Karen Eckmeier's Workshop

How exciting! Dianne Southey rang me on Wednesday evening to ask if I wanted to go to Karen's 'Happy Villages' workshop - well I had put my name down and was a little disappointed that I hadn't been successful in the ballot. Here was a fantastic opportunity to attend an overseas tutor's workshop for just $20.00! I wasn't completely ready (didn't have colours chosen and cut out, but did have a bag of fabric to choose from), but had help from great mates at the workshop. I really wanted to do an Italian village - colours of the houses in Manarola. So here are some pictures of what I worked with:

a bit more of the shapes added,





and after Karen had sorted out my windows, doors, steps and bridges, and I had added trees, shrubs and flowers - all ready now for sewing:

A Girl's Road Trip

Yesterday, Rebecca and I went on a road trip to the Hawke's Bay. She had some business to do over there so I went along for the ride (one can do that now). I also had a cock and hen Blue Andalusian that I had sold, so they were going to get delivered to their new home as well. We stopped at an interesting place, called Abbotsford, that served morning/afternoon teas and lunches in Waipawa, as this had been recommended to us.
A Devonshire Tea on the lawn under the sun umbrellas - beautiful food and lovely setting - ideal for a break on a road trip!

We had a late lunch at The Mission Winery, which was very nice and relaxing. This is the view looking toward Napier, and (below) the entrance to the House, Restaurant and Shop.

After lunch we left Napier on the Expressway and turned in to the Silky Oak Chocolate Factory - Easter isn't too far away, and besides we didn't have dessert at The Mission!
This is a beautiful cabinet display in the Museum Shop:
and these are some of the goodies we bought. Mmmmm! roll on Easter, 'cause these are THE BEST marshmallow eggs and chocolate letters in the world!

Collaborative Art Journal - Phase 2

Here are the 2 pages I have done for Dianne. Her choice of colour is blue, with paua undertones. So a little play on one page doing some scrapbooking and a small quilt for the other page.

I chose to do a layout about Moeraki, because when I was about 10 years old, we would go to the lighthouse bach for holidays. Dad made a 'paua' catcher because it was difficult (and dangerous) getting them off the rocks otherwise. There were other little secluded beaches where we could gather mussels and cook them in a kelp bag on a driftwood fire, or just find beautiful little shells.

The fabric page has a selection of fabrics, doublesided, which represents the colours found in paua shells. Some cool beads and stitching that looks like the stilts prints in the sand.

Lots of fun to try new things.

Flower Power

Ahhh! Just beautiful!

Close-ups for Line and Texture

Today I had a wee play with the camera using the macro button. Here's some cool shots of the kowhai seeds. I'd love to make a quilt that shows the kowhai tree in it's various growth states - especially with a 3-D effect somehow.
The seed casings are really quite rough and woody now. I'll probably save some and try growing the seeds - some more trees for us and some for gifts.This photo is a bit more artistic though -Then I took a couple of real close-ups of Ginger - she is my Hereford Cross cow. Love the photo of the top-knot and then there is her neck.

Restoring the Oak Buffet

After making such a good job of the oak cabinet, which I now use for wine glasses and some special antique crockery, I was requested to start on the dining room buffet. This is the before photo - oops, it's got a bottom drawer stained, which is not how we bought it. As you can see it is a blond oak and it is far too light to go with the other oak furniture living in the dining room.
4 weeks after starting the project it is now ready for unveiling. It has been stripped of all the old varnish, sanded, stained, varnished, new felt, cleaned handles and new locks.



Doesn't it look fantastic with the blue felt? The product I used for sealing was Woodoc 10 Indoor Velvet Polywax Sealer. It is so easy to use, in fact, I put it on with a cloth, so there were no problems with brush marks, it doesn't smell strongly and with the wax in it, the woods just soaks it up! It's ideal for furniture where you want a low gloss or matt finish - necessary I reckon, for antique furniture. I also bought the Woodoc Deep Penetrating Furniture Wax which will help nourish the wood for heaps more years.
As you can see in the photo on the right, even the silver has been cleaned!