Twilight

Twilight ... it's all the rage, isn't it?  If you've seen the movie or read the books, now is the time to see it in the flesh, so to speak.  Of course, I'm talking about the BrisStyle Indie Twilight Markets coming to a city near you, if you happen to live in Brisbane.

Pick up a copy of this week's City News and there you will find two of our hard-working organisers Bec and Helen on page 12 with their new best friend, Lord Mayor Campbell Newman.

Sadly, I won't be there, as we leave tomorrow for a week in New Zealand, but at least my Hot Fudge skirt and dress made it into the photo shoot!

You will find all the details here:

But wait, there's more.  On Saturday 8 May BrisStyle will hold its first Mother and Child Market and I will be there, so do stop by and say hello.

 
















It promises to be the most exciting market, and just in time for Mother's Day.

Food for Thought

 

BrisStyle had a fairly important meeting yesterday.  We needed a large percentage of members to be present or to send in their proxies.  Thankfully we had the numbers and the proposals were carried unanimously.  Being a committee member of this dynamic and ever-increasing organisation takes huge chunks out of my day, but the rewards come with occasions such as yesterday. 

Then there are the other perks - these girls can cook!  Take a look at what was placed on the table for morning tea.

I realise that the table looks a little bare, but by the time I found my camera in the Black Hole (AKA The Handbag) the hungry hoards had done their worst.

I knew what my contribution was going to be.  I found the most scrumptious recipe for peanut butter fudge (what else?) on Flossie Teacakes' blog and had a terrible time keeping the flies and husband away from the tin.  The original recipe comes from Sophie Dahl, so my husband really wants to thank you Sophie and Florence of Flossie Teacakes for making his Anzac Day Long Weekend complete (yes, I did bring home the left-overs).

Committee leader Helen (top, middle) explained some of the finer points to the members.

Hard-working committee members Rebecca and Bel are clearly pleased with the outcome.

After the members departed, it was time for a committee meeting which, of course, meant time for lunch.

There was also a bottle or two of Moet somewhere in the background, if my memory serves me correctly.  A very successful day.

If music be the food of love, eat on!

(Apologies to Mr Shakespeare.)

P.S.  If you are within coo-ee of Brisbane next Friday evening (30 April), give yourself a real treat and walk over to King George Square, where you will be able to meet the lovely members of BrisStyle at their first Twilight Market.  I wish I could be in two places at once, but I will be in New Zealand with some of the family.  The Twilight Market has captured the imagination of the city fathers and the Lord Mayor of Brisbane has thrown his support beind the event, so we are expecting big things!

Second Helpings

We felt a little like a couple of Hobbits, but instead of Second Breakfast, it was a case of Second Birthday Celebrations.  My brother in Sydney had planned a surprise dinner and overnight accommodation for us here in Brisbane to celebrate Mr Fudge's Big Oh birthday last weekend, but our daughter had already made similar arrangements, so he organised for us to have an extra treat this Friday.  We have such a lovely family!

It was in the hotel room the next morning that a shadow shot presented itself as I settled down with my first coffee of the day and the weekend newspaper.  You can see some remarkable shadow images at Hey Harriet's Shadow Shot Sunday.

Tony and I were among the guests at the official opening of the Hilton way back in  the 1980s and we have always had a soft spot for this iconic hotel.  My brother had booked us into a room on the 20th floor and the only way up was in the glass elevators. 

We did our High Anxiety impersonations, plastered against the back wall. 

I wonder if the patrons way down there in the Atrium Restaurant realise what imminent danger they are in from falling cameras?  Cleverly, we asked for a table under that big chunk of granite when it came time to dine. 

We felt like movie stars.  We had gone from Lord of the Rings, through High Anxiety and straight into Room With a View.  This is what greeted us from our hotel room the next morning.  It wasn't until I downloaded the images that I realised that the reflection in the building on the right is of St Stephen's Chapel, the oldest church in Brisbane, and where our son and daughter-in-law were married.

So thanks to the love and generosity of members of our family, we have had two of the most delightful mini get-aways in our own beautiful city.  Who says reaching milestones isn't fun?  And what are we going to do next weekend?  We're fast running out of hotels.

Bag Lady

The BrisStyle market season is in full swing and although I will be out of town for the Twilight Market on 30 April, I am working steadily towards the Mother and Child Market on Saturday 8 May.

It's been a while since I made library bags, and I thought it was a good time to add some drawstring bags as well.

We are blessed with seven grandchildren, all equally gorgeous, of course.  Today is our Sydney granddaughter's fifth birthday and here she is wearing her Hot Fudge birthday skirt. 

This range will be available at the BrisStyle Mother & Child Market on 8 May.

Happy birthday Emily!

Autumn Shadows

We celebrated Mr Fudge's 70th (!!!) birthday on Friday and as a special surprise our daughter and her family in Sydney booked us a room at our favourite hotel in Brisbane and a table at a very classy restaurant a short stoll from the hotel.  Needless to say, it was a painless experience and one which we will not forget until dementia kicks in.

The weather was stunning, resulting in plenty of opportunities for shadow shots.  This was the view from our hotel room.

The late afternoon threw beautiful blue shadows across the pool.  Autumn is so hard to take in Brisbane.

After a buffet breakfast the next morning we stepped out of the dining room straight onto the river walk.

Why can't every weekend be like this?

To feast your eyes on some stunning shadow shots, visit Hey Harriet - you won't regret it.

Empty Chairs and Empty Tables

I have had a very productive morning ...

See how beautiful my threads look?   It's all been a distraction  so that I won't notice this ...

... the place where my Bernina usually lives. 

It was taken away - ripped from its traditional home.  You can see that the empty space is as broken up as I am.  The news is not good - very expensive circuit boards need replacing, as well as the usual service charges, etc.  I am waiting to hear the final quote from the technician today (is he too afraid to break the bad news?) and at best it will be around ten days before it will be ready.

The song from Les Miserables which always brought a tear to my eye seems now strangely appropriate.

There's a grief that can't be spoken,

There's a pain goes on and on.

Empty chairs at empty tables,
Now my poor Bernina's gone (apologies to the lyricist).

There are only so many things an overlocker can do, so I am reduced to tidying up the sewing room.  Eek!  The deadline I am working towards is coming ever increasingly closer.

I am suffering withdrawal symptoms - sweaty palms, nervous tic, jibbering.  I'll have to be strong and resist the temptation to knock over a sewing machine store.  Time for another cup of coffee. 

Shadow Shot Sunday

I have been having withdrawal symptoms since the last time I participated in Shadow Shot Sunday.  The problem is that I haven't had much luck with catching shadows over the past couple of weeks, so I have had to resort to sunnier days in Florence a few months back.

 

The colours are intoxicating.

A traveller finds this is the best way to cool off on a hot Florentine day.

At night the shadows provide drama.

Tracy of Hey Harriet hosts Shadow Shot Sunday, so please pop over and discover why this is fast becoming the place to be seen!

Happy Easter to everyone - I do hope you have a joyous day surrounded by family and friends.

Speed

Speed has certainly been the theme of the week.  My sewing machine has informed me in no uncertain terms that it wants a break, so I have been hurrying in an attempt to get as much done before it goes off to the machine hospital tomorrow for an overhaul.  Am I the only one who thinks that by speeding the machine will hold together a little longer?





















This delightful fabric by Japanese textile designer Etsuko Furuya has been sitting around in my sewing room for a couple of months now, waiting for inspiration.






















When this gorgeous voile by Anna Maria Horner arrived, I discovered that it clicked beautifully with the Etsuko fabric.

It's currently for sale in my Etsy shop.

Keeping speed theme going, my daughter took part in some speed dating this week.  No, not that kind - I doubt her husband would have been too impressed with that.  It was an event at the CarriageWorks in Sydney where artists and curators chat for 2.5 minutes and the artists pitch their ideas, projects, body of work, etc.  You can take a speedy look here: Art Week Speed Dating.  With a keen mother's eye, I caught a glimpse of her working the room.

Her day ended on a speedy note, as she won the raffle they were running (boom-boom) and the prize was a $1,500 Dutch bicycle.  So beware on the roads in Sydney over the Easter weekend in case you are threatened by a speeding artist on a bicycle.  She'll be easy to pick - she'll be the one with the still wet canvasses under one arm while negotiating her way through the crazy Eastern Suburbs traffic.

Have a wonderful Easter and try not to speed.