WILLOW VALLEY STORE

Wonder and Whimsy. Quilt Aid 2011.

In the latest Homepsun magazine  Vol 12 No 11 you will find a full page story about Quilt Aid 2011.

This is a charity project that I have been so blessed to be a part of this year.

Can you seen my cute grey bunny block in that top row?

I spent many times lying on my tum with camera in hand, when we had lots of cute bunnies in our backyard - trying to capture unique - but true to life - perfect bunny shapes!

 

Do you know how hard that is? They are sss000o busy!!

Finally a special moment - one of Louie's offspring - captured on film - then sketch pad - and now immortalized in fabric...

This palette was a brighter one than I am used to and I enjoyed the challenge. 

 All that happy bright cheerful fabric and those sweet blocks have a serious side.

Quilt Aid 2011 aims to raise funds and awareness for  The Fistula Foundation.

Here are some facts from The Fistula Foundation website that just make your heart ache!

• Fistula used to be present in the U.S. and Europe, but was largely eliminated in the latter part of the 19th century and early 20th century with improved obstetric care in general and the use of c-sections in particular to relieve obstructed labor.

• The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 2 million women have untreated fistula and that approximately 100,000 women develop fistula each year.  Fistula is most prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.

• For example, in Ethiopia, there are an estimated 100,000 women suffering with untreated fistula, and another 9,000 women who develop fistula each year.

• Less than 6 in 10 women in developing countries give birth with any trained professional, such as a midwife or a doctor.  When complications arise, as they do in approximately 15% of all births, there is no one available to treat the woman, leading to disabling injuries like fistula, and even death.

• The root causes of fistula are grinding poverty and the low status of women and girls.  In developing countries, the poverty and malnutrition in children contributes to the condition of stunting, where the girl skeleton, and therefore pelvis as well, do not fully mature.  This stunted condition can contribute to obstructed labor, and therefore fistula.

• But, fistula is both preventable and treatable.  For instance, the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital has treated over 30,000 women over 33 years.  Their cure rate is over 90%.  Fistula can be prevented if laboring women are provided with adequate emergency obstetric care when complications arise.

There are several ways that you can help.

* Make a donation to The Fistula Foundation. If you can, you can join the monthly Love-A-Sister sponsorship too!

*  Visit the Quilt Aid website. Designers and stores have generously given their time and skills to create blocks and finishing kits that you can purchase online. Proceeds go to the Fistula Foundation.

I have just been admiring the finishing kits that the participating stores in Australia, Europe and USA  have put together - they are really great! WOW!!

Quilt Aid USA 2011

Quilt Aid Australia 2011

Quilt Aid Europe 2011

xo Cath

 

Pina Lapina

Guess what?

Willow Valley Store designs are now available in Spain!

Check out this link to Ariadna @ Pina Lapina

(Patrones = Patterns)

A beautiful website and really lovely projects to inspire too!!!

Someone pinch me!

xo Cath

My Town. BOM Homespun

This months Homespun Vol 12 No 11  has the LAST block installment for MY TOWN.

We have been eagerly waiting for this one ALL YEAR....

Its by the Blackbird girls themselves - their block in their fabric - it was always going to be beautiful!! And it is! This is a peak....

I really loved working with the fabric range "Wild Rose" look at the colour palette - glorious! My fav is that blue one with the large floral design (top right corner) - but that ticking and x stitch are so inspiringly vintagey too....love them!

How are you going with your blocks?

My block was in the July issue Vol 7 No 11  and it was the church. I was and still am pretty excited about it!

 

I am thinking that if there was a particular block that you liked and you werent likely to get around to making the rest - make the one you can relate to the most - give it a border to frame it - and then surround it with filler blocks....these could be either 9 patch - half sq triangles - monkey wrench - puss in the corner - whatever you like  - and then another border or 2....PERFECT! This would look really effective especially if the central feature block is slightly offset in the bottom left corner.

As you may be aware this was a project for charity.

The completed quilt will be auctioned and the proceeds go to the Starlight Foundation - a fantastic cause! What an awesome privilege to be involved with.

xo Cath

Collectable Fairs - a great way to Christmas shop!

Are you more of an "antique market / unique / handmade / etsy/ vintage / op shopper-thrift /grew it in my garden"  kind of Christmas shopper like me?? Um come to think of it - its not just Christmas  - I prefer to shop like that all year.

If you are, then you probably have friends (and possibly family) that are the same...

so I have some good news (for us locals at least) ....

Check out these 2 opportunities

 Now I am thinking that a really good day out would be this fair at Mount Waverley in the morning - leisurely lunch at a local cafe - and then head just up the road to the Waverley Antique Bazaar in Artistoc Rd - which I have now been to twice - its FANTASTIC and getting better all of the time.            The prices are very good ;-)

If you are an easy commute to the peninsula - this looks worth checking out!

I have a little stash of treasures that I have been collecting over the last few months, from events such as these - what a relaxed and lovely way to find goodies for Christmas.

xo Cath

French Island

We've just got back from a little family holiday that included

somewhere overseas

and French

oooh la la!

um not what you are thinkin'!

Western Port Bay's very own French Island.

The contrast between the very well known, internationally recognized, Phillip Island and the "where is that?" French Island couldnt be more extreme.

To give you an idea...

Phillip Island is about 10,000 Hectares with 7000 permanent residents - the population expanding to over 50,000 in summer.  Over 3.5 million visitors every year.

Its well known and loved for the Grand Prix, the penguin parade and the fantastic surf beaches.

French Island is much larger - 17,000 hectares but has only 75 residents. About 6,000 people visit each year.

Its largely overlooked. And thats what makes it so intriguing.

There are no utility services. No gas , electricity or water. Residents need to be self sufficient for these themselves. They rely on rain water tanks, wind/solar power and diesel generators.

No police. No council. No petrol station. No medical services. No church. No road connection to the main land. No airport. No sealed roads. No speed limit (the corrogations +++ sure will keep your speed in check any way). The cars are mostly unregistered....and have a very hard life - salt and rough dirt roads!

There is just one shop

(a general store - its the grocery shop, pub,  PO and hardware store all in one) It has a piano , book corner and a cosy fireplace too.

French Island has a primary school with 11 students. A cricket pitch. A community hall. A tip. Two jetty's . A cemetry.

I really loved this HUGE jelly mould ?? improvised as a vase.

A camping ground and a small handful of places to stay.

The island had a prison farm and this operated between 1915 and 1975. It housed over 100 inmates serving the last term of their sentence.

 

We met the lovely Lois who is a 4th generation local...and had a tour of the Bayview Chicory Kiln built in 1897 (now tearooms and museum) 

 

2/3 of French Island is National Park - and the rest is privately owned.

It has been inhabited since around 1800 and boasts pristine native flora/fauna and fascinating history.

 So close to home and yet another world away. 

Jump on the passenger ferry at Cowes or Stoney Point - or put your car on the barge at Corinella (permit needed)

xo Cath