Visit to Glengallan Homestead.

In celebration of Australia Day and Michael having the day off work, we decided to take a trip to lovely, historic Glengallan Homestead.

Building of this lovely old homestead commenced in 1867 but was never completed (being only one room deep) and eventually became practically derelict.  Even after having two million dollars spent on it received from a government grant, it is still not completely repaired (which I rather think adds to its charm).

 One of the fireplaces

The flushing toilet

The toilet originally had a beautiful blue and white delft bowl.

Cot and Graffiti :(

There are areas of the house that have been restored but I didn't take pictures of them for some reason.  I am a little bit disappointed in the pictures I did take, I am still not used to using a digital SLR as opposed to my good old film.  Maybe a belated goal for this year could be to improve my knowledge and skills.

Another interesting thing about the homestead was the mummified cat found in the chamber in the foundations, believed to be due to an old builders superstition.  Poor kitty.

In the guide book, it mentioned that occasionally volunteers as required for archaeological digs, which I have acquired a recent interest in.  However, being a listed building no digs are allowed unless they are certain there is something there to dig, but they cannot be certain there is something there without digging (It doesn't sound like they have the resources for thermal imaging).

Michael and Evangeline on the upper verandah.

Evie and I downstairs.

More farmhouse charm.

And the most miniscule bird I have ever seen.  More like a butterfly in size really.

All in all, such a lovely day.  Looking forward to going back with better camera skills and perhaps an Edwardian tea dress.  I love this 1914 afternoon dress by Sense and Sensibility Pattens.  Not quite Edwardian but a very lovely thing.

Forgiveness

Since the the week before my wedding I have been struggling with hatred of my three sisters-in-law and mother-in-law and I don't like the person I have become because of it - bitter, untrusting, cynical. So recently I have been searching for ways to forgive them and be at peace with them. Something I have been finding increasingly difficult as their offensive behaviour is ongoing and traumatic, however I don't want their penchant for conflict to affect my marriage or the life of this precious little girl.



A tip I found here is to journal about the positives or benefits that have come from the situation so here they are;

Positive number 1 - it has confirmed for me that the vows my husband and I took on our wedding day are for real and made me see what a good man my husband is. Despite his (somewhat misplaced) loyalty towards his family of origin, he is with me for better or for worse.

Positive number 2 - I treasure and appreciate my own family in such a deeper, richer way.

Positive number 3 - I am more discerning of people and their motives. Not all people are nice, it's a good thing to know.

Positive number 4 - empathy, especially for my mother who struggled with forgiveness of her family. I was under the false impression that forgiveness was easy - HA.

That is all I can think of for now and I am not entirely convinced I believe what I have written. It's a work in progress.

Hot and Not

Playing along with Claire's Wednesday Hot or Not.  Loobylu was one of the first blogs (probably the first!) I discovered back in the early 2000's and introduced me (and many others, no doubt) to the wonderful world of craft and design blogging.

Hot

Nirvana Himalayan crystal salt

Such beautiful colours and maybe its my imagination but so much tastier than regular salt.

Artwork from my beautiful sponspor child.  I am thinking of embroidering this design to send her as a gift.  She is such a sweet little girl and we get letters from her about once a month.  So blessed.

The Martha Stewart Show finally being on Australian free to air television.  Jennifer Murphy was on yesterday showing how to make little pumpkin people for Halloween (its a bit behind over here).

Advent Calendars!  In particular the one over at happydoll featuring the sweetest illustrations and my own from the Metropolitan Museum of Art which I cannot photograph right now because I am housesitting.

Not

Adjusting to my husband's family culture - Tricky.

Housesitting - I always say "never again" yet it always seems to happen again.  I love my own little space.  Especially now that I have one to call my own.  Also there is no Digital television here, hence no Martha!!

That is all for not, life is good right now.

Three Years

For the past three years, nursing studies and adventures have been the focus of my time and energy and at their culmination I feel my old creative yearnings being breathed back to life from a hibernation of necessity. I have still been working slowly on the grandmothers garden quilt and have reduced my ambition for it as a single bed size quilt and am thinking of making two cot size quilts from it. Becoming engaged and married within nine months this year also awakened my crafty.

I embroidered table numbers using designs from Made in France: Cross Stitch and Embroidery in Red, White and Blue and started embroidering a monogram to place in the centre of a signature quilt like this one at Martha Stewart weddings. Our family and friends signed some heartwarming and creative messages and this was one of my favorite things from the wedding.  However, a huge mistake I made was not somehow letting guests know to allow for seam allowance - something which is so obvious to me, as the maker, but of course not obvious to everyone else.

Reading over posts of three years past, in some ways I seem so different and in others very much the same. I still want to make the same quilts. I have been collecting plaid fabrics to make a lap quilt for the couch (how I am enjoying finally having my own little home). I had forgotten about plain spoken and was going to make it from 4 inch squares, so re-reading my old self was a timely reminder. My blue and white wedding quilt replaces the blue and white Irish chain and its so funny, the fan quilt I talked of is the featured quilt for December in a calendar I bought at the Metropolitan Museum of Art during my visit last year. Freaky!

Other ways I have changed in the last three years, rededicating my life to Christ. I grew in a Christian home and always called myself that but wasn't living it. I can't describe how positively my relationship with God has changed my life. I escaped an emotionally abusive relationship and married the sweetest, most patient (I could go on and on) man. I completed a Bachelor of Nursing which has been so important to my self esteem. I am still a little affected in my writing, still introverted (although a little less so). Less obsessed with L.M. Montgomery and novel reading in general (three years of text books and journals seems to have cured that for now), although I still love Canada and want to visit P.E.I.

I have visited America and Canada, forfeited a honeymoon trip to Fiji due to a perforated eardrum and explored a lot more of Queensland.

So an era ends and a lifetime begins.

The youthful laughter of my husband of seven weeks.
The ocean wind blowing ripples across the sand, making it feel and sound like a desert.
The chilled, crystal aqua salt water which is such a refreshing change from the hot, heavy heat.
The playful, white, foamy waves.
The dreamlike sleepy feeling that comes from the spray of salt and fighting of waves and suddenly being finished with university and the feeling that there is work to be done that was always with me.
Life is sweet.

My obsession

I have just finished reading The Selected Journals of L.M.M. Montgomery Vol II. This period of her life (1910 - 1921) was very turbulent for her personally and also for Canada and the world. At times I felt like I was invading on her privacy and shouldn't really be reading her journal at all - it was so private. However, I couldn't help myself - I really felt like I was transported back to Ontario in the early 21st century. Another thing that allayed my guilt was the fact that she was quite famous by this stage and intended for her journals to be published once sufficient time had passed. I still don't think it is quite healthy to love a person who I have never met and passed away long before I was born - but I do.

I am also re-reading Anne of Green Gables again as part of Sarah's Avonlea Book Club. I 'discovered' Anne quite late in life. I read some of L.M.M.'s books when I was a vacuous youngster but didn't really become obsessed until I bought a copy of Anne of Green Gables at my old primary school fete about three years ago. Since that fateful day I have been addicted. I get into fierce ebay bidding wars, spend ridiculous amounts on shipping for books from Canada and keep my precious books in brown paper bags to protect them from dust and sunlight. Yes, I am tragic, but I don't care - these books really bring me so much joy. Whatever mood I am in they never fail to cheer me and fill me with a sense of wonder.

A new beginning

What a whirlwind of a week!

It began last Wednesday with orientation. This was a great introduction to University (as I have never been before) and made me feel a lot more at ease with this big transition. The teachers seem really lovely, down to earth and helpful, although with a class of two hundred they have a big job ahead of them. Uni seems to be a much more organised organisation than Tafe, I think this is out of necessity. Web based learning seems to be a big part of the course, I hope not too much (I am dreading this first months internet bill)!

On my return to work, I was training the new old girl (she used to work in the head office of the company) and I don't think I have worked so hard in the whole two years I was there. I feel confident I am leaving my job in good hands, but with all the exitement I am feeling, to be honest it doesn't really concern me.

Monday starting with an 8am lecture! (I thought I was supposed to be scaling back my early mornings). Fortunately it seems to be a relatively easy subject and not too taxing on the brain for that time of morning. The rest of the week is at more reasonable hours, with nearly a whole day of lectures on Fridays and nothing on Wednesdays. I feel at a bit of a loss at the moment with all this free time, but I am sure it will soon be filled with much studying (I plan to ace all my courses) and part time work. For now I am just enjoying having a bit of a break and enjoying my daylight hours!

And so begins a brand new phase in my life and I couldn't be happier.

Catch up

I spent the weekend very quietly. Catching up on correspondence, sleep, solitary time, reading and doing nothing.

I love to make my own stationery and will avoid sending mail, Christmas cards or thank you notes if I haven't made anything myself. This is terribly rude and even though something bought would be preferable to nothing (and most people probably don't even care) it is a quirk I cannot shrug.

I found this thank you note I made a couple of years ago during my cutesy phase (I don't know if I will ever grow out of this phase - but it was definently more pronounced during this period) to send to my Auntie Janny. She sent me some lovely fabric for my quilt.


I also found a tiny Puss-in-boots I was making from this period which I would like to finish (although I think I have enough projects on the go at the moment).




Here is a new letterhead (for lack of a better word) that I made yesterday to send to my cousin. Those are her initials in the corner. It is done in a very poor imitation of the Art Nouveau style (my current phase) and it looks kind garish and childish in its scanned form and with those colours. I would like to make some monogrammed stationery for myself but some kind of printing method (lino or lithograph?) would be a better option than pen and watercolours for such repetitive work. Anyway, enough thinking out loud.

Have a lovely week!

Six more days!

I am progressing nicely on my ski trip jumper, this is some quick knitting. I think (and hope) this is the first thing I have knitted that I will actually be able to wear in public.

I may not have as much time to work on it when I start uni, but I'm sure I will need a break sometimes.

Speaking of uni, I have spent the last two weekends doing a short introduction to photography course at the University of Queensland, which was fantastic! I really learnt a lot about the basics of photography in such a short period of time.

Here is a photo I took on our field trip to the Roma Street Parklands. It is over exposed, but at least I realise that now and understand why it happened. I did take some better pictures but being the Scrooge that I am decided to scan them myself rather than having the processors put them on disk and most of my scans became contaminated with dust - I will have to try again - and pay the processors do it next time.

Only seven working days to go...

Until I no longer have to be disrespected and demeaned (at least not by the same people every day). Although if everyone was nice and tolerable I probably would not have felt so motivated to leave, which I needed to do anyway- so in the end it was a good thing, maybe even the best thing.

This contradicts my last post in which I remarked on the kindness of everyone - what I should have said was the majority of the office are being lovely, and the unfortunate minority are just being their usual selves. Fortunately, their moods and demands are no longer my problem. Hoorah!

(Sorry for being such a downer, I just wanted to get it out - like my hero L.M.M. - "Temperaments such as mine must have some outlet, else they become morbid and poisoned by consuming their own smoke".)

Although I am not as good as expressing myself as L.M.M., I do become morbid and poisonous when I don't have an outlet, although I don't always have to have a write or talk about my problems, just making things works as an outlet for me (obviously not today).

Wondermail

I received the most wonderful package from the lovely and generous Kathleen of Liquid Sky Arts on Friday. My photo does not do justice to the deliciousness of of this little parcel (and I forgot to take a picture of it wrapped up I was so excited!)

It is a pendant from Kathleen's beautiful Par Avion series that she made for me in return of some Rock Star stamps that I mailed her. I didn't expect anything in return and certainly not something this lovely. I am touched.

In a strange coincedence I also received The Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery Vol. I - V from Amazon.ca nearly four months after I ordered them (they came by sea). Hooray!

I put in notice at my work today and everyone is being lovely, maybe they are just happy to be rid of me - just kidding. Not long to go now! (only two weeks in fact - eek).

Quote of the day: Three years goes in three years no matter what you do with it. - K.M. my workmate on my next three years of full time study. So insightful and so true!

Michelle Conley - Student Nurse

I've been accepted into Nursing School at Griffith University! I'm beginning a new life in a big hospital. It was kind of a last minute decision, I only put my application in a couple of weeks ago.

I am looking forward to helping people (especially children) and having more daylight hours to myself. I will also be no longer working for The Man - yay.

In even more exciting news, I am planning a ski trip to New Zealand in July. In preparation I have started knitting this in bright cornflower blue Jet (pattern by Patons);

I might make mine a little shorter; my poor, stumpy, little legs don't need any more cutting off. I'm thinking about changing the collar as well - the current garter stitch collar doesn't seem (to me) to go with the detail of the rest of the jacket.

I like this collar (in fact I like the whole thing - but that is a whole other project).

Underwater Wonderland

Just a quick little update;

I've been making the most the most of the warm weather and the Gold Coast lately and have been snorkelling the past two weekends. It is my new favorite thing. The first weekend was lovely, blue and clear but we went out too late and the boats and jetskis started to push us into the rocks.

Last weekend, we went prepared. We packed up the boat with pizza and chocolate biscuits, I bought a disposable water/shockproof camera and we headed out for Wavebreak and South Stradbroke Islands. Unfortunately, it had rained the night before so the water was a little murky. We fed the fish (they are very tame) but one bit me on the belly button - ouch! Then we went for a little trek to try and find the Wavebreak Island deer (without success) and were home by 10am. I haven't developed the photos yet because I would like to go out again and get some nice clear ones.

Just for fun, (and also like Shell, I don't like posting without a picure, here is a photo of a lovely little heart padlock I bought myself.

Happy Puppiversary

I brought my little puppy home from the farm a year ago today! Happy puppiversary little one.

Op Shop Adventures

The best thing about my job is its location. One hundred metres from the broadwater and walking distance to seven op shops and four second hand book shops (as well as a shopping centre but that is pretty boring in comparison). I have a look around these op shops a couple of times a week, sometimes I can go weeks without finding anything and then go crazy in one day. Its the luck of the draw.


January has been a good month for thrifting. I found a beautifully handcrafted dress which was dated 1973 by the seamstress. Only eight dollars, what a bargain!





I also found this teacup and saucer made by Australian Potters, Sovereign for one dollar and this very photogenic little poodle for free! (with $5 Polaroid camera).





The last item of note is a nautical Yves Saint Laurent scarf which I intended to make into a dress after seeing a dress made out of scarves on a girl in line at Bunnings. Although, I don't know if I will be able to bring myself to cut it up - maybe it will live out its life with me as a scarf.

Note to self: Drama is very important in life: You have to come on with a bang. You never want to go out with a whimper. Everything can have drama if it's done right. Even a pancake. - Julia Child.

More patches

Here are the second and third patches for my Grandmother's flower garden quilt. They are getting to be rather tedious to blog about, but they take so long to do (about a week - I'm all about instant gratification) I feel like I should post them. Also I do love them so, I can't wait until it is finished.

Feeling a little bit frustrated with the direction my life is travelling in at the moment - I think it is just a New Year thing. I also seem more dissatisfied in the beginning of the year. Also I think I am feeling a bit unfulfilled after going from Tafe two nights a week to nothing. I have been trying to completely ban television from my life but unfortunately it goes so well with hand quilting. I need to do things that require me to be away from the television. Although I have been consciously trying to reduce television for a couple of years, reading Keri's ad-free blog really brought home for me how much garbage I have been filling my head with my whole life and how much of my memory I am wasting on stupid television shows and advertisements! Then I started to think, it is just a coincidence that as a whole the people of the world seem smarter than they were before television? It's hard to tell. Anyway, I think no television is the way to go for me.

Note to self: Growth demands a temporary surrender of security - Gail Sheehy

Rhubarb (and Apple) Delicious

Yesterday I turned this;

into this;

The rhubarb is home grown, I bought it from a little stall on the side of the road at Mount Tambourine.

Speaking of home grown, I've been growing some produce of my own.

I have been making this salad from it for about a week - mmm healthy. Why does food you grow yourself taste so good? I also have some basil, cherry tomatoes, mint, fennel, rocket and chillies in pots. It's a lot of fun watching them grow and then heartlessly ripping them out of the ground and eating them - ha ha.

I checked out the 2006 Conrad Jupiters Art Prize and Surfing the 60s: A journey of discovery exhibitions at the Gold Coast Art Gallery yesterday. It was wonderful to see all the diverse works of art by artists from all over the country. I cast my vote for the People's Choice award, which was really quite difficult - I do not envy the judges!

I also read The Secret History by Donna Tartt on the weekend. I heard a lot of good things about this book when The Little Friend came out a few years ago and while I enjoyed The Little Friend it didn't blow me away. The Secret History did. I found myself drawn into the story from the prologue. The characters are fascinating and different, the setting for the story is unique and the story itself explores character, remorse and lack thereof. Although the

characters did a terrible thing, I somehow sympathised with them.

I also read Magic for Marigold by L.M. Montgomery early this year . I enjoyed this book but didn't fall in love with it like I have some other books by L.M.M.

Phew, all in all, it was quite a productive (for me) and photo heavy weekend.

Life is sweet

I received my set of three Cahier Moleskines today (I only ordered them yesterday), and I am already hooked! The Cahier notebooks are the bottom of the range Moleskines, but they are a perfect introduction for me. Not too flash or expensive so I am not intimidated to use them, the perfect size and page number and having three means I can segregate my thoughts, ideas, sketches and souvenirs. I bought them from Remo and if I must be consumerist (and yes, sometimes I must) I can't think of a better place to do it.

Apart from being back at work already, I have had a lovely start to the year. On new year's day I went for a drive to Mount Tamborine. It is only half an hour away, but everything is so much more vivid and fresh up there. Some of my favorite things were; the way the red clay dyes the concrete footpaths and driveways, the agapanthas - we have them down here as well but the colour of them is so intense up there, sweet little butterflies enjoying the mass of plant life and the rolling hills and valleys stretching for miles and barely inhabited by humans.

In the evening Graeme and I took Dane to the beach for a run. The water was lukewarm despite this extremely temperate (for Queensland) summer. As lovely as this summer is, the change in climate is concerns me. It makes me feel a little helpless sometimes. The earth is such a beautiful place it makes me sad to think of the damage we are doing to it, even when we try not to.

Two nights ago I had a moonlight dance in the rain. The droplets were fat and happy, the clouds were purple and the moon was full. I would say the moon made me crazy, but it is too late for that. My soul was refreshed and my heart full of joy.

I hope I can have many more lovely times with nature this year.

I am kind of glad not many (if any) people read this because a lot of the things I write here are a little queer and don't come out quite right - maybe I could keep some things in my Moleskines only.

Farewell 2006, Hello 2007

Sometime in late 2004, I got it into my head that 2006 was going to be "my year". I don't know what made this occur to me and I didn't expect to have to work for this change, I just expected things to magically go right for me. Now that 2006 has come and gone I no longer think that this past year was predestined to be a wonderful year for me - I think the positive changes that occurred had more to do with my thinking that it was going to be a great year.

While 2006 hasn't turned out exactly as I imagined (when does that ever happen) it has been a good year and I have learnt some important lessons.

I have learnt to find joy within myself rather than allowing my feelings to be dependant on other people or external circumstances.

I have learnt to be a little more wary of who I trust. My life has been fairly untouched by devious people until this year (lucky me) and I have learnt that some people are very good at hiding their true selves. However, I am not going to let this make me bitter or close my heart - I am just going to take a little more care.

I have also learnt that I can do just about anything I am put my mind to it. Completing my part time diploma with such good marks has been a much needed confidence booster. Even though I do not really want to pursue a career in my area of study, doing the course has motivated and prepared me for continual learning and self improvement.

Come on 2007!

This year I am going to be true to myself, stand up straight, keep learning and go to Canada. I am hoping that putting these hopes in writing will solidify them in my heart and allow me to enable them.

Quilt update

Like a lot of people in blogland, I am enjoying doing not much at all this week. I have finished my second grandmother's flower garden flower and started crocheting a hat from this pattern. I have been staying up late and sleeping in, enjoying summer, practicing pin curling my hair, reading and reflecting on 2006.

There is so much to love about this time of year, lychees, mangoes, time with family, the Christmas spirit that seems to infect even the most cynical and all this time off from life.

Also my favorite Christmas present;

This lovely lady.

My mother found her for me in Roma. Part of me would like to know who she was and how she ended up in an op shop but another part of me is happy for her to remain a romantic mystery. Can you see me reflected in the glass - spooky.

Happy new year whoever you are, I hope you have a lovely night and 2007 brings you closer to your dreams.