September's gone then...

We have been to Perth and are now home again. What a wonderful holiday. A big thanks to Pam and John for shouting us this great experience. John drove for hours taking us to The Wave and The Pinnacles (photos following) Wonderful Fremantle -what a lovely feel that had. It would take months to see all this state has to offer. Pam and John headed north to Broome when we headed home to Sydney. The weather wasn't too hot for us which was good.
Wonderful Stuart took us to the airport and picked us up on our return. How lucky are we?
After we got home I had to get the Gazette out and Art had to have a colonoscopy and now those have been completed, we just have to plant a few things and we are nearly ready for Christmas.
Not before we head to Scott and Beverley's on Sunday for lunch.
We are in a Virgin aeroplane ready to go...

We thought the fields of gold might have been canola...

This is the wave and that is John up on top...

This is the Hippo's Yawn...

This wonderful lace was an unexpected find at the Wave.

This is on a rooftop in the middle of Perth-All these wonderful vegetables that they give to volunteer groups to feed the needy.

The kangaroos across the road from The Vines Resort where we stayed they were all over the golf course.

We went to the Art Gallery in Perth and were allowed to take photos of Warhol, Picasso, Matisse, Mondrian and others...

These are the Pinnacles. You might have seen Billy Connolly dancing through them without any clothes on...
It was so amazing -like a moonscape.

As we were celebrating John's 50th he had to have a lobster so we went to The Lobster Shack and had the freshest lobster and prawns I have ever tasted. Delicious:)

This is a kangaroo paw-a plant not actually off a kangaroo...

This is a view of WA as we flew home:)

I have no idea what that is a photo of I guess it could be a quarry or something...

So that was September's doings now to get on with October.

September 17-soon be Christmas!

I cannot believe how quickly the year is going -heaven help me next year! Am in a scramble to keep up to date with shopping and washing and ironing as we are off on holidays soon. Can't wait. So looking forward to it. Have been very slack with my cards lately and not a lot of China painting either. try to fit at least one visit to my brother every week but can't do that successfully either. Saw him on Saturday but he was fast asleep -opened his eyes once then went back to sleep. Next time I will manage to see him will be his 82nd birthday on September 30th. A lovely artist called Ingrid Lee commented on my Rainy Monday blog. Thank you Ingrid for the lovely remarks I will reply to you on facebook.

 This is my iris finished, Ingrid.

 My Clarice Cliff attempt.

 Some of my cards:-

 This beautiful crosstitch was done by a friends' husband, David Marshall, who is no longer with us and she gave it to me. I am so thrilled with this gift.

 Another attempt at Clarice.

 More cards.

This last card is very special-my youngest grandson (7) made this for his mum when he had a sleepover.  All his own idea and all cut stamped and stuck by him.
Notice the bling -his eyes lit up when he spotted these  trinkets:)

Sunny Sunday!

It really will soon be Christmas.
I was all excited yesterday because I thought there was a Papercraft show on at Penrith. Fortunately Angela Sargeant who is a Stampin' Up Demonstrator saw my excitement on Facebook and contacted me. Angela will have a stand at the next show which is in November. I gave her a heart starter:)
My daughter and her husband are shouting Arthur and me a holiday to Perth in September. How good is that? We are so lucky, we have great kids-all of them.
Our other recent present was from Stuart. He purchased a new TV for us, so there is all this learning involved. We can download shows onto a USB but I am having trouble with that so I will stick to my VCR until 'fully trained'. Having said that, my VCR has broken down, probably from overuse-so I will transfer Art's from the back room. We are drowning in TVs.
I managed to put out the Gazette for August but with some mistakes-oh dear. I have said we are charging $20.00 for a demonstration when it is only $5.00-and no form needed. Where was my head?
The Encore Group have nearly completed the ADI Uniform. All that is left to do is the cabinet and a decision as to where she will be located. She is looking very good-too good to be making ammunition!
Visited my brother Bob yesterday and he definitely knew it was me. The nurse asked him 'Who is this Bob?' and he replied straight away'This is my sister'. But he is not well at all. They said he was moved to this ward because he can't walk and he had a temperature and they have to feed him. It is just not fair. This getting old is cruel.

This is the bra which Barbara Porter has made in the 1940's style for our Val.They are all so talented these ladies.

Here is our Val, see what I mean about looking too good for a munitions factory:)

Just another rainy Monday!

It is so cold and miserable today I have had to make a couple of cards to keep my spirits up.
Since I last wrote on the blog my lovely sister in law Elaine has died. My son Scott summed her up with"Ever a generous spirit who never had a bad word for anyone" So sad and my poor brother is none the wiser of her passing. I must say though that the last time I visited him in the nursing home a very aggressive Alzheimer patient was shouting at me and accusing me of owning three house and the law would soon throw Robert out. He ranted for a while then Robert turned to him and said 'This is my sister.' At that stage the nurse wheeled Colin away. Then the next time we visited he was in the Hospital with an infection-that was last Thursday so I will visit again on Wednesday-and hope Colin is happy in his room:)

 I don't know how to turn this photo around-sorry.

These are two plates which I painted at a workshop. One fire -although I do want to change the abstract Iris as it looks a bit odd on a round plate. But the extra lines have made it look much better -all I need now is to purchase some fat oil at the Jolly July Day.

Facebook

Facebook My granddaughter Sam. She took me to lunch and I snapped her.

Monday-again...

I really can't get moving today.
Have done the washing and sorted things for a porcelain art workshop next Saturday but very little else.
Del rang today too so that was 80 minutes out of my day. Love her calls but they do take time.
I visited Elaine yesterday and Baron and Lisa were there. Elaine is not looking good, poor love.
My granddaughter Sam took me out to lunch on Saturday, which was very nice and she has taken away the first 26 pages of my life story.
I feel now as I need to get back to it and maybe type something every day.
I might start that -next week.
Am I procrastinating?
I took a photo of Sam on my phone but I can't upload them to my computer because I don't have the software for this phone. Technology being what it is Baron uploaded it to his phone and then was going to upload it to Facebook so that I can have a hard copy. Brilliant!

The windmill is the third of my Dutch creations for October Exhibition.
I came across the little painting I did of a fuchsia and thought it would make a nice card for Elaine's birthday. The other card was for a friend whose birthday is the same day as Elaine's.
These last three shots are from our visit to madam Tussauds-great fun.

Sunny Monday

I meant to upload my tulip tile - mark 2. Let's see what I make of this one.

I tried to be a bit adventurous with this painting -no tracing just slapped the paint on-not sure the purists would approve but sometimes you just have to have a go. Those leaves look as if they are under water at present but I will work on them I don't mind painting leaves. A lady artist told me 'Don't work on the leaves they are not the star.' That would be right so I find the leaves easier than the flowers. Off to the craft room now that the washing is done:)

Quiet Sunday

Well my two younger sons have had birthdays today and yesterday and they are now 52 and 46 and I can't believe it really. They are wonderful sons of whom I am very proud.
I have been trying to get my head around some cards but lost my mojo for a while. Today i have managed to make a couple-one for my sister in law Elaine and one for Stuart's ex mother in law who is a lovely lady too. Both of these lovely people have their birthdays on the 24th June.
I have also been doing a little painting. So will upload a couple of photos.

This is the start of a little Art Deco plate I am working on.

I found this little painting in an old sketch pad I have no idea how long ago I painted this but thought it was suitable for Elaine's card.

This is the one I made for Val-I love this paper.

Art was hit by a golf ball yesterday and here is a picture of the bruise. Some people playing golf today need to take heed of the rules. This guy didn't even call 'fore'!

                                                                           

                                                                                OUCH!!!

I thought I should put up a photo of my lovely tulip plate. This was after the third and final fire thought you would like a look Angela www.angelasargeant.com/

So it is back to the porcelain cupboard...

These others are my Dutch inspired paintings for the October Exhibition.

The little Dutch girls are at the framers now so they won't break...hopefully:)

I love this little one:)

 This is a small box sorry it is on it's side don't know how to fix once it is on her.

The girl with the pearl earring-Vermeer. This one needs more work-same as the oil which I still haven't finished. Oh well one day.

PS

Robert's photo -I forgot...I call him Robert but the rest of the family call him Bob because he has a son called Robert. Names can be annoying can't they. My name is Matilda Jane and until I was seven years old I was called Tilly. My father heard a child calling 'Tully' and he was horrified and said that from that day on I was not to answer to anything but Jane. It was easy for me because I just moved to another school and was known as Jane. The biggest problem was Robert because he kept calling me Til. Till I answered really... He was just the best big brother ever and it is not fair what has happened to him. He was a whiz on the computer and read mountains of books all his life, and absolutely loved music, so the things the experts are telling us help prevent Alzheimer's, don't really help at all. If it is decreed I am afraid there is no escape.
My youngest son Stuart gave me a laptop yesterday so I need to check out how to use it efficiently as I was a bit ham fisted to begin with.
Till next time-and I will try to be here more regularly:)