Thursday, December 8, 2011

THANKYOU IT'S BEEN A 'HOOT'.............


Some things take a while to sink in.....you know what I mean?

I love owls as do alot of others, so the question is 'why haven't I been making any owlie things?'

Who knows apart from the fact it can take awhile for the penny to drop.
I think I was just too caught up in one of the hundreds of other ideas that invade my brain.....

So I have just finished and I mean JUST finished these owls.

Ladies they are hot off the press, still smoking, hehe......



Who doesn't love having an owl or two, or three or even four, perched in a nearby tree?!!

We often hear the Boobook owls calling across the valley at night.
A sound that makes me very happy as I drift off into the Land of Nod.



Not only are these little owls cute but............





They're also useful for holding your needles.........

Yes, these little fellas are sewing needle books.

Lots of bright polka dots along with felt a bit of stitching, some buttons for eyes and there you have it.

And guess what I'm giving 3 of them away, so keep on reading if you're interested.




I'm also giving away this little pendant I bought at the market last Saturday.
Told you I had something in mind for it, didn't I.........

I made a little pouch for it to travel in, to keep it nice and safe..........



I really had fun making this little pouch and it reminded me of when I was a child handsewing bits of fabric together to make 'things' for my dolls or myself.

Details of the Giveaway at the end of this post, but let's take a turn around the garden and see what's blooming.


The Chinese Star Jasmine is putting on an awesome display. It's been growing in this pot since we moved here 9 years ago. This is the best season yet, due to the rain. We all know how much more the garden appreciates natural rain compared to hand watering...........

If you are not familiar with this plant it has a beautiful perfume which fills the air in the warm weather and is just divine.............
Grows quite happily in the garden or in a pot.



The beautiful Buddleia is in bloom.
I love this plant, the honey perfume is heavenly.
Unfortunately, all the flowers are on the new growth at the top of the shrub which is about 5 metres high. Hopefully, we'll get some blooms lower down so I can pick an armful and bring them inside...



Further along in the shrubbery the Dahlias are starting to bloom.

The bright orange of this cactus Dahlia certainly makes a splash against all the surrounding greenery.


Along the driveway we have the ubiquitous 'aggies' or agapanthus.
They're hardy, they survived the drought and are frost hardy, so obviously they are a good choice to line the driveway.
They have just popped out of their little papery coverings and are about to open up fully.

Purple and green another great colour combo.



As you can see the countryside is starting to dry off as the temps rise.
Still quite green but Summer is creeping in.
There is rain due over the next day or so. It will give the 'lawn', lol a good drink and freshen up the garden.
Fingers crossed for more than half a dozen drops!
Now, remember last post I was talking about doing a bit of yarnbombing, ssssh!!!!
No words needed, it's self explanatory......







Dressed in black complete with beanie (took it off 'cos that would look suspicious and it was just too hot!!) my accomplice who shall remain nameless came into town with me.

He held the torch and the crochet while I stitched as fast as I could.

The old time dance was ending so there were cars around and we were trying not to look conspicuous!!
Mind you two people loitering in town late at night, always looks conspicuous, specially when you are dress in black!!

I haven't heard any comments yet, I do hope someone has noticed but there it is.
FYI I used a size6 hook and double yarn so it would hook up quickly.
I did a nice little picot edging at one end and a shell edge at the other end, just to give it that certain touch, hehe.........

Hubby thinks I'm barking and he's probably right, but hey, we got some good laughs out of it and that's what it was all about.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

Ok, this giveaway has been a long time coming.
I never had giveaways at milestones.......
100 followers
100 posts
1 year of blogging etc. etc.
I didn't want to just because everyone else did.

But now the time is right, we are heading towards the end of the year and I just want to say THANKYOU
to each and everyone of you who pops by to read my ramblings, whether you comment or not.
You have been encouraging, helpful with computer/blog issues (Cuckoo, Tanya Anne and Alison),
inspiring, motivating and all those good things.

Like everyone else who blogs, I really enjoy this community of people some of whom I have had the pleasure to meet (Tanya, Lee, Chris) but the majority I haven't.

Thanks for sharing your lives, makes, ideas, the good, the bad and occasionally the ugly, hehe.......

It's been such fun and whilst I think my blog can be rather pedestrian at times, I don't have all the fancy bits and pieces that are available due to my dinosaur computer skills you keep coming back, so Thankyou

Ok, let's get to the nitty gritty.

First name drawn out of No. 1's top hat will receive the pendant in it's unique little travel pouch, plus an owl needle book.

2nd name drawn will receive an owl sewing needle book as will the 3rd name drawn
(No.1 told me I couldn't have two prizes the same, but I said
"who are you the giveaway police!!" )

I will also add some other bits and pieces to these prizes but that's a 'Bgurk' surprise.

What do you have to do?
Just leave a comment, maybe you should give me two colour options for the owl just in case!!

There is a question I would like to ask

I'm just curious about your blog reading habits.........
Do you check out "Blog Lists' on other blogs or click on comments that are interesting to find out a bit more about who wrote it?
Are you a blog hopper or stick with your favourites and don't venture to far from home?

This giveaway is open to all and sundry from Tangambalanga (say that 3 times fast) to Timbuktu (which is actually in Mali/Africa)

Whether you are a follower or not, blogger or not, commenter or lurker, please de-lurk and say 'hi'
I won't bite, promise........ despite the fact hubby thinks I'm 'barking'

If you mention this on your blog please let me know for another ' bite of the cherry'
The giveaway will close at my brekky time 7.30am on Thursday December 22nd..............

Please make sure I can link back to you or leave your email in the comment or I will have to redraw.

The winners will receive their prizes after Christmas.........

So once again thankyou for taking the time to drop by and say 'hi', nice to hear from you it's been a 'HOOT', oops, just had to, sorry........

Till next time, take care,

Claire X











43 comments:

  1. Oooooh PLEASE enter me Claire !! I love your brooch and it's little pouch is so sweet. Your owls are amazing too....I love your version.
    As for the yarn bombing .......so pretty and I love that you even added a fancy edging :0)
    Jacquie x
    p.s. I'll link in my next post

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  2. Hey Claire,
    love those owls, so cute, and practical too! you clever woman!!
    I'd love to go in your give away please! My bloggy habits depends on how much time I have, sometimes I just check out the ones that come up on my blogger homepage thingy, and other times i will do some blog hopping off other peoples blogrolls. There are a few blogs I like to read, but can't figure out how to follow, so I read them from other peoples blogrolls. I do like to check out new to me blogs too, there are so many gems out there!
    That yarn bombing looks fab, I am sure I have seen a photo of it on another blog, so someone else has spotted it and appreciated it too! Good on you! The garden is looking great too, I can't believe your dahlias are flowering already, mine are still little shoots!
    Have a great day! Julie:)
    PS Will put your giveaway in my next post!

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  3. Claire your little owls are gorgeous and the fact that they are useful makes them even more gorgeous.
    I love Buddlias and the purple blossom looks lovely. I hope you do get to pick some to bring inside so you can enjoy their perfume.
    Yarnbombing, what fun!! :) I hope you do some more if you can. More than one in town will get them talking.
    I'd love to enter your giveaway and the red owl is probably my favourite.
    Have a lovely evening, it's lovely and warm down here.
    Anne xx

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  4. Oh Claire, that was a great post. Loved it all. The little owls are gorgeous and the pendant so please do put me in for the draw. I would be ever so thrilled to win one. I loved the tour of your garden. i also have a tall buddlia that is flowering way up high but it sits outside my bedroom window and from that angle it is just perfect ( and one of my favourites)Your yarnbombing is so cute. I remember people doing it in Newcastle a few years back and how much joy I got from seeing them there.I'm always hopping around all over the place when I see interesting blogs on blog roles or if I see an interesting comment. I don't always have time to comment but earmark the ones that really interest me and try to get back there when I can. Kate xx

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  5. Lovely owls :)

    I click on people who leave nice comments for others. Sometimes you find a lovely blog that way, like I did yesterday from someone who wrote a very kind comment to someone feeling a bit down. Otherwise I have a particular blog with a huge blog list which regularly updates - how I found your post actually. I go on this blog a trillion times a day to get to more blogs.

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  6. oh me oh my those owls are fab-u-LOUS! (but you knew i'd say that already, right?! All the colours are gorgeous so just close your eyes and pick one if i'm lucky enough to be the name you pull out :)

    and i just loved seeing the photos of the beautiful plants and flowers growing in your garden - they made me feel warm and summery, on a morning when it sounds like it's blowing a (very cold) gale outside! Summer is never that far away....

    oh! i almost forgot! Blogwise, i read all the ones that i list down the side on my own blog, and i always have a look to see what other people have listed, and that's when i discover wonderful new bloglands. one of my favourite things :)

    x

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  7. I love your musings, your needlework, your photos! A joy! And thinking about summer weather thrills me to no end as we lower into the depths of dark winter.
    PICK ME!!

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  8. OH how I love those owls. What a pretty and useful thing. The yarn bombing made me smile as well.

    As for blogging I have an ever expanding list I look through most days. Sometimes something will catch my eye and I am off on a roll searching and learning all kind of things.

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  9. Hello I found you through reading Andamento's blog list and what a wonderful surprise! I do read my regular blogs but do venture out occasionally too!!! Your owls are fantastic and such a great idea to make them into needlecases - pretty and practical at the same time. The yarnbombing looks great fun!

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  10. Oh! - choose me,me,me, heheh!!! What a lovely Giveaway Claire - your owls are totally fab :D The little pendant and pouch are adorable! I'm hugely impressed by your Yarn-bombing acitivites (as your hubby probably is, secretely of course!!)

    I've mentioned your Giveaway on my blog today, couldn't resist!

    I do note other people's blog-lists and seek out some from comments too - also there are other lovely bloggy people like Janet who make formal introductions - how cool is that!!:D

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  11. hello!
    awesome sewing owls!
    - i do hop around blogs alot..i love finding a new one and checking back..im especially addicted to finding new blogs that talk about crafts and knitting or crochet or spinning..i love your yarn bombing by the way! totally awesome..thats actually how i found your blog..i rarely comment..i dont know why..i just dont.. :) raineoc@yahoo.com

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  12. I love your owl needle cases, especially the blue and purple one, and the little pouch you made for the pendant is gorgeous!

    Your yarn bombing is great. To look less suspicious, next time wear high visibility coats so that you look official!

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  13. What a fun giveaway- count me in!
    I find new blogs in lots of different ways. I often follow links from my favourite blogs. I love to visit the blogs of people who comment on my blog and I can hang out at "creative spaces" for hours checking out all the beautiful makes.
    I remember reading a blog post a while ago about the art of writing a good and thoughtful comment and how it is a great way to attract people to your blog- I totally agree with this!

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  14. I absolutely love your owls. I love to read blogs and frequently click on blogs from others blog lists. This is exactly how I landed here and am so glad I did. You have such a nice, enjoyable blog! Thanks for giving me the chance to win your giveaway.

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  15. Hey guys, thank you all for entering the giveaway and taking the time to tell me about your blog reading habits........

    I have managed, with much difficulty I might add, to wrestle No. 1's top hat away from his head............all your names are in there, but there's heaps of room for more.

    Hope you all have a great weekend,

    Claire :}

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  16. Gorgeous owl needlebooks - love the red/blue combo, and thanks for the chance to win one!
    I love your yarn bombing, and the story that goes along with it. A few of my friends and I were talking about doing something last year, but I think our ideas were just a bit too out there (and too much work!) to even get started :-P...maybe next year!
    I have my regular blog-reads all hooked up on Google Reader, but I also hop about with the 'creative space' makers, and sometimes even the 'grateful for..' posters.
    Have a lovely weekend! x

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  17. Oh Claire, this crochet bomb, or yarn bomb or whatever you called it, are so fun!!! You know it has to make people smile when they see it. And I can just picture you and your accomplice sneaking out there in the dark to attach it to the rail before anyone sees you.
    Your garden is just bursting with flowers at the moment. Your Jasmine is gorgeous. It's my sister's favorite. And the dahlia is just beautiful!
    Your owlies are so adorable! I'd love to enter your lovely giveaway for the needlebook and/or the cottage pendant. (I especially love the blue owls, but I love pink too.)
    I pop in to look at interesting posts and pictures on "blog rolls" all the time. That is how I have found every single one of the wonderful people that I follow. I look for new blogs at least once a week. I follow so many blogs I can't really keep up properly with all of them and I feel bad about that. But I am so in awe of the huge number of delightful and talented people out there just waiting to be discovered.

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  18. Oh gosh, horrible grammar... "is so fun".

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  19. Wow, so much going on in this post. Those owls, or as my Miss Two calls them Twoo Hoos, are just so gorgeous. She was given a beautiful pair of owl book ends for her birthday last year and has been in love with these creatures ever since (she actually sleeps with them sometimes). And I don't actually have a needle holder so I'm all for this give away!

    As always your garden looks full of beauty and colour, and devine smells by the sound of it.

    Love the crocheted rail, I saw a couple of similarly adorned posts in Fed Square recently and thought they looked wonderful.

    And as for my blogging routines I do a bit of everything depending on how much time I have. I have a short(ish) list of blogs on my own blog roll that I follow as often as I can. I tend to subscribe to them if possible so they go straight to my email. Sometimes if I'm at a lose end I'll check out the blog rolls on other people's blogs or click on interesting comment makers or links within posts. I love finding a new blog, if only I had an extra hour or two a day to read more.

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  20. Hi Claire, thanks for the heads up on your giveaway and for calling in to see me - love those little owl cases but I never have cottoned on to the yarn bombing - are you barking? :-)

    Blogging I check most on my own list but every now and then browse off other lists just trying to meet up with others and have a nosey in on what is being made - I love seeing all those ideas. I love getting comments on my blog its just so good hearing from people, I've always loved the snail mail too - apart from horrid bills of course!
    Have a great christmas season over there, in all your lovely warmth!!!
    Brrrrr! its cold over here.

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  21. Hi Claire, thanks for the heads up on the give away, so sweet of you! love the owls and the necklace travel pouch :) the red and blue are my favourite.

    I tend to do a bit of everything when I read blogs, I love how you can click on someone elses favourite and then it leads you somewhere else marvellous! Also loving the crochet yarn bombing what fun!!!

    Sarah x
    guernsey girl xx

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  22. Oh I love owls and a little needle book would be so well used here.

    My blog reading habits depend on time constraints... if I am super bust I will stick to my favourites and read in a reader. If I have more time to spare I will often click on links and comments and fall into the blogosphere endless wave, being tossed from blog to blog and link to link.... love it!!!!

    Elflyn x

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  23. Hola Clara me encantaron tus búhos y la idea que sea un trabajo utilitario es mas lindo , y con respecto a tus plantas que bellas son y cuantas alegrías nos dan, un beso Sandra.

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  24. Love the owls! As regards blog reading - I'm of the scatter gun approach - I read a bit from here, there and everywhere!
    June

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  25. I found your blog by reading someone elses blog. I read your comment. I live in New York, United States. I love to read Australian blogs, It is interesting that you have summer now and we are getting ready for winter. I would love to win an owl color does not matter to me they are very cute.

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  26. Hi Claire, of course I must enter your giveaway, (how can you part with that little house necklace?). If I am lucky enough to be a winner I don't mind what color it is.
    I like to read my regular blogs, then hop all over the place, one leads to another and so it goes.......often I find a special one and it gets added to my list of favorites.
    Big pond is not working at present, I will email you when it is up again and I have time.

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  27. THANK YOU FOR THE VISIT! I LOVE YOUR BLOG - AND THOSE OWLIES ARE DIVINE! YOU HAVE GREAT TALENT X

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  28. Hi Claire- thanks for your comment- I couldn't access your blog before today. How great is that Chinese Star Jasmine- and I'm even more impressed that it grows from that lil ol'pot! I have to confess I'm a blog hopper- there are just far too many talented and interesting people out there- and it seems that you are one of those people....:)

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  29. Hello Claire, thanks for your lovely comment. My blog hopping is very sporadic at the moment because I'm so busy with the run up to Christmas but I try to do a little in the evenings. I go through stages with discovering new blogs, I look at peoples' blog rolls and have a nosey every so often but other times I'm lazy and stick to those who I've been visiting for months. I must make more effort in January.
    Anyway, this is such a lovely giveaway so please put my name into your hat, I would be happy with whatever should come my way.
    Kate x

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  30. Hi Claire. Thank you so much for visiting my blog and taking the time to leave a comment AND for inviting me over to enter your giveaway! LOVE the owls : ) Saw one last night as we drove out in the dark to go to a ceilidh.
    I'm finding that the busier I get the less I have time to update my blog and less time to read others but I do try and pop in and visit those that visit me regularly and those that I find inspiring. It is a lovely community and so nice when we meet people in person or people tell me that they read my blog even though they don't commnet. I've had that at craft fairs and open studio events. People have told me they've come a long way just to see me and my work and that they read regularly. Hooray for lurkers!
    Looks lovely and warm where you are. Getting really cold here in Scotland but that's they way Winter should be. I like cold and bright : )

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    nice!!

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  32. Firstly, I must say what Carolina up above me has done is pretty damn cute, what an effort.

    Now, thanks for dropping me a line, I like to try and check in with everyone who visits me and sometimes I check out who is on their fave lists and I recognise some of my own faves but I will also visit new ones as well.

    Next, I love your cute little goodies your generously giving away.

    Last, I'm all for a bit of guerrilla wool bombing. Yay! Hope someone notices.

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  33. Oh my Claire, you are brave with this night time beautifying!

    The owls are wonderful and that little house case gorgeous.

    As for my blog reading habits, yes, I often check out blog lists and am sometimes attracted by a name or post title. I do also read other comments and sometimes check out the owner's blog too. I do like to find new ones which are up my street.

    I emailed you about a tea cosy. I hope you received it.

    Have a lovely week.
    Liz xx

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  34. Hi Claire, Thank you for visiting me! I love visiting you and seeing a taste of summer now we are all shivering through a cold and windy month over here in the UK. I love the owls too - I still haven't got a needlebook - my needles keep disappearing down the back of my tiny sewing basket!
    As for blogs - I do check other people's blog lists then bookmark them. Mind you the list gets massive so I edit it down once in a while too. I read blogs when I am meant to be working... naughty me!

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  35. OH WOW your jasmine is rockin!! Can't believe it is so lush and huge when it is in a pot! I love their fragrance.

    Your owls are so darn cute (boom boom! Darn cute!) and I love the secret squirrel style yarn bombing :)

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  36. Hi Claire, thanks for visiting my blog! The swap was really exciting and was lovely getting to know Jooles. Please can I be entered in your giveaway ?!
    Celeste

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  37. oops forgot to say, I normally find new blogs by comments they leave on other blogs, does that make me a stalker? haha

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  38. And the entries keep on coming, so I shall give the hat a good shake and make room for more names..........

    Thanks everyone for answering the question, it's been really interesting reading about your blog habits .
    One more week to go and then I shall draw some winners.

    Claire :}

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  39. Hi Claire, lovely giveaway, thank you!! Your owls are gorgeous, my favourites are the red and paler blue ones. I find these days when I am pretty busy, I just usually look at blogs from other people's blog lists, and have a few favouries I like to check regularly. I used to just love wandering around the net checking out lots of different blogs, but no so much time to do that now. Have a lovely Christmas!

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  40. I found you through the post on another blog. Your owls drew me to you. I love owls. Thank you.

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  41. Hello there! Thank you very much for the comment you left on my recent post... What a beautiful blog you have here!! I have just become a follower :)

    I too am an owl lover, what is it about them? I just find them so appealing...especially when stitched!! I would love to enter your giveaway if you don't mind? I can't pass up a chance of getting my mitts on one of your super cute needle cases!!

    As regards to blogging...I definitely look at other's blog lists but the thing I have trouble with is juggling the time between getting to write my own posts and getting to leave comments on all the wonderfull, inspiring blogs I follow... not to mention finding the time to craft so I actually have something interesting to share with everyone...phew! To cut a long story short though I thoroughly enjoy interacting with such like-minded people and am SO glad to have joined the blogging comunity this year :)

    I'll stop there as I do tend to rant (can you tell?) hehe

    Louise xx

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  42. I LOOOOOVE the owls. And the jasmine!

    I find new blogs by checking out blog lists on blogs I already read. I also sometimes click on the the profiles of people who comment on my and other blogs. Sometimes a blogger I know will mention a new blog and I will get there that way! Sometimes I find a blog by happy accident.

    I think I found your blog via Little Blue Mouse, but I'm not certain! :)

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Life's busy isn't it?......thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.
I love hearing from you and will reply via email unless you are set up as a
'no reply blog'
in which case I will reply here on the comments page...♥

Thankyou xx