A little glitz

This is my little piece from Sue Dennis's class. The shiny blue 'river' is metallic thread stitched on washaway fabric. The 'trees' are metallic treads stitched over Angelina fibres. It's nice to have a little glitz.

Not just another Saturday

Edward is 10 today.

This is JoJo, the latest addition to his collection of monkeys. Happy birthday Teddy.

Sunny came home today. Kitty seems pleased.

Quilt Symposium Manawatu

I went to the thriving metropolis of Palmerston North and lost myself among people and things textile. It was very, very good. The exhibition was superb, ranging, as it has to, from traditional to high art. It seemed to me the judges had used a fairly conservative eye in jurying quilts into the show, but then, it's a difficult job, and I don't envy them. My quilts looked pretty good hanging in some fine company. This quilt won best of show. The sky seems to be painted, and is beautifully quilted, the hills and sea are pieced. There was lots of discussion about this award, but generally people agree it is a beautiful quilt. What do you think?

Across the Bay II by Chris Kenna, Wellington

It was a very busy 5 days. I did a class with Sue Dennis. It was a great 2 days. There's something special about Queenslanders, they always make me laugh. I'll show you what I made when it's photographed. I like it a lot! I also did a class with Susan Carlson. Not so good results (yet) so I'm not showing you. I'll do some more work on it in future though, because it's going to be great. Susan was a lovely tutor, the work the class produced was really wonderful. There were lizards and fish and flowers and a house. She teaches fabric collage, and I'm making a rose. You must check out her pink rhino and her Polkadodo on her website here. I volunteered one day, and ended up helping out in Bonnie McCaffery's portrait painting class. She's a very classy lady, very professional, and I was impressed with her use of a video camera and data projector so everyone could see what she was doing. Bonnie's website has video and audio podcasts, well worth a look.

The next Symposium is in Wellington in 2009. That's something to look forward to.

Gallivanting

This post is brought to you by Blogger gremlins, which are determined that you do not see photographic evidence. Shame really, because I'm sure you'd be impressed.

I've been to Auckland, via Taupo of course, and to the Coromandel, mostly in Whangamata, but with excursions to places like Hahei, and Cathedral Cove. The Coromandel waves were spectacular, the sand was golden, the sun was hot. A couple of days of rain were even reasonably welcome as the fair skinned, befreckled half of the family were happy to get some relief from the sunscreen/hat/shirt ritual that accompanies beach life in this part of the world. I now have some stupid tan lines from my (very nice!) boy-leg swimsuit that are going to look ridiculous when I put on my training swimsuit at the pool tonite. Oh well, the boys and girls lining up at the pool will need a giggle.

It rained really hard for a couple of days in Whangamata, and because I'd read far too many books (all night, all morning, most of the afternoon on the beach....) I decided I needed something else to do. I bought a book (!) Instant Expert Crochet edited by Katy Bevan. Hooray for holiday bookshop sales. I got some wool and a hook. It worked, so I got some more wool. A couple of days later I had about 150 chains and 16 rows of double crochet. We'll see how long it takes me to make a blanket. Madness. But I like it!

I am of course heavily influenced by Bella Dia and Yarnstorm. I've been thinking a lot about why I am so drawn to these blankets, and I've decided it's the colour. It's the riot of unplanned, abandoned colour. I like the kindof kitchy grandma-ness of crochet too. So, if I'm going to own one, I'm gonna have to make it!

At the end of this week I am off to the Quilt Symposium 2007. I've got a ticket for the opening award ceremony, two quilts hanging in the exhibition, two classes, and I've volunteered to spend one day as an "angel". Dogsbody more like, hopefully they'll have an interesting task for me. There will be quilts to see, lots to learn, new friends to make, bloggers to meet, and the company of old friends to enjoy.

After that, it really will be hang onto your hats, new year, new me. I'll keep you posted.

Happy New Year

Live, Laugh, Love

That's my new years resolution.

I've got big plans for this year, but that's pretty much what they amount to.

First up, I'm going to learn how to really use my digital camera. It's a Samsung Digimax V50. It isn't flash, but I reckon I can learn how to get the most out of it, and lookee here, using the manual aperture control. I like a little blur in my pictures.

So, I wish you some living, laughing and loving for yourself.

Happy new year.