Retreating with Jude Part 2

I am home safe and sound back in the company of my very 'bestest' and it is always so nice to see him after being away! Biggest thanks to Judy for another wonderful few days of laughing, sharing and caring......with a bit of stitching thrown in too. Judy works tirelessly cooking and preparing beds for us all and I know how much everyone appreciates her especially me. Judy has also done a report on her News from Jude blog so now this is my version! A new group of girls arrived at lunchtime on Monday and once again there was much chatter and laughter. Some of the laughter was a result of the most delicious home-made Limoncello from Marion and on a hot day with ice it was amazing.......thanks so much Marion......

 Hilda did manage a few stitches between all the laughter. Hilda is such great fun and others also enjoyed her humour and company on a Whitecroft William Morris tour in 2012 and a May Morris tour in 2014 in the UK.........

 Marion is expecting a new little granddaughter in the UK very soon and what a wonderful wallhanging she completed for her.........

My obsession with rope bowls resulted in Pauline having a try and she was thrilled to complete her very own in the two days. (I think she has a clip in her mouth!)........

  I even managed some stitching so made one for Judy and it is now a new home for all her keys. And then today I finished another for her to use in the kitchen for her fruit........

 Verna drove from Victoria and it was so lovely to see her again having spent time with her on a Whitecroft William Morris tour in 2014 along with Pamela. Sadly Pamela couldn't come but we caught up on all her news....Hi Pamela! Verna completed a fabric box and then set about making a mystery quilt designed and packaged by Judy......

 Kathleen hand stitched for two days and it looks like she also enjoyed that Limoncello..........

 Di now has her tree linen background all quilted and bound and is ready to embroider some more wool felt birds for all those branches ........and Di also told me many of those rabbits of mine had their eyes too far back so they've been restitched and look much better - thanks Di!.....

 Marion was working on her version of the 'Morning Glory' quilt from my second book "More William Morris in Appliqué" and it is looking stunning..........while Hilda had fun with her phone camera..........

 Some dear person gave me this beautiful thread catcher many years ago and I feel so sad and embarrassed that I did not record who that was. I am hoping maybe that person might be reading this and can perhaps share where we can get the pattern. We all had a go re-creating it but our versions were unsuccessful! This one of mine is used all the time and so very special to me......so please remind me who you are!......

 Thanks to everyone who joined us and of course to Judy for all her hard work. And thanks also to the wonderful girls who popped in to say hello and have their Beatrix Potter books signed (with some more copies bought too - thankyou). I drove home with Hilda, Marion and Di and the four and a half hours went very quickly with all the natter and laughs. And then I was thrilled to receive this gift from them all - this most wonderful book published by the National Trust. It is full of Beatrix's beautiful drawings with many accompanying photos and stories of her incredible life. I highly recommend it and you can purchase it direct from the National Trust (and it is also on Amazon)........thnakyou so much girls...your inscriptions and the book will be treasured forever.......

 I received another beautiful gift from Pat on the weekend - a lovely hand stitched runner using the William and May Collection fabrics designed by Jason Yenter of In the Beginning fabrics. It looks lovely on the dining table but then I decided maybe the sideboard would be better. I just love it Pat and thankyou so much........

 And if that wasn't enough I received this scissor fob made by Helen and in my favourite colour of orange.  Helen also made one for me to bring home for Faye who also loves orange.......

 And two more! I might put one away for Maisie for when she starts sewing with me one day. Thankyou Helen.....

 So that is the two retreats all wrapped up so back to tasks at home. We had some shopping to do this afternoon and on the way down the expressway I managed to capture this incredible cloud formation on my phone. During the ABC news tonight they shared some more spectacular photos that you can see on this site HERE where you will learn that it is an anvil thundercloud............

The cloud formation apparently hovered over the Barossa Valley and dumped a whole lot of rain.....we could do with some of that down here too! So for now we are enjoying a wonderful cool evening breeze as we enter the first week of Autumn - only you wouldn't know it as we have not had a day under 30C for the past week and we have another week of heat ahead. So keep smiling and more soon x