Open Day

Look at our fabulous blackboard!  This is the work of artist Kerry Punton who is the co-ordinator of the Donald Community Garden.  Kerry has created blackboards for the fence for all the groups who use the Bank House....

Last night, the Donald Community Garden had an open day to showcase what they have been doing at The House.  There was a free BBQ and the turn-up was fantastic....

The Community Garden have done an extraordinary job transforming this back yard.  The members of the Community Garden do a fantastic job donating their time, talents and energies into creating a space that will be available for the whole community.  In the garden there are vegetables, flowers, raised garden beds and beautiful pieces of art starting to pop up in the most unexpected ways....

I am in love with these shovels!  Kerry Punton is an exciting artist who is able to transform the most mundane of everyday items into something that is unique and beautiful.  Donald is certainly fortunate to have her on board in their Community Garden.

We opened "The Room" at the same time and had a lovely response about what we do.....

The Room is now extending our opening hours to Thursday 10am - 1pm as well as our Friday night sessions and we look forward to seeing new people come and be involved....

A BIG thank-you to Candece Jay, Ros Olle, Tennille Clapham, John Clapham and Clarence Barlow who worked so hard tidying up and helping to make us presentable to the public!

After the crowds dissipated, we got down to the serious business of Friday nights.....

After 18 months of sweating and sewing Ros finished quilting her amazing Kaffe Fassett quilt!  Here it is trimmed and ready for binding....

Pam finished off these beautiful reversable Fairies in the Garden jackets....

  Have a look at the embroidery detail on the pink one...

Pam then helped Tennille "bling-up" the Dream Catcher she is making for her daughter's birthday....

We were all intrigued by the Be-Dazzler!  Must check with our Treasurer to see if the Room can afford one....

Jen, snowed under with assignments for her Early Childhood Diploma, valiantly soldiered on with her study amidst our chatter....

 And Yours Truly got The Special Boy's 6th Birthday quilt bound up to hand-stitching stage....

Can has been solo parenting for 10 days and called in on her way to pick-up her husband from the bus. Can brought with her two very special visitors....

These are her 4 year old twins - Toby (left) and Geordie (right) - Aren't they just beautiful?
We wish all our readers a very Happy Mother's Day on Sunday... Whether you are a Mum, have a Mum or your Mum now watches over you from another place.... may your day be filled with love, laughter and joy.
xxxx

Something Special

This week I had the week off work.  I lost my voice and teaching History to classes of hormone ridden teenagers without volume is just not feasible.  The doctor told me to rest... which is all well and good... but I have a three year old and a four year old...

Rest?
On Wednesdays I have two life-saving women who come to my house and look after my children while I work. My dilemma? If I am in the house, even with alternative supervising adults, my children have the uncanny ability to track me down and want to join me... ("Having a sleep, Mum? Me too!" "Reading a book? Let me turn the pages for you." "Watching a movie, Mum? Let me put on something we can both enjoy.") Even shutting the door doesn't help... one child can reach the handle and the other can move a stool to reach the handle...

This Wednesday, with no voice, instructions to rest and childcare already organised The Room came into its own....

When we first conceptualised The Room, we wanted it to be 'a space' for women. The idea was that the  space would have no set purpose but would be available and flexible to fit the needs of the women who used it.  Can and Ros meet at The Room on Thursdays for some quiet creative time, Jen uses The Room to study, and Dot sometimes goes there to quilt but Wednesday was the first time I have utilised The Room during the week...And I realised we had achieved our goal of a flexible space in spades...

My Wednesday at The Room was quiet and calm. I had a couch, a sewing machine, a tv and a stereo.  There was a kitchen if I wanted a cuppa, heat a meal or even cook something...

Or I could wander across the road for a coffee and piece of cake (Woods St Cafe on the right), or browse in the "First Look Op Shop" ( old bank building on the left - also known amongst women as the "Donald Department Store"), I could borrow a book at the Hub, the local library across the road, or even, should the mood take me, nick into the pub next door for a quick drink and a $10 lunch....

The House in which The Room is situated is shared by other groups... The National Australia Bank donated the building to Donald Friends and Neighbours when it shut its doors.  The front bank is now home to the Donald branch of the Bendigo Community Bank and the residence at the back is home to The Room, the local Art group run by the talented Jan Bird...

the Toy Library...

and the Community Garden, under the guidance of Kerri Punton, is currently transforming the backyard into a creative wonderland...

Donald Playgroup is soon to take up residence in the back shed of the garden....

So, I spent Wednesday sewing pillowcases for my children out of fabric the ever wonderful, Dot sourced for me at the Op Shop. I met my husband at the pub for a $10 lunch, I browsed in the Op Shop and bought a new top for $3 and I had New York cheesecake and a cappuccino for afternoon tea, and for a sick day, they don't come much better...

You know there are a lot of things that this small town of Donald does not have... but I am starting to appreciate what we DO have, is something quite special....

And Friday nights are always special!  Remember the skirts Can and Ros made last week for their daughters?  Well Can, appliqued a matching top to complete the gorgeous outfit this week...

And Ros, completed her quilt top for her daughter, Edie...

and resumed quilting her own quilt...

"Whatcha doing, Ros?"

Ros is quilting the blocks with a free motion swirl... only 3000 more to go!

Yours Truly has plans for making insulating curtains to keep the warmth in our lounge-room this Winter... My grand plan was a Jelly Roll of Robert Kaufman's Elementals should be enough... of course it wasn't even enough to complete one of the two curtains needed so now I need to track down another one AND some co-ordinating fabric before I can continue...

As next week is Good Friday we will be having our Friday session on Wednesday night next week... so have a great weekend and the next post should be on Thursday.
Have a great one!