Wednesday, May 28, 2014

headless chooks, creativity, seeds & kittens !!!

Good afternoon dear friends & readers


The phone conversation last week, went something like this . . .
 "yes of course Joss, you would be most welcome to bring your garden group ... when would you like to come??" 
. . .  inside my head a little voice was saying over & over repeatedly . . . 
"please say next spring, please say next spring!!!"

Joss's reply came back ... "Oh Monday week would suit us"
Good Grief!!!
a quick glance outside ... Oh yes, the garden really does look perfectly disgusting!!!
and so the rest of the week I ran around like a headless chook trying to get myself organised for the group . . .


and - of course - the gardening ladies were just lovely, plus because it was such an icy cold day & I had the heater on full, they spent most of their time inside the Cottage & barely looked at the rather messy garden :-)
(note to self .... never have garden groups in future after April)

Prior to their arrival I knew I was completely out of golly teatowels so one rainy afternoon I appliqued another five -


plus I noticed the doiley pincushions were down to one lonely soul left, so I ran some more of these up using some of my doiley stash



Also on the creative front ... I remembered that Nola had ordered a teacup teddy quite some time ago
"a plain bear but with touches of red" ... were her instructions 
(I seemed to recall she had a red china cup to sit it in)

This little treasure was fashioned from some mohair scraps . . . 



. . .  and I got to "practise" with my own red dotty cup  :-) 



One of my purchases while down at Carolyn's was this gorgeous wool felt pincushion pattern - a design from Anni Downs of  Hatched and Patched



I already had the wool felt colours so once I had cut it all out,  it was just so enjoyable to sit & hand stitch a little each night beside the fire


After shelling a large batch of walnuts I tried crushing the shells in my ( very ancient) blender, 
as the pattern required crushed walnut shells for stuffing



I was SO pleased with my "Alice Angel Pincushion" & now I think I would like to make another one, fill it with dried lavender, add a little string from the top & hang it on a doorknob  . . . 

Last week (while running around like a headless chook) I received a lovely package in the mail
Catherine & I originally met through our blogs - although we have met up once - due to geographical reasons (living on opposite sides of the island), we are more blogging friends & exchange emails & comments via our blogs 
Catherine had promised me some seeds last year & she sent me the most wonderful parcel including the seeds 
& along with a book to read that she had blogged about here
 
Catherine wrote in her message that "perhaps Friendship Bread might need to become a Pay It Forward book" ... & so I thought about the idea of reading it & then sending it on along with some seeds from my garden ... to someone else who might like to do the same . . . ??? what do you think ???
If you would like to receive the book when I have read it (+ seeds) then do let me know & I will send it on 
Perhaps we should just keep this within New Zealand due to all the strict rules & regulations for posting seeds overseas ???

Thanks SO much to Catherine for her generosity - the parcel simply made my whole week!!!

... and the kittens ...

The kittens are settling in well even though their mother takes them away frequently



this greeted me the other day when I had left the door slightly ajar - even Bob had ventured inside

And even though The Mr tells me every single day
(at least twice!!!)
we are NOT keeping those kittens ... 
I did notice that it was indeed him who had named two of them
this one he has named "little sickie" (yes I know!!!)


"Little sickie" likes the heater in the mornings & the fire in the evenings thanks very much ...  
"Oh & if you could keep putting the wood on without disturbing me too much, that would be great too!!)



this one is called "little socksie" due to his white sock feet.
Little Socksie is veery cute & also veery naughty - I just wish he would stop practising his star jumps into my potted flowers each evening!!! (Oh & now I see he is teaching the others how to as well!!!)


as you can see, they are all growing like little mushrooms . . .
Hurry up with the food in there can you . . .

Okay. . . no more kitten photos I promise :-)

It feels like we are in for a doozy of a frost tonight so best go fill the wood basket - thanks so very much for stopping by today - your visits are always appreciated
with much love & friendship to you all
Julie x0x0x

17 comments:

  1. HeHe! 'No more kitten photos'...In that case...I will have to
    reconsider my 'following' and 'comments' status! :).
    People can't have a Blog with out pussy~cats....! Just not done!
    And, let's be honest, it's the Mr who really wants to keep them! :>).
    Good for him!

    And, the teddy looks lovely...Which reminds me....It's 6:30 in the
    morn'in over here....Not had my lemon tea yet! So! I'm off for a cup,
    back shortly for another read, and check out the kittens.....! Thankyou!

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  2. More kitten photos! I like little socksie - if it wasn't for the geographic issues I would be coming to collect him right now!
    I am going to try to find the friendship bread book as it looks like a good read - a fabulous giveaway idea - wrong side of the globe for me!
    Your little teddy is so sweet, you must have worked so hard to get all the tea towels and pin cushions made up so fast.
    Betty

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  3. Oh i agree never too many kitten photos! Especially kittens warming by a fireside. Ooo be still my heart, what a precious scene. I can't believe you are so cold and icy so fast. It is sweltering here. I would love to stitch away with you in front of that fire. Your pincushions are so good. Love them. Stay warm my friend. I am headed to the beach to cool off for a bit ;)
    Amy

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  4. What a busy and creative time you have had Julie. I love your angel pincushion. You sure were game having a gardening club visit at this time of the year. My garden certainly doesn't look its best at present. Enjoy the book. It has done the circle of my little patchwork group and we all enjoyed it very much. I did make ONE batch of friendship bread and passed some bread along but no one wanted the dough. I wonder why!!

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  5. Oh likey, likey soooo much, Loving the wool felt pincushion, Anni's designs are great.Neato you can make the crushed walnut shell. Well maybe that's the trick for these folk that want to see your garden this time of the year, send them into your shop. If they are anything like me, they will have a hard time leaving!
    Those kittens, cheeky little sods! still that's what happen's MR, when you start naming them! Yes I have the Friendship book, a great read, but then you get ones like Barbara that go make the 'friendship' bread! It can turn you off your friends!LOL!!xxx

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  6. You really do keep out of mischief Julie, your creative endeavours are so creative :-) The kittens are just so cute, keep the photos coming please! Your Anni pincushion is so cute - a lovely idea to make one with lavender. Would love to be part of a PIF with the friendship bread book :-) Keep warm!!!

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  7. Love the kitty photos. They are adorable. The wool felt cushion is lovely. Really interesting the crushed walnuts. What do they feel like in the cushion Julie? Was it a hard job doing it? Great looking book. Shirley

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  8. Definitely go with your pay it forward idea with the book and the seeds. You sure have been busy, and everything you have made is fabulous. Now the kittens, OMG how cute are they. I would be hard pushed not to keep them all, your hubby sounds like mine, but I think like me you ignore because you know how soft he is. Who wouldn't go soft over those kittens? Looking forward to meeting you soon!!

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  9. I love how the kittens have adopted you...you have no choice! I always enjoy looking at all your makes... keep stitching. xx

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  10. I love all your preparations.... gorgeous! So is cute ted and the red dotty cup and saucer! I have read that book and it is so beautiful and my stitching friends enjoyed it too. I gotta a feeling some little kitties (who haven't remained nameless he he) may be home xx

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  11. Hello dear friend. Well done you on accommodating the Garden Circle tour so gracefully. I'm sure that your garden actually looked perfectly charming...with all the mulching & so forth that you've been up to. It is of course, now really rather winter : ) That heavy frosted totally munted the impatiens...yik they just go all weird & collapse & that is the end if that! I do adore your wee angel pincushion. Golly how did your blender cope with the walnut shells? They're pretty hard!! Are they required to keep the pins sharp do you think? Walnut shells make great fire starters & so too do cabbage tree leaves, I have just discovered. Apparently they don't break down in the land fill & although long & awkward they are great in the fire department. Ahem...you may like to read the Friendship Bread book first...you never know you might not enjoy it! Seems like the Kiwi consensus all round is flag the actually bread bit! Seeds definitely sound like a better plan.
    Other people's kittens really are SO adorable!!
    Much love & winter cheer from over here. Catherine x0x0x

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  12. You certainly had a busy time, I'm sure your gardens looked beautiful. Your new makes are gorgeous, the little teddy is so sweet sitting inside the teacup. Love the pincushion too and as for those kittens, they are so cute. It looks like you have lots of new additions to your family! hugs Wendy xx

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  13. Julie, I had a little chuckle as I'm reading that exact book right now! About 1/2 way through and loving it. :-)
    hugs
    Jenny
    x

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  14. Hello Julie,

    Oh my those dear little kittens just make your heart melt! Lots of lovely goings on at your home. Love that Angel Pincushion. Enjoy your book, I have heard of that one but never read it.
    Enjoy your holiday on Monday.

    Happy days.
    Bev.

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  15. Oh Julie!! lol I had a good laugh with this post.....from the garden story to
    the kitten story. How funny are you? lol You pulled through though.
    Cheers, Anita.

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  16. ahhh I love kitties - you have to keep a ginger one....Yes please I'd love to be in your book pay it forward and seeds from your garden. - Sounds a fun idea!

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  17. Dear Julie
    I thought I had already left a comment on this lovely post - I must be going doolally!
    Thank the Lord for icy cold days, not the best for wandering around gardens!
    Your Golly teatowels are delightful, I especially love the red one with the pretty paisley apron
    Alice Angel Pincushion is very sweet - love the colours and the blue blanket.
    I've meant to make a tiny bear for Jessie - note to self here. Nola will be thrilled with hers!
    Catherine is such a kind soul and her PIF idea is just lovely - nice when more then one person benefits from a kind deed!

    I'm surprised you've managed to get so much sewing done with all those beautiful little kittens - they're adorable!
    Beautiful photos especially the ones looking through the windows!

    Check your mailbox mid week!
    Such a wonderful inspiring post dear Julie!
    Hugs
    Shane
    PS Back to 4 days working now so not much gets done here. LOL

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