More temples and Shrines!

Historic neighbourhood

Just around the corner from Yanaka Ginza we found yet more history!
Old timber houses /shops,retained as a reminder of earlier times.
Then there was the Tsukijibei Fence:A traditional stone fence that followers of Ninja movies will recognise.

Tokyo streetscapes

YANAKA GINZA is a small street market that retains the warm atmosphere of

Shitamachi,the traditional section in Tokyo with origins from the Edo period.

Yanaka is also known for its cats,and I was intrigued by the various figurines of cats in the Yanaka Ginza.

The two above are known as Maneki Neko ,or "prosperity" or even "Beckoning cats"
Many were seen like the two above at the entrance to a business.
It is reckoned that if the left paw is raised,it is beckoning customers into the business premises;If the right paw is raised it's meant top be attracting money or good fortune!
Along this lane there were cats on the awnings and roofs in all sorts of poses......
and just around the corner in a small temple was a live cat sunning on the shrine steps,until a monk came out and fed it!

Quirky Tokyo

Tokyo can yield some interesting sights..................
Strolling down the Ginza our fist day revealed some "interesting shoe fashions for the coming winter!

Home again!

After four weeks travel in Japan,I'm once again home in Oz!
I had many reasons for visiting Japan ............and one was to see the Autumn foliage;

When we arrived in Shinagawa October 13,Nature had not yet decided that it was actually the Autumn season,and flashes of colour were few and far between, which I found a tad disappointing,but as the days rolled by,so the foliage colours changed:

At first,there were hints of gold and then red,orange......a veritable explosion of colour.

WAT's on Television Tonight?

Okay,the article in today's edition of the Redcliffe Herald did not scan as well as I'd hoped (sorry about that).
Last night's rehearsal went quite well.
Producer and director are stressing just a tad,but the cast is enjoying themselves.

Back to the sewing machine as adjustments are required.

Japan bound! (and) WAT's on Television tonight?

Back in July I mentioned that I was commencing language lessons in Japan.........a friend and I were contemplating visiting Japan in the northern Spring of 2009.

However,as often happens,plans change and we are departing in 20 days time!
As Gail has lived in as well as visitting the country several times,I have left the planning in her very capable hands.

The photos included in this post are indicative of the travel literature and language text books I am trying to digest

The third pic is to prove that Australian made souvenirs can still be found,if one hunts hard enough!

I had hoped to use some of my work as presents for our hosts and friends , and am yet to make the decision.


Re: WAT's on Television Tonight"

It is a small review being staged by a group of about 16 people as a fund raiser for the recently established Redcliffe Hospital Foundation,
by WAT .....Workshop Art Theatre, a non audtioned group of enthusiastic amatuers from the Redcliffe Peninsula.

I will try and sneak some photos tonight at dress rehearsal,to share with you.

Ciao for now

Postmark'dArt......Recycled

Finally,I'm ready to mail six of my postcards for the Round 7 of Postmark'dArt swap.

These cards come under the category RECYCLED.

Card #1 features wrist watch 'bits' encased in a vinyl 'bottle' and mounted on some (recycled tissue wrapping paper that was manipulated into paper fabric a few months back.
The song "If I could put Time in a bottle" echoed at the back of my mind for ages.
I wish I could recycle on the time I waste dreaming.



Card #2 also features the recycled paper fabric.This time it's one of my doodle pieces cut to shape.















Card#3: We all 'know'that cats have nine lives,don't we?
So,recycling offcuts from other projects,I've recycled this cat's ninth life.
Card #4: About two years ago,this formed part of an attempt at a Journal Quilt depicting stagnation in the Murray River.
I was dissatisfied with the quilt,but recycling part to a 6by 4 inch format makes it work I think.

The times they are a changing!

My " three score and ten" natal celebration on July 8,seems to have marked a watershed in my life!
I've finally started trying things I've dreamed of since my teen years:
Gliding
Going back to theatre work;
Chorister;
and being "ME"
For so long,I have been : Mrs C; mother;corporate wife;farmer; trying to be a fibre artist...........
and now,it's "enough already"----
what I do now is for "ME" and no one else.
I no longer have to worry about tidal surges affecting others...........

Lately I have joined into not only choral groups; Indoor bowls groups; Theatre workshop group;
Gliding;Japanese conversation (more about that later) Sight singing and vocal techniques;but I feel so ALIVE......................!!

To my older online friends

Don't wither away and die: Use your talents!!

We are dead a very long time................use it or lose it!

Fly and be free!

Since about my sixteenth birthday,I've had an urge to try gliding.
For one reason or another that has never happened..............until I realised that with my 70th birthday,my time was running out.

Today,with the help of my friend John Clayton (senior instructor at Caboolture Gliding club) I realised part of my dream.............with three flights in a Blanik glider!
Total flying time probably amounted to only 51 minutes,but John gave me control (for short times) on flights 2 and 3.

The last couple of weeks have been rather magical for me, as I attempt to apply a new direction to my life--------

I have joined a "workshop art theatre (WAT) as they prepare a comedic Review to be presented late October.

I have taken up Indoor Bowls.....and found it not as easy as I thought! :-(

Then there is Multitude..........a choir which is proving difficult, in that it's about 30 years since I read any music.... or sung seriously;
not to mention how rusted my vocal chords have become.

Last Thursday my darling daughter and I had a "girls night out" at Jupiters Casino on the Gold Coast of Queensland!
That was a night....that was!! :-) Thankfully I dont celebrate 70th birthdays too often.............I have blistered feet to prove what a good night we enjoyed.

Somehow,I'm beginning to think that maybe my passion with fabric ,fibre and threads is on the wane,as I discover these other addictions.Who knows what the future holds........but trust me,I'm going to enjoy the twilight years

I've been hung at last!

This morning my friend Penne Jefford-Kane and myself put in some hard yards at the Deception Bay Library: we had been asked to submit a selection of art quilts as 'artists in residence' for the month of July.

I didn't realize until today what hard work it is arranging a small show.
I've also decided I do not like ladder work any more.regardless of the exercise involved (smiles to myself)

We grouped these three works together because
a) The two smaller quilts are the same theme,but different techniques.
The upper piece is a machine applique`d fabric landscape and the lower black bordered one is worked in machine felted wool and silk fibres.

Over the computer desk we arranged some of my Journal Quilts,and on the wall opposing them was hung "Shapes" and one of my favourites,although it doesnt really qualify as an art quilt.
"I love a sunburnt country" is a Redwork hand embroidered quilt featuring flora and fauna and surrounding a map of Australia.

Unfortunately my camera batteries "died" so you'll need to visit again to see the rest of our exhibit.

Maybe now,I'll have :
"TIME" to make a start on that "Embellish stitch and Enrich" course of Dale R's which must now be entering it's fifth week.
b)The larger piece "Asymmetrical Abstraction" is an attempt at an abstract landscape.

Shapes revisited

I know that I said a while back that "Shapes" was complete;
However,I felt it was too blah so I have added some tracks to add to the over all textural effect with various fibres.
Still not happy with it,so I guess 'somebody' may end up with a placemat.

Asymmetrical abstraction

Finally I can say "It's complete"
What started as an idea for an abstract landscape has done it's own thing and turned out totally different to what was planned.
Maybe I need to get back to my original premise beat it into submission, and see what results

Glasshouse mountains

When we still had Lo-e ,our beautiful 45 foot diesel cruiser,we used often to travel up Pumicestone Passage and anchor where we used to experience the most wonderful sunsets:
Behind the Glasshouse Mountains,and reflected in the waters of Tripcony Bight,these are my attempts at portraying a special place.

Landscape Postcards

Finally,my landscape cards are ready to travel toSweden,Ireland and the USA.I have tried to give a feeling of our Australian landscape
from the Northern Territory;Western Australia and Queensland.
The first two are stylised version (artistic licence?) of Edith Falls in NT.

The third is of a part of the Westralian coastline,with it's sandstone "islands".

The fourth card is an area that calls deeply to my heart: the Glasshouse Mountains.This is meant to represent Mt Tibrogargan.