Thursday, January 26, 2012

happy australia day!

{ALERT ~ no craft or screenprinting in this post ~ it's all a bit patriotic!}

I've always been a proud Australian, but after living overseas for the past 6 months, I have a new perspective on Australia Day (today) this year. This year we will be celebrating how truly lucky we are to be Australians, and really mean it.


Last night, I was reading an article about Australia Day and the writer admitted that she admired the way in which Americans unabashedly express their love for their country - on any day of the year! I don't think that will catch on here as much (the Australian way is a bit more understated), but there is some merit in being aware of how good we have it on a regular basis. It's true what they say ... distance makes the heart grow fonder; the grass always seems greener on the other side, but it mostly isn't; and, it's all relative!



Lastly, I've read this poem many times, and heard it read even more, but I finally really understand it.

MY COUNTRY

The love of field and coppice,
Of green and shaded lanes.
Of ordered woods and gardens
Is running in your veins,
Strong love of grey-blue distance
Brown streams and soft dim skies
I know but cannot share it,
My love is otherwise.

I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror -
The wide brown land for me!

A stark white ring-barked forest
All tragic to the moon,
The sapphire-misted mountains,
The hot gold hush of noon.
Green tangle of the brushes,
Where lithe lianas coil,
And orchids deck the tree-tops
And ferns the warm dark soil.

Core of my heart, my country!
Her pitiless blue sky,
When sick at heart, around us,
We see the cattle die -
But then the grey clouds gather,
And we can bless again
The drumming of an army,
The steady, soaking rain.

Core of my heart, my country!
Land of the Rainbow Gold,
For flood and fire and famine,
She pays us back threefold -
Over the thirsty paddocks,
Watch, after many days,
The filmy veil of greenness
That thickens as we gaze.

An opal-hearted country,
A wilful, lavish land -
All you who have not loved her,
You will not understand -
Though earth holds many splendours,
Wherever I may die,
I know to what brown country
My homing thoughts will fly.

by Dorothea Mackellar


Normal programming will resume on this blog after we've sung the national anthem, thrown a few snags on the barbie, listened to the Triple J Hottest 100, played backyard cricket, downed a chardy or two, eaten some pav and had a good lie down!

Friday, January 20, 2012

a nice surprise!

A lovely message from Leah via Facebook this morning completely made my day ... my Tasty Tramroll Menu Tea Towel is in the current (February) issue of Australian Good Taste magazine! It was a lovely surprise!

Many thanks to Jenny from State of Green for being such a lovely stockist. This tea towel can be bought from State of Green or in the Yardage Design shop.

Have a lovely weekend!

P.S. So many Bits'n'pieces fabric packs were sold yesterday to lovely customers ~ thankyou! Don't forget to email me a pic of what you make! 

Thursday, January 19, 2012

bits'n'pieces

It is so relaxing to sit down with my basket of precious fabric scraps and make up some remnant/bits'n'pieces packs for the shop. It was especially fun this time, because I included some Verano pieces in each pack. I love how well the colours, both bold and subtle, work together.


Each pack contains at least one peice of handprinted fabric from the entire Yardage Design range. Each pack is unique, and contains at least 60 grams of fabric, or enough to make a 40cm x 40cm cushion top. These packs don't last, so pop over to the shop and snap yours up for just $10 each.

Happy creating!

Saturday, January 14, 2012

twenty twelve

Is it just me, or is this year flying past already? I hope you've had a cracker year so far. We certainly have ~ it helps to be back in Australia, soaking up the summer (*cough* I don't think Melbourne got the memo about summer!!) atmosphere, family and friends. I have been a bit quiet on the crafty front, but have managed some sewing and a bit of block printing. This block (I'm calling it "bud") was a happy accident ~ carved from some offcuts of a larger design ...


I've also been doing a lot of clicking - mostly on the phone, and mainly because I'm addicted to Instagram at the moment. It's providing me with the right platform for sharing ~ fast, interesting and interactive. I am constantly amazed by the photo's others take. Anyway, while it might be quiet on this blog during the holiday break, you will find me over here most days ~ feel free to drop in!