Loving the adventure

Sydney...no one said it was going to windy, blowing a gale in fact.  Maria and I huddled while Allison tried to hold steady to take the shot.  Might be a bit wobbly but we are enjoying the moment.

Spent five days in Sydney last week at a conference.  Made eye contact with the icons of Australia - walked until the back of my legs ached and still didn't see all I wanted to.  Caught all the aussie icons in the photo, Opera House, Bridge, Tower and the Manly Ferry and managed to keep the horizon straight....mostly
The food was great and the cost reasonable, (when will Perth restaurants stop charging horrendous amounts for food?) the service was fantastic - Blue Crab is wonderful as is eating waffles, vanilla icecream and hot fudge sauce late at night.  Every one I met who was asked directions were only too happy to help and to give extra directions to fabulous artisans and galleries, was great to meet such lovely people.

Next travel log will be in October, off to Melbourne for a few days and catch up with Princess Lavendah and an exploration (again) of wonderful food, locating fabrics (we are fabric junkies), craft markets and galleries.

Blossoms across the road

All the fruit trees in the orchards are in bloom.  They squat on the slopes catching morning rays, pinks and white blooms lay stripes across the hill, greedily this flag of color turns their capped faces to the sun. pulling the warmth into themselves ready to hand over their luscious fruit in a few short months.

Spring Bag

I had fun with this one.  When we lived in Canada fall was my favorite season. the colors of the leaves changing, green and luscious in summer. Reds, browns to the tinder dryness of the maples,  the slowing pace of the day.  Stark and bare waiting for snow.  Back home in Perth, it has been so very cold up in the hills, no snow though, we still have the fire on in the evening and crisp mornings.  BUT, spring is in the air, the buds on the fruit tree's, azaleas are just showing of their skirts, the roses are straining with purple/green new growth.  A cusp of waiting for the moment when all the hidden promise will give way and color lights up the garden.  The sun comes up earlier and your arrive home in daylight.  

Nothing so inspiring or poetic made me choose the design and colors of this bag - or, I could be wrong,  it was the little bits of material that I had hidden away (leftovers) which reminded me of the colored leaves in my garden which are bright and strong.    

new bag

front of bag or do I make something else?

Smut's Birthday

Holidays for two weeks, at last time to do some sewing.  Having your husband taking the same time off has lead to a bit of stand off, as we both want to do different things.  BUT I'm sure we will make a compromise and do something Robbyish tomorrow.
For now though I have finished Smut's bag for her birthday and we are going to celebrate the day at a winery on the weekend.  I have so many bags in progress and completed that the time has come to see if I can do some income generating to recoup some of the outlay of materials.  This addiction is a filling the house with fabric and creations.
So now I have finished my friend Smuts bag - I have some ideas... I love pleats so will start looking on how to do smaller ones - I have found a skirt in a second hand shop that has some pleats and big eyes with a ribbon threaded through it, so my next challenge will be to recycle skirts, cargo's into shoulder bags.

Birthday Bag