Empress Wu Designs with Wilma

Home again after ten days in North Queensland, so amidst unpacking, sorting, and washing , I took a few photos this morning of our garden and what a difference ten days makes . Blossoms everywhere and although our garden has been neglected while we've been away, it looks great! In the next post,  I will have photos from the mixed media art course I did in Townsville. Watch this space please.

Continuing the series of  Arty Places ,  last week, I visited a great  little shop, Feltfine   .  Feltfine is a wonderful resource and treasure trove of fibres at 156 Beaumont Street, Hamilton ( Newcastle NSW) . It has everything for felters, spinners and weavers and for those who just love beautiful felted art, whether it is decorative, utilitarian or wearable. Creating a visual heaven for fibre artists are fine felted items, fleece, fibres, silk, and dyes and other supplies.  It was a lovely surprise and an exciting discovery for me. Recently I have not been such a frequent visitor to  Beaumont Street, since Anne's Glory Box moved to New Lambton. However, I realise I'll be there much more often now with  both Timeless Textiles and Feltfine in the same street. My purchase was not terribly exciting this time, but  I'll be going back. Great service by Kris and fantastic fibres made shopping at Feltfine a really enjoyable experience.  I bought some black wool tops ( roving)

Newcastle  Entertainment Centre became an 'arty place' when the Craft and Sewing Show came to town a fortnight ago. I heard some visitors say that there wasn't much there, but I found lots of fun things to do.... and enjoyed at least two different  new arty techniques to try.  I did a workshop on paper quilting with Michaela Laurie  .  I have made a few gift tags, but nothing quite as  complex as this example of Michaela's lovely work  (image jewelled elephant from the website ).  I also  purchased a kit for this little container made by weaving strips of Japanese fabric and I amazed myself when I  completed it in one night. One of my favourite stalls was Wabi- Sabi Designs manned by Shuji Yamazaki from whom I bought a beautiful silk  kimono style jacket.  Wabi- Sabi Designs is based in Canberra and has a regular stall at the Old Bus Depot Markets in Kingston as well as online shopping. My other favourite stall was BeBe Bold ,  specialising in Japanese textiles and