If You Can't Grow It....Just Sew It....

For the past three years or so, Sweet peas have self seeded in our open compost/prunings pile. They have put on a wonderful display, at times looking better than what was in my garden!!

This year not one came up and being away in September I decided it was  a little too late to plant seedlings when I returned home.

 A couple of stragglers have come up in the garden and are sporting a flower or two, but I was disappointed I didn't have any to cut and bring inside.

I love their perfume......

Trying to decide what to put on a tea cosy this morning, I thought if I can't grow it then I will just sew it....and I did

I would be more than happy if these lovely colours came up in my garden.

On the reverse will be words from Mr. Keats......

"Here are sweet peas, on tip toe for a flight

With wings of gentle flush o'er delicate white

And taper fingers catching at all things 

To bind them all about with delicate rings"

Last week, we finally got the rain I had been waiting for. 

The garden was in need to a good drink.

46mls fell at out place giving everything a good drenching including the garage floor!!

The combination of grey cloudy skies and green, green paddocks....I love days like this.

This week the grass is drying off quickly with warmer temps and the tractors are out slashing the paddocks for silage.

Giant green marshmallows are springing up everywhere.

It's interesting watching the landscape turn into a patchwork of green, gold and brown......

Planted sometime last Summer this David Austin rose....William Morris is putting on a wonderful display.

 Obviously, very happy in it's new home......

Hard to tell from the photo but the centre is apricot tinged with pink.......

It's just beautiful but rather prickly.....

Gladiolus Cardinalis is flowering like there is no tomorrow.

Just googled this to check I had the name correct and the info says 'it's quite challenging to grow as a garden plant since it is found in waterfalls!!....'hmmm

Well I'm very pleased it's happy in my garden as it was a bulb my mum bought many years ago and it's a nice reminder of her.

Another reminder is this concrete wash trough, mum grew herbs in. .

It now resides with me and I also grew herbs in it until a couple of months ago, when it filled up with water and failed to drain.

The roots had blocked up the drain.......

Drastic measures were required and unfortunately the concrete cracked. We have propped it up with bricks and it's holding fast, but will be used for annuals now.

I  planted it with Marigolds and Snapdragons, which should put on a vibrant display throughout Summer.

Could be the perfect spot for Sweet peas next season.....

What do you think ?....

The Poppies are still going strong, attracting the bees .

This fellow was keen for some pollen even though the flower hadn't fully opened....talk about impatient, hehe.......

A first for this garden are Foxgloves. 

The first spire ever, a little on the small side, but I hope it will be happy and reward me with more blooms next season.

Walking around the garden with Rich this morning, I was happy to show him this bloom.

It reminded him of Beatrix Potter stories.....

I like to pass on some gardening knowledge to him and share the beauty........ 

The Ixias I purchased at last months market are in flower.

One bloom is this lovely raspberry pink and the other is a lemon with a raspberry centre.....

I love them and it's so nice to have more variety in the garden this season.......

The Jacobean Lily is sporting some blooms.

Quite a striking colour and certainly an interesting shaped bloom

Sweet little Dianthus Doris.

 You may have been around

for many years, but you are another 'newbie' in my garden.

I have a sweet posy on my bedside table and the perfume is 

quite strong as I sit here and type this post.....

I think I may have to move the vase!!

This week has been about sewing for the market in Bright on Saturday......

Three weeks between each one seems to fly by.

I felt some owlets were needed.

I like to have something new each market as I get locals coming along each month to see what I've been making.....

'Twit,

Twoo

Who loves you?'

A few more to fill and stitch up and I will just about have enough for a sitting of parliament!!

Did you know the collective noun for mice is a mischief?

A mischief of mice, love it.

They can also be referred to as a horde, but mischief is much more entertaining don't you think?

.

Thankyou girls for all your lovely, encouraging comments on my last post....

I am so pleased all my artworks found new homes.

After the rush and excitement of the art exhibition, things have quietened down and the pace is a little slower here.

Cricket has started on TV and I find myself taking a little more interest in it as hubby and son discuss the days play.

In between sewing, I have been out in the garden.

 The vegie garden is keeping us supplied with greens....

silverbeet, kale and spinach and  the broad beans are now ready to pick and if every flower turns into a bean we will be inundated with them.

Any recipes you have for them, would be greatly appreciated......

Ok, I better go and pick some broad beans before I head off to work.

Thanks for dropping by to visit and if you are new to Sweet Birdy Love, I'm glad you found your way over here.

Take care and have a great week,

Claire X

Garden? Art? Garden? Art?.....

Hello girls, things have been a little chaotic here since my last post, so if I haven't replied to comments or emails that's why.  I think I'm on top of everything now.....hopefully!!

I have been working on 4 textile pieces to put in the local art show. Unfortunately, the painting was pushed to one side as it didn't seem to be working for me. 
So I decided to stick to what I do best/better!! hehe....

Gotta tell you, it's been a long, painful and at times a  frustrating process....bit like being in labour!!

Saturday I was ready to give up butI persevered and I'm just about done......

This piece I whipped up this morning, it's not perfect and looking at the photo a couple of things stand out and bug me, but it's too late now.......

'Audreys friends had already

 labelled her a Nanna due to her

op shopping ways, but she was

 more than a little surprised at their 

reaction to her new love.....crochet.'

Apologies to all Nannas, it's not meant to be offensive

It's just referring to younger people taking up activities generally connected with more mature members of society.

 So let's leave the sewing and wander around outside.

I've spent so much time the last week sitting at the machine, I'm just about sick of the sight of it.....just about!!

Beautiful Poppies, so lovely and bright. I will be letting these go to seed and hopefully they will make an appearance next season...

The Lilac has been gorgeous.

Love the colour against the blue sky....

I was a little worried as it looked rather straggly a few weeks ago, but it has been swamped in blooms.......

Crabapple of a different and later flowering variety,

Large, pink flowers covering the whole tree.....

The bees are loving it.

Bridal Veil? Broom.....it's struggled over the years and I have had to prune off sections as they died off.

Not the best looking specimen, shape wise, but it's looking

a picture at the moment......

'Designer Gown' Iris....reminds me of a beautiful, floaty, chiffon evening gown......

Winter planted Pansies, sat for months doing nothing, but finally with a bit of sunshine and warmth they are now flowering their little heads off and look so pretty tucked in between the Silverbeet plants.

A late ripening passionfruit from last season!!

It sure was worth waiting for.....yum.

Better have a look for some more ......

Out in the Wild Wood....hope they're playing nice!!

It's the place to be on a warm day.

 Nice and cool and shady under the Silver Birches...

The weather is starting to warm up here, it's going to be around 30 deg. tomorrow,

I have had to start watering the garden, so a drop or two of rain would be nice.......

I am waiting patiently for the first roses to open up. 

The Hollyhocks I planted a little while ago are starting to put on a bit of height along with a few other seedlings.

Hopefully there will be more variety in the garden throughout Summer......

Well girls, it's way past my bed time,so I'll say 'ooroo and thanks for dropping by to see where I've been and what I've been up too.......

Take care,

Claire x

Weekend Wanderings.......

Hello girls, welcome to Monday......

We have blue sky and sunshine in my corner of the globe.

The bees are buzzing round the garden and I'm buzzing around making tea cosies for an upcoming market.

I don't have to look too far for inspiration.

Have I told you I love Hollyhocks?

I planted some seedlings a couple of months ago.

I hope they put on a good display this Summer.

......oh and I love fuzzy, bumbling Bumble bees too.

Not that they live in this corner of the globe...

wish they did...

We've enjoyed a lovely weekend over in Daylesford.

Mixing work and pleasure....

 No. 1 had a gig and we stayed with friends......

A mixed bag weather wise....

Saturday, cold and wet

     Sunday, warm and sunny....

something for everyone!

The gang dropped by in the mornings to say 'hi' .

Picmonkey cropped the photos and I didn't realise

 till I uploaded, eek!!

This furry fella, kept us entertained with his antics. .....

I mean the four legged, furry fella, but you realised that didn't you?

Young Jed, is still in the puppy phase, so he had more energy then all of us put together. I did try and find his batteries so I could remove them but no such luck....

Truth be told I could quite easily have dog napped him and taken him home.......he really is too cute.

The other furry fella kept folks entertained on Saturday night!!

We stayed with friends from church.

We don't see them often, so it was a nice catch up even if time was limited.

I made one of my scrappy, woollen hearts as a gift, using

one of Debs favourite colour combos and a favourite scripture......

Psalm 34v9

♥♥♥

Let's do a quick garden roundup....

The Forest Pansy tree, is in flower and the claret red, heart shaped leaves are just starting to appear.

The Irises beneath them are beginning to open.

The combination of pinks and blues is beautiful.

Lilac.....love this shrub

The Wisteria continues to open up and the perfume is delightful.

Delicate Poppies...

Dutch Irises blooming beneath the Birches in the Wild Wood.

So what did you all get up to on the weekend and what has the week got in store for you?

I will be busy sewing, but that's no surprise is it?

The garden still needs a bit more work, so when the inspiration is waning on the sewing front, I'll get outside in the fresh air and see what else is flowering and maybe pull out a weed or two......

Well, that's it from me for the moment.

Thanks for coming over to visit, 

always lovely to hear from you.

   Take care,

  Claire

 ♥♥♥

P.S. Do you have Bumble bees in your garden?

Flowers Everywhere .....❀❀❀❀❀

Hello girls, thought I better pop by and say 'Gidday'so you didn't think I had disappeared completely!!

We've been keeping up to date with the Olympics here.

I watched the opening ceremony when it was replayed last Saturday afternoon at a more respectable hour!!

It was amazing.... 

I can't imagine the hours of planning and all the rehearsals that went in to bringing it all together.

Well done Great Britain......

Anyhoo, some inspiration has been found in the Olympics.....

No I'm not planning on donning on the lycra and dusting off the rusty treadley or taking to the pool... 

I'm talking floral inspiration girls....

❀❀❀❀❀ 

How gorgeous are the swathes of wildflowers growing around the Olympic Stadium?

 Pics courtesy  Daily Mail UK

Cornflowers    Poppies    Ox Eye Daisies

are just a few that have found their way onto my latest tea cosy.

Started late this afternoon it isn't finished yet.

 Just needs a few more flowers, leaves, seed heads etc.

Partial back view

I also have to send a 'shout out' to Anne over at Andamento for her part in this moment of inspiration, along with many other UK bloggers......

 Beautiful photographs of the countryside taken on Anne's weekend bike rides almost have me reaching for my passport......

If you haven't discovered her blog yet, pop over for a visit. By the way she's a dab hand at this crochet thing too.......

I've been out in the garden again this week.

 More weeding, pruning roses and shifting a couple around (fingers crossed they survive).......

Below:- a favourite oak tree

 Japonica, growing on the roadside 

Hardenbergia 'Happy Wanderer'growing 

over an old tree stump on the verge

Hellebores in the Wild Wood......

Still picking posies of Violets for my bedside table.

They're just starting to flower....

and somebody has been sneaking around outside.....

Jack Frost perhaps?.....

Today was a chilly one here 12 deg. I found it hard to get warm all day. Unfortunately, the wood heater was out this morning and being the first one up and about in the household......you get the picture I'm sure!!

But I can assure it's cranking away this evening...

There's a definite change in the air and I'm sure Spring isn't too far away..... or maybe that's just wishful thinking....

Anyway, I'll keep dreaming of beautiful wild flowers and warm sunny days as I throw another log on the fire....

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit.

Always good to hear from you.......

Claire 

♥♥♥

  

Markets and Gardens and Everything in Between..........

Hello there, how are you all?

Things have been a little quiet on the blogging front, but not on the sewing scene.

I had two market stalls last weekend so leading up to them, I was busy sewing up the proverbial storm.......

My 'new' sewing basket made an excellent display stand for some pincushions.

The markets were a lot better this month which was reassuring after the last two duds.

I whipped up quite a few Blanket Bunnies and Moonbeam Babies thinking they would last me quite a while................not so.

The little 'white' flecks on the Moonbeam Babies are stars, sewn with metallic, silver thread.

The writing 'Wish upon a star.....' is sewn in 'glowy' thread which glows softly in the dark.

The little egg cup which has tipped over in the photo was one that No.1 hand painted when he was very young. I used it to prop up the egg cosy.

My great auntie Ellie owned the little brown case, she kept her piano music in it and I've had it sitting in the cupboard for some time.

Not sure why I kept it, but it's certainly come in handy now.

Let's take a 'turn around the garden' shall we?

My late planted Poppies, have started to bloom.

Their beautiful, bright petals are so delicate........so far only orange Poppies have bloomed, I hope I get a variety of colours.

They are quite a splash of colour out in the garden.

Ah, Lilac.........I absolutely love it and this variety is dark purple with a white border.

The Irises are blooming, putting on a wonderful display........

You can see those little maroon leaves of the Forest Pansy tree, are a good match for the Iris.

Lots of sweet,

little,

heart,

shaped leaves, which will increase in size over the coming weeks.

As you can imagine the Wisteria is a mass of purple and the perfume is heavenly.

Our trellis is completely covered with this and I have to walk under it several times a day to feed the chooks, get to the vegie garden and potting shed so I am certainly enjoying this display.

Racemes of flowers hang down from the trellis, creating a floral curtain..........

A well placed garden bench, provides the perfect spot for a relaxing cuppa.

I decided to have a little play today and came up with this 'Wibbly Wobbly' town tea cosy. I would have finished it only I misjudged the measurement of the lining fabric and after sewing it on I then had to unpick it...........the whole three rows. grrr!!

Oh well, you have those sort of moments......don't you?

Well, the weather has started to warm up quite a bit and a drop of rain would be nice or I will have to start watering the garden soon.........

Monday, No.1 and I spent outside mowing and raking and turning the green stuff into something resembling lawn.

It was a beautiful day and we were certainly happy to count our blessings as we enjoyed the beauty of the countryside.........

I'm off to a local craft night tomorrow night.

It's being run by the local community centre, gold coin donation and bring along a project you are working on.

I thought I might pop along and see what's going on, should be interesting.

Not sure what I will take, probably some crochet, so I can sit and chat as I hook.

Speaking of crochet, have you seen Jules wonderful blanket over at Little Woollie.......

She had her 'Ta Dah' moment this week, when she finally finished her beautiful blanket. She's been posting regular updates about it's progress and I think you will love the colour and design of it.

Pop over and have a look for yourselves.

Well, that's it for me, Tigger is here on the couch sleeping as cats do and I'm about to do the same.

Thankyou for coming over for a visit and sorry, I've been away for so long.

Till next time, take care,

Claire X