Time for a "Catch Up"

It has been such a long time since I touched base on the blog...in fact it is now over 3 months! So here we are alive and kicking with a few unwelcome bumps along the way! We seem to be surrounded by things that don't make us happy especially hearing of others facing uninvited health challenges. It seems so unfair and just not right especially when some are many years younger than us. But as one of my health professionals said to me recently......."You need to find something that brings you joy every day". So here goes.......the garden has once again been full of joyful roses.....

We have had absolute joy watching a pair of blackbirds make a nest in the garden and hatch four babies........

One baby refused to go and must have stood on the edge of the nest for about three days before it had the courage to leave........

We had joy back in July when Maisie turned seven. The joy on her face was wonderful when she received our gifts including her first sewing machine (and sewing basket), and also the quilt I made her.........

Of  course the little people in our lives always bring joy and they are growing so very fast.......

Stitching always brings me joy and I have filled many hours making bags and purses for a fund raiser...........

Some more lap sized charity quilts that I stitched from projects that others hadn't been able to complete......

And I even finished a double wedding ring quilt that I must have started over 25 years ago and will now be donated.......and I must mention the ongoing thanks to Faye who quilts them all for many of us...she has quilted about 1,300 quilts for charity so far!

I stitched a backpack for Wade's 4th birthday at the end of October and then Maisie said she wanted one too!.......

A shirt for me........

And more joy making a "quilt as you go" quilt for my oncologist.......

Scrolling Instagram mostly brings joy except for the days when I see another young person has lost their life to this evil triple negative breast cancer....so many are under 40 and it is just not right. But many days are flooded with all sorts of William Morris from interiors to tattoos!  

Do visit the links especially the above site as the home is glorious: Haslington House

Hanna H  @generationboendit

Parliament Tattoo and Memoir Tattoo - Kim Saigh

We've had joy exploring other parts of our lovely surrounds too.........

Recently I found the most wonderful embroidery site from Kasia Jacquot, a Polish girl now living in Sydney. Larry now has a kit tucked aside for my birthday next month but I just had to have a peek when it arrived today! There is a wonderful letter to the purchaser.....I hope you can read it as she talks about not looking for perfection and that one must enjoy the process.......more joy and an ideal I just love and agree with! I love Kasia's designs with a touch of her folk heritage and I am looking forward to stitching it. The kits are fabulous and a pre hemmed piece of linen is also included.......

So thankyou for checking in on on us all. I should mention that I should be leading a William Morris in Adelaide tour this week but state borders have only just opened today so we will try for April next year...do hope some of you can join me! My final note of joy is perhaps the joy that others might enjoy .......I have some of my quilts for sale again! You can see a link on the side of this blog or here at this link: Quilts for Sale. It will bring both Larry and myself great joy making room in the house!

William Morris Tour News

Well......."I'm back"!! It has been almost 7 weeks since I chatted and a lot has happened in that time.....two more lots of surgery are behind me and the crazy chemo curls are still with me (but I am trying to embrace them with more colourful headbands), so now it is time to move forward to more positive things.... if we can during this uncertain era of Covid. Our thoughts have most definitely been with our neighbours in New South Wales as they grapple with the increasing daily statistics of the delta strain. 

I am sure we all need something joyous to look forward to so maybe you would like to join me in just over 3 months time (if the jolly borders are open!), on another William Morris in Adelaide tour...in fact this will be the 8th tour I have had the pleasure of sharing since 2018. 

So if this tickles your fancy and you would like to join me for a wonderful week forgetting about all of our worries then let the great team at Renaissance Tours know.......tell them I sent you!! This is just a very tiny glimpse of what we will see (and in no particular order).......sumptuous furnishings, decorative art, traditional Adelaide architecture, beautiful gardens and a whole lot more..........

Just today I had the privilege of sharing some of Adelaide's connection to Morris & Co on the radio with the lovely Claudia Chan Shaw on her Arts Friday program. If you click on this link it will take you to Eastside Radio but please note I am not an "authority" or expert on Morris! I am sure I made a few mistakes throughout the interview but I was a tad nervous! Just scroll down to the little arrow that points to my name Interview. I hope to see you in Adelaide!