Autumn

 

With Autumn leaves falling around me it seems the perfect time to quilt.  I have a yen to make a series of seasonal quilts.  I've spent many pleasurable hours sorting my fabrics into ''seasons''. Should I make them all the same basic pattern, or should the pattern be the different?  How to connect them as a series, or not bother about connecting them in any way...Will I just make them each a fusion of seasonal colour?  I love the ideas playing around in my mind.  They feel like an autumn wind, blustery one minute, gentle the next, floating around, swirling and dancing, unsure of where they will land. They blanket the ground, just as a quilt wraps or blankets us, coating us in a wonderful display of colour and wonder.

 

A week in review

I've had a head cold for over a week now. You just feel so blah don't you with a head cold? I was so lucky that my mum was staying when I came down with it! I had a nurse :) she made me soup and hot lemon and honey drinks and cooked dinner for everyone. How wonderful it was, not to have to keep functioning. The big downer was my psychotic reaction to Codral! I got so depressed, felt like I would asphyxiate if I feel asleep. Couldn't sleep, but when I did sleep I would have amazingly vivid dreams. In one I was escaping the nazi's through tunnels and cupboards and then on boats and lakes. In another I was caught up in riots in India! Fascinating stuff! As good as any book I've read. On a darker note though, I contemplated taking a whole bottle of diazepam to end the madness and wrote a note. I thought the stress of my life had finally caught up with me and I was having a breakdown. I was exhausted in the aftermath of the 21st party. My employer was not understanding and offered no reassurances that I just needed to get better and not worry about work until I was back on my feet. Instead he sent me a text venting about an urgent order. I think this is totally out of order but is this how it is now in the technology age? I was livid. I have 5 weeks+ sick leave accumulated, as I have taken next to none since I started, and they couldn't get through 4 hours. By this time I was in my Codral haze, so I rang him and told him what I thought. Needless to say I then thought I'd just done myself out of a job!

I tell you never a dull moment around here!

On a lighter note, I caught up with my best friend from my high school years - Jeannet! She is in Perth for a week long conference, so I picked her up from the airport and took her down to Bib & Tucker for lunch. What a wonderful afternoon we had! 32 years plus later and on the other side of the country. It was very special. Leighton beach was alive with  kite surfers capitalising on the blustery conditions. It was totally invigorating and their energy was transferable. I could feel it charging me. I often find the beach in winter has that effect. The energy is so different to summer, but no matter the season, I always come away from the sea feeling fantastic. Perth is amazing for its beaches and it's one facet of life here that I cherish.

Up close to a Bluebottle stranded on the beach - aren't they amazing looking and such an incredible colour?

Leighton Beach Kite Surfers

New Liberty at Materialise

Part of my latest Liberty Tana Lawn acquisition.  oooooooooh the goody goodness!  Is it weird that if I won Lotto, one of the first things I would do is buy a MASSIVE  amount of Liberty fabric and not just in my usual 20cm minimum cut pieces?

Happy days everyone!

#theyearinbooks

#theyearinbooks

My current reading...I like Jennifer's quilting stories.  This is only my second one.  It's an easy read.  The 2 novels together cross over quite a bit, but I don't mind the weaving together of stories.

Georgia Anne's 21st

Yours truly as Carmen Miranda



the guest of honour in blue with her sister

Me and my sister Helen

Georgia Anne on drums!

One of the props - I painted a themed Head in the Hole Board
 

The party was fabulous - every one had a great night - most importantly Georgia Anne loved it.

I can't believe I'm old enough to have a 21 year old daughter.  How did that happen?  In the blink of an eye.

Georgia Anne's 21st Party Preparations

Here's a sneaky peak at the hive of industry that is party preparations for Saturday night. The atmosphere is electric around here....the creative energy is AWESOME. I can feel the roof lifting and straining to keep the lid on the house. We might just lift off - UP style. 

In no particular order......

Guest of honour

floral embellishment

Glitter parade
 

Put your head in the hole
 

Lolly land

Sherbert Fizz Bombs

Props

 

Photo memories
 

The Year in books

I have just finished this book. I really enjoyed it. I found it so thought provoking. Fleeting moments in our lives can completely change its direction. Since finishing I have found myself reflecting on all the possibilities life has to offer and being excited by that. I'm conscious of being hungry for as many life experiences as possible. I'm not thinking in outcomes other than at the end of my life I hope to be truly grateful for a wonderful life full of rich experiences and wonderful friendships and relationships. I hope I'm blessed with a long and healthy life to see my children grow and live their lives and be a part of that.
Life has its rough times, but luckily ageing has allowed me to see that time really is an amazing healer and you can move beyond (or is it through?) sorrow and pain. The book describes the horrific destruction of war. Unbelievable what humanity endured.
Completely mind boggling.
#theyearinbooks

May

Things might be a bit quiet on my blog this month.  I have a lot going on.  My eldest daughter is turning 21 so planning and arranging her 21st is consuming me for now.  My mum has arrived as my support team.  There are endless lists and my mind is running non-stop.  Her theme is Caribbean Carnivale - it's such a happy colourful theme and we're having lots of fun sourcing inflatable palm trees, parrots and pineapples, just to name a few.  And costumes - lots of sequins and feathers are floating around the house. There will be lots of photos post event, but I'm not going to give anything away before then!

Poor Tilly's world was turned upside down on Monday with a trip to the vet to be de-sexed.  It was incredibly traumatic. There were 4 of us holding her down (after heavy sedation) to anaesthetise her, which took 2 attempts. Luckily the vet was a tall and strong man - I hadn't considered that when I booked her in, but it is a definite pre-requisite to be Tilly's vet. She is so strong and becomes a bucking bronco when out of her comfort zone.

So I'm afraid there won't be much sharing of crafty projects for now, instead here a few images from my morning walk.  It's an opportunity to look around and up and see glorious little things that remind me how amazing nature is. 

The leaves are the only autumn colour in my garden. They have featured on my blog before...they are so fleeting.  One day I will make an autumn quilt so I can wrap myself in their glorious glow.

 

 

 

This is a bud I passed....and sniffed and snapped a photo.  



And here is a part of a fence I pass on my walks.  I must take my daughter with me so she can sing it to me....I long to know its tune.  How unique is that?  I love people's ingenuity! I would love to know the story behind a musical fence...I ponder what song I would put on my musical fence?  How about you?




Post Op Tilly...totally depressed