Saturday, February 22, 2014

FLETCHER CHRISTIAN POOL

Our pool at Fletcher Christian has been there for about 25 years! We had finally got to the stage where the liner could be patched no more.
One thing led to another, and we ended up doing a major refurbishment!

First there were new timber surrounds and deck.
Then someone suggested that we build a gazebo, island style!
Our Vanuatan friends worked very hard producing the necessary palm frond tiles for the roof. This involved many hours of work every evening up at the Nakamal.
Finally came the day to fix the roof. We had Alan and Sam and George busy on the job.












It was amazing how quickly the job proceeded
With Charles lending a hand too!

A drink to cool off
A drink to cool off.
It really looks lovely and tropical!

SPECIAL BAG

Before Christmas, someone asked me to make a bag as a special commission. It was to be a Christmas gift for a lady who suffered a very unfortunate health event a couple of years ago, resulting in a severe loss of mobility and independence.
This lady, who was once very creative, vibrant and active, is now confined to our local hospital. However, she does enjoy regular coffee outings with a group of friends. The idea was to give her a bag in which she could place her wallet, and then hang it on her new wheelchair.


 I was asked to make something that was colourful and also very textural, as this lady's eyesight is deteriorating. When I asked for her favourite colours, I was a little taken back to learn that they were orange and lime green! Now that was a challenge for me!
 I decided that a background of patchworked denims would be a foil for these bright colours, as well as giving the bag a more modern twist.
I had a great deal of fun with dyed laces, buttons, beads, threads and ribbons in the chosen colours.
It is very satisfying to work on a project like this, and I was rummaging through containers for little treasures that I have been saving for years for just the right occasion!
 This is the back of the bag - quite distinctive! I have dyed some of the denims a little.

 My camera was definitely not behaving well on the day - all my pictures are a little blurry, I'm afraid.
Actually, before I made this bag, I had already started on a couple of other bag fronts with a denim background. They are still U.F.O.'s (unfinished objects), but the idea has great possibilities.
My blogging muse still seems to be "on leave", but hopefully things will get better. We have had quite a change to our routines lately, and I am still adjusting!

Sunday, February 02, 2014

WET AND WILD - NORFOLK STYLE

 Norfolk Island may be thousands of kms away from big Adventure and Theme Parks - but that doesn't mean we can't make our own fun!
Chris and Leanne and their team held a Family Fun Day out at St Barnabas' and the Parish Centre last week - and everyone had a ball!
 This was Nate's first time on the waterslide
 But he was soon  right into it!





 Dads come in handy - to pull you along...
 Give you a push...
 Or a piggy back......

There were three legged races

For young and old!!
 Then we had some egg and spoon races...

 Then the skipping rope came out.
 The men tried to show off their skipping skills

 Bishop Rob and Margie called in to see the fun and stopped for a cuppa.
 The older kids and young (and not so young) adults had a great game of French Cricket.

 Kim sent along some jelly cups, and Nate was the first to try them out.
 Fun on the "swings with a view"
And the see saw....


In the hall, the table tennis table came out
 While others had a great time swinging on the rope from the giant old fig tree.




After all that activity, everyone was hungry, and the guys had a barbecue going...

With lots of salads and sweets brought along by everyone
 After dinner, there was a concert. Tom performed his great "Hat" routine
 Sandy did a Powerpoint presentation showing us what the kids had got up to earlier in the week.

 While Chris and Leanne did their theatre tricks, much to everyone's amusement.
 The Young team performed a skit for us.

What a wonderful day - and it was all " old fashioned do-it-yourself fun"


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