Sunday myday

is is truley,no unit materials to upoad so after a quick clean up where the laundry tap had leaked,rusted through,I reorganised my desk so it was essay writing friendly and put painting materials away including the new Pebeo oil set I picked up yesterday

Yesterday I was at the Black Crow Studios in Boulder for a Derwent demonstration of their products it was fun and I stayed to long for one thing or another,they kindly gave me some bits for being a great customer and even the Rep tried hard to get me to consider teaching,alas not for me yet,if I lived in there yes but driving 120km there and back,it wouldnt be feasible. My experiments consisted of a bit of water color,carnations in contemporary style and Schminkie pastels which my effort was Stuart Pea flowers which were highlighted with one of their nice black soft tip pens,I left it as a demo example for the lovely shop owners,they expressed disappointment that the previous group took all theirs with them. Another visotor left his landscape so they got two nice works even if I say so! I didnt have phone on me so couldne bring home pics but I have a set of these gorgeous soft pastels specifically for doing this plat so Ill have a go later in my own time.
The new units up tomorrow,VIS 24,shudder,history and essays,groan.............
Knitting to date
1.featherweight
2.citron
3.my own design of socks in Ms Gussets Cormo 4py

Nearly Friday

Im highly suspicious Im developing Chronic fatigue,

My day

5.15 am rise

5.30 am finish packing however lunch boxes needed that day,from one to four

5.45 am get dressed for work,pack two pieces of bread and a bottle of milk if needed and have a wake up cup of tea

5.55 am wake those needing to wake,boil kettle and throw taost in toaster,if time cook an egg or two 

6am aim to get out the door in next 5 mins and hope Hubby is awake to get kids out door to school bus at 7am...................

List of normal jobs

• blow school grounds
• set spinklers on areas suffering
• make sure rubbish bins are out
• hopefully a quick cup toast at 8.15 so i can avoid the arrogant rude people passing by
• rake or mow or water depending on day
• balance availability of assistant with garden work and demands from admin
• if that doesnt fit,do the garden work of two people til recess at 11am,coffee
•  increasingly run faster to get garden stuff done and fit in other admin demands
• remember the next meeting with boss,chase up lost furniture oh theres a tradie arrived and needs to be let in,on opposite side to where I am,run to location let in and run back cause a teacher wants a tin of snails,crickets worms, crikey I left that sprinkler on, damn bugger ,Hubbys demanding presence back over other side in my office so he can "share "coffee time, oh is that the lunch bell,run back and check all tools are put away and doors to store room locked,pick up rubbish from lunch and check fridge in office for supplies for rest of week and ...home time at 2.30 where it starts again to clean up after males
• Study.........................
• Bed when I can make it

Ok thats enough,makes me tired to look at it

This afternoon I managed to get the Bernina over locker,800DL out and do those tops,just need to hem top and bottom and insert drawstring,check length of sleeves ad i should be done,Ill be wearing one this weekend I hope,one I like so far but the others Im not sure. Im so pleased I spent the money on this beautiful machine,runs cleanly and without a hiccup

A couple of interesting spots

pants

Blogger Sewer

and another

Id love to have the free time to do more sewing but even better live where I can wear the sorts I want to make

Getting there!

It was my day off to day and having an assignment due by Sunday night,(back at work Monday so it has to be done before) Two paintings today finished one with the second not far behind, there's another block print to do and a couple of water color exercises, tomorrow all prac will be done.
The shearing shed where I highlighted the light

This is a shot of it just before finishing touches, the other one is a perspective view of a windmill,its a yellowtail not a Comet but thats ok, Ill post a pic later when Im finished
Not much else to say really,lost my knitting mojo a little so no new stuff there,no sewing and really not much else.
Its so hot here,the waters still hot out of the tap and watering my plants this evening it was a thought that maybe it was a bit warm to water.Next week I hope its a bit cooler as vegie garden is a jungle and the lawn is horrible too. With another unit to start next weekend I will enjoy some domestic work before and theres a Derwent demo in the art shop next Saturday too,so looking forward to it,Im seeing it a day out after studying for 3 months!
Ok back to work!

Saturday 9th Feb

Title? Well not imaginative but itll do
I m starting to feel like writing again but not socialize though a conversation with one of my Fav Aunties the other night was very welcome
Our new residents...

Fluffa was breakfasting with them but I think the big "munch munch" noises startled him and he grabbed his bit of leaf and  buggered off (Taffy used to eat his breakfast so he learnt to carry off a bit to eat in peace),anyhow theyre starting to settle in, mind their manners and use the loo etc,not grooming each other yet (as a group session) but Fluffas showing them the ropes,lol Just had a thought, Smoking Hot Needles has two gorgeous furry kids,white  and now I have two new charges,also white. These girls have come to live here for company for Fluffa,their wonderful owner was beautiful in her offer to rehome them here,allowed them fun in the garden, where they finally got to explore this morning and theyll be here for her( waves to P) to visit!!

Today Im urgently trying and succeeding in getting a collection of works together,well experimental at the this stage,

Block Printing,some of which I will incorporate into mixed media,a few papers are being prepared for image transfer,some will work and expect others to be complete failures
While they dried I found an old template and thought Id do a couple and see if I could get a good end print as Im doing my bedroom up and would love to frame one to add to collection of a few I want to hang above dressing table

Im thnking of ordering this fabric pack soon,changing the subject briefly
 From shop,this help me find the link later if I forget the pack name!
And to see why,check out Modas catalogue,if you browse you come across the above set of fabrics! Ive signed up for ISSUU,its a great site!
Anyhow I want to make a very similiar quilt to the one that Linda of http://lindasquiltmania.blogspot.com.au/ 
 has done,look at her Post titled "Playing with Comma",7th Jan 13, it wont match anything Im doing in the house,the play of colours just gets me in,theres another one I want to do that matches in tone and color the new doona cover i have jsut got but Im hoping to not only complete hews Quilt but get Pats bought and under way,saving to pay off Child no 5 education fees first then visit Mother in mid April
Oh also i heard an interview on the ABC with the Hon Micheal Kirby during the holidays and his book sounds fascinating,anyone read it? I dont know why but when he siad he d been with his partner for 40 or so years if I remember correctly I was in awe,not many people around who can say that,Ive put it here so again I can remember the name and his book and order it when I m next in town
Ok back to work.....

PS Im going to pick out 12 of my best WA flower photos from Munglinup and have a couple of calendars done!

I should

Be studying,I should be burying myself into art research, entering ideas in VD,which I did in ten minutes at lunch,Ive got these ideas rattling round in my brain,getting it out requires that VD,never before  I found it necessary to even bother write draw experiment in my diary,its end up an ordered presentation after the fact, with prints of artist bits Ive found on the topic and final pics of the works I did just to fill the darn thing,this time I have only four pages so far after looking at it for 4 weeks but when I have had a n idea I couldnt start til I used this formally avoided diary,this my friends is the best thing,it shadows progress as a working artist ,well in the mind...

Frolicking in the setting sun.........

Look how still the water is,little did we realise how good that was,the next trip was into ripperly wind and harder paddling

Oh Im not very good on that side of lense,

Another project finished,well the knitting part,it needs ends sewn in etc,another boring to some but lovely achievement value,its going to a dear work mate whos been a wonderful person,always a smile on her face and wonderful in other ways too in such a horrible place at times to be,oh its the wave pattern.

That cheeky bird again

On my next post Im going to put a series of photos of the unit, cottage I suppose is a better descritption,Im trying to convince Hubby that we need one like it to put on our own "holiday" block one day but with surrounding verandahs..

A new term

School starts here tomorrow well for two boys,the other one goes to a Catholic college so he goes Tuesday,Im presuming hes going to enjoy a quiet day at home.
After the terrible week just past Im much relieved to say that Fluffa will have new family this week,his daughter and her Mum are coming to stay,hes still lost and looking for Taffy and needs lots of attention being 75% blind we have to care a bit extra for him including washing his face( Taffy was very good at that)
I shall miss Taffy dreadfully.
In the following few posts Im going to post some pics of what we did while away despite regretting going,I did have some success with Camera and two sketches,a taste of my work too

One I did today to be part of a set that includes a three panel work
And photos

Kissing Cockies

I got three projects done and a fair bit done on this Citrus shawl,Im going with a second ball so there over 200 sts,yikes, see the phone propped up to the top right? that's the best reception we could get without driving up the road,handy seeing Son 3 had an emergency

Why

Is it when things are starting to seem to look up job wise, family and life that the most awfulness happens and everything falls to pieces.
Hubby talked me into going away for 5 nights at the beach with the Carnaby Cockies,water and cool breezes,wonderful but at the back of my mind something wasnt right,on the way back after a panicked call from one son who needed to visit emergency,Hubby informed me the Cruiser needed another tranny and diff,it hadnt had an oil change for too long,why FFS I couldve done it,(hes cant due to hand),I could smell the hot oil. Got home and something still wasnt right,had work early next morning and also needed to drive to town to pay for my surgery as they were closing,that morning I thought Taffy didn't look happy,got home I went looking for her and Tilly took me straight to where shed breathed her last breathe,Ive not cried so much since my Father went,I let her down , didn't fully check her on getting home,assumed cause Fluffa also looked a bit off and after seeing him eating pigface that she'd also eaten the wrong thing,I dont know if she was fly blown when i got home or theyd hit her during the day,Ill never know but Ive lost one of the most endearing fur babies Ive had the honour to meet,I hate myself and part of me hates others for not seeing and the fact I wasn't here at others insistance.
Now Fluffas lost his mate and is still looking for her.I hope I can find another lost(rescue) bundle to give comfort not only for it but so Fluffa has a snuggle pal

Farewell baby girl

Knitting pics

Ok it was a bright morning so took the opportunity to gather some photos,thinks Ive posted at least one before but here goes

Shropshire on left, Churro on right

The months spinning effort ,well most of them

Batts from Etsy all done,think Honey cowl

 From last weeks update from IXchel Fibre,destined to be a thank you gift

Embarrassment,my hidey hole, there's the latest acquisitions pus spinning and odds and ends,its also my study area,its amazing I can think while there

Coopworth roving spun with glitter and tufts of black alpaca roving to add interest,this will be a knitted or crocheted bag for my new windows pad if I get one

Other than that Im busy painting bits for assignment

Not finished but I can sit back and look for a few weeks.

Cool weather Woohoo!!

It was beautiful yesterday, I spent the last day of "freedom" doing a bit of watering and mowing a few lawns that had grown quite fast,we off for a few days to the coast (loved saying that read about everyone else doing it but we never seem to) so want to have the turfed areas top notch before I go. This week will be rake rake and mow rake,with mowing again on Thursday to pull into line for week after.
Mowing yesty was a big mistake however,great to planning not so good for me,I think on top of a severe allergic reaction i also got something in the outside corner of my right eye,I can feel it,its irritating and burning and so itchy, Im only taking half an allergy tablet but it still made me slink off for a Nanna Nap this arvo and now Im all out of sinc
I have three weekends to get this assignment done and so far Im still playing with transparencies

Identities,in the way of Shadows and Reflections,Ill make this a series of mixed media.
Ive got pics but not of knitting yet

And an arty one for fun

The result of three inches of rain
Ive still to do the squares blocks for Son 2 s quilt but I think Ill have a sewing night this week some time to polish off tops and then following that itll be the squares if I can spare the time from study
have to show some lawn pics,I havent had them so good for a very long time,Im hoping the Principal will appreciate my efforts

It was a dull day so they dont look as bright as they were but Im thrilled.
Oh another Dress pattern has popped up!
Mcalls 5050


And this is one of the variations/modifications that have been made, definitely getting this one...still waiting on two I ordered before. Ive already picked out a couple(or more) of nice silk fabrics from Tessuti... Queen Jaffa and Going Places and Hidden Blooms are my first picks but where could I wear such beautiful prints,this a a jeans and tee area,LOL

Rains gone and heats back

My day today was long,started at 6,blowed as much as I could nearly two tanks of fuel,then mowed enough to fill three over flowing wheely bins,then more quiet garden stuff,my clothes were drenched,the humidity was unreal. I think it was up to around 40 to 42 by feel, the water out of the tap was tepid so no cool shower when I made it home at 5pm.
Spinning.. Im working on second bobbin of sparkly coopworth,the black alpaca adds interest.
Sewing.. Im over half way into sewing the blocks together for son no 2 Quilt,
Pics when I have the energy to set it up.
It looks like Mr Willy Wag Tail is a lonely soul,no sign of Mrs W. and hes very outspoken calling all morning.Il see if I can catch a photo of him tomorrow morning.

A pic of my Birthhome.New owners have removed the old garden but left the gross palms my father insisted planting. The tall one I think is gone too,I remember the stories from older people who remember jumping over it as children.So sad.

Oh Lovely rain

The rain band has finally arrived here from the cyclone up the coast,this is well worth waiting for though its gone from 46 degrees on Wednesday to cool enough for track pants and sweater,great knitting weather. Im am so tired though,have had to get out at normal work times to go and unlock school for tradies,no one told me this til yesterday afternoon and the fella himself actually siad they were contracted to work ten days straight,WHAT??????? everyone else is off enjoying holidays and Im stuck babysitting..well at least it quiet.

• On the knitting front Im on the way with body of Featherweight(will try to get a photo
• Spinning,just finished chain plying some,hmm, thats it Coopworth sliver from Mosley Park,this was part of a Christmas parcel for 2011,in Atlantic Blue I think,a bit hard to spin but again although is quite strong its softish on the hands,Im spinning this 150 gram skein with tuft of black alpaca roving and silver blue glitterati Im very happy with it and am sort of thinking either a Window Tablet bag when I eventually get one or a newsboy cap (Camden Hat by Woolly Wormhead?),either will be good
• Havent done any ore art work but will be doing a few things tomorrow to add to Portfolio

I have no new pics but will try to rectify very soon,all this rain and it was just too wet to get it out,the creeks through town are running so am hoping it keeps up over night so when unlocking in morning Ill go for a walk!

The new Quilts all cut out,the remaining prints will be 1 1/2 inch strips shortly,really hoping theres enough material other wise Ill have to stash dive and break open the packs I have put away for a country table cloth I want to do,been collecting for years for that one,all greens browns yellows and a few blues that I remember with plaids scattered through,must pull it out and have a look see if theres enough to start cutting.Today is really the last day I have to play as the long weekend wont be available to get a finish up on that portfolio..Im off to weight a ball to see if Ive gotten to half way point,hmm Bunny Mink!

Hot so hot!

These last three days have been terrible,I worked out in for as long as I could but in reality I was developing heat exhaustion so spent a little break here and there inside where the cooler air helped,Im nearly up to scratch work wise and later this week have to edge and mow everything again,at least theres lawn to mow now,,
I have a new birdie in the grounds too well there's really two,little honey suckers that twitter and chase each other through the gum tree branches,I cant get a video or even a photo they so quick,the other on is wha appears to be a lonly willy wag tail,he spends all day singing  and flitting here and there,sought of hoping his mate is sitting on a cob web bound nest up there somewhere

from this site http://www.juliusbergh.com/cocky/ww.html  which a delightful account of willys in the garden,i grew up with them and to have one at my work place is wonderful,I have one at home too and to hear the chatter in the trees in my garden now that they have matured so high is simply beautiful
AND today Im sure I heard a budgie,theres been one before who had escape from the cage somewhere,white so he wouldnt have survived,there are green ones around here but thought it was a  bit late in the season

http://www.listeningearth.com.au/blog/happy-budgies-wild-budgerigar-sounds-promote-wellbeing-of-pet-birds
This a lovely site too,I dont believe in birds in cages and see them free is simply wonderful
Knitting...................................
Ive gotten to the divide point on Featherweight and if I can get a couple rows done tomorrow in the cool I ll set up for sleeves and body
Spinning......................
Ive finished that wonderful colourful gold and purple batt,will wash soon and I think the honey cowl will be the pattern
Sewing...
Zilch but will be cutting out son no 2 quilt Friday I think depending on how I feel

Saturday,8pm and its warm winds blowing

It was a reasonable day today,it was quite warm but bearable inside, unfortunately there's a warmer wind popped up at the usual time,called the Doctor Wind and its caused me consternation enough to close off the kitchen windows, the rabbits however are reveling in it so are outside sitting in a cosy spot enjoying the fresh wind. Taffy being a large lady suffered badly on Thursday to the point I had to check on her constantly under the coffee table where she was laying on the tiles.She wouldn't even venture outside that afternoon when it cooled off.
I ve had some mail
Wollmeise has appeared and oh my its a grab bag I didn't think Id get,Blue Suzanne and a rich blue one ,the name escapes me at the moment

.And the beautiful lace weight arrived from the UK ,a destash from the lovely Lindy

 Spinning news
finished the pink merino silk top

And Im halfway through that yellow purple batt

A totally fun spin,full of texture and locks, glitter and softness,I think Ill make a slouchy hat or a honey cowl!!
One more pic,? Of course!!

And and art item

Might frame this
and of course a bug

New Years Day 2013

Well its the start of a New Year,tomorrow will see what I will decide for the next few years,though I dont think I have a choice debt wise,buying a car usually means havin gto pay for it and having three sons in HC with in Private theres debt there too. Itll work out,I just need to concentrate on study

Painting No 1
I have a renewed interest in my home and garden though feel terribly sad this year as No2 is talking about leaving home,it means moving rooms around and youngest has his own,but the emptiness leaft by those moving out is indescribable. When no 3 eventually goes in prob two years Ill be finished my heavy study and maybe I be more accustomed to the emptying nest,and also it will mean I will then have a sewing study room too.

The heat of this last week has been unbearable at work and thank heavens Ive been able to access a cooler area,I dread the start of school where Ill be trapped outside,its this reason Ive hoarding my holidays,sick leave etc,when it gets too much I can resort to having a day off,and now I also have to be diplomatic as DH wants me to take leave and use up precious days for his time out.

Migraines has become my second best friend,well I call them that, a constant pain on the left side somewhere behind my eye,have glasses,try ti sit properly but have to use heavy pain relief at least twice a day,limit where I can as they give me tummy issues other wise. I think I need to search for anther good doctor

Yesterday being the NYE night I gave myself the fun thing of spinning that gorgeous orange purpley batt I bought a while ago to spin on Christmas day,Ive got one batt done ,on one bobbin so I hope there's enough to make a slouchy hat
Hmm Im off to find those pills again and  a nice cup of tea...
PS the above are the works I have to date,not sure what direction I will take as Im waiting eagerly for supplies to do mixed media.