Finally got round to some crafting this weekend. Thought I'd lost the will to craft...but it has returned. It's been about 14 months since I quit smoking and took up the evil Knititng Nancy - another highly addictive way to pass the time. I've made more button brooches and a new kind...made up of different buttons (I think I like them better). I'm a big fan of Button Therapy, so spending time immersed in their colours, shapes and textures kept me happy.

Wings And Things

I was lucky enough to get one of Melissa's lovely tiny dolls and yes they are even more amazing up close. So much work. Makes me smile every time I look at it.

The angel is Emma's - she saw it in a shop called Outre in Dunedin and had to have her. I think she's really lovely (Emma and the angel!).

The Gin Fairy was made by the very talented Jam Fancy. Again, detail is incredible. Her legs are bendy, too. The Gin Fairy was part of a exhibition with Loobylu and Van Sowerwine

Poem

I haven't written much for so long. I hope you enjoy it.


Drawing a Bird

Step off something high.
Hold your 2B aloft - downward strokes
for the stretch of the wing.

Pressing hard
to bring out the tiny, weightless bones
thin as sewing pins.

The beak slightly hooked when closed
or a thin petal pink tongue
for warbling.
A negative space when open -
the same shape as a roof over a house.

Draw up sharply
towards the feathery throat.
Each plume running in the one direction

ruffled by
buffeted by -invisible trade winds

Pencil and bird are born aloft.

Legs are easy.
And if you turn the paper over
you can trace
something like a mountain range
with your thumb.

Free Book Friday

Been too long! If you would like a copy of EAT PRAY LOVE : One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia, reviewed favorably here by Africankelli just do this:

1. be the first to post here saying I Want This Book!
2. email me a postal address to spindle2@tpg.com.au asap
3. wait for your book to arrive.

I'll post the book for free anywhere.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

The Lake

New Zealand (yes, still banging on about my holidays) has so many amazing bodies of water. I love the lakes we saw - especially in Autumn. Water was like glass - full of mystery. They changed constantly. Early in the mornings they were coated in a thin layer of fog, when the sun shone you could see all the way down to the stony floor, when it was cloudy they were gun metal and cold. Here are some pics of Lake Wanaka and Lake Tekapo.

Toyland Can Be Scary.

While Em and I were driving around New Zealand's South Island we happened across a massive toy museum...okay, I might have grabbed the wheel hysterically screaming "TURN, TURN!". We didn't stay long. Some amazing tin toys but the place was a total shambles...stuff everywhere. Lots of the toys looked kind of sad and lonely and - angry. But that could just be my imagination. Anyway. I had fun taking some photos. I think my favorite is the little bear with his glasses.

A good friend suggested I take a look at this blog - The Vegan Lunch Box. I admire her dedication. She's turned the lunch box into an art form.

"Tell me Frank...was she rarrrelly beautiful?"

In New Zealand we celebrated my birthday by spending a night at Lanarch Castle in Dunedin. Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier is one of my favorite books/films and this castle reminded me of the grand house, Mandalay. Built in 1871 by a cranky, rich Scotsman, William Lanarch - Lanarch has a pretty sad history. After his first wife died, William married his dead
wife's sister (that never works) and spent most of his time in town. She was miserable rattling around the castle. The staff hated her. She started drinking and was often spotted staggering around the estate. One night William took his pistol and shot himself. It's a beautiful castle but not a happy one. It's reportedly haunted...I didn't see anything but some of the upstairs bathrooms gave me shiver. After breakfast,
Em and I walked around the grounds just as the sea mist moved in...

The Birds

Okay. I must admit, I'm not much of a twitcher (isn't that what they call birdwatchers?) but the birds in NZ were impossible to ignore. Frankly, they were very pushy. Every time we did a walk or stopped at a look-out, a bird would show up, demanding to be photographed. Admittedly, the water fowl showed more restraint. Here are my birdy photos. I'm afraid I can't identify them all...but there's a baby (chick) albatross, shag and a pukeko.

Planet Melbourne

Here's a pic of Melbourne from the plane on our way home from NZ.

Flying into Melbourne early on Saturday morning was like approaching a sci-fi metropolis from outerspace - the city appeared to be built on clouds.

New Zealand holiday was amazing. I bought a new camera before we left. I took over 300 photos but I promise not to post them all at once. Whatever happened to the slide night? Anyway, NZ was incredible. People were so friendly, food was incredible, scenery, mind blowing. Went to Milford and Doubtful Sound, Christchurch, Queenstown, Dunedin and so many small towns in between. Craft scene is pretty big, especially in Dunedin - saw lots of crochet and fantastic jewellery using rocks/silver/greenstone. Fronting up to work was hard today...so forgive me if I keep banging on about What I Did On My Holidays...pics coming tomorrow. You've been warned. Thanks for your all your good holiday wishes, too.x