Bush Botanical

This year the theme for the Fabric8 contest is Botanical Sketchbook, Spoonflower has teamed up with Moda Fabrics which is very exciting. This is my entry for the contest, it was very difficult to decide which colourway to enter and in the end I went with the darker background as the line detail and colours really stood out. I love Australian flowers, they have such unique shapes, hopefully they are well suited for the theme of botanical sketchbook.

A close up of the detail, and below my original sketches. The pencil drawings were all scanned and then redrawn in the vector program I use. All the plants and birds are from either my garden and the area I live or from my mother-in-laws garden in northern NSW.

Breezy Butterflies

Although Breezy Butterflies did not get into the top ten last week at Spoonflower, I am looking forward  to ordering swatches and making them available for sale. Here are the other colourways, designs and a close up look at some of the butterflies.

Treasure Market at the Strathalbyn Collectors and Antique Fair

One of my favourite events of the year was on last Sunday morning in Strathalbyn, the Treasure Market held at the oval as part of the Strathalbyn Collectors and Antique Fair. It was a beautiful day and my plan was to get there early, look around and snap up cool retro gear preferably orange and things that fit my existing collections and then walk around again and take some photos.

Unfortunately I did not realise that I was going to be carrying so many things that it was going to be difficult to take photos. These are a few from the section nearer the gate, next year I will bring my trolley.

Here is what I brought home with me, some awesome bargains like the pyrex citrus jar and the ceramic donkey to go with donkey collection, only 2 dollars each. My favourite thing is the vintage mohair kangaroo, there were loads of antique bears but he was especially good value at 20 dollars and he really wanted me to take him home.

Snacks

I was very excited to come second in the School Snacks contest at Spoonflower last week. Thank you to everyone that voted and thanks to Spoonflower for the photo of the printed fabric and making the design available for sale.

Firetail, Honeyeater and Drongo Birds

I love birds and every time we visit Clunes I love to get some good photos of the birds in June and Ted's garden. Here are a few.

 This is the Drongo Bird.

 The sweet little Firetails had a nest in the tree.

This Honeyeater was looking straight at me on the balcony!

June's Garden

My mother-in-law June has a beautiful garden filled with many tropical plants, here are a few photos from our recent stay.

As you can see she loves warm red coloured flowers. We had plenty of rain while we were there and things always look different in the garden after the rain.

A Few Recent Top Tens

Just a couple of designs that have been in the Spoonflower top ten for the Llama contest and the National Park contest over the past few weeks.

 Lovely Llamas

 Night Walk in an Australian National Park

Thank you to every one that voted and added comments and favourites, and thank you to Spoonflower for these photos of the printed fabric and making the designs available for sale.

The Crystal Castle Gardens

We spent time with my husband's parents in Northern NSW when we went up for our cruise out of Brisbane. One of the things we enjoy going to see in that region is the Crystal Castle which is approximately half an hour drive through countryside and rainforest. The gardens are really beautiful, there is something new to see every time we visit.