Saturday, August 10, 2013

A funny ol' mixed bag of tricks

Hello dear friends & readers,
How has your week gone?? I do hope it has been a good one ...

Mine has been a funny ol' mixed bag of tricks ... but I have had a few finishes, & a very lovely surprise

I managed to complete an order to tick off my list
These two little raggedies are going to 2 little girls who are flying to Australia for a holiday


Their Mum had chosen my Isabella Golly pattern,(from Lil Blokes)  but wanted them made as Raggedy Annes 

Plus wanted all the clothing to be removable ... I also made sure all legs & arms were double-stitched plus hair stitched on etc ... I couldnt resist popping a little teddy in their hands :-)

The 2nd picture that is making me rather joyfull is this ...


"Oh Yes - how very fascinating Julie - a patch of brown grass "  you are saying ... 
but it is great because it shows I have finished another pile of mulch ... & this was a huge one too!!!!
(I had 6 piles to do, now I only have 2 left!!)

A couple of months ago my dear friend Catherine sent me a little parcel of fabric bits & pieces from her stash & I have slowly been using them up in my projects
This beautiful doiley was amongst them & I decided to make myself a cushion using it
Isnt the crinolene lady doiley just beautiful - thank you SO much Catherine


One of my aims hopes this year was to make a collection of wool blanket cushions for along my couch 



I think I might just have room for one more !!!???

I had to take a trip to the city this week for some business & I popped into this rather interesting shop


I know I have been complaining telling you lately how I am fast going through my vintage button stash ... well I knew they had a good selection in here



and I wasn't disappointed (I might add they had rather a good selection of interesting other things that were very tempting to bring home with me also .... but I was very brave)

I dragged this poor old neglected trike out from under some bushes this week & gave it a good scrub up


I usually plant it with pansies for the winter but am rather late doing these things this year for some reason


Last year it flowered right through into February for me ... so I am hopefull again this year  :-)


Plus I think I am only going to get one more year before the bottom drops right out of my rusty old bucket - so fingers crossed it holds on in there !!!

As I sit typing this my house smells so lovely - I had a large box of gorgeous handmade soaps arrive this morning to sell in the Cottage



I have been busy making little home-made labels to tie onto them with some jute - I liked the handmade charm they add to the soaps 
I think they look rather lovely on vintage plates in the Cottage - what do you think ??




I couldn't chose a favourite - they all smell so wonderful - almost edible!!

Finally, in the middle of this week I had the most wonderful surprise ... several months back I had accidently broken my favourite big red bowl that sat on my kitchen bench (actually the Mr broke it but we wont go into details !!!!)  I always give my broken china to my friend Jan as she does really beautiful mosaic work, which I sell in the Cottage.  Well Jan turned up with this ...



This beautiful planter pot which she had made from my old red bowl + one of my polka dot coffee mugs I had broken quite sometime ago


It was a belated birthday gift as Jan has been overseas ... isnt it stunning ??? I was surprised & overjoyed.  Jan has planted it with white pansies so when they bloom, I will share it with you.
(Incidently Jans daughter is my friend Sally - whose home I often share pics of - so you can see where Sallys talent comes from )

Well folks I hope you have a great weekend - I am off to tidy up my extremely messy rather interesting sewing room - I have lost another leg (dollys that is!!!) in there somewhere & I need to find it



If anyone is peering closely at the screen & you spot a dollys leg, please let me know ... thanks so much for stopping by - take good care everyone :-)
much love/hugs/friendship,
Julie x0x0

12 comments:

  1. Oh how did I not know you were running short on buttons. I could send you loads...do you only want whites?
    Okay loving those super cute ragdolls and they will be loved I am sure. You give me itchy fingers to make some new things this weekend.
    How adorable is that trike oh so cute!!!
    Well what a talented friend, to save your pottery pieces and make it a whole new memory for you. GENIUS!!!
    Enjoy the search for the missing leg...well that is a phrase I never thought I would say lol
    You so have inspired me to get my butt sewing something cute this weekend.
    Big Hugs
    Amy

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  2. Hey the Raggy Anne's look great, I hope you are happy with them & of course the wee girls they are for!
    I think at least another cushion would fit? After all they have to have friends don't they?
    Mmmmmmm I can smell that soap from here, is it a new type, as I'm sure I haven't seen it in your shop? I have an old bike like yours, mine has succulents in the tray, I love the pansy idea. Oh I would love to go to that shop, it looks like I could run myself broke there! Great recycling of the red bowl, maybe the Mr can be forgiven after all?
    Now that missing leg...........is it in the coffee mug you use to place the painted ones in?

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  3. The two dolls are lovely, I am sure those little girls will adore them. It must be beautiful to have a house smelling of fresh scented soap - I am envious. Hope you find that lost leg. Your friend is very gifted to make a beautiful bowl out of your broken crockery, what a piece of treasure. Betty

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  4. A real hive of activity Julie and lots of goodies down your way :-) I am sure the girls will love their dolls, they are very sweet. And I love the upcycled bowl - what a neat idea for a precious possession. The pansies are lovely in the trike, almost makes one think Winter is nearly over!!

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  5. You are amazing Julie, so busy and turning out such a wonderful feast for the eyes. Your wool cushion looks wonderful as do the raggy Annes. I'm sure the little girls receiving them will be overjoyed. What a thrill finishing off a pile of mulch, I know how big they were.Your friend did a great job with the red broken china pieces, very talented, it looks great.The soap looks delectable. Hugs Shirley

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  6. Hello Julie, just found you via Hettie Brown blog. I love your raggedy annes.Those little girls are going to love them.They are going on an amazing adventure to Aus!

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  7. I love your raggedy annes too, so gorgeous! In fact, I always enjoy everything at your place, always inspiring. Your woolie cushions look wonderful, the doily looks perfect on the front. I pop into that shop at times too, always lovely things to see (and sometimes buy!) Hugs Wendy

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  8. Oh that clever mummy of mine! :)

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  9. Hello Julie,

    I understand completely about your brown photo. Always good to add to the button stash, they all have a story to tell.Love the new pots from your broken dishes. Your friend did a wonderful job. Just love the last photo, maybe your doll could be a Pirate.

    Happy days to you.
    Bev.

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  10. Hi Julie
    I had clicked on your workroom photo (I always love looking at everyone's creative space - to pick up storeage ideas etc)! I searched and searched but couldn't find your leg!!!!! saw lots of other yummy stuff tho. Hope you located it - he he!

    LoVe the raggedy Isabellas with their little koalas - you're so clever J!
    Your cushions are great too - such a pretty doily from Catherine - she's a clever shopper too.
    I'm getting short on white MOP buttons - have to get onto T/Me and find some.

    Hey, my back's feeling sore in sympathy at the thought of you moving all that mulch... I'm spreading 3 bags of general garden fert over my long border at the moment too, but it's going nowhere I'll need at least another 3 - it's hard yakka with my old bones!!

    Lovely post Julie and thanks for the tip on that little shop in Hamilton, I hope I can visit it soon.
    ((hugs))
    Shane

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  11. I just decided to have a little check in & can't believe that I have missed your post again! Still better late than never eh!! I am delighted that you used the lavender lady doily on a lovely blanket cushion..yes definitely room for one more. Nice little technique the turn over the top & buttons. I know that it's an awful lot of work & stitching but it must be really rewarding seeing your creations going off to such best loved places. Phew, glad you found some more buttons. I love Remains To Be Scene..great people & a really interesting shop. I am so glad to know that they are still there. They have quite a lot of linen & clothing & textiles which is quite rare..not many secondhand places do. I am so blessed by your parcel..I opened up Lucy this morning & a wonderful fragrance wafted out the door...the lovely Gardeners Soap! Lucy says can she have her fabric back? she got all confused & thought that you had pinched her fabric for your ironing board cover. I'll put her straight a bit later.
    You will be so pleased that you have spread all that mulch soon though, you know..it really makes the garden look so much tidier & keeps the weeds down so well. Do you ever pop damp newspaper down underneath too? Worms love newspaper for some strange reason!
    Hope that you've been able to churn through the orders. Wet weekend by the looks. I'm heading out on snail patrol with my torch this evening...little blighters!
    Much love my friend Catherine x0x0x0x

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  12. I don't really know where to start! The cushions are delightful!! I'd love to make cushions from blankets, but they seem to cost an arm and a leg here in the UK (might be where the dolly leg trotted off to). They look so soft and sweet. And the bowl remade by your friend, I can imagine that would bring a squeal of delight! How kind of her. Beautiful post Julie. Loved it xXx

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