New Cosmo Thread Colours

I know I have been promising to extend the colour range of Cosmo threads, but it has proven more difficult than I had anticipated. Also while researching these threads (and their availablilty in Australia) I discovered that the only other seller I could find had their retail price for these threads listed at $4.00 per skein... makes mine a bargain at only $2.70 each.

Good news is that I have begun ordering new colours and the first lot has just arrived. I will be increasing the range by 20 colours each time I order and we should eventually extend to the full palette of Cosmo Pearl 5 threads.

Here are the new colours.

I've got 8 other colours on back order which wont arrive until May :( but these colours add depth to the current range because they include the in between colours... essential for making those shaded temari.

I've added them to the store. Go over and check them out.

Gotta run, happing stitching

I said I'd be back

A few weeks ago while I was surfing the Internet I found a great idea for displaying my temari. Unfortunately I could not find the same thing in real life... but I didn't give up, I just filed the idea away knowing that at some stage I'd revisit it.

Last week my Mum and I took a day trip to York, while there we visited a small emporium called The Dogs Bollocks*. Browsing through the tiny stores we began talking to one of the shopkeepers who overheard me talking to Mum about the display idea I had. The lady exclaimed that she was sure another store had what I wanted but today that store was closed. She suggested I look through the window and see if I could spot the item.  I could just make out the shape through the glass and decided it looked interesting enough to make another trip to York when the store was open.

Today I made that trip. It was well worth it. I took up a little bag of temari to see how they looked. I think they look great... so I purchased two units. Here is a pic of one.

The lady that helped me last week was very surprised to see me back today... I guess most people that say they'll come back just don't do it.
These shadowboxes are made in York and are designed to hang on the wall (I guess) but these are sturdy enough to sit on a table, I could also lie them on the side and attach a hook with command adhesive to the underside of the shelves so temari could be suspended.

* The Dogs Bollocks (literal translation of bollocks is testicles) is a very informal and somewhat crass way of saying something is really awesome as in "... is the dogs bollocks!" Other more polite slang for expressing this would be The Cats Pajamas, or The Bees Knees.

Sculpture by the Sea

I've got lots to share but not much time to write about it but here is a quick post filled with pictures. Enjoy!

Last Saturday I had a girls day out with my buddy Louise. We had lunch in Cottesloe and window shopped (and also actually shopped) in some of the stores before heading down to Cottesloe Beach to see Sculpture by the Sea.

Here are some of the pieces that caught my eye. Scroll down to see something surprisingly temari-ish.

Giant Chimney (check out the 'bricks') and Archway

Left and Top by Japanese artists. Look at the seagulls admiring themselves.

This nest is so cool, I want to crawl into it. Look at the splash from the tap

Tails and the awesome shimmering wave

Australian birds on oars, the seagull thinks "meh". Love the lyrebird in front

I can't help thinking that huge one must have been a nightmare to wrap

This sculpture says it all... what a thrill to live in this great place

We had an awesome day, bumped into a few friends along the beach, got plenty of sand between our toes and enjoyed a freezing lemon slushie which was so good to eat in heat. I was exhausted by the end of the day but it was so enjoyable.

11.3.2011... progress and hope one year later.

If today was your last day how would you spend it? A sombre question isn't it? This is one of those questions many avoid asking and some have trouble answering. I know in Western Society we tend to get caught up with things and possessions, in a disaster event it must be very sad to lose things acquired over a life time but there could be no worse tragedy than the loss of the people you love. 

http://www.thetsunamiandthecherryblossom.com/

This week marks one year since the Tohoku Quake disaster in Japan. For many thousands of people this was their last day. If not for the regular community disaster drills many thousands more would have perished. Photographic images and footage of this event, even viewed 12 months later still seem surreal. 

We have had our Japanese flag flying high this week but today we have lowered it to half mast out of respect for those lost, and for all those survivors that continue working towards finding a new normal despite the challenges they still face. 


Here is a selection of links you can visit to see the progress of moving toward the new normal in Tohoku. As I looked at these pictures I was amazed at the progress that has been made in 12 short months. It is a testament to the fortitude of the Japanese population that they could do so much in such a short space of time.
Slide photos of March 2011 and Jan/Feb 2012
Now and then Images of Tohoku



And here are some activities happening around Australia and elsewhere (maybe in your area) this week to mark this event and raise money for the Tohoku area.


Big Bento Lunch - Most Australian States 
Friendship, The Sun Will Always Rise Concert - British Columbia
One Year Later: Shaken But Never Broken - Vancouver
Rise Japan - Northern California
Remembering Fukushima - Perth, Western Australia... The Hinata Gallery Cafe group will be there.
Japan Day - Canterbury NZ


There are many activities planned all around the world, check in your area to see how you can get involved. If you can't make it to a local event, please just pause, to keep a thought for all those caught up in this and other natural disasters that have occurred recently around the world.


Best wishes to you.

Happy Blogoversary Today

Today is the 3rd anniversary of this blog. I can't quite believe it has been 3 years since I started writing here, wow the time flies fast. I made this little picture below to say something to all you lovely folk that have visited this blog over the years (especially those that come back every post to see what new mad thing I am up to).

But then I thought about all of the kind folk that not only read my blog but also link back to it from their own webpages... the words above didn't seem enough so I made this picture.

I really do appreciate that you choose to take time out of your day and use it to visit my little world. Thanks for all the comments (I read them all and try to respond to most) and emails you send.