Stitching vs Housework...........

Hello girls, how's your week been?

Things are slowing down on the crafting front here and getting busy on the packing side of things......

I haven't been able to pack away my sewing machine yet as ideas still need to be explored to keep the creative me happy before I go.

I finished another little stitchery this week and was happy with the outcome.

A friend had asked me (quite some time ago)if I would stitch a tree for her. 

She wasn't specific and just said

 'whatever you come up with will be fine'

I find that's the hardest thing to do actually, as I worry what I have in my mind won't match up with theirs. Soooooo, I put it off and occasionally asked if she had any ideas......nope.

Ok, so I put it off some more as I do and put it in the too hard basket.

She wasn't in a rush it, was just one of those

 'when you've got time' orders and as it was something different for me (at the time)I didn't intend to ask for payment.

Ok, long story short here it is......

I hope she likes it. I love the texture, there's even a wee heart carved into it with a teeny tiny M & S in it.

Can you spot it?

I really love this saying by Ralph Waldo Emerson and I particularly like the way the yellow thread I used to indicate the last of fallen leaves actually has a golden glow to it.

You know I'm kind of glad I waited so long to make it as my sewing is constantly changing and evolving and I'm really happy with the finished piece.

We now have 7 calves in the paddock with only 2 more to be born.

Their antics are wonderful to watch and they are such good mates.

This little black fella is being very inquisitive and brave.

One little calf  (not in pic) has a white heart on it's forehead very sweet indeed......can't help but fall in love with them.

Something else I had been putting off was cleaning out Cluckingham Palace.

Our chook house isn't one of those cute little houses that you could sweep with a glance.

On no, this requires a wheelbarrow, rake and brooms.

Anyway, the girls must've read my mind and in appreciation of my impending efforts had laid an egg.

Now this may not sound very auspicious, BUT,dear reader considering they went off the lay around December this is quite a big event here.

One, perfectly formed, brown shelled egg lay in a mound of straw.

I glanced at it, looked at the girls in disbelief, then looked at the Magpie out in the yard, shook my head again then thanked them......

Thankfully, the job took less time than I thought and within the hour there was a lovely, cleanish chook house.

Now whilst I hoiked feathers and straw out, this Magpie was going around picking up beak fulls to line it's nest with.

It was fun watching it pick them up then put them down. Was it looking for a particular colour, degree of softness? 

It was quite a business and I was thrilled to witness this little nest making venture....

The first Daffodil has bloomed.

This season I ordered and planted some different varieties. so I'm looking forward to seeing them when I return from holidays.

Our adopted stray Mrs. Kafups likes to find little hidey holes around the house....makes it interesting when trying to put her outside!

Can you see her?

How she managed to squeeze in to that small space without sending DVD's flying?!!

 With her Winter coat on she's quite a substantial feline.....

 The Japonica (Flowering Quince)is putting on a show......

And another little nest that's been discovered.

 This time in the Wintersweet, not sure who it belongs to whether it's a blue wren or not.....

So there you have some snippets from my week......the day to day things that I've been up to.

I've also been busy posting purchases around the world which has been very exciting.

 Seeing little Sweet Birdy Love items finding new homes in different countries.

Thanks to everyone who made a purchase.

 I will have a few extra pennies in my pocket to take on holiday.

I've been making lists of things I have to do and organise before I go away.

Must remember to put Mrs Kafups out if I can find her!!

My boys have been keeping me up to date with what's been happening and I have to say I'm really excited about heading over to Canada.

Thanks to everyone who left a suggestion on my last post.

Oh, that reminds me if you'd like to participate in a swap.......songbird Mezz over at Mezz Makes Stuff is hosting a swap, so pop over and check it out and say 'hi'.

Righto, I better go and do some tidying up, cuppa first though!!.......

Thanks for visiting girls and taking time to say 'hi'

Have a fab week everyone,

Claire X

Monkey Business

                Hi there, how are you all?

  Hope you had a great weekend and found some time to create, relax or celebrate the Queen's 60th Jubilee for all my UK visitors. 

It's been a particularly chilly day here, starting off with a foggy morning which I missed as I headed off to work when the family were still tucked up snug as a bug..........

I saw the full moon hanging just above the tree line, it was cloudy but not a wisp of fog to be seen.....

By the time I finished work, there was a leaden, grey sky with the wind whipping up the oak leaves in a very quiet main street.......beautiful.

 I stood there grinning like a loon, watching the swirling leaves!! 

♥♥♥♥♥

 

A little bit of monkey business has been taking place here over the weekend.

A creative brain wave had to be explored and a thrifted, grey, woollen blanket along with some felted jumper offcuts became a nice big, squishy cushion. 

I think it now makes this corner of the couch nice and cosy and perfect for a spot of hmmm......crochet!!

Before you even ask girls, I have to say no, I did not crochet the blanket.

My great auntie Ellie, made it back, way back, in the 70's. She lived in an old folks home and used all sorts of different ply yarns to make a couple of these rugs. As you can imagine they have great sentimental value, but I 'm sure she would've appreciated some of the online tutorials about joining grannies as you go......

Monkeying around....

Inspired by the Hasbro game 

'Barrel of Monkeys'

I felt a little crochet trim was needed to add a bit of granny goodness to those cheeky monkeys......

So girls, guess where I'm going to be spending some of these grey, gloomy days? yep, that's right.......

Sitting in the corner......of the couch, hehe!!

It may be cold and grey outside, but there's still a bit of life and colour in the garden.......

Gorgeous hot pink Camellias, brighten up any day.....

Peer through the leaves and what can you spy, next door?

 Stunning Liquid Ambers...... putting on the most gorgeous display.

Our Maples and Silver Birches have dropped all their leaves, but not the neighbours trees.

I took this pic last week, when it was a little warmer and the late afternoon sun, was bathing everything in a golden glow.   

  The Wintersweet (Chimonanthus Praecox)
 It's been in bloom about a month now. 

If you're not familiar with it, the flowers are quite unremarkable, but it's  perfume is beautiful.

So nice to have it wafting around the garden.

❀❀❀ 

Tig's not fazed by the cold weather he's keeping warm wearing his Winter coat.

He's doing what he does best.....nothing.

Well, the weekend is but a distant memory.

 I had a lovely catchup over Eggs Benedict and a coffee with two of my sisters on Saturday morning

There was time for some sewing and a little crocheting in amongst the housework.

Another episode of Downton Abbey on Sunday night.....love that show and here we are back into a new week.

Hope you are all well and a big 'Thanks' to all my new followers.

Thanks for popping by,

❀❀❀

Wot U Lookin At?

Someone's got attitude, they're not happy !!

They're sad, so I don't blame them for looking a little upset.

This little fella sprung from a bag of felted woollen jumpers and a recycled blanket. He's soft and snuggly and still needs to be sewn up on one side, but I was in a hurry to take a photo!

Click on the photo to enlarge, the small sign on the front reads ' I need a hug" turn him over and on the back, I have sewn "Hugs make my world go round, a frown is a smile turned upside down"

Some new cards I have been working on. This is a different direction for me and I must say I am loving every minute of it. Old book pages, colored paper and pen, easy, simple, effective.

I have all my bits and pieces on a tray which I can place on my lap and sit and watch TV in the evening whilst I create. Not too much mess to clean up and I am being productive whilst being entertained!!

I would love to know what you think of them - positive comments or otherwise, all welcome. The big test will be at my market stall next weekend.

You guessed it there was a birthday in the 'Sweet Birdy Love ' household last week.

This little 'beesting' was all I needed to pop a candle in have Mr. G. sing 'Happy Birthday' to me ( at double speed as he's tone deaf!!!) and then cut in half and have for dessert with a cuppa, delish.

I had a lovely day and wasn't overly perturbed about this being my last birthday in my ........'s.

Next year may be an entirely different story!

The cards piled up on the table as the week wore by and I was determined not to open any of them until the appointed day.

The envelope at the back with the huuuuuge stamp on it has come all the way from my sister in the UK and I knew along with the card would be a lovely hand written letter, something worth waiting a few days for.

This lovely envelope and picture is from a very talented friend from church - Meralin. She started drawing a picture which didn't turn out quite the way she intended so she cut it up and stuck part of it on the back of the envelope and some on the front.

I can tell you I was very anxious to see what was inside the envelope after hearing this little story.

I can imagine this picture took quite some time, but to then cut it up.....

Here is the card - it's inspired by Angie Lewin a very talented lady who carves and prints wonderful pictures.

The more I look the more detail I see, it is a work of art in itself and I shall put it in a frame.

Meralin not only draws, paints, sews, she is a wonderful gardener and cook. She made me a stunning hazlenut and chocolate cake for afternoon tea at church. It had 8 eggs and 750gm of chocolate in it, absolutely delicious, she just had the date wrong and was a week early, we laughed and enjoyed it just the same.

My corner of the globe as the last of the suns rays disappear from the mountain tops.

Aren't the colours wonderful?

Wherever you look there is inspiration. Don't look to hard at the garden you might see where the chooks have been kicking the mulch about!!

There's never alot happening in the garden in Winter, but one favourite is this shrub it's called -Chimonanthus Praecox commonly knows as Wintersweet. It has pale lemon coloured flowers which don't stand out that much, but it has the most beautiful scent and I look forward to it flowering. I love to cut bunches of it and bring it inside and let the perfume waft through the room. Fortunately, the scent doesn't make me sneeze!

The girls doing a spot of gardening. That little Camellia in the background has had a bit of a tough trot with the drought and probably not being in the best position in the garden. But this year it put on a burst of flowers and I didn't have the heart to nip them out. It's so pretty, I shall have to give it some extra TLC for the effort.

Two new arrivals at 'Cluckingham Palace'. These girls are Barnevelders and have beautiful markings on them. As you can see there was a lovely frost and I had to smash the ice on the water bucket so they could have a drink. On cold, frosty mornings I like to make the girls porridge and give them something to warm them up. Not sure if they all appreciate it though!!

These two lovelies will lay eggs with dark brown shells with flecks on them, can't wait for the first one.

I haven't named them yet, which is unusual for me,...........any suggestions?

The same morning the cows lined up along the fence to watch the chooks eating warm porridge. I didn't have anything for them and felt a little guilty, but I think they were enjoying the suns warming rays more than anything.

Tig, always manages to find the perfect spot in the garden and sleep most of the day away.

Life's tough when you are a cat.

Well I hope wherever you are the last week has been a good one. I hope you found time to be inspired by your surroundings and be creative, whether it's with a brush and palette, pen, needle and thread , on your knees in the garden or whipping up some treat in the kitchen.

Until next time, thanks for dropping by, please take the time to leave a comment and say "hi".

From my corner of the globe to yours,

Claire X