Wondoflex

Just one small section of temptation....

Yesterday M and I went to Wondoflex Yarn and Craft in Malvern.As you know I am not a yarn person but I can appreciate what knitters and crocheters  must feel as they walk through the door - this place would be the equivalent of their heaven.  Your spirits lift immediately surrounded by that delicious and vibrant rainbow of colours, hues and textures - and of course all those potential possibilities :)

M's proposed throw is the one on the far right of picture - crocheted in the aquas, browns and green. It will be wonderful and I can already see it thrown casually over their couch... That fire is warm and the chair inviting - it would be so tempting just to curl up and doze... Photo courtesy of Wondoflex

M and I are largely attracted to different colour palettes so it makes for some interesting discussions when we get together. She wanted to buy some wool for a throw she had seen there previously. I do admire her patience and skills with the crochet hook - I'm a 'one square wonder' with mine...

Did I buy something? Course I did... One lone ball of wool and one button...

Until later...

Take care on this cool, grey Sunday afternoon...

Sharon x

An adventure to Monet on an inclement day

Today 'I' and I went to the Monet exhibition currently showing in Melbourne. It all began some months ago with 'I' telling me about one of her projects a Monet's Garden cross stitch featuring the famous bridge and water lilies scene. Coincidentally I had heard that there was to be was a Monet exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria running from May until early September.  
When we planned this adventure we had decided that mid week in August would be an ideal time and probably less crowded than at the very beginning or end of the exhibition... Well, we were wrong - the exhibition was packed with tour buses lined up outside. It seemed like most of Melbourne were viewing the exhibition today

The famous waterlilies at Giverny

Monet's paintings really need to be viewed from a distance for maximum impact  Like most impressionist paintings one has to stand quietly to allow the painting to reveal itself to you... What at first glance looks like a muddle of colour and ridges of paint slowly unfold until you see the complete image... Unfortunately due to the crowds, creating that viewing distance was near impossible to do... And with me being a little short person unless I was in the front I saw nothing at all except other people's backs... Still there was a lot to see and 'I' and I managed quite well to see most things... There were three main viewing rooms and then the final space that took you to the exit was darkened and on three of its walls was a continuously running short film called The Last Day at Giverny - it began with the sound of a rooster crowing, heralding the start of day and then it takes the viewer on a virtual tour of the iconic garden including the famous waterlily pond, the house Monet's studio and then finishes  with the day closing with a star lit sky over the house rooftop... This was accompanied by some soft music and was a gentle way of closing your visit to the exhibition and steadying you to once again join the outside. A quick look around the NGV bookshop finished our Monet experience.

You could also feel the salt spray blowing on you from this image. It too best reflected Melbourne's weather today

Monet's palette of colours subtly influences the merchandising display

Today was not the best down to be out and about in Melbourne - it was cold, windy with the promise of rain so we had decided it would be a 'one destination only' day so after leaving the warmth of the NGV we made a quick trip over the bridge back to Flinders Street station but not before a well earned pitstop for a hot coffee and a bite to eat...

The Yarra on a cold and dismal day.

Nothing tastes better than a sweet hot coffee on a cold day

All up we just made it to our respective doors when the heaven opened open and it poured... I will say though I hear a lot of grumbles about our public transport system but today I managed to score connecting buses and trains both ways making my actual travelling  time minimal.

The heavens ready to open - not far from home now...

And just to add, the NGV houses more than one exhibition and it is one of those places you could wander for hours and still not adequately see everything... These were two exhibitions also took my eye...

I thought Christmas had come early to the NGV - but no it was an art instillation...

Enlarge image below and read  for explanation.

And last - but not least... This was fascinating - they were flat bottom dishes of all sizes floating on this gently swirling blue pond... Every so often they would knock together creating a bell like sound...

Well, enough from me... Until later - take care...

Sharon x

My Holy Grail...

I am addicted to craft magazines but in saying that I like only certain ones which I have gathered to me at an alarming rate. I think when we shifted two years ago I had ten or more good size boxes full to capacity and I had culled quite a few too! Since then I had slowed down to no more than a trickle - one or two every so often... Why do I like them you ask? For many reason I guess and I like particular magazines for different aspects too numerous to list...But overall I just like looking through them and relaxing, dreaming of a time when my life isn't 'done on the run' so to speak and I can take advantage of all those things I'd like to do...

Last Saturday I spent the quite a bit of the day with my friend 'I' who in the course of the day mentioned she had been given some magazines to browse through. She pointed to three boxes which were behind where I was sitting and  invited me to have a look and take some... Well, I didn't need to be told twice!!!! There was a good mix of quilting/patchwork and cross stitch from which I gathered a pile of potentials to take home with me for a closer look at... I have spent nearly every night through the week browsing - and have seen have some potential UFO's between their pages...

Don't be fooled by the deceptively small pile of cross stitch magazines - they are the top handful of about 20..

If that wasn't enough our local news agency from which I live a stone's throw from has just received new stock including the magazine 'Inspirations' which I used to buy occasionally... Heaven!!! I bought three - Inspirations having a bonus magazine included. P is off to the football soon so I intend to sit back and enjoy... There looks to be something of interest in each one...Like this for example...

Isn't it just delicious...

E last night surprised me with one of her finds which she had bought for me... She knows that this is my favorite fairy illustrator... I love Cicely Mary Barker's work - I have had her books since I was a little girl but not all contained in one volume. I really think this is where my strong belief in fairies grew from as these images were so much part of my 'growing' and imagination... I always wanted to be able to draw like Cicely but alas it wasn't to be...

I can never decide which ones are my favorites but these two  always make me smile...

I love the 'conversation' which is going on between the boy fairy and snail and the tentativeness and delight of the the Willow fairy as she dips her foot in the water...

Well, I am writing this between dashing in and out with baskets of washing and I can hear the final load on the last spin so I must away...

Enjoy your weekend and take care

Sharon x