a day in the country

a few of the moments captured last Sunday whilst out enjoying a wonderful day in the countryside

yummy wood fired pizzas, great company, lots of chats and even a bit of fabric rubbing

Thanks Ali for your wonderful hospitality

SAQA Oceania Studio Blog Hop

Throughout the month of May we've enjoyed virtual visits to the studios of fifteen SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates) members who live in the Oceania Region. Each member shared photos/video of our creative spaces on our respective blogs - a studio blog hop.

Mel  Forrest (1st  May)

Sue  Dennis (3rd  May)

Lisa  Walton (5th  May)

Linda  Robertus (7th  May)

Dale  Rollerson (9th  May)

Averil  Stuart-Head (11th  May) 

Beth Miller (13th  May) 

Sally  Westcott (15th  May)

Ali  George (17th  May)

Pam  Holland (19th  May)

Felicity  Clake (21st  May)

Brenda Gael Smith (23rd  May)
Alison  Lawrence (25th  May) 
Jenny  Bowker (27th  May)
Sue  Domeney (29th  May)
Pop across and enjoy a visit to our studios

on the studio wall

Currently on the design wall - I'm enjoying working on a piece inspired by our macadamia nut tree.

Photos printed onto fabric combined with hand dyed &, painted fabric, commercial fabrics and also created some rubbed fabric with Shiva Oil Sticks using the different textures and natural knots on the trunk & branches

Spring Bluff Railway Station

Last Sunday, we enjoyed a delightful High Tea in the café at “Spring Bluff Railway Station” approximately 2 hours (135klms) west of Brisbane. The cafe is open Friday to Sundays 930am - 4pm and during the Carnival of Flowers which happens on the Toowoomba Range every spring the cafe opens daily and the gardens which surround the station are in spectacular bloom.

For many years the train was the main form of transport between Brisbane and Toowoomba. Construction of this train line commenced in 1864 and the first train passed through the station in 1867.  In 1914, Queensland Railways launched a garden competition to encourage railway staff to beautify the stations and grow vegetables. This challenge was enthusiastically embraced by the then Station Master Ralph Kirsop and his wife Lillian. These days the stations' Trust management committee maintains the site and gardens.

SAQA Studio Blog Hop

Today we can enjoy a visit into the creative studio space of artist Ali George. 

Ali along with Lisa Walton are the SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates) Oceania Reps

on the 19th May enjoy a visit to the studio of Pam Holland 

brilliant pink, brilliant green - dragonfruit

The plan this morning was to heavily trim back the dragon fruit plant that we have growing. To date it hasn't fruited much and of course we haven't maintained the pruning of it so it's a bit out of control. So we were planning on pruning it right back this morning and shifting it to a different location within the garden - a spot with more sun. Well once wonderful husband got up on the ladder to reach the top section of the plant we discovered several fruits. So the heavy pruning became a light trim.

Not only are these tropical fruits nice to eat, the colors of this variety are quite striking.
We'll look at heavy pruning once it's finished fruiting

studio blog hop

Throughout the month of May 15 SAQA (studio Art Quilt Associates) members who live in the Oceania Region will be sharing photos of the spaces that we use to create. These photos will be shared on our respective blogs - a studio blog hop. So far we have enjoyed a peak into the studios of the following members: 1st May - myself, 3rd May - Sue Dennis, 5th May - Lisa Walton and 7th May - Linda Robertus.

And coming up this week we can enjoy a peak into the following artist studios: 9th May - Dale Rollerson, 

11th May - Averil Stuart-Head, 13th May - Beth Miller, 15th May - Sally Westcott

Pop across and visit the studios

brekkie + book

Spotted & purchased this delightful book this morning while at Riverbend Books & Teahouse having brekkie and coffee with the Broadstroke girls. The book is called 'Baking Day' and is a collection of retro baking recipes and vintage craft put together by the Women's Weekly and published by ACP Books

The recipes and the craft projects appealed but what I really loved is the presentation. 

The illustrations, photography and layout is delightful and very inspiring.

                    

Liebster award

I was surprised and honored to be nominated for the Liebster Blog a few weeks back by textile artist Sue Dennis imagine my delight when a second nomination came through this week from Judy Cooper who follows my blog from across the seas in Canada. 

Thankyou Judy for enjoying my blog and nominating me the Liebster Blog.

 "The Liebster award (German for Favorite) is usually presented to smaller blogs as a form of recognition and support. 'Smaller blog' is one with 200 followers or less. As a recipient you are to:"

1. Link back to the person who gave it to you and thank them.

2. Post the award to your blog.

3. Give the award to 5 bloggers with less than 200 followers that you appreciate and value.

4. Leave a comment on the 5 blogs to let them know that they have been offered this award.

With so many wonderful blogs to enjoy, it's hard to narrow it down to just five.

In no particular order

Auchenflower to Wherever

Art With a Needle

Pen & Think

Angelia's Art Journals

Aliquilts

taking notes

When I'm surfing the net, preparing a blog post or just enjoying browsing through my photo folders, I'm always looking for scrap paper or something to jot notes onto. I'd sorted through some paperwork earlier in the week and had a pile of scrap paper. Today I turned the scrap paper into a couple of little booklets, modified a box to hold the booklets in, covered the box with a couple of magazine pages and now I have something to keep nice n handy next to the computer.

studio tour

Welcome to my studio

this wall is a combination of past works, current works and future ideas. 

As I collect images for a project I often stick them onto the wall, move them around, 

stick up notes, sketches etc so basically it's my live mood board. 

some of my supplies and where I hang works in progress

shift a couple of things around and add a few plastic drop sheets and
you have the wet area for painting/dyeing

 and when I'm wanting to temporarily spread out, I move the machine and iron into a room that 

we've converted to be a library & sitting area. I enjoy the view from this room as well

I really enjoy these two rooms

Throughout the month of May starting today 1st May and then every second day from there - 15 SAQA members who live in the Oceania Region will be sharing photos of the spaces that we use to create. These photos will be shared on our respective blogs - a studio blog hop. This week the artist studios being featured are 1st May - myself, 3rd May - Sue Dennis, 5th May - Lisa Walton, 7th May - Linda Robertus Each week I'll pop a list on my blog of who's going to be sharing their studio spaces.