Apologies

Apologies to my dragon friends.
I'm afraid I fell off the dragon wagon.
I kept meaning to catch up but didn't quite make it.

Husband retired quite unexpectedly when the company he worked for was sold, so that has created some very big changes around the house (but good ones!) (....mostly)

I've also done some damage to my knee which resulted in having an arthroscopy to remove torn cartilage.  
I've been frustrated that the operation doesn't seem to have improved my knee and now the surgeon is strongly recommending that I have a knee replacement, so I think I will be telling him to go ahead when I see him again mid January.

I still have lots of ideas for dragons, so will continue to make them, I really want to finish my 2012 collection of 52 dragons but it may take a little longer than expected.

I hope all of you have a very peaceful ...thingy...(fill in the blank - solstice / zombie apocalypse / holiday / christmas) and a happy new year.  

See you in 2013!

Of course if the Mayans turn out to have been right, then none of the above will apply LOL

Week 30 - Dragon at the Wood Show

This weekend we went to the Sydney Timber and Working with Wood Show at the Olympic Park, Homebush.
There were some Serious woodworking machines there which would qualify for the Extreme Woodwork category in anyone's olympics (big smile)

I've never seen so many drills, files, planers, sanders and assorted attachments in the one place before.

Needless to say, Himself had a good day while I was starting to go a little gah-gah at it all.

I did come That Close to joining a wood carving group but restrained myself for the moment.

Dragons were being carved at several club tables and I thought this one would be a nice inspiration if I should ever find my wood carving tools (I know I have a set somewhere)

 apologies to the artist as I did not get a name to go with the carving 

(and that brings me up to date with my postings, sorry if you have been seeing what appears to be old earlier posts popping up, I back dated them so they would be in order)

Week 29 - The Keeper of the Cottons

I found this little dragon about to take a nose dive into my jar of thread offcuts.
After swooshing delightedly around the jar, she climbed out and appointed herself the Keeper of the Cottons.



I do hope I won't have to ask permission to use my threads, she seems to have claimed them all.







The Keeper was first sewn in felt, then merino wool was needlefelted onto her body and wet-felted to help mat it together.  Her wings were wet felted then mohair was needlefelted onto the wings and spine.
She also received some trim from the thread offcut jar, which is probably why she enjoyed diving into it.

Week 28 - Darwinia the dragon from the top end

My friends have been travelling the outback - first to Uluru (Ayers Rock) then they hopped on the Ghan railway to Darwin in the Northern Territory, and then across to Broome in Western Australia.

I'd already warned them about the Dragaroo, so was surprised when they managed to capture a little outback dragon for me.
Her name is Darwinia and despite the cold Sydney winter she has settled in very well with the other dragons (she says she is quite comfortable as the desert can be very cold)

 





A lovely souvenir, thanks Marilyn and Di (and GB)

Week 27 - Hidden dragon at Hawkesbury

This weekend our miniatures group displayed some work at the Hawkesbury Hobby Show at Richmond Showground NSW.

On one of the woodwork stalls we met David Stanley who was carving a wonderful relief of a dragon hiding in leaves.  He also had the same dragon beautifully worked in pyrography and coloured.

David is from western Sydney and has a web site called Whimsical Wood where he very generously has the pattern for his dragon available as a download.
His talent was obvious as we watched him working but I was blown away when I went to his web site and looked at the rest of his art, he is a brilliant illustrator and woodworker.

so.....I know this is a bit  of  a cop out, but will you forgive me if I Promise Promise to make something from David's pattern and show it here later?

after three weekends of showgoing I'm wearing down (and I caught a 'flu thing at Katoomba) oh excuses, excuses.....

here is Davids "Young dragon hiding" and here is the link to his pattern - I'd love to know (and see) if you use it.

Week 26 - Winterfest the felt dragon

Why, because Winter Is Coming and we all need a warm dragon to snuggle up to.

I played around with a new dragon pattern, hand sewn in felt, then covered in merino wool.
First  a little needlefelting to attach the wool then finished by wet felting.
The wings were wet felted and attached later.

Winterfest Medieval Fair

Another beautiful clear sunny winter weekend, and we were off to the Winterfest Medieval Fair at Parramatta Park, in Sydney's west.

 

I love these fairs, if I were just a smidgeon younger I'd have my flowing gowns with a sword swashbuckled to my belt, but being of more mature years I'm content to go along and watch.




The re-enactors take their hobby very seriously (well, don't we all)
Days of practice fights, the armor and costumes are very genuine and the swords very real.

 
 
 
 

Aren't these outfits great!
 


 and great accommodation:
 


and fabulous birds:



and of course you need an 'orse:




and clever fights:
 
with the winner receiving a rousing cheer from the onlookers:


and we can't forget the villain in the stocks, being hit with wet sponges:
 

There were some people selling resin dragons but not as spectacular as this hanging:


Would I get away with presenting this for the dragon of the week?? ...hmmm probably not....