A busy fortnight past

What a busy few weeks we've had.  I've hardly had chance to read blogs, let alone make any posts.  Hubbie's been on 2 weeks holidays so we decided to redecorate the kitchen/dining/lounge area.  Being optimistic we thought we'd knock it off in a week and still have time for gardening and maybe a few days away down south ...HA! it took almost all the 2 weeks to finish the decorating. 
It was a good break though, after finishing Module 9, and gave me chance to clear my mind and do something different.  I was really pleased with my feedback too, so now I feel inspired for the next module.
On Tuesday we heard on the late evening news that 4 southern right whales had come into the Dawesville cut (between the ocean and the estuary).  This is something we've not experienced before, so yesterday I took my parents down there to view them, but they'd gone ... obviously travelling up north to warmer waters ready for calving.  Its a shame we hadn't known about it earlier the day before.

So instead of whale spotting we took a walk along the channel and watched the cormorants and pelicans.

I love the pelicans, I think they have such cheeky faces.  Then we got a surprise as 2 dolphins came past, side by side.  Its just such a lovely place to sit and enjoy the water, and how lucky are we to see nature at its most perfect.

Earlier I had said that doing the decorating was a good way to clear my mind ... but clearly, my mind packed up and went away on holiday.  Do you ever do things that are so totally stupid and then wonder why on earth you did it?!  I've started work on my Module 10, where I have to create my 3D piece. I've designed a noodle box made from machine lace based on fossils all linked together.

So ... Tuesday, being inspired and full of renewed energy I spent an hour tracing my fossil pattern onto soluble fabric, using a water soluble pen.  By the time I'd finished it was near tea time, so I put it aside for the next day.

Yesterday morning I woke up to find my soluble fabric blank .... the pen I'd used was a disappearing pen and all the pattern had vanished.  The pen comes in two colours, one either end, a purple and a blue.  I'd used the purple as I thought it was darker - but this was the disappearing ink, however, I'd also used the blue (water soluble ink) to mark the folds and eyelets.  Because the fabric was blank, apart from the blue ink, I thought, Oh I know, I'll get rid of the blue marks and start again, so .... what did I do?  I put a wet cloth over the blue marks to make them vanish and the fabric dissolved as well .... duurrrrr!!!! I'd forgotten it was water soluble fabric too ... like I say, my brains gone on holidays and I've no idea when its coming back!!!!!

So after another hour of retracing the pattern using the correct pen, and another piece of soluble fabric, I've now started making my machine lace.  I'm sure I'll still be at it next week, as I've hours and hours of it to do.  But, its a wet miserable cold day so there's nothing better to do than sit and stitch.

Bonnie's got the right the idea ... just stay in bed.  During the redecoration we ripped out our fire and have to wait 3 weeks for a new one ... only one more week to go, thank goodness.

And , another event in our lives this week was our 20th wedding anniversary yesterday.  Unfortunately hubby is back at work and away from home, but we celebrated with a big family BBQ on Sunday.  I wonder where the years have gone, I'm sure we've skipped some, they've gone so fast, but I wouldn't change any of them.  I love him today just as I did the day I married him, and am thankful to have him in my life.