Shine a Little Sunbeam

I haven't just been roaming about in Melbourne, I have made some more felted nests and used some of my old (coverless) books to make pedestals for them.

With Spring in the air I  decided it is time to introduce a splash of colour to my office so I made tiny felt bunting to string up on my pin board.

I found some rolls of wide vintage lace at Camberwell Markets.  I really only wanted a few metres but the lady would only sell it if I bought the whole lot, so now I am experimenting with how I can use it.

Enjoy the first day of Spring!

Fantastic Fish

I don't know a lot about fish but sometimes you just see photo opportunities that are too good to pass by.

A giant fish mural on Smith Street, Fitzroy.

A fish sculpture piece by an artist in Albany which lives on our bathroom wall.

My amazing new fish pendant.

Industrial Vintage

I was in Melbourne this weekend and went for my usual wander around Fitzroy which, as well as being home to some of the best coffee haunts in Melbourne, is emerging as the home of industrial vintage.

One of my favourite industrial vintage shops. 
If you  like industrial vintage then you should also visit

Nook Vintage (http://www.nookvintage.blogspot.com/)

and Used Pty Ltd, both of which are also on Johnston Street in
Fitzroy.

Synchronicity!

We are going to Europe in October and will be spending a few days in Paris which I am very excited about as it is one of my favourite places.

When I was looking for an apartment to rent I found this amazing one in an 18th century building in the Marais district which is called "Cabinet of Curiosities".

I simply had to book it because I had an exhibition last year which I called "Cabinets of Curiosities".

Sometimes things are just meant to be......

The Letter R

Ribbon in my workspace

Rainbow in the City

Reflections in the harbour

A Splash of Scarlet

I was driving somewhere the other day and just had to stop when I saw this tree outside someone's house.

I always thought they were called Flame Trees but when I tried to find out more about them I was astonished to discover that there are at least 15 different trees and shrubs which are all called flame treees, and none of them seem to look like this!

What I like most is that the flowers are present when the branches are bare of leaves.

Precious Moment

There is nothing quite so precious as a sleeping child.

And now I understand where "child pose" in yoga gets its name from!

This is my first grandchild, so from time to time he will be making guest appearances on my blog.

Blue Skies, Empty Beaches

What's not to love about Western Australia in Winter?

Faded Splendour

Going to Liberte at the London Hotel in Albany is like stepping back in time.  

The London Hotel is an old hotel which has been in Albany for as long as I can remember but the current owners have worked hard to create an atmosphere not unlike a splendid old-fashioned drawing room where you can have coffee (in fact on Saturdays you will be lucky to get a seat, it has become so popular).

It also has a wine bar at the front of the Hotel which is also very popular, particularly the local oysters and chilled champage.

Albany in Winter

We spent the weekend in Albany.  Most uncharacteristically for Albany in winter, there was absolutlely no wind and the sky was blue.  We went for a ramble along the new foreshore development and the old boat harbour, which is where I took these photos.

Curious Symmetry

I was moving things around on my desk and noticed how nice these randomly assorted items looked together. A collection within a collection really, as I have lots of old books and lots of old sewing things.  The hat pin is a genuine stray - I just like the colour of it.

More Folded Books and Nests

It's far too wet to do anything in the garden so I am still busy making things:

A new dimension in folded books - I think I will call them "accordion storybooks"

A felted nest



and another accordion storybook

Fallen Petals

I picked a rosebud and brought it inside last week. It opened fully and released a beautiful scent. Then it simply dropped all its petals. They looked so perfect I took a picture of them.