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What a wonderful day I had yesterday... thanks to Art4Sol, living on the other side of the world, for pointing me in the right direction... I got to do a great workshop with Prudence Mapstone here in Brisbane... Prudence's specialises in Free-Form Crochet & has written several books about it + travels the world teaching - I feel honoured that she was home again to be able to do a workshop with her. Here is her blog of a Scrumble a Week...

We have the first Textile Arts Festival in Queensland this Fri - Sun & Prudence is here to have a stand there & then go on to do other Craft & Quilt shows in Oz. I'm looking forward to going to this the first Textile Arts Festival a festival of Fibre, Yarn & Fabric... do have a looksee at it...

The one thing I wanted to learn for sure was how to do the bullion stitch so was ecstatic when I finally got to do it... not a master at it for sure but, with practice I'll get better...

The top photo shows all our work together & the other photos are of the scrumble I did at the workshop + some close ups... still need to work on keeping it flat but I was thrill with my first effort.

Here is what I made when I got home...

Angel Message... Asking without giving invites dissatisfaction. Giving without asking leads to contentment.

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Gosh everywhere I look on the net lately I've come across someone, somewhere, read/learning/doing Hyperbolic Crochet... some even call it FreeForming crochet but, I really think it is a Crochet of it's own, this thing called Hyperbolic Crochet. Have you seen the video of Margaret Wertheim from the Institute for Figuring talking about Hyperbolic Crochet - Crocheting a Coral Reef...

Now I might not know too much about mathematics[even had to look up how to spell that correctly] but I do know about bringing awareness to our World Famous Coral Reef along the coastline of Queensland & northern NSW - the Great Barrier Reef and how we must protect it, even protecting it from ourselves, our rubbish etc... Our reef is precious to our country & I'm sure to other countries that have their own reef systems. So do go have a look see at this video... I'm sure like me you will want to see it a few times to really absorb it all & when you have the time also look at the gallery area of the Institute for Figuring.

Sydney is having it's own instillation of a Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef in August 09 & many people the world over are contributing too it as has been done in other countries. They are working hard to put it all together in time & are holding workshops each month - wish I lived closer.

I've been working on some Hyperbolic crochet myself... just hyperbolic crochet flowers at present, to show but I am also working on some crocheted coral reef matter as well... if you are into crochet why not make something & send it along... I guarantee, you will have lots of fun making crochet reefs... Go on, have a Go... I dare you too....

Angel Messages... from the book by Juan Nakamori

Today's Message... You are protected this very moment, always & forever.

Take comfort in this & live your life in harmony with your Higher Self.

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Well I'm determined to post something today... even if it's only a whinge... ha ha

Can't believe it is so long since I last posted but we have been up visiting the Grandie Boys again for about a week but came home with the 'dog's disease' - cold/flu, whatever you want to call it, all I know is it makes life very miserable so I have been hiding out in front of the cp just surfing...

We have have just got back from the quack[she really is the loveliest doctor one could ask for...] took the old boy along as well - he is sicker than me but it must be a 'boy' thing he wasn't going to the doc so when I said I was... amazingly he said he would come too... 'Men'... ya just gotta love 'em or you would k... 'em... anyway we are all dosed up so should be back on track in a few days... I have lots to tell you & show you too...

Thanks for stopping by my blog & leaving me comments I do really appreciate them each & everyone, even when I'm a slacko... I've had some folks say how lovely the purple flowered plant was I showed you last time... It is growing beautifully at my eldest daughter's... she took it outta it's pots & put it in the garden where is seems so very happy. I have mine in pots but I think they would like some new soil. The purple flower has a edge of white & the leaves are a lovely green... it is known here by two names Geisha Girl or China Doll - I have been told that one is the pot sort & the other the shrub size but me t'inks they are one & the same just grows to where you plant it. Here is a little write-up on it.

I do hope all the Mum's out there had a lovely Mother's Day... I know I did & of course I was very spoilt by one & all. This is what I had when I had coffee just before Mother's Day when I just 'had' to go get a few more 'craft' supplies before visiting the Grandie Boys again. It was a chocolate mud-cake cupcake & it tasted as good as it looked too... although it would be a waste on me this week...

I bought this lovely book a while ago & I love to read the messages out of it... it's just one of those books you just open to whatever page comes & it will be the right message... I thought I would share some of the messages with you from time to time...

The book is by Juan Nakamori... Angel Messages...

Today's Message:... Instead of angrily doling out blame, try to offer gentle encouragement. Do this regardless of whether you are dealing with yourself or others....

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I think they call people like me a Slacko... cause I’ve not blogged in a while… but there again life does get more interesting in the ‘real’ from time to time…

We have had a lovely week away visiting the Grandees, celebrating the eldest Grandee’s birthday & spending Anzac Day with them. Sadly the Birthday Boy wasn’t able to march with Pa this year with his broken ankle but there is always next year…
On the other days I was able to do some crochet. Yes ‘crochet’…
I’m getting tired of lugging soo much stuff when we go to visit. It is so nice & quite, while there [our daughter lives in a little country town], I do so love to sew, paint or whatever takes my mood at the time but, like I say lugging it all is a pain but so is organising ‘myself’ to know 'what'. It’s lovely to be home again; surprisingly the weather has turned cooler while we have been away…

Now I was going to tell you about my ‘new’ adventure into ‘crochet’… Well it’s not really ‘new’ more like re-visited, as I’ve been crocheting since I was really quite young – I remember the first thing I really crocheted that was recognisable [to everyone, besides myself, that is…lol] was a ‘mod’ flower cap for my niece when she was about 4 or 5 so I must have been about 15 or 16 at the time. Mum says I was crocheting much younger than that but I’m wondering if my mind is slipping or hers???… ha ha anyway that still makes it over … well… a darn long time… ha ha thought you had got me didn’t you…
So what got me going again in such earnest, well I happened up Attic24’s blog – well worth your popping over to have a looksee at Lucy’s place. English Lucy of Attic24 is a whizz at crochet & takes the most wonderful photos too… so it has to be her fault I think… not that I need to blame anyone, as really, I had never given it all up… I usually do a bit each winter, but as our winter’s are so mild & short not too much gets done, let alone ‘finished’… if you know what I mean… lots of UFO’s - well not near as many as were at our old house.

I never knew there was such a wealth of crochet knowledge to be had until I started poking around on the net… free patterns galore too so I’ve been having a blast… Folks are crocheting all sorts of things from the usual doilies, rugs-afghans, beanies etc to Hypercolic crochet, Coral Reefs & exquisite jewellery – Man what mushroom have I been hiding under??? So enough for this time I’m off to do some hooking…