Scrapbooking Retreat

Last weekend saw a small Scrapbooking Retreat at Russellee.  I had five lovely ladies attend.  One was very new to Scrapbooking and took to it like a duck to water.  I think that she is now addicted to this wonderful craft.

 

We don't mind having small groups coming to Russellee  It give us the opportunity to really get to know everyone and have more time to help if needed.

 

July is going to be busy with attending Craft Alive at Wodonga to promote the retreats at Russellee as well as our Quilting Cruise next February.  The day after Wodonga Tony and I will be heading off to New Zealand to attend the Taupo Smposium 2013 Fabric Art Festival.  I have been looking forward to this event for over 12 months.  I will be taking part in three workshops with tutors for the US and New Zealand.  One can never stop learning and this Symposium is a great opportunity to see what ladies from all over the world are creating.  I will post a report when we get back.

 

Until next time.

 

Dorothy

Bail Quilting Retreat

Join us on an exciting 14 day fully escorted Quilting, Fabric and Cultural Retreat Bali 15 - 28 October 2013

On arrival in Bali we will be met by or Bali Friend, John, an expat from Canberra.  John will look after and guide us for the next two weeks.

 Our first week is about batiks with exclusive visits to shops crammed with material and also to factories to see how they are produced.  We will visit the Bali Safari & Marine park where you will enjoy a full lunch and have the opportunity to get up personal with an orang-utan.  Be truly amazed by the spectacular Bail Agung theatre show.  Not to be missed.

 

We will then travel, via our own mini bus and dedicated driver, to the tranquil seaside hotel at Candi Dassa.  Candi Dassa will be our sea side home for the remainder of our retreat.  We will have plenty of opportunity to sew our wonderful batik purchases.  Many project ideas will be available or bring your own patterns.

There will be plenty of time sew or to just relax at this magical place.  We have brand new basic Singer Sewing Machines and an airconditioned workroom.

A visit to the ancient village of Tenganan gives an insight into the Balinese culture and also the Ujung Water palace.  A highlight of Candi Dassa is a fish and turtle viewing morning via an outrigger canoe, with an option for snorkelling.

We finish our trip at Jimbaran Beach with a farewell dinner while watching the sun set.  Then sadly we will be taken to the airport by our driver for the return flight to Australia.

 

Come and join us on this magical Retreat.  You do not have to be a quilter to come. For more information contact me at russeldr@bigpond.com

 

Dorothy

Wonderful Scrapping Weekend

We have just had another wonderful Scrapping weekend. The 13 ladies have all attended before and a great time was had by all. they started to arrive at 10 am on the Friday morning and came from Wagga Wagga, Stockinbingal, Cooma, Queanbeyan as well as three ladies from the local area.

The wonderful Scrappers

 During the course of the weekend I conducted three workshops and gave one demonstration.  I am always amazed at the quality of work that is produced in these workshops.  This retreat was no exception. 

Mini Book workshop

Mini Book workshop

Mini Book Workshop

Mini Book workshop

Lavender and Lace challenge.  Thinking out of the square.

Sketch Challenge

Lavender and Lace

There were many jokes and laughter not to mention the eating of food.  I heard one lady say that she had been on a diet so that she could enjoy the food over the weekend.

 Saturday morning seen most of the ladies make a trip to Scrapping4Keeps to add to their stash of paper and embellishments. It is intriguing to see how much they bring to the weekend and there is a lot of idea swapping on the storage devices for hauling all their goodies.

 I usually run two weekends a year.  The second is in September but all the ladies booked for this before they left on Sunday.  Bridget, from Scaping4Keeps, has asked me to run an extra retreat this year as she has a lot of enquiries and she felt that other ladies would like to enjoy a retreat also.  We have planned another weekend for the 21^st – 23^rd June.  If you are interested in attending this please contact me.

 

Dorothy

Retreats Past and Future

Last weekend Sandy's quilters from Canberra came for their fourth visit.  There were seven wonderful ladies and they worked on their projects.  Over the course of the weekend some wonderful quilt tops were produced.  They varied greatly in technique and colour.  I have a photo of one of the quilt tops finished.  This braid quilt was made from batks that were purchased in Bali last September on the 'Bali Treasures' trip that Sandy orgainsed.  Pam and her sister travelled down from Brisbane for the retreat.

I have also been working on a quilt made with a jelly roll that I got in Bail on that trip.  The colours are different to what I usually work with.  It has been interesting using such bright colours.  I am going to applique hibiscus and butterflies on it.

On a different note I have a Scrapbooking group next weekend.  This is one of my groups.  All these ladies have been before and the group is a great one.  I have been asked if I could organise an extra Scrapbooking Retreat for the 21st - 23rd June.  This is open to all.  If you would like details please contact me.

The 5th - 7th April is a UFO Quilting weekend.  There are still some places available for this retreat.  If you would like to come no matter what your experience or if you come alone you are always welcome.

Dont' forget that we can orgainise a retreat for your group either for a weekend or during the week.

Dorothy

Busy Six Weeks

The past six weeks have been very full on.  It started with a lovely group of ladies coming for a Quilting Retreat for a weekend.  Two days later Tony, James and I flew to Broome for three weeks.  Then after we got back home I had a Scrapbooking Retreat.

Let's start with the Quilting Retreat

Seven lovely ladies from Albury and Tumut attended an Attic Window Retreat.  This used a panel fabric and the results were stunning.  Here are some of the photos.

The finished quilt tops

 

Pinning a finished quilt top

 

Happy to have finished the quilt top

 

Broome and the Kimberlys

The day after the Retreat Tony, James and I went to Sydney on the train to fly out to Broome on the Tuesday.  We had two nights in Broome then went on an Adventure Wild 12 day camping trip. We went along the Gibb River Road, visited Windjana Gorge, Tunnel Ceek, Bell Gorge, Calvan's Gorge, Manning Gorge, Home Valley Station, El Questo Station, Emma Gorge, Kununurra, Bungle Bungles, Halls Creek and Geiki Gorge.

There were 16 of us on the tour.  The rest of the gang were great, the walks were great and adventurous, the food was wonderful and the ancient landscape amazing.  We all had a great time and at the end of the trip had five nights in Broome to recover.  Camping is good fun, I enjoved the trip emensely however, I was glad to roll up the sway for the last time.

It was hard to pick photos of this wonderful trip.  Here is just a sample.

Swiming the river to do the Manning Gorge walk

 

Echidna George

in the Bungle Bungles

 

Geikie Gorge

 

James at the Bungle Bungles

 

Cable Beach Sunset Camel ride

James and Me

 

Scrapbooking Retreat

Happy Scrappers

 

The weekend just past seen 13 ladies attended my second Scrapbooking Retreat for the year.  There were several regular retreaters and four new ones to Russellee.  We have three workshops and three challenges.  These are not compulsory but many did do them.  Here are some of the resutls.

Sally's great layout

 

 

Paper challenge

 

The next Scrapbooking Retreat will be the 1 - 3 March 2013.  This is filling fast.  If you would like to come please let me know as soon as possible.

 

Quilting Cruise Update

 

We have 27 quilters plus family and friends coming on the 2nd Australian Quilting cruise next January.  There are still some vaccancies if you would like to come on this fabulous 14 Day Cruise with myself and Amanda Daly.  The time is going very fast.  It will be Christmas and the Cruise before we know it.  If you are interesed contact Lorelle by email lorelle@thecruisecrew.com

 

And finally

 

Tony and I are off again on Saturday with some of the Canberra Quilters for a two week Fabric and Cultural tour of Bali.  We don't usually have such a short time between trips however when we were invited to go it was an opportunity not to be missed.  Will post on the blog this trip when we get back

 

Until next time

 

Dorothy

 

 

 

July Report

Pelecians at Lake Coongie

It has been a month since I have made a post. A lot has happened in that time. Tony and I went to South Australia and Tony did a two day flyover of Lake Eyre and surrounding countryside. I stayed in Adelaide.

The school holidays are here and I have actually set up my quilting frame after nearly two years of it sitting in a box. I have nearly finished a quilt. I have also had the pleasure of having my grandson for a week.

Yesterday I took some time out from our busy time with the Bed and Breakfast and did some workshops with Kylie Tout from Scrapping Clearly and Bridget Gibson from Scraping 4 Keeps. There were four workshops. Three need some finishing touches. The altered frame I did get finished.

Planning is on the way for the next Scrapping Retreat in September. There will be a guest tutor for one of the workshops. The retreat is $190 and includes two night accommodation, meals and at least three workshops.