With A Zip Zip Here and a Zip Zip There......

Hello there, thanks for popping by for a visit, you're all very welcome and firstly let me say a BIG THANKYOU for all the lovely, encouraging comments you left on my last post.

Each and everyone is very much appreciated.........

Welcome to all my new followers, hope you enjoy your visits.

Well, the tea cosy making is put to one side while I am in 'market sewing' mode.

Today I decided to whip up some little Spring inspired zip purses.

I have made these in the past and they proved to be quite popular, so..........

Take some blue polka dot fabric and a doily and there you have it.

Secondly, some more polka dot fabric (of course) and a little of my embroidery

and No. 2 is finished............

You can click on the pics for more detail.

Remember wonky lines and frayed edges are what I love and add to the texture and overall look of my work.

I've used hot pink and pale blue fabric for the lining and we're done.

I'll need to whip up another 2 or 3 before I'm finished and while I have the 'how to' under control........

If you would like a good tutorial on how to make these little zip purses I used one from

Skip To My Lou.

I was a little naughty on Monday...........as it was such a beautiful sunny morning I decided to play hooky and head over to Myrtleford for a little Op shop therapy and looking for inspiration.

Perhaps I was just trying to avoid other jobs!!

Now you would think they would be open on a Monday wouldn't you?

Well, one was and one wasn't.............hmmm, make a mental note of that one.....

There wasn't alot to be found sadly, but I did pick up the above embroidered doily and

after I laundered it I very bravely cut into it.

I have placed a clue in the photo as to what I have made with the doily, but

finishing touches need to be added before I can show you a photo.

Ok let's head outdoors for a wander around the garden and a breath of fresh air.

It's a beautiful day when the sun comes out and fluffy, cotton wool clouds abound.

Prunus Elvins is deepening in colour and looking beautiful.

We have had quite a bit of rain in heavy downpours this week, which really isn't good for the blossom but everything seems OK and hopefully not too many flowers were blown off the fruit trees.

I'm looking forward to eating sun warmed fruit straight from trees, so we need the bees to pollinate the flowers before the wind or rain knock them off.

A couple of late flowering Daffodils.

The colour hasn't been picked up by my camera but the Daff on the left has a lovely coral pink

Corona and the Daff on the right is a double which has deep yellow and orange in the middle and reminds me of scrambled eggs.

---------OOOOO----------

Whilst my Op shop adventure on Monday wasn't particularly fruitful I will be heading in to 'Big Town' on Friday and will be visiting my favourite Op shop where I have found many treasures, so I hope it will yield one or two more.

While I was in Myrtleford I stopped in at the Butter Factory for a coffee and had a lovely Parmesan, leg ham and parsley muffin complete with some of their beautiful butter.

Click on the link to read about the butter factory and there are also some lovely recipes on their web site. Ever had hotcakes with chocolate butter? Sounds interesting.......

Well, I better get the vacuum cleaner out and clean up all the threads and fabric scraps strewn around the floor, then it's time to start thinking about dinner.

I hope all is well and you are having a good week thus far.

Till next time, take care,

Claire X

------RIP Dorothy------

On Monday my beautiful Dorking, Dorothy died.

Not sure why, you know what chooks are like when they are ill.

I checked to see if she was egg bound having looked up a lot of information on the net.

No.1 was very helpful in holding her while I donned the latex glove etc. etc.

She wouldn't eat or drink and had difficulty walking.

If anyone has any ideas, clues or thoughts, I would be interested to hear them.

A little story about Dorothy.

I used to let my chooks free range in the paddock.

Well, Dorothy decided to free range over to the next property and fortunately the neighbours were away at the time.

No.1 and I headed over there and searched amongst sheds, garden beds, hedges.

When we found her she had no intention of being caught and loudly told us so as she ran away at top speed............

She ended up under their house roosting on plumbing pipes, so we went back under cover of darkness and wriggled in under the house, with fishing net .

Eventually, we managed to catch her but the noise she made was unbelievable, I was worried other neighbours would call the police thinking someone was being murdered!

We bundled her up and got into the car and drove home as quick as we could...........

She was a wonderful mum and raised 3 beautiful chicks.

Her fine feather markings and beautifully subtle colours never ceased to amaze me.

Yep, you guessed it I love my chooks.........