Sunday, December 2, 2012

Teacup Teddies & some summer garden snaps

Hello friends & readers :-)
 
 
My Mother was appalled a couple of birthdays ago
when she gave me this beautiful Robert Gordon cup, saucer & plate set

& all I could think was. . .
"I can't wait to make a teacup teddy for it"
 
Hello there
 
I had an order to do 2 teacup teddies so I decided to make 4 so I could have 2 for the Cottage as well
 
this shows the basic shape of the entire body piece
 
 
Could I have a nose stitched on please . . .
 
It feels like they have taken me ages to do  - they are little "fiddle bum" things to make even tho they are a simple pattern
 
 
 
Because they are basically a body with arms & legs all in one
& then a head with a gusset & ears
you can make them out of the smallest scraps of fur you have
I used all mohair for these four
 
this chap was a gorgeous hand-dyed blue mohair - a leftover piece from a larger teddy
 
Hello - My Name is Bluebell :-)
 
 
This was quite a long shaggy mohair fur
it turned out quite tricky to work with on such a small design
but has made up really feminine looking
& gorgeous sitting in the rose cup. . .
 
My Name is Rosebud
 
 
 
 
Gosh what a relief now they are all done :-)
I wanted to add a little note here . . .  I have not done teacup teddies for over 2 years now due to the fact that a lady came to me with 12 different Maxwell & Williams teacups (yes that is TWELVE)-  & I had to make a teacup teddy for each one in a different fur colouring/style etc!!!  So you can well imagine by the end I did NOT want to see another one for a good long time!!!***)
 
I have been working on other orders in between this
 
 
A box of fabric apples went to Auckland in the post
the package smelt delicious with the cinammon clove scent
I think the lady was going to string them from her tree for christmas
 
 
I also had an order for some doiley pincushions
I always love working with my doiley stash & made extra's for the Cottage as had sold a few recently
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sometimes when I am busy working on orders I dont get out to check on the garden a great deal
& when I do - things have shot away on me
My neck was getting sore so I took my camera & went for a walk
 
Lovely terracotta pots of petunias on a window shelf
 
Can you believe when I ordered this punnet of plants
I asked for red petunias & when they came in the label said red!!
The Sleepout attached to our carshed - note to self "trim climber around window" ! ! !
 
but the pink looks just fine :-)
When Kane built me this shelf we glued moss all over it
with the hot glue gun
but the birds made short work of it pulling it all off within 3 days!!
 
These little faces popped out at me in the garden
 
Good old Dublin Bay along the trellis
 
Good old foxgloves still flowering away
 
 
I quite like splashes of white in my native area
this was an old wine barrell given to me by Sarah
(my oldest sons lovely partner)
 
 
You can see where the birds pull at the basket lining for the coconut fibre
 
There is a soft haze of purple as the lavendars come into bloom
on the pathway to the Pond
 
 
Thankyou for taking that little walk around with me
today is our 1st day of Summer here
officially spring is over & its a beautiful day today
but I shall miss spring as its my favourite season of the year
 
I had The Most Loveliest Surprise again this past week
I had a customer whom I had met through my blog from here. . .
 
 
 Michelle has written a great post about their huge road trip
do go have a read
we chatted non-stop even though her stop was only brief
Her & her husband were just the most friendliest people
we couldve chatted for hours
with the little goats yelling in the background! ! !
Thanks so much for stopping in Michelle
 

Hi Michelle & Mike - I'm back in my usual spot - guarding the place for Mum !!
 
And this big old fellow says "hello" to you also
  He very much enjoyed meeting you both (& the goats)
 
I am off to pick some veges as there is lots ready all of a sudden in the vege garden too
 
 
freshly cooked beetroot grown by me
 
Have a lovely week out there friends
will be back next post with some christmas decorating (she hopes!!)
Thanks as always for stopping by :-)
Hugs/love/friendship, Julie Xox
 
 


11 comments:

  1. Julie your talents are endless!!!!
    How amazing are those bears, how do you do it.
    I can't stand to do tiny work, it makes my eyes hurt and my fingers are not nimble for it :)

    Those apples are my fav! I bet they smell amazing.
    You have been a very busy girl.
    Happy Summer! The garden is in full bloom WOW!
    so pretty.

    It is still so hot here, no sign of winter ever coming. But we pretend, lol
    Can't wait to see your Christmas decor.
    Amy

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    1. Hello Amy - to be honest I was really quite grumpy the whole time I was making them & only finished them because I made myself sit at it today!!! Your crochet work is amazing & I often think the same thing about some of the things you make :-)
      It is raining here now which is great to give the garden a good water as things are dry. But I have no right to complain to You about dry weather !!!
      I am tempted (after your email) to sit out at the mail box for the week !!!! Keep creating dear friend, Hugs, Julie :-)

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    1. Hi Louana - thanks so much - like you, I just love working with old textiles & linens. I enjoy the aspect of making something new from something that would otherwise, maybe, be thrown away :-) Julie

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  3. lol Julie.
    I hate when I have orders that I am not into, it defeats the purpose of why I make the things that I do.
    I am not sure how long things take to get there, take an umbrella ;)

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  4. Your teacup teddies look fun. I think you must have tremendous patience to churn out orders, I would get fed up doing the same thing! Your garden is so full of colour - foxgloves are my favourite flower I think. Betty

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    1. Hello Betty - yes foxgloves are one of my favourites too - the pinky purple is very common over here but I just LOVE the cream ones that came up. Yes I guess it does take patience to do the orders - sometimes people ask you to make something and inside you just cringe!! But the orders are my "bread & butter (money)" if you know what I mean. Cheerio, Julie :-)

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  5. My you have been busy! How adorable...teapot teds : ) Bluebell & Rosebud...how sweet is that! Your garden is looking wonderful...we've started to dry out & flag about now...no rain & 28 degrees today! Nero would be miserable if he lived at my house, that's for sure. Petunias in small pots wouldn't last 2 mins here..love yours & the colour. Phew, isn't that chinese star jasmine potent..but definitely trimable, thank goodness. I guess you pick most of your lavender for sachets & things. I picked some lettuce for dinner does that count? Isn't beetroot the most magnificent colour. Love to you Catherine x0x0x

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    Replies
    1. Hello Catherine. Yes things are dry here also & having to water every night which I am tired of already:-)
      Yes I will pick my lavender in Jan or Feb & dry it for sachets & also sell some bunches in cottage. Gosh 28 degrees - sure is hotter over your way!! Yes picking lettuce DOES indeed count dear friend !! Love Julie & Nero Xox

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  6. it is very good blog and it is very informative blog.
    Maxwell & Williams

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  7. May you have been busy! How sweet...teapot teds : ) Bluebell & Rosebud...how nice is the fact that! The garden is appearing wonderful...


    Maxwell & Williams

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