I think I've retired from nursing?!!

Today was just another day - but was it? I have just worked my last day as a registered nurse. I have given 35 years to nursing - tried to 'retire' before but we won airfares to London in a raffle and I had to go back and earn my keep so we could afford to go!! So 12 years later I am trying again.! So what is retirement? For me it is a serious change in my career............quilting I hope and who knows where it might go? Mind you the book has not been my reason for my final nursing days- far from it as I have found out in reality how little authors earn. Much worse that I thought so for those of you thinking of publishing....please, please get your contracts checked by legal writing services before you sign it.

But with all of that it is still an exciting future and I thank my dear husband for allowing it to happen.

So today I received some wonderful flowers, some Pandora from my workmates and the doctors have given me a holiday voucher - WOW! And I also received this fascinating book yesterday from a very dear friend - full of snippets and memorabilia from Beatrix Potter's diary.

Have a great long "Queens Birthday weekend"

Quilt Show Sydney

I have just completed an exclusive pattern for attendees at the Sydney quilt show next week (June 10th - 14th) http://www.craftfair.com.au/Sydney2009/app/pages/view/special_events__lectures/

Come and say hello! The pattern is based on a William Morris design called Artichoke - it is a small section from an 1877 embroidery.

Heavenly Autumn

Autumn is my favourite time of year. I planted the liquid amber almost 20 years ago and I have to say the show of colour this year has been sensational. Not sure if the drought might have created the best colours we have seen for years??.........we have lost our silver birches though - two down and one looks very sad.

Morris in the Nursery

Just had to share this delightful picture of Larry about to go out for tea with his brand new jeans on!! I missed that label!!! (cardboard and all)

Our week in Robe was heaven. The open fire was on every afternoon by 4pm and lots of drawings and cuttings were produced. Also a few glasses of wine and I finished a Jodie Picoult book. Here is a little peek at the nursery quilt - a cot size quilt..........i will be doing a lot of embroidery on this one. The row by row single bed quilt has almost got the applique ironed on.
And I also managed to design a new sampler quilt.....nine new 16" William Morris inspired designs!! Amazing what you can get done away from the phone and hum drum of routine at home!

Quick and easy warm quilt

When Mum moved into care late last year I started a sewing group with a few of the ladies. It was a great way to spend a day with Mum once a week - but when she died unexpectedly 7 weeks later I found it hard to continue there. So instead I am going to a facility closer to home...........I decided that "we" could make some warm and cuddly lap quilts for residents.

BUT.....it has been hard convincing residents to join in - The response varies from 'I can't see', 'the arthritis' etc.......but one dear lady Betty has done all the cutting of the applique. I used bright polar fleece and appliqued the flowers on 12 1/2" squares. Unfortunately I had to do all the applique myself so had to resort to machining! I am pleased with the end result and I even found a great backing to co-ordinate! They are so warm and cuddly that i think I want one - might even make some for my daughters ......IN MY SPARE TIME!!

Don't you just love weddings?

We have had a complete change in weather - rain (which we needed so badly) and gale force winds! But Kamille from work still looked so composed and so classically beautiful.

Rain!!

Borders are finally appliqued to the "William Morris Garden" quilt - now for the quilting!


"Red morning.....shepherd's warning"

After 9 months we are finally having some decent rain. We have quite forgotten what that looks or sounds like.....and forgotten how slippery the roads are when it is wet. The sunrise photo was taken at 6.30am this morning over my back fence.

And to all the scquilters who drop by.......thanks for the great weekend - so good to meet you!

Easter

What beautiful weather we have had for these four days of Easter. Larry and I spent two of them helping my brother paint his renovations. After 5 weekends there is still so much to go!!
But the Easter bunny did bring me something fat free...............Benjamin Bunny!

Quite timely as I had been spending the last couple of weeks thinking about some new quilt designs especially with children in mind. My eldest daughter is planning to have a baby over the next 18 months so I thought it time I started planning - they will have to live with William Morris though! So how beautiful are these new fabrics from fabric freedom and I think just great for quilts for children: http://www.fabricfreedom.co.uk/
It took me a while to get used to the pastels as I am such a traditionalist with William Morris colours of nature. But the more I looked at them the more I saw potential. So I have two single bed sized quilts in mind which I will start drawing up over the week we are in Robe at the end of the month!So "William Morris meets Beatrix Potter" - I will probably do silhouettes - need to be careful of copyright with Beatrix Potter designs

A William Morris Garden Quilt

This is the new quilt - blocks almost completed - now for the borders

A day off

Helen Godden's Fantasy entry

It has been lovely to spend the day stitching - I've almost completed the blocks to a new quilt- just have to design the border! I will be teaching this at Quilt Encounter in July (Photo to follow): http://www.saquilters.org.au/quilt-encounter.htm

I am 'retiring' from nursing at the end of April - I've given 35 years of my life to nursing so thought it was time that I spent more time designing more quilts and maybe writing my second William Morris in Applique book - can't believe I have said that already!!)

It will be so good to catch up with friends as well!

A week ago I had an enjoyable time with my good friend Faye at the Quilt convention in Melbourne. It was great to hear the book was selling so well. It was also great to see all the 'Fantasy' entries.One of my favourites was Helen Godden's - amazing!!

The engagement cake!

I did a couple of test runs a few days before and then the final result was 85 cup cakes! Sophie helped to decorate - we actually had a lovely time doing that and we were all pretty chuffed with the end result!

Emily & Brett's engagement

Larry with Brett (looks like an approving look for the future son-in-law!)

Aaron & Sophie

Emily with Sophie

Finally got some photos of the engagement up. A good time was had by all. Photo of the cake is coming!

Book Launch

For those who didn't get to the book launch - especially friends interstate and overseas - you can see it all on the net!! Go to the link, make a coffee and enjoy. (It takes about 30 minutes and you don't have to stand!!) You will see how hot it was by all the fanning - bless all of you who put up with it!
http://www.countrybumpkin.com.au/article_info.php?articles_id=520

It never ceases to amaze me how diligent people are with their blogs - I am not one of those people! Sorry if you visit frequently!!

The last couple of months have been an emotional journey for me - seems a bit irrelevant now as we hear of the devastation and loss of life in Victoria with the bushfires. Something a lot of us cannot comprehend but our hearts are certainly with those who have and are suffering.

For me it was the loss of my Mum a few days before Christmas - I miss her every day and I was so sad that she didn't see the book in its final stage. A photo of my Mum with one of her beloved hydrangeas and a snapshot of just a few of the amazing condolence flowers that I was sent.

The other amazing journey was the book launch last week. 200 friends and family stood in the most unbearable heat in a small hall! I am so grateful and humbled by the overwhelming support - thankyou to everybody and especially to Christopher Menz, the Director of the Art Gallery of South Australia , for coming and for making a speech. Photos of yours truly with Christopher and yours truly again expressing my thanks to everyone and especially to William Morris!

My goodness it is 3 months since I last wrote anything! I am definitely not a good blogger! It has been a hectic 3 months since the last entry. I have had to move my sick Mum into full time care and we have had our annual exhibition. Lots of wonderful entries and a few of them will be going to Melbourne on display at the annual convention in Feb 2009. Have a look at some of the winners at the Guild website; http://www.saquilters.org.au/

Click on Exhibitions to see the 2008 winners. Congratulations to Elizabeth Camping for her Best of Show award - well deserved to a humble lady who makes wonderful Japanese inspired works. As convener I got to choose a favourite and I couldn't go past Rachelle Denneney's Persistent Peacock as you can see here (detail). The quilt will be in Melbourne at the convention;http://www.aqc.com.au/melbourne09.php

I am really excited to be travelling next year to various parts of Australia including Norfolk Island. Have a look at this link and contact Michael and Nicola at Kiwi travel & tours for a wonderful week of sewing and relaxation. Have a look: http://www.kiwitravelandtours.com/itineraries/Norfolk_Island_Itinerary.pdf

And these are the tutors:

http://www.kiwitravelandtours.com/itineraries/Quilt_Norfolk_tutor_profiles.pdf
The book is in Hong Kong and will hopefully be out early in the New year. Very exciting to see it on C&T Publishing's new release list!!

For those who drop by and read this blog - thank you and I hope that you have a wonderful Christmas and happy and healthy 2009.

Students inspire - see some of their designs from the "designing workshops"

Time has got away from me again! I can come up with all sorts of excuses including book writing, my Mum being very unwell in hospital again and just life in general!

Through all of this though..........I have had the wonderful opportunity of driving to Victoria four times in 6 months to meet so many lovely quilters. I have put a selection of their achievements on this blog as I have been asked by groups for photos. Thought this is the easiest way. So my heartfelt thanks to the girls at Kilmore, Melton, Horsham and Geelong - you have all done incredibly well and it is just amazing what you can achieve even if you think you can't draw or design yourselves!! Thanks for your inspiration to keep on encouraging others to create their own masterpieces!

Also have a look at this link from the Geelong girls: http://www.geelongpatch.org.au/MHill.htm

I can't believe it is nearly a month since I recorded any activity! I have been enjoying the last few days visiting the girls at Quilt Encounter. I did a class yesterday making Japanese textile treasures with Leanne O'Sullivan of Kimono House in Melbourne. Very relaxing to sit and hand sew for a day. great time out from the book. I have finally finished the projects for Country Bumpkin.............I have been asked to teach at their Beating around the Bush embroidery convention in October next year and had to get things ready 2 weeks ago!! Photos of some of the projects are attached. A tea and coffee cosy, book cover and a simple bag. Nice to achieve something so fast! Back to the nursing job tomorrow. (And those that asked......the book is due for release Jan 2009 so contact me closer to the time)

Valerie your little quilt is just amazing!!Did you applique those tiny blocks??!!I've been working on the book all weekend but have been asked to teach at Beating around the Bush for Country Bumpkin next year and have to get some projects ready by 30th of this month....so drawing as well! Decided because it is more of an embroidery convention I would design smaller projects.SO it will be 'Afternoon Tea with William Morris'......... so an appliqued tea cosy and coffee cosy and a shoulder bag as well. Have a good week ........and this is a picture of my two beautiful daughters (Sophie on the left and she'll be 24yrs next week and Emily on the right who is 26)

Thankyou Lorraine, Kathy and Maree for your messages - I have such a lot to learn with this blogging so please forgive me!! the main reason I started it is because Valerie heard me complaining about the cost of updating my website and she thought this would be a good way to do it. Hope you are all having a good weekend -it is very cold here and I seem to be stacking on the weight because the weather is preventing me from walking. Such a pain that as soon as one stops walking the weight goes back on - Blast it all!! Have a good week, ,Michele

Sorry Valerie that I have used the same background as you! I searched them all and this was the nicest. I thought the black was a little hard on the eyes! I have so much to learn with this now and how on earth did that spanish (or whatever??) person get in my messages!!!

Wow it actually worked except for my spelling of photography! I will put "William Morris Magic" on here as well as this will be in the book - nothing like some advertising!!

Welcome

Well this is the third time I have tried to set this up!! i am so not IT savvy!! thank you Valerie Slater for putting me on to this way of keeping things up to date.My website is long overdue for an update so instead I will try this - thanks Valerie; http://www.ausrose.blogspot.com/

I will try to put up a photo again of my latest quilt which is based on Morris's quilt at Kelmscott Manor. there is a great photo at this link of the original bed cover;

http://www.cobweb-needlework.com/acatalog/wm_bed.JPG

This is my interpreation and Judy Simcock of Cornerstone Creations quilted it for me - thanks Judy - absolutley beautiful. I am writing a book which Country Bumpkin/Inspirations books are publishing and the quilt will be in there along with a load of other new projects. Book to be called "William Morris In Applique"of course!! Today I sepnt the day with my Editor Anna Scott looking for venues for photgrahy. Carrick Hill is hopefully one such venue. More about that later. http://www.countrybumpkin.com.au

I won't do any more for now and see how this goes!!