Tauranga Blankets

The Tuesday before Christmas I finally delivered the last blanket and was caught up with orders from before the leg episode (which still isn't normal I might say).

Above is one with blue warps and the weft shaded from bottle green at one end to light olive at the other and Inspirit Gallery is displaying this one titled Orokawa Bay.

Number 2 with dark blue weft mohair over blue warp went to Sue who was the original commissionee.  I thought it suited her lounge furniture admirably.

And the third blanket with a slightly greenier mohair weft titled "Tauranga" went to Pauanesia.

This gorgeous bunch of lilies was delivered to me from a friend's garden on Christmas Day.

We have had a lovely time catching up with all our family even though d.i.l. pulled the short straw again and worked the night of Christmas day.

Even though its late I do wish everyone happiness and joy

and all the best for wonderful adventures in 2017.

Ten days to Christmas

Well here it is, only 10 days to Christmas and the Pohutukawa is not doing what it should

 so I relented and dressed the tree.

 Thought you might like to see some of the decorations I've made over the years, most of them when the kids were little and we lived in a caravan building a motor camp.  How I had the time or energy I don't know.  

Dragon boats are popular, crochet stars and a God's eye.

 Angel wing shells, Miss Elf and a paper clip angel.

 Mr Elf and a colourful dragon boat

 and more dragon boats.  The pattern for these was in an early Handwoven magazine, maybe late 80s. 

 Anyone who has owned a knitting machine has knitted wee stockings.

 Mr Mouse whiskers and all 

 and a rather scruffy angel who has blessed us well.

Angel wing with beads off daughter in laws wedding dress.   We did make the dress into another project after the wedding and these were left over, in case anyone is wondering if I just hacked into the frock.

And a knitted star to finish with.  Designed by Karolina Eckerdal "Stjarna".  Not the easiest to do but effective.

Exhibition at the Beach

Anawhata blankets as shown last week

                                                

and another view ... just because I like them.

 A month ago a group of four artists, Unlimited Pallet, had an exhibition in the local beach church hall and in the newspaper article about the exhibition they asked folks to contact them if they wanted to join the group so I did.  I made contact and some members thought I'd be an asset and some didn't see how I would fit in but I could come along for their November exhibition as guest exhibitor. 

One of the things the group does is they choose a theme, then they each start on a canvas and then hand it on to the next person until all four have worked on each canvas.  Well obviously I'm not a painter but I am very used to working to a theme or subject and would have enjoyed the challenge.  For instance one of the themes was The Ancient Mariner.  Well I can just see a ghostlike fabric for a scarf, light, ethereal, floaty.  But it seems its not to be.

 So here is my display (and I know one shouldn't take photos directly into light) and I couldn't believe I had red and I had blue and one set of lime and white place mats in between.  I think I need to work on some variety!

 The red side and

the blue side.