Happy Easter ! ! !

Hello dear friends & readers,

Just dropping by to wish each & every one of you A Very Happy Easter

from Pinterest

& to share a little of my trip to Mums with you all   :-)

Mum had a very enjoyable 85th birthday - our week together went by in the blink of an eye

As Mum received lots of photographs this birthday I forced, coerced persuaded her to purchase a small table to display them all on, kind of a little gallery

I came across this gorgeous little oak table in Ethel Annes Antique Shop & it did the trick perfectly 

I just loved the detail of the heart shaped legs on this wee table 

Mum was happy with the table runner I made her but preferred to use it an a "quilt" on her 2-seater couch

While I gardened lots for her, the rains came & I was forced indoors ... Mum had quite an overload of courgettes this year so we made a batch of bread & butter pickles one wet day

These 3 traditional gollies came home with me . . . 

This is some of what my Mum knits for my cottage - at 85 years of age she is still knitting away - a little slower now, but still beautiful handiwork

Mum stuffs them all & sews on the buttons & I do their faces & ribbons ... her work is an inspiration to me

No trip to Mums would be complete without a visit with my dear friend Claire - this time it was a quick cuppa on my way home - but I did remember my camera :-)

Although Claires lovely home has been much photographed & posted about on my blog here (& Michelles blog also) I continually find sources of inspiration from Claire

The swag above was a new touch in her country bedroom - she had affixed it along a painted beam ... it was just beautiful & so perfect for the room

curtains = op shop lace tablecloths

I wander around with my camera while Claire makes a cuppa - she is used to me by now clicking away 
(gosh, just as well!!!)

This was an old dark wooden corner unit from the Op Shop which received one of Claires amazing make-overs

I was inspired by the "mirror wall" in her bedroom as I am trying to think of ways to lighten our bedroom as we redecorate it

 more gorgeous Op Shop needlework pictures . . . 

. . .  & fascinating tabletop displays 

I commented to Claire I didn't think I had ever seen her table so "bare" ... this was quite minimalist for Claire ... just a touch of pastel Easter decorating - stunning!!

The last 3 pics are her entry porch where she always has beautiful displays which change & evolve with the different seasons - I am always in awe of Claires amazing ability to put things together so effortlessly


My friend Lois popped in a few days ago with a treasured cup & saucer that had been her late Mums
Lois had poured tea into it & it had leaked from a fine hairline crack around the base

 Lois asked if I could "do anything with it for her"

I decided a pincushion would be the solution as it was still in such good condition apart from the crack
It turned out lovely & dainty ..... Lois was thrilled with it   :-)


I wanted to share with you (some of) my Op Shop finds from my trip down to Mums

Although I usually prefer the plainer vintage linens, for some reason I found myself drawn to the more coloured doilies this trip

Although the Mexican Men arent really my "thing", I just loved & appreciated all the detailed handwork in them

This little number from the Hospice Shop felt like I had hit the "doiley jackpot"  - it is a tray cloth & the cup on the bottom right has a little pocket to tuck a serviette into

The little crochet lace edge is the pocket

(I think it only fair to add however, they were most definately not in this condition when I purchased them & have since had a long soak & a wash & iron)

Lovely Op Shop tablecloth, hydrangeas (from garden), tin bird (from Claire) & berry candle (from Mum)

(And flowers sitting in $2 glass Op Shop Jug)

Thank you all for your very kind comments last post on the anniversary of my beloved dog Nero
After Nero passed away, I confess I dreamed for a good many months about a lovely fluffy little cat curled up on my lap or sitting at my feet while stitching ... a female cat quite possibly named Pearl ??? ... or Poppy perhaps . . .  ???

Instead . . . it appears . . .  this is what I have "inherited"

A feral ginger tom (whom I have named Bob) who sits here on the top step each morning (& evening) waiting for me to feed him on the lawn - we have a gap with a board missing under our deck & he sits here looking out & watching me
I cannot get close as yet but I have managed to get him to stop hissing & spitting at me ... plus he now eats off a plate instead of on the lawn
Not quite what I imagined in my dream ... but I shall persevere with Bob - lets just say its lucky he's cute cos he is quite naughty !!!!

Thanks so very much for your visits today
I hope your Easter is a happy & safe one for you all
with much love & friendship,
Julie x0x0x   (& Bob)xx

Textiles ... Painting ... & Remembering . . .

Hello dear friends & readers,

Just out a little way past Threadbear Cottage is the Orakua Battle Site Cenotaph

. . .  and today (April 1st) commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Waikato Land Wars so there is to be a huge day long event held out at the site

You can read more about it just here

As our road was due to be closed from 5 am until 6 pm I decided to take myself off to the city for the morning

I especially wanted to visit this rather interesting place here ... The Waikato Museum

. . .  & in particular, I wanted to see the Rosemary McLeod Textile Exhibition
My son Kayne, who was working in the inner city, met me there ...

I snapped only 2 photos before noticing the sign which said "no photo's please" ...   ! ! !
(whoops . . .  sorry)

Kayne remarked to me "I'll bet you would love to take all these home with you Mum??"  
 "Oh yes, how wonderful ...  I Would!!!"   :-)
"But then, what would you do with them all??" he asked
"Just sit them around me - admiring them I guess - perhaps wear a pinny or two ... !!!!"

The exhibition is on in Hamilton until June 15   - if you should be nearby & get the chance to go, I would thoroughly recommend it if you love vintage textiles, (as I do).
It is based on Rosemary's book "With Bold Needle & Thread" & showcases vintage textiles from 1920 until 1960.

(I think this may be a touring exhibition so if it comes to a centre near you, it is well worth a visit.)


As I sit typing this, our road is Oh So Quiet ... 
I expected it to feel a little eerie, but it is just lovely & I can hear the cicada's in full chorus outside ... makes me wish for more days like this

I have been painting this past week - projects both large & small

The larger projects are not so enjoyable ... I am 3/4 of the way through painting our bedroom 
(& at that stage of wondering why on earth I ever began!!)

Somewhere in amongst it all ... is a bed we sleep in each night !!!!!

The smaller projects are much more enjoyable (& fun) ... these 3 little items found their way home with me from the Salvation Army Bargain Bin

A wooden bowl, letter rack & a cane basket in sad repair

After a clean, a wax & 2 coats of (bedroom wall) paint ... I felt they looked much improved

I padded the base of the little basket & lined it with a lovely floral fabric & some vintage gathered lace

The little letter-rack came up rather well I thought ...

I used some of my "rub-ons" & some wooden filigree embellishments

These old smaller-size baking tins & coffee mug trees were lying in the back of the cupboard - another Op Shop find from awhile ago

I cut the coffee mug trees down a little, then drilled holes to attach my cake tins to the centre poles - 
a light sand, a wax & a coat of Persian Red (Resene Testpot) paint to each stand

With the "ring-tin" I decided to line the inside (outer) base circle... 
so I cut a pattern using some baking paper & then transferred this to a piece of cardboard to which I glued some wadding ... then covered with a piece of wool felt & glued inside the ring

I then added a wee circle of checked wool felt which I filled with wadding, gathered, fashioned into a pincushion & glued inside

A few vintage sewing accessories, a tag & rusty bell  ... viola ...

The 2nd baking tin I simply drew a large circle of wool felt (pattern = dinner plate) then blanket stitched a felt flower onto it & padded it up into a larger size pincushion

A large size pin keep  :-)

Circle glued inside base of baking tin ...

(incidently, my wool felt I am using - which is normally rather expensive - are old mens blazers from the Op Shop)

(apologies for the photo overload this post)


. . . And Remembering . . . 

I just wanted to mention that on Sunday it was one year since we lost Nero - our beautiful german shepherd dog - I still think of you every  single day Mr Fat Fluffy & remember with such fond thoughts & memories the immense joy you bought into our lives

you can read my post about him here

I look forward to us meeting up again one day over the rainbow bridge 

Have a lovely rest of the week dear friends & readers,
I am off to Mums for a week - yes it's that time of year again - she will be celebrating turning 85  :-)
Thank You So Much for your visits
with love & friendship to you all,
Julie x0x0x0x