2009 Quilt Symposium

Easter weekend is the time for this year's national quilt symposium.

The symposium is held every 2 years, and is attended by over 1000 quilters from around New Zealand and the world. Classes are run by national and international tutors. There are several exhibitions of quilts and fibre art by general entrants and tutors. A huge merchants mall is stuffed with everyone selling everything to do with quilting and fibre art. There are lectures and dinners too I suppose. There was an awards ceremony.

There are several challenges by specific sponsors, where you have to make a quilt or artwork on a given theme or using particular general instructions. One example is the postage stamp quilts. This is sponsored by NZ Post, and the rules seem to be that you can choose any postage stamp you like and make a 50cm square quilt inspired by that stamp. A really interesting collection of quilts resulted - people had taken 'inspired by' in a number of different lights, which was all good.

I pre-registered Sophie so she would get all the information, but we did not end up doing any classes - too expensive for her really, and I daren't start anything new until I've finished her teenage quilt. Instead of a class I've promised her $50 worth of fabric or supplies and she can run her own 'class' out of a book during the holidays. I think she is gong to get some fabric dyes, or something like that.

We went along on Saturday as volunteers, packing the morning teas and lunches for the 1000 people at classes on the day. (Actually I don't know how many people, but when we'd sorted all the bread trays of filled rolls into the boxes for the classes we were 150 short on the number required - the caterer had left them behind at their premises!)

We also checked out the merchants mall, but haven't bought any souvineers yet.

On Monday we did the exhibitions. It's worth while making a day of this as there are several and your $5 ticket to one gets you into all of them, for that day. I partiularly enjoyed the challenge quilts, but there was no information about what the challenge was displayed alongside them - we worked it out, and then looked them up on the website.

We might do some shopping today so Sophie can start her 'class'. And, yes, I was inspired and sat down on Sunday afternoon and did a couple of hours work on Sophie's teenage quilt!

camera has bit the dust

I don't know what it's problem is, but my camera appears now to not be responding. Obviously this is making it quite tricky to take photos! Hmmm.

Photo shoots for new book

I've written a new book, on music in early childhood this time. Now it's time to collect photos to go in it. So I've been turning up to places with props (Katie's guitar in this case), getting music happening, and trying to get photos of it.

Not as easy as it sounds.

In fact, getting music happening is a piece of cake. However, it's pretty much impossible to lead a music session and photograph it at the same time.

The photo (above) was taken on my camera, but as the batteries were on their last legs, the camera needs 'nursing' along, so Heather gave up after this. (I was still able to use it later, but it's hard to explain to people how exactly to 'coax' it along. I got some lovely circle dance shots yesterday after that.)

But I've got the help of a photographer this morning, so, fingers crossed we'll do a bit better.

We need about 60 good photos for the book. You get one or two from an activity. I have maybe 5 right now. I would like to be pretty much finished by the end of next week. Busy days ahead!!!

Conference in Melbourne

Well, it's been a busy little term so far. The more you have to blog, the less time you have to blog it, don't you find??

Taking up a lot of the first part of the year for us was preparing to present our research on Playcentre at a conference in Melbourne. It was a poster presentation, so working out how to display information in a suitably interesting and graphic way was part of the job.

Above you can see Bern discussing our research on governance of parent-led education providers with a delegate during the dedicated poster viewing 'happy-hour' at the conference. On the right of him is the second poster presentation from Playcentre, which is on the practicalities of engaging parents as educators in a co-operative setting (with no professional teachers in charge).

Our presentations were very well received. They were intriguing, inspiring and sometimes challenging to the many delegates who we were able to discuss them with. (I had a couple of stand-up rows with people who thought we were going a bridge too far!)

In the end, I think this was more effective way to communicate our ideas than a 25 minutes power point show, with time for a few questions afterwards, which is what the workshop presenters got.

The three presenters from Playcentre also 'worked the room' tirelessly at the conference! We button-holed most of the keynote speakers, and made sure that the views of parents-as-providers (rather than parents as passive recipients of services) was aired. Otherwise many speakers seemed to assum that parents were pretty useless - something that we know if far from the case!

We had some particularly synergistic exchanges with one keynote speaker form Pen Green in England, Margy Whalley. She already knew a bit about Playcentre as Nikolien (our other presenter) had been to one of their conferences in the past. They also work colaboratively with parents much more than any of the Australian folk seem to.

As well as that, we promoted some of the Playcentre Publications to three suppliers in Australia, and to Margy from England. We are hoping that increased book sales will arise form this. (Actually, I managed to sell two of my books - for Aussie dollars - which gave me some extra spending money.)

This is Elanor's construction.
It is made from Magnetix sticks and is hollow inside.

You can push it down from the top and each layer goes into the one below. I think only three times.

Sophie starting school - again

We have had a busy week. The three college girls were back at school on Monday, and Elanor went back today.

Monday was Sophie's first day of College. You can see from the photo how excited she was (!)

Actually, it was fine, but she does look a bit worried doesn't she?

(The uniforms make Rowena and Sophia look a bit like twins...)

Katie is out of uniforms for good. None in 7th form at her school, not even for prizegivings.

what to do in the holidays

We don't have any trouble finding things to do in the holidays. Apart from reading, Sophie and Elanor do a lot of baking - and we get to eat the results!

One day they just decided to make lemon meringue pie! No help required, but the pastry got a little brown round the edges. Not that I could have helped them anyway, as baking 'blind' is not something I've mastered.

It looked impressive, and tasted delicious!

Otaki Beach holiday

We had a bach at Otaki Beach for a while this month. Here are typically scenes of what we (well, they) did during the holiday.

As usual, I forgot to get the camera out until after K and R had left, and I don't appear at all.

Sophie spent the holidays reading their stash of trashy gossip magazines. Obviously a facet of reading experience she has been missing. I think she may have had enough to last a while.

Elanor read LotR and the Silmirillion - again. We all read some of LotR to keep her company, but no-one else (except perhaps Rowena) can keep up with her on those books.

Bern and I tapped away on our respective laptops - but I used the table.

And here's the holiday group photo - though as usual, I don't appear in the group. I think the Gastrell's have photos of me kayaking to prove I was there!

Anakiwa

The weather really picked up everywhere as we were leaving Woodend Beach. We went to Anakiwa to stay with friends for a week.

Here's our house. (There are extra cars as the neighbours had visitors due to a birthday celebration.) Three bedrooms, and the two boys had a tent out the back.

We had a week of swimming, jumping off the wharf, and kayaking. In between, we lazed and read, ate delicious meals regularly, and played board games. Perfect holiday!

Christmas holiday

We are just stopping overnight in between legs of our holidays.

We started off going South on the ferry. These are typical shots - it was drizzly weather for the ferry ride.

I managed to not get any photos of Christchurch or the beach where we stayed at Woodend. Holiday photos are often like that - you take none at all, and suddenly remember the camera the day before you leave to go home and shoot off a whole lot.

However, we had very nice weather for most of the time, though I didn't swim at the beach as too windy.

Christmas party

We had the end of year afternoon tea today. It makes it feel very much like it's nearly Christmas.


I usually post photos of the children, and I haven't remembered the camera for an afternoon tea before, but I had a brainwave, and got a very few photos to give an idea of the spirit of the thing.

I am finishing providing in-home childcare from this week, and it's quite sad to think the children (and parents) won't be coming around next year.

But, the plan is to study full-time and write my thesis in one year.

I suppose that this time next year people are going to be asking me if it's finished - that will make me get my skates on!