Four Seasons In One Day.........

Hello Girls, it's been the most windy, blustery, showery Spring day here.

 I stayed inside and had some one on one time with my Janome and finished off my latest little stitchery.

Some of the things I love about Spring.......

It's now finished and ready for sale on my Facebook page.

Ok, let's head out and see what's happening in the garden.

The wind has blown alot of Crabapple blossom onto the ground and at a brief glance it looks like snow.

I hope we don't lost all the blossom, it's been divine, the perfume and the hum of the accompanying bees, make weeding in the garden....dare I say enjoyable?!

Anyone like to use the petal strewn birdbath?

The Hellebores have also put on a wonderful display and are well past their best, but I still love the colours and markings.

I'm happy to see lots of little Hellebores have come up and hopefully they will form a bit of a carpet in the Wild Wood....

On sunny days the Tulips are positively glowing.

These Camellias are form a friends garden, I love the pink tipped petals......

Last Saturday was the community Vegetable swap.

It's always interesting to see what people have growing and there was no lack of greenery on the table.

I had potted up some Rhubarb cuttings, Larkspur and Zucchini seedlings.

I came away with a freshly picked bunch of celery, a lovely piece of pumpkin and a bunch of Silverbeet.

I also managed to cut enough flowers to make a sweet little bunch.

I picked Linaria, a spike of Snapdragons and some Stock thanks to  Megan for the seedlings she gave me earlier in the year. 
I added some May flower, Broccoli and Parsnip leaves for some greenery and contrast......

Hopefully it won't be long before I'm picking bunches of flowers to bring inside...... 

Once every 3 months as part of the vegie swap the pizza oven is fired up. People can take along what ever they like to cook in it, from roasts to muffins, pizzas and everything in between.

Somehow, I think the oven was a little on the warm side when the door caught on fire!!

Luckily a CFA volunteer was on hand.....

Lauren is actually laughing NOT screaming!!

I happen to love rusty, dilapidated, deserted old buildings.

One's with a bit of history and character about them.

This dairy is just down the road from where I live.  

I love the patch work look of the corrugated iron......I wanted to photograph it with the trees in full blossom and Tuesday was the most perfect day for doing just that.

There are a few more old sheds around the district.....

 I think I know what I might be doing when this windy, chilly weather disappears!!

I hope you are all enjoying the beauty a new season brings wherever you are.

Thanks for dropping by and all the lovely comments on my last post.

Hope you've had a great week,

Claire x

Snip, Knot, Stitch

Hello there and welcome, thanks for stopping by.

It's been a little while since my last post, but I haven't fallen off the radar completely...........

Last Friday I looked out the window and saw the approaching storm, so I threw on my boots grabbed the camera and raced out into the paddock to take a few pics.

I loooove the wonderful inky blue clouds contrasting with the Pale pink prunus.

Well, the storm veered away from us and we just got a light shower, but the recent rain has finally put an end to the delicate blossom............so till next Spring.

Tuesday I had to head over to Corowa and on my way home, racing (within the speed limit) against the clock to get back in time for work, I spied this Canola crop.

As you can see it was an overcast day but this splash of yellow across the paddock was just stunning, so I stopped and took a couple of pics to show you.

As usual the photo doesn't do it justice, but for all of you who are experiencing a mellow Autumn

and perhaps needing a bit of colour to brighten up your day, well, this is for you.

Looky, looky what I received from a friend.

This cotton reel "tree" complete with lovely vintagey wooden reels belonged to my friends mum and he didn't have any use for them, nor did his wife, so he thought I might be able to use them.

Use them, are you joking, I just love looking at them............love the two little half reels on the top and bottom row.

I also received another little carry bag full of various cottons.............I was thinking of asking about any old tins of buttons that might be lying around, unloved and gathering dust, but didn't want to push it.

One day, when the spare room becomes my sewing room this little 'tree' of cottons will hang on the wall somewhere.

Ok, so I've been busy sewing, that's why I haven't been blogging, so here's a couple of pics of the latest 'makes'........

Some blanket bunnies and my little lop eared, cashmere bunny.

She's lovely and soft and loves to be cuddled, she has a sweet vintage embroidered heart on her.

Flip, floppy, polka dot ears and turn her around and what do you find?..........

Lovely vintage embroidery.............

I now have a basket full of cute little bunnies for my market stall on Saturday, so I hope there are some folks who have a bunny on their shopping list, hehe......

Another little zip purse, it just had to have bunting on it.

I am a 'bunting lover' from way back and not ashamed to say it and as the saying goes

In Spring a young man's thoughts turn to .........whatever,

well mine turn to bunting, so I think there might be more in the pipeline.

Ok, who's up for a little garden tour, well follow me then.

I was on the receiving end of some Camellias from a friend, aren't they just gorgeous.

The vase they are in weighs a tonne, so there's no chance of it tipping over.

Boots on we're going outdoors.

After the stone fruit the Nashi Pear is the next to flower.

Certainly has pulling power for the bees.

The Crab Apples are covered in buds and blossom.

I just love the combination of raspberry pink and paler pink.

I look forward to this every Spring.

As I wandered towards the shrubbery, lamenting the lack of variety in the garden what did I spy but this beautiful butterfly.

I started snapping madly, hoping to get a good pic of it but it was flitting and not settling so this was the best. Click on the pic for more detail as it was a stunner.

I don't know what sort it is, as I have never seen this variety around here before, so I was quite entranced by it.

A short tour, time for a cuppa.

It's been a beautiful day and we are heading for 25 deg. on Saturday, eek, I will have to expose arms and legs at that temp. Sunglasses everyone!!

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Thank you all so much for the kind comments on my last post regarding Dorothy.

Pets become part of the family whether they be furry, four legged or two legged and covered in feathers, so I do appreciate your thoughtfulness.

Now while you're all here, I want to tell you about a wonderful giveaway over at Little Woollie,

click on the link and scroll down to Jules giveaway post.

If you like crochet, you'll love this wonderful cushion Jules is giving away.

Hmm, maaaaaybeeeee I shouldn't have mentioned it afterall, hehe.....

Well, I'm off to bed, it's late and I've got to be up before Sparrow pop, so toodle pip

and till next time, take care,

Claire X

Spring Has Sprung..........the Tea Cosy Is Done

Welcome to September and Spring....it's now official

And the Sunflower tea cosy is finished............

ta dah.......

Green and white polka dot lining finished it off.

My creative advisor, aka No. 1 son, suggested it needed a Ladybird.

Thanks for the idea Rich, it has added a little something extra.

I love Sunflowers and I know I'm not alone there...........

There's a packet of seeds on the bench waiting patiently to be planted.

Busy bees doing what they do best.........click on the pic to

see the detail.

Turn it over and there's a saying by Pedro Calderon de la Barca

"Light enchanted Sunflower thou

who gazest ever true and tender

on the sun's revolving splendour."

More floral goodness.

A vase of deep, red Camellias, a little past their prime perhaps, but still beautiful.

They're not from my garden but that of a friend who has them lining her driveway.

Several different colours, all very happy and flowering profusely..........

Another little crafty project I finished this week..........

An order for a bub due in a few weeks.

Apparently mum and dad have a Kombi.

It was a bit fiddly to make on a small scale but I'm happy with how they turned out.

Somehow I don't think I'll go into production though.

Heading outside for a wander on the first day of Spring, the Crab Apple is coming into leaf and bud. It's at least two weeks early so I hope that means we get to enjoy the beauty for an extra couple of weeks. Hopefully Spring storms won't ruin the display..........

Prunus Elvins is already in bloom and as the weeks pass it will deepen in colour to a lovely pink.

As you can see by the blue sky (love the reflection in the dam) it was a perfect day.

A day in which I planned to sew up a storm but feeling a little under the weather this morning saw me spending more of the day in bed than I had intended.

Mid morning, I was up and at it and whilst taking things slowly, I did manage to do get a bit done and get outside and enjoy soaking up some Vitamin D.

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Well Spring, you are very welcome, although I am a little sad to say 'Farewell' to Winter, I know that there will still be quite a few evenings spent in front of the heater enjoying the cosiness ............

I hope wherever you are, you can enjoy the changes a new season brings.

Thankyou all for visiting.

As the week draws to a close, I hope it's been a good one for you and you have been inspired by the beauty around you.

Till next time, take care,

Claire X

What a Difference a Week Makes.........

Turn back the clock a week and we were having quite heavy frosts, followed by beautiful sunny days.

Frost creates wonderful icy outlines on the Violets.

Beautiful, sweet, scented flowers.

Quite a few little posies find their way onto my bedside table before Winters end........

One week later, the temperature is up around 20deg. and gardening outside is definitely a T shirt job.

It's hard to stay inside when the garden is calling and all the jobs you have been ignoring over Winter are still waiting............

I have been busy working in the vegie garden, barrowing loads of manure from the paddock. Preparing beds for vegies and flowers.

I noticed the Rhubarb flowering..........love the combination of green and pink.

You would almost think it's a new strain of cauliflower !

More green and pink in the shrubbery.

This dark pink Camellia is my favourite.

Where did I put my secateurs?

I need to cut some and bring them inside.

When my favourite Camellia is in flower I just have to fill this vase full of them.

It belonged to my mum and I don't really remember her using it when I was a child.

I think it was always full of old keys, hair pins, a few coins and maybe a couple of stamps!!

I love the turquoise with the deep pink.

The little clock on the right, once belonged to my father in law.

I wish I had asked him about it's history ................ beautiful colours and delicate flowers.

"A house with Daffodils in it,

is a house lit up, whether or no

the sun be shining outside."

A.A. Milne

All this sunny weather has my thoughts turning to Spring and therefore Summer and it's coming out in my crafting.

A sneak peek at a WIP I started this morning.

It had to be Sunflowers, I love them and grow some each Summer.

They're bright and cheery and the bees love them.

Yes, those little brown things are going to be bees ..................

Tigger is enjoying the warm weather too and what would be more fun than a roll in the dirt.

Get covered in grass and leaf litter and head inside leaving a trail behind you............

Thanks Tig, I love you too.

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So this is a little bit of what's happening here at Sweet Birdy Love.

You all know how much I love Winter, but the warm temperatures, blue skies and bees buzzing about has my mind racing ahead of me.

I'll just have to slow down and take one day at a time and make sure that when the warm weather arrives I'm ready for it.

Thanks for stopping by and I'm linking to Winter Wednesday over at

Hazel Dene.

Head over there and take a look for some more wonderful Winter posts.

Till next time, take care

Claire X

What's Making Me Happy?..............

I'm happy because I have finally finished this tea cosie/cozy/cosy !!

It's for a dear friend and was ordered some time ago.

Every time we caught up for coffee, I secretly hoped she wouldn't ask how it was going.........

Well, now it's done, hooray. I hope she likes it...........

I added a little more detail to the cups and teapot........

I'm very happy with how it turned out.

Now to the other 3 cosies on the list of UFO's...........

A few posts ago, I showed you how I made my Autumn Leaf Wreath.

Quite a few leaves were left over, so I decided to do a little more decorating with them.

I was hoping to create a 'windblown' effect............

We had friends visiting from Queensland on Wednesday night.

They commented on how lovely the leaves were.

For O/S readers, Queensland doesn't really have the 4 distinct seasons like we do here in Victoria.

They miss out on the beautiful Autumn colour and Spring bulbs, but then they don't get frosty mornings and cold weather like we do here and they can grow Mangoes and Avocados in their backyards.............How good would that be?

When I lived in Queensland I really missed the seasons, I was so happy to move back here and enjoy all those wonderful seasonal differences.

I'm happy because this beautiful Sasanqua Camellia has finally flowered for the first time.

It's been in the ground for oh, 3 years, but due to the drought, has struggled and looked very sad.

Last Summer all the rain we received kick started a growth spurt and now we have lovely delicate flowers.

No words needed for the above pic..........

Cheery Jonquils brightening up the kitchen.......... heady perfume, I just love them.

I planted half a dozen Jonquil bulbs when I lived in Queensland, hoping against hope that they would grow and flower.............one actually did and that one flower perfumed the whole house.

As soon as you opened the front door you could smell the perfume.

It was at the time when we were selling our house and moving back to Victoria.

Certainly beat the good old percolated coffee aroma as a house selling tip........

Last but not least this DVD just happened to fall out of it's rack at the supermarket and land in my trolley..............really? Of course..........not!!

I saw this wonderful film at the cinema and loved every second of it.

If you haven't seen it, beg borrow or hire a copy, it's worth it.

Meryl Streep is brilliant as Julia Child along side Amy Adams who plays fledgling writer Julie Powell and Stanley Tucci is wonderful as Meryl's husband.

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Things here in the Sweet Birdy Love household have been a little on the quiet side this week. Not alot of crafting going, still getting back into the swing of things.

No. 1 has been away in Melbourne visiting friends and doing some recording with them.

But he's home now and things are no longer quiet..............he bought a new amp.............

Don't get me wrong.......I'm more than happy to have him home, nothing like one of his hugs, he rests his chin on the top of my head.

Wasn't it just yesterday, when he was cradled in my arms?

I started back at work, after 3 weeks holidays...........I survived and didn't need retraining !!

Feet were a little sore after standing up all day, it was nice to get home, kick my shoes off and let out a sigh of relief.......

It's also been quite cold, well, cold for this neck of the woods, so time on the couch in front of the heater with a crochet project has been a must.

Reading your blog posts makes me happy too, seeing what you're all up to in different parts of the globe.

So thanks for popping by mine and if you have time to say 'hi', I always love to hear from you.

Till next time, take care,

Claire X