Home and back to work

Following our exciting trip to Spain and France, we arrived home safely, always try to sit next to a small person on the long flight home, of course your husband on one side - but a small person- a Malaysian chef this time, very comfortable indeed, except for the leg space, and of course the hot chicken dish split down my husband- but that's his story.   http://rundlesrant.blogspot.com.au/
My camera died- sadly, so few pictures, but funnily enough I didn't see the need to take hundreds of photos- unlike my travelling partner. I do have some of my own though.

Celery to feed all of Villandry!

ornamental kale at Villandry

Back into the swing of things I went to a quilters retreat this weekend, 2 nights and 3 days of sewing, chat,- no cooking or housework or hungry family. It was at Staceys at the Gap, luckily I also had a driver, my negotiation of the roads around Brisbane is rudimentary, however I can get to where I need to go- in the end.
The whole weekend was great fun, some of the quilters I already had met. They were all working on different projects and I also had several of my own to manage. I finished the star top - too late for the quilt show, and as it is a gift for next year, will not be exhibited except at show and tell. I am working on a top I started in a Jane Sassaman class a few years ago- I did some work on that, but my machine applique skills are basic and I have found it frustrating, should have raw edged it!
My other project is a liberated medallion quilt that I worked on at a recent Gwen Marston workshop- so may pieces to finish! and such little time. The medallion is growing fast, I am hoping to make it for our own bed, its a bit scrappy- I am really fussy and find it hard to do scrappy and freeform, but am trying hard not to make it too ordered...
One of the fun things about retreat is watching others sew, cogitate, and sew a bit more...then unpick!