I’m about to leave for our local Guild meeting. The Quilters Guild of South Australia. There will probably be 200 people there.
We will meet, share ideas, quilts and other such wonderful things and marvel at our ingenuity and talent.
We sew on magical machines, we have the best plied thread, and we use computers, and work in fancy studios.
I’ve been home just a week and I make no bones about the fact that its been a bit of a struggle. Physically mainly, but almost 70 days of being responsible for a large number of people. Using my brain to the max and doing the very best I can takes its toll.
Now, we have a wedding in the garden in just two days and the preparations have been under way all week. Now I can enjoy the ambience, prepare for Christmas and summer.
I’m not influential, I’m just an ordinary person, and since the 1980’s I’ve kept a journal in one way or another. I have a bookshelf of journals, some illustrative, some just short notes. I kept shopping dockets from the 80’s. My eldest sons first pay packet. School results, and even my working day life as a fashion designer.
The creative benefits of keeping a journal are also well documented. You’ve likely heard that the best way to get better at writing is to just keep doing it. That’s true, but the benefits go deeper than just crafting better sentences.
Coming back home after a long time away is full of excitement, happiness, sheer exhaustion, dealing with problems we have no power over and this time some indecision.
So here it is, finally the end of my tour. It seems such a long time since I left home with Keith late September. He has been home almost 3 weeks now and I will finally be able to sleep in  my own bed in 24 hours. What a privilege it has been to travel and share…
Walking down those cobblestone streets is a feat of dexterity. My problem is that I’m taking in all that I see and I forget to watch the road. I’ve had a couple of whoopsies so far. I just adore the faces of the people I’ve met. There is a humility and friendliness that I rarely…
I’ve had 5 days of village life. Would I like to live in that environment? I think in all honesty, I have to say No, not really, but it’s been a wonderful experience to immerse myself in village life day after day.
We boated across the lake, it was a clear, warm day and the excitement mounted. Of course having a full film crew in a small village adds a buzz to the environment. Having a cast of ‘ordinary’ crafters is also unique and we were welcomed with lots of smiles and good humor from the local people.
I’m part (a very small part) of a program that features the crafts of various countries. The team seek out master craftsmen from countries around the world and shares their talent with the us all. I’m looking after the cast members and I’m featuring as a Master Craftsman in Antigua using a combination of indigenous art to crate the new.
Behind me, the paper lady received her breakfast of hot milk, tortillas and sauces. She smiled at me when I asked her if it was good and gave me the thumbs up. The milk was served from a hidden container in a basket shrouded in towels and held in a hand-made raffia bag. The milk was steaming as it was poured into the cup.
