Sunday Morning Snaps

Thought I might try out hubby's new camera, I refer to it as 'the beast'! It's quite alot bigger than my 'pocket rocket' camera which fits perfectly in my hand bag.

Unfortunately my little camera is playing up so until some clever person can fix it for me, 'the beast' will have to do.

I took 'the beast' for a little roam around the garden Sunday morning. A beautiful , sunny morning, I was a little bit snap happy, but have just chosen a few favourites to share with you all.

These Tulips just keep coming up year after year, creating a splash of colour in my front garden.

The cat has his afternoon nap in this garden bed and the chooks often head around here when my back is turned and they scratch away the mulch but these Tulips keep on keeping on.

Their colour is stunning and the camera has captured it perfectly.

The standard roses above the Tulips are Camp David, beautiful ,deep, red roses, with that wonderful rich scent. I love them, they provide me with many blooms to cut and take inside and fill lots of vases with.

Crab Apples, don't you just love the combination of raspberry pink buds opening to a paler pink, mixed with the green leaves.

Click on the photos to enlarge and enjoy all their beauty.

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous.

The Nashi Pear is flowering. Love the contrasting little black 'dots' on the stamens inside the flower .

If you have never had a Nashi Pear, it's like a cross between an apple and a pear and they are lovely, sweet, juicy and crunchy.

Can't wait until the tree is fruiting.

When you are out in the garden working away and need a break, just grab one of these and sit in the shade and enjoy it, mmm................

Yes, more book covers . Three very different styles.

The chicken fabric has been sitting in my stash for way too long, so I whipped up a couple on Saturday afternoon while I watched the AFL grand final. I'm not a huge football fan (or should that be a huge fan of foot ball, hmmm! ) but this game had me on the edge of my chair for the last ten minutes or so.

In the end it was a draw and they have to come back next Saturday and do it all over again.

I was quite happy with how this turned out. It's a bit different for me but I think it's quite cute and I found a lovely saying to go with the picture:- "Man's heart away from Nature becomes hard." Standing Bear.

Whoever Standing Bear was or is, I think he made a very good point, don't you?

This week is a busy one with work, so not alot of sewing will be taking place. I will have to wait till Saturday before I can really crank up the sewing machine.

I hope your week is a productive one and full of creative moments.

Don't forget to take the camera with you and snap some of the beauty around you to share.

Till next time, take care,

Claire X

Early Morning Wakeup - 5.57 am Precisely

Yes, it was a very early morning start this morning.

I was awake there was no going back to sleep so I dragged myself out of a nice warm bed, threw on some clothes and went out to feed the chooks.

WOW, what a gorgeous morning. There was a mist rising and moving across the dam, the rosy glow of the sun rising up behind the mountains.
Bird song, it was like a choir singing. There were Magpies warbling off in the distance, Willy Wagtails chattering, Sparrows chittering, Parrots with their beautiful, high pitched sing songy call. Crows cawing and other unidentified feather friends adding their voice to the dawn chorus.

The sparrows had been up a long time, but the cows were still lying on the ground , their backs covered in dew, mist rising from their bodies warming in the light of day.

It was great to be up and see all this.

How did your morning start? Tell me what goes on in your little corner of the globe I would love to hear about it.

Polka dots are still the flavour of the month here and chocolate cake has never gone out of fashion I can assure you.

The latest book cover, rolling off the production line for a market next month.

Had a lot of fun making this, so without doubt there will be quite a few more in the coming weeks.

Front and back view.

Inside it is lined with white fabric.

Of course there has to be bunting, it's just sooooooo Spring.
I made a quick trip to Spotlight last week and rolls of pink and green polka dot fabric just jumped into my arms, honest. You all know how it is!
There is still more to be made in different colour ways. It's so easy to cut, sew, press and voila. Well, actually there is quite a bit more to it than that!

The little birdy cushion hanging from the door is from www.mimiloveforever.blogspot.com. If you have never visited her blog, head on over there, she is one, clever and creative lady.

Hey, not just yet, I have more things to show you !!!!

Check this out, isn't it one of the cutest bird houses you have seen. My boys bought it back from their weekend away at The Turning Wave Festival in Gundagai. No. 1 spotted it at the market and knew it was just 'me'. It's made of recycled timber and has lovely rusted iron on it, plus twigs and seed pods nailed to it for added interest.

I'm thinking it may be a teeny, tiny bit small for some of the parrots here, but I have hung it up in the 'Wild Wood' out the front where the parrots seem to visit and hope it's not too long before they are sampling the lovely seed I have left out for them.

I could almost see a little swag of bunting out the front. I am sure that would attract their attention.....................

Without doubt it would convince Mr. SBL that I have truly lost the plot!!

Made by the Eumundi Bird House Co., it certainly has alot of character.

The local market was on here Sunday morning. I didn't have a stall. As I hinted in my last post, the creative drive seemed to have come to a dead end, so I decided I would have a little lie in Sunday morning and head on in later as a customer.

I picked up this lovely pot of Daffodils for $3.50 , bargain. They are called Shirley Anne and have a beautiful delicate salmon pink ruffled cup.

It's seems as if I am becoming a collector of Daffodils......................

Yesterday, being such a glorious Spring day No. 1 and I decided to head to the waterhole for a picnic lunch. We drove the van down and along with two handsome looking ducks ( I assume they are fellas!) a black swan, which is a rare visitor to these parts and a couple of people trying their luck at fishing - we were the only ones there!

The water level has come right up with the recent rains. There used to be a 3 metre sandy beach behind those ducks now the water reached almost up to the picnic table.

It's lovely to see it looking so full.

I can see a few more picnics being had at this lovely spot, can't you?

Shall leave you with this photo of Tig. What can I say about it? Don't you envy him, being able to sleep anywhere and anytime.

He's totally oblivious to everyone and everything, how nice! Just hope he's oblivious to my new bird feeder.........................

Well, it's time to plug the sewing machine in and whip up some more bunting and book covers. I hope your day has something lovely in store for you.

Thanks so much for dropping by, always lovely to hear from you, so if you have a spare minute or two leave a comment and say "hi".

Till next time,

Take care,

Claire X

Inspiration equals motivation

This stunning Persimmon tree above, is the inspiration for a new tea cosy. Every year I say I will take a photo of this tree and sadly the fruit disappears and I still haven't taken a picture.

It's an old gnarled tree and a few metres away there is another one. You can see where cattle have 'pruned' the bottom of the canopy to a nice even shape.

As the leaves fall, the fruit hangs on the tree and on foggy, winter days the orange persimmons glow like bright orange orbs in the mist, just stunning.

This year both trees are laden with fruit, but the crows soon eat it. The land is private property so it is hard to get a decent picture of it, but I am happy with this.

I would like a photo of it 'glowing ' in the fog, so shall have my camera and boots ready to head out and snap some pictures.

Here is the tree, it's covered in beautifully coloured leaves with a carpet underneath.

Click on the photo to enlarge. I usually stick with black thread for my embroidery using fabric and scraps for the colour. Obviously this wasn't going to work with small objects like leaves.

I'm really happy with the picture and now all I have to do is finish the other side which will have an appropriate saying.

Sometimes it's good to step outside your comfort zone and try something new. You might just surprise yourself!

Uploaded in the wrong order!

The tree shortly after beginning. Don't you just love that feeling when something comes together just as you imagined it?

Our Maples along the driveway continue to colour up nicely. They are probably at their peak now and when the sun is shining on them, it's just brilliant.
A couple of more book covers:- the one above is of dried Agapanthus stems. They make great dried arrangements. Once all the flowers have fallen off the lime green stems look spectacular.Gradually, they fade to a parchment colour, I used black so that they would stand out.
Another butterfly cover with a quote from Hans Christian Anderson :- "Just living is not enough", said the butterfly "one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower"

I wonder if that flower could be a Zinnia?

These little treasures are a bit early, but nonetheless very welcome in my garden. I love Jonquils and while some people may find their scent a bit overpowering, I love it. It makes me think of Winter/Spring and I love to bring them indoors and let their beautiful perfume waft through the house.

This is a vary rare photo. The gorgeous little grey cat was a stray who adopted us and it took many years before I could get near her and pat her. Alot of patience and cat treats were required. Here she is with the 'love of her life' Tigger.

She is still very shy and usually sleeps on a dining chair underneath the table, but I placed her on the ottoman and she was very happy to curl up by her mate and even let me take a couple of snaps.

Not bad being a cat, you get to sleep alot, play eat fish and curl up in front of the heater. Life could be worse.

I hope you all had a good weekend and I hope that the week ahead holds some time for you to be creative and enjoy the beauty around you.

Until next time, thanks for stopping by and saying 'hi'

Claire X

12 Days in April May

What can you say when someone offers to cook dessert after the dishes are done and the kitchen is clean?

You say "YES" of course.

Not the cooking techniques Nigella would use, but just as effective.


Cheesy grin, warpaint flour on the cheeks and standard cooking outfit, gotta keep the feet warm!!

"What did he make?" you ask, his current favourite of course - Golden Syrup Dumplings and I must say they were yummy, light as a feather .

This post is a little late, but he turned 19 on the 28th of April. Where did all those years go?We went out for a coffee and he took this photo, not bad for a one handed attempt.

He's just decided to grow the little goatee thingy on his chin and it makes him look soooooooo much older, sigh!!!

Standard Autumn leaf throwing photo. Couldn't resist taking a few leafy shots .

What do you buy a 19 y.o.? Driving lessons of course and 2 tickets to see Powderfingers last concert. They went on sale before we realised, just as well we are in the country and the tickets to the Albury concert didn't sell out, phew, big sigh of relief!!

A little bit of sewing going on here. Two more book covers rolled off the press. Kombi love is still going strong. Not sure about the angle? I made a drawing from a photo in a magazine and there was only one headlight showing and two tyres but the more I look at it the more I think I should've added in the other headlight and a tyre on the right front.

What do you think? All opinions welcome. Mind you this is a prototype, so I will do it somewhat differently next time.

It's coming into Hottie Hugger season (H.W.B. covers!!)

A friend commented on some at my market stall and I said I could do one with a caravan on the front for her as she often heads off on holiday with her hubby in their van.

So far so good, just need to put it together and fill up the hottie .
(Click on the photo to enlarge)

The 'writing' says "wherever I park my van that's my home" also on the Kombi book cover.

Woke up one morning last week to find the sky chocabloc with vapour trails.

I have never seen so many at the one time. In the above photo there are 9 if you start counting from the top RH corner and there were another 2 possibly 3 outside of the shot.

The planes are flying between Sydney and Melbourne a busy route, obviously.

No volcano clouds preventing planes from flying here.

These beauties are putting on a wonderful display in my garden at the moment.

Had to cut a bunch for the bedroom, so I could admire the stunning colours.

The photo just doesn't do them justice.

I really can't think of the right colour to describe them, except to say they are a burnt red with an almost gold tone on the centre petals.

Absolutely, divine and very Autumnal ( ooh I do love using that word)

I didn't realise until I put them on the dresser that they match the doona cover. No photos, but there's an idea. Designer flowers to match your bed linen, hmm.

I'll just put that out there, for anyone with a creative flair!!

Another shot of the maples in the driveway. Just keeping track of how they are colouring up. It's been a long process this year, as they started to change colour way back in January.


Shall finish with a final photo of the birthday boy.

What can I say about No 1 son (only child actually) so that will give you an idea of how special he is.

We drive each other crazy sometimes, he is like me in alot of ways and has my worst personality traits poor kid.

On the up side he has a wonderful sense of humour, we laugh alot, talk with silly accents and say lots of stupid things that only we get.

We communicate fairly well considering he's a teenager!!

He gives me lots of great hugs and he tells me he loves me, I enjoy each and every one of them.

I love the fact that I have been able to show him how to enjoy the beauty in the simple things in life:- sunsets, the stars at night, the colours of Autumn and all those things that don't cost a cent.

He said the best thing about his birthday was the fact there would be a full moon.(Could've saved myself alot of money, but how do you wrap the moon?) We love watching it rise over the mountains.

He's a talented musician, if you would like to see and hear a little of what he does he has a music myspace you can check it out at www.myspace.com/richardperso or look him up on Youtube

Thanks for letting me be a little self indulgent, after all , birthdays only happen once a year.

Well, that's some of what's been happening in my little corner over the last 12 days. I hope all is well with you, till next time.

Claire X

P.S. I am waiting on a very special parcel which is 'winging' it's way from the very talented Mimilove in the UK. You can view her blog here at www.mimiloveforever.blogspot.com

Shall share with you all when it arrives.

It Won't Hurt A Bit I Promise!!

Scissors at the ready, will I won't I?!!

It didn't hurt a bit, honestly. Make sure you use doily's that haven't been handed down from your great great great grandmother! Can't remember where this one came from, but it does have some mildew marks on it. I should be able to get another cover out of the other end. The embroidery was lovely and I am more than happy with how the cover turned out.


Here it is front and back, once again using the fabric from the Butterfly Journal Cover. I thought it was a nice match with the embroidery.

Ah, Violets, "how could I " you ask, "quite easily" I reply. Love the colours, purple and green two of my favourites and throw in some polka dots and there you have it. Wasn't sure about all the blank space on the doily, but I decided to leave it alone and not muck about with it.

Two together, I think they look quite nice and certainly a different use for a doily. Instead of having them in a drawer being eaten by silverfish, or worse still completely forgotten, give them a new lease on life.

Thoughts please, do you like them or not, be honest now.

Aha, recognise the flower variety, I hope so!! Zinnias, I love them, the gorgeous colours they come in ,light up the garden in summer and it's soooo nice to cut a bunch and bring inside. "Earth laughs in flowers" is the quote.

Front and back view

For those living in the Northern Hemisphere where it's a little chilly at the moment, I thought you might like to see what 's happening in gardens down south. I hear your Spring is on the way, so be patient. All good things are worth waiting for. These are Belladonna Lillies or Naked Ladies, usually you see the pink variety but these are the white ones. They are veeeeeeeery special, dug up from my mum's garden after she passed away. She loved her garden and as we were going to sell her unit, I didn't' want everything to be lost if the new owner was a non gardener!

I dug them up and gave them a home in my garden, it has taken three years but finally they have flowered.

Haven't they put on a beautiful display, the perfume is divine and off to the right is "Curtsy Girl" also belonging to mum. Don't know if that's the correct name for her or just what mum referred to her as.

Mmmmmmm, delicious colours, so bright and clear. Love the yellow around the centre. Zinnias are so cheery and hardy, they make me feel happy and it's always a surprise to see what colour the first flower on the plant is going to be.


Oops, I clicked something and the photo has completely disappeared, so you will just have to take my word for it (hmmm, scratches head thoughtfully!)

Another cheery, happy flower, Sunflowers with the Zinnias in the background. These are a small variety of Sunflower but still lovely and the chooks love the seed heads if the sparrows leave any for them!

Speaking of chooks, my rooster and Mrs Rock were happy to pose for me unlike the other somewhat camera shy girls.

It has been awfully humid this past week, which is not the usual summer weather. It is usually a very dry heat here, but there were tropical type storms brewing, so what do you do, grab your didgeridoo and go outside and play it of course! You can see the storm off to the right, someone is already receiving a good downpour. Our air conditioner is now fixed, hooray. We are soft aren't we, but being a winter person, I dislike the heat and humidity.

Mind you I decided to clean windows during the week and the perspiration was just pouring off me. Once I get an idea and am in the mood it's better to go with it and get it done than to put it off .

We have just had another down pour this afternoon about 6pm. Down came the rain in buckets, the tank was overflowing , the garden certainly got a good watering which is fabulous. In about 10 minutes or so we received 10.5 mls. Nothing to compare with the downpour in Melbourne last week, but we are grateful for every drop.

So what does the coming week have in store? I am planning to make a crochet hook roll, to keep all my hooks in one place. I have nearly finished one wrist warmer/ sleeveless glove, (you choose) I am very happy with how it is coming along and have managed to do quite a few rows whilst waiting to upload all these photos to my blog!! No doubt there will be more book covers in store. I must hand sew some brooch backs onto some sweet little "Kombi " brooches. I think that's enough to keep me going for a while, don't you?

Whatever your week has in store for you I hope it's a good one and you find time to create something that makes you smile and your heart sing.

Chocolate cake does that for me every time!!

Until next time

C X