Signs of Spring

A glorious Spring "Good Afternoon" to you all dear friends & readers

A couple of days ago, after I turned the calendar over to 1st September, I treated myself to a cheery $2.00 bunch of daffys at my local Supermarket ...

On Special for $2.00 this week at Pak-Save

... & then a $2.00 lace tablecloth at the Animal Care Op Shop on my way home

What better way to welcome spring to my dining room I thought!!!

In amongst the busy-ness of family visiting & stepsons returning home, I had my first group . . .  
... was I ready I hear you asking ???

not on your nellie . . . well let me put it this way ... Thank Goodness it wasn't a Garden Group !!!!

Although I have noticed there are signs of spring popping up all around my garden now ...

The magnolia is about to burst into bloom & I noticed this cute little bluey/purple ground cover was flowering away in my rockery

Quite some months ago (way back in late May in fact) my dear friend Catherine very kindly sent me some seeds from her garden - I love to share seeds with other gardeners myself, & had requested some of the perennial Honeywort (Cerinthe Major) from her, as I was unable to find it anywhere

There is another large pot of honeywort not included in the picture, already been planted in the garden

I used my moon calendar to advise me on planting times & am really happy with my strike rate ... I have several pots of honeywort, some blue woodruff & the other plant I cannot remember the name of (as a bird flew off with my label!!!!!) Thanks so much dear Catherine ... now I will have you waving at me from my garden   :-)

Also, way back in early July I took part in a swap organised by Betty
"From my Home to Yours Swap"
Betty partnered me with Anne from the blog Nana GoGo
Anne & I corresponded & both agreed to just send something relevant to where we live ... after finding a gorgeous kiwiana fabric I decided I wanted to dress an angel doll for Anne

I used a Rosalie Quinlan pattern "Friendship Angel"

This was the package I put together - which took exactly a week to fly all the way across to Scotland - I included a New Zealand teatowel, some notecards & a cake of the handmade soap my friend Pauline makes from her range Infused with Nature

I decided to adorn the angel with a small earing I had in my stash, a delicate paua kiwi ... goodness knows where its "partner" ever went to but it was one of those things I knew I would find a use for one day
It was lovely to get an email from Anne to tell me she was thrilled with her package & just adored her angel.


Recently The Mr sent me off to The Warehouse with his wallet to buy some toys for the kittens (if you please!!!!)

This was the variety I came home with, mice filled with catnip etc ... really quite an unexciting selection truth be told.  The oddest thing is that little Blackie would not have a bar of any of them, but his most favourite toy ever, is pictured just to the right which is actually a calico dolls arm, stolen off my ironing board.
He spends many happy hours tossing it around & if you look real closely at this next pic, you can see he sleeps with it tucked just under him, so Jinxy can't run off with it

Bless their little souls   :-)

There has been very little creativity going on here of late in the Threadbear household.   I did manage to complete some handtowels yesterday afternoon - I had been wondering how to use up these white waffle fabric teatowels I had bought, & quite liked them embellished with some golly fabrics & trims

The Matryoshka doll fabric on the right is a favourite of mine.

I hope to be back in a few days with some completed revamps to show you  :-)
In the meantime I am off to the Vets to collect dear little Jinxy, who had her surgery today (finally after a failed first attempt), so as you can imagine, I am like a "cat on a hot tin roof" today, not settling to very much at all.

dear wee Jinxy - growing up slowly & still as nutty as ever

Thanks to you all so much for stopping by today & visiting,
I hope you are having a lovely afternoon where-ever in the world you might be & whatever season you are celebrating
with much love & friendship,
Julie x0x0