Artful paper dolls

0708 artful paper dolls
Originally uploaded by rooruu.

It wasn't what I'd thought to buy or planned to buy or expected to buy at the Canberra Quilt Show a few weeks ago - it's not something I've played with much, despite the siren call of ClothPaperScissors and other paper collage books.

But there was something about this, the combination of quirky elements and different games to play. A different exercise of imagination, maybe using details from photos as done on the cover. Hmmmm.

Winter trees, blue sky

0708 winter trees, blue sky
Originally uploaded by rooruu.

Blue sky and a warm day today - a strong suggestion of spring, although the weather bureau says winter hasn't entirely gone.

Maybe it's because so many trees here are evergreen (eucalypts, especially), that makes me enjoy the skeletons of the deciduous ones.

Would you look at that wonderful blue sky, though?

(I'm OK with spring, it's summer's humidity that I don't enjoy. Spring and autumn are the perfect seasons).

Strawberries

0708 strawberries
Originally uploaded by rooruu.

Strawberries and sweet plain yoghurt. Yum. Right now the strawberries smell wonderful - they're not boardy white red things, but enticingly aromatic and seasonal. I love it when your nose finds them at the greengrocer's before your eyes do.

Op shop shirt

0708 op shop shirt
Originally uploaded by rooruu.

This is a thrifting/op-shop find - isn't it great mad quirky fabric? Should go well with Denyse Schmidt/American Jane type fabrics - it's fun to blend thrifted with new.

There's a bunch of catching up to do on this blog to return to the status quo of a photo a day, but it's not all going to happen today (too much else on my plate, including the washing on the line, it's a beautiful sunny day and not to be wasted!). But at least this is a start. Thanks for your patience with my silence, and particularly to those who sent kind messages. Very much appreciated.

Daffodil Day 2007

0708 Daffodil Day 2007
Originally uploaded by rooruu.

Daffodil Day is a Cancer Council fundraiser. These are for V and P and P, who didn't make it, and J and G and T and L, who are still here.

Love that cheerful combination of the sunny yellow and the perfumed white.

Vines

0708 confusion vines
Originally uploaded by rooruu.

Sometimes, this is what the road ahead looks like. And all you can do is attempt to find a way through. Or round. Or stay where you are for a while and consolidate until inspiration or wisdom or insight strikes.

Back soon....

....just a tad busy with life.....

New old house

0709 new old house
Originally uploaded by rooruu.

I've been watching this house being built, it's on a road I traverse regularly. With red brick either side, it certainly stands out. The facade is a Statement (not sure about the curlywurlyness of the balcony iron lace, that's just been added) but behind, it's a pure box. The front door was open this morning, and shore 'nuff, it had a "Gone with the Wind" staircase (I knew it would, I just knew it!).

More bread

0708 fresh bread 02
Originally uploaded by rooruu.

Can't remember what this one was. But who cares? Looks good and eats well and that's what matters!

Bridge reflections

0708 bridge reflections
Originally uploaded by rooruu.

The slant of the sunlight on a winter morning flickered from the river to the underside of the motorway bridge. Somehow the functional grey architecture became beautiful.

olive bread

0708 fresh bread 03
Originally uploaded by rooruu.

I love this sort of artisan bread. This one was olive (or olive and something). Crusty, rustic, real. And that's before you taste it!

Took this at a Canberra market. It wasn't the only one they had, I'll blog photos of a couple of the others (because I can't help myself, I love fresh bread like this!)

Firewood

0707 firewood
Originally uploaded by rooruu.

It was cold again this morning, and they predict the same tomorrow. Not quite enough for a frost, but enough to nip your nose and chill your fingers.

Ripening

0708 lemons
Originally uploaded by rooruu.

Not quite there, but closer. They've been glad of the rain we've had over the last few months.

Faux

0708 wrapping paper
Originally uploaded by rooruu.

No, it's not my library, but wrapping paper. Love some of those vintage fonts and the wonderfully colourful covers.

Pink camellia

0708 camellia 1
Originally uploaded by rooruu.

Weeks later, it's still flowering and still with buds to come. Beautiful.

Jasmine

0708 jasmine
Originally uploaded by rooruu.

It's rampant and fragrant and promises spring. Just don't let it get out of control or it will smother your garden. But pretty sprigs on the table smell wonderful, and there's enough of it to be lavish.

Violets

0708 violets
Originally uploaded by rooruu.

All year they grow with no help, a welcome of purple, faces to the light, edging the verandah. A really really garden-tidy person might weedicide them away, but I like them there. In fairly adverse conditions (there's not a lot of soil/space between the bricks and pavers), they find their place to bloom.

On blogs

Alicia at Posie Gets Cozy has an illuminating post about blogging here.

She also mentions that Stampington and Company have just released a new quarterly, Artful Blogging. Info here.

Lichen and leaf

0707 lichen and leaf
Originally uploaded by rooruu.

The leafy green seems almost garish against the subtlety of the stone and lichen, while the lichen looks like it's trying to invent its own map of the world, with thicker edges where it's forging on to new territory.

It may be winter, and we've just had the coldest July in a while, but outside the sun is shining and the sky is a milky blue. I so much prefer this to summer's humidity (especially since our winters aren't as brutal as they can be in colder climes).