Material Obsession

Template to Create

It is Thursday already!  It seems like just a minute ago it was Monday and Moira was holding up this Gwen and Freddy inspired quilt in a totally Moira color way.  Every so often we should be required to make a quilt using the left over bits and pieces of all our quilts.  The experience if fun, resourceful and rewarding as demonstrated here with wonky cut blocks and black and white jagged borders.  Anything goes and so does a fair bit if scrap fabric...

This is another piece of Moira's work.  The centre is Anna Maria's Social Climber...a name for a fabric that makes it just that desirable in any of the many colors it came in.  Some of these fabric lines should be made classics and then be available forever.  Moira is experimenting with borders and piecing options and there is more to come from this warm start.

Speaking of experimenting...this class stepped into the art quilt lab.  We all got our copy of Intuitive Color and Design by Jean Wells and got busy doing the exercises in the book.  I have never heard this group so quiet as they all concentrated on new techniques.

By the end of the session we had curved, interrupted, and skinny lines and lots of people buzzing about what to do next with these new ideas.

Stop take a nap and it's Thinking Outside the Square time, a class that is powering this year.  There are so many fun quilts happening here...

Laurel is up to quilting her evolutionary quilt.  It is alive with color and those stripes in the setting triangles really reinforce the palette of the quilt in an exciting way.  It's not a shy quilt but rather a fun, happy piece to brighten any place it lives!

This is what we love to see in the shop!  Heaps of things going on, lots of chatting and sharing of ideas!

 

Lindy is working some gorgeous Kaffe fabrics, with white and the Drunkard's Path template.  The blocks are 8" finished so they come together really quickly and are an easy way to practice curved seams.   Sometimes the fabric does all the work for us!Kate is working the Prints Charming Kaleidoscope block and some shot cottons and a fun wheel, and some strips using shot cottons and, well lots of great elements happening here.  Once we all saw the wheels it was wedge ruler a go go!  Beryl, Judy and Laurel all got into the fun and we had wedges all around!

So lets review that idea for  a second...Aboriginal fabrics, French Blues and Yellows and then Liberty...no matter which category of fabrics you live with, they all look great!  The idea of the class is using template shapes to create interesting patterns with the fabrics.  The ideas expand before your very eyes.

We just got in a new selection of Alexander Henry fabrics.  Megan has chosen this as a backing fabric for the zig zag quilt.  It is a fun, fun, fun fabric and will make this a two sided quilt with a lot of appeal.

There is more, oh so much more...enough that I was nearly in a coma when I got home yesterday.  Nothing better than arriving home after a stimulating day only to find there is no milk, no petrol in the car and a birthday coming up for Oscar tomorrow.  Yikes, it can all pile up into a short space of time!

 I will get to the rest but first I'd like to address the dress code...it is appreciated but not required that we match the fabric.  kathy

 

 

Things to LOVE...at Material Obsession

There are so many things to love and be inspired by... so lets just start this Monday morning with Modern Wendy.    Wendy teaches workshops, designs fantastic quilts...while on school holidays.  One day it is a pile of Reece Scanell shot cottons and two weeks later, this amazing thing! 

And a detail shot PLEASE!  

  

On the shelf are the latest of new fabric ranges that make gorgeous kits for old favorites like the new Art Gallery fabrics for Liberty Fields!

 

But what do we LOVE the MOST?  A  pile of Amy Butler LOVE, a rainy Sunday afternoon,  and a fabulous Prints Charming panel.  More LOVING to come!

 

Last but not least by any means... here's a bit of teaser look into the future at MO.... Guess who is coming to teach?

If you love the quirky side of folk art...if you love tradition with a twist...you will love what is happening here next year!!! Stay tuned for  more...loving Monday. k

Design Options

It is still the first week back and the wonders keep coming into the shop.  On Wednesday we have Designers Circle...a class where we spend a bit of time discussing what we are making, why and share possibilities of where to go with original designs. The border and the applique surrounding this centre medallion really make a focus of the divine feature fabric.  How do we love thee, beautiful bird fabric, let me count the ways!!! 

Designing can be more difficult than it looks.  Vicki took particular care choosing fabrics, picking designs and working out spacial relationships.  She spent a bit of time staring, auditioning and making decisions.  This and a few other of her designs are on offer in her new classes at My Place in Bowral and Quiltsmith.

Like this one...this version uses the Amy Butler solids that we also love!!! in a straight forward design that could just as easily be done in any combination!

Robin has done a fair bit since we last met as well.  For instance, this zig zag quilt.

The zig zag has been very popular this year.  It is a good learning quilt in regard to working color and has a few learinging issues with constructions as well, for instance, how do we get all our points.

I live in fear of saying it too often but I think this is one of my favorite designs.  Another favorite this year has been Drunkard's Path.  Robin did hers wonky style using the curved piecing foot and simple palette of red, black and white.

 

On a more personal note, Robin brought in this, her Bosom Buddies quilt, made by her friends, companions and family.  We spent a while discussing the meaning of each square, who had made it and why.  What a treasure it is and will always be as a poignant reminder that we don't travel alone.  As we heard what inspired each block it was hard not to get emotional.  There are so many important, unsaid elements that might go unnoticed as we rush by and yet those tiny concepts are the breath of life.  How special for Robin to have this living memory of how many people consider her important in their lives.

 

Still on Robin, a few weeks back she came to class with a specific in mind to make based on a theme.  In order to look at techniques she left with the Intuitive Color and Design book by Jean Wells.  In the time since we met Robin has practiced a bit from the exercises in the book.  Her progress started with this photo, these gum leaves, and this pile of fabric...the elements of her design.

These elements became these blocks...

How about that!!!  Its a study of line, color and interpretation of what we see.  Very exciting.  I love a traditional quilt but a new, sneaky thing is creeping into view.  The ability to actually take another along on a visual excursion together...to express, communicate, and work a theme.  These two images take us right to the place where they exist.  The color of the landscape, the lines of the horizons, the tree growing tall...such a restful place.  Very well done to Robin.  

Isn't it amazing how many wonderful things we can try?  Original designs, repeat blocks, wonky, art...all good. 

And now, duty calls.

Mom and dog doing just fine.  kathy

Back to Classes!

First week back to class is always fun as we get to see everything that has happened over the short break.  Here we have the expanded version of the Kaffe Log Cabin Dolly Quilt which featured the Marti Michelle Log Cabin Ruler for a few months back. 

 It has been a real thrill seeing the Dolly Quilters use these tools to grow new skills and also  big quilts!  Michele made all these blocks and then we started playing around with how to set them.   Apart or together?

Since Michele had already decided that she loved this Phillip Jacob bird fabric it was decided to be used as not only an outside border but also as sashing with cornerstones of red.  It's fun to set these log cabin blocks in a new way.

There are a lot of nice things about this quilt.  It looks gorgeous and is well made.  The blocks all lie flat and will fit together.  Since Michele is about to move back to Colorado I can't help but look at this and be a bit sad.  Some people just brighten up the place with happy smiles and she is one of them.  

 

Loraine has been working her fabrics with the  Queen of the May templates and set them with a cute harbor town print.  The finished top has a bit of a nautical theme and those yellow sashing strips give it a real zinger effect.  The hand pieced blocks are set with ric rac so really, although it looks difficult it is much easier than it looks.  Once the hand piecing was mastered it wasn't too much effort to set the large feature fabric blocks and get it all together.  

Hello lovely Mia, future quilter of the world!  Grandma Carolyn is, in a word, besotted with this little love package.  Mia's mommy had a dentist appointment so we showed her how to use color using Carolyn's latest scrap magic quilt as a sample.  Mia is a delight to have around as she is happy as can be on Carolyn's hip watching all the crazy ladies go nuts over quilts!!!

 

WHAT!!!!!!!  This is my favorite kind of quilt.  Carolyn just has a knack for throwing it all together.  She did a little demo for us to show how she made it but all I could think  that I wished I had made the quilt!  Ah, oh well, it's just not about me is it?!

 

Stash Management is all about using it up.  These are the scraps from Deborah's Fractured quilt!  It's an anything goes arrangement with lots of options once all the blocks are made up.  I love the potential, the resourcefulness and the random possible setting combinations.  

Alex has only recently joined this class but she is a working away on several things.

These strong colors and fun graphic fabrics work well with the Fractured unit in pinwheels.  The blocks came together quickly and the result is an uncomplicated delight.  

Big things happening at MO!  We are getting a bigger parking lot out the back.  It was fun watching boy toys while we sewed!

Dinozag has been a popular quilt this year.  What is fun to see is a bit of idea extension.  Kim has strip pieced the alternating triangles, the ones in cool colors, and WOWSER...how good does that look!    As I insert these photos I am becoming more and more determined to spend a day with strips.

 

Kim also made this with strips.  It is a quick and easy way to work with the feature panel from Michael Miller.  That panel has been very popular and fun to work with.  The colors are bright and cheery and the animals very cute.

Liesel spent the evening making these cute little Christmas trees!  

There has been a lot going on this week.  And because I am not running fast enough through life we got this little treat...

Yes, that head is going too fast to be captured on film.  Cheeky is in the house at last on a trial basis!  We don't have proper fencing so it may not work out with this active young lady.  However, there are a few family members wasting a lot of time with a ball at the moment and smiling a lot.  And on that note I will put on my dog walking shoes and go for a dash around the neighborhood while everyone is still asleep. How early can one get up to get it all done in a day, I have to wonder? kathy

Sharing Spaces

Sam's room is officially tagged!!  This is his study area.  I run in and out of his room regularly dumping loads of laundry or waking him up but suddenly stopped to see...I mean see what is going on in his room.  He spends hours and hours doing this graffiti. Check out the walls...

that are covered with collages of skaters and skater stuff images.  I used to love making collages when I was his age.  

More posters and signs and skater stuff adorned another wall and...

in this corner it is all about music.  Sam and I share the same tastes.  Gotta love The Strokes and Muse...and the rest.  It is fun to think that some of my RAD (oh mom! your language is so dated!)  taste found it's way into at least one of my sons.  What I admire about this one is he is his own man.  His brothers have, over the years, scoffed at his taste in music & clothes, mocked his love of blades and ridiculed his desire to stick with soccer when rugby became their game of choice.  This kid is stubborn.  He knows what he likes and likes what he likes.  Good for him.  As I was touring his bedroom I chanced a glance out the window.

Hmmm.  What is going on out there?  Dogs and cats playing together I asked myself and chanced a wander out onto the verandah. 

At one end were the stumps of cricket...at the other end was the bowler...

and in the middle were the skaters...

I had to be quick on my feet not to get bowled or skated over in this hotbed of mixed interests!  

We waited a long time for this driveway to be paved and now it is totally worth having waited.  It is a basketball court, skate park, cricket pitch and lots of other fun things for boys and sometimes we even park our cars here.   

Oops.  Out of bounds.  As you can see we have lots of building materials sitting around as we are nearly ready to renovate the house. It will be amazing to see the piles of sandstone take shape, the wood to get recycled into something interesting and the spaces get rearranged.  Someday soon we'll live like grownups!  We'll say goodbye to storing everything from sinks and bikes to sofa's and weight benches on the verandah and turn it into the gorgeous resting area it once was under the leaves of big trees.

It will take time and more patience than I suspect I possess but it will be fun in the end.  In the meanwhile it is of course very  important to share space and co-exist peacefully. I am proud of them for that. Enjoy the last moments of the weekend because tomorrow is the start of another week! kathy

Some, just a bit of satisfaction...

A small sense of satisfaction.  Despite the hectic demands of these school holidays I managed to get quilt finished and bound!!! The design for the quilt was inspired by an antique quilt I saw somewhere a while back.  The intrigue for me was in the striped triangles and the way they tumble down the quilt.  The fabrics are from an Art Gallery Collection from last year that we loved in the shop.  Strips of anything will do and combined with a 60 degree ruler...well, Bob's your uncle!  The border is a Japanese floral which typically would be used with other Japanese fabrics but the colors were absolutely perfect with the triangles...jump up and down Eureka Moment perfect!  One more thing I love about this quilt is the quilting.  I ran several needles with perle 8 black along each of the stripes and through the black triangles so it is heavily quilted and has such a nice feeling to it.  

It was also satisfying this week to step out into the bush for a little photo shoot.  We took Sheena along to provide a bit of critical eye thinking and fun!

 

Spotting wild life is also fun!  My scratched up ankles,  not so fun.

Sometimes you spot things that really should be somewhere else, like this whale!

OK, that whale is swimming to the bottom of the post!  I have tried three times to turn him around but for some reason he won't cooperate.  Perhaps that is how he ended up in the bush in the first place.  How real does it look though?

Ding!  Out of time. On to the next projects!! Enjoy. k

Power Out!

How much do we take for granted in our lives!!!  The other night I was finishing up the dinner dishes and thinking through all the things I wanted to do that evening.  On my list was to sew the binding on that quilt I finished quilting....Yahoo, can't believe I finished it! Do some work on the computer and finally clear the surfaces in my sewing room.  Then, without any warning...SNAP.  The lights went out.  Now regardless of the fact that we had two extra teenage boys that had come over for a movie night sleep over, this was not a good thing to happen.  It was dusk and the possibility of ticking anything off my list was nil. 

 I think I stood at the sink for a minute and then, robot style, walked went into the sewing room and sprawled out on the floor, arms spread wide.  For some reason that position gives me relief. I concentrated on breathing, yoga style and thought to myself, hey, this power out thing could be good as I am a bit out of power myself!  

Fortunately, the power was restored about an hour later.  The boys had occupied their time playing cricket in front of the car lights, John had walked around the neighborhood and the others were playing with their phones.  All good.  The binding still isn't on the quilt...but who cares!

Yesterday we did a special all day workshop with some of the Novocastrian Quilters.  They arrived bright and early and we got stuck into For the Birds, a fun quilt to make with the Creative Grid 60/45 duo ruler. For the Birds is a take on the Doves in the Window block, set with large sashing strips on a plaid background.  We were looking for contrasting fabrics for the bird blocks,  stripes or plaids for the background with a colorful inspiration fabric as the sashing strips.  That was the mission.

The first thing we do is start playing with fabric combinations.  I was surprised to hear during the day that one of the things everyone  liked doing in the shop was making a mess with all the fabric bolts.  I hadn't noticed the mess. Hmm.  This is the part I like to savour...the making of combinations, the auditioning of fabrics, the "What if we did this moment" using a variety of combinations of a variety of fabrics.  There were piles of combinations everywhere!  

The classrooms were at maximum capacity.  There were sewing machines and cutting boards on every surface and the best bit, no one seemed to notice or care.  A few things got buried during the day but the end result was heaps of gorgeous stars, in a wide variety of color ways, and bags full of "out of my comfort zone" samples.  It was fun just watching...eye happy!

Robyn & Kay got these two started straight away. Kathy had this one on the board fairly quickly as well.  Here you can see how handy a small design board can be for piecing blocks with lots of piecing.  This was Kathy's and Wendy's is in the background.

 

Jeanette was working in some of the new Martha Negley fabrics which are gorgeous.  Christine has worked some of her stash fabrics with a more modern graphic.  The combination is perfect.

Each project had a personality of its own which is what it is all about.

 

 Kathy had one block nearly finished and then decided to fine tune the palette so here is when it really gets fun.  We worked the wall and the fabrics in several different directions until Kathy decided which one she liked.  There are so many options that it can get confusing but the process is fun and everyone gets involved.
These blocks are from Karen and Kay.  Kay had brought in the floral fabric to use for the sashing and a few bits from her stash but quickly sorted out an entire new range of fabrics to use for her block combinations.

I look forward to seeing these quilts finished one day soon!

 Thanks to all of you for coming in as it was certainly a fun filled day!  I must admit I think I had a mini power out session last night too!  All the best, kathy

visual delight...

One of my favorite days in the shop is when Sue Cody comes to teach.  It is a day filled with busy fingers to the sound of OHHHHHHHH and AHHHHHHHH!  Since we are nearly in fourth term this year there are lots of delicious things nearly finished to show.  Robin finished her version of Sue's Suzanni quilt.  The applique is perfect and the quilt just beautiful to behold.

Here is Merilyn's version of Sue's Tree of Life.  This one is a fanciful journey of color and whirling stem work.  We have seen several versions of this quilt and each one speaks of the maker.

 

Wendy, who peacefully sits in the corner working away, is nearly there with this masterpiece.  The centre is actually appliqued and really deserved a close up for detail, as do all the others.

And Suzanne is doing the same quilt but coming from the opposite end of the table...Instead of using applique in the centre here Suzanne used a piece of French Toile.

Robin, believe it or not, has also nearly finished this one... 

Phew.  It was a huge day in the shop yesterday with all these very special quilts on show.  We appreciate that the makers let us show these quilts as each one is a treasure.  Sue has brought us an enormous amount of pleasure this year as she shared her designs and technical talent so generously  It is sad to think that she is giving teaching a bit of a rest after this year.  It's no wonder. She has worked so hard to produce these heavenly designs and then guided so many people through the process all year.  Her students have learned the best from the best in keeping tradition alive.  As I run through the classroom and spy on progress I too have learned a lot about looking for detail and a go slow process. The prospect of seeing what Sue will produce while "resting' makes the mind boggle!!!

Keep the tradition alive all you busy fingered gals, and thanks for sharing your work!!! kathy

ps another sport free Saturday lies ahead...yahoo!

Hello Dolly!

 

Well, hello Dolly! (you know the tune, sing it with me...!)...your looking swell, Dolly, I can tell, Dolly.... This month the Dolly Quilt features a guest quilter known to many of you as Mrs Schmenkman!  It's Spring down under and so we welcome in October with a little quilt full that celebrates color!   A fun feature is that special ric rac treatment that we are LOVING for applying curved lines!  Once you all try this you'll find lots of places to use ric rac, and who doesn't love that curvy, colorful stuff!  The dolly quilts are starting to layer techniques for added skill building.  Here Amy (aka mrs schmenkman) has used the wedge ruler, a bit of foundation piecing and applique.  To finish it all off it is beautifully machine quilted.  For those that have never tried to use their machine for quilting, this size project is perfect for experimenting!  Thanks so much to Amy for getting this to us and we hope you all enjoy it!  If you don't know Amy, check her out here, http://mrsschmenkmanquilts.wordpress.com

Just in are the Art Gallery Fabrics.  

They never disappoint us with clever use of graphics and nice clean colors.  These fabrics  set a tone used in big repeats and are gorgeous for large blocks but have the most delicious repeats for fussy cutting small bits. The other new line that came in is by Joel Dewberry.  

I think I've always had a thing for woodland creatures, particularly deer.  I am on a finish what I started mode so that I can get at some of these new ranges before the rest of the season deliveries arrive to tempt me off track.  It's almost scary and I think working through my subconscious mind at mind bending speed.  Last night I dreamt that a wave of soft snow fell over my head.  I was laughing as I tumbled and rolled with it down a huge hill.  Hmm.  Being a big believer in the significance of dreams I'll have to ponder that and the other interesting details of the dream as I get on with the day at hand.  

I did get a bit done on the weekend in the "finish it" stakes.  The last seams on this one took my by surprise as it came together.

My fingers are itching to get quilting on it and sort of wishing it was winter so I could enjoy the huge warmth of it on my lap.  (perhaps I should have taken some time to sort out the piles and piles of things around the room!)

But instead I switched gears... to working on my art quilt project from the Rosalie Dace Tree workshop earlier this year.  I find I love working on this quilt as it takes on new memory paths each time.  However, I need space and time to do it so it doesn't happen often with my current schedule. 

So with a rare day ahead of me, I put it up on the wall and got to working my memory as Dr Seuss meets my fabric collection. It is interesting to me what happens in my head while working on this quilt.  I kept referring to images  of places in my childhood.  Most importantly, the two huge oak trees in our back yard and the leaves that hung down from the branches.  Each one has an individual shape but rarely does one leave stand out from the others as they all blend to make one perfect thing. 

 I can still see my bare toes at the end or outstretched legs reaching for the branches, feel the swing flying through the air and hear the song I would have been singing loudly and out of tune.   They were perfect, simple, uncomplicated, care free and thrilling moments.  So this is my imperfect interpretation of a perfect memory.  

There are romantic willow trees with those long lazy frilly bits to shelter in from the heat of day and astand of trees, a haven for stick and vine forts or afternoon hikes.  Those  creeks were for wading while turning over rocks looking for salamanders... 

  
Do kids still get to do these things?  Have we saved enough world for them to enjoy?

happy holiday!

It might look as though I am on a holiday taking happy snaps of the lovely view in some exotic location.  Truth be told, no!  Simply running to save my car from a parking ticket after a morning at the boys' school. On a spring day there is no better spot than any spot on Sydney harbor.  I had to stop in my tracks and take a moment to admire the sparkle and not for one second take it for granted.  Its the end of a busy term in the shop.  We all stop and rest during the school holidays...take a breather.

 Moira brought in some of the work that she did in Kim Bradley's Machine Quilting class a few Saturdays back.  In one session she produced all these samples and walked away with a new appreciation of what can be done on the machine to alleviate the pressure of the stack of quilt tops.  

Kim teaches from a very creative perspective.  Her patterns might take practice to perfect but are achievable, even on a first attempt!  The format of this class has always been to explore possibilities while learning technique.  Big  news is that if you have taken this class and need Kim to help while you attempt to start on a quilt let us know and we'll book you in and she'll help get you started.  I know for myself there is a little tiny level of fear that if I machine quilt something I'll spoil it.  Having Kim help us get started could get us over the first hurdle.

Here we have an other view, three practice pieces that Moira did from Jean Wells fabulous book, Intuitive Color and design.  We are really having fun with the techniques which are fun to explore. Curved piecing and other seemingly random cuts are all explained. Next to Moira's quilts, Kerrin has made a cot quilt for an undetermined boy or girl.  The border is that lovely Phillip Jacobs bird that we are loving.  Half square triangles are always an interesting effect.

We also got a look at Amanda's penguins.  Amanda brought this pattern into class which is all applique.  Not sure who the designer is but it is a clever use of fabric to create a design.  Amanda is making a series of quilts for her kids and each one has a personality of its own which is fun to see.

Ok, get ready for this because the next photo is the back of Marg's quilt.

And this is the front of Marg's quilt in Sue Ross's class.  Lets just stop for a second and think about that!  

Flip it over and over and over because there is not end to the delight of having gone the extra mile.  Think of how many scrap fabrics were used...or was that created.  Again the endless circle of delight.  Make a scrap, use a scrap, make a scrap....it just falls into line with the length of that piece of string!

Then this month we had the September dolly quilt results.  Tulips was designed by Cath Babbidge, the famous queen of all things mini.  The dolly quilters "made" fabric with scraps and then cut the tulips out to applique in rows, perfect for spring!

 

Lyndsay worked a bit further on hers and added a few techniques used in other dolly quilts from this year. 

 She made a flying geese border and did some stems with leaves and a bit of Jean Wells curved piecing too! 

Hmm. A new camera does not a photographer make as some of these photos have turned out a bit blurry...I'll have to work on that.

Anne also used a technique for the previous dolly quilts and finished this log cabin quilt this week which got everyone talking and pointing as you can see.  It is a trick of the eye that this log cabin block comes out in circles!

Michelle has flown from the dolly nest as well and made this with the flying geese ruler...
It's either a maxi dolly quilt or a mini Dinozag and either way it will make a lovely gift for a new baby!  It is very exciting to see all the learned techniques coming back in bigger quilts.  That is, after all the purpose of the dolly quilt program.  There are so many things to learn and so many wonderful tools to make every step easier to manage.

The Tuesday night workshop has been busy as well. This week we were amazed to see a series of Kaleido-ruler or spider web quilts.  All made with the same basic shape but all looking unique.

Kim has had this one made with Japanese fabrics and our favorite linen.  The linen is a beautiful background to so many fabrics.  This quilt is huge and nearly completed.  It weighs a ton but will make a nice warm bed quilt soon.

Liesel has has also used the linen only in our new favorite color which is the mole.  It gives the clean brights a nice soft landing.  This quilt is also HUGE and perfectly put together. 

AND, (but wait, there's more!) Kate has been quilting her Iceland quilt which is, you guessed it, HUGE... 

How about that!  Three quilts based on the same shape with three completely different effects.

But while we were all Kaleido nutting it out in the other room, Suzannah was busy on the floor with her circles and Michelle was in her corner powering away on Morpeth Stars.  So much activity!!!!!! It is hard to keep up with them all. 

Megan also had some show and tell.  She put this top together using the 60 degree ruler instead of the 45 and as a result it has sharper points.  It's a great use of large print fabrics. 

 Megan also made this quilt from American Patchwork and Quilting.  Mommy and baby birds all in a row!  Megan found the perfect fabric for the sashing and border strips.
That was a busy couple of days.  It is hard not to be enthusiastic about it all when everyone is doing so many fun projects.  There is no limit.  

And for some BIG news if you are still with me after all that...some of you have noticed the slow release of our NEW, EASY, MANAGEABLE WEBSITE.  We'll formally announce it soon as we are just checking to make sure it all works properly.  Have a look and let me know what you think.  We'll soon be sending out our newsy newsletter as well. 

It's a public holiday today.  Nice.  Slept in a bit and am planning to hang in my pj's until I get pulled away.  
Enjoy. kathy