Thursday, June 6, 2013

A Creative Mish Mash........




Who pulled the plug out when I wasn't looking?

I had the day planned and all was going well until I got home from town and then it all went awry......
A 4.15am start didn't help.
 Hubby and son needed to be driven to the airport for an early morning flight north.....
Away for the weekend they'll be enjoying 26 degree days up in Queensland.
Still it gave me the chance to have a breakfast catchup with my sister. Get some shopping done, goods exchanged, shoes ordered  fabric bought sort of stuff and get home and still have half a day left to sew......right?!
Ha...

Someone pulled the plug once I got home and did a few jobs.....crank up the heater, wash bought fabrics, put away shopping, pat the cat and have lunch that was it.....

So here I am.....finally posting after uploading pics for the 3rd, yes, 3rd time, grrr!

A mix of recent makes......tea cosies for an order, a little stitchery and some seasonal stuff to follow.

Grab a cuppa, I'm playing catchup here girls.....

My latest stitchery 

'Miss Mousie'







Makes me happy looking at all the bright, cheery colours.
Something a little different for me and a little wire heart hanger instead of the Silver Birch twigs I have been using.....
It is looking for a new home, just email me if you would like to know more.....




Bluebell tea cosy.....love these colours.
I planted some Bluebells in the Wild Wood last season I hope they flower this year......







Last Saturday it rained...... It was beautiful, the golden, coppery tones of the leaves still hanging on made my heart sing....
It was the sort of day where I couldn't wipe the smile of my face. 
We definitely needed the rain (almost 3 inches) and listening to it on the roof or watching it fall whilst cosied up at home or in a cafe having coffee is just the best.
Definitely soup, stew and dumplings weather.....





Love distorted rain on windscreen effects......♥





More happy colours.....








Love a little woodland scene,

"The woods were buzzing with the news.
 Mr. Whiskers was holding a tea party and everyone was invited...
But the wise, old owl knew every trick in Mr. Whiskers book
 he'd seen it all before....."






 and there had to be more Foxgloves too....






Taken before I headed away recently, our Maples put on a wonderful, fiery red display.








There were still quite a few leaves doggedly hanging on when I returned home, but this week......they're almost gone.
I love the carpet effect they create underneath the tree.






The last cosy to show you.

Head over to


face book page and have a look at my inspiration

Now I've done the fun part of the cosies, I 
 need to crack on and finish them off.







Of course with cold, wet Wintry weather, soup is a must.
I dug up some overgrown Parsnips to see what I would find.
Well, as expected they were monster size, half of this one was cut  off by the shovel!!
 I chopped and cut off the fibrous centre and just boiled it.
Then I 'zjooshed' it up with the stick mixer, threw in a knob of butter and tasted it.
It was surprisingly

 AWESOME

So I then turned the puree into soup.
If it had've been a dud, the chooks would've enjoyed a hot meal, but I have enough soup to last me for a couple of days and there are still more Parsnips in the garden.

No.1 on seeing me serve dinner that night, wondered why I had cooked so much potato mash!!

"Would he like some?" 
"Well, seeing as though you cooked so much I better have some"
"No wait a minute" he exclaimed "what' in it?"

Almost got him, hehe......






I love cooking on the wood stove in the gathering twilight and just looking out at the hills.
Wanted to share my view with you even if it is a little dim outside....





A final pic to share......an op shop find,
 the last day in Byron Bay.

I wandered through those op shops for 3 days, just browsing as you do.
On the last day I spied the polka dots and vintage green....be still my beating heart!
A chipped spout and crazed glaze on the inside did not detract from it's beauty......

50 cents really?

Wasn't until I got it home and had a good look, that I could see the Beswick Ware stamp on it's bottom.

I also found a copy of

 From Lark Rise to Candleford

just my sort of book, loving it.





Oops, almost forgot to show you my new door mat.

Lifelike isn't it?

Guess who nearly got stepped on?



It's time to feed the chooks, throw another log on the fire and think about what's for dinner.

Soup perhaps?

Most definitely....are you a Parsnip lover or hater?

I have just discovered that

Kirstie's Vintage Home

is on the ABC on Thursday nights.

Squeeeeal with excitement.....

I read about things on UK blogs and then it takes months to find it's way Downunder....

So don't ring me at 8.30pm 'cos I won't answer!!

Ooh, hello it's just started to rain, I didn't expect that.

I do love Winter.....

Hoping you are all well and feeling creative and inspired.

Take care,

Claire X

23 comments:

  1. Oh I do love it all. Your are so talented. Great find at the op shop that little jug. I have just discovered Kirstie's Vintage Home and watched it for the first time last week. Look forward to it again tonight.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Kate......Kirstie wasn't on after all.......grrr! Bet there are lots of unhappy folk out there.
      i was so looking forward to it as I had only just discovered it!
      Oh well, hope there are many more episoded.
      Have a great weekend.......c

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  2. Love the things you make! The Miss Mousie hanging is so sweet...

    Penny
    x

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  3. So funny..I am digging into your blog and went to Facebook to look at your inspiration for the little deer picture and there you have just popped up on my FB page - the connectivity of the internet blows me away at times.

    Love your blog and your work - it's such a pleasure to look at.

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  4. Hi Claire,

    Miss Mousie is wonderful - I like it very much. The new cosies are gorgeous too.

    I love parsnips - roasted are my favourite.

    We are happily, finally, enjoying sunshine and warm weather.

    Liz xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Liz, thanks for the lovely comment.
      I love roasted Parsnips, so yummy.
      Glad you are getting lovely, sunny weather, been a long time coming....
      Enjoy your weekend.......x

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  5. I think your stitching is amazing! I'd struggle to draw the images never mind sew them. Love to see you Autumn photos, more please!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Anne, I have surprised myself with my sewing as I'm pretty rubbish at drawing.....
      So I'm sure if you had a got at it you would surprise yourself too.
      I definitely have more Autumn pics to share, so stay tune and have a great
      weekend........x

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  6. What a lovely catch up post! Your sewing is always inspiring! Im a big parsnip fan but usually roast them...soup is a great idea. That polka dot jug is great! x

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  7. Love Love Love your new stitching projects...anything cooked on that stove would be delicious. xxx

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  8. I just love all of your stitching projects! You so creative & your subjects are the best. Thanks for sharing.

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  9. Love Miss Mousie and her bunting (she's one of us!). And the crafty Mr. Fox is just perfect (smart Owl to stay up out of reach). You've had some fun creative days there ... and I love rainy fall days too (not so much rainy spring days though as I'm anxious to be outdoors!!). Enjoy your weekend and your view out the kitchen window. I'd love to have that view while cooking ;) Wendy

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  10. You're little makes are fabulous! I'm definitely a parsnip lover, roasted in the oven with a little honey! :) x

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  11. Such beautiful stitchery Claire! Your work always looks like a fairy tale!

    Happy day!

    Madelief x

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  12. Love all the stitching, especially the bluebells, but I think that is because I have been having a bluebell sort of week too. I thought the windscreen was an impressionist painting at first.

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  13. Gorgeous, gorgeous post of all your lovely makes. Kirstie's Vintage Home was NOT on last night. Grrrrrrrrrrrrr. They just get you hooked and then they don't show it. Most annoying. Tigger looks very comfy on your new doormat.
    Have a good weekend,
    Anne xx

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  14. Claire, I haven't managed to call by in a while so lovely to catch up. Your tea cosies are absolutely amazing and I love the little mouse. Your weather is getting cooler just as ours is really hotting up, thank you for sending the sun in this direction!

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  15. Oh that little jug is just gorgeous and just proves its well worth being patient!! Good to hear you had lots of lovely rain (we did too) and I do love that view out your kitchen window, you can watch the clouds go by as you cook (and dream up lots more ideas for sewing projects). We have put our farm on the market for sale....my goodness what a lot of work in cleaning up sheds of junk and now keeping the house clean and tidy for viewing......I'm allowed one small basket with some knitting in it!!! the sewing machine and suitcases of material are all packed away out of sight!! Lets hope it sells quick!! hope you have a great weekend.X
    Thank you too for the lovely little heart that you popped in the bag, its hanging on our door knob!!!

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  16. Claire, all these new tea cozies are beautiful. I especially love the little bird in the pink tree. And your Miss Mousie is super sweet, too. It is the small, simple, everyday things in life that make us happy. (My sister has a little childhood stuffed Mouse toy that she calls Miss Mousie, very similar to my Blue Bear that I post about from time to time.) I love the green dotty Beswick jug that you found. Gorgeous color. I'm not sure if I've ever had parsnips before. If they are similar to a turnip I'd probably love them. I like to add turnips to my mashed potatoes or mashed carrots. (Everybody I knew when I was a girl in Canada did that, but not many people here in the USA do.)

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  17. These little stitcheries are precious! You must have so much fun making them! And your small teapot ~ for 50 cents ~ an instant grab for sure; looks very pretty with the red flowers.

    Thank you for visiting my blog and leaving a comment about my farm life. I find it so interesting the way things are different,from mine, in your part of the world.

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  18. Ha ha, I love that Mr Whiskers invited everyone to a party, he seems to have got quite a crowd there!

    When I was a kid we never ever had chips for school dinner, until one exceptional day and I just couldn't believe my eyes! I asked for extras, but when I tasted them they were parsnips! Imagine my shock! I'd never tasted parsnips before and thought they were vile, especially as I was expecting potatoes. The worst thing was, we weren't allowed to leave anything and I had to eat them all!
    It scarred me for life, and it was only about four years ago that I tried them again, but now I love them!

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  19. Hi Claire, oh I'm revelling in all your Sweet-Birdy-Loveliness here. As I scroll my way down, you never cease to delight and uplift with your happy words and creative ways.
    I particularly love the Woodland Scene, and your Foxgloves are so pretty.
    We planted a Maple last year and this year I scrabbled around and collected all 25 leaves that fell - ha ha - for the worms! It's getting bigger and that colour is gorgeous. I admire yours indeed.
    Never tried parsnip soup but I love a good roasted parsnip. Home grown ones definitely make the best I'm sure, much bigger than can be bought!
    You have a very cosy kitchen and a beautiful view from your window. I always think it's so important to have a lovely spot to cast your gaze whether it's washing up or cooking :D)
    Cheers now... frosty morning today and lots of sunshine - showers can wait for a few days hopefully!

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  20. Oooh, I've missed you....not that you haven't been here, but I've not been....your sewing so delights me, I love the flowers and birds, always so pretty and the quotes are the icing on the cake.

    Love parsnips, can't believe your boy doesn't....yum especially roasted in the winter when the sugars are high and taste so good.

    Perfectly cat coloured doormat, our cat is totally black and sits in the middle of rooms in the dark....I'm sure she secretly has it in for us!

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