ATC

This is the lovely ATC that I was went from Jo Boyle of New Zealand in the playways swap. I think it is fantastic and love the story behind the bit of copper on it. It came from Namibia, from a mining museum and I feel very priviledged to have it.
I am going through a dreadful day as my black pug bitch disapeared yesterday from the garden and no sign of her is to be found. I wish I had found a body, at least I would know. Being on a fam makes it very difficult to know where to look and there are so many nasty things that could have happened to her. I didnt sleep last night and have felt sick all day worrying. I have looked and looked and called and called. I didnt hear any one come so I dont think she has been stolen but the gate was open and opened inwards which is rather odd.
The old male dog is beside himself that she isnt here too.
I am having trouble settling to anything.

Fantastic rocks

Well I dont know how that sketch got on here, it is on my other blog but I guess it may as well stay there as I dont know how to get it off!
the rocks I photographed in the Giraween National Park in Queensland last year and I found this photo while I was sorting through some and loved the light and shadow and the way the rocks are positioned.
The sketch was done yesterday of the view from our back gate, trying to get the light and shade for a future painting.
Things are in a bit of a muddle here as the wretched pugs keep getting out and I dont know how or why, and the male has been scratched by the female and has another weeping sore on his back and has just been to the vet for about the 6th time this year. I am seriously wondering why I have them at the moment.

New puppy on the block

This is Fenella, my oldest granddaughters new pup, she is about 12 weeks old and is a cream and white short coat border collie. Has the best temperament and talk about clever! She knows to drop, to sit and to go to her bed already and wakes Fenella if she wants to go out. An absolutely gorgeous dog.
I have had a "thing" burnt off my face today, not a skin cancer yet so I hope we have stopped it. I now have a very sore face and feel rather tired.

Textile work in progress

I have only scanned part of this but it is a work in progress. A small quilt which will eventually be used as part of an advertising string of quilts for our up coming decorative arts show. (well I think that is what it is called).
I have got a bit more carried away with this than I meant to, was going to be very simple but I liked the idea of the hand stitching making the texture.
It is keeping me busy at night.
I can just see a needle and thread in the bottom bit, so lots more to do.
It has been very cold and miserable for the last few days, nice to have the fire but it doesnt warm all of this large house, so an excuse to be near it.
I had an adventure with a fox yesterday but that is on my other blog.

Cootamundra wattle

It has been very wet and rainy so the wattles look a bit bedraggled. I walked down to pick some and see what my new Pitt pens would do. They are quite fun to use but as I only have 6 colours not a lot of contrasts so I cheated a bit and used ordinary felt tipped pens as well.
I have been so busy trying to get a textile wall hanging done that it has taken a lot of my time, of course I was going to use machine embroidery but decided I wanted the texture of hand embroidery so we sat and watched the Crows defeat Geelong in the football yesterday on tv after lunch, my excuse was that I could get some of this embroidery done.
I had been wanting a walk so we drove over to Pt Elliott to see if we could see the whales in the bay, we did but they are not very interesting but saw about 8 seals playing close to the rocks. I tried for some not very good sketches andI have put those sketches on my boots and sketchbook blog.
I must try and find time to do some more painting but this week looks a bit busy, again! I thought that one was supposed to have more time when one retired, not that I have stopped doing what I have always done, but we are nominally "supposed" to be retired. Probably a bit slower tho.
It is my friend Virginia in Germany's Birthday today, so Happy Birthday to you and I hope you have a great day doing what you want to do.

Family photos

While going through some of the photos at my mother's I came across these two that I couldnt remember seeing before. Unfortunatly the one of my mother as a bride has a crack across it.
The first one is of my grandmother taken in Harrogate UK when? I have no idea, probably early 1900's. According to my mother the feathers in the hat she is wearing were Bird of Paradise feathers.
The second is of my mother aged 18 on her wedding day in early February 1931, she was born in 1912 and will be 94 in October.
She looked so young and lovely.
I am interested in the clothing as a textile person. And the similarities in both of them to my grand daughters. The only other ones of my grandmother that I remember were when she was quite old and looked far more severe.

Cut work cards

I spent an interesting day with my mother trying to find a bit more about family history. I found these cards with no writing in them, in an album and she had no idea where they came from or whose they were but gave them to me. They have very intricate cut work designs in paper on them and sayings. I would imagine are probably Victorian or Ewardian, may be a bit later. But they were very interesting.
I have some research to do on my fathers family, John has lots done on his family and I feel I should know more than the hearsay about my fathers side. My mothers side is very hazy as no one really seems to know the truth of it all. (Several children, some marraiges and some not!)
I have gone into yesterdays adventures a bit more in my "boots and sketchbook" blog.