Stop??? Me???.......

.......never!  Well maybe by Tuesday morning I will have to stop for a while - at least until my return from the UK.  I'll at least have a few weeks "basket free".  No need to panic - but thank you so much for your concern!  Makes the occasional frustration very bearable!

Have a wonderful rest of the week everyone!

I keep saying "This is it! No more!"...........

.......but I just can't help myself!  I really do have to stop because there are lots of other things I should really be organising now.  This time next week I'll be on the way and there is just no more time!  Anyway, enough of the preamble and to the show and tell!  This time I played with a few flower baskets!  Hope you like them!!

I hope I can put aside the basket weaving for a few weeks now!  I will do my best!

Anyone attending the Kensington Dollshouse Festival?  If so, I hope you come and say hello!!

So this really happened...........?

We went for a drive to the beach today  and were taken a-back by this sign posted on the side of the  road.......

This could have been a great disappointment for some because as it turns out, someone was too lazy to dispose of their very old and worn synthetic turf!!

Cheech & Chong could have had fun with this lot!!

 (for those of you old enough and insane enough to remember them)!!

I have not been idle...................

....but have been making a stack of carpet beaters!  Mindless but fun (at first!)

I can't believe that Kensington Dollhouse Festival is only 16 days away!  Where did all that time go?

I have my stash of baskets packed - all 180 of them!  And right now, I would be happy not to see another basket for a little while at least!  

I hope you are all having a wonderful week.

Gumnuts and handcarts............

                           I finished off some gumnuts that I had previously been working on!  

And a friend came to call bearing gifts - one of which was a railway hand cart.  So much better than flowers!!  Rob does amazing work.  I will photograph some other stuff of his as soon as I have time and show them all off!

Isn't it a beauty?!  I've already got the basket made for it (in my head, that is)!!  Will get on to that one straight away (in my spare time of course!)

Hope you're all having a great week!

A couple of birdcages......

...made when I felt like having a little fun and experimentation!!  I quite like the grungy effect!!

The one below is just a little more pristine!!

The days are ticking by and it's getting ever closer to the long trip to KDF!  And I want to do so much more - where is the time going?  No matter, back to it!  Take care everyone.

I'm back in the groove.........

......and thought I would show you some of the results!

Basket in situ!

And a close up!

And a couple of spares!!

Back from New Zealand...........

.........and it's so good to be home again!  Had an absolutely fabulous time over there - the workshop was great fun and it was good to catch up with the master (Rik Pierce).

I took so many photos - so I have set up some of them in an album on  Flickr - the link to which is

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lidistroud/sets/72157633122890000/

I hope you go and take a look at them.  I did a huge cull so I wouldn't bore you all to death!!

I did manage to make some baskets while I was away so all in all it was a successful trip.

I have to take this opportunity to welcome new followers to my blog - lovely to see you here!

I hope you all have a wonderful Easter weekend.  Take care of yourselves.

Just had to share this.....

I found this gorgeous orchid in my garden today!  I was totally amazed - must have missed the whole flower spike thing - but I didn't miss it in full bloom.  The photo does not do it justice.

I have dedicated this lovely orchid to my poodle Madi who is no longer with me.  She was truly my best pet friend ever and I will really miss her.

And more baskets.........

I have been working - perfect weather really - staying in out of the rain and the following pics show some of the results!

And now I'd better go and do some packing.  I leave for New Zealand at 0 dark hundren on Friday to assist with the Rik Pierce workshop - but I'm taking my weaving supplies with me so I can continue my work.  I'm sure to have some free evenings - I hope!    Will report back in on my return - hopefully with lots of pics to share.

Take care everyone!

Water water everywhere..................

We have had the wettest summer in 50 years but can count ourselves very lucky.  We didn't suffer the severe flooding of Grafton or Kempsey but there was lots of water around Nambucca.

The Causeway to the Island Golf Club 

Parks and boardwalks under water.

Picnic Baskets and ......apology!

First of all, apologies!  I had my e-mail contact list hacked and some of you would have received an e-mail from "Lidi Stroud" - except it wasn't me!!  The problem has since been fixed - until next time!  Can't believe it happened to me.

Anyway, at last I have finished my batch of picnic baskets - 15 in all.  I'm so glad they're out of the way.  By the time they were finished, I didn't want to see another picnic basket again - for a while anyway!!  This is the result of weeks of work.................................

Showing handle details!

And now I'm going back to work.

Rocking Cradles ......

First of all - HOORAY!!  The rain has ceased!

We are very lucky here - no major flooding or damage;  but just an hour and a half up the highway, the town of Grafton and surrounding area is suffering major flooding with three thousand people evacuated from their homes!   I feel for all those people and those in Queensland who have lost so much.  And to think that the State of Victoria is burning!

I've been busy making.  Finished so far are these two rocking cradles - trimmed with some antique lace that I was lucky enough to find a few years ago.

And now I'm going back to work on picnic baskets.  I hope you all have a wonderful week - and take care.

Some new stuff for KDF.....

Sharing a few new items I have been working on!

As you can see, I have not been idle!  But time continues to fly by and still sooooo much to do.  Hope I make it - and retain my sanity, which is doubtful at the best of times!

Hope you're all having a great weekend!

I'm definitely on a roll.........

A friend of mine sent me a photo of a plate basket so I thought I would have a go at making one.  Just a little bit fiddely......but fun all the same!

A little wine, perhaps.........

Just sharing a pic of a newly finished article.  Hope you like it!!  I'm getting back into the swing of this now!!
Hope you are all having a wonderful day!

Swing handled basket........

....made for a friend.  Just thought I would share an image before it goes to it's new home!

Have a wonderful day tomorrow (we get there first!!)

Holiday Greetings!

I really want to wish you all a very happy holiday season and a healthy and prosperous 2013.

  It looks as if we could be celebrating the day in sweltering temperatures.

Whatever you plan to do, take care and stay safe!

Thank you one and all for taking an interest in the stuff I do!

A Little Bit of Play Time.............

and this is what I came up with........

I have been a little bogged down with baskets just lately.  I am off to Kensington in May 2013 and have to
have something worthwhile to take with me.  I think I will take Christmas Day off and give myself a break though!

I hope you are all keeping well and are all ready for the holiday season.  Take care and stay safe!

Pie Basket Tutorial - Sydney Workshop 24 Nov

I can't believe where the time has gone - it's been well over a month since my last post.  I must admit I have been a little busy though - getting the last little "tweak" in on my tutorial and then traveling to Sydney where I held a workshop at the AMEA meeting in Auburn on 24 November.  And what a wonderful day was had by all.

At this stage the ladies are still smiling and having fun!  

Concentration Plus!

Getting it done!

Thank you ladies for making the workshop such a fun thing to do - I certainly hope you ended up enjoying it as much as I did!

And a thank you to AMEA (particularly Adelaide Cann) for nagging me until I gave in!!  I had a wonderful day - and the FOOD!!! ......was all fantastic!

And now I have to put my head down and get serious about doing some basket work.  I am heading to Kensington Dollshouse Festival in May 2013 - and that's not a lot of months in terms of baskets to be made!!!  Back to the grindstone for me!!  But hopefully I won't be so long between posts now?  Let's see what happens!

Have a wonderful week everyone.