Reporting In

I have finally found a small amount of time to report in. It has been hectic, and I have been trying to find an airfare back home ( somehow I mucked up my frequent flyer returns last year) which has been a little difficult as it meant I was returning from europe instea dof Australia, and airfares from here have hit stratospshere highs no doubt caused by the rugby world cup and the Australian penchant for all things sport!

However Ste Marie aux Mines was as always fun if tiring- a full teaching schedule plus friends to catch up with. I had a rather bad experience getting to Europe- lots of excess luggage costs etc etc- however the first day in France was topped off by a prize in the Councours this year "A Garden Passionately"- my quilt "The View from my Studio"or whatever I called it won a new machine from Husqvarna- the quilts in this exhibition were very good so I was really surpised and thrilled to win a prize.However now I have the dilemna- keep the machine here in Europe or sell it- I think the second option is winning at the moment- so if anyone is interested in a brand new machine in Europe.....

Then I taught in Belgium this last weekend for a group where I have taught before. the good thing about return teaching is you get to know the people you are working with and they get to know you- and they really did some wonderful things last weekend.
Plus Therese Keppens the organiser, organised for me to see several lace related things- and I am back in love with lace. We went to the Carolus Borromeus Church in Antwerp and their lace room- seriously if you are ever in Antwerp on a Wednesday see the lace room- seventeenth century- stunnning stunning lace- to die for gorgeous stuff and because it is all seventeetnh century you can see how lace evolved in that century.Then onto the Mode Museum in Antwerp and some private viewings of Binche and Valenciennes lace and the curator giving so much of her time and so much information- it was wonderful to be in the presence of people so passionate about lace with such incredible knowledge.So the first photo is of the church and the second is of lace worked in metal thread from the eighteenth century- little survives because the metal corroded away-but isn't it fantastic?( and yes it's upside down) This piece was from the Mode Museum who are updating their website.

I am going to be in Italy after 9 Octber- so if anyone in Italy would like a class- contact me- long story as to why I will be there- it's for another time.