* S I N G *

Here's a pic of the 'Sing' bag I saw at Steph's recently

The bag is by Anni Downs and is from her latest book 'The Simple Life'

On the back it says 'Sing and the world sings with you'

Oh my goodness I'm so excited!!!

I think I have had 5 singing lessons for all of which I have been doing 'excersises' and yesterday I was given my first song......totally unexpected seeing I didn't do any practice whilst at Nundle...
I did think about it though Girlfriends (maybe JoJo may have started something here LOL by calling the Nundle girls Girlfriends)

My first song is 'Sweet and Low'  (Wind of the Western Sea)

It's a little Folk/Ballad Nursery Rhyme......Sweet and Low

to listen to it go over here

  I have read that it was originally written as a poem by English poet Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809-1892) and set to music by English composer Joseph Barnby (1838-1896)."

My version is from the book 'Jacky Dandy Song Book'
compiled and illustrated by Deborah Niland
Music by Patrick Niland

I must admit that I had a little tear as the words are so beautiful
My teacher said that's all right as Maria Callas apparently once said
I cry when I hear it
I cry when I sing it
and I cry when I rehearse it

How perfect is this bag now for me now that I have 'music and words' in a folder along with my practice CD!!!

So now it's off to practice I go......and start choosing fabrics for my SING bag...

My First Beachwalk of the Season...or Sea Fever!!!

With Summer finally arriving here I thought I would take my camera down to the beach and take some pics for this Season...I was not disappointed!!!

The view above leading to 'our' beach...

A lost children's shoe on the post...still there 10 days later!!!

Looking south...

North...

Out to the ocean...

This pic above taken at Constitution Dock, Hobart, Tasmania

our beautiful Island State...

I have blogged this poem before and it always comes back to me every Summer so just had to post it again...

Sea Fever by John Masefield

SEA FEVER

I MUST down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,

And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,

And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,

And a gray mist on the sea's face, and a gray dawn breaking.

I must down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide

Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;

And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,

And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,

To the gull's way and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted knife;

And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,

And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.

Enjoy these beautiful days in the lead up to Christmas...Dzintra

Morning Tea With Di Morrissey!!!

Wow, Wow, Wow...what a morning I have had...I'm so excited...I have just been to a book signing and morning tea with Australia's top Authoress...the wonderful Di Morrissey!!! 

Di spoke about her early childhood at Pittwater in Sydney...

meeting one of the neighbours...the Australian Poetess Dorothea McKellar who wrote the magical I Love A Sunburnt Country!!!

She told us how she met Dorothea...

Di also told us about her career...

her yearning to tell stories and how she came to write them...

Above pic of Di with my favourite book of hers...Tears of the Moon...

Set in Broome (Western Australia) in 1893...

it tells the story of the Pearling Industry in Broome...

what inspired Di to call the female character 'Olivia'...

and how every afternoon they had a Sundowner...

usually an alcoholic drink at sundown after the day's work...

My good friend Fiona who came with me today confirmed this about the Sundowner as she comes from Westen Australia LOL!!!

According to Indian mythology it is believed that pearls are formed by the tears of the moon dropping into the sea... (from the book)

This is where Di spoke from...

I took along my copies of Di's book and hoped that there was a chance she may sign them...and blow me down she did!!!

Thanks so much Di!!!

We all received a little goody bag on our seats generously provided to us by Angus & Robertson (Batemans Bay)

And here is Di with Lyn from Angus and Robertson...

Di with yours truly...

A very welcoming Fruit Salad...

The backdrop for the morning...

The Restaurant at the venue Bay Waters Inn...

which we may go to to celebrate our Wedding Anniversary next week!!!

After arriving home I put all Di's book back on my shelf satisfied that I had them all signed...except 1...Can you believe that!!!

A wonderful morning that I thoroughly enjoyed...

OPAM (One Project A Month)...September 2010!!!

Can't believe how quickly September has come and gone this year...with 2 more projects for OPAM completed...how I have loved this little challenge...

I can honestly say I have never finished so many projects before in this amount of time!!!

Thank you so much to Peg and Kris for hosting this!!!

First off I started with this gorgeous fabric sent to me by my dear blogging friend Simone

together with these fabrics...

and stitchery...

made into a Sewing Companion...
this wonderful little companion was a project by Fiona from my local Needlework Group!!!

I had these little velvet baubles and I couldn't resist using them on the spine!!!

I love to add extras if I can to any projects...

As Coco Chanel once famously said...(as you walk out the room take one thing off)...Less Is More

Less is More is a 19th century proverbial phrase. It is first found in print in Andrea del Sarto, 1855, a poem by Robert Browning

I'm a bit the other way...as you walk out the room add something else...More Is More ha ha!!!

Amidst all this Mr Armchair putting together my new sewing table purchased at The Craft and Quilt Fair...

I think I'll do a separate post on this another time...

the inside...

The blue felt is a start to another project from my Group...a little pincushion!!!

And here it is all done Yay!!!

If I can I like to sign and date all my work...

And I can't seem to get enough of the Elm Creek novels lately...
have just finished The Quilter's Kitchen by Jennifer Chiaverini...
I wouldn't mind getting into the kitchen with Anna and cooking up some meals for those Quilters!!!

Next I'm ready to start The Lost Quilter and have ordered The Quilter's Holiday!!!

Dress rehearsals are in full swing for Cabaret...

(put on by our local Amateur Theatre Group, The Bay Theatre Players)

will post some pics up next post...

and I'm starting to believe there really is such a place as The Kit Kat Club...

complete with Sally Bowles!!!

What good is sitting alone in your room

Come hear the music play

Life is a Cabaret old chum

Come to the Cabaret...

Lyrics by Fred Ebb

A Giveaway Win...Next Sew-In...and I Can't Keep Away From The Beach!!!

A little while ago Vicki held a 100th post Giveaway...

the prize being something from the Monterey Bay area where she lives...

The box arrived...and amongst all this pink tissue

was this ruffled paper heart...complete with Eiffel Tower...a little card...

Oh be still my beating heart...

these beautiful heartful words...

turn it over...

the sweetest little vial complete with sea glass...sea shells and sand from Pebble Beach, California!!!

all hanging up...I just love it Vicki !!!

Happy 100 Posts...and I hope there are many, many more...

I love coming over for a visit...strolling through your garden...walking along the beach...and participating in your Cook-Ups!!!

Thank you so much Blogging Mate!!!

I have again signed up for the Friday Night Sew-In to be held on 19th February...
this time I will do some border stitching for a quilt...

and watching The Curious Case of Benjamin Button starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett!!!
This is a short story written by F. Scott Fitzgerald and published back in 1922 and tells the story of Benjamin Button being born as an old man and getting younger as he grows up...
a beautiful story and a very thought provoking movie...

Meanwhile...I can't keep away from the beach lately...

having lots of swims and walks...

Here is a pic of our beach looking north...

and looking south at Twilight!!!

I'm loving Summer...and am enjoying the last weeks before we all start to cool down!!!

Which brings me to that wonderful poem by John Masefield...

SEA FEVER

I MUST down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a gray mist on the sea's face, and a gray dawn breaking.

I must down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.

This wonderful poem comes back to me every Summer...

over and over in my head...
Enjoy these beautiful days everyone...Dzintra