Hello all

A very big welcome to our newest member…..Welcome , welcome, welcome.

My name is Julie, and I live in Perth…..a suburb called Rivervale, which is near to the Airport, and a lot closer to my work than I used to.  I work full time, but always find time for feltmaking.  I have been feltmaking since 1992, and am still learning……never ever will I say that I have learnt everything there is to know about the craft, or Art as I prefer to call it.

I am in my fifties, have two grandchildren that live in Busselton with their mother.  I do not have a husband or partner to stop me from doing my felting whenever I feel like it, and therefore, I can felt in the middle of the night  if I wanted to.  I have attended one of the Geelong Forums, and one of the Convergences.  I demonstrated on how to needlefelt at the 6^th Southern Hemisphere Convergence when it was held in Caloundra in Queensland, so I found it rather surprising that many of the people at the convergence had not heard of needlefelting, Wendy……It was very popular after I had taught it back then.

In late February next year, I intend to head off overseas for a 12 month or more stint.  The first port of call will be USA where I will be traveling to different states to visit some of the Northern Feltmakers including Pat Spark, Loyce Ericson, Beth Beede, Chad Alice Hagen, Lori Flood and Marie Spaulding just to name a few.  I also have some cousins over there that I intend to visit and have a good time with, including one that works at Universal Studios in LA.  After a bit of sight seeing and a few months here and there, I am off to India, to a remote place in the north, where I will be working in a voluntary capacity helping a village to bring world exposure to their textile industry…….and I will be able to teach them how to make felt into the bargain, as well as learn about their culture and industry.  I am looking forward to that part of my journey very much.  I will also visit Japan along the way, as I have friends over there in Sugito.

Hey, Rae……did you go to the Toss and Tell Day yesterday?  I forgot that it was yesterday.  I got to thinking that it was next Saturday, and was gearing up for then. 

Anyway, it is late and there is a tiny matter of work tomorrow to go to, so a night of sleep is in order.