Sunday, October 21, 2012

My friend Donna

Hello dear friends & readers,

Today the rain is steadily pouring down & I cannot believe it is now the 20th October & we are STILL having our fire lit!!
It has been a busy past week with a trip to Thames & some family from Australia coming to stay.
Last Monday morning (very early) I set off with my car loaded up to travel to Thames to take part in the Thames Creative Fibre Group Open Day.
I had been invited to have a merchant stall through my good friend Donna who is on the Committee & was their President for a few years.
Donna & I met many years ago when we were both sharemilking & I used to travel past her place to visit Grahams elderly Aunt.
I always noticed this house with a little wooden sign that said "cottage flowers"     
Donna had planted half a paddock with statice & other dried flowers & sold them from her carshed.
It was she who first introduced me to gourds & I have been "hooked" ever since.
We both became close friends & it is a friendship that has endured many years & seen our children grow from small beings into young adults.

I took a few quick pics of my stall while I remembered..
.

It was a full day which included a guest speaker - a lady named Pat Old who spoke about fibre & fleeces & then - as a surprise - a side door opened & they bought in 2 very woolley sheep which they then proceeded to shear in front of the hall full of ladies . . . 
The first one being shorn

In the 2nd pic you can see they have thrown the 1st fleece on the table & the guest speaker then described the fleece & talked about how good it would be for spinning etc
It was very interesting - especially to me who has no knowledge of fleeces or fibres :-)
The ladies of the Creative Fibre Group gave a small fashion parade with garments they had made themselves, spun, felted etc
I took this pic as this lady (their President) said this was a white top & she had scrunched it up & tied it at different intervals 
& then dunked it all into black dye
I thought it looked amazing
A very nice lady too
 We then went back to Donnas for the night
Donna lives a few kilometres out of Thames & has the most amazing house & garden along with a gallery/craft shop at her home called River House Gallery
This is where it gets its name from. . . 
Donnas dog Moe, swimming with a stick - there was LOTS of stick throwing this day
Looking up from the river to the house - Moe waiting for another stick throw
  
 This was beside my bed at Donnas
some jasmine, a water jug & chocs (in a felted bowl)
what a treat ! !


I always like to take a walk around her grounds when I visit
Her gardens are full of natives & I love the ferns especially
Steps up to the gallery - the grannys bonnets came from my garden :-)
On her deck she had the loveliest pot of poppies blooming away
 
         Also on her deck - a recent purchase . . .
    
But inside her shop is another treat altogether
she is an amazingly talented artist
All painstakingly handmade by Donna
I ADORED this display
My favourite wall
And then outside the shop is just as enticing. . .

Just have to add this little character
Donna needlefelts these little pincushions - stunning! !

I had the most loveliest visit as always
we chat into the wee small hours over our glass of vino
& put the problems of the world to rest ! ! !
 Visiting with Donna is always a real "tonic"
she inspires me to try new things & I always come home full of enthusiasm again
I even made a purchase from her - have loved these for a long time now so treated myself
Beautiful detailing with vintage wool blankets
   I have photographed it on my bed but it actually resides on my couch now
Donna - I am so lucky to have your friendship - 
thankyou - you are a real treasure :-)
 
Inspired by the cushion I dragged out this book again
this book has some AMAZING ideas in it
    
  I remembered seeing these cushions made from old potholders

And absolutely LOVING them
but as I didnt have any potholders on hand
I decided to do a similar effect with some doilies & ribbons
& a few vintage buttons from my stash
 In between my overseas visitors I have been working on some christmas crafts
I am hoping to do a christmas display in the cottage before the end of the month (but dont have alot of stock to put in it ! !)
I have been working on these stockings off & on
And finally completed them this week
My favourite - I love the feathers in this one :-)
 They will look lovely hanging from the fireplace in the cottage
Well friends I am off to milk at the farm as our worker is away -
not a job I fancy in this pouring rain :-(
 wishing you all a great weekend
Happy Weekend from my friend Moe - PLEASE throw another stick
 sorry it has been a bit of a "picture overload" this post
but wanted to share it with you all
take care out there - sending warm hugs out to you all
Love/friendship/smiles
Julie :-)  Xoxo            

13 comments:

  1. I love those cushions, both the one from your friend and the one you made. A couple of friends from my creative fibre group went down to Thames. It looked like a great day!

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    1. Hi Louana, thankyou - yes the cushions are both lovely. The creative fibre day was great and got a good turnout also - I really enjoyed it this year. If you ever get the chance, do go, as its a worthwhile day out and they always have really good guest speakers :-)

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  2. my goodness where do I begin.
    So glad you are back to share with us what you have been up to.
    I loved your booth and would have loved to been able to shop it.
    WOW what a lot of lovely things.
    Good friends are such a lifter of spirits and ideas. It is amazing how just one good day with someone makes us go home and create with happiness and joy like it is all new again.

    Your pillow turned out amazing but those stockings oh I love them and the candy canes!!
    You are one talented lady!
    Take care.
    Amy

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    1. Hi Amy, thank you - yes you are sooo right about creative friends lifting our spirits. I think I was just in need of that "buzz" too.
      Thanks for the kind words about my booth - wish we lived closer and we could "swap" our creations as I too LOVE what you create.
      Glad you liked the stockings - they look great in real life too. :-)

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  3. Your friend Donna is very talented and inspirational - but so are you! your Christmas creations are ever so pretty - I hope you sell plenty. It looks so very �� �P � ��'��BC^�b2/���� living. We have heavy rains here too. It must be really nice to have a friend to make and do creative projects with! Donna's garden looks wonderful - I love ferns too and imagine there would also be quite a bit of wildlife creeping around in there. Betty

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  4. looks like blogger has blipped - the bit that went funny said ...it looks so very pretty and rustic where you are living...

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  5. Hello Betty - whoops I see what you mean - blogger has done that to me before too :-) Thanks for your lovely comment - do hope you are slowly mending your injury & coping okay. Yes Donna has amazing birdlife in her garden with all the ferns etc.

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  6. Hello Julie,

    Such lovely photo's. I love the cushions with the bits and pieces on them. I am intrigued with the religious cross in the photo surrounded by Butterflies, do you remember what it was made from. My Sister would love this.

    Thanks so much for sharing your day out with us.

    Happy days.
    Bev.xoxo

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    1. Hello Bev - thanks for your comment, The cross (from memory) was made from either pottery or ceramics as Donna has lots of other artists work in her gallery. It was quite striking too.
      Let me know if you need to know more details and I can send you Donnas email address, thanks Bev :-)

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  7. Looks like blips all round old thing..I somehow managed to miss your last post even!! Thanks so much for sharing more of your story : ) How annoying for you being without the internet again but it looks like you've been well occupied meantime. I forget that things are so much more accessible up your way. How lovely to stay with your friend...so very clever both of you. I am most especially taken by your blanket bunnies & your doillie cushion & Donna's blanket flowers too AND.....!! I suspect that my (step) grandmother Dora may well have been part of your creative group, she has been a potter & spinner & knitter in Thames for many years, just turned 90 recently & still joins in with everything she can.
    I would have been feeling sorry for the cows too : )
    The paulownia flowers are quite something aren't they.
    Lovely to catch up.
    Much love & hugs & hope it's warmer & sunshiney soon! x0x0x0

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    1. Hello Catherine - You know this lovely lady came along to chat to me & spend time at my stall and her name was Dora (& my friend Donna told me she was in her 90's) - a small world. Have posted that verse to you as my scanner has died on me - much like my poor old computer which is hanging by a thread.
      Take care, Julie Xox

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  8. Hello,
    What a super post and a lovely blog!
    I think I will follow along with you.
    Fading grace has recommended you on her post today, so I popped over to take a peek!
    Have a lovely weekend,
    Bestest wishes
    Daisy J.

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    1. Hello Daisy - how lovely to "meet" you & thankyou for drawing my attention to Fading Graces post. How very kind of her to mention us :-) Thanks for joining & I shall very much look forward to popping over & joining your site & following along too. Kind regards from way across the miles, Hugs, Julie :-)

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