July Activities

If you haven't noticed, July is almost over. I bet some of you are thinking of Christmas decorations and shopping for gifts or making those special handmade gifts.

It has been a busy July for me.  I had family over for the first week of July. It was really fun to have DIL and GS over to play with. It went far too fast. Before you know it, it was over! So they left and we are back to a quiet house again. 

Later on in July I visited Ziguzagu for their winter sale. I came away with scrumptious goodies including my first boro cloth I've ever bought. I should have bought one when they were cheaper. To think that I introduced boro cloths to them more than 5 years ago! Anyway, it is what it is! The boro cloth I bought is really meant for me. Even though it was tattered, torn and for some it's just a rag. Firstly, I love the colour of indigo blue. I could see beyond what it is. All the patches are covered in lovingly stitches. With some loving care I can bring it back to live. What amazed me is that it smells clean and was well cared for before I got it. You will see photos below.

Apart from shopping for a bargain I went to an antique quilt exhibition called 'Making the Australian Quilt 1800-1950'. There were some awesome quilts on display. I only took some photos of the quilts I like to share with you here. Also photos for some dyeing I did in the last couple of weeks.

The Westbury Quilt (Sampler quilt).
A striking white embroideries on red background.

Wagga quilt from suiting samples

Wagga Quilt, Salesman's Samples 1920

Hexagon quilt c.1830, work ing progress.

Early Tasmanian crib quilt c. 1850

My very own quilt using natural dyed samples
and natural/eco dyed silk border.

Backing of the above quilt showing
hand quilting stitches.

A new cover for my journal for Hokkaido trip.

Some scrumptious batches of dyeing.

The results from the above bundles

This one is also from the above bundle.

Photos below are from my shopping at Ziguzagu's winter sale. Ziguzagu has got everything from vintage textiles, ceramics, furniture and ornaments from Japan. 

Ziguzagu warehouse

My day bargains

BORO cloth spreading in the Treehouse 

BORO cloth hanging out to air. 

Close up of lovingly made stitches on BORO cloth

Another vintage tin (middle top shelf)

The cold and wet weather is still hanging around. It's good for taking daily walks, but definitely not good for 6:00 am exercise classes! Yes I have signed up for 3 months of boot-camp classes twice a week. The benefit from getting up early is I have free time after work. I'm also feeling good and have more energy! As I'm getting older, I feel I'm not as active as I used to be. Putting myself into the routine of going to the gym is working for me. It certainly makes me healthier. 

Until next time

Nat

Commissioned Work - Sun and Earth

My commissioned work project is completed, sent and received. I can now blog about it and include the feedback from Debra Sposa.  Here is what she said: 

Hello Nat!!!

OMG, what a beautiful piece of art this is.  Stunning in so many ways.  Wow!  Just love it.  Your stitching is perfection, the design so alive but in a very tranquil way.  Just thrilled with the piece.

Thank you so much for taking on my challenge. 

Your biggest fan,

Deb 

Deb told me she really likes my work and would I create her something. I agreed without a deadline. I have been thinking about it for a while now. When I started one I couldn't stop, so I ended up making 4 little blocks together and combining them on a piece of vintage Japanese hem. I'm happy that Deb is happy with it too.

I met Deb through my blog many years ago. Deb is high school art teacher. She told me she often inspires her students with what I do and posted on my blog. I'm so thrilled to hear that my humble creations have a positive influence on younger generations. Deb regularly posts her students' work on her blog as well. 

Four little blocks together

Block #1

Block #2

Block #3

Block #4

I called my commissioned work Sun and Earth. The name came to me when I worked on the final block, block #4. It's actually gave itself a name when I accidentally stitched the Sun on it. 

I had a lot of fun creating these little blocks. I sometimes had stitching block. I'd walk away for a bit. When I took it up again I moved forward with stitching. It would tell me when it is done as well. Does that happen to you too?

Thanks Deb, for challenging me to create it for you. I have made a few little blocks for exhibition, and in future I might have to make more, but this is the biggest project I've ever made.

Until next time
Nat 

2016

2016 yes, it is here! I read so many online New Year resolutions and they have inspired me. Sadly I didn't make any myself! What will be will be! That how it is for me in 2016. Having had a busy and exciting year last year I must admit I'm a bit tired and want to take it easy this year. I can hear you think, that's not like you! 

Anyway, I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and even better New Year! Whatever you did I hope it was safe, fun and healthy. 

Looking back to 2015 for me was busy, exciting and fun. I had the best time on our Around the world in 80 days trip. The planning now seemed easy, but to think how many countries and cities we visited. It is hard to believe we did it. Everything we planned turned out perfectly. We didn't have any cancellations, delays, missing flights or sickness! In a trip like that one you can't ask for more. The arrangement with families and friends along the way went very smoothly and better than we expected as well. We visited some places for the first time. The places that we had already been to turned out to be as enjoyable as we were hoping for. The accommodation we booked through Airbnb was better that we saw in the pictures. We loved each and everyone of them! Thank you Airbnb! If you haven't already read my posts about my trip please click back to older posts or click HERE.

Today I'm going to share with you some of my Christmas decorations and a some small finished pieces I did since I returned. I've also got a few inspirations that I hope to start soon. Enjoy!

Summer New Year banner to wish you a Happy New Year

Colourful hearts ornaments I have been making

The Treehouse Christmas

My favorite Dear Santa Quilt came out
to play at Christmas

The Trio. Angel, Santa and Snowman

Over sized Christmas Crazy quilt brooch

Complete this Peace for Paris
I started on the trip.

A long slow cloth for 2016 stitching project

A quilt I really like to make in 2016

Vintage cotton yukata at the Blue Alchemy
Exhibition at the NGV

That is it from me. I'm now back to work. It's a holiday period for my university. The only students around are there for summer school. My library is going through a major renovation at the moment. It is due for completion at the end of 2016. I'm excited to be working in the newly renovated library once it's finished. 

I would love to hear what everyone's New Year resolutions are. Please share.

Until next time.

Nat

New York New York

New York, New York. I always wanted to say that! It was a busy stop in New York. We stayed in Brooklyn and took daily trips into Manhattan every day on the Metro. There is so much to do in NYC. We covered a lot in the eight days we were there. Mr Notjustnat and I enjoyed taking photographs in NYC. Every little single thing was worth photographing there. Now you understand why there are so many great photographers coming out of NYC!

There are wonderful museums and galleries in NYC. We visited many of them in a short time. We walked the High Line and crossed the Brooklyn Bridge by foot. I visited Etsy head office and I met up with my childhood friend of fifty years! 

Map of Manhattan

Traffic in Manhattan

Celtic design on the wall of Halsey St station

One of these houses was our Airbnb apartment

Looking for breakfast! What's for breakfast?

Tall buildings in NY

We visited MOMA, the Metropolitan Museum, Brooklyn Museum and the Guggenheim Museum seeing great art. We saw works from the same artists in Amsterdam, London, Berlin and Munich. It made me wonder how many of these great works these artists actually produced? I have a lot of reading to do about these paintings.

Broadway Boogie Woogie 1942-43
Piet Mondrian

Agapanthus 1914-26, Claude Monet

Girl Before A Mirror 1932, Pablo Picasso

By Gustav Klimt

By Gustav Klimt

Gustav Klimt

Portrait of Joseph Raulin 1883
Vincent van Gogh

Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat 1887
Vincent van Gogh

Little Dancer 1879-1881 Edgar Degas

A book by Alberto Burri

Ground 0, 911 Memorial 

The new World Trade centre buildings

Bench at Times Square

Rockefeller Center Ice-link

With Julie Schneider at Etsy HQ

I walked the Brooklyn Bridge

I also walked the High Line

My stitching journal of Brooklyn

We've left NYC and visited Seattle for a quick stop for 4 days. We are now in Vancouver before heading home with a short stop in Auckland. I'm feeling a little sad that our trip is coming to an end. But I'm also looking forward to going home. No place like home right? 

I will cover both Seattle and Vancouver on my next post. Don't miss it. I'm having a fantastic time in Vancouver with my friends here! I hope to be able to get the post up before the Christmas holidays. I hope everyone is gearing up for the holiday season. Having travelled through the US and Canada and seeing all the holidays ornaments everywhere in shops and malls, I now feel that it's time to get home and start to decorating my house too. 

Until next time

Nat