Finally time to post!

I have discovered that I am blog-addicted! It was very hard being away all week and not having computer access in the evenings after the work day had finished.

Above is a very poor photo taken as a quick snap into the morning sun but this is where I was staying for three of the four nights. I love the "Welcome to Paradise" sign on the old and decrepit hotel! Wiluna is a funny sort of town - very small now (the one pub, one shop/petrol station, population around 500) but very strong in our short Western Australian history. It is so strange going to these places that used to be thriving towns. There is lots of large scale mining activity happening now in the region so things are starting to change for the town again.

I came home to some great packages - a tin of 48 Lyra Crayons that I bought off someone on the net who had decided they weren't using them enough (I have been wanting a set for ages but didn't want to pay the full price), heaps of coloured tissue paper I bought cheaply on ebay for my tissue paper collages/fabric postcards, a jumbo jigsaw pack for an exchange I have just joined and the latest Stamping & Papercraft magazine (congratulations again to my mates Sue Smith and Jhodi Bennett for their inspiring and beautiful articles).

I had a quick play with the Lyras last night on cheap, very textured water colour paper and I just love the effects that can be achieved so quickly. I think I can tell what sort of backgrounds I'll be concentrating on for a while! I must look up some sites for hints and ideas on using them.

Then yesterday I received my gorgeous canvas wall hanging that Jo Wholohan has made for me. It is full of texture and colour and detail and is just beautiful. This is the result of a small group doing a one-on-one exchange based on a challenge to incorporate paint, metal and fabric in an item. I have started mine for Fiona and need to get it finished this week. I'll post a photo once it is finished. My photograph of Jo's work just doesn't do it justice as I am getting too much reflection (needless to say I need to invest in a better camera).
Note: I have edited this post to add a daylight photo of Jo's canvas - less glare and reflection!

While I was away I worked on the hand quilting of the birdhouse quilt I have been making for ages for my Mum so I haven't completed anything this week. Rather than have a post without lots of pictures, the other photos are of my "treasures" from the Boulder Markets last week - some lovely rusty bits and pieces recovered from old campsites in the bush, a package of stunning yellow speciality paper strips and a couple of metres of lovely beaded trims.

Today is a play day - grey and overcast here so no temptation to do anything outside of the house! The biggest temptation I have to avoid is spending too long catching up on all my favourite blogs...