Napier......and Evie!

 Napier (North Island) is noted as the Art Deco city of New Zealand. Back in 1931, Napier and surrounds was devastated by a severe earthquake, and in their wisdom it was decided that the rebuilding of Napier after that event would follow the principlesof Art Deco architecture , which at the time was THE vogue.
So many of the commercial buildings of Napier feature the clean lines of Art Deco in their windows and verandahs.
The city welcomes visitors with people wearing the fashions of the 1930s and driving vintage cars of the period.
For me, the highlight of Napier was to finally meet with Evie Harris! Quilters around the world will recognise her as the woman who organised "Hearts for Christchurch"  After the devastating earthquakes that hit Christchurch in 2011.
And ladies, Evie is the most lovely lady you could hope to meet.
I first met Evie in (I think) 2004 through an on line craft and quilting group. Trust me, GOOD things do happen through the internet!
We both joined Postmark'dArt back about 2005/6  and she has mentored me in trying out new techniques....so it was a special time for me to finally meet her,
Evie was kind enough to try help me "find" art deco public toilets to photograph....and I have lost those pics also

Tauranga and Rotorua

 After departing Auckland about 6p.m. and steaming at about 18 knots overnight, after breakfast, we disembarked at Tauranga for a day involving a boat trip on Lake Rotorua and a visit  to Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Reserve.
A slightly overcast and breezy day which emphasized the suphurous fumes of the thermal lakes.
Most interesting to see the mud bubbling and steaming at temperatures far too hot for humans to survive immersion.
We lunched on the Lakeland Queen--a stern paddle wheeler. A quartet of Maori singers/dancers entertained us with song and Haka

I didn't leave on a jet plane!

 After anticipating for some seven or eight months, on November 8, my friend and I waved farwell to beauutiful Moreton Bay for two weeks, and as passengers on the Sea Princess, set sail for Auckland, New Zealand.
I packed the IMPORTANT things like my camera,spare battery,extra Memory stick AND the battery charger and started taking photos before the Sea Princess passed under the Gateway Bridge,down the Brisbane River and north into Moreton Bay!

And what happened??
For some strange reason, NONE of those photos, nor those of Auckland
                    Tauranga     Rotorua
                     Napier
I had hoped that they were hiding on achanged memory stick.........NO.
Thankfully my travelling companion shared some of her shots with me, but I'm still living in hope of finding them....somewhere.

The above shots were taken in the Eco centre in the Auckland area. My fist introduction to native flora and fauna of NZ.

CQJP 2014

It's a week  tomorrow since  I returned home from two weeks cruising the waters of New Zealand, and it's been thefirst time since the mid eighties that I have been on vacation with nary a piece of fabric,a skein of thread or silk ribbon  or a bead or three tucked in my luggage.....a most unusual situation, I'll admit.

Early in November, I was motivated by Maureen B's Blog CrazyQStitcher to attempt to return to my love of Crazy Quilting, by signing up for the
CrazyQuiltJournalProject 2014.
I had hoped to have some naked blocks, threads and embellishing materials to take with me on the cruise, but ambition and lack of time prevented that from occurring----I had virtually forgotten so much of CQ and found just constructing a naked block dificult.

So far I have completed constructing five blocks and need at least another seven:
In another first for me, I am choosing to use cream, ecru chocolate and tan fabrics instead of the usual bright jewel tones that I automatically choose.
I have a feeling that using such quiet colours will make life difficult for me in the coming months as I do prefer exuberant colours.

Earlier this week, Sharon B's PINTANGLE newsletter spoke of the availability of her Crazy Quilt Stencils! Somehow I had missed earlier refences to these goodies, so guess what is now at the top of the list for my "must have supplies"!
If you use the link I have included, you will see just how handy these stencil shapes will be .
Just seeing these has enthused me to get stitching again!