On the Road

We have been on the road now for a week and a half and internet connection has been in and out.
We have seen some awesome sights and been having some wonderful experiences of the Australian bush.
Currently, we are staying in the Gulf country with DH's niece whose husband works here in the Department of Primary Industries.  He is a stock inspector and travels the roads we have travelled on a regular basis.  They are long, sometimes dusty and one has to always be on the look out for unfenced cattle and of course the wallabies and kangaroos.
So far we have seen all of the above, plus a very large black snake, a tiger snake, a family of emus and various birds including the beautiful wedge tailed eagle. 




Cattle on the track..

Flowering wattle trees beside Gregory Development Road. 

 
Huge white quartz outcrop called "The White Blow" just outside the township of Ravenswood.

Dirt track to Einasleigh River and the Copperfield River Gorge.

Copperfield River Gorge on the Einasleigh River. Rock is basalt layed down from a lava flow hundreds of thousands of years ago.

The outback loos are an experience all of their own!  I have even had a couple of "bush bathroom" experiences.  Case of 'have to'.

Sunset at the Gulf town of Karumba.

This old outback 'dunny' was put out of service a long time ago thankfully.  It has even survived a cyclone!

A Big Adventure

We are heading off on a big adventure.

(courtesy of google maps)
All the way to the Gulf of Carpentaria and the town of Karumba.  My mouth is already watering with the promise of fresh prawns and seafood.  Hope I am not disappointed!!  It may not be the season for prawns and crabs 
Along the way we will be stopping and enjoying some of Queensland’s National Parks and we will be visiting my husband’s niece who lives in Normanton, right up there in the Gulf country. We are equipped to do a bit of camping.  I normally don’t do camping – but hubby is all organized (Virgo) and has convinced me it will be fun!!  We are definitely not camping until we reach the warmer weather of the North.
We have a pre paid broadband, so if I am able to get a connection in the bush, I will post a blog or two.
Be back in about 3 weeks!!
Cheerio
Di.
Oh ….BTW…..I have packed a little stitching to do along the way.  All packed in a plastic box to protect against No 1 enemy DUST.

Sun, Earth, Moon

My June art journal quilt is finished!  (May’s journal quilt is a WIP)

The quilt was inspired by a new art group I have come into contact with called WOTE  (Women on the Edge) – Great name!
They are doing small art quilts with the theme ‘Nature’s Influence’.
I have looked at it from the angle of what influences nature the most, and came up with the Sun, Earth and Moon for the subject matter.  Truth be told:  I thought the theme was ‘Nature’s Inspiration’ so had to make changes half way through to suit   LOL
The technique I have used is from Teesha Moore and she demonstrates it here and I saw it on Judy’s blog.  I have put my own twist on it.  They are little quilted ‘pillows’ and I really loved doing them.  Would love to do some more some time.  For the sun, earth and moon I have used found objects.  I love collecting bits and bobs and have a big container of them.  Call me a bower bird !!   All the fabrics are straight out of the scrap bin and the tree trunk is silk threads couched down with zig zag.  The hand quilting and embellishments are done in perle cotton. 
Last night I kicked something under the coffee table and lo and behold it was the paper bag with my missing braids in it.  Don’t know how it found it’s way under there!!
Black and Cream which I intend jazzing up a black l/sleeve T-Shirt with
Bullion roses on velvet.  They look like they have been hand done.  Surely not??   I bought a small piece which has 6 repeats.  For what?  - Don’t know, just thought it might look nice on something ‘felty’
A piece of blingy stuff.  Looks much snazzier in real life.  Can cut up and use to glam something up?
It is a real treasure trove that shop -  and for Toowoomba people it is at Highfields in the shops opposite The Village Green.
 Lilian is growing into a real little girl now and losing a lot of her babyness.  Here she is with her Mummy.  They are all rugged up for a winter’s day.

April Art Journal Quilt–Finished, June Art Journal Quilt–Started

Yep, I’ve skipped a month. 

Only because an idea came to me quickly for the little June quilt and I was impatient and had to start it straight away.

“Ankh – Life”,  my art journal quilt for April is in memory of our trip to Melbourne and a visit to the Melbourne Museum to see relics of King Tutankhamen's tomb. 

The background of the quilt is painted lutradur (using acrylics) and the gold highlights were made with lumiere paint.   When completely dry it was run through the ink jet printer to print out the hieroglyphics.  The ankh sympbol was appliqued on and highlighted with prismacolour pencils.  It was so much fun to try some new to me techniques and I am loving the whole monthly art journal quilt journey.

Recently, a group of friends and I went for coffee and lunch at Highfields.  We were joined by the lady who recently showed us her tangles, Chris.  (Thanks Chris).

Could this be a zentangle coffee in her honour?

We also discovered a braid shop in the same complex,  and I made a couple of purchases- couldn’t resist.  I was going to put a photo up but I have … um…….misplaced them for the moment.  Next time…..

 

Japanese Blocks

I have done these Japanese flavoured blocks to go into the centre of my Sashiko medallion quilt I am working on.

We are meant to be putting it together next Tuesday week and I am very much behind with my ‘homework’.
It will all come together eventually, I am sure.  Just when, I am not so sure.
I am very happy with how these blocks came out.  They are from this gorgeous book by Susan Briscoe which I have shown before.  If you have this book, note, there is a printing error on Page 51 in the cutting. Luckily I had plenty of the fabric left to cut another piece.

There are also some very nice applique patterns in this book.  May have a crack at some of those too.

Chocolate Slice–Quick and Easy

We have a function coming up at quilting group on Saturday and I am making an old favourite of mine “Chocolate Slice” to share at morning tea.
This recipe was given to me by a neighbour some 25 years ago and my family and I still enjoy it. It is so quick and easy and no-fail and you can use up any cereal you have in the cupboard.  Today I didn’t have a whole cup of cornflakes so I added some crushed weet- bix and some puffed millet.
Give a try – it won’t disappoint.
Quick and Easy Chocolate Slice
1 cup cornflakes (or you could use weet-bix slightly crushed or rice bubbles)
1 cup dessicated coconut
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup self raising flour
1/4 teasp salt
1 tablespoon baking cocoa
Place above ingredients into a bowl. Add 5 oz melted butter and 1/2 teasp vanilla.  Press into a lamington tin.  Cook in slow oven (165 deg) for approx 25 minutes.
Ice while warm with 3/4 cup icing sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoon baking cocoa.  Add 1 teasp butter melted and 2 tablespoons boiling water and a few drops of vanilla. 
Sprinkle with coconut or crushed nuts or whatever you fancy.  (I used coconut flakes today)
That’s it !!!

Textile Fair Purchases and Weird Weather

We had a weird thunder storm this afternoon and the hail rained down on us.  It looked like snow in the midst of the storm!!

Our tank is overflowing after the downpour.  (Photos taken through the fly screen )
Last week I received a lovely card in the mail. It was so nice to get something in the letterbox other than a bill. 

                                                                                                  (Close up)
This is the amazing card I received from Suz from “Suztats”.  Thanks Suz.  The technique Suz used was really interesting and she is still experimenting with others.  You can check it all out on her blog.  Of course, she also does amazing tatting too.


Now the purchases from the textile fair Shirley and I went to in Brisbane on Saturday.  Shirley was very good in keeping me under control and stopping me from spending too much
I bought the beautiful piece of hand dyed cotton sateen from Lisa Walton at Dyed and Gone to Heaven.  Also, some hand dyed scrim/gauze, a bundle of  recycled silk yarn, a jar of lumiere gold just because, and Prudence Mapstone’s freeforming with yarn booklet and the latest Downunder Textile mag. 
Shirley and I both bought some of the glorious wool for some serious and easy wool felting which we saw Jacinta of The Thread Studio demonstrating.  Check out Shirley’s blog and the colours she bought.  We are sharing these and hope to have a wet felting day real soon.  We are itching to do it!!