Retired!!! What now

I am officially retired!!! Well actually work finished 1st August. I think I am pleased but also somewhat apprehensive but looking forward to a new stage in life and lots more time to craft.

My retirement started with a trip to my hometown of Tumut with a couple of friends. An opportunity to show them around. We also took part in a workshop with Maru from Material Girls Down Under who guided us in collage quilting using the Laura Hiene method. The workshop was organised by Dorothy Clee.

Here are some of the lovely work that everyone completed. My piece is still in progress.

We also stayed a few more days after the workshop and did some driving and wondering around which gave me the opportunity to take lots and lots of photos.

Walked a little of the river walk

Met some river walk locals....

They where disappointed as we did not have anything for them.

We had a nice time exploring the Adelong falls which had lots of lovely paths to explore, lots of work has happened since last time I visited.

Also meet some locals at the falls

Enjoyed a trip to the Pioneer Women's Hut near Tumbarumba along the way called into the sugar pine walk a little chilly but fun.

A nice start to retirement........ What's next

Stamping play

Decided this afternoon was a time to play with some stamps. Carved a stamp using one from Kat Adams post as inspiration then used this stamp building up colour layers on a piece of hand dyed fabric. Pleased with the result will have to play more with this

Then played with some wooden stamps that I have borrowed from Denise Hart. Tried to layer the heart design but I think the background colour is a bit dark. More experimenting I think as I like the effect.

Used some hand dyed fabric and a piece of white fabric which I will add some colour to with acrylic fabric paints or dye.

Now to think how I can use the fabrics. May use some for bags or other items. Thanks Kat for getting me motivated.

Ice Dying

Been a while since I have added a post. Adding this post to keep track of what I am doing in my craft and creating life.

The last few days I have been having a fun time playing and experimenting with ice dying. Used some fly netting as the cradle for the fabric to keep it out of the water and dye. Silly me did not think of this and previously used a tray that was a bit small for the container and the ice kept dropping down the side.

First I folded and tyed the fabric - 1 metre and fat quarter pieces. Then put the fabric in soda ash and salt water and let it soak for about an hour. Then added the fabric to the containers and added the ice. Only had one bag which was not quiet enough but the results are, I think, still very nice.

In the first container I used the following procion dyes - butter yellow, rust orange,antique gold, brown rose and bronze.

The photos have wash out the colour a lot.

This is the fabric that I added to the bottom of the container in the water and dye.

The procion dyes used in the second container where robin's egg blue, violet, deep purple, burgundy and bright blue.

This is the piece that was in the bottom of the container although this container leaked therefore the piece did not float in the water and dye but still interesting.

Not having a lot of ice meant that some of the dye powder did fall straight onto the fabric creating spots.

Also found this in one of the pieces, a little alien.

Have another lot of fabric in containers with lots of ice, used 2 bags this time. Will see what I get tomorrow afternoon. Dying fabric is always a surprise what appears. I am not one to follow a formula and I think even this would not result in equal results. This is what I like about dying fabric.

Container one has the following colours - bubble gum, peach, raspberry, lilac and cerulean blue. The second container I used both procion and drimarene dye - gold yellow, green - drimarene and pale aqua and turquoise - procion.

I have tied the pieces in tie dye style.

Looking forward to see what appears tomorrow.

AQC Challenge

The final group of quilts for the Australian Quilt Convention (AQC) are out and available for viewing and I am honored to have mine along side great work. The winner will be announced I think Thursday next week. http://aqc.com.au/aqc-challenge-2016-display/#sthash.cM7zaTHW.WCgDm7GI.dpbs

Here is the close up photo and the full photo of the quilt as sent to AQC to enter.

Art Quilt Class

Friday and Saturday I had the pleasure of teaching an art quilt class at MK Sewable. Had a wonderful time with 7 creative ladies. Check out their creations. Six choose to create a piece based on my rainforest design and Sharon created the koala with mainly fabrics that she had hand painted. All are wonderful and quite different. The photos do not do them justice.

from left to right -  Chriss, Robbie and Janine

Lyn, Dawn, Sharon and Moorna (apologies for spelling errors)

Lyn, Dawn and Chris below all used the same background fabric but look how different they are.

 I had a wonderful time Thank you ladies.

Cheers for now

Return to blogging

Well this blogging thing has not been a success for me mainly due to me being so very slack. The initial thought is for this to be a bit of a journal of my creative and some personal play. I am hoping that maybe I will do this from now on, heres hoping.

Anyway I have been playing (constantly) although some days it is hard to focus as so many things want to be centre stage and I am not talking about the mundane every day things that have to be done. Housework can wait there is craft to be done.

February I went to Tumut, Russellee B & B, for the cruise without the boat (Claytons cruise). Had lots of fun, lovely group of ladies, great place and good food. Thank you Tony and Dorothy. I thought I took some photos but sorry cannot find them. Dorothy added lots of great photos on her facebook page. It is all happening again next year 20 - 24 Feb 2017. If anybody is out there and would like to join us at Dorothy's please get in touch with Dorothy or contact  me and I will pass it on.

Dorothy and I went for a lovely walk along the Tumut river. This was a walk I did just about everyday when I lived in Tumut, love it.

On the trip down and coming home I stayed with Cassandra and the grand kids. The property is very dry presently (hopefully has had some rain by now) but I still loved walking and riding the quad bike around. The grand kids learnt what it is like to go for a walk with Nana. Not sure if Emma will ever want to come for a walk with me again and it wasn't a long walk.....

Had a good trip although I am sure it is getting longer but loved every bit, well maybe not the hours in the car.

Well that is it for now will try and post again soon and not in a couple of years time.

Chris

Second installment of cruising

Finally here I am again back in my blog.

Just a little more about the cruise, a bit of a distant memory now. The first port was Noumea. The ship is so big that it has to dock at the cargo area not a passenger terminal. We had some entertainment to watch as the ship prepared for people to go ashore.

Dorothy, Tony, Laraine, Robyn, Roz and I went into Noumea and most of us went and had a look at a market and wandered around the street but as it was Sunday not many shops were open. Noumea didn't appeal to me very much but some of the quilting ladies did a tour and said that they saw some lovely places.
Back on the ship and a days cruising to Fiji. Dorothy did a jelly roll workshop on the day cruising. Lots of lovely colours.

The next port was Suva. Went on a tour "The Jewel of Fiji Tour". A trip up the Navua river onboard motorised long boats through gorges, gentle rapid, rain forest and cascading waterfalls. Then onto a kava ceremony (didn't try any a bit too nervous of the after effects) and then back on the bus for a speedy trip back to the ship. All in all the tour was a lot of fun.

Suva its self appeared to be very busy city. I don't think I would have liked to drive around there. The people where friendly. Spent the day saying 'Bula' (hello, welcome) and 'vanuka' (thankyou). At the end of the day we were back on the ship and during the evening sailed to Lautoka. Did another tour here with Dorothy and Tony. 'Tivua Island Getaway', went from a huge ship onto a lot smaller sailing ship and out to a tiny island that I walked around. Took me about 10 minutes of leisurely walking to walk around the entire island. Hoped on a glass bottom boat and checked out some coral and fish. Had a nice relaxing day.

After this lovely day it was back on the ship and heading back to Sydney. 3 Days of cruising and classes. I did a repeat of my class with the second group and then on the last day a mystery class. Also on the last day we all went to the ice skating show. Yes the ship has an ice skating rink. Can't remember how many tons of ice is in the rink but did make me wonder how the ship stays afloat.

Then all too soon the cruise was over and we where back in Sydney.

Thank you Dorothy for including me. Thank you to the group of quilting ladies for making the classes so much fun.