Spring Down Under

Spring is here. We have two beautiful fruit trees in our back yard. One is apricot and the other one is plum. They are both producing gorgeous blossoms in Spring and fruit in Summer. 

Many little projects are always on the go here in my Treehouse Studio. Also the dyeing pot is steaming away on the back deck. I often gather some dye-able leaves on my walks during the week and in the weekend I quickly prepare dye bundles and steam. I love the feeling of participation when I reveal the dye bundles. 

I'm also working on some gentle stitch projects using old doilies, lace, embroideries and beads. I have been collecting old doilies and old lace over the years. It's time to put them into good use. Another project is crazy quilt block I'm doing online. I'm really enjoying it, but a bit slow with precise stitches. It's coming along very well.  

Below are various photos of life happenings at Notjustnat's residence!

Spring blossom

A birthday present for Treehouse Studio

Lots of doilies

Book cover in the making

The Book of Tea is wrapped!

Tiny little box

First book cover using doilies

Tin-Cushions

Dyed and drying

More dyeing

Old leaves to dye for

CQ basic block

Spring time wouldn't be the same without some spring seedlings. I potted some Petunia and Lobelia for the Treehouse Studio's landing. Can't wait for them to flower! The apricot is also full of blossoms. I hope they will give us lots of fruit this summer. I know some of you are heading into Fall/Autumn. Changing seasons is always welcome. Enjoy!

Until next time.

Nat    

Vertigo - Ménière's disease

A few years ago I had never heard of the word Vertigo or Ménière's disease! Suddenly last week I came down with this Vertigo disease. Now the word Vertigo sounds like my best friend to me! Vertigo knocked me literally flat on my back for a week. Every time I opened my eyes the room would take me for a spin for a long moment! The only way to stop the ceiling from spinning was to keep both eyes shut tight. Imagine having to do that for a week. Not fun, not at all! As doctor ordered I was off work for the whole week. I really needed that too. 

I felt a little better on the fifth day. I was able to have a shower while holding on to something. I found a cold shower helped to knock out Vertigo. It's definitely a warm weather disease! 

No question about attempting to do something fine so during my visit up at the treehouse I found some old doilies I has collected to make pincushions. I decided I would make a couple of them. They were long overdue on the must make list. The next day I felt even better so I put on a batch of dye. Dyeing doesn't need any fine tuning skills or concentration. I could do that even when I was light headed!

Pincushions turned out lovely.
I should make a few more!

Dye bundles resting the following day

Gathering odds and ends for dyeing

Little beauty from a friend goes splendidly
with my dyed fabric. 

I'm now well again so returning to work is a must. I only spent half a day for the first day back. Half a day was spent explaining to all my caring colleagues what was wrong with me that made me take a whole week away from work. It was touched to get all that attention and care from friends and colleagues. I'm so lucky to be part of such a wonderful working environment!

Until next time

Nat

Getting Back to Normality!

Life is getting back to normality again here. This is my second week back at work and things are happening at work with the beginning of the library refurbishment. Also it's nice to get back to the daily routine. You go to bed and wake up at a more civilized time. You get dressed and there are places to go to each day! Does that make sense to you? I also made travel plans for the second half of 2015.

A few things happened this month that got me excited! I would normally feel down after Christmas, but with a few things to do I'm all energy and ready to face 2015. I've set a date for the Tree House warming party on the last day of January. I've been working on a guest book for the studio warming party. 

The book is finished.

Book cover in stitching process.

Speaking of the Tree House studio. I took down the Christmas quilts I put up for Christmas and replaced them with the collection of my small quilts. Some of them were quilts I made in my early quilting career. You can see that even then I couldn't just keep to one type of quilting!

Flamingo quilt stands out among the rest.

Books and baskets at the other
end of the room.

A few photos with a Japanese theme to follow. I met up with Jacky for lunch last week. It was lovely to catch up with her after a long time. After lunch we visited Ziguzagu for the after-Christmas sale. 

The tall Kokeshi doll is the new
acquisition from ZZ.

Small Japanese inspired quilt I made for a gift.

Robert Joyce the co-owner of Kazari/Ziguzagu 
has a brilliant way to transport furniture
around the shop. He told me he learnt it
in Bali when he was 18. 

Japanese garden at Japanese Language Centre at
my university.

I did more dyeing since DIL left after New Year. You know, one gets addicted to dyeing when one starts. I have so much dyed fabric that I swore I will have a break from dyeing for awhile, but that promise didn't last for long before I started dyeing again. Here are some results of the batch.

Bundles after steaming

Another piece dyed with rose leaves.

Dyed silk hanging out to dry.

Juvenile Eucalyptus leaves. 

Kangaroo paws and Eucalyptus leaves.

Mixed Eucalyptus leaves.

I know I haven't been posting regularly. I appreciate that you are still reading my blog, so thank you. My next post is going to be about the Tree House studio warming party. I hope I will have time to take photos on the day.  

Until next time

Nat