Stuff, BIts 'n Pieces, This 'n That....✄✄✄

Hello, how are you all?

Hope you had an enjoyable weekend......

Autumn's on my mind.....

The Maples along the driveway are starting to change.

There's a nip in the morning air, dew on the grass.....

'Every leaf speaks bliss to me....

Fluttering from the Autumn tree'

Emily you said it so well...

I woke this morning to heavy rain......it was lovely lying in bed and listening to it.

Definitely a morning for breakfast in bed....

a mug of tea, toast and home made plum jam, yum...

The boys are away for the weekend, so I can please myself....

When I fed the girls this morning I discovered that a feathered beastie had been visiting the orchard again and been twice as destructive as last week, aaargh!!

He must've known I was having a sleep in!!

Let's turn the clock back to Saturday shall we?...

I had a list of things I wanted to do, I was planning to stitch up a storm. Somehow that storm was downgraded to a mere blip on the weather radar, but I was happy with the end results.

Why am I stitching hottie covers when it's 35 deg?....

Yes, I had the aircon cranking, certainly made it alot more comfortable.

I'm enjoying using the pastel shades in this blanket, very subtle.

I've decided to do a couple of markets next month, so I'm hoping someone else will like these and I won't be bringing them home with me.....

Ok, back to Sunday......when I should've been doing dishes, ironing or vacuuming this morning, I was sitting at the machine stitching a little something.

Not sure what I was aiming for, but I had to get this out of my system before I could do any of the boring stuff.

A scrap of wool, a scrap of fabric and some stitching...

It's not finished, I have been doing a little hand stitching on it this evening.

I think it's turning into a cuff of some sort.

No plans just playing and see what the result is.

There's always the possibility it will end up in the bag of scraps.

Thought you might like to see the view from my sewing room.......

So peaceful watching the rain fall on all that greenery....

The 'Wild Wood' of Silver Birches.....beautifully green and cool in Summer, golden in Autumn and stark, white, papery trunks against the sky in Winter.

Parrots visit and the chooks love scratching in the leaf mulch when I let them out of their run.

The windows are of the wind out variety, shame about the bar in the middle......

No flash.....that way you can't see the mess either side of the machine.

When the inspirations flowing, the tidying up has to wait.

More pin cushions waiting to be stitched up....

The stock for my market stall is growing slowly, which is better than leaving it to a mad rush in the week before, which is usually the way.

Pretty ✽✽✽ .......

-------OoOoOo------

It's been a weekend of mixed weather.

After yesterday's heat today has been extremely damp.

It was looking very Wintry outside, low cloud obscuring the mountains and driving into Big Town it was foggy.

You could imagine it was a pea souper in Winter, except for the fact that the paddocks are brown......it just looks wrong.

I thought I heard a collective sigh from the garden as the rain started to fall.

The plants were looking very droopy and sad last night.

Might be time to get into the garden and pull out a few weeds this week.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit.

Whatever your week brings, weeding, sewing or doing the 'boring stuff' I hope you find some time to be creative.

Take care,

Claire♡♡♡

Stitchy Happenings and a Vegie Swap Report

Hello there and welcome to a rather, dull, damp corner of the globe.

Thanks for popping by and if you are visiting from another dull, damp corner I hope I can brighten your day a little.......

Today, was meant to be all about the garden as the sun was hiding and the temp. was low even though we were forecast 30deg.

BUT, somehow, between the dishes and getting ready to start the day, I got side tracked and found myself sitting at the sewing machine.

I seem to have built up a collection of feathers, from chooks to magpies, cockatoos, parrots and anything in between that appeals so........

.....a little pin cushion with a feather using left overs of woollen fabric was calling out to be made.

Why is it that ideas for crafty makes have a habit of popping into my brain when I'm about to go out and won't be able to get to my machine for hours....very frustrating.

Somehow I think there's a fine line between feather and leaf, here's hoping I got it right!!

Feathers one side and some chooky fabric which has been sitting unused in my fabric stash for 3 years or so.

Just need to stuff and stitch it up this evening.

It's a good little project to work on in the evenings when I'm watching TV

......I don't feel so guilty then!!

Do you like to work on a crafty project on when you are watching TV?

Preferably one that doesn't require to much concentration...

More Hottie Huggies in production.....

A little cottage, it's inhabitants sleeping peacefully.

A little saying to go on the back...

Every sleepy boy and girl

in every bed around the world

can hear the stars up in the sky

whispering a lullaby.

by

Mary Chapin Carpenter

After making the bunnies I thought I would make one more appropriate for a little boy....

I haven't used this blanket to make anything yet, but love

the bluey greens and browns

It definitely had to be a teddy bear and it took me ages to find

the sort of Teddy I wanted.

It all looked hunky dory on paper so I traced the pic onto some fusible 'stuff' which I ironed onto the back of the brown wool.

Cut it out, iron in place and sew it down.

Too easy.

My invisible pen wouldn't work on the fabric so I had to cross my fingers and 'ope like 'eck that it would be OK...

Well, it looks like Ted has been overstuffed somewhat.....

No.1 suggested Jenny (Craig) might be able to help him!!

...thanks mate...

I'm not giving up that easily, I'll have another go and get it right.

Come on Ted you sleepy head.

We've had fun playing now

it's time for bed.

The community vegie swap took place on Saturday.

Nice to be part of it as I wasn't doing the Bright market.

I got up early picked 3 bunches of Zinnias, some punnets of mini Roma toms. half a bucket of Nashi pears and some Royal Gala apples.

Packed it into my basket and headed off.

I swapped a bunch of Zinnias for a jar of strawberry jam before I even got there, hehe......

There was plenty of produce,

Zucchinis, Button Squash, more tomatoes apples, plenty of plums,

Spring onions, cucumbers, jars of olives, jam, home made Ginger Beer, Silver beet, herbs, seedlings, seeds and even......

....some cute little Muscovy ducklings and a good home was found for them too.

The wood fired oven had been stoked up on Friday evening and was ready to bake, pizzas, muffins, pies, cakes and even a roast.

It was great to see so many people there with young families enjoying lunch and making new acquaintances.

Trays of Kipfler potato chips which had been baked in the oven and platters of watermelon were passed around.

A successful day for the organisers.......

I came home with my basket full of produce and as it was a little warm I thought I would enjoy a cool drink and try the ginger beer.

I had only turned the lid a smidge when 'BANG' it blew out of my hand and

WHOOSHKA, a metre high fountain of ginger beer shot up into the air!!!

After wiping the benches, mopping the floor and drying the inside of the pendant light I had been standing under....

I sat down to enjoy the inch of ginger beer left in the bottle hehehe.....it was delish.

Didn't realise it would be such a volatile brew...

My mum used to make it when I was a kidlet, I don't recall too many of these incidences.

Sunday morning while we slept peacefully a feathered intruder found our apple trees.

Wouldn't mind too much if it ate the whole piece of fruit, but taking huge chunks out and dropping them on the ground is not

going to endear the feathered marauder to us at all.

Yep, it was a cockatoo, noisy, destructive feathered beastie....

Stay away you're

NOT WELCOME....

-----OOOOO-----

Well, the sun has actually shown it's face through the rain and bathed the hills in a beautiful golden glow and

a full, double rainbow has added to the scene....

The temp, has dropped and I've dragged out my Winter slippies and a long sleeved top, very snuggly.

I'm feeling rather Wintery, better crack on with my granny square blanket. I have let myself get side tracked with the crocheted bunting and it's not really something you can snuggle under on a cold evening...

So that's just a snippet of what I've been up to the last couple of days.

How about you? What's happening in your little nook?

Thanks for all your lovely comments.

I enjoy reading them all and finding out where you are visiting from.

I appreciate you taking the time as well.

I hope you all have a great week, Im off to stuff and stitch some pincushions and drag that granny square blanket out of hiding,

Take care,

Claire ❀❀❀

P.S. If you've made it to the end of this rather long winded post congratulations you deserve a gold sticky star.✮✮✮

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