Twelve Months Today

It is twelve months today since Michele died from cancer.  A day of memories and sadness for us all.

Lost the Camera

Had a bit happening in this household this week.  Feeling a little weary and then today I lost the camera.  I knew I had seen the camera somewhere.  Attached to the camera is last years members card for the New Years Day Burrumbeet Races and I thought this had eliminated any further "disappearing spells" the camera might have.  The card is bright green and stands out more than the grey/blue and silver camera.

Eventually when the camera and I were reunited the light was fading.  A couple of items for the Arts Centre Market in Melbourne on Sunday. 

A burnt umber and orange hat with hand felted hat band and crochet flower.  I have a few new hats for Sunday.



And of course there will be more hand spun, hand dyed yarn.  And lots of felt pieces for those who work with felt.  I have a couple of brown grey felt pieces ideal for animals.

Replenishing Market Stock

The brooch box was looking rather depleted after 2 markets last weekend.  The glass buttons on this brooch are just so delicate.  I purchased them in an antique shop in Sioux City, Iowa a few years ago.  The felt is made from wool from our sheep.

Black felt with fan and gold and black beads.

A brooch made especially for the tea drinker with tea pot and tea cup buttons.



A dragonfly and flowers on knitted leaves and handmade felt. 

These are just some of the brooches ready for the Arts Centre Market on Sunday.

'No Worries Curries'



Last Sunday at the Arts Centre Market my stall was next to the 'No Worries Curries' stall.   No Worries Curries  have a great variety of curries so have a look at their website.  Today I have Butter Chicken cooking on the slow combustion stove.  The aroma is wafting up into the loft.  I'm looking forward to dinner tonight. 

City Sheep

These sheep I call the city sheep.  The sheep sculptures by Les Kossatz are situated on the grass outside

Cafe Vic at the Arts Centre in Melbourne.

  I wonder what my sheep would think if they came to live here and eat the grass.

I remember shearing time when I was a child.  After the sheep had been shorn the shearer would  direct the sheep to run down the ramp into the counting yard.

Occasionally a sheep would walk back up the ramp and back into the shed.  Wouldn't think a sheep would wish to be shorn all over again.  Just inquisitive I guess.



So even when I am at the Arts Centre Market there are sheep close by.

Country Sheep

Why country sheep you ask???  Tomorrow will find out about the city sheep I found last Sunday .

A wheelbarrow of cut grass.  Nothing exotic like lucerne hay, just grass.  But did this cause a commotion.

We have been mowing the grass at long last.  The ground has dried out enough and the mower didn't get bogged. (Didn't stop someone else getting the car bogged on Sunday but that's another story)

These sheep have so much grass in the paddock.  But when I fed the chooks (chickens in some countries)  the barrow load of cut grass the sheep went crazy.  Why had they been left out, forgotten, deserted, starved.  So much fuss I went and filled the barrow for them.

And you know what.  They didn't touch the cut grass, just put noses in the air and walked off!!!!

Ungrateful four legged friends.



Some Mondays need to be .....

Some Mondays need to be a day off for relaxing.  After 2 busy markets over the weekend I spent today with a friend visiting Daylesford and Kyneton.  Beautiful sunny weather and we didn't need to hurry.

Tomorrow will be a different story and I'm sure I'll be full of energy and out to the studio early.

Hello from Dawin and Mopsy

A boy named Jethro came to visit the farm shop with his Mum.  Jethro was far more interested in meeting and playing with Darwin than looking at wool.  Darwin is a big dog and not used to small children.  This big dog was so gentle, no jumping or silly behaviour.  Jethro and Darwin are best friends forever and Darwin wanted to say hi to Jethro.

Mopsy of course wanted her photo taken.  Well rather she thought we could go for a walk and take the piece of rope a long way away from Darwin.  The ownership of this rope changes many times during one day!

Next Year's Quince Paste

My quince trees are covered in blossom.   It has taken 25 years for these trees to produce a great crop of quinces.  I hoping for a repeat next year. 

I've been to the Buninyong Makers Market today.  Now I'm home, have unpacked and repacked for tomorrow's Arts Centre Market in Melbourne.  Time to get dinner now.

In the oven is a quince and almond cake.  Smells yummy!  I had some frozen quinces from the last crop.

Mr Guinea Fowl

Meet old man guinea fowl!!  He has this favourite spot in the grass where he spends a lot of his time.  He can see what is going on and is protected from the wind. 

This morning this small creature tormented the dogs.  Very early, before I even wanted to be awake he was walking up and down in front the the dog yard.  The dogs obviously wanted their freedom as well so I had to get up and investigate what the barking was about.  It was just the guinea fowl.

We have only one guinea fowl left.  I must get some more although this man may be hostile to newcomers.

Felt

It has been one of those really productive days.  Lots of spinning, felting and dyeing and a couple more tea cosies completed.

With 2 markets coming up this weekend I have finished my work for the week.  Tomorrow is clean the studio and pack up day.

The felt is all dry and ready for a label.  Many requests for felt for making small animals and also brooches so I have a small range ready.  Will make more felt next week with the fleece I have washed and dyed this week.

Hope to see lots of locals at Buninyong Makers Market on Saturday.

Buninyong Makers Market this Saturday

There will be quite a few new tea cosies ready for the Buninyong Makers Market on Saturday.  I was so tempted to be out in the garden today but I worked on the tea cosies. 

When I was looking through my treasures stash I found some Liberty fabric I have had for years.  I used the fabric to cover buttons for this tea cosy.

Market starts at 10am in the Buyninyong Town hall.

After the flood

Some strange items sail down our creek during flooding.  The latest item is this bookcase.  Wonder where it came from??  It may have been dumped rubbish or it may have been in a shed.  We had mostly tree branches to remove and also a collection of bottles and always plastic bags.

Remember  to leave a comment to go into the Tea Cosy drawer

Tea Cosy Giveaway

 All you need to do to win this tea cosy is leave a comment on any blog between now and 30th October and become a follower before the 30th October.

If you are already a follower all you to do is leave a comment to go into the drawer.

The tea cosy is cotton with a wool lining. A bright tea cosy to put on your teapot in the morning!

Fan and the Coffee Pot

New scarf pins.  A fan button fitted perfectly with the beads on the purple and olive pin.     And the coffee pot pin is for the lady who asked for the coffee drinkers to have pins and brooches as well as the tea drinkers with the tea pots.  So coffee pot brooches to come.

Tractor Tea Cosy

This tea cosy has a farm scene.  I love the little tractor.  I should take another photo to show you the tractor more clearly but as the rain is bucketing down this photo is it!! 

The Owl and the Pussycat went to sea.  I like to make some tea cosies with themes.

These tea cosies will be at Arts Centre Market this weekend.



My 7 Things

I have been tagged by Missy Mao Mao to write 7 things about myself.  I'm doing some thinking and I'll be back later when I have thought of something.  Felt making is on the menu today so I'll have plenty of time to think.



1 Well firstly I make felt, lots of it. Infact I spend my time working with fibre. I spin, knit, dye fleece and yarn, felt and more.

2 I need my sleep - say no more

3 Housework is not one of my strengths. Would rather knit or read - then follows a major clean up when necessary.  At present I'm trying to declutter.  My son says that one day he will come home and the house will be empty - not likely!

4 My workplace is now a real studio/shop. I have a portable classroom which came by chance with heating and cooling. We added a verandah and in summer my hammock lives on the verandah.

5 Cooking is a passion of mine. I have far too many cookbooks which I started collecting when I moved into my first apartment. Now I have my mother's cook books as well. Might do some baking today.

6 My dog is called Mopsy. She is a Portuguese Water Dog. We are best friends along with Darwin, also a PWD.

7 Our small farm is home for my small flock of sheep. They are very noisy sometimes like when a gate is shut and they all want to be together. The sheep need shearing but they need to be dry for that.  So much wet weather shearing may not be for another few weeks.


And someone I am tagging may tell you 7 things about herself is Womblingalong . We won't rush her, we will just wait patiently!

Have Been Making New Stock

 New brooches for the Buninyong Farmers Market and the Arts Centre Market on this weekend.  The teapot brooches are very popular.

A red flower brooch. 
Tomorrow I'll show you some other new items I've been working on this week.

Clouds Roll In

Yesterday we had a weather change.  The clouds were having a great time showing off.  Then they really dumped some rain on us!

Blogtoberfest is something of a challenge for me but I'm keeping up.  During the month there are some great giveaways.   Go over and visit Busybeefree and leave a comment and you will be in the draw.  I have another blog giveaway for you to visit tomorrow.

Arts Centre Market

The fresh new look of the Arts Centre Market, Melbourne.  I took the before photos as I was setting up on Sunday and didn't get to take photos later in the day.  Next Sunday I will try to get time to take more photos.

There are some sheep around the corner I want to show you.

 Next Sunday my stall will be located up these steps and to the left.

This is the section of the market at the high end of  the grassed area and sculpture.

The sculpture which was enjoyed by many children later in the day.  Behind the sculpture you can see the back of the St Kilda Rd level stalls.

Setting up my stall last Sunday.  Such pleasant weather for the whole day.  I'm busy making more tea cosies this week. 

Monday Collectables

There are my Guinea Fowl pottery friends.

A tea pot mother and her chicks were created by Angie Russi

The baby and the teenager.  Baby chick obviously wanting attention and teenager ready to leave the nest.

The expressions are fabulous.  We have had guinea fowl here for 25 years. The mums caused us many problems taking chicks down the paddock snubbing our offer of safety from foxes.

I really love tea cosies as many of you know but this teapot is exquisite as it is.

Almost Golden

My chooks (chickens in some parts of the world) have decided to start laying some eggs.  I think they may have a mini computer in the chook house and read my blog about no eggs.  I will cook something special this week.

Market Packing

I'm packed and ready for tomorrow's market.  I'll be back at the Arts Centre Market in St Kilda Rd, Melbourne after a few months break.  Where possible I travel by train to markets.  This requires some creative packing.

We used to have storage at the Arts Centre but as Hamer Hall is being refurbished there is no longer any storage.  I have been making lists so I hope I am properly sorted for tomorrow.

The train is an easy way to travel when the market is near a station.  Environmentally it is better to use the train than have another car on the highway.  The trains are not always comfortable, often being overcrowded or late.  The Sunday evening train is often a nightmare, sometimes being late to arrive at the station which makes for a crowded platform and a surge of people all pushing to get on the train.

Photo Free Friday

Well I didn't intend this blog to be photo free.  I went to Melbourne today to collect some work items, wandered around the Vic Market and went to a movie.  My camera was in the bottom of my bag and stayed there!

A scene in the movie theatre was like a comedy sketch.  Two sisters, quite elderly, came into the theatre.  They each wanted to sit in the middle of the row.  Each one's idea of the middle of the row was about 5 seats out and in separate directions and that's were they sat.  Then there was a very loud conversation as we now had 5 seats separation how someone had told one of them that they must have an ice cream at Brunetti.  So one was having an ice cream and the other wasn't.  And at the end of the film I heard a comment that they had just wasted 2 hours going to a movie! 

Sunday Arts Centre Market

 From next Sunday I'll be back at the Arts Centre Market, St Kilda Road, Melbourne every Sunday.  The market starts at 10am and finishes at 4pm.  Check my website for other markets I'll be attending.

More brooches and scarf pins.  My range of tea pots and tea cups is popular with tea drinkers.  Coffee pot brooches to come soon.

A couple of felt, bead and button brooches.  I'll be listing some brooches on Etsy store over the next few days.

Darwin the Fabulous Dog

 An exhausted puppy.  This is Darwin just after Brie had collected him from breeder  Jane  It was all too much so the puppy just went to sleep.  Darwin has grown a lot since then.

 When Brie moved house Darwin came to live with us and Mopsy who is also a Portuguese Water Dog.

 "Just having a stretch and letting you know I might get bored any minute".


Darwin is a wonderful dog who is interested in everything happening here and for 20 kms around.  He has days when he just likes a walk, then there are days when we need to smell everything and there are the days when he needs to carry everything.  He loves nothing better than to lean on you or sit next to you on the verandah.

David had just been out with the lawnmower so Mr Darwin had to have a roll in the grass.  Then of course he wondered why he was all covered in grass so he had to do much shaking.

When we had a hailstorm today most people were under cover.  Not our Darwin.  He thought someone was throwing balls for play time.