Excitement

What a day! having previously been notified that both my entries had won prizes at the Sydney Quilt Show I still had to wait until this morning to find out exactly which ones. There are four places in the categories I had entered so did not hold out great expectations.
My friend and quilter Nic Bridges had also been told she had won two so we waited nervously at the presentation. The first award was our quilt which we had collaborated on and we were thrilled to hear it had won First Prize! Absolutely incredible but we were so excited.

It is called Squared Up and each square is either painted or textured or stamped etc.


This was quickly followed by Nic winning another First and then we both won seconds for our other quilts. Mine is called Sheer Magic and is multilayered hand dyed cotton and organiza with lots of beads.


Each prize winner also receives a queen size batting so our pile quickly grew. The full list of winners has been posted on the Guild website. This includes the mind boggling Best of Show by Mariya Waters which has to be seen to be belived. It is magnificent!

As well as that excitement - we had a wonderful day at our booth with many people coming up to congratulate us. It was such fun although by close of the day our feet and voices were nearly gone. Only four more days to go but I know I will love them all.

Setup Day

Setup day for the Sydney Show - lots of rain which managed to find its way into some of our tubs on the way but nothing too serious.

Here is a view from the mezzanine floor in the morning.


Always a fun day - today it took six hours from this



to this (this is Peter looking very pleased with himself)



We have gone a bit radical this time with an open area - it will be interesting to see how it works. Everytime we do a show we change it slightly.
It is always nice to do a show in our own city - lovely to come home to my own environment (heat pack, bed etc)

Tomorrow is a big day so a peaceful night tonight is planned.

Coming Up for Air

Well the first car load is packed. The hallway is full of beautifully packed tubs full of fabric and the printer has finally stopped churning out page after page of patterns. I think we are ready for tomorrow when we set up for the Sydney Quilt & Craft Show. This is, I think, Australia's largest quilt show. There were about 377 entries this year and I have entered two quilts.

This will be our 3rd year as a trader and each year we have more and more fabrics and other goodies. This year is no exception.

Our dining room table has finally emerged again from the usual fabric covered stated and I can get into the spare room.

I also spent every night this week at NIDA doing a CAD course which was fun and should now qualify for a degree. Here is a shot of the foyer which looked wonderful with the sun pouring through on Saturday morning.

Blue & Green Should Never be Seen

Don't believe it!

This great quilt was done using our fabrics by Donna Sunderlund. I love it when I see photos of quilts made with fabrics we have created. It completes a creative circle and is really important to me.

Quiet

I know I have been quiet - I have an excuse.

We have been preparing for the Sydney Quilt and Craft Show which is the biggest show in Australia and we have a stand (G26 for those planning a visit). The thing about hand dyed and painted fabrics is that it is not just like stocking a store by calling distributors and making lots of orders. We have worked out that we actually handle each piece of fabric at least 12 times. If they are then painted there is even more handling. Preparing for shows is fun but exhausting. Add to that the wonderful drought breaking rain we have had since we got back has created interesting additional problems to an activitiy that is primarily done outside.

Also, as well as working at the day job, I have been given the opportunity to convert a Diploma to a Degree. I did a Diploma of Technical Production at the National Institute of Dramatic Art 30 years ago and now I can convert it to a degree. Not sure why I need it but maybe it will open doors a little if I want to do something when I am older.....

Unfortunately the course I have to do has been every night this week - great timing but doesn't it always happen this way.

So you can see my life has been a little frantic. All will calm down (I hope) in about 10 days - if I survive. Regular communication will resume later.

Final Bangkok blog

I was too ill yesterday to post any final pics so here they are for those of you who have been following my travels.
It was very quiet in Soi 19 so a game of street cricket was in order for these Indian tailors. Guess no one felt like trying on a suit in 40 degree heat.

This is what the inside of a legitimate massage parlour looks like - not busy today though.

Family outing - look mum - no helmet

I am always impressed at how the buildings just keep growing

Last view of Bangkok - the long long walk to the departure gate at the new airport. Fairly impressive building in terms of size.

Hope you enjoyed these glimpses.

All good things must end

After a final massage and a really wonderful lunch we headed off to the airport. Somewhere in the far reaches of my skull a small headache was brewing. By the time we were 30,000ft over the ocean it had developed into a full blown migraine. Not a lot you can do in terms of strong drugs and ice packs up there. Eight hours of hell followed and can't say it was my best flight ever.
Home now - full of nasty chemicals and feeling like I have been hit by a truck but at least did amuse the man at Customs with my bag of beads.

Quiet day

Yes there is such a thing as a bad massage - we just had one. The foot massage was ok but the head massage was anything but. More of a poke and a breast rub which was indeed very odd. My head is now very sore to touch. Maybe they had the second string team on today but it certainly wasn't overly pleasant. Tough I hear you say and you are probably right - too much of a good thing .

Anyway after the excitement of yesterday we have taken it easy today with only that one excursion except that Peter is out exploring again. He goes on long walks and finds interesting things to look at but it is all too hot for me today. I think a swim is on the cards.

Anyway - here are a couple of shots from the last few days.

Monks are treated very kindly here

You can even send them food parcels

This chicken was very tempting too.

I got some of these roses for my birthday

One more of the silk from yesterday - isn't it luscious

Birthday in Bangkok

First excursion of the day was to a Thai Craft Fair. These are held regularly with different villages bringing along crafts that they have made. It is a wonderful way to get income for small villages as well as developing new skills.
These were some baskets which would be fabulous at home but too big to get onboard the plane I fear.

These timber chairs were actually part of the Hotel display I think as there were no price tags on them but amazing organic shapes don't you think?

If you look closely - the colour in these bags is created by dyed silkworm pods.

Jim Thompson is credited with reviving the Thai silk trade and although he disappeared mysteriously many years ago his legacy lives on. His products are very expensive and elegant but there is a Factory outlet which is 5 floors of silk and cotton products. These are a selection of cushion covers in every colour of the rainbow.

Here are some of the racks of silk bolts. I bought some wonderful two colour silks and some amazing pleated silk.

As it was my birthday I also managed to fit in a facial and a wonderful Italian Dinner. Yes I know the Thai food is great here too but variety is always good.

In the Heat

It is very warm here in Bangkok which does tend to slow you down a lot. But I hear we are having torrential rain at home which is well overdue. Just hope my house is not flooding.
There are skyscrapers growing overnight here (or so it seems). This one is just near our apartment and I don't know about you but there is something very phallic about this building but I will leave that to you to decide.

Today we went to the weekend markets Chatachuk which - seeing as it is Friday - was pretty interesting as only a few stalls were open and the others were either closed or setting up for tomorrow. I have been there many times before and negotiating the completely incomprehensible labyrinth is impossible in the heat and crowds. Luckily the bead stall that I like is open on Fridays so it was found with relative ease.



Finding my way back to the train station was not as easy carrying an undisclosed weight of beads in 40degree temperatures but I managed.
Chatachuk is, however, a definite must see place for any visitor to Bangkok on a weekend as you can buy anything from turtles and rats to food, clothes, antiques, furniture, art, craft - just about anything. But tip for unwary travellers - if you see it, like it - BUY IT THEN. You will never find the stand again!

Japanese lunch followed (it was airconditioned) and then back home for a swim.
This is some street food which looked really tempting too.


Once we recovered it was back out to face yet another foot massage - well someone has to keep the economy going.

The Emporium is one of many glossy malls each with a Versace, MontBlanc, Cartier, etc etc store. I have never worked out why they need so many in Asian cities as they are invariably empty but never the less - they are there.

They have a wonderful food hall too with lots of samples - quite filling really if you go through the entire hall


Love the way these prawns were packed.

There was however a large display of Thai goods and I loved this quilt. Didn't buy it but did get a couple of dyed shirts in the same store.

Where am I?

Ok - it's very hot, the smell of spices and motorbikes fill the air and I am just about to go and be pampered again.

You guessed it - Bangkok!

Here for a few days R&R before a frantic couple of months and am really enjoying the pampering and the food.

A few shots to tempt/torment/amuse you.

We went up the river this morning to Chinatown where I bought some plastic bags - yes I know it is a long way to come for plastic bags but they are really nice ones....

This is one of the old houses which line the river although they are fast being removed for condos and hotels.


Old makes way for new everywhere here!



Floor to ceiling plastic bags in every size you want ..and SOOOOO cheap!


That was pretty exhausting so lunch was next - here are two of the four dishes which were all very very delicious

To recover from lunch I had to go and have another foot massage - not a great shot but I felt a bit rude snapping all these sleeping people.

Shopping centres here are art forms - here are some sculptures

These seem to be made out of some form of construction paper & wires.

These are butterflies




OK - enough for now so off for a manicure and pedicure - saving the body scrub and facial for my birthday on Saturday.

A Walk in the Gardens

A beautiful Sunday in Sydney and it was time to go for a walk in the Botanic Gardens. They are right on the edge of the Harbour next to the Opera House and certainly a perfect place for inspiration.

This was a display of Ikebana - the traditional art of flower arranging which had been assembled out of bamboo and palm husks. It was going to be pulled down at the end of the day. This is definitely a wonderful variation of the art form.










We weren't the only ones having a walk in the sunshine. We followed her to the lake and watched as the mother jumped in and then straight out. She then took her brood on another trek. Maybe it was too cold for the little ones.


The Botanic Gardens are having great trouble with the fruit bats who fill many of the trees. The smell warned you of their presence well before you see them.

This tree is so old that its trunk is hollow. They have had to fence it off in case of the branches drop on someone.

Fabrications Variations

Here are three tops completed in a recent class at Idyll Pleasures in Sydney.
I love it how one simple design can result in such different quilts.

Jane

Lisa

Trish