My mother the artiste...

Well I suppose I've blogged more this month than I have for many other months...does that count...am I slightly more back in the habit? I hope so...i don't know my life is busy although I still think I was time at times. Time is precious and not every day do I make the most of it. So much of it (my time) is dictated to with work, family, commitments and then sometimes I'm the kind of person that just needs to be for 5 minutes. Today I had 1/2 hour between a drop off and pick up so I got on the computer checked emails, read a few blogs then waiting for something to down load i played scrabble. 15 minutes later I was still trying to win a game against the computer and my mind is saying to me...susan stop your time is precious and here you are wasting it playing computer scrabble...what about all the creative projects you were going to do tonight...see you''re your own worst enemy...anyway I played for a while it's still open on my computer and now I beat myself up about wasting my precious time...I think I'm going mad or already mad...Anyway by coincidence the pic I've uploaded is one of my mum's creations. My mother - Christine West - of Birregurra is a textile artist. Her talents are boundless and she is a particularly wonderful felter. The hat is just one of many on display in her studio. She is so creative and inspriring and I doubt would get distracted by solitaire, but I will ask her and check with her on "Distractions from tasks on hand" and not just laborious houseworking tasks but genuine creative, fill my heart with energy and happiness projects. I'd be interested to hear from other struggling creatives - is that what I am? Do other people do the same - do they find themselves off on some irrelevant path when that's not where they want to be. Perhaps today it's a fatigue factor - I'm feeling tired and now going to head to bed and read?

View 2 Random stripes

Another view of my zig a zag crochet throw. Not quite finished around the border - I'm doing a wavy edge..

Short and sweet tonight xx

oh-o missed a day

Yesterday was very busy, can I make it up with 2 posts today? I worked and then last night we had the high school musical "Honk" - the story of the Ugly Duckling as a musical. It was brilliant - so fun and fresh. Bridget was part of the ensemble and had a small part as Father Swan. She was fabulous. And I just didn't have any puff left in me when we got home. Today has rather taken its toll as well. It's an emotional roller coaster at the moment with B leaving on Friday for the US - off for a cultural enrichment experience for 5 months. Lucky girl!

Day 4 - Dreaming of sleep

I have just made it today.... I'm dreaming of snoozing away like my sleeping pets...let me introduce our 2 very special members of the family. Firstly Gypsy the cat, she adopted us some years ago at the vet's guess at about the age of 6 months. She is the skittyist cat you'll ever meet. I think the result of severe trauma - she arrived without a tail and she is not a manx, she is a common domestic cat - I shudder to think how she lost her tail. Turns out she's also epileptic and is permanently medicated to avoid the terrifying fits she has which can propel her from the bed to a wall and then the floor. For some particular reason she took a shine to me, living in our front garden and appearing every night to me when I drove the car in the drive. After a couple of months I remember thinking ' there's that cat again...mmm I think she might be living here....yes I'm not the quickest of people, I took the plunge and offered food. It was weeks before she would come inside...but now she sleeps on my head at night (photo for another post) so she's well and truly relaxed at and home 5 years on.

Then Matilda arrived. The girls Chrissy pressie nearly 2 years ago - a gorgeous love at first sight (well for the humans anyway) lab/retriever pup. She was without a doubt the cutest puppy you will ever seen. the so cute the grannies stop the pram kinda cute and tell you what a beautiful baby you have. I thought that was only with babies but no it happened all the time at the park with Tilly - but I run away from the story. I sensed something wasn't quite right with out beautiful new bundle, she was very very clumsy....to cut a long story short ...she's blind...fully blind. I took her off to the eye specialist who confirmed the diagnosis. The pet shop refunded the full amount and we end up with the best dog in the whole wide world. She is so much fun and so lovable - she can keep you captivated for hours with her antics.

So we're the home for pets with special needs. (2 is plenty!)

Anyway Gypsy and I are off to bed....xx

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Quilt #4 for me

So here's another one of my quilts - it's not quite finished (it needs binding), but it's on the sofa bed ready and waiting for a VIP guest arriving late tonight. Yes we have a granny arriving for a 2 week stay. Yippeeee!

This quilt is really simple and quick to sew - it starts with a hero fat quarter and then just worked around in strips to whatever size you like - this fits my double bed sofa bed nicely. One big giant log cabin! I have a smaller version almost done for another VIP but it's a birthday surprise so has to stay hidden for a while longer.

I have a lot to learn about our digital camera - lots to improve on my technique. I love other peoples blogs for lots of different reasons but the overwhelming reason is the beautiful images that truly inspire and transport me.

Round and round the garden market totes

Absence from blogland doesn't mean absence from craft and here's proof - 2 of my market totes. The earthy one inspired by the colours of the pilbara in the north of the state and the bumble bee (or jaundiced zebra as I like to call it) - inspired by ...well ...um ...I'm not sure exactly...just colour play really. I love picking up the skeins - starting with one and adding another and another, discarding one, trying another, until I have about 4 left cradled in my arms by then I'm in a frenzy of excitement and can't wait to cast on; then I can't wait for the first colour change, then the second....round and round the garden until the bag is finished. Then the metamorphis magic of felting them. They truly take on a whole new character - the original bag has melded into a new form. I love it! I positively skip and dance around the washing machine and as I shape and stuff them. I admire them from lots of angles at morning and night whilst they dry... I know I'm talking to those that understand - you do don't you?

I love the idea of going to my local farmer's market at Clontarf and coming home with them stuffed with organically grown goodies...can't you just see the celery and silverbeet and baguette sticking out the top? Freshly brewed and fragrant coffee in the other hand and a delicious bakery treat to enjoy when I get home.. what a perfect start to the weekend on a Saturday morning. My bags are for sale at my stall - not that I've had one for a while - but I think I'm getting inspired again to stock a stall.