christmas is here

The shopping is done and the tree has a few presents under. The turkey is in the freezer and the roast pork is ready to go.The best thing I have found to do is wait till you have an idea for a gift and then head to the right spot
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES GO TO JUST BROUSE.
Yuck just ttooooooomany sad christmas shoppers out there.Brunswick street has been good and I found a really lovely girl in her shop called "claude the bird". Plenty of hand made gifts for the most deserving amongst my family and friends.

A few more pictures

These cushions are from my screenprinted chicken fabric. this pincushion has black and white Japanese print
with red goldfish on cotton and pink ribbon and a pearl button.

This one has black and pink silk a small piece of orange and pink trim

and a pink silk covered button

Japanese crane fabric and the same red goldfish.

with piping and black and pink silk.

wow for the cushions

Here are some cushions that I am putting in the exhibition at Montsalvat.
Amy and I are part of an exhibition of the residents and tenants of Montsalvat.
I have been sewing and sewing for weeks in all my spare time.
I have made some small pincushions as well.

These ones are courtesy of inspiration from the lovely sister Joey

Lots of pearl buttons from the Camberwell market.

Thai silk in squares to sew the buttons in.

SO here we are Amy and I are in an exhibition at Montsalvat.I dont know if you can read it but it is a joint exhibition of residents and tenants of Montsalvat. There is an arts officer who has been great and she has got this off the ground.I have made four cushions so far .No photos yet!!! and I am making a couple of pin cushions as well. We will wait to try with the placement and display as we get closer to the day. "Bump in" is Tues 9th. and the opening is Thurs.So excited you never know there could be a sale or two. Does anyone have an idea about price,Because I am not sure.I have some beautiful silk and pearl buttons and shot silk and lovely feathers for stuffing....

there was an old house

These photos are really in the wrong place ....... the story starts about five or six pictures down!!!!!
All of the photos are a bit haywire:
this one is inside the house as the lining has been taken off and the weather boards as well. A new window will be in this end wall as well.There is pressed tin on the ceiling and that will take a bit of hunting to find more to replace some that is damaged.
This is the view to the east of the house looking out across the paddocks to the old railway line and beyond that the hills of Healesville.
This is the only image of the mural I can find not the best, but maybe you can get an idea

This is the house before any work was done.

The house has been re stumped and the rabbit holes and wombat holes have been filled in under the floor.The plan is to also extend the verandah out further by about three feet.What a lovely place to sit on a warm summer evening.

There was once an old house way out in Yarraglen, It once belonged to the Boyd family(in about 1910). It now belongs to a rich lady who wants to use it as a holiday house.

The house was lived in for a while by Arthur Boyd's grandparents.

Adam is helping to do renovations to the building,probably till Christmas.

On one wall there is a mural which we have found out was painted by Minnie Boyd,Arthur's grandmother. The story goes that she was a bit of a crazy religious lady and kept painting sunsets and seasonal pictures on all the walls ,with bible quotes and as this was not too well accepted by the husband he would paint over them.

There is one wall ,high above the picture rail that has one remaining mural. It is very hard to photograph. I have tried and I am still waiting for a good photo to emerge

I have been out to the house and I had fun exploring in the out buildings.The property also backs onto the high reaches of the Yarra river . The property was bought for one million dollars there is eighty acres of land and maybe you never know the new owner might need a tenant or a manager !!!!!

This amazing tree sits just outside the front door. It has been valued at $30,000.00 as it is an amazing example of a weeping elm (and we all know about their life prospects).It has an amazing shape, almost Japanese.A bit like a giant version of a bonsai.
There are the loveliest outbuildings to explore. I had fun thinking of the people that had lived and worked there.

Apparently the people sold because there was just too much money and labour involved in maintaining the property....Good luck to the new owners.

The house was built in the early 1900's so not quite a period house but still well worth the visit.

The birthday girl is ready and waiting.....
We were all in the kitchen cooking up a storm.

The sun was out and the white cloth was so bright that all sunglasses were on.

the familiar German birthday song is being sung.... Commonly known as "oyxta boyxta"

Another birthday up our sleeves.

Today it was Amy's turn . We sat outside at the long table near the house on stilts.

The table was laid with big branches of jasmine over a white cloth.

We piled onto it platters with lots of paper thin crepes, with fillings to put together yourself.
The first was fresh tomato, red onion and basil,
The next was Poached chicken with pesto and ricotta
and the last was pear, bacon and blue cheese with cream cheese.

I also made mini raspberry muffins in a pile for the birthday cake. Followded by a large fruit platter with mango pineapple, strawbs,canteloupe and watermelon .And also the traditional large lolly bowl.

Yeah !!!we had a lovely day.

who is this?

What the hell...... sorry just playing and found a cute lizard.....

Its a birthday

Finally the girl has turned eighteen .such a big weekend we had. There was early present opening followed by rushing off to the movies . Adam and I rushed off to the engagement party of Simon,Suzies son. At the same time for early morning champagne breakfast.

As we had such an early start we thought we should do it properly and head to the market REALLY early.We got to the market at ten past six. We managed to do all the party food shop and be back home by eight thirty .With kisses and hugs in bed followed by presents.

We then went our separate ways and met back again at twelve thirty for the birthday pancakes with icecream and strawbs and candles.

We then lolled about with the viewing of a dancing dvd

that Amy gave Lena "Stepup 1....and 2".With some hilarious copying of the dance moves.

It was then time to get ready for the football event .which was Sue and Chris and Eri taking Lena to the football semi final to see Hawthorn play ....someone (I forget ). I made asparagus rolls and packed them off in the car with Lena driving on her "L's" still, in Amy's Car.....While Lena was away I made the poppyseed cheese cake for the birthday cake.and prepared food for the party on Sunday evening.And maybe caught some breath.

Now as I write their has been new updates. Lena HAS her licence and is ON THE ROAD HOORAY!!!!!
Helping me with some chores involving the car.As she heads off into the sunset I have to try really hard not to be too much of a worrier.But god help us from being like Doro!!!
Sorry no photos yet

first day of spring

Here are our lovely chickees. They have grown heaps and are now in the cage outside. They love the grass and weeds .the best to eat is the oxalis.
And any amount of cut bread slices.
The sun is out today and there is warmth in the air.

It is already September. Lots of things happen in September.

A big eighteenth birthday and also a driving test.

We have to plan a party and think about the big sisters birthday next as well.

My garden is growing and growing.

The peas I have trained up the trellis.

I think they are the pea straw flowering but it doesnt matter they are

the mostbeautiful colour.

Also the broad beans and their red flowers are doing really well
.

time for some news

Wow it has been a while .... sorry.
We have three new chickens inside in a box.
They grow every day and make more and more smells.
We just have to be nice to them for a while until they start to lay eggs for us
.
I have all my jobs still.
The Lane is busy and I cook lots of breakfasts and lunches on my shifts.
At the moment I am there on tTuesday and Friday

I have been near the sewing machine as well.
The couch and its loose cover are coming along well.
It has had three fittings now and all is well. I have been to buy a zip at spotlight and
then sewing on the skirt and some hemming is about all....
oh ....as well as the two seat cushions..It is made out of lovely fabric called Cochin twill in the
colour geranium, from an Indian fabric wholesale place in Fairfield .

my home- grown ......friends

this photo is a new broad bean that I found with red flowers.
they are a bit hard to see but they are amazing...
such a deep maroon and we are yet to see,
the colour of the beans WOW......
. can you guess what I have eaten for the last two nights my own .......

BROCCOLI......

You cant believe the joy I have had watching my broccoli grow.

I dont even mind that I had to share last nights with two large green grubs.

our winter solstice

The big night of the big bonfire.

We had made the precaution of notifying "Vic Fire" about our imminent bonfire,

but we had forgotten about letting the local fireys know about the blaze

and so we did have a visit from the boys in the red truck.

After they said they had been looking for us all over Eltham,

they finally left. as we had done the right thing

and registered the fire in the first place and they did say

"have a good one!"

Also as a regular event on the shortest day we have a requirement ,

that you have to wear shorts if you come.

Lucky for us it was quite a mild night.

And so with the intense heat of the fire you could have your coat off and still be warm.

We made homemade potato wedges and treacle toffee and a wee dram of brandy

to keep us warm.

the open road

We drove up to Mildura and beyond to Renmark for the funeral of Sonia Skipper.
Sonia died at the age of ninety just after her birthday.There was a ceremony at the graveside and then we headed back to the house for tea and sandwiches and wine and beer and amazing stories and family feuds.

Eight hours in the car watching the landscape of Victoria pass by .It was really hard to take photos as we were driving they all came out blurry. So we stuck to photos on the day.

Sonia's house was a typical Mallee house with very wide verandahs

to keep the house oh so cool in the sizzling heat of Summer.

All the rooms inside had paintings by sonia and the Skipper clan and friends.

The mighty Murray wound its way around the landscape and we caught glimpses as we drove then back to Melbourne via Adelaide.

We had an overnight stop to see the Rhodin sculptures at the Adelaide gallery.Then back on the road for pizza in Murraybridge and a brown stay in a brown motel in Bordertown.

Then mile after mile of ploughed fields ready for the wheat to sprout

and the whole western wheat belt to grow ,to feed a nation

lovely smoke bush

the loveliest smoke bush
is the one outside my workroom window.

Sewing?... what sewing?

I just had a little think and my blog is not true to its name at the present.
my sewing has gone to the back of the shelf ,due to a sick mother and a VCE
daughter and a vegie garden.
As Autumn turns to winter the idea of the cold workroom is a bit hard ..
If I think about it though I do have two heaters I can turn on,
and I do have a couple of projects on the go.
One is two large seat cushions which I have made out of an amazing Persian rug
from a friend .I have actually done the sewing including backing each piece
with calico as it very loosely woven.
Also gussets and strong zips and strong thread.
The hard part is turning them inside out and filling the foam inserts.
i am going to bring them home and get "Muscles"(Adam) to help me.

I am off to Montsalvat to photograph the Smoke bush and my right side in
cushions..

and more

We have also been hard at the painting of the house.
The south side of our place is getting a lot of attention at the moment.
I have painted and scraped and sanded the wall,
I think you should be able to see some before and after photos