Hello, & Happy Weekend to you all dear friends & readers
My daily routine seems to have been rather tipped on its head with the keeping of the kittens inside, plus having the Cottage closed
I seem to spend a great deal of my day cleaning up after them lately ...
but I was pleased they were tucked up inside yesterday morning as we awoke to a ripper of a frost
but I was pleased they were tucked up inside yesterday morning as we awoke to a ripper of a frost
I have still found time to finish off a couple of orders & complete some half started projects
 |
| The little gossamer butterfly came from a scrapbooking shop - just perfect |
I had an order for 2 wedding horseshoes ... 1 in ivory & 1 in white ... the wedding requiring the white one had a butterfly theme
 |
My friend Jane purchased the last roundie cushion from me that I made back here ... & then loved it so much, she requested another one
 |
| Jane chose the one on the left with the blue button :-) |
... so I made 2 & let her choose her favourite
I managed to finally complete the "half begun" bags I had started several weeks ago, made from vintage wool blankets
One I embellished with a doiley & the grey army blanket one I adorned with red trims in a Union Jack design
I have always loved the combination of reds on greys
I have always loved the combination of reds on greys
 |
| And flipped over to the other side . . . |
Once again this is the "afternoon tea bag" design by Ellen MacGregor from a lovely old issue of Handmade Magazine - I really like this pattern - it makes up into a nice roomy bag
They grey one I lined with a gorgeous vintage rose fabric & the blue check one has a vintage sheet lining in pastels
My lovely friend Shirley had a special birthday last week so I stitched up another of Michelle's gorgeous Stitchery Alphabet Designs using a Cottage Garden Thread, "Kangaroo Paw" ... & filled Shirleys fabric pouch with my own cottage garden potpourri.
Like me, Shirley loves her reds :-)
Although we have had a succession of icy frosty mornings, we usually get a nice sunny day to follow . . .
slowly I am practising moving the birdfeeder out into the garden & away from the deck
I spent some time trying to tidy my deck area & cleaned out my old wheelbarrow & filled it with my left over gourds -
a bit of a splash of colour in the midst of winter
a bit of a splash of colour in the midst of winter
My neighbour bought me a lovely cheery pot of Baby's Tears for shifting her sheep while she was away
... it fitted perfectly in my red dotty cup & saucer
My Best Op Shop Purchase Ever . . .
Yes, I Know ... I have always disliked these cat scratching poles ... always wondered why on earth people would take a nicely decorated room & then plonk one of these things in the middle of it ???!!!
Now I Know Why !!!!
Now I Know Why !!!!
 |
| Woohoo Look at me Mum - I'm the King of the Castle !!! |
Oh Yes .... they play on it all the time ... plus it seems to have stopped the littlest one using the carpet to scratch its claws into
The Mr has changed her name to Little Jinxy ... she is a rascal indeed ... but I love her so much, with her odd little sideways run & her tail sticking up like a question mark behind her
After we lost our beloved old fluffy dog last Easter people would often say to me "oh you havent replaced him yet - how odd" ... & I would sometimes reply (or think to myself) "something will just come along some day".
I really believed this would happen
. . . & here they are . . .
Absolute chaos on eight legs !!!!!
Little Jinxy is so much better & almost finished her antibiotics course ...
Little Blackie - hmmm, well he's a bit of a work in progress for now :-)
Hope you all have a wonderful weekend dear friends
thanks so much for stopping by today - it was lovely to see you all :-)
much love & friendship,
Julie, Little Blackie & Jinxy
x0x0x0
Hi Julie,
ReplyDeleteI love all your pics!!!! Little kittens are hard work hey? Looks like you
caught them in the act!! lol Love your projects, the round cushions are
cute.I love the op shops as well....great finds.
Cheers, Anita.
Your kittens are fat too cute for their own good, and so very happy to have moved in to your home for sure. I am bit like you on scratchy poles but if they use it then it is a great thing so well done you and them. More gorgeous bags, I love mine. Your frost photos have just reminded me that I took some the other morning also and they are still sitting in my other camera, it was a hearty Waikato frost that one, my bird bath was frozen solid, no bathing that morning only skating for the birds!
ReplyDeleteYour kitty's are sooo cute and yes I have one of those ugly scratching posts in my lounge too!
ReplyDeleteI don't mind a frost so much when we have such beautiful days sure beats the wind and rain we are having this weekend.
Like all your projects but those cute cushions they remind me of spring!
Stay warm...
Blessings
Michelle
HaHa! So, they finally moved in...And, taken over...!
ReplyDeleteThat's lovely! Bless!
Dog's are o.k. My daughter has two Staffy's and three
cats. They all get on, but, the dogs are way down the
pecking order...The cats at times try and be friendly,
that's o.k. But when the dogs try, and the cats are'nt
interested, they get a whallop, on the nose....HeHe!
fun to watch.....As l've always said....'Dogs have
owners, cat's have staff'.
Love the Baby Tears plant....Looks nice and healthy.
My home is full of house plants, love them. Don't do
cut flowers, l've always felt it cruel to cut flowers, after
all, it cuts their lives by half....! Sounds silly, l know,
but there it is....HeHe! Life is Life!
My goodness you were busy this week! I thought you were going to have a rest! The horseshoes are lovely - I had one with yellow ribbon given me for my wedding, entwined with yellow roses - is is a tradition in my husbands family and the horseshoe came for a little pit pony as they are from a mining family in the North of England. I still have the horseshoe, infact I thought I might decorate it for my wedding anniversary next weekend. So pleased that you have given a home to these little fur faces, and found a way to stop them shredding their furniture - I don't doubt you will be yarn bombing their scratch post before too long! Betty x
ReplyDeleteLots of beautiful treasures to admire Julie..love your sweet dotty red cup and saucer with the baby tears. Looks like your heart has been well and truly stolen xx
ReplyDeleteHi Julie, lovely makes again, I do love those bags, I must scour through my obscene pile of craft magazines and see what I can do with my equally obscene pile of wool blankets and doilies. We are kindred spirits I feel with the love of such things. Cute kitties, I have one lounging on my dining table as I type this! Naughty bugger! :D
ReplyDeleteJulie those kitties are getting so big now I am so glad your heart was open to taking them in and that they have given you such joy, with a little bit of trouble, lol
ReplyDeleteThat union jack blanket bag is amazing, I LOVE the back too!
Hope you are staying warm, I know we are, lol
Take care
Amy
looks like those kittens have captured your heart & house for good! You have been a busy beaver, making some yummy goodies.
ReplyDeleteHello dear Julie, isn't white daphne just wonderful...well any daphne really! I planted mine down the driveway just where people might get out of the car & right where we have to walk past to get to the letterbox. That way we can smell it all winter. Well that's a nice time wastery way to spend a winter..keeping wee cats happy & entertained : ) I'm pleased you've found more warm & furry friends. Fabulous find on the cat scratch pole, I wish I'd thought of that back in the day....might have saved the side of the couch & the old seagrass stool (they loved that!!) & the carpet & the edge of the rug......! At least they didn't run up the curtains. That's quite a crisp old frost you have there. Excellent sneaky idea creeping the birdhouse slowly off & away. Messy old things birds...as much as I love them. I hope that you're enjoying have a change with the cottage closed for a bit. I imagine it is quite a challenge making it warm over there for random visitors in the really cold months too. Hope you have a lovely relaxed week. Much love Catherine x0x0x
ReplyDeleteHello Julie,
ReplyDeleteCatherine has just answered my question, Daphne is the lovely bloom in the vase, they have a lovely perfume don't they? I think the kittens have taken over your home and heart in a good way. How many gourds did you grow? They must do so well in your garden.
Have a lovely week.
Happy days.
Bev.
So much to comment on Julie, you continue to create such beautiful things. The bags are very cool and I love the little giftie you made Shirley. We had a frost the other morning - not impressed but it did make a change from the rain!!
ReplyDeleteDear Julie, you really do make such wonderful stuff! Loving those bags and your friend is very lucky to have such a generous and talented benefactor of fabric fabulousness! Those kittens are hysterical! You've got your hands full there. We're experiencing real tropical weather here - too hot for me, I have to say but I'm not complaining - we'll all be jealous when we pop-in here on our cold and frosty mornings and catch a glimpse of the sun on your blog!Opening of the Commonwealth Games tonight - I'm just waiting on the introductory broohaha to be over and for Rod Stewart to come on!Have a great weekend, Julie.x
ReplyDeleteAnother great post Julie, I am off to buy one of those scratching posts as both the cats since we have moved are using the carpet to scratch!! We have had a few goods frosts also! Once thawed we get great days, good for the garden-well I am trying to garden!! Still trying to plan, and I think that is my problem, I don't usually plan, so might just go with first idea and see how that pans out!! Enjoy the week, well what is left of it! Michelle.
ReplyDeleteYour kittens are so cute, such great photos of them. They look full of life and mischief! All your creations are beautiful, the cushions and bags are just lovely and Shirley's gift looks wonderful, I'm sure she loved it. The sunny days are such a treat, they make the cold start worth it :) Hope you have a lovely weekend, hugs Wendy
ReplyDeleteHi!!
ReplyDeleteShirley will be 'over the moon' with her pressie - the vintage rose lining is very 'afternoon tea" Julie.
Oh you love those kittens so much, they are lucky to have found such a good mother!
I feel like you about the pet poles, but my son has just made one for his animal crazy girlfriend for her birthday ssshhh - I hope she doesn't read your blog!!!
The gourds are so attractive. When I was first married I bought several in different shapes and colours and sealed them with a polyurethane - they lasted for ages in a bowl on our dining table - that was way way back in the 70's!!! Showing my age!
Enjoy your week.
Hugs
Shane