Empress Wu Designs with Wilma

Model United Nations Delegates and Secretyary -General  My schedule for last weekend: Friday and Saturday :  Secretary -General, Model United Nations Assembly, Muswellbrook ( in the upper Hunter Valley, NSW, Australia) Saturday night: Miriam Margolyes Performance, Dickens' Women in Civic Theatre, Newcastle Sunday : Workshop, teaching an updated version of the message stick art doll. Newcastle. Much of this may be considered "work" but it was all so enjoyable, I think it could be said I have had a weekend of "play". .  However, it was still  an over-scheduled weekend and I still felt tired.... Model United Nations Assembly 2012 The Model United Nations Assembly is an initiative of Rotary District 9670 where senior students come together, as representatives of member nations of the United Nations. The delegates debate world issues from the point of view of their designated countries - a very difficult task, but executed with great knowledge, understan...

Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air. ( Ralph Waldo Emerson) … I chose this quotation as a theme for last weekend’s workshop at the Newcastle Creative Embroiderers and Textile Artists Retreat. The air was “wild” with inspiration, activity, enthusiasm, fun, friendship, colour and creativity – such an invigorating atmosphere for all who love working with textiles and fibres. The talented textile artists, Jan Clark and Trevor and Beth Reid were also tutors at this retreat. I had a wonderful group of women in my class who created dolls from found objects, polymer clay and upcycled fibres and fabrics to produce really imaginative and meaningful creations. We each started with a quotation to inspire our work and from then on, there were no restrictions … a stick in the garden will never be looked at in the same way and a shapely bottle will never find its way to the recycling bin again. Here are a few images of my students' creations.... very satisfying to see such ...