Respite for a day...a trip to Jukejema and Berry, SSCS and a new workshop!!!

Last week I had a day of respite care so I took the opportunity to travel up to Jukejema Quilting Barn run by the delightful Kim...

On entering there were lovely samples around the room...

Karen was putting the finishing touches to this lovely piece by the very talented Anni Downs...

Lynette Anderson's 'A Scandanavian Christmas' fabric...

of which I had to have some...a fat quarter and a fat eighth pack...

corner display...

Anni's fabric...Some Kind of Wonderful...

gorgeous felt in soft warm colours...

Then on to Berry Patchwork where I bought a Jelly Roll and Charm Squares...all in plain colours...

Then lunch at The Emporium at Berry just up the road...

But first a coffee and a sit down after all that shopping!!!

A tasty salad...

Dessert Bar...

Goods on offer...

I have started my Secret Santa Christmas Swap run by Chookyblue...

it's all in the bag!!!

And on Friday I'm off to a workshop at Steph's to learn how to use the BSR (Basic Stitch Regulator) on my Bernina Sewing Machine...this will enable me to quilt with an even stitch...

I'm only just learning to quilt so this will be soooo cool!!!

Happy Stitching...Dzintra

A Gardener's Journal Progress...and a very special trip to Bowral!!!

An update of my progress on the Gardener's Journal Quilt by Anni Downes of Hatched and Patched...

I had finished stitching Block A and had started to piece it the night before I broke my arm...

Still going to the physio...shoulder won't fully function for 12 months...a long long process!!!

However getting back into using the sewing machine now (Nina)  and hope to finish it this week...yay!!!

Progress on Block B...Smell the Roses...

On the way to celebrate Mum's 80th birthday last week we stopped off at one of my favourite towns...Bowral...always have a cuppa there and go to a lovely shop called My Place specializing in Moda fabrics amongst other gorgeousness...

I saw this cute little quilt hanging there together with a kit next to it and it was an instant purchase for me!!!

The quilt is called Hopscotch Baby by Bunny Hill designs...

I thought it was just beautiful...all pretty and pink and chocolatey...not at all like me LOL!!!

We had a quick wander through Corbett Gardens...

Tri

Now here is a very very special home dear to my heart...The Corbett Gardens Guest House which my beautiful  Nanna/Vecmamin used to have...

With my family back in the early 60's...Mum with my 2 small sisters...me and my brother with my brothers's godfather next to him...and Nanna in the background with my step grandfather...

And I'm sooo excited...after looking for it since 1994 whenever we were up that way I think I have found it!!!  Look at the left hand step above...then at the right hand step in the family pic...very very similar...My Heart jumped when I spotted it and the road looked familiar...(perhaps a sign) a young girl skipping up that same road came to mind...and I can't stop thinking about it...More research needs to be done!!!

Carerfest 2010...Narooma

A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to be able to attend a Carerfest at Narooma...

Carerfest is an annual event organized by the Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre to give Carers an opportunity to access, for example...education, information, networking...workshops etc

Part of morning tea organized...

and mine...a gluten free biscuit...these had to be put aside for the people who had to have gluten free as most people wanted these chocolate biscuits LOL!!!

This Carerfest was organized with different alternate therapy workshops in mind...
and giving Carers a break from the day to day job of caring...with respite organized as well...
One of the workshops I attended was Belly Dancing...
here is Melanie doing her stuff!!!
This was great fun...and not as easy as it looks!!!

Other therapies organized were Bowen Therapy...Crystal Healing...Massage (giving and receiving)...
all so very relaxing and certainly took our minds off the day to day routine...

During breaks I was able to slip away to a little patchwork shop just doors up from the Carerfest...


And made a few purchases (of course)...
some Beatrix Potter fabric...

a pattern...

some threads and some Christmas ribbon for JoJo!!!

And of course something for the kitchen...some potholders!!!

Also I was able to grab a coffee...

and sat in this little corner...

and tried some Wagonga Coffee from Montague Coffee Roasters...and this Honey and Coconut Gluten Free loaf...delicious!!!

We were all supplied with a pedometer to see who recorded the most steps...and also the least steps taken...

Narooma has a couple of steep hills and I walked up and down them and of course my pedometer kept falling off and resetting itself...

And my total pedometer steps taken...34!!!
And I scored this prize...a gorgeous mug and Toblerone chocolate...

who says you have to do a lot of steps LOL!!!

The Government recently introduced the Carer Recognition Bill 2010. This marks a significant milestone for Carers across Australia. The Bill is part of a broader Carer Recognition Framework, already committed to by the Federal Government. To read more on this Bill go over here

All in all a wonderful relaxing 2 days away...meeting other Carers...trying Therapies I haven't tried before...

Thank you so much to Ros and the team at the Respite Centre for organizing this...and hopefully I will be able to attend again next year...funding permitting...

And now...when's my next massage due, wouldn't mind some of that Crystal Therapy also (as if ha ha!!!)

Please...can we have some more?...Respite that is!!!

We both...DH and I...have had a lovely relaxing time just doing 'normal' things while JoJo was off on respite last weekend...Here is the bus that she went on... After that we quickly hot-footed it off to Berry not too far away from JoJo's pick-up point...Berry is the most charming little place...antique shops...cafes...a gorgeous Needlework shop...so with this post I thought I would show you some of the places we saw...

Started off with a nice salad on this lively table...

This lovely welcoming staircase in one of the shops...

Just a verandah on the Pub we thought...until we looked up at the awning...

and found this old banner for a Lloyd Rees and Brett Whiteley Exhibition...These gents are 2

of Australia's most prominent Painters...

And how gorgeous is this shop front...covered in ivy!!!

The Berry Dance Studio...nice and rustic!!!

Another stop along the way at Milton found us at a cafe with this blackboard sign...and how could we resist!!! A cup of hot chocolate...70% with chilli in it...just like the one made in one of my favourite Movies...Chocolat starring Juliette Binoche...who by the way wears the most exquisite shoes in the movie...Also starring is the gorgeous Johnny Depp as a dashing Pirate!!!

We had this very special treat behind these windows...and the sign is dead right!!!

And the most interesting of vintage cars...A Willys Jeep 1955 by Chrysler...at first sight it appears green...

From another angle a rusty colour...then gold...

another shade of green...then purple...all in all I counted 8 different shades!!!

Vintage cars are a favourite of mine...

And check this out...a mirror with a few Crowns around it...how could Queen of the Armchair not have it!!! Hubby said...okay you'll have to have that for you!!!

Just a few pics here...I'll be back in a few days with more of 'our time'...

Until then...enjoy your Sunday!!!