Saturday, July 14, 2018

A Trip to the far North (Catch Up #3)

Greetings dear friends & readers & Happy Weekend to you all !! πŸ’š


I met my dear friend Leeanne about 6 years ago through our blogs & we very quickly struck up a rather close friendship 
Each Year Leeanne would tell me "you must come visit me in the far North"
Yes! I would reply ... with the very best of intentions ... but somehow never quite got there.
This year with the closure of my Cottage, I decided it was a priority.
So last week I put on my big girls panties & drove myself 5 hours away to visit my friend in Northland.


This was my room at Leeanne's beautiful Home ... & even though I tried really, really hard ... I did not manage to smuggle the quilt on the far right into my car & bring it home!!



Her Home is a testament to her amazing creativity & is filled with handcrafted treasures everywhere you look ...
 I felt right at home πŸ’œ

Simon, Leeanne's cat, who sometimes features on her blog, joined us when we sat by the fire stitching & chatting.  
He blends right in when he sleeps on the giant biscornu Leeanne has made him from vintage wool blankets.

The Country Yard ..... the most beautiful patchwork shop set in stunning grounds

High on my wish list of things to do & see, was to visit this gorgeous Patchwork Shop here
Kerryn, the Owner has been to my Cottage a number of times & I had always wanted to visit her beautiful shop myself

There was so much eye candy everywhere it was hard to take it all in.
(& yes, some purchases definately came away with me)

Early the next morning we drove up the Coast to a beautiful spot Helena Bay Gallery & Cafe
You can just see the coastline in the distance of my photo ... though the air was crisp, we sat outside on the deck & had delicious coffee & cappucino cake


Next door to the cafe is a stunning Gallery filled with local artisans work.
 I always like to bring a small momento home with me, so I purchased the red pottery heart above ... it sits perfectly on my small "heart wall" at Home

Back in the city again, we decided to do a trawl of the local Op Shops because ............ 
well,  just because ............

I gathered a small collection of junk treasures in the Hospice Shop ... some for making into birdfeeders & some for candlemaking


But my "treasure of the day" would have to be this cute little vintage enamel Tala Pastry Cutter set ... complete with all 4 sizes of cutters ... for the princely sum of $5 ! 😊

I knew it would look perfect sitting on my enamel breadbin with some other junk vintage treasures




While sitting stitching/chatting at Leeanne's I worked on this wool felt candle mat ... I had cut it out before I left home.
The pattern is by Barri Sue Gaudet of Bareroots designs
I love how it turned out & LoVe the primitive colours! 


I keep these glass containers for my candle making - they are great for tipping any leftover soy wax into - so I wrapped one with some pip berries & added a tealight
I hope to make some more of these for my Christmas Craft Stall.


And my final completion has been another two cotton dishcloths ... these are made using leftover yarn & are destined for the present box.

Well dear friends ... that's me ... all caught up! πŸ˜‰
I hope you have a wonderful weekend & the coming week brings you only good things,
Thanks - as always - for your visits to my blog,
with much love & friendship,
Julie & the furry ones x0x0x0x

24 comments:

  1. It must have felt good after all that time to go visit your friend. You got some good shopping done too. Great finds. I love all the red you brought home. Wishing you a wonderful weekend as well. ♥
    xx Beca

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  2. Glad you finally got to visit your friend. Looks like you had a great time & found some loving goodies to bring home. The candlemat is gorgeous. Hugs, xx

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  3. How wonderful to visit Leeanne and The Country Yard....lucky ducky! I know Leeanne loves her Angel Story quilt as much as I now love mine, so definitely not surprised you couldn't sneak that one in the luggage. I love all your treasures and look forward to seeing what you create with them. Such a beautiful wee candlemat too xx

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  4. Wow! Must say Julie, l do like the quilts at the top
    there...! Especially the middle one..very nice that,
    and yes, a bit big to smuggle out to..! :).

    I enjoy visiting family and friends, though very few
    family left over here..l enjoy going to peoples homes,
    and be rude about there decor...Bless! I'm known for
    it..it's great fun, and all done in the best possible
    taste..as they say! :).

    Shopping! I~LOVE~TO~SHOP..I always shop alone, the one
    person l will shop with is my daughter..if she can keep
    up! I get really involved in shopping, especially around
    the charity shops..or Op shops as you call them over there!
    I'm one of the 'girls' really...l always like to make the
    staff chuckle...sssssh! That's how l get my discount! :).

    I don't know about anyone else..but l would certainly enjoy
    a cup of lemon tea and cake sat at those table and chairs,
    enjoying that beautiful view..! (must buy a lottery ticket
    to~day)..! :).
    And, Simon looks well contented on his cushion..Bless!x

    Well..must get on..just gone seven over here..suns up....
    hot already...! Off to town a bit later, give the charity
    shops a bit of grief..HeHe! :).
    So pleased you had a lovely break Julie..nice to see old
    friends once in a while..but nice to get back to the sewing
    machine...HeHe! Or is it...! (=^ ◡ ^=)

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  5. How simply wonderful to snuggle under Leanne's beautiful quilt. Are you sure it didn't accidentally find it's way into your car?? =) What a delightful visit you seemed to have had. That little patchwork shop looks like a magical place filled with boundless treasures. Ooooh.....those cookie cutters and THAT tin!! Now....if I was to visit you those pretties would definitely end up in my bag. They look perfect on that fabulous bread tin and a perfect 'prop' near that fabulous coffee maker of yours. Red is such a cheery colour. Love your felt candle mat, it is so pretty and primitive. Have a beautiful weekend, lovely Julie. Xx

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  6. Great that you were able to visit your friend. I love the big biscornu she made for the cat! What lovely photos too. Thanks for posting these catch ups.

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    1. Thanks so much Penny. It was just such a special time together, just worked out perfectly. Yes I love the biscornu too .... was thinking of making my cats one but they seem to have quite enough sleeping places at present!

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  7. So good to hear you had a great visit with Leeanne, I would have tried to smuggle that beautiful quilt home too. ..what a lovely place for a cuppa!! The heart you brought home is so pretty. Love the Country Yard shop, Raewyn took me there when we visited and a few things came home with me too!!! How comfy does Simon look!! πŸ˜†πŸ˜†
    Your pastry cutters are a great purchase and look so good with your other treasures. The dish cloths are great and the candle mat really pretty.

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  8. Oh wow Leeanne sure lives in a nice part of New Zealand, don't think I would want to go back home, especially without that quilt:-) ok gotta ask what is a biscornu??? love the heart you came home with, and those cookie cutters are fabulous, thanks for the catch ups, stay warm. Chris xoxo

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  9. Hi Julie what a beautiful post and how lovely that you got to see and spend time with your friend,love the treasures that you bought home with you xx

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  10. I'm so pleased you made it mine & you didn't smuggle any quilts!

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  11. You would have had a fabulous time with Leeanne and isn’t The Country Yard jus5 the best shop, certainl6 my favourite

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  12. Well done you for getting your big girl pants on and doing that road trip!! Its the driving through Auckland that scares me most of all, oh and getting lost!! I bet you and Leeanne had the very best time, and you got to meet SIMON!!!

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  13. You big brave tiger!!!! Driving 5 hours on your own. What a beautiful reward for you when you reached your destination. I love the Country shed, how amazing! xx

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  14. Looks like you had a lovely trip Julie. I love Simons bed - looks perfect for winter.

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  15. What a wonderful little trip to see your friend!! As for that quilt that you did NOT smuggle, I would love to have pattern info if you're able to get it. I wouldn't have left without it. All your pictures are beautiful.

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  16. Wow, Julie what a wonderful weekend, so pleased you did it. All those gorgeous treasures would have made your heart sing. Love your candle may. Thankyou for sharing xxx

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  17. How brave to drive 5 hours into the unknown! I do admire you for being so adventurois, but what a reward, a lovely creative time with your friend and some really pretty op shop finds. Imlike tour primitive work and am off tomsee ypur friends blog. Thanks for sharing it was a really good post.

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  18. wow what an awesome trip! loved the cookie cutters & container, what a find! love all things vintage
    i've never heard of a 'candle mat' before & yours is adorable!
    lovely catch up post
    thanx for sharing

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    1. Thanks so much Selina. I love all things vintage too!
      Yes the candle mats are an American thing ... just the right size for putting a candle holder in the centre. They are usually made from felt & are such a fun thing to handstitch together.

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  19. That sounds like a great trip, and that quilt is gorgeous! I love Simon's bed too, I wonder if my furry friends would like one too. My grandmother had a set of pastry cutters like that one you found. made me smile.

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  20. What a beautiful and heartfelt post. I am delighted that you hopped into your car and made this long trip. The memories will be with you forever . . . what fun to visit a blogging sister and stay in her home:) Your candle mat is beautiful, you do such fine work.
    Have a sweet day dear friend,
    Connie :)

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  21. What a magical time away!! I loved seeing all the photos, and goodness, Leeanne's home exudes welcome even through photos. So happy the two of you enjoyed a fun time together. xxx

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  22. Julie I have a blue pottery heart just like yours hanging on my kitchen wall which my bestie in Auckland sent to me! Small world!!xx

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