online courses & roses

I have been wondering lately about the value of online courses and tutorials.

If you have participated in any of these or offer such a course/tutorial I would love to know about it.

I have recently completed a course with Karen Raune and one with Carole Brungar.

The projects were quite different as were my reasons for doing them.

As these were the first two online courses I have taken I was not sure what to expect so I think I was pleased with both of them.



The photo is just one of my roses which I have altered using the options in Picasa.

spring in the garden

cutwork with silk ribbon flower

This little silk ribbon flower on satin seemed just right for popping in behind some cutwork: it was just a little practice piece which I did years ago and the lilac fabric is part of  a recycled bed sheet.  The cut out circle is finished with button hole stitch and chain stitch.  

felting with the embellisher

I was looking for a particular piece of fabric when I came across the pictured piece of work.  It consists of scraps felted to a piece of green felt using the embellishing machine.

I intend to add some bling and make something amazing - well I hope that I am inspired to make something with it!

 

I have finished some of the pieces for my "Road to my house" wall hanging.  I have decided to put this aside now so I can do some sewing for Christmas.  

Oh and my camera had a lovely rest and is talking to me again.
Technology - it is quite beyond me but I am pleased that I don't need to make any decision about a new camera just now.

faux cutwork button

This button is finished!!!!  I used silk for the foundation fabric and used perle cotton thread for the button hole lace around the central motif. The rest of the embroidery was done using single strands of hand dyed silk thread.  The stitches used are button hole stitch, french knots, spider web roses, stem stitch, seed stitch and chain stitch and probably some I have forgotten.   When damping the piece down for damp stretching I added some colour to soften the background fabric which looked too harsh.  The button is 4.5cm across.

Being a tour Guide

This week friends from New Zealand were in Melbourne for the Presidents Cup golf tournament.  Fortunately for me Sue was happy to catch up for a day of talking and looking at some of the sites in our beautiful city.

We don't see each other often but always have plenty to talk about.  After having a chat and planning our day we set out on a very hot (35degrees) windy day.  Our first stop was St.Pauls Cathedral which is a very beautiful building with lots of things to see.  Beautiful architecture, tiled floors, timber roofing, huge columns - I could go on.    It really is worth a visit if you are in Melbourne.
http://www.stpaulscathedral.org.au/ 
After that we crossed Flinders Street, taking in the view of Flinders Street Station which is our central suburban railway station.
http://www.onlymelbourne.com.au/melbourne_details.php?id=774
We were headed for Federation Square and in particular the Ian Potter Centre which is part of the National Gallery of Victoria.  They had several really interesting things happening in the various spaces there but we were particularly interested in the "Man Style" exhibition.

http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/whats-on/exhibitions/exhibitions/manstyle2 

It was really fascinating to see the evolution of fashion in menswear.  I was especially interested in embroidery and buttons on some of the garments.

We also managed to see lots of other works of art - ancient and modern.  A day spent with Sue is great fun as well as a fantastic opportunity to learn more - Sue has been an art teacher and is an artist in her own right and is part of a group promoting sculpture in her home city in New Zealand.
I feel like a sponge soaking up so much information.  It really is a treat.



http://www.publicsculpture.org.nz/index.php?page=gallery

Melbourne boasts some interesting public sculpture so it was a perfect day.  The menfolk were at the golf and although we had planned an evening meal together it was not to be.  My darling husband has a horrid chest infection and couldn't go out so we came home just as another storm approached.

 

cameras & windows

My camera is refusing to talk to me so I am showing you a picture of one of the side windows in our house.

It is typically Australian leaded glass work and several of the houses in this street have similar windows.  

I took this picture because I am thinking of moving the window panels to another area of the house.

Our new tv is opposite these windows and we find that during the day many of the programmes we view feature these gorgeous images.  The sun shines right on them which is beautiful but................

Anyway if anyone has suggestions about a new camera (easy to use and modest price) I would be glad to hear from you.  I feel quite lost without my constant companion.  My camera is like a second pair of eyes and a memory bank which I use often.  


Oh I meant to explain about the header:  when I was at the beach a couple of weeks ago the thong was on the beach - abandoned.  There was no-one swimming - in fact no one else on the beach at all.  It just needed to be photographed.


See I do need a camera.