Studio Journal - a Designer's Workhorse

A few people have commented (thanks for that) about the tidiness of my sewing room. I think they must have failed to notice that I mentioned it was only tidy because I had finished one project and had not started another! Generally the mess made when working on something leaves it look like the Augean stables and a major clean up is required before starting again.....However, it may stay tidy for longer than usual as I expect that there may not be a lot of stitching or sewing done over the next few weeks because I’ve started another online course.

This time it is a little different - Studio Journals with Sharon Boggon in Canberra, via Joggles in New York State, with participants from all over the world. How is that for a wonder of modern technology? Reports from those who have done this course before have been very positive, so I hope to get as much from it as they seem to have done and that there will be some achievements I can share, and that a lot is learnt.

By this point in my life, I should have known that one should always go with one’s gut reaction, or follow the maxim that if in doubt – don’t. When tagged recently for a meme, initially I was not sure if I wanted to do it, and certainly if I wanted to pass it on as the rules stated. For a variety of reasons, I don’t forward those supposedly funny emails that one receives, or those that promise great luck, joy or happiness (and imply the reverse if you do not) and these are not much different, even though they are meant to be fun.

In the end, so as to cause no offence, I completed the meme and later forwarded it to those known only through the Internet – ironically perhaps causing some offence or sense of intrusion for them. Many of us write under a pseudonym out of a wish for privacy, security, paranoia or any number of other of reasons, and are careful about what they post, and this particular meme asked for personal information. I guess respondents can choose what to write and reveal, and some have chosen not to participate, which is absolutely fine by me.

It is probably not worth a lot of angst, but I would not do it again. I’m wondering what others may think?

Blogging Break

I have not blogged for more than a week – where have those days gone, and what do I have to show for it? Not a lot really. There have been things I needed to do that did not involve sewing, visitors and a house guest over the weekend, a visit to Melbourne, time spent with my kids on the way, and when the weather is good, lots to do in the garden. It is always a choice as to how my time is spent – sewing or gardening............. gardening or sewing, when I’m doing one, I’m thinking of the other........and sometimes I just think about both and do very little or read a book. That is one of the joys of being retired, independent and able to do as I choose.

I have not mentioned it before, but my career as an apiarist was severely challenged by the loss of all my bees towards the end of winter - I think very cold days, several with snow and many many severely frosty mornings caused their death. When it became obvious that there was no action around the hive during the early sunny days of Spring, I opened it and was sad to find they were all inside, but very dead. Perhaps they also had too little stored food, but I know from the Department of Primary Industry who licence all bee keepers, that many apiarists lost bees this winter. The really good news is that once more my hive is occupied and the garden is buzzing with busy bees, as my bee keeping friends from Melbourne came on Sunday with box of bees that had been captured in the SE suburbs somewhere when an unwanted swarm landed in a backyard tree. I’m very pleased to have them again, and will make sure that next winter they are able to be kept warmer.........little quilts for each one? Woolly socks and hats? I’m sure there will be a way!

I was surprised this morning to find that I had been tagged by Embellisher for a meme and not knowing what this meant, I googled and found this interesting site where there are definitions and many examples of the ideas and questions which spread on the Internet like a virus – their term, not mine. Anyway the rules of this one are as follows:-

1.Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blog.
4. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Now I’m willing to share 7 facts about myself, though I’m not sure it will interest anyone, but not sure about passing it on – I shall think on that, after all, the Daily Meme says that rules tend to mutate as the memes go around.

1. I was born in Hampshire in the UK, and came to Australia as a migrant in 1960.


2. I went to 9 different schools before I was 14 years old. No - I wasn't expelled from them all for being naughty, I was an RAF kid and the family moved frequently.


3. I'm a list writer, so should have had no problem with September's TIF, but I am yet to start it.


4. It follows, I procrastinate!


5. I collect owls.


6. When digging in the garden I collect cockchafer grubs for my chickens.


7. The very first sewing machine I had was one of these, a Christmas present in 1954 when my family was living in Virginia Beach in the USA.