so I came home.
It was a lovely day but getting a little warm supposed to get some rain tonight, I hope we do.

Walking around Mitcham

Technically I am not sure if this is Mitcham or another suburb, but it is where I walked yesterday, down through a little park with massive red gums and around the block to find the house that belonged to the old stables I had seen the back of in a car park.
there were some lovely houses and i have no idea what this one is or anything about it. Nicely restored though.
today my little mare had to be put down as the vet thought she had broken something in or around her stifle, very sad but we have lots of her offspring and she was 25 which is reasonably old.
I spent most of the day tidying up but did manage a bit of Maggie Grey's on line class and finished off the middle angel and now have the big one to do.
Tabby and John and the children coming for dinner so I have a pork roast on.
Tomorrow the craft fair and not much money to spend, I dont need much but a few odds and ends I would like to get.
Saw my first snake to day a big black one who was trying to get into the bantam house, I whacked his tail, which was all I could see with a spade and the next minute he came racing past me from behind, so I have no idea where he got out but he will have a very sore tail, I hope he got the idea that I didnt want him around.

Small stitch weekly challenge

I have finally finished this little embellish and stitch project that Gail set me, more little elephants, although I am not sure these look as much like elephants as the last one. This pair are trying to knock the dates off the date palm. Hand stitch, embellishing machine with a painted vliesofix background.
I think it is rather fun but next weeks will come faster than I am ready i think.
Adelaide for the Melbourne Cup lunch, I won the door prize which was terrific, about 4 bottles of wine, glasses, chocolates, books and some skin stuff.
Here I was saying I dont often win things.
I didnt win the sweep but it was great to see another Bart Cummins trained horse come home in front of the overseas raiders.
I saw my mother, she had had a fall between when I last saw her and this morning, only bruised but a bit battered, I hope it wasnt my fault. She was pretty subdued and sounded tired and a bit off with the pixies, more drugs I suppose.

Christmas dolls

These are the dolls I was making on Saturday, they are a Jill Maas pocket angel pattern and so simple and fun to make. I still have the big one to doand the bigger of these to finish. but these are shrunk by 86% and 72% .
The house is clean, but I still havent finished last weeks small stitchery that Gail has challenged us to do, it is almost finished but not quite. I feel I have so much to do at the moment and no time, what with Maggie's on line course and Lynda and Carole's and nothing being done with either. I hope later on I will be able to do them justice but at the moment it is just not possible.
Tomorrow will probably be a non event as I wont be home. I hope it is fun though.
Melbourne Cup lunches usually are, although I havent thought about what I am wearing.