Work/life balance

The year is racing by and this week the weather is fabulous, especially for February so a little time in the garden was in order.  We have had the snowdrops and now the hellebores, primulas and daffodils are making an appearance, it makes me eager for Spring.

I don’t want to wish away the weeks though as this is the time of year I am busy with new work for Chelsea Flower Show. There never seems to be long enough for all the ideas I have for new pieces. The show will be upon me before I know it!

New work in progress. Foreground to complete with fenceposts, wild flowers and grasses.

I am planning some embroideries based on the photographs of NZ and Australia from last year, also some cherry blossom from Japan which is nearly 12 months ago, where did that year go?

I am mixing in some teaching and a little more travel, but this time it was for a holiday not work. Although there is inspiration everywhere so I did take a lot of photographs!

My husband and I went to South Africa for 2 weeks, starting in Cape Town for a few days and then along the Garden Route to Port Elizabeth and finally a few days in a game reserve for the most amazing experience. And before anyone asks…I have no intentions of adding animals to my range of embroideries!

As usual this the time of year for planning my Australia/NZ trip. This year it’s a month earlier and I will start the trip in NZ at the Quilt Symposium and an exhibition at the Boyd Dunlop Gallery in Napier. I will then travel to Sydney to visit the NSW Embroiderers Guild Headquarters for a lecture, weekend course and a masterclass. The final part of the trip will be a visit to Perth and Margaret River for 3 courses.

New work for Chelsea

Meanwhile it’s time for me to concentrate on the Chelsea Flower Show and all those embroideries I want to make!