To my surprise prints 驚喜的效果

 Doing eco print is always challenging me.  I've no patience and always want to unbundle after 1 or 2 days.  Before my last long trip to Portugal I wrapped a silk fabric with wild yellow daisies and other leaves around a can. That could only allowed me to open after 20 days on my return. 

 Unbundled it, to my surprise ......
 

 the yellow marks......

..... and some different prints of rust marks, leaves prints...

 Quite nice prints to my expectation

 I love this

 Rust + iron + yellow daisies + PATIENCE .......

 Loving it.  Is this what we call "subtle look" ?

 Back home after 20 days holiday and should back to track (but my mind is still away !) Today I walked up the hill behind my apartment just to find some wild daisies to do again the prints.  Found the stream running after heavy rain yesterday.  Freshed me up.............

 Picked these wild daisies and wrapped around a can with other leaves from Corrina's eucalyptus and Jan's maple leaves.

Bundled it and put inside a bigger can.   Now boiled for 45 minutes and stayed in a thermo pot.  Will see how it looks later.  When?  How my patience will stand?

Brimming trip from Portugal & England 滿載而歸

Riding in the cloud to England for friends visit after my Portugal wool felt workshop in Dominio Vale do Mondego, and a short stay in Lisbon (that).  Leisure and cherish moments followed.......
完成一星期的羊毛氈工作坊(網誌)及在里斯本(網誌)幾天的遛躂後, 我繼續旅程騰雲駕霧去英國訪友......

After half day flight and train I arrived in Gloucestershire and stayed with Jan, my English tutor.
經過大半天的飛機與火車輾轉到達告羅士打郡來到Jan的家.

We had a fabulous dinner in a local inn. .
 在地道館子晚飯

.

 A tranquil little English village in Gloucestershire.  Houses are most of Cotswolds stones
  村子座落於英格蘭的丘陵地Cotswolds

House is at the end of the road

 English breakfast with the views in the garden.
 寫意地吃著英式早餐看著園子外雀鳥.

Such a beautiful day, beautiful view ......
如框畫的美景....

...... through the eye of a stone bus shether
..... 自路上公車侯車間一瞥.

Flowers everywhere in the mid summer.  Wild daisies against the old stone walls
花卉處處, 有路邊小野菊 ...

Thriving planted flowers. 有簇簇家花

 Poppies - I love most.  This sort is a big one in the wild.
 品種大朵的罌粟花是我最愛

  Walked the dog in the morning. Life in the village is still and leisure.
遛遛小狗開始休閒的一天

Life steps can be as slow as a snail. Friendly as dogs, meet and greet.
在小村莊生活節奏可徐徐緩緩如蝸牛, 在路上相見問問天氣

After a walk, tired? Rest and admire the nature.  Little wild flowers on the lawn.....
歇一歇賞花

The neighbour cat still as a door decoration.  His name is "Socks".  See how sweet he is with a big round head,  a little white dot on the month and a white collar. Shy as a girl or as a gentle lad?
鄰家貓兒既羞答但又神武, 帥 !

Up to explore the undiscovered Cotswolds.

Steps and trail walk in the woods 踏上山丘

Arived at the viewpoint.

A panaromic view of the villages.  Fields and undulating dales.
  極目遠眺, 延綿起伏山丘田野

Picturesque as post cards  田園美景.

Pastures with sheep. Overview  further is River Severn flowing  from central Wales through  w England
如詩如畫的景致, 遠處長河 River Severn

Village in the dramtic landscape of Stroud  小村莊

A barn and a farm for local produce 自家農場

Reminisce the old days, we flipped the photo album. 

 That's me, some 20 years ago I went to Belgium with kids for the meeting with Jan.  Also dressed up of Jan for the Royal Ascot.
 閑坐翻閱相部, 懷舊一翻, Jan 在Royal Ascot 的優雅盛裝.
   不正是我和孩子到比利時與Jan的相片嗎? 二十年前了, 時光飛逝 !

After the 3-day visit, Jan saw me off at the train station in a rainy day. Goodbye Jan. 
細雨中說再見

On my way down to London to visit my intimate C.
火車到達倫敦轉往好友 C 的家,

Haven't seen C. for almost 3 years. Last visit her gorgeous Tiffany was only 1 year old spoke broken words.  Now  the sweetie is four and writes neatly.  Time flies.  My 40-hour stay was fantastic.  I couldn't resist to show her my "master pieces" of the wool felt stuff just learnt in Portugal.  C. made fabulous food and we opened the chatter box in a boozy night. 
三件前的探訪小妮子才一歲牙牙學語, 如今已工整寫字, 看著孩子成長, 意會時光荏苒.  日間C 弄美食之餘, 我教她做羊毛手作與植物印染, 深宵侃侃而談.

I also shared with her wool felt and eco print. Taught her the

skills.  

How nice that C.. has the eucalyptus tree in her garden that she can do more experiments. 

C 的園子有一顆高大的桉樹, 可以做更多印染實驗. 多好呢!  

The rose leave prints on a silk fabric are bold. 玫瑰葉的效果比較明顯的綠及清淅

C. is clever to have made a 2-sided scarf, a nuno felt scarf and a pouch for glasses.  Delighted to share the fun of wool felt and eco printing that are new to most. 
C 很明快利落的做了這些印染的羊毛圍巾及一個眼鏡套,  祗要朋友有興趣, 我會樂此不疲的分享推廣羊毛手作.

My 19-day vacation was fruitful with the start of a wool felt workshop in the beautiful  Dominio Vale do Mondego in Portugal .....
很高興在優美村莊學到新的羊毛製作技巧及與好友人分享心得.

....  under the guidance of the brilliant instructor Nicola Brown  and ...
一流的愛以蘭導師 Nicola Brown 

....a wonderful personal meet with blog friend Heather from the States attended the same workshop.
喜與美國網友見面同在工作坊學習

The pieces I made in the workshop - painting inspired by the local oliver trees & poppies, nuno felt scarf, nuno felt top, rugs of raw wool and handbags.
我的豐收學習製作

This handbag with wonderful flap is what I intended to learn and I love it the most.
這手袋是得意代表作

See how cheerful we're with the the pieces - the rugs, shawls, vessels, handbags.....  This is an exceptional workshop I've ever attended.   Same workshop will be held again next year in June.  For interest please ask info@dominiovaledomondego.com

各學員展示自己的製作

明年六月將會再度有同類美食文化羊毛工作坊,

 有興趣請聯絡 Karin of info@dominiovaledomondego.com

Last but not least, when I checked in at the London airport for the return to Hong Kong, the airline ground staff asked me if I could release my seat for their overbooking.  In return to get the compensation of cash euro 600 with free night in airport hotel plus dinner and breakfast.  Considering it's only 14 hours delayed home. I accepted it and got the bonus.  Yeah,  what a fulfilling holiday..... brimming with friendship and take aways of new skills.  

不單學習及友誼豐收, 回程在倫敦機場航空公司因為超賣機位, 地勤問我可否讓出機位給更需要的旅客, 給我補償HK$5,900 另加一晚機場酒店及早晚餐,  因為祗是遲了14小時回港, 我答允並即時拿取現金 , 可真是津貼我這旅程!

 FANTASTIC !

Holiday in Lisbon after workshop 假期延續 - 里斯本

 Right after my 8-day residential wool felt workshop in Faia (my last post), I went with workshop mate Annemarie to Lisbon by coach.

I've 2 days to explore the city while Annemarie has a couple of hours for the glimpse of the city before transfer to Amsterdam.. 

 Coincidentally there was sort of agricultural carnval in the quarters.
 
Every where were packed with food and music. What a fun day!

Rua Augusta Arch in Baixa looks so grand.

 

 It's a brilliant day, perfect weather, sunny and warm with blue skies.

 Also the long summer day light allows us to see  the city more.

 Cafes lined up boulouvard in downtown Baixa.  The quarter is rebult by the Marquis of Pombai following the 1755 earthquake.  Now is a commercial and financial district with geometrical layout of its street.

 Window display  with moo moo cow.  The lady next was singing the Fado - Portugese sentimental songs.

 The next day after Annemarie left for AMS, I by myself to explore the medieval city with the famous yellow tram no. 28 heading up the hills.

 Funicular is another means of transport from the foot to the mid hill.

 Nice decoration of windows.

 Life seems pleasant.  Residents love watching passers by.

 All roads, streets and alleys are cobbled.  Steps with yellow pedals leading up to the viewpoint.

The labyrinthine alleys are artistic.

 

  Art decor of Graffiti.

 Sweet little sister and brother - customers in a restaurant.

Red roofs dominated the housing.

 Taking the steps up and down I found the picturesque views. 

 Rest and relaxed at the viewpoint..

In the front of Tagus River.     

 

  Time out for a coffee.  I sat in Starbuck in Chiado to jot my journal while listenig to my favourite music.

Then another cup of coffee in Nicola.  I thought of Nicola Brown - our  marvellous instructor. It come to my mind I'd make a wool felt coffee cup next time. 

Well, have to call it a day in Lisbon and heading to England in the next early morning.