Bugs, butterfly's, bags, birds, buds and bowls.....and fish......

The beginning of February was our first meeting for T.A.F.A. in Caloundra for 2013.......We had a small group of ladies come along to our get together.......most of the meeting was discussing some challenges for the following couple of months.......and to see the result from the Christmas break Paper Bag challenge.......this challenge has the same guidelines as Art Fibre Group Dunedin http://artfibredunedin.blogspot.com.au .....in the bag was 3 pieces of fabric, some buttons, ribbon etc...then the bags were swapped and the recipient has to make something that they keep.......following are some pictures of their pieces........  

Dee has made this cute little critter

Ellen made this beautiful clutch purse

This great bag was made by Marjorie

Joan made this diary cover .......love the butterfly

This bowl  was stitched by Margaret

The underwater scene was made by Joan Mc

Jo was inspired by the Xmas break with her tree

Junee's Jabiru idea came from a visit to Australia Zoo
(sorry it's sideways......I don't seem to be able to turn it the right way up)

We have so many talented ladies in our group....I find them all very inspiring........our next challenge is from page 146 in a novel.......we have a copy from that page and now have 5 weeks to make something representing that text...........tomorrow we are making felted flowers with Liz and Margaret will be talking about  and showing us how to design and make our own stamps (by recycling foam meat trays) for printing...... until next time

Happy Stitching - - - - - - -

Cathy

Wow, what a few interesting days we have had here.....

We have had over 400mls of rain and lots of cyclonic winds....not sure of the amount of rain as our gauge has overflown twice......lucky we have had no damage although one old dead tree from the neighbor's place fell onto our back fence........we are still with out power it's day 4 now, but this morning we got out internet/mobile service back......so I quickly got in contact with my Mum and sisters, then my friends who have been leaving messages...... we have been using a small generator to keep the freezer / fridge, tv and one fan and computers going.....but at night time there is nothing...felt like I was sleeping in a sauna last night......on the up side of all this for us, is I have been out in the yard weeding the garden in the front....and I started tidying the vege garden yesterday....that's going to be a big job......we had a bright and sunny day yesterday which was starting to dry the yard out so after the heat of the day I mowed most of the lawns......I will have to mow again on the weekend but it won't be such a big job then...........during the afternoons I have been working on the center panel of A Country Journal......very slow progress as there are so many tiny tiny pieces......this is the last panel....I'm hoping to have this quilt finished for the Caloundra Quilt Show this year......

Hanno has just been around to ask Jens to go and help Kerry ( Hanno and Rhonda's son) take some yard rubbish to the dump this afternoon......he was surprised to find out that we don't have power yet as they only lost power for a couple of hours.......we will see what the day brings.......until next time.....Cathy

A morning out.....

I have been a member of Maleny Arts and Group for nearly 6 yrs....... I am part of the Textile Group,  and yesterday ( Thursday ) I was invited to go along to the Quilters Group by Kaylene......The Quilters Group normally meet on a Monday morning........they had booked Pauline Rodgers to come along and give a talk and demonstration about Gadgets that she has available.......what an interesting morning.....

I have doing patchwork and quilting for a long time and seen a lot of products available....a few gadgets that have been around for a long time that I never knew how they worked......I learnt about them yesterday........ I suppose that when you do workshop with different tutors you generally only use what that tutor uses and Pauline also  expanded the uses of those products....... I was impressed and of course bought a couple of new rulers.....the first being a non slip 6 1/2" x 12 1/2" yeah sounds boring but it is supposed to be the best......and the other is multipurpose curved ruler.......I'm looking forward to using both of them in new projects.....

And the best part of the morning was.....it started to rain and it was good rain.......we have not had good rain for many months.....our vege garden is just a mess only have a few struggling onions left.......I have been nursing the flower garden though.......I was given some Lisianthans (not sure about the spelling ) we call them Poor man Roses....by my sister after Dads funeral........

I made a little garden for them mixing some compost to boost the soil and then mulched them with some sugar cane mulch..... so far they seem to be surviving....

I came home to find that Tilly has also been keeping herself amused...

What can I say........

Until next time

Happy Stitching ----------Cathy

I had planned to be a better blogger this year........so now it is nearly the end of January.....and this is my first post.......

My Dad passed away on January 6........

It is very hard to see someone you love so much go from a strong happy hard working man who loved his family and gardening.....to a weak and frail man in 6 months.....who still had a strong will to live.......Dad never thought of himself as an invalid.....he said that he was just dying from cancer.....in the end it was too much for him to fight and Dad was ready to join my brother Peter and my sister Christine in a new journey.....we all miss him so much......

Catching up with friends

Like everyone else I have been busy getting ready for Christmas...I have been making Rumballs all week (4 doule batches)......

 finishing off quilts 

having lunches and catching up with friends....

On Wednesday I met up with Heather and Allen, Margaret and her daughter Angie and grandson Charlie for a picnic lunch at Mooloolabah..... 

it was such a beautiful day and we had so much fun that I hardly took any photos......sorry girls....

Margaret showing us her quilt that she is giving to her Aunty

This is Heather challenge piece from our Christmas in July party

my presents from Heather and Allen.....love the 2013 calendar...Thank you

Saturday I had lunch with the Studio Ladies...(sorry lack of photos again)....we met at the Upfront Club in Maleny, had a delicious lunch then meandered over to the shoe shop, had a look at a couple of dress shops and then visited Colin James for some ice cream.......it was a lovely afternoon and was great to catch up everyone.....then Sandra and I enjoyed a glass of wine back at the Studio........

This is Lorraine's challenge piece from the Xmas in July party

On Wednesday night I caught up with Jenny, Jane and Margret for dinner......

A great night had by all 

A delicious meal

and presents from the girls

We have only met 3 times this year and decided that in 2013 we have to get back into meeting every month again.......we alternate whose house we go to.....and they cook the main meal and then the rest of us divide it up so that......someone brings the salad.....someone brings the dessert and someone brings the wine....and then next month it changes....

I must admit that I have missed getting together this year......but it has been a tough year with a damaged knee then an operation, physio and with  my Dad being so sick...... 

My Dad was rushed to hospital yesterday morning after falling out of bed.......he hit his head and they thought he may have broken a hip.....they did a CT Scan yesterday and he has no broken bones.....thanks goodness for that......he will now be spending Christmas in hospital ........I was going to drive up to see Dad today, but he has been sedated so now I will be heading up to see my family on Thursday......Mum is having Xmas with my sister and they will be spending  time with Dad...

On Xmas Eve we are going to Sandra and Bobs place....and as  Jens is working this week,  he and I are having our first Christmas together in 27 yrs......it will feel a little strange but I am looking forward to it....we are visiting other friends in the afternoon who are also having their first Xmas together....then on Boxing Day, Rhonda and Hanno are having their family Xmas gathering......so another feast that day......then on the weekend Jens and I are going to go to Woodford Folk Festival again.....really looking forward to that.....it's going to another very busy week.....

I hope everyone has a very Happy Christmas enjoying their time with family or friends ......... 

Cathy......

Carnarvon Gorge

Thanks for taking the time to look at my blog.......following a a few photos showing the beauty of the Gorges

There are walking tracks that are only 500m up to 11 km and you can do a 1 week trek....there is also one that has a 1.000 steps....we left that for another time......hope you enjoy the photos......

Cathy

Rosebed St Gallery

If you are on the Coast and are lost for something to do this weekend......head out to Eudlo, there is a Gallery that has a fabulous display of local artist.......

I was amazed at the variety of crafts.....there was Altered books, metal work silversmith, textile, mini basket weaving,

My friend Jenny from onevintageday.blogspot.com.au/ has some of her work there too (oops I don't know what I have done but I can't seem to get the link to Jenny's blog).......anyway.....the gallery's website is down at the moment......but if you head out that way just park in front of the local store and the gallery is right next door.....then you can walk a block and there is a Cafe called Sweethearts.......

Here is a link to
http://rosebedstgallery.com/small-artworks-from-sunshine-coast-artists/

Cathy

Day 1 of Qld tour

Our first day of travelling we were heading to Chinchilla for the night.......via Kilcoy, Esk, Jondaryan Wool Shed and then Bunya Mountain, through Goombungee, Akland, and  Jandowee......even though we were off the beaten track the roads were good to travel on.......

 so after a night at Chinchilla we headed to Roma......

We stopped to top up our supply's as we were camping at Carnarvon Gorge at Takarakka Bush Resort for 3 nights.......In Roma it was 39 degrees and people everywhere......after talking to a lady in town......it was the biggest Race Day on Roma's Calendar....and they expected over 10,000 people the weekend...... The German visitors were amazed at the wide streets, so we went for a walk around town and found a air-conditioned Cafe to have lunch......and then headed north to Injune.....While driving out of town we drove past the racecourse and saw all the guys and girls dress up in their finery.....and the most beautiful horses

On our way to Carnarvon Gorge we could see storm clouds building up...so it was a race to beat the rain....as there is a big section of dirt road and a couple of little creeks we had to drive through......it's ok if you have a 4WD but the Golf could easily get stuck......but we got there and it didn't matter if it rained then.....

What a beautiful place......it was good to go back and explore the gorges again......Jens, Micheal and Sascha walked the big tracks....that took over 6hrs....Martina and I walked 3 of the smaller tracks over a couple of days.....that added up to about 18km .....it was worth every step.....

Thanks for following.....I hope you are enjoying our trip through Qld.....more tomorrow

Cathy

Our little tour of Qld

We love travelling whether it is in Australia or overseas.  We have been very fortunate to have visited most cities in Australia. We have also traveled to many countries and there are still many places to go to on my/our Bucket List.....Jens and I often talked about a slower,  slightly off the beaten track trip around Central Queensland......but as Jens work involves a lot of driving we just talked about it.....and it was on our Going To Do List.....who wants to drive all week and then go on a driving holiday.......

But.....when Jens cousin and her husband, son and her cousin from Germany decided come over for a holiday....a driving holiday was organized to show them our beautiful State.......so after many weeks of planning the trip through Central Queensland was organized......There were 6 adults and a 3 yr old on this tour as Hanno was to come along also.....Jens was to drive one car and Hanno was taking his car.....so we were all ready to go and at the last minute Hanno was advised by his Doctor not to go.......so this meant that I had to take my car........just as well I had the car serviced a couple of weeks ago......

We were up bright and early on Friday ready to go......I was a little anxious about driving so far.....usually I'm the passenger.....so this time I'm driving and Sasha is the passenger.....which is interesting as I know every little German and Sascha knows very little English.....

Anyway this is the map of our tour.....

and check out the distance we drove in 12 days

It was a great trip....the visitors loved it and are talking about coming back again in a couple of years......

There were so many beautiful places to visit and we did as much as we could in such a very short time.....I will post more photos tomorrow......until then....Cathy