Long Blog Post; Workshops, Tours and Some Poppies

I have warned you ... this will be a rather long blog post, but there has been so much in the planning these last few weeks, I can finally write it all down- so scroll through what you are not interested in ( I will start each topic with bold writing so you know)

TOURS IN EUROPE 2013
It always seems so long away, but getting a tour off the ground always takes long lead times and bookings need to be made well in advance  for various hotels etc. So for 2013 I have two tours planned.
France Tour ( from Australia) 14 April until 1 May 2013 ( a total of 19 days including flights). This tour will spend 2 days in Lyon, so much to see in this city, 2 days at Quilts en Beaujolais, 5 days in Paris to sample all this wonderful city has to offer, and 5 days in Normandy visiting Giverny and Monet's garden in the spring, Jumiege and Rouen, the Bayeaux Tapestry and Cathedral, The Alecon lace museum and Tours,Chateau de Chenonceau and gardens and Chateau de Blois, lots of wonderful food to sample, lots of art and general joie de vivre!
And Brand NEW- Tour of Northern Italy from 4 May   to 19 May 2013. This tour will start with three wonderful magic days in Venice ( it is my aim to one day live for a few months in this city!), Verona. Mantova and the Pallazo Ducale ( the seat of the Gonzaga family only second to the Medicis in the fifteenth century) and Pallazo Te, with its Julio Romano paintings on all walls and ceilings and Garden, Verona and Padua and Giotto's Scrovegni Chapel, Bergamo wonderful medieval old city centre ( and great food!) , Milan city of fashion and opera, with tours to  Lagos Maggiore,Como and Isola Bella, and  then chill out for nearly 3 days on the Italian  Riviera and the Cinque Terre.I love this part of Italy,  my first memories of a holiday was in the Mantova region where we stayed with friends when i was 5 years old.

WORKSHOPS
ITALY
18-21 October 2012 I will be demonstrating at the Abilmente Fair in Vicenza  at the Juki/Freudenberg/Mettler booth
FRANCE
29 October 2012 ( Monday ) Gypsy Blanket at Au Fil d'Emma   Orleans ( and then Emma and I are making a video for her on-line classes programme)
2  November 2012 ( Friday) at Best of Quilting at Marcoussis- Poppy Free Machine Applique
3 November 2012 ( Saturday) at Best of Quilting at Marcoussis- Gypsy Blanket or bag
7 November 2012 (Wednesday) at Best of Quilting at Marcoussis- Tifaifai
BELGIUM
9 November 2012 (Friday) at Kalmhout - Form and Variation
10 November 2012 (Saturday) at Kalmhout - Tifaifai and /or free machine Applique
NETHERLANDS
14 November 2012 DIY Textile School in Amsterdam- Make your own Linocut and Print

If you are interested in any of these courses please contact the businesses involved which I have linked. If you are interested in a course in Belgium please contact me direct

I leave Europe on 18 November so would be available to teach if anyone were interested on Friday-Saturday 16/17 November.

POPPIES
I have been busy making poppy variations this last week. In the photos that follow I have upped the scale of the flower itself to see if I liked the result. It has been made with lutradur and transfer paints  and machine  stitched. The size of the finished piece is 11 inches x 15 inches ( A3 size). It is for sale for $95.00AUS inclusive of postage.

It has been awhile since I worked with lutradur and transfer paints and thought I might have done my dash for awhile, but I have really enjoyed doing the poppy variations and trying out different colours, threads and scale of image.

And last but not least on 23 October 2012 I will have been blogging for 8 years. I can't believe it has been so long and that i have kept up posting in all that time with not too many or too long a breaks. It's been a lot of fun, and I have met so many people through my blog both in the flesh and virtually- some of you have been on my roller coaster journey with me and have given much appreciated support, wise words and friendship. I  will think up  something as a give-away to celebrate 23 October.