'tis one of life's mysteries

Ah success!!!

But it may be short lived, keep reading all revealed at the end of this post.

How are you all?

I've been missing my little blog, but have been travelling around Blogland visiting here and there, although less often than I used to.......

It's been busy here at Sweet Birdy Love, nothing out of the ordinary...sewing, gardening, work and more sewing.

It's also been very hot, last week in particular was a real scorcher with temps. nudging the high 30's.

 We came very close to 40deg...uggh!!

 ...

The air con was chugging away doing it's best, the garden was wilting under the unusually hot weather...it was technically still Spring, according to my calender.

Summer was announcing it's arrival in spades.

I had booked in to do a extra market in Beechworth last Saturday, Dec. 1st. so more tea cosies were needed.

People like their tea to be hot if not the weather!!

After making the same design 2 or 3 times, I'm ready for something new and obviously cooler weather was on my mind.

Daffodils, Tulips, Grape Hyacinths, I love them all....

A little row of cottages appealed to me and obviously someone else as it now has a new home.

I forgot to take my usual finished photos, so these are the work in progress pics...

A rather dark pic of my stall and the finished cosies......

Saturday bought some relief from the  high temps and the sun hid behind the clouds for most of the day, phew!!

There was a lovely breeze, a few drops of rain and lots of people out and about.

It was another great market, with lots of chatting and laughter taking place amongst stall holders and shoppers.

  

I made another 'Audrey' specifically for this market and was very pleased with how it turned out.

 Just before I wrapped it up, I realised there was a typo.....

a word missing and no, I couldn't hide it, fit it in or disguise it.....arrrrgh!!

Nothing for it but to start from scratch and here she is.

Actually, I am much happier with this one.

She didn't find a home this market, but will come to Bright with me in a fortnight.....

The first flush of roses have been beautiful and many bunches were picked and brought indoors.

The Camp David standards continue to flower their little heads off and I love them in with purple/blue Larkspurs and a sprig or two of Gypsophila/Baby's Breath.

After months of waiting the Globe Artichoke has finally opened up to reveal it's stunning purple centre.

They really are quite spectacular, though rather prickly scales surrounding it......

Next season I might use some of the flowers in the kitchen while they are still in the bud stage.....

Check out the grass, it's brown and crunchy, that's Summer.

 We live in the country and don't water the 'lawn'....it always greens up come the cooler weather and rain.

Lady of Megginch with more Larkspurs.

I picked this bunch before the hot weather arrived, I couldn't bear to see them fry in the heat.....they make me smile just looking at them. I love the colours....

I think someone was after some attention this morning!!

Couldn't lie beside the computer it had to be right on top of it.

Love ya Tigg mwah!!♥♥

Photos have uploaded.....success!!

Nothing terribly exciting girls, but like a lot of other bloggers recently.

 I have reached my storage limit and have to figure out what to do about it.

I don't want to pay for my storage, so have to keep my pics under a certain size apparently and go through my Picasa Web Album and delete double ups, which I have been doing.

It's all been a bit of a mystery to me, but hubby has been very helpful and although we haven't had time to sit down and get it sorted completely, I am working my way though it.

A big thank you to Alessandra and Trudy who have talked me through how they handled this issue, but if anyone else has some info on this I would appreciate hearing from you.

I blog on a MacBook, seems to be so many different brands of computers and each having slightly different ways of doing things.I will probably have to get some program to edit photo size, so any tips would be good.  If you don't see another blog post  for a while, you'll know why!!.....

On a completely different note...Have you seen

 'The Intouchables'?

Hubby and I went to see it Saturday night at the cinema.

What a wonderful movie.

 I haven't laughed so much for quite some time it was terrific.

It's  very touching based on a true story, it's in French so is subtitled, but don't let that put you off.

And if like me, you love the music of Earth Wind and Fire, you'll find it hard to sit still in your seat. 

Check out the trailer on Youtube and don't miss it if it's at a cinema near you......

Today is lovely and cool, well cooler, there is a beautiful breeze and I even had a blanket or two on during the night.

What a difference 10deg. makes......

Hope you are all well and not letting the Christmas Crazies get to you......thanks for stopping by to read my ramblings....

Take care,

Claire ♥♥

It's In The Bag......well almost

A little project on the side is always good when you hit a snag, don't you think?......

The dress was coming along swimmingly, when suddenly out of nowhere there was a hiccup....

just one,

very small,

quite ladylike really,

but until I could figure it out, I needed a distraction.

An easy, peasy make, that would keep the crafty vibe alive but not cause any hiccups!!

It couldn't get much easier than sewing two rectangles of fabric together.

Because I love this green floral fabric so much, I had bought an extra metre and thought it would make a great bag to keep my crochet in.

I'm very happy with how it has turned out, although if I make another I will tweak it a little.

I love the gingham lining, it was going to be polka dots but I didn't have quite enough fabric, so gingham it is and it looks nice and cheery....

There's a spot for 3 crochet hooks and a pocket for some scissors or some chokky, hehe.....

Good place to hide your chokky stash, the family would never think to look in your crochet bag would they?

There's room for my rug......

hopefully not for much longer as I sit and hook a round or two in the evenings...

It's growing ever so slowly.

Earlier this week a bubble/cardboard/paper wrapped parcel arrived in my letter box.

In it were a couple of books I had ordered from New Zealand and I had been waiting patiently!! for them....

'The Story of My Ruin' and' I know A Garden' by Marion Cran.

They are lovely books, written back in the 1930's telling of her gardening exploits and of renovating old homes in England.

She was also the first gardening radio broadcaster.....

It was a completely different era, with gentler ways.

Who would've thought that a book purchased for 50 cents from a jumble stall at a school fete, would turn into a journey that has given me hours of enjoyment.......

There may be a little less crochet taking place in the evenings now!!

I'm also swooning over those David Austin roses...

Lady of Megginch♥♥

And to end the week, here is my first op shop find for the year.

A lovely woollen blanket, with lots of colours,

MAUVE

BLUE

GREEN

LEMON

PINK

I haven't seen one like this before and hesitated before I bought it BUT I have plans which I am a little bit excited about, as it feels like my sewing mojo may be returning.

In my defence I would like to say that I was at the op shop dropping off bags and boxes of bits and pieces that I can live without.

I was having a little clear out, so when something new comes in, something old has to go.

So, 2 'new to me' books arrived and out went a bag of magazines and 4 books, along with a bag of clothes and some kitchen ware, yay...

It feels great decluttering....

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You can see how much the countryside has dried out in the last little while....less green and more brown, but a beautiful, blue

sky, in the last photo.

We are in for another warm day tomorrow, but hopefully some rain on Sunday which will be lovely.

I hope you enjoy your weekend wherever you are and thank you to everyone who left a lovely, encouraging comment on my previous post.

It's always great to hear from you and a big thanks to Georgia over at Little Blue Mouse for her advice on my hiccups!!

Have a great weekend everyone and take care,

Claire X

P.S. Silly me, forgot to say that Emma over at Lemons for Lemonade is hosting a fab giveaway for those of you who would like to learn how to crochet. Lots of great things to get you 'hooked'

(I just had to , sorry!)

It's open till the 31st. January and she will post worldwide.

Pop on over read her January 4th post and throw you name in the hat and good luck!

Let's Get Cosy............

It must be time for a cuppa.............anyone like to join me?

I finished the "Wibbly Wobbly" tea cosy today, so here's a photo to prove it, hehe.

It sat on the 'to do' pile for a few weeks but with a market coming up on Saturday I thought it was a good time to finish it off and see if anyone fancied a wibbly wobbly tea cosy!

I found the best light in the house for taking photos was in my bedroom so here it is on top of my dresser............

Here's the back view with it's wibbly wobbly verse..........

I love my little cup with it's bluebird. I bought it at a market when I lived in New Zealand back in the 90's.

Hmm, definitely time to pop the kettle on.

Ooh and I think there might be a banana and date muffin hiding in the cake tin too.......

Another beautiful bunch of roses to grace my dresser.

I have a mixture of Old Fragrance or Old Stinky hehe.......

as my friend Mabs jokingly calls it.

Mabs gave me a cutting off it a couple of years ago and it has grown like topsy even through out the drought and just before you start to worry......it has the most delightful fragrance.

That beautiful old world perfume that makes you swoon..............and I just ♥ the deep pink.

It would have to be one of my favourite colours, not that I wear it or have anything in my wardrobe in that shade.

Oh, almost forgot, tut, tut, David Austin's , Lady of Megginch is in there too.

See the heavily quartered flower at the front that's her.

Isn't she beautiful?

Whilst out in the orchard picking off the shield bugs I let the girls in so they can eat them, but unfortunately some of them are finding the berries much more appealing even though the lower ones are far from ripe.........

Our rooster Noddy, is quite a tall chap and when he stretches his neck he can reach quite a way up the canes.

Hmm, I don't mind sharing but.........

He's definitely airborne here........feet off the ground, trying to impress the girls with his acrobatics.

I think the grass needs a bit of a mow don't you?

Somehow No. 1 son seems to forget

this area as it's tucked away behind the wood shed..............

Red, yes........edible, no.

Don't even think about it !!

Won't be long before we are picking lots of beautiful berries.

Berry iceream, jam, sauce, muffins, hmmm.

I'm already out of ideas.....any suggestions.

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

Well, I hope you are all having a good week wherever you are.

My little Janome has been whirring away all week and there has been plenty of stuffing and stitching taking place.

I'm off to my fortnightly craft night and will be finishing off some stuffing and stitching, along with lots of chatting and laughing no doubt.

It's great to get together with other crafty ladies and see what they are all busy making.

I also received a packet of Sunflower seeds in the mail today.

Tanya from Suburban Jubilee sent them to me as a fundraiser for the Nettlefold Foundation which helps people understand and cope with depression. They also provide opportunities for life changing experiences for young people.

For $3.00 you will receive a packet of seeds which will bring sunshine into your life when they flower and you know how much I love Sunflowers..........

It's a great idea, pop over to her blog and read the story behind the foundation, it's very touching.

Righto, what was I going to do now, oh yes, time for a cuppa, so are you going to join me?

Okay, maybe next time, thanks for stopping by to say "hello" lovely to hear from you.

Till next time, take care,

Claire X