Kangaroo Island Wrap Up

Hi everyone,

A couple of weeks ago we went away to Kangaroo Island for our anniversary. I thought I would blog some photos of our trip. I have been being a bit tricky in Photoshop and have made some collages so that you are not overwhelemed with dozens of photos.

Those of you who read my blog will remember that I was going to play out my Anne of Green Gables fantasies and stay in lighthouse keeper's cottages. For the first 3 nights we stayed at Cape du Coeudic, (locals pronounce it Cape du Coodee), which is situated on the south western coastline. The accommodation is owned by the Dept. of Environment and Heritage and has been beautifully restored. It was so relaxing staying here - no phone reception, no computers, no tv.

Cape du Couedic is just a short walk from Admiral's Arch where we watched New Zealand fur seals going about their business and a short drive from Remarkable Rocks, Flinder's Chase National park and Kelly Hill Caves. I would recommend staying there to anyone.

October is a great time to visit KI because the wildflowers are out in force (or as forcefully as delicate Australian flora can be!)

We saw heaps of wildlife - some at our backdoor at night-time. The photos below are all taken of animals that we saw in the wild. We did take Scarlett to a wildlife park one day, but it just isn't the same as spotting them in their natural habitat. If you look carefully at the photo of the wallaby (top row 3rd from the left) you will see that she is nursing her baby - too cute! The animals from left to right are: a fork-tailed swift, Australain sea lion, tamar wallaby, cape baron goose, Kangaroo Island Kangaroo, echidna, crimson rosella, cape baron goslings, KI kangaroo and a Koala.


The last 2 nights we were on the island we stayed on the south eastern coast at Cape Willoughby. Although I loved Cape du Couedic, I have to admit that I preferred Cape Willoughby - there was a lovely porch and a view of the sea from almost every window in the house. Also, you can do tours of the lighthouse and climb to the top - which was fantastic - and the guides that run the tours are so friendly and knowledgeable. While we were staying here a couple got married underneath the lighthouse which was lovely....Scarlett and I were peaking over the wall of our backyard to check out the action.


And what about my Grandmother's Flower garden I hear you ask? With all that time to relax and no distractions I must have made at least one a day right? Wrong. Here is the sad, incomplete flower that I forced myself to work on one afternoon while Scarlett had her nap. Pathetic.


All in all there was a bit to much of this going on -


As it should be when you are on holidays.

I hope that you all have a wonderful week wherever you are and whatever you are doing.

Shontelle.

Shontelle of Green Gables

Hi All,

This week it is my wedding anniversary and we are going to Kangaroo Island (KI) to have a holiday and celebrate (much cheese and wine has been purchased in preparation).

When I was younger, I was obsessed with Anne of Green Gables (who am I kidding I still am) and I read the books and watched the mini-series endlessly. Anne of Green Gables has been a very strong influence in my life and I think that in many ways I still aspire to be her (although I have moved past the dying my hair red and wearing plaits phase). So when it came to booking our accommodation on KI I decided to completely indulge my fantasies and we are staying in a lighthouse keeper's cottage. I cannot wait! A lighthouse keeper's cottage I hear you say? But didn't she live on a farm at Green Gables? When Anne and Gilbert were first married they lived in a cottage by the sea and befriended an old sea captain who lived in a lighthouse. I have packed the book to read on our trip - Anne's House of Dreams...bring it on! (although Gilbert does look a bit gooby on the cover).


In honour of being Anne Shirley for a week I have decided to leave the Janome at home and take my English Paper pieced Grandmother's Flower Garden to work on. I was intending to have it completed for Scarlett's 2nd birthday but I'm flexible (read: prone to bird-like distraction by newer and shinier projects) and have pushed the deadline out to her 3rd birthday.


I have been collecting the fabric for it from various shops on my travels and love remembering the different places I have bought them while I am stitching the flowers. I decided to keep it traditional and have gone for 30s reproduction prints and hope to stop in at a quilt shop on KI and pick up a couple more.



While we are away I was also hoping to complete one of Anne Sutton's Bunny Hill free BOMs but I wanted to try this method of starchy needle turn applique and I've had a bit of trouble getting the Clover mini iron from the local shops. I have one on order through Ebay now and I'll just have to save that project for another time. However, I did manage to get some of the Invisifil thread that Wendy from Snippets of a Quilter recommends and I thought I might try it in my English Paper piecing and see how it goes.


I hope to post lots of photos of KI, which is renowned for its abundance of wildlife, when I get home. So for all of you international bloggers there should be a couple of cute Koalas and Kangaroos for you to check out next week.


Have a great week!

Shontelle.