Sunday, February 15, 2015

Topping Up . . . Stocking Up

Hello there dear friends & readers

Yesterday was Valentines Day here in my part of the world & possibly, in your part ... it is today
I would like to reach out & wish you all a Very Happy Valentines Day 
in whichever way you might choose to celebrate it


This delightful picture was sent to me by my dear blogging friend & fellow cat lover Willie ... & I would like to share it with you all
Thanks so much dear Willie . . . I adore this picture !!

Sometimes the Cottage can feel like it is ticking along quietly but not really a great deal flying out the door  ... just a kind of steady plodding along.
Then suddenly I can look & there are gaps everywhere ... mostly my "regular stock" ... for example teatowels, handtowels, wheatbags etc ... nothing particularly creative, but just good steady items that slowly flow out the door & that my regulars like to keep on hand for unexpected gifts.
This is what happened last week & after having a small seizure when I saw the amount of gaps ... I thought I had better concentrate a little & fill UP some of those gaps


My handtowels are a regular seller - since taking this photo on Friday, these 3 are gone 


As I had an over-abundance of flouro green handtowels I made up some more kiwiana ones, & sets of my Scented Spice Mats to match them


In total I made 8 sets of the Spice Mats in a variety of different fabrics
The Kiwi & the Pukeko ones are now on their way to the U.K. - a lovely customer who popped in on Friday wanting lightweight, locally made gifts to take home with her  . . .


I made another 5 Golly teatowels to bring the basket total up to 8

After all these years of making Golly teatowels, I still really love them   :-)

Though the weather is certainly not conducive, I have been selling lots of wheatbags lately ... I can only imagine people have injuries or sore areas, that need the heat applied


Mainly I like to use the flannelette fabrics as find these are cosier & more comforting to handle


Just before my Garden Ramble last November, I potted up some of my china cups with delicate babys tears plants ... I wasn't sure how these would sell but had some vintage china cups left over from making my teacup birdfeeders so decided to give it a try ...

The four I potted up had sold, so I decided to do another 3 ... it takes a wee while for the plants to get established enough to sell them
(I must add here that one lady came back recently with hers ... a sorry looking state ... "Ummm my plant died" she said ... I gave her another plant I had growing in a plastic pot so do hope she remembers to actually water this next one !!!!)



In the evenings, by the time I get inside from watering & get to actually sit down my eyes are too tired to focus alot 
I need some gentle handwork that doesn't require too much concentration
The wool blanket hearts are perfect for this & I try to keep a basket full ready by my chair for evening stitching ...

As the bowl in the Cottage only had 3 left, this gave me the chance to do a lovely assortment using up some of my wool blanket scraps ... stuffed with this seasons dried lavender they smell heavenly



My lovely friend Lorraine popped in the other day - she had been on a trip to Perth & had purchased some linens from an Op Shop that was closing down ... she had taken out what she required & my name popped into her head ... what a treasure she is ... just look at these delights ...



Thank You SO MUCH Lorraine for your kindness & generosity ... I shall keep you posted on what I do with them but honestly, some of them are just too beautiful to cut in to


Thanks so very much for your visit today dear friends & readers

I shall leave you with a picture of dear little Miss "butter-wouldn't-melt-in-your-mouth" Jinxy ...  



who sends you all good wishes for the coming week ahead - may it be filled with pleasureable moments
with much love & friendship to you,
Julie, Jinxy & Blackie x0x0x
(p.s  thank you all for your lovely & encouraging comments about Lois's wedding dress doll in my last post ... Lois cried when she collected her doll.  Happy tears I should add!!)

20 comments:

  1. Oh my you have been busy, Julie. Love the little 'living' teacups.....silly lady...who would've thought that one had to water them!! My heart stopped at the sight of your gifted crochet lovelies. Aren't you a lucky gal! Love, love, love the woolly heart sachets; they are so pretty! Soooo many delectables in this lovely post!!

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  2. Well Julie you have been very busy stocking up the cottage. I love my lavender filled heart you gave me, the smell is divine so I imagine a basket full of them would be bliss.

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  3. Great fill up stock for the wee cottage. I thought the first cat photo was of Mr Blackie with a cute wee heart shape under his chin. I still have my golly tea towel that my friends bought me from your cottage, I love it too..your new red one caught my eye. The baby tears do indeed need water!! Glad you got some restocking done for the cottage. Miss Jinxy is as pretty as ever and oh so sweet.

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  4. ooooO! Look...More Jolly Gollies...Love those!
    And the spice mats too. Such lovely, bright colours.
    And, what a good idea, planting up the china cups!
    I keep and plant up old trainers, with flowers and
    things, and hang them in the garden, in the summer.
    They look really nice too!

    And, dear little Jinxy...Look at that face...HeHe! Yes!
    'Butter would'nt melt'. Bless! x

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  5. Oh you have been busy! I have been looking at the Kiwiana fat quarters at the local quilt shop. Almost brought the Pukeko one. Oh I am oohing and aahing over those op shop doilies. Love the woollen hearts too. Jinxy looks so sweet..... Have a great week.

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  6. Hello dear Julie
    Another lovely post full of the beautiful things you create.
    The baby tears in cups look so sweet and yes they do need watering - especially in the summer we're experiencing!
    Jinxy is a picture of confidence now and she was so timid when she arrived.

    My son is moving to Australia and he arrived up here yesterday with their cat Snow - she is pitch black with huge green eyes - extremely timid and a farm cat used to spending days in the maize paddock!
    She is still hiding under the bed in the spare room although she did climb up on our bed in the middle of the night and then straight off again.
    I'll have to keep her inside for a few weeks I guess.
    Take care and please email me if you have any special tips for scardey cats!

    love
    Shane

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  7. You sure had a very busy week. Your cottage must look wonderful with all the lovely new items you have made.

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  8. Lovely post as always. Cheery and bright. When my friend moves into her new house, may i put an order in for some teatowels from you? Will let you know when the time comes - they're still in San Francisco so plenty of time yet! Have a great week, Julie and thanks for stopping by mine and leaving your lovely comment. xxx

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  9. My goodness I don't know how you make so much stuff in such a short time! The little tea cups look so dainty, and the lacy bits your friend sent are lovely - the fresh green and white circular one caught my eye. I love that picture your friend Willie sent you - it's beautiful. I worked valentines day, as I work in a call centre I had lots of lovely gentlemen wishing me a happy Valentines day and when I got home hubby had made my dinner so it was a good day, hope you enjoy the rest of the weekend with your feet up!

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  10. Hi Julie - dropping by to say hello from Ontario, Canada. Your blog is so sweet and I love the little tea-cup planters. Great idea to 'spring up' our homes. It is freezing here with far too much snow. But then again, it is Canada. Such sweet cats you live with. Have a nice day. Deb

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  11. Hi Julie, just popped over as our mutual friend Willie mentioned your lovely blog. I love your craftyness. So nice to have found you. I shall follow you through Google connect.

    Jean
    x

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  12. Hello Julie, just like Jean I'm popping over as a result of a mention from Willie (what a lovely chap he is). I know I'm going to enjoy your blog.
    Barbara x

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  13. Willie also sent me that picture but I've only just spotted the heart! Those doilies are delicious, perhaps you could make a work of art? Have a good week. xx

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  14. What a busy bee you have been Julie.
    I too have caught the bug and I am trying to sew up tons of shorts for upcoming summer here. It is already so hot. Our winter is long gone and summer heat is on.
    Your fingers must be aching with all this stitching going on. LOL
    I must say I love your plants. What a good cheer gift. and so funny about the lady and hers dying...
    You were nice to give her another.
    I will try to pop a post up on the old blog sometime this week.

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  15. Wow what a feast for my eyes! You have been so incredibly busy. I was beginning to think I was the only Golly fan left on the planet, so it was lovely to see those especially. Now I feel really lazy!

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  16. Just popped back to see Miss Jinxy..........bless herxxxxx

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  17. The tea-cups are great with the little plants in, and love, love the woollen hearts - they are so perfect. Jinx is so cute. You have been busy!

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  18. Those doilies are lovely! This actually made me appreciate the beauty and purpose of doilies more. Thanks for the beautiful blog!

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