Lots to share . . .

Hello there dear friends & readers

I have lots to share this post so you may like to grab a cuppa & come join me
(warning : rather photo heavy post sorry)

Firstly I wanted to share some more about the "From My Home to Yours Swap" that I mentioned last post

Almost too delicous to unwrap !!!!

Gosh it was certainly my lucky day when Betty matched me with my swap partner Anne from from the blog NANA GoGo

Anne's gift arrived yesterday & what a treasure trove of goodies she posted me ... all the way from Scotland!!

The Mr told me I was like a "little kid" opening the packages ... oohing & aahing at all the gorgeous treasures inside

Anne had crocheted me the most beautiful wrist warmers in a gorgeous soft pastel grey wool - I know they will get lots of use next winter

Also included amongst all the goodies was a lovely tartan cushion cover with a stags head on it, (which made the Mr's eyes light up) - Anne had crocheted the edging around it which was stunningly complimentary.  

There was an assortment of crafty bits, trims, vintage buttons, tartan fabrics & patchwork pieces, a beautiful vintage doiley from Anne's collection, a soap that smelt divine (lemongrass), a gorgeous zipped pouch made from vintage fabrics & doiley trims, along with magazines & a recipe book "soup & scone"   WoW!!   How lucky was I ??!!

You can read Annes post about our swap here
Thank You SO VERY MUCH Anne for your kind & generous gifts. I have thoroughly enjoyed this swap, I did not feel pressured (as can often happen with swaps), & loved that we both just decided to "do our own thing".

Immediately after my last post, I had to do a brief trip down to my Mums. I usually try to catch up with my friend Claire while down at Mums, but instead I had been invited to the meeting of Claire & the "KHS" girls.  For those of you that follow Michelle's blog, you will know about these crafty ladies & their monthly get togethers.

The meeting was at Michelles new home & was just off the very same road I was travelling on ...

As soon as I parked my car at Michelle's, this was the view that greeted me ... Oh how I still miss you Mount Taranaki Egmont!!

Michelle's new home was just gorgeous & decorated very much in her favourite primitive style.  Despite her protests otherwise, she is one crafty, creative girl & her home & garden are a credit to her busy life - I honestly dont know how she accomplishes all that she does.

I clicked some photos but it was impossible to share all that I took ...

this will just give you a little taste of her style . . . 

I adored the rusty saw she had hanging between dining room & lounge

Gorgeous handmade Raggedies everywhere I looked

even outside was given the "prim treatment"

The girls have a challenge each month & despite their protests that "nooo, we haven't done anything this month" ... these were some of their creations ... the theme this month was "wool"

Michelle S (there are 2 Michelles) had knitted a gorgeous dishcloth, a hottie cover & a banner brooch, all in the softest blue wools

Nicky was gathering together a stunning assortment of vintage trims & embellishments to make a bag - no not "wool" as such, but I could easily have sneaked this lot into my own bag!!

And Claire had "whipped up" this gorgeous wheat bag in wool fabrics, & also added some lavender so it smelt divine.

Michelle hadn't done the challenge this month but she did provide us with the most yummy morning tea & lunch

Such lovely, friendly, creative girls ... Michelle 1 & 2, Nicky, Claire & Nancy - thanks SO very much for a lovely visit.
Oh how I WISH I lived closer!!!

One of the things I always do when at Mums is take her to the Memorial Gardens at the crematorium to "take flowers to my Dad" as his ashes are scattered there

The Memorial Gardens are set in a huge circle & I have always loved this giant gnarly old tree that sits right in the middle of the circle

Prior to my trip to Mums I had completed some revamps (feels like I am kind of working backwards in this post) ... this cane chair was a purchase from St Vinny's quite sometime ago & on my neverending "to do list"

A good scrub, then a spray paint gave it a fresh new lease of life, but I wanted to bring some colour to it somehow. 
 I decided to make a squab & a roundie cushion using some of my vintage sheets as I felt it had a real vintagey style to it

I was really pleased with how it turned out & hope someone falls in love with it in the Cottage - I think it would make a very lovely bedroom chair.

This wooden base lamp was in amongst a box of "junk" my friend was taking to the Op Shop.  I - of course - promptly fished it out !!

I carefully cleaned the shade which was rather dusty, waxed & painted the base, & then embellished it with some crochet doilies & my usual pompom trim (dunked in parisian essence)

While down at Mums I completed this simple "Make a Wish" stitchery, which is a free download from here
I stitched it using a gorgeous Cottage Garden thread "Blue Wren"

I originally planned to make it up into a cushion but instead rather liked the idea of popping it in this Op Shop wooden embroidery hoop

I quite liked the "unfussiness" of it just as a simple hanger.

Thank you all so much for your good wishes for Little Jinxy in my last post ... as you can see she is still continuing to lead a rather stressful life here at Threadbear ...

Happy to show off her wound site .... Yes Jinxy WE KNOW you have had stitches!!!

... along with little Blackie who remains quite traumatised by life in general ...

Thank you all SO much for staying with me through this rather lengthy post
I hope you have a great week ahead filled with only good things . . .

. . . & that it is NOT a week with any days like Little Jinxy has had ! ! !
with much love & friendship to you all
Julie x0x0x