Greetings lovely friends & readers
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Welcome to March & the touch of Autumn you have bought with you - I am more than happy to wave Goodbye to the heat of summer.
Using up the last of the Christmas money I was gifted, I treated myself to this gorgeous candle. It is a new-to-me fragrance ... Rose Jasmine & Oud & the description reads "A charmingly complex & elegant woody floral blend". It is filling the house with the softest rose tinted fragrance & is just so soothing & lovely 💗
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The poor garden has well & truly flopped (rather like the Gardener to be honest) but I still managed to pick a bunch of roses & some veggies this morning. I have pulled out a lot of my veggies that are bolting to seed but the hothouse tomatoes are still producing steadily.
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| From left to right ...... Sue, myself & Jenny |
Last Thursday I got up early, pulled on My Big Girls Panties, & drove all the way up to Auckland for a special meet-up with my friend Sue from the blog Kiwikids. Sue was over (from Australia) looking after her friend Jenny who has had a hip replacement Op & when her message came through asking if I'd like to drive up, I could feel my heart palpitations.
However thanks to Google maps it's not hard to get to destinations nowadays. We met at The Hidden Cafe in Paerata & had a lovely few hours before I made the journey home again. I took along some homegown veggies & made a gluten free Brownie as I remembered Sue was gluten intolerant. It was such a lovely day that just filled my heart with Joy & so wonderful to finally meet Jenny too.
Thank you all so much for your very kind comments about my sewing room revamp in my last post. I haven't been able to spend much time in there but I did manage to complete a couple of orders last week for two dear friends.
Sandy sent me this gorgeous Toy Story fabric & requested I make a pillowcase for her Grandson who is turning 5. I use this tutorial *here* which I really like. It requires a metre of fabric but you are always left with a decent strip down one side from cutting out the narrower piece for the pillowcase.
I suggested to Sandy I make up a simple drawstring bag from the remnant as I've done this for my Grandsons in the past. I've posted the order back to Sandy & she was delighted with both items.
I completed 4 lace coathangers for my dear friend Shirley this week - these are going to Australia so cannot have the dried lavender in them as I usually do. I offered to fill the lace circle with wadding & scent it with lavender oil which will get through customs no trouble at all. Shirley was thrilled with this idea.
When I cleaned out the large double wardrobe in my sewing room a couple of items got put into a separate pile as I wanted to revamp them. This noticeboard was one of them, a thrifted find from years ago quite some time ago. You can write on the whiteboard part & attach notes to the lower string part. I removed the string, masked & painted the entire piece apart from the wire mesh insert.
Then I added a simple Easter style transfer to it, a new string & some pegs. When I unpack my Easter decor I am certain I have some vintage Easter postcards that I can attach to my noticeboard.
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Likewise I found this sweet box, a gift from my dear friend Leeanne ... to do with as I pleased. The box is lined with black felt & the inside was in perfect condition.
I chose only to paint the top as I liked the white distressed sides - I masked it out & then painted it Pale duck egg & added some more Easter transfers. I am not sure what to use this for as yet but it may make a good hiding place for my choccy eggs (!!!) 😋
The large box of playdough in my sewing wardrobe had gone hard so it all went in the bin. I gave Sid my big jar of cutters & his mum sent me this pic on the weekend - he'd had lots of fun making gingerbread men & dinosaur cookies using the cutters I'd given him. How precious 🤎
Monday was our first craft group meeting for the year & I made a No-bake Apricot Slice with cream cheese icing. We met at Gails & worked out our programme for the year ahead.
I met up with a friend & we went to the new Bridget Jone's movie in town. We both laughed & cried & very much enjoyed the movie.
March's arrival has bought chilly nights & mornings & the furry two have taken up residence on my bed - Yes I do recall ranting saying No cats are allowed on the bed when I made my new cushions (!!) It seems they didn't get the memo .............
Thank you all so much dear friends, for taking the time to visit here today,
Wishing you all a wonderful weekend - remember to be kind to yourselves & to each other,
With much love & friendship to you all,
How lovely to meet up with Sue and Jenny, fun I am sure. Those coat hangers look absolutely gorgeous! Two nice revamps have happened - I love the notice board. It is always lovely to be able to pick those last tomatoes late in the season. xx
ReplyDeleteHaHa! The only smells l enjoy in my home, are the ones coming
ReplyDeletefrom the Kitchen...Cooking smells...! I do enjoy my food, and l
mostly enjoy cooking it...! (Pass the gravy)...! :).
Though my bathroom, and downstairs loo....do smell a bit nicer!
We're just having our third day of sunshine, though temp. is still
around zero...Brrrrrrrr...! :(
But...The washing has dried quite quickly the last couple of days,
and we'll look forward to the clocks going forward, at the end of
the month...I believe it was Spring last Monday, one of many, l
loose track of it all...as long as it's dry...! :).
Oh! And l do love Ginger biscuits....Yummy...! :).
I always go for the male ones....? Well, you get that little bit extra,
don't you...HeHe! Bless! :).
So...You can keep 'ALL' yer cakes and biscuits....Where's the 'Scroggin
Slice'..."Nuff Said"...
"Mary had a little lamb.......
Well....Must get on...call for another lemon tea me thinks...With honey
and lemon of course, with a couple of Bourbon biscuits...
And...the sun's shining through the Paddington Bear curtains..Lovely!
And...Another furry ones photo for my pussy~cat folder..Great! Bless!
🧦🎶🦌🧝🌟🍪🥛🎀 🧦🎶🦌🧝🌟🍪🥛🎀 🧦🎶🦌🧝🌟🍪🥛🎀
You have been so busy Julie - I understand your trepidation regarding driving to and in Auckland!!
ReplyDeletethe pillowcase and bag look great in that fabric, and the hangers are so pretty - what a good idea to use the lavender oil.
That recipe looks fascinating - I love a good apricot slice - I have a baked on that I put caramel icing on - it's very 'more-ish'.
My courgette is past its prime, so that and the very unsuccessful beans will be coming out shortly - the tomatoes are still bearing, but I was very late in planting them this year...
My furry boy has discovered that I have pulled out my heavy winter dressing gown, and he is in heaven - even sitting on my knee this evening...
Blessings
Maxine
It's supposed to be Autumn here too but the next week it is going to be 33 or 34 every day! How lovely to get together with Sue and Jenny. Google maps is a great help. It was great when we were driving all over Scotland. Lacey hangers are the best. My wardrobe is full of them that my grandmother made for me. I love what you've done with the noticeboard Julie. xx
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely round up of activities. Your upcycling and making projects are always lovely and these are no exception. Sid was certainly on a roll with his baking - good for him! I like the photo of the furry two - cats always know the best places to be! It's good that the temperatures are a little better for you now too.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes
Ellie
Sid has taken after his Gran and learning to bake well. Good for him, maybe you'll get a taste of one or two. The roses are beautiful. We had snow yesterday. And then again tonight but they "say" it'll be warm warm next week. My mini daffs are barely showing tips of leaves in only a few places. I have so many but the frozen ground is too difficult now. A great trip and a great visit you had. I'm sure after the hot summer that was a welcome day. Our time change is Sunday. And our first day of Spring March 20. Hate time change every time. Nice to hear the tomatoes do good in the green house. We will see tomato plants for sale about May first. Last frost date is May 16. Hope you have a long pleasant Autumn and not a fast one to winter. Lynn and Precious XX
ReplyDeleteI can imagine the scent from that lovely candle, Julie.
ReplyDeleteOur nights and mornings are chilly, too, but the days are getting warmer - sometimes!
How lovely for Sid to have fun with those cutters.
Julie your lovely post is just the ticket. As you know I love all the things you make, I especially love the Easter transfers, so sweet. And that cafe , wow.
ReplyDeleteLove, love you stuff. Okay stuff is a bad word how about treasures. Yes cats can't read, unless they want to!
ReplyDeleteFabulous post as always Julie. Love all your creations. Thanks for the laugh about the cats. I needed after the worrying days we've had with that cyclone hanging about. :)
ReplyDeleteWasn't Bridget Jones fun! I really enjoyed it. You have made some lovely things (again!) ref the candles, Oud is such a special (expensive) and luxurious aroma, I was given some tealights with oud for my birthday, I absolutely love it. Cosying up for Autumn is my preference, it's my favourite time of year - but here in the UK the daffodils are out, I am chitting potatoes for the allotment and the birds are signing and busy nest building. Hope your epic drive is uneventful - I am an anxious driver too! Betty
ReplyDeleteAll your new creations look just beautiful Julie. I think I am going to try making the Apricot fudge slice as I enjoy making no-bake items. It is spring here but we still have snow on the ground, the bulbs are trying to poke through. I hope you have a lovely week to Julie ,I look forward to your posts so much. Sarah USA xx
ReplyDeleteHow lovely to meet up with friends. Here in the northern part of the world we are still waiting for spring. March is a strange month that can be mixed snow, rain, freezing rain, and beautiful sunny weather. We never know what we will be getting.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous remakes on the box and the note board.
God bless.
Lots happening this post Julie. Meeting up with Sue in your Big Girl panties must have been an adventure, a bit quicker now with the new motorway though. What a fabulous makeover the box got! All ready for the Easter Bunny, only small eggs or perhaps bars of chocolate? Sid is a fine baker, they look like tasty cookies. I hope your craft group is off to a good start for the year. Naughty cats.....didn't they get the memo??
ReplyDeleteMarch brings a refreshing touch of autumn, cozy moments, and the joy of simple pleasures—what a heartwarming start to the season!
ReplyDeleteAnother lovely blog post , always lovely to get together with friends .
ReplyDeleteHere we had some lovely sunny days at last .
But more rain is coming , enjoy your Autumn , hugs June.