Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Visiting with Mum

Hello dear friends & readers

I have been away for a week to visit my Mum :-)
However, I have been home for a week now & had not planned to be this long between posts ...
but while I was at Mums my camera had a "hissy fit"
then when I got home my computer decided to have a "hissy fit"!!
then yesterday when my sewing machine had a "hissy fit". . . 
I very nearly had my own massive Hissy Fit -
and threw the lot out the window!!!!!!!!

Now - thankfully - normality is restored :-)
(well - as normal as we know it)

One of the highlights of visiting with Mum is that my friend Claire lives down there
Claire invited me for lunch one day - I accepted with enthusiasm
(to be honest with you - I would accept even if Claire told me she didnt actually feel like speaking with anyone that day & I could just visit & wander around her house!!!!!!)
Visiting with Claire is always such a tonic & an inspiration
& was exactly what I needed
I didnt know it at the time, but she had invited her Mum and also Michelle who had joined us from here
we had the most lovely time together
this was the table where we ate our lunch

Yes - I fretted about eating off a quilt!!!!
Michelle had made THE most lovely raspberry muffins & bought them in a colander with a doiley under them !!!
How perfect

Our serviettes on plates :-)

Claires Easter display


Eating by candlelight for lunch ???  Yes I could get used to this!!!

Michelle wrote a post about our day here 

More eye candy

bunting made from vintage handkerchiefs/brooches

I never tire of looking at Claires displays - she just has this amazing instinct for putting treasures together - many of them are Op Shop finds
She had re-decorated her bedroom since my last visit...

And I can see why she feels like she is "on vacation" when she sleeps in here !!!
Also her spare room has had a make-over . . . 


It was just stunning with its colourways & its feature wall

She had just completed another room the day before our visit
This was where my camera had its first "moment"
but Michelle had captured some really good photos on her blog
I did get these couple . . .


                        of her lamp she had "embellished"

And this quilt actually matches her sewing machine
sitting in front of it!!!!   :-)


Michelle & I pulled this gorgeous basket out from under a dresser
& offered to "go halves" sharing it between each other


beautiful vintage laces wound onto old music paper & vintage wooden spools
(Claire - if it goes missing .... it may well be at my house!!!)

The visit was such a treat - thanks Claire & Michelle & Nancy
& best of all ... they let me sit there talking about the fat fluffy for ages too !!!!!!!  (thanks so much girls xxx)

While I was down there Mum turned 84 :-)
I had stitched her this cushion over Easter - I told her there were lots of tears stitched into the fabric as Mr Wolf had just passed away - Mum LOVED her cushion :-)
(by 84 it kinda gets hard to know what to give them)


This was a Natalie Bird design but I changed the verse as it was written about "friends"
also it was a bolster cushion but I knew Mum wouldn't be into the bolster style so I altered that
& I changed the words to relate to "mum"




(I used a variegated thread to stitch this & was a little disappointed in the result - the Mr asked me why it was ":faded" in some places - Mum, thankfully, didnt notice)



Mum & I travelled many miles this visit - on one occasion I took her down to Foxton to visit her brother (who is 86)
we also visited family gravesites at Palmerston North


Mum commented that her sisters grave was looking "very old"
I reminded her that little Yvonne did, in fact, pass away in 1936!!!


While I was down there I did indulge in some retail therapy
of course, for me, this mainly means Op Shopping
some of my bargains included . . . 

THIS gorgeous little oven cloth - I loved the applique detailing on it
- & all for 50 cents !!!!!


This lovely little swan with a "repaired" neck which I shall disguise


This little verse appealed to me - from a craft shop in Sanson


this little "planter" was just ideal for my vintage kitchen utensils & sits perfectly on my egg holder


And THIS lovely box made from old rulers (which was NOT an Op Shop purchase) but was bought brand new to hold bits & bobs on my sewing desk :-)  (I could NOT resist)

Since I have been home I have battled with my sewing machine & only achieved one completion
which was this cushion made from the doiley I purchased back in January, from Raglan
I had in mind to make a squashy cushion for my chair for the winter


And I especially didnt want to cut this doiley up!!!



Finally friends, I just wanted to say Thank You to you all for all your lovely, very kind comments on my last post
your heartfelt words wrapped themselves around me at a very sad time & made me feel comforted
I miss the fat fluffy more than I could ever have imagined
Yesterday while mowing, I saw a birds nest on the lawn
& upon inspection, I noticed it had lots of his fur wound around inside the very middle of it
I liked to think that he was still "giving back" even though he is no longer with us



to all creatures, great & small :-)
Thanks - as always - for stopping by 
Have a great rest of the week everyone
much love/hugs/friendship
Julie Xoxo

7 comments:

  1. Julie, what a lovely post ... sounds like you have had a nice time away with your mum and friends. How you felt being at Claire's, inspired, motivated etc is just how we felt after visiting with you (I still have warm fuzzy feelings thinking about it). Our Megan has left and headed for her new life in Christchurch, we miss her heaps already. Condolences on the loss of your faithful friend xx

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  2. I'm with Kerryn, a lovely post. Claire's home is amazing, just like your's, so inspiring!
    How frustrating to have your techno gadgets having fits.
    Eight years after the loss of my special dog it was all raw, sad & joy to find her hair in the brush of the vacumn cleaner.
    How special to see the birds loved your fluffy friend too!

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  3. What a beautiful post Julie... Just what I needed. So much gorgeousness at your friends home and so many beautiful goodies to bring home. I have to admit big tear over the birds nest.
    Hugs xx

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  4. Wow where to start! It was a great day together! We will have to arrange another? It was great catching up with you! The pillow you made your Mum is gorgeous and as for those finds of you's love them!! Especially the ruler box! The cushion you made with the doily is sooooo cute, it has given me an idea!! The nest pulled at the old heart!
    Michelle.

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  5. Hello Julie,

    Such an inspiring post. Hope your Mum and you had a lovely time together. I agree with you on the vacation at home. Great pick ups at the op shops.

    Have a relaxing weekend.
    Bev.

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  6. I love to read your posts Julie, it sounds like a wonderful time away and Claire's home looks beautiful and inspiring. Love your new purchases and the gorgeous cushion you made. Hugs Wendy

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  7. So beautiful...glad you had a great time with your mom!!!

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