Travel, Nantes and Pour L'Amour/ du Fil

After 20 1/2 hrs of flying and 2hrs in Transit we arrived in Paris, settled into our hotel and went to this quaint french restaurant for dinner, called Le Chateau de L'ouest. We dined on escargots, froi Grais, codfish and steak, then early to bed. Looks like we were lucky to fly out of Sydney when we did due to the torrential rain and flooding that has occurred, since our departure.

Next morning up early to walk to Montparnasse train station to catch our train to Nantes, a little different to Japan, no English here.

On our arrival to Nantes, a pleasant 2 hrs by train we booked into our hotel and walked 30 mins to where the Pourlamourdufil show was being held. 

From 1230hrs until 1730hrs  I was at the show, easily navigated my way around, lots to see, no quilts on display for their Flower Power theme, but there was a wonderful display of New York Beauties and an Indigo challenge. Also on display was a wonderful collection of cross stitches on tea towels, linen etc. The show was wonderful in that it is a perfect opportunity to meet the designers of books that have been published by Quiltmania. I purchased a couple of the books and got them signed by the designers. A display of the designers creations are also on show, great to see up close, some amazing work as well.

The show was held in the XXL building in a lovely surrounding, only 30 mins walk from our hotel.

DH walked me to the show then picked me up at 1730hrs.

Just some of the vintage NYB on display.

Great yellow and red quilts.

Green, red and black.

Navy blue, white and red.

As well as a New York Beauty display of antiques quilts, there was an indigo challenge of small quilts.

Also some cross stitch on linen and tea towels etc.

It was a delight too see Di Fords Montmellick quilt finished and being quilted.

Some amazing hand quilting and trapunto was work, what patience!

Great chaise lounge covered in tapestrys

Quilts by Kate Rado

A cape embellished and hand quilted.

Wonderful fussy cutting from Wilyne Hammerstein

That's it for now. Off to enjoy the sites of Nantes.

Springwood Quilt Show and time to travel

Today I delivered my three entires into the Springwood quilt show.

The quilt show is being held on the 24th to the 26th of April. This is one of the most enjoyable community quilt show that you can attend. I am sad that I am going to miss it. There is always a wonderful collection of quilts and fantastic stalls to buy lots of goodies. The committee are also looking for volunteers to help over the three days so if you can help, please get in contact with any of the committee members,

through....http://springwoodquiltshow.blogspot.com/ 

Unfortunately I will not be able to attend this year to see my quilts hung, as I am flying to Paris to attend the POUR L’AMOUR DU FIL – NANTES (France), then onto 7 weeks of travel. 

What have I been up to, doing lots of prep for my travels as well as finishing of three quilts, one of them entered into the Springwood quilt show. "Field of Dreams"

My "Field of Dreams" quilt, own interpretation and design from SCB. I am known for doing big quilts and this one measured 2.28 mths by 2.6mtrs.

"Birds in a basket, this quilt was done in combination with Chris Jurd, some shared work, measures 2.14 mths by 2.48mtrs.

"Polka Dot Girls" this quilt was small by my usual standards, 1.73mtrs by 180 mtrs, hand embroidery and appliqué.

My latest project, an African inspired quilt with http://chrisquilts.blogspot.com/patchwork fundamentals  pattern, wonky work and I am incorporating an African panel that I bought, this pattern requires you to make some made fabric.

My made fabric for the triangles and panel.

The above project is such fun, but be careful when doing the triangles, as my mentor says...read the instructions!! Thanks Chris, lesson learnt. Just as well I had lots of made fabric.

Must end and get packing for our big trip, will revisit again with some travel stories.

Gourmet Wednesday and family night.

Wednesday the 18th March was a celebration of family and friends. A long acquaintance and friend  of mine since the early 1980's has left work at NETS to go into semi retirement. NETS has lost a great consultant, who not only took the time to triage emergency cases as well as being a very important member of our NETs family. So.. a great way to celebrate Tom leaving, was to have  a get together  with many  NETS friends from past and present, and join my family on gourmet Wednesday. There was 15 in total.  Two was sorely missed, one my wonderful daughter in law Cara who flew out that morning to philadelphia to present, at a conference, her thesis (as part of her PHD),on preschool bullying and Arieta our NETS CMO, who has been at NETS as long as me. Girls you were with us in spirit.

A great evening was had by all.

 Two days of planning and prep work went into a very successful evening.

Entree :Zuppa Di Pesce 

I made my own fish stock for this dish, well worth the effort, an amazing dish.

A very successful entree, enjoyed by most, minus one allergic to shellfish... Tom!

Main consisted of an assortment of salads, exotic mango salad, roasted vegetable salad, coleslaw and Greek salad, baked barramundi, snags, rissoles and eye fillet steak and marinated chicken wings.

Dessert

Iced Vo Vo slice, white chocolate rose water mousse, Portuguese tarts, hazelnut chocolate cup cakes, chocolate and coffee syrup  pancotta, made by my dear friend Sandy, most ended up on the floor, accidentally  dropped out of a very packed fridge, but what was left was delicious.

 

Hazelnut flourless chocolate cakes, delicious, well done Nicola.

I also made Sangria, I am not sure who enjoyed it the most, me.....or Janet.

Our outdoor dining area and table, set ready for guests.

All set.

Enjoying the food and company.

Our intimate gathering

Farewell Tom you will be missed at NETs.

Thank you also to my two wonderful sons, Alex for cooking the BBQ and Nigel for putting his butcher skills into practice and also my long suffering DH who did a wonderful job of entertaining and all the washing up.

What have I been up to lately in quilting land...

Attempting to get my last 12 months worth of quilts completed.

This is my version of MSG! Anne Levens quilt, 1640 hexagons, now for the borders,

Borders nearly completed, measures 113 inches, this is a big one, only one side to go. When did I say that I was going to make normal sized quilts, must have been after this quilt.!

Love this fabric so made a skirt, just love the flamingos.

My skirt.

My noodle box, http://chrisquilts.blogspot.com/borders to be added, then off to the quilter. 

Now for the scalloped border.

That's it for now, less than a month till we fly off to France for Pour L'Amour Du Fil in Nantes.

Stash from Japan and family news.

After returning from our whirlwind tour of Japan and arrival to home, I had time to reflect about our trip and how much fabric I had purchased. First let me share with you my stash from Japan, when is enough fabric enough!, don't you just love what wonderful designs are out there and the never ending supply of such wonderful  fabric designs. Ohhh the time that I need to get stuck into making a few creations with them all.

My long awaited Xmas present arrived, on order for six months, as they say all good things come to those that wait. I felt very spoilt at how my car was delivered.

Our other wonderful news is that we are going to be grandparents, our oldest son Nigel will be a father in August, we are tickled pink with the news 

So what have I been making!, the first of many, hopefully.

Finally finished my "field of dreams" quilt off to the quilter to be quilted.!

I was nominated by Chris Jurd to take part in the five day artist challenge currently on FB, what a fun time and how wonderful have all the quilts and projects been, such delightful eye candy,  It has been a great opportunity to get to see what everyone is making and what creativity, not one quilt has been the same. Well done to all that took the time to participate. 

 That's all for now!

Japan we are done, thanks for the memories.

Our second visit to Japan, has been just as wonderful as the first time, we visited, we are pleased to have travelled all over Japan, and had the wonderful company of the gracious Japanese people. Thank you for sharing your country with us, the food, culture and experiences that Japan has to offer are a delight and that one should partake of, if you ever get the opportunity. "Origato domas"

Even Ginza district, Tokyo has a Hooters.

Staying at the Ginza Grand, my sister has capitulated and started sewing hexagons, to make a coin purse.

Harijuku, the trendy area of Tokyo, very crowded and wait times for meals.

Horse meat on the menu in Ginza.

Osaka, Universal studios.

Kyoto, Golden Palace.

Hiroshima, trams

This actual tram was working in 1945, when the atomic bomb was dropped.

Miyajima Misen and free roaming deer.

Snow in Sendai

Light show, Tokyo Dome.

Sumo, Endo the Japanese sumo.

Goodbye Japan, onto our next adventure, hello France.