India and Bhutan in Penny 2015

An alternate journey around Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland. Plans for Tunisia and the Mediterranean were thwarted! #roadtripping #northernireland #vintagecar #ireland #vacay

#imback #itsbeenawhile Where have I been? Hi. 🙂

If I can’t travel...I can reminisce … and be grateful for all the journeys and adventures I’ve experienced. Thought I’d revisit the completion of our last journey… with more gratitude this time wondering how the world will be from here. One of my most treasured experiences is of teaching the children who came to investigate this strange vehicle broken down beside the road.. in the freezing cold on their bikes and donkeys. Warms my heart so much remembering that day. I started knitting to fill in the time and within a minute one of the little children; about 7 years old, gestured for me to teach him. I spent the next four hours teaching every child to knit. No words in common... just showing them and they copied. Much laughter and joy was felt between us all. Very quickly each child could knit by themselves, and I just sat beside them and so enjoyed watching them engrossed in their endeavour to knit. Every now and then they would nudge me because they had a little issue; but they all wanted to learn and the only time they would give up their needles was because of the impatience of the next one to have their turn. One of the boys had a really old mobile phone that didn't work, but had music on it. He played a tasting plate of songs to the introduction of "Ruski"... or "Kyrgys"... and we danced together in the sloping rocky dust on the side of the road. I copied the boys movements, but for one song I was playfully reprimanded and the little girl who was about 6 years old demonstrated how the girls are supposed to dance for that particular song. Such joy was felt by all of us. All my @westknits hats I've knitted on our journey now have little heads in them. For me I think that day, although was so incredibly disheartening realising that our journey had ended; was I think one of the best for me; sitting on the edge of the road with the children knitting and watching them scamper around the loud air-horns of the semi-trailers laden with coal roaring past; and watching two little boys helping push Penny being winched onto the flat bed rescue truck. #knittersofinstagram #westknitsarethebestknits #livetotravel

I didn’t leap across this raging torrent, but apparently the legend goes that when the Jinsha River north of Lijang in Yunnan Province China is low, there is a rock in the centre which was used by a tiger to leap across the gorge. Regardless of this legend; it’s just an incredible experience hearing the swirling water rage down between the steeply rising mountains. It is so awesome, that thousands of tourists visit each day; and the buses streamed in, one after another; offloading umbrellas with two legs underneath scurrying to view the raging torrent. Business seemed to be very healthy here at the gorge … with many vendors trying to convince you that you needed to purchase an umbrella or plastic bag cover to keep the misting rain from getting you wet. I loved the water on my face to the disappointment of those wanting to sell me an umbrella or plastic cover. This is a #throwback from our recent drive through China from Bangkok; as long days and internet censorship made posting difficult. Over the coming weeks I’d love to share some of our journey. You can swipe to see more photos and pop to my website for more stories and pics. Link in Profile. . . . #liveboldly #tigerleapinggorge #traveller #roadtrip #vintagecar #momentsofmine #adventurer #journeywoman #instatravel #instatravelling #travelgram #explore #explorer #traveldiaries #livingthedream #travelawesome #traveldeeper #livefully #livecreatively #inspired #adventureseeker #travelmore #goexplore #wonderfulplaces #openmyworld #lovetotravel #seekmoments

Being on the road again was just fabulous. I had forgotten though how absolutely exhausting it can be; in a noisy old car in the heat, humidity, rain, traffic, cramped conditions and at times treacherous road conditions. I do so love driving along in an open car smelling cooking rice wafting from within the small thatched shelters; the damp smell of dark wet forests; pork fat rendering in blackened woks; rainforest blossom. We passed through so many check-points along the road north close along the Myanmar border, and came to a section where every 100mts was a soldier with an automatic weapon. We passed an elaborate gate flanked with green army trucks topped with automatic weapons; and then all of a sudden the check-point stops became more sparse. It didn’t take long for us to find ourselves in the rural areas of Thailand. Spears of rice plants striped across the low-lying fields. Terraces enveloped the hill-sides. Banana leaves flanked the roads and corn or maize covered the hills where a speckling of trees were left to provide shade for the workers in the fields. Every piece of land that could be used was utilised for food. It seemed to be a constant battle to keep the encroaching jungle from devouring the crops. The road was slippery and treacherous. The air was wet, hot and the land luminous green. I loved stopping and seeing what was available in the markets. I had such fun with a lovely lady at a market where the only common language was laughter. Swipe to see more photos and more stories and photographs in my Journal on my website of our recent drive from Bangkok to London .. that I couldn’t post in here real time– link in my profile. . . . . . #liveboldly #travelthailand #thailand #roadtrip #vintagecar #momentsofmine #laostravel #adventurer #journeywoman #instatravel #instatravelling #himalayas #travelgram #explore #explorer #traveldiaries #livingthedream #travelawesome #traveldeeper #livefully #livecreatively #inspired #adventureseeker #travelmore #goexplore #wonderfulplaces #openmyworld #lovetotravel #seekmoments

Qomolangma. Standing at Everest Base Camp being inspired by the Himalayas. Censorship, little internet and long driving days in our 96 year old car driving from Bangkok to London via Tibet; made posting our journey in real time difficult. I would however like to share our incredible journey. Yes… I know it isn’t ‘insta’…. but over the coming weeks I will be revisiting our journey as we drove through Thailand, Laos, China, Tibet and Kyrgyzstan where Penny our 1923 Vauxhall had issues with her 4th piston and is still there awaiting our return to fix her early next year; so we can recommence Stage 2 of our journey in September. After each journey I know some part of me has grown and changed, and after ten weeks on the road; through dense forest; snow; deserts; five and a half kilometers high along the Tibetan Plateau, and accompanying the Himalayas for weeks; and the experiences with so many people where no words spoken were of the same language – I have returned once again deeply changed. I would love to share some of my experiences, so come journey with me here to see how I’ve lived my life boldly. Swipe for more pics ... and because Insta is only a snippet… you can visit my website to see my journal as we travelled. Link in profile. I hope you enjoy my #throwback journey in our #vintagecar as we attempted to drive from Bangkok to London. . . . #liveboldly #qomolangma #qomolangmabasecamp #roadtrip #vintagecar #momentsofmine #laostravel #adventurer #journeywoman #instatravel #instatravelling #himalayas #travelgram #explore #explorer #traveldiaries #livingthedream #travelawesome #traveldeeper #livefully #livecreatively #inspired #adventureseeker #travelmore #goexplore #wonderfulplaces #openmyworld #lovetotravel #seekmoments

Now on our way for our next journey driving from Bangkok to London in our 96 year old Vauxhall, Penny. This will be a remarkable experience travelling for 3 months; making new friendships and enriching existing ones; learning about myself and the world in which we live. I hope you can follow our journey over the coming months and I will share when I’m able to. First stop Bangkok! Stay tuned!! . . You can receive my journal updates from my website .. link in profile. . . This is a pic of Penny and myself with the Altai Mountains in the background in northern Mongolia on our drive from Peking to Paris in 2016. . . #travelinstagram #travelinsta #roadtrip #vintagecar #adventuretime #journeywoman #lovetotravel #experiencetheworld #feelinggrateful #gratitude #happydays

Silent spaces in the Arctic. Time for reflection and connection. I was fortunate to spend a month aboard the #tallshipantigua sailing in the waters off Svalbard in 2018. I love the sea. I love the ice. I love the wind. I love connecting with that which is greater than myself. I endeavored to listen deeply. Now home in my studio, I continue my conversations with the land and environment from this powerful and beautiful place, through my photographs, painting, drawing and fiber arts. The dialogue within the unseen continues. . . . . #arctic #arcticcircle #arcticcircleresidency #arcticadventures #tallships #sailinglife #artistresidency #photographicartist #adventurer #livinglifetothefullest #livinglifemyway #adventures #oceansailing #snowadventures #adventuretime #goexplore #travelgirl #adventuregirl #happydays #abovethearcticcircle #adventurewoman #outdoorlife #pushingtheboundaries #northpole #artist #unseen

Walking on the edge. The earth on the edge of a climate crisis. Look carefully for us walking on the glacier. . . Glacier walk on a recent journey on a tall ship to Svalbard for an artist residency. To see more ... pop to my website for more stories and photographs @juliestephensonphotography . . . #arcticcircle #arctic #photography #adventurer #snow #glacier #naturephotography #livelifetothefullest #lovetravel #naturelovers #natureart #naturephoto #rawnature #creatives #creativephotography #svalbard #livelifehappy #goforit #liveboldly #artistsofinstagram #artistlife #livingthedream #livingthelife #livinglifetothefullest #beautifulandscape #globalwarming #climatecrisis

My beautiful studio space. Ready to warp a new #handwovenblanket . I #weave my stories from my experiences into each one.

Ever not knitted a pattern because you thought that it may not suit your shaped body? I raised my hand to that one so many times in the past… but not any more! I loved the #halibutsweater by @boylandknitworks but I knew it needed some mods to fit my shape better, but I didn't know where to start. Enter Milli from @tribeyarnslife who ran a KAL to guide us through adapting the yoke to fit our shape. Yay! AND … learn how to do #intarsia so that the motifs can be knitted using ANY colour instead of the usual stranded colourwork which requires the same colour to be used around the round. Just BRILLIANT! This opened up a whole new way of thinking about using colour for motifs, whilst also having a lighter resultant fabric because the stranding only goes across the motifs and is not carried across between each motif. What a revelation! I also had a play with trying to knit some text… as you can see on the back of my jumper. Just for fun! My ‘fishy jumper’ has become my daily companion on our road trip @idoamazingthings . I am so happy that Caitlin Hunter has designed such a fabulous knit. I’m also so very grateful for Milli through the #kalibut to guide us through how to make modifications on the yoke so that the jumper fits me perfectly, and opened up a new way of looking at the colour of motifs in my knitting. Now I can use what I’ve learned for ANY jumper. Thank you Milli. I’ve used the most gorgeous @uistwool yarn and @artyarns purchased from @tribeyarnslife Anyone else have a jumper that they found they just loved to wear?

Not the planned journey we had imagined! Regardless of the 12 week delay in the arrival of Penny, our 102year old car we love to tour in; we made our alternate journey fun and filled with fabulous experiences and stories! #roadtripping #vintagecar #irelandtravel #northernireland #ballycastle #giantscauseway

#imback #badass #itsbeenawhile Where have I been?? DM to say hi.

My life is wonderful… and I have so many stories. I’ve had adventures on all continents. Slept being rocked by the sea; felt the ice on my skin in both polar regions, and felt the silence of the deserts. I’ve walked stone steps in monasteries at altitudes where each step I’ve taken consciously and mindfully; focussing on treasuring every molecule of oxygen in the rarefied atmosphere. COVID has paused those adventures, but I draw upon my experiences as I navigate adventuring my days in a different way, on our ‘home range’. I recall my steps in Tibet as I walk through our bushland. I am mindful and conscious of my surroundings. I listen. I feel. I feel happy here. I am content. My new stories may not hold the same experiences of connection with others; and may not be of extreme challenges or crazy things  (which I am rather prone to doing! 🙂 ) but they are not less wondrous… as I smell the warm eucalyptus waft from under my feet. I weave my stories, and this story is of my personal journey on my daily walk through our bushland. You can see some of my other woven stories on my website - link in profile. How do you express your life’s stories? . - . - #weaversofinstagram #indiedyedyarn #indiedyed #rigidheddleloomweaving #ashford #inspiredbynature #contentcreator #emotionalbalance #homedeco #handcrafted #makersmovement #creativelifehappylife #wellbeing #travellerlife #journeywoman #weavingaustralia

“....The Assookinakii cowl was created for those times in your life when you need a meditative and healing knit. Assookinakii (ass-s-oo-kin-uh-k-EE) means ‘healer’ in the Blackfeet language, thank you to Cut Woods School in Browning, MT for the tradish language support”. –  Candice from @thefarmersdaughterfibers Knitting this beautiful cowl by Candice from @thefarmersdaughterfibers for @sistersunitedmt ; WAS healing. As my hands gently formed the repetitive stitches I reflected on the word ‘Assookinakii ‘ - healer. I am a healer. I don’t understand it. It’s something unseen. Something within me which has been recognised by Ngangkari and ‘clever men’ here in Australia; and shaman and healers around the world as we travel. This recognition always has caught me by surprise; as I seem to walk a line between two worlds. As the stitches slipped from one needle to another and the beautiful colours of @spincycle_yarns revealed themselves; in the pauses between the stitches I heard a voice whispering to continue to seek connection with the natural world and listen deeply. What has been healing for you this year? . . . . #healingjourney #meditationpractice #dyedinthewool #assookinakii_cowl #knittersofinstagram #knittingaddict #livinglifetothefullest #happydays #shaman #healer #healersofinstagram #listentoyourheart #indiedyedyarn #handmadewithlove #knittersgonnaknit #knittersoftheworld

From my kitchen window, I seek both inspiration and nourishment. Each day I gather and harvest from my garden which has nurtured my soul for much of my life, and in particular over the past eight months. As a child I would crave to have my hands in the earth to grow things. As I grew older, those same hands found their way to make and create; to touch; and to heal. Weaving on a rigid heddle loom is a slow process, in the same way that it takes time for plants to grow; (and the time it takes me to pop a post up here on my grid! LOL ) It brings me much joy and a sense of reverence to see plants grow from the seeds I have planted. I am so grateful. What inspires and nourishes you? . . . Yarns used in my  beautiful handwoven blanket; @qingfibre Melted Suri;  Rosemary, Sponge, Emerald. Narwhal @quinceandco Osprey; Bosc, Wasabi @walkcollection Merino Dk; Moss,  Chartreuse @bichesetbuches  Le Petite Lambswool;Medium  Green  Grey @ritualdyes  Mohair; Malachite @madelinetosh Merino Light; Sugar Plum @Walkcollection  Cottage Merino; Manhattan Beach Wave @fusefiberstudio Merino Single; Sunflower @olannmills Merino Singles; Mangrove, Atone . . . #handsandheart #weaversofinsta #gratitude #wellbeing #emotionalbalance #artistry_vision #smallartaccount #artistlife #artoftheday #createeveryday #homedeco #artlove #artlover #inspire #indiedyedyarn #handmade #handcrafted #makersgonnamake #makersmovement #creativelifehappylife #inspiredbynature

It has been a while. I want to be real; and don’t want to pretend everything is all peachy, nor do I want to portray that things are all glum. I’ve been navigating an undulating path - as we all  have. Since March, I’ve been living a rather isolated life. Such a difference to the bold living that I love. It has been an adjustment. The isolation. The extraction from contact and connection with others. Early in 2017 a concoction of events pushed my body past my physical limits and resulted in me being immunocompromised. Even with this, I was able to continue with care to travel aboard a Russian Expedition ship to the Arctic later that year; sail on a tall ship for nearly 2 months, then drove from Oslo, then around Scotland the following year; and in 2019 drove from Bangkok to Kyrgyzstan via Laos, China and Tibet. This year though has been tough, and I’ve needed to heed my inner voice to take care, and ride this one out as best as I can. Today was wonderful. I actually got dressed up and wore my latest modified #popspotsshawl . It was lovely to feel that I was ‘going out’.   We drove our Austin Healy for a picnic in the forest, then on to Maleny; our fave Sunday brunch spot for the first time since March. We used to sit in our ‘spot’ at @shotgunespresso and plan our adventures. Today we didn’t do that; but regardless, I felt content. Today was a good day. How have you been navigating 2020? . . .love my skirt from @little_tienda . . Shawl knitted using @thefarmersdaughterfibers and @spincycle_yarns .. a match made in heaven. ❤️❤️ . #gratitudeattitude #picnicdate #austinhealey #knittersofinstagram #knittersgonnaknit ##knittersoftheworld #emotionalbalance #wellbeing #handmade #creativedaily #livingmybestlife #sundaydrive #happyday #contentedlife

If I can’t travel...I can reminisce … and be grateful for all the journeys and adventures I’ve experienced. Thought I’d revisit the completion of our last journey… with more gratitude this time wondering how the world will be from here. One of my most treasured experiences is of teaching the children who came to investigate this strange vehicle broken down beside the road, to knit; in the freezing cold on their bikes and donkeys. Warms my heart so much remembering that day. I started knitting to fill in the time and within a minute one of the little children; about 7 years old, gestured for me to teach him. I spent the next four hours teaching every child to knit. No words in common... just showing them and they copied. Much laughter and joy was felt between us all. Very quickly each child could knit by themselves, and I just sat beside them and so enjoyed watching them engrossed in their endeavour to knit. Every now and then they would nudge me because they had a little issue; but they all wanted to learn and the only time they would give up their needles was because of the impatience of the next one to have their turn. One of the boys had a really old mobile phone that didn't work, but had music on it. He played a tasting plate of songs to the introduction of "Ruski"... or "Kyrgys"... and we danced together in the sloping rocky dust on the side of the road. I copied the boys movements, but for one song I was playfully reprimanded and the little girl who was about 6 years old demonstrated how the girls are supposed to dance for that particular song. Such joy was felt by all of us. All my @westknits hats I've knitted on our journey now have little heads in them. For me I think that day, although was so incredibly disheartening realising that our journey had ended; was I think one of the best for me; sitting on the edge of the road with the children knitting and watching them scamper around the loud air-horns of the semi-trailers laden with coal roaring past; and watching two little boys helping push Penny being winched onto the flat bed rescue truck. #knittersofinstagram #westknitsarethebestknits #livetotravel