HEAVY MIST WHICH THROWS THE WORLD OUT OF FOCUS

Have you ever felt that you were covered by a heavy mist which throws your world out of focus.  The last 2 weeks have been a little like that for me, with the love of my life in so much pain, driving up and down to Perth to the hospital  just to be with him.  Thankfully he is now home, operated on yesterday, I picked him up this afternoon, and he is propped up on pillows downstairs being royally waited upon.  Life changes in an instant.  Plans which were made are unmade if there is such a word.  But life goes on and we are thankful that we are here, and it could have been worse.
The winner of the bag was Nerida Johnson from New Zealand which was so good to have her entry.  Makes the world seem somuch smaller.
Big rest tomorrow, art work on hold for a while until my man gets better.

PRE OP DALLIANCES

Tomorrow is the big draw, I have had a lot of email entries which is great.  Will post the winner's name probably Tuesday, as tomorrow morning I drive the beloved to Royal Perth Hospital for his big op.  His lovely mum is staying with us which has been very helpful with his nibs, being waited on by all.  Will take the knitting and sewing to fill in the time.

another broken leg, nurse gladys back on the job

Who would have believed it, a slip on the gravel and down Grae went, breaking his leg once more, luckily it was the other one from last year.  I thought he was trying to get out of the big promises about the oysters he had just eaten, thinking he was pretending to moan all night, but poor darling was actually in agony.  Next morning, the said ankle was looking particularly nasty, so a quick trip to the hospital and plastered leg once more.  Latest info is an op next week to insert screws, and a plate to strengthen it, but worse, back on the needles in stomach to stop blood clots, I said I would happily do it for him, but strangely he doesn't seem to want me to, would rather we went to the hospital every morning, ye of little faith!   The bed has been moved downstairs, saving him going up and down the stairs on his rear end which looked painful without any undies on.  But tomorrow is another day, I will just have to give him lots of cuddles.

GIVE AWAY STARTS TODAY

TIME FOR A GIVE A WAY AND IT STARTS TODAY.

a STRIKING CLUTCH BAG, IN EXQUISITE GOLD BROCADE WITH BLACK TULLE, MATCHING LINING. 

WANT TO ENTER...IT'S EASY.  Check out my blog and come back here and leave a comment on your favourite item and don't forget to leave your email address so I can contact you if you are the winner.  The winner will be chosen by my beloved who has no idea of who you are, but who is my number one fan, MONDAY 15TH NOVEMBER 2010.
REALLY WANT TO WIN?
Here are more ways to get that bag.

DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS

SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY

LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU.  CHEERS.  CAS

The tragedy of life is not that it ends too soon but that we wait so long to begin it.

For those of us born in the forties, and looking retirement in the eyes, but wanting just one more career before we hit the nursing home.  Being 60 these days is still very young, so much knowledge, so many things we still want to try, but also content at being 60.  Most days when I return home from work, the body is saying have a nap, but the mind says, go to your studio, make the most of every moment.  Choice becomes 15 minutes meditation then into the studio.  Just entering my pigpen, smelling paints, cloth fabrics drying on the tables, half finished pieces, almost orgasmic.  Hope hubby is going to cook tea.

Alvin Toffler once wrote.....

"The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who  cannot read and write, but those  who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.
At the grand age of 62, I seem to have spent an inordinate amount of time at my computer, like a junkie on a binge, absorbing every word.  However, due to incidents beyond my control, albeit the Trojan virus, heaven has been rediscovered with spending those precious moments in the pigpen , instead of spending a couple of hours a day stqring at a little screen.    What's more, I haven't missed it at all, no withdrawals, how good is that. 
The Darlington Arts Festival is being held this coming weekend the 6th and 7th of November, at the oval in Pine Terrace, Darlington.  This is being mentioned as I hav a stall there, selling my arty pieces.  Look forward to seeing you there.

disaster

Disaster struck on Friday morning 7.52 am.  I opened something which had a very nasty virus attached called The Trojan virus which had somehow managed to get into my "safe areas".  Rushed in down to the guru John Klassek who located it straight away, but sadly it needed some work as my antivirus agent had let me down terribly.  Hoping to get my machine back by tomorrow.  Am lodging this on another computer.  However, the upside was that I spent the entire weekend in my studio, sewing really edgy cuffs, and new diary covers for next year.  My furry companions were curled up on the chairs, music to sing along to, and my amazing stash.  Heaven on a stick!!

004 let the music begin

004 let the music begin
Originally uploaded by cassie's creations

A happy piece flowing with music, oil sticks over black tulle and black lace, with foil attachments. Hand sewn and machine sewn withlove and hope.

006 gently flowing

006 gently flowing
Originally uploaded by cassie's creations

This delicate piece hand sewn and machine sewn on sheer organza over cloth paper fabric, various cottons, buttons and beads. Gives a very relaxing feeling just to look at it. Attached to a painted canvas background ready for hanging.
Sewn with love and hope.

008 underwater garden

008 underwater garden
Originally uploaded by cassie's creations

a fantasy piece, complete with bugs, painted with oil sticks, hand sewn and machine sewn on scrim on a cloth fabric background. Buttons and beads embellish this piece, along with various cottons and braids. Wonderful for a child's room.
Sewn with love and hope.

010 alive and kicking

010 alive and kicking
Originally uploaded by cassie's creations

oil sticks, buttons and beads, japanese prints, wools, hand and machine sewn on a fabric cloth background and attached to a stretched canvas reading for hanging.
Sewn with love and hope.

001 peacefully does it

001 peacefully does it
Originally uploaded by cassie's creations

hand sewn, painted, beaded, machine sewn and various cottons on a fabric cloth background. Sewn with love and hope.

denof iniquity

Photo0061
Originally uploaded by cassie's creations

often called the sin pit.

Summer days

F1010009
Originally uploaded by cassie's creations

what a way to spend your day, scrapping with friends at one of my workshops at Irishtown Hall.

sleeping beauties, Cath & I 1969

F1030010
Originally uploaded by cassie's creations

Handmade photo album of Cath's baby photos, given to her for a birthday.

Photo0064

Photo0064
Originally uploaded by cassie's creations

Gorgeous isn't she! One of my favourite paintings of a dear friend.

MONTSALVAT

Montsalvat was and is a thriving artists colony somewhere around Vermont in Victoria, can't remember the exact town. Dad lived there for a while in the seventies, helping to build the Cathedral in return for his keep and the company of other artists.  The entire compound is well worth a look, so much art in every nook and cranny. 



exciting day

What a good day!  Firstly a meeting at work, with cakes bought by the boss.  There are too many people on diets these days, I was the only one who had two pieces and didn't feel guilty either.  Lunch with my friend Dianne, renewed my membership with AVAS, followed by an extremely interesting hour and a half with John Classic of Classic-IT.  Setting up a website was what it was all about, and what food for thought.  Does anyone have interesting tips on their websites?  Now I need to pick a domain name, as FANNYFANACAPAN is a little too long.  My darling father used to call me that, god only knows where it came from, maybe cockney english.  ANY IDEAS ANYONE?

collective effort in memory of our friend Peta

Every year a group of us go down to Margaret River, quilting and scrapping.  One of our group, a truly lovely and very brave young lady recently Peta passed away after a long illness.  She was an inspiration to all of us and I think of her often.



Bindoon Show

Saturday morning arrived , very warm weather.  Grandaughter Sienna was riding for the first time in the Bindoon Show, bless her, she looked wonderful, even though she was rather nervous and picked up a couple of prizes to boot.  My daughter had entered a few of my paintings in the Show section and I pickedup three second prizes and two firsts which put an enormous smile on my face.  Has anyone else entered their art in the local shows, It was such a buzz, and helping out the community to boot.  Great show, lots of fun for the kids, ute muster for the big boys, animal nursery, show bags, and the ubiquitous rides, and of course, the horse riding competition.  Today back into my studio because that is what I really love doing.

Friday nights

This has to be the best time of the week.  What do you reckon?  Everyone loves Fridays. Do you remember those ties which had a mug of beer embroidered on and underneath TGIF for Thank God It's Friday.  Hubby always cooks fish and chips on Fri nights and brings home a bottle of champers to wash it down, Why? because it's Friday and the weekend is looming.  Joy!!!!  Bludy marvellous!!!!

blogging

I seem to have spent an incredible amount of time on my computer over the last week reading other people's blogs and answering, quite fascinating, but must get out into the garden, the winter grass has died and the grass seeds are everywhere, nasty for the animals.  Love the Nicholas Building in Melbourne, discovered it earlier this year when visiting my son, who waited patiently for me, unfortunately a whole day passed in a moment, looking forward to getting back there soon, as well as visiting my lovely boy. (i should say man, he is 45).

Northampton trip

My sewing sisters and I departed for Northampton on Friday morning at 11 am.  Due to a fire on the Brand Hwy, we detoured via Three Springs and Mingenew which added over anhour to our trip.  We finally arrived at 7.30 pm.  Stayed in a wonderful B & B Called the Ostrich Farm, plenty of room for the five of us.
Saturday morning we headed downtown, the quilts were amazing, loved the felting group, and the lace making just left us gobsmacked.  Great mango smoothies.  Ella came down from Kalbarri and bought my adorable grandson with her, so I could have lots of cuddles, he is just edible.  Cath and Pete and kids were on their way home after a holiday at Red Bluff, so also caught up with them.  Sadly it really was all over by 3.30.  I would have thought , for such an enormous effort, it could have run over 2 days, maybe with workshops onthe next day, or something like that.  Nevertheless, great weekend away with the girls, came back with a few ideas which is always good.

away away we go to la la land

This morning my bags are packed and I am eady to go, along with my sewing group, off to Northampton, about 6 hours from us, for the annual AIRING OF THE QUILTS.  Our group has not been before, but heard a lot of great news.  We had to book in months ago and managed to get a farmstay accommodation just out of town.  Believe there are masses going, will keep this blog updated and take some good photos.
My precious boy now appears to be ok, thank god.  How quickly life passes in front of your eyes, and as much as this dear boy drives me to distraction at times, I could not bear life without him in it, so thank you god for watching over him.

the worst news one can get

Yesterday I received a phone call to say that my son Aaron had been in a rollover outside of Balgo Community where he was working and that he had been found unconscious and the Flying Doctor was taking him to Broome Hospital.  He was conscious on the plane but heavily drugged to stop him moving in case there were breakages or internal problems.   I think my heart stopped and I could feel the tears coming, so I drove over to a dear friend's place where we had numerous cuppas and then I returned home, finally getting hold of the hospital who said miraculously there was nothing broken, and he ticked all of the boxes.  Utterly amazing as he had been flung through the windscreen.  That boy has a guardian angel just like his father.  I have since spoken to him this morning and suggested just take it easy today.  I will also, I'm planning to go into my studio in a moment and lose myself in something.

ephemera forever

I have discovered an amazing website /blog  which not only sells incredible beads etc etc adinfinitum, but also with the US4 being at such a great price at the moment, well worth my giving it some serious peeking.

fannyfanacapan: HHH Enterprises Beading and Jewelry Making

fannyfanacapan: HHH Enterprises Beading and Jewelry Making: "HHH Enterprises Beading and Jewelry Making: '- Sent using Google Toolbar'"

wonderful wedding

Yesterday I had the delight of conducting the most wonderful wedding ceremony in my treasured position as a celebrant.  The couple were friends who had been together for quite sometime and were married in their garden in a beautiful bushland setting with family from overseas and their friends.  They were truly in love with one another and the emotions from the couple carried through to the gathering.  As my hubby said, if we were standing in their vege patch, it would have been watered for a week.  Their love isn't a fairy tale, it is very real and I was honoured to be a part of it.

I drifted off to sleep last night dreaming of blogs and websites, and I guess the realisation that if I would like to sell my work via the website, then I really do have to pull out the proverbial finger and learn more about the whole process.  We all now live in an age where it isn't sufficient to say we have learnt as much as we can, we continually have to learn and keep up with the incredibly fast moving technology.  I am driving to Perth today to visit my mum who has alztheimers and is in a wonderful nursing home, but who even without alztheimers, would have enormous trouble keeping up with the changes of today, having been born in 1919, in inner London, from cars to jet planes, radios to tvs, dvds etc, computers, astronauts, unthinkable in that time unless your name was Leonardo da Vinci.
Anyway, moving onwards and upwards (sounds like Winston Churchill).

WELCOME TO MY WORLD

The world is full of incredibly talented artisans, I never tire of looking at other artists work and I am constantly amazed at the never ending range of inventive pieces.
I was lucky enough to have an artist for a father, and even though he has now passed on, god bless him, I thank him for my talent and feel that he is always with me, giving me a little nudge when the brick wall looms and the ideas seem to seep into the mortar.
My darling man built me a sensational studio some years ago now, lovingly referred to as "the pig pen", I assume he is referring to my clutter, but he leaves me to it and goes next door to his "anally clean pig pen" where he handmakes guitars. (he is a luthier).
We meet at the end of the day with a glass of wine and chat over the day's proceedings.  Life is very good.