downunderdale

a new year - new ideas and inspiration

2010-01-01T14:45:00.008+08:00

New Year's Eve in Northbridge - not that we were there but we did go one year - the crowd walking to and fro past our house were jovial enough and apparently it was basically a good family event. Good to hear.

I am glad you all liked the waterlilies - aren't they lovely? They are both happy in their new pots in the garden - tomorrow when I get a moment I am going to sit and draw and see if I can't do something before the flowers disappear. The cat from next door now has 3 large containers to drink water out of - spoilt for choice.

Well we did stay up until midnight and even beyond so had a sleep in this morning and then actually roamed up the street very late for breakfast which maybe could have been lunch. Late yesterday just as we were about to close up operations, Cloth Paper Scissors arrived - it wasn't due until Monday so we packaged all the businesses and got them away - we could post anything in red or Express post bags as the post office was closed but Ian could feed them all into the boxes so at least we know they will arrive fast. All the rest we will send out as soon as the post office reopens - Monday or Tuesday - I am not sure. It's a good issue this round - including an article by Beryl Taylor - always worth reading.

on our wandering back from breakfast - Russells Antique Store which is full of all sorts of things we used to have in our house when I was a kid and stuff which I got rid of. One man's rubbish is another man's......

One of the best known landmarks along Beaufort Street, Highgate is the Russells Antique Store. Dominating the corner of Beaufort and Broome Street since 1906, the Federation Italianate Style building has been synonomous with retail in the area for over a century. The original owners were B&J Ferstal who operated their fruit and vegetable shop in a section of the building. It was constructed as a two-storey retail premise with two shops, and living quarters on the upper floor. The two storey building features stuccoed facades, arched pediments, and a cast iron covered cantilevered filigree bow verandah with turned posts. If you look closely above the entrance door the words "R.M.E.H. Corner" are inscribed on the curved pediment . It is currently occupied by the Russell's Antique Store. The owner is well knowledged on everything antique and is quite happy to have a chin wag. He also has a great stock of unusual and often bizarre items. To the left of the building is Veritas - they are on holiday. Very few places were open this morning - those that are, make a killing.

We are having a lazy day but the newsletter is almost ready to send out and then I shall go read my book and admire my waterlilies once more.

Happy New Year for 2010

2009-12-31T11:15:00.006+08:00

this is a tropical waterlily with a lovely perfume especially for the evenings in the garden. The flowers stand proud.

this is a hardy waterlily

Wishing everyone a fabulous new year - the very best of health, happiness and extra loads of creativity. These wishes also come from my 2 new waterlilies - one happily in new pot, other one in bucket waiting but both happy already. I have removed the water clover to a minor spot since it is not a waterlily and is never going to flower and fed my other waterlily 3 big tablets as it hasn't flowered. I really only went to get 1 waterlily but it was a long drive up the freeway with hundreds of crazy drivers in a hurry to wherever (the grave yard?) so I bought 2 and a bag of tablets for them to eat.

Have a wonderful night - we are staying at home, indulging in our favourite scallop dish and a chicken tandoor on our bbq and champagne. Maybe stay up to midnight - maybe not.

See you in 2010

wednesday

2009-12-30T16:24:00.005+08:00

This is one of the cats from next door - we have no idea what its name is but we call it Tinkerbell because it has a bell around its neck. It's a very curious cat and wanders into the house and the studio but is rather wary of us and quite independent. The people who own it next door don't talk to us but they are probably pleased their cat has somewhere to go every day - just as well we like cats. I am not at all sure why people in apartments have animals when there is nothing for them to do over there all day. It arrives about 5am because I hear the tinkle and at night when we are outside we hear it roaming around. This is the closest I could get to take a photo. It has terrorized Mango who also lives next door and we think she simply hides somewhere in the garden each day. This little one is always very busy - Mango just sleeps.

Last night we had a bbq down at the river again - very peaceful

Kazuko on Christmas Day in Sapporo - in the snow. I would have to find winter clothes - all those layers....

found at Okarito

2009-12-29T14:48:00.004+08:00

still hot - and yes I will swap your snow/frost/ice etc for a jar of heat. Have to say the evenings are delightful so maybe I won't.

Here is something I came across at Okarito - how shall I play?

some stony layers

2009-12-28T13:21:00.005+08:00

It's very hot in Perth today so we are hiding indoors, eating our lamb sandwiches - I can see we will be eating lamb sandwiches for lunch for quite a few days. Kazuko, you will be pleased to know that we worked our way through the pavlova - that was all we had for dinner last night..... but there is plenty of the lovely ice cream left for a few more evenings with fresh fruit! It is too hot though to think of what we might have tonight although it was a lovely evening sitting outside last night. One thing I love about holiday time in Perth is that it is nice and quiet in our street - I presume everyone has gone to Mandurah and beyond. Or somewhere else......

Playing with my iphone is keeping us both busy - we have downloaded our itunes division and can use the phone as our Sonos controller which is really great. I have loaded some music onto the ipod but the earplugs are pretty silly really and I expect we will only fight about who is using it when we fly. The camera is quite impressive and even Dale-proof - I took this photo of some stony layers I did yesterday - I thought I was transferring a TAP transfer which wouldn't work but it turned out to be just a photocopy - however since I had been applying painted fusible webbing, it stuck pretty well and I layered some chiffon over the top and added a little stitching. It will be a page in my Stone book. Holey Moleys - I am preparing for the next lesson in case you are wondering.

Christmas activities

2009-12-26T17:43:00.007+08:00

Thanks for all the lovely messages - I hope you all had a wonderful day. We started with a lovely afternoon at Eva and Malachy's on Thursday and yesterday we went to Martine and Luigi's where they spoilt us as always with wonderful food. Martine cooked a paella and lots more. I took a summer pudding and even managed to find 5 mulberries from our tree to add to it.

We had a relaxing morning playing with our new toys. I got an iphone, lucky me and Ian a large flat screen. I even found a screen saver with stones.....

We also got books of course - mine is Piano Lessons - Anna Goldsworthy whihc I am enjoying - I don't feel I was such a precocious child pianist after all. It is a delightful story and a tribute to her teacher. I had a wonderful piano teacher too in my high school years - Evelyn Rawlins - her studio was awe inspiring to visit - always exciting.

Ian got Arundhatu Roy's new book - Listening to Grasshoppers, which he says is great as well. So two satisfied people and right now we have the Webber lit, the prawns peeled, the champagne nearly poured , the pavlova cooling, the ice cream freezing - where are you Kazuko, Bruce and Grant to help eat all this food........

Christmas Greetings

2009-12-24T11:05:00.003+08:00

Christmas greetings to all who read my blog wherever you are - may you have a wonderful day tomorrow in snow or sunshine. Looking back at last year's message I had picked mulberries from our mulberry tree. I have been up to investigate but they are not ready at all this year.

This year we are Darby and Joan but not quiet and lonely like we thought - we are off to Eva and Malachy's for Christmas Eve bbq soon and tomorrow to Martine and Luigi's for Christmas Lunch - so it looks like the good Kiwi Xmas dinner of roast lamb and all the necessaries and pavlova and homemade icecream will be on Boxing Day.

The last of the orders have been done and we are having 2 days off. SO we can play with our Christmas Present waiting under the tree - what could they be????

flakes and stones and middle earth

2009-12-22T14:35:00.006+08:00

No secret about the glue I have found to use with the metallic flakes - it's on our website in the catalogue with the flakes. Here you can see I have used the glue and flakes on a piece of polycotton which had been previously sprayed with walnut ink and then stitched over it. I am very pleased with it as, like the double sided tape, it hasn't changed the handle and is smooth to work into and onto.

I am also very pleased to say that I have finally sent up my thread order for the Earth Elements collection. I think this has taken me all year by the time I procrastinated but here is the last set of colours for the 4th variegated - Middle Earth - I had a hankering for that deep turquoise because I reckon I saw it in Middle Earth when we were in NZ. Hopefully the collection will be dyed and ready in the early new year but I guess they take holidays too. The whole collection will be available in fibres and fabrics and hand threads including plain colour six strand floss. Actually loking at the colours I have scanned you would never know it is a dark turquoise but do take my word for it.
Now that that task is finally out of the way I can get onto something else. I have been cleaning up the studio and have all my stone stuff together so I can get working on that theme. This is the boatshed at Okarito.There is a very large parcel under the Christmas tree for Ian - I wonder what it could be........

last little flowers

2009-12-19T18:25:00.004+08:00

Couldn't resist some last little flowers and now I have finished all my stitching for the flower stitcher book. This one is for all those people coated in snow in the northern hemisphere - no chance for little flowers to relax in the sun but plenty of lilting ones here today - we have hidden indoors but I am about to go outside and plant my herbs.

I have found some fabulous glue which works on fabric with the gilding flakes - very pleased with this.

Wow - it is raining big rain drops - we have loaned the car to Grant so we will have to walk to Koinonia with our umbrellas - they are off on holiday for 2 weeks tomorrow so we thought we would go and eat there and wish them a happy holiday.

Lisa - yes I read that you can now take knitting needles on planes - a bit of back to normality - tiny scissors yet? I made my favourite salad last night - panzanella - I meant to take a photo but it got dark and we ate it - next time

a little australia to share

2009-12-17T17:21:00.008+08:00

I really have finished all the pieces for the Flower Stitcher book but I couldn't resist a little Australia - my apologies to the good people from Tassie - you are a little close to the mainland but the Kunin felt kinda shrunk up. But on the other hand I didn't forget you..... It is quite difficult to fit little flowers to the actual shape of Australia - I think I have only moved the coast line a wee bit in places.

Here is a flower from one of our Magnolia trees - one gets more water than the other and is flowering and growing taller - have to do something about this. The flowers don't last for long.
This is the worst time of the year for Eucalyptus bark to fall - it is still everywhere - I have to make a track through the back garden every morning. Loads of leaves and pods falling as well and little branches.

I collected a number of stones from Okarito - this flat one is beautiful - I am going to stitch and layer coming up - but just one more flower stitch piece to do for the inside back cover. And then I really will stop. For the moment.

There are a couple of new textile magazines coming out in Australia - one is Downunder Textiles from the good folk at Downunder Quilts and the other Embellish from the good folk at Yarn and Felt. I am interested to see how they will go.

Many thanks for all the emails with new salad suggestions. I have quite a few to try now. And I also know that many of you, like me, love books........

What am I reading in bed?

2009-12-16T10:29:00.007+08:00

I am indulging myself reading lovely new cook books - Thai Street Food is a fabulous book with wonderful photos of parts of Thailand for starters. It is so big that when I hold it up in bed to read a few more pages, my arms nearly drop off. David Thompson said in one interview that if you cook 4 dishes from a cook book you are doing okay so I figure that it's okay to indulge. I have his earlier cook book but I haven't cooked from it to be honest. It always seems easier to pop down to one of our favourite Thai restaurants instead.

And I have the first book from MoVida and waiting for the postie to bring the latest one. No wonder we are thinking of a visit to Spain next year - it's a fabulous book. And this one is cookable from. I have lots of cookbooks and I really do love cooking. At this time of the year I am always on the lookout for good salad recipes - simple but super. So we can indulge on our bbq.

And not a cook book at all but Sybella Court's book Etcetera is an inspiration in itself.

And don't forget Paris Tango - Carla Coulson - what a feast for the eyes

I wonder what book I will get for Christmas? Can't have Christmas in the Rollerson house without a book or two.

some fossils and flowers

2009-12-12T15:47:00.004+08:00

A little more fun using the flower stitcher - I am still on the stonehaven theme but seem to have added some little fossils as well. This top sample has been sprayed with Black Orchid Silver Starburst Spray which is why you can see a shimmer if you enlarge it.

Very hot today and I am hiding in the studio with the air con on - outside a man with a loud mike is 'testing one two three' - I thought he did it all yesterday - yes we have a second Fleetwood Mac concert tonight but we are off out with Eva and Malachy. Grant is down for the weekend so we had breakfast with him this morning and we escaped from the concert last night when we went off to pick him up from the airport.

And a message to all the wonderful participants in the Connections Challenge - I have started sending your work back - I may stop now until the new year just so it doesn't get caught up in the Christmas rush so you should receive them in January. I hope you have all started on your Textile Tantrum.

fleetwood mac

2009-12-11T19:23:00.004+08:00

we are about to have a bbq in our back garden and Fleetwood Mac are performing at the Perth Oval (aka ME Stadium) - I still wonder what would happen if we wound Mozart up this loud. However you could say we are enjoying a free concert....

Gonna be hot tomorrow - I have been flower stitching on vanishing muslin aka thermogauze - paint it first - you really need a mask when you attack it with a heat gun. I will post the pic tomorrow -

Pixie - do go to Okarito - I love it there -

a little more west coast nz

2009-12-10T08:54:00.010+08:00

It's always me in these photos much to my displeasure (you can see that) but enjoy the bush at Franz Josef

back in that carpark there was a very friendly Kea. Loved being photographed. They pinch anything and there are always notices not to feed them.

We drove into Okarito - my very favourite place. Always inspiring.
Here I am on Okarito Beach - I collected for myself a beautiful big stone - I figured that I had plenty of space in my suitcase for a few stones.

When we left Reefton (forgot to take any pics but it was good to catch up with Ian's rellies - and it looked the same, we drove to Christchurch over the Otira Gorge. Called into Jackson's Tavern for a very nice home made pie - there was lots of other people there enjoying pies and beers in the middle of the day.

Here is the viaduct over the Otira Gorge - just like being in Italy. I haven't been over here since I was a teenager.

the wonderful west coast

2009-12-08T18:24:00.012+08:00

Well Virginia - I will admit it does rain a lot of the time on the West Coast - but it's friendly rain and helps the bush with its lushness and beautiful colours and the stones like it too and so do the waterfalls..... It wasn't raining here as you can see - Bruce Bay - wow Bruce - a bay named after you and a beautiful spot as well.
And here on the coast are these special rock piles - we have no idea why but someone may have started it and others followed -

some more rock pancake stacks. Appropriate for Grant and Bruce but I don''t remember stacking them - they just ate each one in turn as I made them - in fact faster than I could make them.

We stayed the night in Franz Josef - remember this was our wedding anni - had a lovely room opening out into the bush where we sat outside and drank champagne and squashed the sandflies as they landed - easier to deal with than mozzies...

Then we went to dinner at The Beaches - nice food - interesting combos and the waitress did try hard. Maybe a new keen chef trying to pop rather too many flavours on the one plate but it was most enjoyable. Nothing as over the top of the overkill of beetroot Bev and I had in Havelock North last year.

In the morning we went to the glacier at Franz Josef - the weather was great but it started to close in when we were leaving. Middle Earth can roll in quite fast.

Crossing a little ford - I think Ian was hovering with the camera in the hope that I might fall in?

One of the beautiful waterfalls you might see on the West Coast - this one was around the glacier area.
Here is the glacier in its glory - if you haven't been to NZ then you must visit the West Coast when you do - rain, green, not too many people and it even looks tidier than it used to. And the scenery - well...... I am not a red dirt girl - my soul needs this environment for recharging.
Don't forget to click on the pics to see more detail.

We are pretty busy here - Studios and Art Quilting Studio have arrived and quite a few new books - Ian is hoping to get stuff on the web tomorrow and Quilting Arts is due on Friday - you never know when these mags are going to arrive these days. I am hoping to get into my studio tomorrow to put things away and get to my machine - just need to finish the last pieces using my flower stitcher. Rae and Jacinta are busy sending parcels of goodies for restocking. It's been exciting opening up the parcels - Rae is adding crinkle silk to her range - the first few are rather scrumptious and I am going to take one to use with velvet on the embellisher but not before I finish my book stuff. It should be ready to go to the printers on Monday I hope.

'nuf of airplanes for a while

2009-12-07T18:26:00.007+08:00

I am back from Sydney - a good 2 days at the Texstyle conference. I stayed in Surry hIlls and on Sunday after it was all finished I spent a few hours wandering around the area espcially around Crown Street. It was a lovely day and loads of people were enjoyuing themselves. Day 1 wasn't quite so easy - too many people and nowhere to breathe but on Sunday I had another larger room with access to power and a place to put all my stuff and we all seemed to have a good constructive time. I hope the teachers who came to the workshops got something out of it all. I flew back this morning and the flight seemed to go on for ever. We are here for some time now and of course we will get restless again before too long.

Back to NZ though - we had a great short time but it was very relaxing and we thoroughly enjoyed the surroundings. This is Lake Wanaka on the morning we left - the day before it was brilliant sunshine but this morning it was a little mysterious.

We drove from Wanaka up to the West Coast via the Haast Pass - mmany years ago I actually went to the opening of this - my father must have had a desire for a trip to see a ribbon being cut. Love these streams and the surroundings.

This is at the end of a little walk - don't you love the stones? This is what has inspired my stonehaven stuff. I didn't get all my stitching done - in fact I failed miserable but it is all there for me to work on now so all is not lost and I have a pic or two for reference. If you look carefully at this photo you can see stockpiles of flat rocks - I am not sure if something was going on but I will have more tomorrow. I managed to carry quite a few home as well......

A close up of the waterfall - the colour of the water is just like you see - cold and fresh

This pic is of Knight's Point - once you get over the Haast Bridge you head up to here. Often photographed. It was raining but then it often does on the Coast.

we are back

2009-12-03T21:41:00.007+08:00

Just arrived tonight from our lovely relaxing soul filling week (almost) in New Zealand. I love the west coast - I know we were on the south island west coast (where Ian is from) but in many ways it is similar to the north island west coast (where I am from). The colours of green and the bush and even the rain are fantastic. If it ever stops raining on the coast then we really all are in trouble. The pic above is Lake Wakatipu - the lake at Queenstown. Very famous - lots of tourists.Goodness knows what I am doing but we drove over the Crown Range and stopped to admire the view - a glorious day. The flight in was superb - it's a bit special to see the mountains capped with snow.

We flew into Queenstown from Auckland and after a revival cup of coffee and breakfast in Queenstown, made our way to Wanaka where we stayed for a couple of nights. That's our little room where we stayed in Wanaka. We arrived quite late by the time we meandered and had a bit of a sleep and woke late. Still managed to get sunburnt before we went out to eat. Forgot about the ultra violet rays down there - eat your heart out Perth - daylight saving means it is light until nearly 10pm.......

Very busy since we landed - I have answered most of the emails, pulled most of the orders, gotta get up early to do the washing and pack my bags to go to Sydney tomorrow afternoon for the NSW Texstyle conference. Ian will be busy... I will be back on Monday late morning so no dramas.

Thanks for all the lovely comments - we did have a very nice night out for our wedding anni - we are amazed they still go on and on!

It's That TIme Again

2009-11-27T10:11:00.005+08:00

Those who have been following my mutterings for more than a year will know that the wedding anni time has arrived again and we are off to Franz Josef for a night out - well - off to Auckland tonight, Queenstown in the morning and 2 nights in Wanaka, up the Haast Pass to the glaciers, on to Reefton to see Max and Nelsa and back to Christchurch via Arthur's Pass and then back to Auckland and home to Perth. We will be back on Thursday. Somehow I missed a day in my planning so we are motoring slightly faster than usual. I have stitch and paper and have set myself a task to create 2 little books while I am away on my Stonehaven theme - one on a khadi zig zag book and one on fabric. We shall see. Plus have camera as well.

For all you right aged people - 1968 it was! And yes - it is us and yes it is all my own hair - it was pretty long way back then and that really is Ian's own hair as well. And my father was very proud of me because I saved him money by making my wedding dress with about 50 hand covered buttons down the back and loads of rouleaux. Those were the days. He was even more proud when I cut it up later and made two garments from it but he took a long time to recover from the cost of my shoes which cost 5 pounds and they weren't even red.

a bit of a doddle

2009-11-26T18:19:00.003+08:00

After all the stitching on Romeo and kunin felt, a little run on vanishing muslin was a doddle. Sprayed with Colourwash and easy to work on and then the heat gun - I could have ironed it all away but I rather like the little hairy bits and pieces. I might come back and stitch a more involved piece in the vanishing muslin later on I think - this was a quickie. The Flower Stitch book is almost finished now - must say I have had loads of fun pushing it and me too to the limit.

more stitch-a-lot

2009-11-25T17:50:00.004+08:00

For all those intrigued by the twin needle and flower stitch foot, here is a lot of flower stitch on Romeo. Because Romeo is slow dissolving and I am very gentle with my water action, you will see that I have managed to retain most of the circles. Again the little circles are like fossils. The piece reminds me a rather fragile piece of lace. lots of potential for garments but lotsa stitching. But you have to punish yourself to get the effect you want surely. I thought I would change thread colour - this is Arabian Nights.

Bid 4 a Cause

2009-11-25T07:54:00.003+08:00

As one of the 14 artists who contributed an art piece for Bid-4A-Cause, I wish to announce that the auction starts on Friday November 27. This is some detail of the piece which I made for it.
The art works can be viewed on the website & bidding will be in reverse auction style. Please dig deep for this worthy cause as all money raised will go to the National Breast Cancer Foundation for research into prevention & cure.
Other artists are Helen Godden, Lisa Walton, Wendy Bailye, Dijanne Cevaal, Jocelyn Leath, Caroline Sharkey, Sarah Louise Ricketts, Robyn Kennedy, Nic Bridges, Erica Spinks, Brenda Gael Smith, Sue Dennis & Olga Walters.You can link to their sites via the Bid-4A-Cause button on the right.
Thank you in anticipation of your support.

the things you do

2009-11-22T08:05:00.005+08:00

Early morning drama on Saturday - no ABs vs England on Fox Sports. That meant a trip to the Irish Club so we pottered around until 9pm, went to Ecco in Subi for a late pizza and wandered rapidly to the Irish Club to find their Setanta dish was not working. Panic meant a drive to the Athena Club but it was chokka with a Greek wedding so off to Rosie O-Gradys which last time we tried this was hopeless with the crowds on a Saturday night. However. all was well as they had a bar at the side for we rugby fans and even though we missed the first 20 minutes it was a good game. Here's Jimmy Cowan about to score the only try.

Lovely morning - off for a walk and then back to the flower stitcher - I have almost finished all the samples for the flower stitcher booklet - I am enjoying exploring and using it. I shall be loading another holey moley pdf sometime today as well.

Holey Tantrums

2009-11-21T13:50:00.002+08:00

Here is the finished work - Holey Tantrums. And yes all twin needle - and yes - all on the flower stitcher - and yes if your machine takes a twin needle it should have a button you push to make sure you don't break your needle.

lotsa stitch

2009-11-20T16:34:00.004+08:00

Rule no 125 when using a twin needle - make sure you push the twin needle button on your machine......four twin needles later....... this is one layer of my textile tantrum and tantrum is highly appropriate because I hate breaking needles......

Incidentally, you can see the detail by clicking on it twice - Ian has pointed out the little + sign after you have clicked on it once. Learn something new every day.

some musing on Thursday

2009-11-19T16:54:00.004+08:00

When we were in Melbourne we walked passed this glorious building in Queen Street, I think.
Constructed in 1890 for the safe keeping of valuables and securities in vaults in the basement, this building is a notable example of the Gothic Revival, the favoured style of the architect, William Pitt. The façade includes moulded griffins and heraldic figures in delicate Gothic detailing, and has an overall form that was further elaborated in his design for the Stock Exchange around the corner the next year.

Melbourne has loads of wonderful buildings which I love to see - Perth managed to get rid of most of its.

We are having interesting weather - loads of rain - very heavy (not quite so good for the ceiling in our office as water rushed in and Ian had to climb on the roof to clear the leaves away having first gone around to Grant's to get his ladder back) Very windy too. Great fro the garden though and we don't mind at all because we feel it will be a long hot summer.

Last night we went to the Australian Chamber Orchestra - last one for the year and glorious as always. Richard Tognetti and his orchestra are fantastic. We have only managed to get to 2 concerts this year - tut tut - we forgot the first one and were away unfortunately for two others.