Showing posts with label Thrifting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thrifting. Show all posts

Friday, January 17, 2014

....the rain can stop now....

...a few short weeks ago we had a long patch of  hot dry weather, the soil was very dry and a lot of my plants were wilting and fading ...they had gone past the soaking up and basking in the sunshine phase!  We rely on rainwater tanks for the house and paddocks so there is only what I can carry that goes to the garden so a few precious plants get a little help and the remainder have to just fight it out.

Anyway...there came some beautiful rain and refreshing cool days where I was so excited, there were little pools and drops of moisture in the most unlikely places.....



...even the cabbages were twinkling...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



....suspended droplets on the Fennel....


...the poppy heads had collected some little pools.
 










....



....the garden was washed clean and dust free....

but now the rain can stop....it's been a couple of weeks of very unsummery weather...we now have wind....and as it seems to be every day and night without abating I got out one of my favourite childrens books....


and thought I should just enjoy the weather ..




I love dandelion clocks...even though they are the seed heads that tend to grow into pesky weeds....although having said that I love their flowers too, especially in wild places not in the middle of a precious primrose or other treasure......

A very fine dandelion clock has popped up in my mint container, sheltered from the weather and isn't he magnificent....




I found a little poem in an old Enid Blyton book, its really about thistle down but I think it applies just as much to this wee fellow

Thistledown, you're out to-day,
Little stars of silver grey,
In the air ashine, 
Silkier than a spider's thread
or down upon a baby's head,
Delicate and fine.

Here and there you lightly blow,
Careless quite of where you go,
With the breeze for friend,
Adventuring boldly while you may,
Gaily floating on your way
Till your journeys end.

Then, oh, thistledown , be wary,
Lest a little sharp-eyed fairy
Catch you where you lie,
She'll fill her cushions with your down
Or sew you on her silken gown,
And then, alas, you'll die !

 

...33 years ago we were given this gorgeous paperweight as a wedding gift...I love and treasure it still....





We have been in Dunedin again this week for my chemo treatment so not a lot of crafting, however it was good to get out the sewing machine and have more fun with wool and old blankets, after enjoying making the hottie covers so much thought I might make some knee rug size comforters.


...I don't have a pattern so I just go ad-lib then look forward to the embellishing!


...and I love the upcycling factor, 


...plus the warmth of the wool while you are working with it.

Another poem from the same wee book.

Foxgloves

Once on a time, so the legends tell
There lived a pixy called Peronel,
For whose white hands little gloves were sewn,
The tiniest gloves for her alone.
Many were made that she did not wear,
and these were strung on a green stalk near;
There they hung in a graceful row, 
And that's how the folks'gloves came to grow!
There's a spell in each little glove, 'tis said,
So pluck one now, ere the magic is fled,
Slip it over your finger and say,
'May the wish I'm wishing come true this day!



The Hydrangeas are coming into flower, it's lovely seeing them again...

 ....keeping me company in the kitchen.




Have a lovely week doing things that make you happy.

xx
 
 
 

 ..



 
 

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

post Christmas crafting

There hasn't been a lot of time for crafting lately.  Thrifty Fox and her new husband Mr Fox were flying home today, so yesterday we felt we needed a project...a  good ' get into it and do something new to you'  sort of project.

A couple of Christmases ago I bought a book by Poppy Treffry and hadn't tried out any of her techniques...the book is so pretty I have browsed through it a lot ...but that doesn't get things made .!!

So out came the wool blankets, the fabric scraps, the wool felting needles etc and away we went.
Thrifty Fox did the most amazing wool felted blanket, but you will have to pop over to her blog to take a peep.





...first of all if you want to have fun...you have to have a very big mess to start with....



...then you get right into it....


I cut out Foxglove shapes and zig-zagged round the edges , it looked a bit dull as I used the same woollen blanket to do the flowers so brightened it up with some wool felting which pinged the colours out a bit....


...found the writing tricky....


Thrifty Fox made 2 covers too, rainclouds and bunting with bees.



...bluebells for me next...


...could be addictive...


away to make a cup of tea now before maybe some more stitching and snipping...something birdy?....

I am hooked!!!! its so much fun using up old blanket and fabric scraps, the pleasure of combining them and embellishing them.
Feel great now I have made something again.

have a happy week.



 

Friday, November 22, 2013

A little thrifting and crafting.

We had another Dunedin trip for more chemo this week, we stopped on the way at a couple of thrift/junk shops and found some bargains. 


a very pretty Foley cup and saucer





A smallish earthen ware crock....


...a retro tablecloth, some crochet and a brand new duvet cover for $2 that will be great for backing the Fairy cot quilts!

...how I love a good bargain...it makes my heart sing!!



There has been some sewing going on too,  I embroidered these fairies hiding a while ago and finally got round to putting them onto a cot sheet.


..its a Brenda Ryan stitch design.


It's Friday now so the week has passed very quickly.
We have had sunshine and rain ..both were just what we needed!!

xxx
 
 

 



Thursday, November 14, 2013

mid November musings....

....I have had a lovely week, a dear friend came down from Auckland and stayed and we had lots of chat and catching up.



"To know someone here or there
with whom you can
feel there is understanding in
spite of distances
or thoughts unexpressed
that can make this
life a garden."

(goethe)

  

Sweet William




Yesterday another friend came and we spent the day together, a little looking through books, some stitching and a little shopping, a walk around the garden , a posy swap .... a perfect day.

posy from a friend....cute little bird popped in.

"If instead of a gem,
or even a flower, we
should cast the 
gift of a loving thought
into
the heart 
of a friend,
that would be giving as the angels give."

(G MacDonald
1824-1905)


I believe a lot of my friends are ANGELS....

As we were having a day together I made some of my favourite muffins, Lemon Crunch Muffins, very quick and   tasty and also quite ladylike!

Recipe

2 cups self raising flour
three quarters a cup of sugar

put these ingreds in a bowl

in another bowl combine,

75 gr melted butter 1 cup of milk
1 egg
grated rind of 1 large lemon

lightly mix wet and dry ingreds put into muffin tins
bake at 200deg c for 10 mins

while hot and still in tins drizzle over

a quarter cup lemon juice and a quarter of a cup of sugar.


....these muffins keep really well.

Serve on a pretty plate, with lots of laughter, a cup of earl grey tea and happy chat! and a little vase of flowers .....
I was so excited to see my friend forgot to do the photo with all of the above !!!



There has been some crafting this week too, I knitted up a bath mat from a thrifted duvet cover, I do love making these.




and so nice to stand on...especially barefoot...


or in soft red shoes!!

....and another little hat... I really have to stop!!


When shopping at A Little Bird Told Me (she is on facebook)

my friend gave my friend and I some old music and some little old battered much used hymn books, so delightful, it will be fun doing something with them..


the music will be good for cards etc and the wee books will look lovely tied with string maybe and gracing a little table....


...nice at Christmas.

Behind the leaves beside the path....



....in a hidden nest, more eggs were laid and some little thrushes hatched...


...hungry...


..I watch the mother from the kitchen window and she is so busy.


A lot of my |Viburnums are flowering ..this is a very lacy one....


... I love this antiqued one...its blush of pink and almost tarnished looking foliage looks beautiful in silver containers and just as it is ...

 ...in the garden.


This shy camellia was hiding away but too pretty not to be noticed.






Another visiting friend who makes the tiniest most exquisite tussie mussies gifted this little sweetie to me this week...


....how lucky am I!


 I have cut out and got ready to stitch up the Beatrix Potter quilt tops, will go and get on with that in a very soon moment!!!  it is sunny and warm and I have the french doors open, I can hear the fountain, the birds are singing , the donkeys call out every so often, there is a gentle breeze blowing the washing ... there is a faint hint of roses and lavender in the air...a simply simple and lovely day.

have a happy week.
xx



.