Ropes and Roses

As always this past week has brought some happy times and even some new experiences! Late last year I received this very special textile bowl all hand stitched by Janie for my 60th birthday and I love it........

Over lunch when I received it Rosie and I asked Janie if she would show us how to make one.........so this past week I had a wonderful day with them both as we nattered over a glass of wine and a fabulous lunch of nibbles at Janie's place........

 The creative mess was testament to our diligence and and it was so nice to be on the receiving end of being shown how to do something new too. The bowls are actually made up of rope covered in narrow strips of fabric and my palette was muted neutrals with a bit of Morris thrown in..............

 Rosie used some wonderful African fabrics and Janie and I have taken some to make bowls to help with a fundraising project. You can read about Rosie's daughter Celeste and her son-in-law Luke HERE where you will read of their time in Uganda in 2007. They are an inspiration and their efforts here at home continue to help the community in the area of health particularly for children. They now import The Spirt of Mbale coffee beans from the Mt Elgon region and we're looking forward to ours arriving very soon. So these fabrics will soon become rope bowls and will be a small way of helping their cause as well.......

 Of course one goes off on a tangent when one gets excited about learning a new skill and I found even more inspiring rope bowls on the internet! I've put the website underneath each photo where you will find even more......

Veronica Darling

 We Are Scout

Barbara Warholic

While on the subject of stitching I am pleased to say the final hand stitching of the Peter Rabbit bed runner was completed last night. I just love the texture of the Japanese fabrics with the hand stitching and I hope little hands will like it as well.......

 I should have all the interactive pieces completed soon so I will be sure to share that.....and quite possibly with yet another version of Peter Rabbit! While researching rabbits I have come across some delightful websites and very clever people and I adore these needle felted versions from Natasha Fadeev who lives in Russia.......

 Alison in New Zealand recently emailed me when she heard of my trials with making my own version of Peter Rabbit and shared a site from the UK...thankyou Alison! This site Little Cotton Rabbits is just delightful and it was here that Alison actually purchased the pattern to make these beautiful bunnies that she so kindly gave me when they came to visit (and that might have been before Beau and Maisie made it into the world and now they are loved by them each time they come to visit)........

 So we've talked of "ropes" so now to the "roses" and what roses we saw today including the stunning William Morris rose! The planning for the William Morris in Adelaide" events are falling into place and today we had a two hour meeting at the stunning Auchendarroch House where I met with two other namesakes but unlike me both spelt with two L's! It was wonderful to share our mutual passion for William Morris and I am in awe of what the Wallis Family have done to renovate this grand home that was once lived in by Robert and Joanna Barr Smith.The millions of dollars to restore the house including the original Morris wallpaper is just a start and now there is only Michelle left to continue the legacy her father started. And to find her clutching Beatrix Potter books when we met was quite incredible too - we both have the same passion! So I think William Morris and Beatrix Potter will be coming alive in Adelaide in the future......so exciting and amazing that one door closes and another opens in life! So I will leave you with the roses and scenery at this beautiful place where we will be sharing something special with those of you coming in 2018 or 2019.......