"Firstly, I would like to thank you for inviting me along here today, it is a real privilege to share my journey so far with you.

By way of introduction, I was born and lived the first 38 years at Young NSW, married with two children and two grandchildren.

My parents came to Australia from the Orkney Islands, off the north of Scotland, my dad, when he was 19, a qualified baker, and my mum when she was 23. My parents had a bakery at Young for 44 years, and it was very much a family business. Art was not part of my schooling, nor was sewing. My mum had a treadle sewing machine, and I used to sew dolls clothes on it, however, when I went to high school they had electric ones. My first attempt ended with very crooked lines, and my teacher said, "You'll never be any good at sewing, you can't even sew a straight line" which promptly turned me off and I took Latin and French instead.

During the years I used to attend all the art exhibitions at Young, never dreaming that one day I would have the opportunity to make my own art. That came about at St George, Queensland, in 1980, where my husband's family bought a farm, and for the first time I wasn't working full time. Through the Toowoomba TAFE, and a programme for isolated pupils, teachers came out to St George each month and we received great teaching in drawing, painting in pastels, acrylics, watercolours and oils. Some of my works received awards and I managed to sell quite well.

From there, in 1986, Bob, the two boys and I moved to the Bega Valley, the paints were put away under the bed and I went back to work. There was an exhibition of TAFE student's works in the Commonwealth Bank one Christmas time, under the tutelage of Anne Brechwoldt, which took my eye and I enrolled for the following course of Colour and Design. It was during this period that Anne would bring along great books of design, etc, which proved to be textitle works. Further to that, I went along to the Gallery to see the Bega Patchworkers Exhibition and was encouraged to come along to groups.

This was my introduction to the world of textile art. When we first moved to the valley I did a stretch sewing course which was very practical and useful. Traditional patchwork had just whetted my appetite, but when I found out that I could "draw with the needle" I was hooked, and as they say "the rest is hostory".

All types of fabrics are in my palette, wool, cotton, silk, including treasures from the Op Shop, and since 1998, my works are veen published in either the "Down Under Quilts" or "Australian Patchwork and Quilting" magazines almost every year.

In January 2001, I attended McGregor Summer School at University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, for a two weeks course with Ken Smith, the guru of Freehand Machine Embroidery, and also have been to Fibre Forum at either Geelong or Orange for further courses which have proved very beneficial.

In 2003, I had two sols exhibitions, at the Regional Gallery at Cooma, and at Young, which were ver successful, two works being sold before the Cooma exhibition commenced.

2002 - "Man - a tenant in a house of clay" was accepted for the expressions 2002 Wool Quilt prize at the National Wool Museum at Geelong. It was subsequently sold to a Sydney doctor to hang at his surgery, he said that it reminded him of DNA!

In the same year, slides of my Pre Columbian work went to Britain to be part of their Mexican and Aztec exhibitions as Mexico was the theme for that year.

2004 - I took my courage in both hands, and sent my entry together with slides of "Total Eclipse" to Houston, for the Tactile Architecture 2004 special exhibit, which was held in conjunction with the International Quilt Show. I figured nothing ventured, nothing gained! And to my astonishment, it was accepted. It also travelled to Chicago and Kansas in 2005.

2005 - An article on my work was featured in the "Down Under Quilts Magazine".

2006 - "Gerberas - blooming beautiful" was my entry in the Australian Quilt show, it was judged and given 1st Prize in the Innovative Category. It has travelled to Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne on display.

Three works are presently with the NSW Quilt Guild, in their Annual Challenge Exhibition. These small quilts are away for two years and are available for exhibit locally bycontacting the NSW Guild.

For the IQS at Houston this year, there was a request for textile artists around the world to participate in a Show of Hands and mine are there - typically Australian, called "Hands from Down Under". From there they are donated to a Creative Centre in Minnesota. I am also currently participating in an exhibition at Bousaada Winery at Mittagong with the theme being roses.

The former owner of the local seqing shop put the hard word on me some years ago to be aprt of the teaching team - that has been very interesting.

In closing, I would encourage you in any pursuit or endeavour to give it the best shot, for it is not the destination at the road's end, but the journey which is so enjoyable, and the lovely friends met along the way who make it a delightful trip!

Thank you".