Christmas Crafting & Sewing . . . . Part One

Greetings lovely friends & readers

 On my bench today, my first pick of Sweetpeas.  Growing these from seeds & getting them to the flowering stage has felt at times, like extracting teeth - it seems to have been a VeRy long process this year.  

I am still dehydrating oranges to fill my last potpourri orders, so I strung a garland of them along the rake in my kitchen as well as refreshing the oranges on my faux tree, that sits at the end of my bench. 

Long time readers may remember back in * this post * when I made these little Country Friends dolls for my friend Claire, to fit in a Pringles tin.  I'd cut out a set for myself at the same time & finally got around to dressing them & making them into a swag.  

I managed to use fabrics & felt scraps already in my stash as they only require very small pieces.

I've shown this guy photographed beside a small teaspoon to show how tiny they actually are.  VeRy fiddly to make. 

I've strung mine across the shelf that holds my red china, in the lounge room as the colours all went well together. 

This pair of doll shoes was in my sewing room - they measure 12 cms along the length of the heel so are either large dolls or small childs shoes.  I wanted to take the shiny-ness off them & googled it - it said to rub them with nail varnish remover, which I tried.  This did not a thing, so I lightly sanded them to dull them a bit.

I love small vintage shoes decorated at Christmas time & have several on my Pinterest boards.  I glued some offcuts of Oasis in the bases & then simply jammed a selection of things in.

A small teddy that came off a keyring, some greenery & pip berries, a couple of Christmas ornaments with the hooks removed & the smallest size bottlebrush tree that I had.  I love how these turned out 🎄💚

This white linen doll was in a wardrobe  ... I remember making her about 10 years ago now.  I wanted to do a small festive display on my bed & thought if I made her some red wings, she could pass as Christmassy.  

I cut into some of my Tilda fabrics as the red shade was perfect - I'm really pleased with how she looks now.

(She is a Rosalie Quinlan Angel - Friendship Angel pattern, very old now but still available I think)

Remember back in October in this post when I made this Pixie/Elf - he is a free pattern from shabby art boutique

This wooden trolley cart was $4 from my local SPCA shop, purchased during the winter months.  I painted it, lightly distressed it, & glued a piece of scrapbooking paper onto the tray part.  Even the red cord was able to be used again.

I found a couple of offcuts of transfers that were festive looking & applied these to 2 sides.  I thought it would make the perfect "vessel" to sit my Christmas Elf in.

I thought long & hard about what else to put in my cart - what would a busy elf need??  Some presents to deliver or help with  ... & perhaps a spare pair of elf boots for when his get worn out ?? I covered tiny boxes in fabric as I couldn't find any wrapping paper in the right colour way & then I made some simple elf boots from scraps of grey felt.  

I'm thrilled with him - he doesn't stay on my deck table, I've just photographed him out there as its dull inside the house today.  I must say he looks very happy sitting in his trolley cart  😊

I give my Grandsons a selection of choccy treats in their stockings each year.  I thought I'd like to make them a simple drawstring bag to contain all their edible treats this year.  This was very much about using-up-what-I-had-on-hand & I didn't want to purchase anything, apart from the treats themselves.  

I was pleased how the bags turned out & I even managed to line them with some other festive fabric I had in my stash.  

I banged into an old acquaintance in the Supermarket carpark last week & she asked me what I'd been up to recently?  I explained that I'd decorated the house & been hosting some folk to look at my festivities including my craft group etc.  She commented did I not think this was all a waste of time & energy when I could be doing other stuff ??

I didn't agree with her - we both agreed to differ ... but I felt it was timely when I came home & saw this verse online & it just kind of put into words how I was feeling.  I hope you enjoy it dear friends.

Thank you as always dear friends, for your welcome visits here today,

I shall be back soon with Part two as this post was more than long enough,

Sending much love & friendship out to you all,

Sorting Out The Muddle In My Head

Greetings lovely friends & readers

When I don't post for awhile, yet keep taking photos to share with you,  I get overwhelmed & don't know where to start.   The words & the photos all become a muddle in my head & go round & round.   I sit at the computer to blog, yet walk away many times.    Today I will attempt to sort out the muddle in my head, post some photos & actually put words to them  😳

On my table today - a vase of gorgeous Seafoam roses & a Ginger Snap candle - the most wonderful fragrance!

🤍

Immediately after the Garden Ramble, I began my Christmas Decorating.  What started off simply enough ended up taking me 2 weeks until I was happy with it all.  

I'd had several people wanting to come & enjoy it & I wanted it to be Just Right.  Since completing it I've had 8 different groups - by groups I mean ranging from 2 ladies to 6 which was the largest "group".  It's lovely to share it with people & see the pleasure it brings but I would not want to be doing this all the time.  In amongst all this I hosted the craft group ladies for our final get-together for the year.

 

One rainy day way back in July I sat at my table & dry brushed peat pots & some strawberry baskets that I'd purchased off Temu.  I had "a plan" for these.  My supervisor got tired of overseeing my work & had a bit of a nap.  

I wanted to make up some strawberry themed gift baskets for the craft ladies .... & the peat pots were for us to decoupage at our Christmas get together.

I decoupaged strawberry paper serviettes onto 2 sides of the baskets then lined them with strawberry tissue paper.  To fill them I purchased a small notepad & washi tape (strawberry themed) then I added mini strawberry candles.  I purchased these crochet strawberries from a ladies craft stall, sewed bells to the bottom then added a hanging thread & the Merry Christmas tag. I wanted them to be for the tree 🎄I also found an old bottle of strawberry oil & fragranced each one.  Some strawberry choccy treats completed the gift baskets.

I like to set my table festively for our get togethers.  Lots of christmas treats to eat - this was our morning tea - I've completely forgotten to photograph our lunch as well as any pics of the ladies & our finished projects.  I was having a total brain fog this day (Only this day Julie - we thought you had one most days ??!!)

No sooner had I waved Goodbye to the ladies & begun clearing the table than a certain ginger fairy plonked herself asleep right on the table!!!  She'd spent most of the day at the door, with a sour face, yet refusing to come inside. 

I've been lucky enough to receive some lovely gifts of the baking variety from the ladies that visit my Christmas decor - just wonderful.  Peanut Brittle, marshmallow truffles, fruit mince tarts & shortbread, all homemade  🤤

Last week my friend Dee came - from this wonderful website - & presented me with these 3 delightful handmade elfs .... "felt poppets" they were called.   Dee also gifted me the pattern & a kitset in case I'd like to make more.  I just adore them.

I've been baking for several weeks now - mainly my Fudge cake & Gingernut bites that I like to make each year.  I packaged some up for some of the visitors & they messaged & asked for the recipes - always a compliment.

During the year I keep an eye on the tins in the Op-shops & buy them when they are cheap reasonably priced.  I've filled this one for my rural delivery mail lady to give her tomorrow.

Because I had several bags of potpourri left after the Garden Ramble I put an advert on my Instagram page & took some photos of it attractively displayed around my home.  I find that this is the best time of year to sell it because folk think it is "christmassy" - even tho' I enjoy it all year round.

Would you believe, from that simple advert, I've bagged & posted over 50 bags all over New Zealand.  I ran out of orange slices twice & had to dehydrate some more.  It has been lovely to hear of the Joy it brings to people that have received it. 🧡

Last weekend we had good rain & I could hear the garden lapping it all up.  I sat on the floor & finished off the Grandson's Advent calendars as I needed to deliver them on Sunday, ready to commence on Monday morning. 

I had Sid for a weekend while his parents attended a concert & the following day he fell at school & fractured his arm.  He has taken it all in his stride & was pleased on Friday, to change to a lighter weight cast which he has drawn on already.  He only has one more week of school & then it will be full time Granny duties.

Thank you as always dear friends, for your welcome visits here today,

I will be back in a few days to share more of the muddle in my head - this time some Christmas sewing projects.

Sending much love & friendship out to you all - I hope you are navigating the festive season okay,

Come For a Wander Around My Garden

Greetings lovely friends & readers

(Warning - Photo Heavy Post)

Today on my table we have Remember Me Rose - I have 2 bushes now, one for each of my parents  🧡 It has the most divine fragrance.

 

As my garden finishes it's first flush of spring flowers I thought you might like to come for a little wander with me so I can share some of it with you.  Tours are normally 5 cents but you get yours for free today   😉

Pippi has decided to join us - won't that be fun😐

As you drive in my gate you can either go to the left (first pic) or you can veer to the right which takes you past my house.  Directly to the right is a large native garden that I try to keep a thick layer of mulch on, to curb the weed growth.

The left hand side takes you past my house & this is a flowering garden that leads to the deck.  This little silvery groundcover was purchased a couple of years ago as a punnet - I have no idea what it is but this is the first year it has flowered & it's delightful.  Please leave a comment if you should know the name of it.  

Up past the deck we go - self seeded Granny's bonnets & Poppies in here - people tell me they are "weeds" but I love them.  

Directly to the right is the Grapevine which runs the full length of our section - the Agapanthus were purchased as miniature but sure have grown to full size!!  I used to weed down this & it would take me 3 solid days but now I prefer to "weed" with a sprayer (!!)

I have had a lovely display of Foxgloves this year which are coming to an end - another plant that people tell me are "weeds" & that I Love!

Petunias & Lobelia

Past the corner of the deck we go - my hanging basket is lovely this year despite the wind it gets.  

Down the driveway past the carport.  Red Dublin Bay Rose on the trellis - no scent but still beautiful & dries wonderfully for potpourri.  

Over to the left is a large garden under the trees with lots of self seeded annuals & hellebores, geraniums, hydrangeas & heucheras. The trees in the background are maples. 

Bill & Ben & Bob - my flowerpot men, sitting on stumps in the shade ... looking a little dilapidated but I still adore them. 

To the far left of this garden is where I walk through to my clothes line & this has a buxus hedge around it.  I grow dried flowers in here, statice & strawflowers & a couple of herbs.  The tree is a Bay tree & I use the leaves in my citrus potpourri & cooking.

When we first moved here you could buy buxus plants for $1 each & that's how I started this hedge, adding to it with cuttings that I took over the years.  The "dips" in it are where I've had buxus blight before & had to remove some bushes & replace them.  

Past this garden are my two raised veggie beds, full of produce at the moment & then beside these is my Hothouse.

My tomatoes are fruiting which excites me, but no colour as yet. 

Remember back in * this post * where I said I wanted to grow Giant Sunflowers outside my hothouse ... well they are growing but are hardly Giant ... more up to my elbow than above my head 😐

Looking past my cottage towards the end of the section where the depot yard is - our property is rectangular shaped running parallel to the road & surrounded on 3 sides by paddocks. 

As you walk down the driveway the pond is over to the right - that's the Grapevine in the background.

The pump has sat like that for years - the stones were positioned to make a water feature & nothing further was ever done.  I live in hope but it's wearing thin  .   .   .  😉

Directly across from the pond on the left hand side is my large rose garden.  This is filled with roses & penstemons & an old Seed Drill.  I have planted a few dahlia bulbs in here this year also.  

From the depot yard end looking back towards the rose garden & my cottage.  Yes The Mr has mowed & I need to get the blower out to clear the driveway cobbles.  

A small sampling of the many collections of Old Things that I have dotted around my garden  (including myself !!!)

Well dear friends - that concludes our garden tour for the day & if you're anything like our Tour Guide - you're worn out!!

Thank you so very much if you stayed through this VeRy photo heavy post,

Sending much love & friendship to you all,