Sydney Miniatures Fair - May 2014

What a whirl-wind it has been for us - Sydney for 2 weekends in a row!!  I'm absolutely exhausted - but have had a most wonderful time.  The Sydney Fair was fun - as usual.  We were kept busy and it's always so nice to catch up with others of like mind!

Courtyard pics:
I promised pics of the courtyards worked on the previous weekend and here I will show you the ones that came to Sydney to be displayed.

On the left by Christine Kenny.  I'm sure she will send me pics when she finishes this!!  On the right, by Kaye Payne.  Well done Kaye!

On the left by Kay O'Connor and on the right by Yvonne McSwann.  Great work ladies!

By Elizabeth Barnes - who opted for the extended version!

Back view of Elizabeth's courtyard.  Great work for getting it all done Queen Lizzy!

I was so thrilled with the outcome of this workshop.  Every courtyard has a character all of it's own. Super work - everyone!!

Sydney Show 2014

Nambucca Valley Miniatures Group usually takes a display to the show and this year we did.....

Our sheds - so pleased - and they all turned out so differently!

Willunga was there - all lights working!!

My Apothecary room box.  I think it's been away from home for over 2 years, so I was very happy to see it again!!

The people you run into!!  Peter and Miriam from Ulmarra, who are members of the Nambucca Valley Miniatures Group!

Some general snaps taken at random!

Lorraine of Fairy Meadow Miniatures - having a good time!

Some of Margaret Crosswell's gorgeous work!

Lyn Wilson's lovely work!

Dianne Cottrell's lovely plants!

Nora-Lee manning theAMEA table!

Peter  - literally "manning" the stand!

Not much left - which means get back to work for me!!

Wow - I seem to have been going on and on here - but never mind.  I shall stop now and leave you all in peace.  I hope everyone is keeping well out there in blog land - take care all.

Italian Courtyard Workshop - Linnwood House - Anzac Weekend 2014

It certainly was a blast for me - I had such a good time, and I hope everyone attending did likewise!!

Linnwood house was the setting - and was it just beautiful!

Plenty of room to move around - here we have just set up ready to go!

As you can see - lunch was catered superbly by Nora-Lee and Thelma!  Thanks so much ladies - you did a wonderful job - the food was yummy!

Participants a bit tardy getting to the lunch table - too busy working!  hahaha!

Everyone working hard!

Christine (all the way from Mackay in North Queensland) working hard!

Yvonne McSwan's work in progress!  Doing well!

We were in such a rush at the end of it all - we didn't get a group photo!  Won't make that mistake ever again - group photo on the first day is the order of progress!!! 

Our dinner get-together on Saturday night - good food, excellent company!

My next posting will show the work done by all the wonderful participants.

Reporting in - part two......

Showing some of the weaving work done recently - I've had so much fun with these!!!!

The hedgehogs are just gorgeous - made by Annie Willis, UK.  She makes some gorgeous animals!

Some old styles, some new styles!  I just love the hanging baskets - I surprised even myself!! hahaha!  I just wish I could weave faster.

I should take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy easter - hope your holiday weekend has been wonderful!

Reporting in........

I've been busy.  I'm off to Sydney on Thursday to run a little workshop working with paperclay - which I am so looking forward to.  The workshop itself will run over three days which gets us home again very late on Sunday night.  Then on Friday, we are off to the Sydney Miniatures Fair.  I shall definitely have lots to show and tell in the next couple of weeks!

In the meantime, I have been working on Willunga and here are a few pics.

Willunga front declared finished

Interior

Kitchen

The lights have yet to be installed - but that is a job for next week!  This is going to be exhibited at the Sydney Miniature Fair so it will be ready!  Hahahaha!

My shed!

This little shed was a project of our miniature club.  We were each given the supplies to build this - and they all look so different.  The club is exhibiting the sheds too - I will take pics of them all at the Fair.

The floor in this shed looks blue - but it isn't really!  It's a concrete floor and is grey-ish!!

I have also been working on baskets - maybe I'll get a chance to show them before the madness of the next 2 weeks starts - and maybe not!!  We shall see.

I hope everyone is keeping well.  The weather here is cooling down nicely - daytime temps are down to 23-24 degrees and nights are just great for sleeping now!  Which means that all you people in the northern hemisphere must be getting some warm weather happening - soon at least!  Take care everyone - and cheers!

Post script to my last posting.......

I could not upload these 2 photos and was determined that I would get these pics up as well!!  More baskets.....of course!  Main reason being to show the different borders I have been playing with.

A lidded storage basket finished with a simple trac border
measures 30mm high

Top view of basket

Storage basket finished with a rolled border

And that's it from me for now.  I hope you are all keeping well and busy.  All you people in the northern hemisphere must now be moving towards spring and hopefully some warmer weather - have fun in the sun!  Take care of yourselves and bye for now!

Some new baskets and other stuff!!

I have too many projects on the go at the moment - but at least it's keeping me busy!

I have been working on items for Willunga.  I've made a wing back chair and dining chair but will photo these later when I have the table and hutch finished as well.  I have made a bed, but need to finish off with a mattress and bed clothes before I can photo those!  I have also made a double "concrete" laundry tub which I will house in the back yard - will photo this when I have installed it.

What I do have a photo of is the screen I made for the bedroom so at least I can show that!!

You will notice I snuck an egg basket in to the pic!!

Large shopping basket with 1 row of decorative diamond weave

Small shopping basket with a double row of decorative diamond weave

The 2 baskets together showing size comparison

A Day of Miniatures............

And I can't believe it has been a week since we made the trip to Grafton (an hour and a half's drive from us) to visit Yvonne McSwann.  We had a wonderful day interacting with the Grafton Miniature's Group - good food, good company, and a lot of laughs.

But what I really wanted to show you is the extent of Yvonne's collection.  Dolls, bears, miniatures, scapbooking and the list goes on - she does it all - and collects it all.  I will try and show you some of her collection now.............

....but first, an introduction to Yvonne!

As you walk in to her "hobby" room, this is what you see - and it's just one third of her whole area!

Left side of the first room

Right side of the first room

These 4 photos are some of the detail on the centre table!  Could not get it all as lots of moving parts and my camera could not cope!

One of her dolls houses - work in progress!

Centre table in second room!  Again lots of moving things!

Okay - now I'm going to stop.  Believe me, I could go on....but I think you've all got the idea now.

Above this whole area is the attic, which is stacked with boxes - all neatly labelled.  These house all her "Christmas" collection which get to be displayed in the holiday season.  I wish I  could be so organised!! hahahahaha!!!!

Anyway, the short story is that we had a wonderful day.

Hope you are all having fun and keeping in good health.  Talk again soon, when I hope I can at last have some pics of my completed Willunga!!

Take care!

2014 so far!!

Australia Day has come and gone and that marks the end of the holiday season for us!!  All the holiday makers will have headed home, leaving us locals to the lovely beaches and some peace and quiet!  I may have been quiet for a little while, but have been working.

Firstly, I have put wheels into motion - preparing for several shows coming up in the next 15 months.   I'm getting in with an early start in the hope that I don't end up doing nothing but weave in my usual frantic efforts to have enough stock.  I'm determined to spread the load so I have a little time at least to enjoy doing things other than baskets - hahaha!

I have been working on a new border!  I should mention that I do not glue borders to my baskets.  I always finish with a woven border or a bound border, depending on the basket I am making.  Most baskets in real size are finished with what is called a "commercial border" and that is what I use for the majority of my baskets.  It took me 2 years to get the ending on the border correct - slow learner here!! Worth it in the end.  Of course, the choice in borders is huge - and I have selected the 2 rod, 3 stroke plaited border to master.  The start and end are the crucial bits.  If you get the start wrong, then the end won't happen.  As you can see from the image below, I have not cut the threads yet.  They will all be unpicked and I will start again.  And again.....and again......and again - until I am satisfied.  I haven't got the tension right yet and I need to cement the start and finish bits.  Not too worried about how long this will take though.  It's not a border that one would use a huge lot - especially in baskets with handles etc even in full size baskets.  However, it does look good say on a fruit bowl type basket, on trays and platters and on cradles.  ENOUGH OF THE BORING STUFF!!

2x3 plaited border

This little birdcage was inspired by the bird feeder I bought at the end of last year.  It measures 68mm from base to tip and 40mm at its widest point.  I was quite happy with the result.  You will notice that I did not put a border on this one at all.  For sale ones will have a border!

Birdcage

The fishing creel, which I have been wanting to make for so long!  At last I've worked out a shape I am happy with.  This one does have a border on the lid - a very basic trac border.  I'm really happy with this one!  Measurements - 38.5mm long, 28mm high at back, 25mm deep - opening lid.

Fishing creel

And here are a couple random shots just for something different - Been practising using my new camera and loving it.

A bromeliad in the garden

A couple of fisher-persons 

More fisher-people!

Another orchid

And that's it from me!  Hope everyone is well and already tackling the year with gusto!!  I have to otherwise I will run out of time!

Take care, all of you!

A HAPPY NEW YEAR........

to all those who visit here!

I hope you have all had a happy holiday season and that 2014 will be a wonderful year for everyone!

Two shopping baskets.....

........which I finally finished last night.

The two shoppers look about the same size in this picture - but they aren't!!

The small one measures 33mm long

The large one measures 37mm long