Driving to Warrandyte

I'm currently in the unenviable position of having two boys learning to drive....The youngest has been keen since before Christmas and as he's about to turn 18, this is a good time. The oldest (21!) hasn't been that keen, but I think I've just got him in the right mood. Don't get me wrong, I'm not forcing him to learn to drive, he tells me he wants to learn, I just had to get him motivated.

Anyway, I decided that a lovely drive to Warrandyte would do the trick. It's half an hour from here each way, with lots of interesting traffic to negotiate, lovely scenery and a gorgeous town centre on the River Yarra, with coffee shops galore. Just right for a Saturday afternoon.

It was, but imagine my delight, when it seems I've managed to pick the weekend when the pottery expo is on! Yeah!

I have been meaning to go for years, I love pottery and have a pretty good collection of handmade teapots. But I bought this!

It's on again tomorrow, and it's well worth the trip!

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Buttons

I've been sorting through my buttons.

I just love buttons!

Trying to find the perfect match.

Now, I have to sew them on.....

Weaving Rag Rugs

I've been weaving rag rugs.

It's fun, but cutting strips of fabric into 4cm strips is a bit slow. I have a rotary cutter, but I do need to get more efficient.

And, I just want to know, how is it that I use up fabric from the stash box and it's still full? Does the fabric breath out into the emptied space?

3D Sustainability exhibition

After a break from the Contemporary Sculpture Association....through lack of attention, by myself!....I've rejoined and have been accepted into the 3D Sustainability exhibition.

The work I submitted is 'High Rise', my crocheted video tape work!

I'm looking forward to seeing it alongside other sculptures.

Spinning yarns

Today, surprisingly, has been a little chilly, just as well, as I have been spinning yarns in preparation for making them into neckwarmers for the coming Winter (or current Winter, if you're in the middle of it!).



There are blacks and greys, both in thick singles and slubby yarns.

They're destined to be shocked. Not a big shock, they'll be plunged into hot water, just to encourage the fibres to stay together and not stray onto a coat when they're later worn.

Then there are the creams, again, thick and slubby yarns. They'll be dyed, not sure what colours yet, but that will achieve the small shock needed to keep them together, but because of the dye time required, I will be a bit careful. I just want to shock them a little, not felt them!

When that's done, hopefully they'll turn into something like this:

I only have a few left, and they're now all in my Etsy shop!

Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne

Another quick trip to the beach and a lone trip back, provided another opportunity to visit another place on my Melbourne to do list (sorry, I don't really have one!), the Royal Botanic Gardens at Cranbourne.

There are several parts to the gardens and I wanted to visit the formal 'gardens' that look spectacular in the pictures I've seen.

From the visitor centre you are immediately struck by the Red Sand garden.

There's alot of water in these gardens, this arid zone is surrounded by them. The sculpture at the front is meant to echo this.

The garden is full of beautiful plants, organised and arranged, as you would expect of a Botanic garden, and there were just enough flowers in bloom to enable quite a few pictures to be taken.

 And I always like leaves and bark.

There are alot of structures in this garden and they give the very formal quality to an Australian garden, not usually what you associate with the plants of Australia. It is a little strange, but it is still a young garden, as they grow, the different elements should blend and soften. It is very impressive and there is plenty to explore in this small part of the whole gardens.

I have been here many years ago, before all this was established. A wonderful bush walking track provided a pleasant afternoon, as I remember. That is still there and there are wetlands as well. Definitely worth another day.

PS I saw a gorgeous little bandicoot there!