Our Gold Coast guild has just completed two workshops by Vikki Pignatelli from Columbus OH. The workshops are part of a New Zealand (quilt symposium at Easter) and Australian tour. I was on the sub- committee organising the Aussie tour which took a year of organising to bring other quilt groups on board and working out a suitable itinerary with Vikki. Vikki was so popular we ran two workshops for a total of 35+ students. Vikki travels with her DH and the two of them billeted at my place for
5 nights. They were charming guests and good fun too. It was such a thrill. They loved having breakfast on the sundeck (lovely views over the city and coastline) each morning, and a well-earned drink and cheese plate in the late afternoon. One evening I hosted a dinner for 15 - quilters and their DH's. We had dinner out one night at another quilters.The only problem was I got sick with a headcold the week before they arrived which really hampered me cleaning the house and organising menus etc. I managed it, just, but was really not 'firing on all six cyclinders' when they were here. I didn't do much at the workshop, the brain was not functioning but I loved her work and design patterns and look forward to working on my own with it when I feel better. On Friday before VIkki travelled to her next engagement, I took them to a fauna park where we got up close and personal with adorable koalas, kangaroos and wombats. Vikki fed the brightly coloured lorikeet birds which she thought was a blast. I'll put some pix up on the webshots later and advise the link. Vikki's trip is taking about 6 weeks in total, she has another week and a bit to go. The weather (autumn/fall here) has been beautiful. sunny skies and mild temperatures.
All in all a great success. Hugs Bronnie (trying to get really well again)