Home

Archive - May 2007

Date
  • All
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11
  • 12
  • 13
  • 14
  • 15
  • 16
  • 17
  • 18
  • 19
  • 20
  • 21
  • 22
  • 23
  • 24
  • 25
  • 26
  • 27
  • 28
  • 29
  • 30
  • 31
Type

May 27th

'Ello, ello!

What have we here??

I'm back, and I'm quilting. I just went through a little creative dry patch. They happen occasionally, I've blogged about it here before.

It is a strange phenomenon, where a couple of times a year I lose all interest in making stuff and can't even imagine making anything ever again. It is mildly stressful. But,I am learning to recognise the signs and reassure myself that after a little break, I'll be back to it.

My blog has also be undergoing some maintenance. Nothing much that you will notice (I hope) but it was touch and go there for a while, I almost had to go with a different layout design... which was a bit sad, as I really like this one :-)

Applique Study

Applique Study

May 17th

Underwater Dad

Underwater Dad

May 16th

Cold Weather is to Blame

Shards of a broken bowl found at an old piners settlement on Davey River

When we were kayaking in Port Davey and Bathurst Harbour in South West Tasmania, we spend a day paddling up the Davey River to Davey Gorge. 

Davey River used to sustain a 'pining' industry, Piners would float their huon pine logs down the river then hold them in pine pens, ready for shipping, the pens are still visible today which is a bloody miracle as they are just stakes hammered into the mud at regular intervals... these wooden stakes have lasted over 100 years in the mud and water. 

Huon Pine is a lovely timber, they used to make boats out of it.  It has a beautiful smell and it obviously is resistant to rot, given what I saw.

The piners (and Whalers) are long gone now.  It is a world heritage area.   We did look for evidence of piners at one spot though and found some broken rum bottles and shards of this bowl embedded in the mud.  Very exciting !!  They would just through their rubbish out into the water I suppose, and I imagine these somehow got stuck in the mud and stayed there.  The pattern is (of course) hand painted and I think it is quite lovely.

The shards were left behind at the site (part of the heritage).  But I would like make a piece of textile art using the pattern.  I have a couple of ideas.  Just gotta settle on something!

As you can see, I have been doing some blog maintance.  Riscy upgraded the software, and it is going to take some time to get it all working properly and looking good.

Especially as the weather has turned cold and it is no longer as pleasant to be in my workroom.  And, Riscy and I have been watching The Sopranos on DVD.  Which is addictive, but time consuming.

Shards

Shards

Shards of a broken bowl found at an old piners settlement on Davey River

May 6th

Booklets

I've made a few little sketchbooks recently.  Pamphlet style and bound using my sewing machine.  As simple as you can get!!

They are a handy little size for everyday use.  I love starting visual journals but tend to abandon them before I've used even a quarter of the pages.  My idea with these little booklets is that there aren't many pages, so perhaps they'll fill up before I get sick of them...  Plus they are fun to make :-)

Helle has tagged me with a meme:

Here are 7 random facts/habits about myself:

1.  Today marks the 10th year my partner Chris (aka Riscy) have been together.  He is my best friend and I love him more and more every day.  We are going out for curry tonight to celebrate :-)

2.  I have never wanted to be married.

3.  I was bought up as a Seventh-day Adventist.  I would probably still be one, except I don't think God exists, or any other higher or lower beings for that matter.

4.  I love making stuff.  But more than that, I love learning how things are made, thinking up stuff, planning, dreaming and starting projects.  I'm less inclined to actually finish things.  I need to work more quickly, more spontaneously and more playfully.  I will be focussing on this in the coming months.

5.  We are planning to travel to India later this year or early next year.

6.  I am a Civil Engineer.  My role involves planning and obtaining funding for road projects.  It is the most enjoyable and satisfying job I have had so far.

7.  Riscy thinks my biological clock might have started ticking because I can't seem to stop buying bedlinen, and he thinks it is a sign of nesting (where the hell did he get this terminology from anyway??).  I'm not so sure.  I bought some nice sheets earlier on this year and they were so nice compared to the old sheets we had from Target, that now, I just can't resist the urge to browse through bins of doona covers and sheets when ever we go to Harvey Norman or Myer.

I tag 1,2,3,4

Booklets

Booklets

May 2nd

That Winning Feeling

SPORT 

Riscy and I have taken up Badminton, though we play in separate teams.  Tonight was our third competition night and I won my first match YAY!!!  In fact we won 2 out of the three matches I played... So I feel pretty good.

Last week I learnt that I need to keep my eyes open when attempting to hit the shuttlecock and this week I changed my serve and all of a sudden I became accurate (and more relaxed).

I'm really enjoying playing... even when losing.  Everyone has been really friendly, though I have to work on learning peoples names... as others seem to remember mine LOL

The only thing is that it pretty much wipes out my Tuesday nights, we didn't get home 'til 10 tonight.

WEIGHTY ISSUESI am also going to Weight  Watchers on Wednesday nights.  I was getting to the point where I needed to buy new (bigger) clothes, which would have been totally depressing... so I'm spending my money on weekly meetings instead.  I had forgotten how motivating it can be... I know it sounds dorky, but it is true.  I'm going along with some friends, which I think will make it more fun. 3 or 4 years ago I lost 22kg and I've regained 13kg slowly over that time.  It was time to take action.

PHOTOS 

I took the above photos today.  I like the boldness of the text and the spaces created between the lines of text.

When I was in Tasmania in February I picked up a copy of Typotastic - Issue 2.  This is a magazine devoted to study and celebration of typography and is published by the University of Tasmania.  I do not have graphic design background, but really enjoyed reading this groovy little book.  It is published in a limited edition of 400 copies so I'm glad I spotted it when on my spending spree in Fullers Bookshop.