Attention Fellow Tolkien Geeks – this one’s for you!
My arrival in Middle Earth just happens to coincide with the arrival of our Lord of the Rings & Hobbit fabric collection. How’s that for perfect timing?
Today I traveled through twisted forests, across tumbling rivers, rested in the Gardens of Isengard, then on to Rivendell and Helm’s Deep, in a Lord of the Rings/Hobbit Nerd’s dream come true!
I arrived in New Zealand yesterday, and I’m spending a few days in Wellington to see the WOW (World of Wearable Art) show, and today I slipped in a full day tour of Weta Studios and LOTR filming sites. I was with fellow Tolkien Geeks, so we reveled in things like….standing under the tree where Legolos posed, crouching where the Hobbits hid from the Black Riders, and viewing Helms Deep.
Last night I wandered around Cuba Street (the ‘bohemian’ area) and landed at the community table in an Indian restaurant. The couple next to me had just been to the WOW show, and happen to live across the street from Peter Jackson’s studio with the largest green screen in the world. We had quite a lively conversation about what it’s like to live next to this active outdoor studio!
While touring the Weta Studios and seeing how they make costumes and props (sorry no photos were allowed) I met one of the WOW designers who also works at Weta Studios, and learned about how they fabricate things like lightweight fake chainmail, Troll feet, and Elven armor. We were all drooling with geekiness by the end of the day.
Next year in Nov 2018 I am going to celebrate my 60th birthday with the Polar Bears, and YOU are invited to join me! This will be my 4th trip to photograph the polar bears in Churchill, and we are going to have a birthday dinner party out on the tundra at night. Reservations are open now and payment plans are available! See here for more details.
For those of you going to the Quilt Symposium in Christchurch on Saturday, make sure you get tickets to my lecture ahead of time…they are expected to sell out.
Early next week I am visiting Hobbiton, so there will be more photos from the Shire and Middle Earth.
I leave you with this quote:
“Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.” – Galadriel
sharing your Passion for Fabric…
Luana
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Travel Calendar:
Oct 7 – New Zealand – Intl Quilt Trends lecture at Quilt Symposium – Christchurch
Oct 27 – Nov 2 – Quilt Market & Festival – Houston
Dec 29 2017 – Jan 5 2018 – Tanzania Africa Wildlife Migration Tour
Feb 22-25, 2018 – QuiltCon – Pasadena, California
Nov 14-20, 2018 – POLAR BEAR Tour – Join me in Churchill!
