Break Away

The saying goes: '.. a change is as good as a holiday...'
Having just come home after a fabulous 2 week break away, I will have to confess, I don't think anything quite compares to a holiday - no matter how good the change is.


Before the real break, I stopped by Canberra then on to Launceston and Hobart in Tasmania for workshops. I know, I have said this before, but one of the top perks of doing what I do, would have to be getting out and about to meet and spend time with dedicated stitchers in so many different places. I feel incredibly honored and privileged to be offered these opportunities.

A big thank you to 

... the the lovely group who joined me for an Introduction to Crewel Work in Canberra, stitching Blue Elegance and Autumn Gold.
... the wonderful Launceston group, taking part in 2 or 3 days of Raised Embroidery and making great progress on their Toadstools & Brambles and Superb Lyrebirds.
... the fabulous stitchers in Hobart, both those who made an epic start on Scarlet Glory and those who braved the large Mountain Oak in just two days.
... and not least to My Wonderful Hosts!
I hope you all enjoyed the workshops as much as I did. I hope to see you again some time and please, don't forget - I love photos...

Adrian met me in Hobart after the classes and the plan was to hit the road right away, BUT - we were both pretty tired. He from driving from Adelaide and catching the fairy across, I from the fabulously hectic week just passed.
So we stayed put in Hobart for a day and took in the (freezing cold) views from the top of Mt Wellington and then lingered around MONA (Museum of Old and New Art) in the afternoon. What a place that is! And surprisingly among all the very modern (and sometimes strange) art, we found two pieces of fabulously textured embroidery by Renate Rabus.

'Accouplement'  1989, Renate Rabus at MONA

Then we hit the road.

Tasmania is spectacular and we have photo after photo after photo.... 

We snaked our way from the South to the east coast

... across the midlands to Mt Fields and ..

... on to the temperate rain forests on the west coast.

We had planned to camp some of the time, but let's face it... it is still cold in Tasmania this time of year, so we chickened out and booked into B&B's along the way. The only exception was this fab, perhaps not to everybody's liking, little hut in the middle of Mt Field National park.

The weather was spectacular and we were joined by some unexpected dinner guests.

 

We walked... A lot.

Along beaches, and through forests.

Admiring all the green from the tiniest of mosses and ferns to the tallest of tall trees...

 

... through forests 

to the bottom of waterfalls and to the top of waterfalls. 

We got snowed on at Cradle Mountain...

... and made sure we stopped whenever we could to take in the views.

... and just as I was making note (complaining) that I had never seen a wombat in the wild, we spotted this guy and half a dozen of his friends.

It was the best break away we have had in a very long time. I don't think, I had realised just how much I needed it. 

Now I am ready to get back to work.

Step 1 - write a new To-Do-List... it is going to be a long one!

Have a lovely week everyone. 

Best Stitches,

Anna X