Empress Wu Designs with Wilma

London Summer , a photo by empresswu designs on Flickr. The weather in England suddenly turned hot and sunny last Tuesday , the day we arrived in London. Perhaps summer has arrived, after the cold snap experienced during the last week. I took a break in the cool shade of the beautiful trees on the walk up to Alexandra Palace. The weather remained great for the couple of days we were in Somerset, to meet a long lost Simmons cousin and to follow some other family history leads. We returned to London tonight for an important appointment to see the House of Commons - Grandfather James Simmons was a Member of Parliament, so we are still tracing the footsteps of Simmons ancestors and appreciating the historical sites connected to the family.

Taunton, Somerset , a photo by empresswu designs on Flickr. Enjoying holidays in England

Happy Mothers Day from Manchester , a photo by empresswu designs on Flickr. Best wishes on Mothers Day from Manchester, England. This photo was taken in the grounds of Manchester Cathedral. I am really enjoying the short visit in Manchester, trying to take in as much history, sight seeing and visiting arty places as possible before going south to Birmingham on Monday.

Ready to Go , a photo by empresswu designs on Flickr. Packed and ready to go - Sydney- Singapore-Helsinki- Manchester UK

Fish Brooches Fish, mermaids,  fishermen, water goddesses, ocean creatures and a couple of majestic frogs were all there. The doll making group I belong to, Hello Dollies, was a featured artist at the Dobell Art and Crafts festival  last weekend. The little colourful fish which were made at one Saturday meeting were the most popular amongst the crowd, with most of them  being sold  on the first day of the festival.  Here are a few images of the dolls on display... no wonder there were lots of oohs and aahs.... Fishermen and  Siren of the Sea   Water maiden, mermaid and frog prince  Chubby mermaids  Water doll, mermaid and sea urchin  Mermaid  Sea Goddess  Frog Prince  Water Maiden Mermaid, Venetian fisherman and "compass" doll  "Taking a friend for a walk " - hard to see but the friend is a fish!  Ocean maiden and beaded face mermaid  Part of the...

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...

This week , Anzac Day is commemorated in Australia - a remembrance day for those lost at war. April 25 was also the day when women in Columbus, Mississippi decorated the graves of both Union and Confederate soldiers in 1866. This act of generosity and remembrance helped establish "Memorial Day" holiday .  It always seemed ironic to me that, during the war years, women were considered able, equal and competent and  were respected in many fields of work, denied to them because of gender in previous years and sometimes in subsequent years.  Medical Doctor  My " Women at Work" series  was created to remember the struggle of women to establish themselves in the workforce.  They are quite different from my usual style of dolls. They are all simple  shapes with machine embroidered outlines.  From a distance, and even in these photos, the lines look as though they have been drawn onto the fabric, but it's all stitching. I have added a splash...