weather balloons R us

I know I am a bit slow but I finally have some photos of the Hugh Mcspeddon weather balloon cover.......
First the balloon, made from latex was put inside the cotton stretch cover and slowly inflated with a vacuum on reverse. It slowly started to rise and the apparition grew and grew in the barn at Montsalvat.

I had to keep checking that the fabric was not caught on the floor and we kept watching as it grew.

Matcham just sat there so mind blown by the event he kept saying "whats it for "and "oh my WE could make a building scaffold out of this"

I was so happy to see it grow .We did have to stop blowing before it got to full size as we thought it would hit the rough timber of the posts in the barn.I tended up about twelve feet diam.With the perfect shape of the sphere in the cotton interlock fabric.

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.