Textile show

I spotted a billboard on Cnr of Williamstown Road advertising a Textile show at the Louis Joel Arts and Community Centre in Altona.

The Loom Room is about recycling materials and the exhibition was titled Re Imagining Textile Waste.
The Group has a room in the Community centre but unfortunately they meet on a Wednesday !! and have no regular evening stuff as they areal volunteers.
They use almost nothing but recycled stuff, and I agtehr you can go and get what you need for a project Have a connection to a T shirt making place so get all the off cuts odd shapes.
These they use in woven rugs, art pieces as well as this amazing play house Colleen Miller is making using strips of fabric and weaving with a crochet hook that has an eye at other end (a locker hook I think)

This is the covered copper frame 

Fabric strips ready to weave 

The needle is threaded with cotton then you take 4-5 loops of fabric through the caves holes then pull the needle out and it threads them keeping the loops up.

Creating the strips to attached 

As well Tiffany Westphall had made an array of things from old Laconia Blankets.

 I've made 2 cushions but these kids hats are lovely !!

 These Bags are at the supermarkets in Williamstown so you can grab one if you've come without a bag And return it next time you come. They have made dozens!! All made from discarded fabric!

These woven baskets are subject of an eying workshop
so might try and get along!!

West Welcome Wagon Working Bee

This morning I went to the WWW warehouse to help in a working bee-usually sorting donations.
My trip of about 8 minutes stretched to 20 as I sat at the Rail crossing on Somerville Rd.
There are no boom gates just the bells and lights. But the car in front of me  got fed up with waiting and turned against a red arrow and the lights, to cross the line.
Just as he crossed the line the Freight train that had been stationary back on our left, gave a hoot. I bet he jumped!!
We then had to wait as it stopped across the road as well !

looks like we are out bush!

the suburban crossing!

The slow ride!

But I arrived at the Warehouse, a storage unit in the industrial estate.
Along wth 4 other volunteers we sorted bags for a new referral asylum seeker family of 8 children and their parents from Myanmar. We sorted bed linen, doona, pillows, towels, food, some Welcome to Melbourne gift bags  that a local school and put together and decorated for kids. As well they have some furniture going but will have a visit later to see what they need.
We had their ages 3-14 and names but could work out the sex!

sorting it out.

A mixed box of stuff 

 I was working beside a woman who said "sorry I always talk to myself"
" A bag of something here'"
"size 8 yes OK"
"now these are the same " etc
I attempted to engage her in conversation to cut the commentary, but she stopped doing things when she talked!!!
After that I sorted soap from packs of 8 to smaller packs of 2 that will go in Hampers later this month. The Back to School packs went out at start of the year .
I also sorted nappies! These are from the nappy exchange. Where parents donate part used packs of nappies they no longer need or have grown out of the size. I packed 10 packs of 18 nappies!

A box full 

my finished packs 

 The warehouse is full at the moment.
 Just imagine when all this was in people's spare rooms!!

Children clothes

Toys

White goods

Food and cleaning stuff 

Writers' Group

As an incentive to write more frequently (writing a parenting book on feeding problems) I joined a Meet Up called All Write! This meets in North Melbourne fortnightly and I also attend Melbourne Writers group who are also in North Melbourne.
I go to All Write and to the other if there is no meet up scheduled
But MWG had a social night where some people read a bit of their work around a romance or love theme given it's Valentine's day tomorrow. There were about 30 people there (a BIG attendance) and it was very pleasant evening

Beautiful building 

I travelled in by train and walked to the Royal Melbourne Hotel in Bourke street just before  King.
Built in 1889 and located the hotel on former site of Bourke ST West Police station now a restored heritage building.

Bluestone church 

Well just beside it was St Augustine's Catholic Church that I had never seen/ noticed before.
What an oasis in the city!
Built over 160 years ago to handle the overflow from St Francis Church.

View to Bourke st 

The garden of church

Church interior

Brooklyn Reserve

Another successful Community day at the Reserve 

As well as the coffee cart we had the Hobson's Bay library doing a Story Time  and the Council staff there to discuss various projects underway affecting Brooklyn

the Local school had a pancake sale fundraiser.

All in beautiful weather 

Pancake picnic

Story time  

Council displays 

A Month of Murals

After my Views of Brooklyn I decided to start a # of Street Art In the West and could not believe how many there were Some that I hadn't even noticed before.
These have been on Facebook but not everyone follows me so just have the highlights

These two are by Baby Geurilla and there are lots of her work all over Footscray 

 Theses Three are on wall of cafe the Milking Station

The Crying Kardashian 

This adorns the upper level on a shop wall Visible as you cross the Barkly street rail Bridge 

This long mural is of Malcolm Fraser on the wall of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre in Footscray  

Bunjil the eagle by Heesco 

More of Heesco  

And Again!

This is the great Bulldog of Footscray leaping the West gate Bridge 

Lots of art around for the Yes Vote campaign

This beautiful piece will best be viewed in Autumn when leaves are off the trees 

Now we are 70

This year all my nursing friend will be turning 70.
Marcia's was late last year and Judy T had hers in December and Paula, Hilary & I will be the last.
Betty held a celebration today at the Richmond Union Bowling Club,
 She was and is a keen bowler. So we celebrated with lunch, champagne, cake, entertainment and barefoot bowls!

The colourful set up in the Bowls Club 

Champagne on arrival 

These balloons and packages were for the kids who came

Betty sharing her pleasure at having this day celebrated with friends and family

Long time Friend Karen (right) a nurse I worked with, They met at Tweddle 

The cake baked by woman in pic with Karen 

We had entertainment form the Stiletto Sisters 

Serenading Wendy and Sue 

Judy and Family 

Judy started nursing with Betty and me and her husband Arthur was a Principal as was Celia . Small world! Sons Nigel and Damian  and some of her grandchildren.

Betty is a keen bowler So had a good time directing us in technique & strategy

The Bowling club backs on to Richmond Town hall 

A poorly positioned photo of us!!

I made a point of getting a photo to prove I was there!!

Wendy me and Sue