Orchard signs

 We have recently seen the planting of a lovely small orchard in the village where we live. It sits alongside a new walking path and further around the corner are some raised garden beds for vegetables and herbs. A number of the fruit trees were saved from where they were previously growing, as the development started down below.  It was wonderful to be able to save them, move them and give them new life. Others were donated by folk who live here; and one was planted by the operators.

People who walked past however, weren't too sure what was growing, so we undertook to place some signs nearby so that folk could see what was what.

Over the weekend, Barry did the cutting and painting of the stakes/signs, and I did the writing. Together we hammered them in.

Barry's first steps.

Over to me to write on them. I thought they looked a bit like pencils at this point!

I remembered we had done a similar thing many years ago for the Neighbourhood Centre, and went back to check if there were any tips or tricks for me. And there was an excellent one!

Given the variation in word length, I re-created this template as a guide for me to work between/within.

I had written the names out in pencil to get a sense of the size of lettering I could use.

And got myself a permanent marker and started writing.

As per the previous signs from 2017, I simply wrote Orange - and then across the top the type. We might be getting a Navel orange as well, so this is one way to know which is which.

After hammering in place.

Once again, it was a case of the blog to the rescue.  I love being able to search the blog 'vegetables' and have a few posts pop up, including the one I needed to remind myself what I had done in the past!

A collaborative column

 Both Barry and I are a bit focused on using up things we have around the place, rather than purchasing new materials for new projects.

With that in mind he set out to use up some solid timbers that he had in his wood pile.  He cut and routed a number of small cubes which are great for popping into gardens; and we decided that together we would create a tall post for the garden below us.

He routed and inked the meandering line around the four sides of the post, and then together we worked on adding rusty bits to each face. These are photos of B in action.

And of me in action!

I had hammered all these nails in, and we were about to fold the metal over onto the other face. Barry did the lovely folded edge on the left.

I learnt how to attach washers that had a big hole - by added smaller ones on top. Love the look!

It was a very iterative process. We would add an element, review, consider the space that was left, select something to fit or to balance. A really responsive approach.

I loved the cap plate on top of the post. Again the trick of attaching washers with large holes came in very handy...

Earlier in the day we had elevated the post-bench so that it was easier to get down to, and up from. And then with the help of our friend Faith, we positioned the post. 

The view as you walk down through the garden.

The view as you approach from the road below.

And unexpectedly, the view from our back deck! We love how it pops its head over the greenery.

And here is one of those garden cubes - used here near Dad's orchids and one of our garden sculptures. Dad requested it so that when he take the garden hose up that way to water the other orchids we planted around the corner, the hose doesn't damage the orchids or the sculpture. Form AND function.

If you also follow Barry's blog you will get a double dose of the post I think.

Craft Fair and a new studio nook

 Barry and I had the opportunity to take part in the Watten Craft and Produce Fair on Saturday, and we had a really good time. The Fair was busy! Loads of good products and produce; excellent crowds and plenty of folk to chat with and share our work with.

Barry setting up.

Fiona setting up.

Table set up!

 

My solace stones...

In the afternoon, the sun streamed in...and all in all, a great day was had.

Meanwhile back at the cottage...

After our most recent visit, when I had begun to feel like Virginia Woolfe, and the need for a room of one's one, I had thought a lot about how to create studio space whilst sharing the cottage with Barry and Dad.

Grand dreams of a stand alone lovely little timber structure out the back turned more towards reality and I began to think of the only spare space we have - on the upstairs landing between the two bedrooms.  The space is approximately 1.9m long, but only 30cm deep. Tricky, but not insurmountable.

As with everything in the cottage, IKEA came to the rescue and we found a desk that was 1.5m long and 30cm deep, two stools which could tuck underneath/alongside it and a storage system that was also only 30cm deep! They arrived last week and were immediately made up.

Coming up the stairs...

Standing in the upstairs 'powder room'.

How wonderful is that!?!?! Already I love it and have used it. I have unpacked everything from my art boxes and files and piles and they have tucked away brilliantly.  And I have started making some small things. So very chuffed.

After yesterday's sunshine, today, the wind was blowing a gale, so we threw a wash on and it spent less than an hour out there (some pieces were dry in 15 minutes).

And came inside and stewed some of our very own apples, and some brambles we had picked this morning.

Not pretty, but delicious!

Home and Away

 Barry and I flew to Melbourne last week to attend our favourite Communities in Control Conference. It was a  very busy few days as we had our little pop up letterpress poster and card shop to set up and person. And some fabulous and invigorating and inspiring speakers to listen to and absorb, and then set forth once more with hope.

Some shots from the city...

The dazzling lines of tall city buildings, not seen here in Maleny nor in the Scottish Highlands.

A cute welcome note.

Not open for dinner.

Gingko leaves lit at night.

Hopscotch artwork on the wall of Our Community House.

The sun has shone the past few days and spirits have been lifted.  We wandered the garden a bit and pulled many a weed, and some fragments from there, appear here.

And a lovely couple days at the studio fiddling still, pushing a few different projects forward at a time, nothing much to show for lots of testing and trialling, but one part of Autumn/Winter I love is how the sun (when it shines) makes lovely dancing shadows on the concrete floor.

We have been back in the country for three weeks and have done a heap of things and been a few places. Yesterday I washed, and baked and ironed and we ate soup and watched a movie and it felt like we were finally settling back into our rhythm of our home here.

Of birds and bits

 We are roaring towards the end of the year and there is still plenty going on.  We have however, taken some time to wander and ponder, and play and prepare...

We were buying some sandstone at a landscape suppliers the other day and found these two precious wee metal birds on a windowsill - they came home with us.

We popped them onto a garden wall; and here they are peeking around the corner at each other.

Tidying up our vegetables and herbs, the lemon thyme needed a serious haircut. It had been overrun by tomatoes and sage and gone all leggy and dry.  I had such a handful of it I couldn't help but build myself a nest (with none of the skill or sophistication of a bird - just thrown together!)

And then I nestled one of our cement hearts in it..

And popped it on top the same wall.

And then to play - the agapanthus are in stunning form at the moment and we have a big bunch inside.  As the petals dropped I wondered if they might solar-dye some thread.  

So here they are before going into the bottle and into the sun.

And to prepare...there is now a seventh Angel in the group!  A young man has joined the team and folk would like me to make a seventh angel work for them.  We decided we could pretty much do as we did before - I will need another set of wings to work with and we needed another colour to differentiate things a bit so we have added orange to the mix.

I have done the thinking and ordered more easels and I think once I get a moment I will be able to get down and make number 7!