Off to the Grace Kelly exhibition again!!

You know how you enter competitions but never win and wonder if anyone ever really wins them. Guess what? I've won one of those competitions. I've won a fantastic prize which includes tickets to the Grace Kelly exhibition. Even though I went a couple of weeks ago I'm very happy to be going again this weekend. The prize also includes two nights' accommodation, a three course dinner,a high tea, a half day wine tour, return train tickets and admission to various Bendigo tourist attractions. All this for four people!. A lovely time awaits for my husband, two of our friends and me. We're making a long weekend of it. Many many thanks to Bendigo Tourism and The Age newspaper for the prize.

Grace Kelly exhibition

I spent a great day yesterday at the Bendigo Art Gallery for the Grace Kelly Exhibition. It's very, very popular and was very, very crowded. There were lots of her dresses and often they were shown with a photo of her wearing the outfit. I really liked that, as seeing the dress on a mannequin didn't always show how well the dressed looked when Grace wore it. There were film clips of her films and of her personal life. She certainly lived the jet set lifestyle. The lighting in the exhibition is very dim in order to preserve the clothes. It's really vital that you book your session in advance so that you don't miss out. Well worth it.

How cute are these?

 I have just finished knitting these booties, called 'Doggie Slippers' for the newest addition to our extended family. The pattern is from a book by Val Pierce called 'Cutest ever baby knits' which is full of cute patterns for babies. With a niece due with twins in August, I'm going to have fun choosing more patterns from this book.

Cherry blossom in Japan

I know it's not sewing or reading but wanted to share a couple of photos taken while on a wonderful two week holiday in Japan in early April.

Cherry blossom along a path in Kyoto

One of many beautiful kimonos seen on our trip

Vogue 8650 again

I wanted to make a quick and simple top for a weekend away so I went straight to my tried and trusted Vogue 8650. The top is made from a floral polyester that I bought at Rathdowne Remnants. It turned out okay but I should realise by now, that I'm not good at 'quick' sewing. The back neckline is a bit loose and one of the shoulder seams is puckered. Needless to say it didn't get to travel away for that weekend and will spend all its weekends at home.

Another version of hybrid

I used an off-white linen to make another version of my hybrid top, using the bodice of pattern S and the sleeves of pattern D from Happy Homemade Vol 1. I bought the fabric from the Fabric Store during its summer sale in 2011. I lengthened the bodice and widened it from the waist line to give it a side drape. I cut the sleeves narrower and finished the hem with a small central tuck and self-fabric bias binding. I tried to make sure to match the horizontal lines in the side seams. I think this will go well with a skirt with an asymmetrical hemline.

The world beneath

I've not long finished reading 'The world beneath' by Cate Kennedy. This is her first novel but she is also a travel writer and short story writer. I read it for book club so I have the benefit of notes to give more detail about the themes and structure of the book. I didn't realise that the structure of the book is based on the Greek mythological story of Persephone's abduction by Hades, king of the underworld (hence the title of the book!). I found the story very interesting as each of the characters was able to give their point of view and that each of the main characters, estranged parents Sandy and Rich and daughter Sophie were on a journey of self discovery. The mother and daughter lived in Ayersville (which made me think that it could be based on Daylesford) although most of the story is set in Tasmania on the Cradle Mountain overland track. The writing showed the beauty, majesty as well as danger of the wilderness. I thought that the writer poked fun at the baby boomer parents with their harking back to their glory days as protesters against the damming of the Franklin river in Tasmania in the early 1980's and their non adaptation of 21st century technology. There were some very funny scenes. Both parents come across as self-absorbed, neither noticing that Sophie was suffering from anorexia. Sophie was angry and moody and found her mother insufferable (not an unusual teenage daughter's view of her mother!). I found it easy to read although I wonder about the symbolism of all of them at different stages in the book of cutting and restyling their hair!