Cartier at the NGA

Last week, Paddy and I headed to the National Gallery to see the Cartier Exhibition. It was well worth the visit with many rooms of amazing "bling" as well as historical pieces and famous ones too. There is even a room devoted to the jewellers and their equipment and methods. My photos don't do the pieces justice but here are a few.

 There were even beautiful cards that were created for invitations and celebrations.

 We especially liked the amazing embroidery and beading on this gown.

At the end of the exhibition there was a room showcasing the jewels of famous people like Grace Kelly and Wallis Simpson. It was all quite amazing.

Ballet Russe at the National Gallery

Adrienne, Hilary and I went to the National Gallery over a week ago to see the Ballet Russe exhibition. It was amazing to see the colours of the costumes but also to see how they are decorated. They were often painted and many were embroidered and appliqued. The photos don't do them justice but give a little idea of how beautiful these costumes are. Some of them are over 100 years old.

Had to put this one in as it was a favourite even though it is blurry.

We really enjoyed seeing this exhibition and enjoyed trying to work out how the costumes were decorated. We also enjoyed lunch at the gallery as well.

A busy weekend

We had a very busy weekend here in chilly Canberra. It was Ma's and nephew Cameron's birthday on Saturday and some of the family came to visit. Here is a collage of the afternoon on Saturday. I had to go to a special afternoon tea for Donna for her significant birthday so I left 16 people at my house having lunch! I did feel a little guilty but the afternoon tea had been arranged a long time before. As I wasn't there all afternoon, I am glad that hubby took a few photos of the activities... sleeping, reading the papers, little Noah and dad playing with my girls' old duplo, eating, chatting and Cameron having his birthday cake.

Meanwhile I was having delicious afternoon tea with dear friends. Here is the birthday girl and Sue.

This is one of the presents. A lovely thimble with a special holder for your threads and needles and a little box to put it into and a few threads and needles to put inside.

After a pot luck dinner with delicious casseroles on Saturday night and then lunch of leftovers on Sunday, a few of us went to see the Hans Heysen paintings at the National Gallery. Ma is a lovely painter and does both watercolours and oils so she enjoyed seeing the paintings.

I got in trouble for taking photos! I didn't see a sign! 

Here is Ma enjoying the paintings.

And another naughty photo before being caught. Hans Heysen was such a good painter and painted all kinds of things. He painted in watercolours and oils and mainly did landscapes but he could also paint beautiful still lifes and portraits too. My favourite picture was of his wife sewing on her machine with the lovely light from the garden. Sadly I haven't a photo of that one.