Sewing & Gardening Snippets

Greetings lovely friends & readers

 All the Spring feels this week, from this sweet bunch of flowers sitting in Mum's crystal vase on my bench  💛

Jane purchased these cushions from me a few years ago now & just loved them.  They were looking tatty so she removed the buttons, opened them up & removed the stuffing, then soaked & washed them.  She asked me to refill them with new wadding, some covered buttons were missing & I also replaced 5 panels which were threadbare.   Jane was delighted to have them back again & they turned out great.

My youngest son returned my hair straighteners after "borrowing them" for over a year.  He gifted me these silicone hot-mats which are made especially to sit straighteners on.  As everything kept falling down the back of my wardrobe I decided to make a simple pouch to store everything in & chose fabrics to match the silicone mats. 

I just sewed together 4 inch squares, quilted them & then made a lined bag to fit everything.  Although I wasn't going to have a closure I decided to add a button tab to stop it all spilling out. 

It is proving to be so handy to hold everything together & I am no longer crawling around on the wardrobe floor, trying to find it all. 

There has been some other sewing completed but as it is being gifted I cannot share it yet as the recipient reads this blog  😉

The Garden is waking up after the winter & there is colour everywhere.  The magnolia is in full bloom & my Azalea is looking the prettiest it has ever looked.  September is a busy time for me in the garden as there is much to do.  When it all feels overwhelming (as it frequently does) I just remind myself of how it looked this time last year when THIS disaster was all going on! 😯

This variety of Tulip that is just coming in to bloom is called Parrot Tulip.  I have a packet each, of pink & white in Mum's old concrete Urn.

Remember how I mentioned in * this post * about growing giant Sunflowers up the side of my Hothouse?   I've started some seedlings & they are doing well. I am currently moving them outside each day to harden them off before planting.  

For those that don't know, Worm Tea is a wonderful liquid plant food.

I cleaned out my Worm Farm & filled 12 bottles with fresh Worm Tea. I could easily have filled more but I ran out of bottles & need to acquire some more.  

The raised veggie bed that I planted in autumn is doing well with a variety of Brassicas.  I dug over & fed the 2nd bed & planted strawberries, beetroot, & 2 varieties of lettuce.  I'll plant more when it gets a bit warmer.  

I bought some tomato plants & put in the no-dig bed that I had ready in my Hothouse.  This year I remembered to use plastic cages as last year, they flopped everywhere.  

I purchased cucumber & chilli plants but will keep these pots in the Hothouse for another month 'til it's warmer. 

The Aloe Vera plant that I grew from a leaf from my daughter-in-law, was looking yellow & rootbound so I took it out of the pot & split it up.  I got 2 good sized plants for myself & then 6 small size ones, two I have already given away & I'll find recipients for the other 4.  

I have 3 large potted topiary Buxus that were looking orange & neglected after the winter months.  I gave them all a good prune, the smaller one got removed, its roots trimmed & then planted in fresh potting mix.  I cannot do that with the bigger ones as there is a large crack in one pot & I fear it will break completely.  I gave them each a half bottle of worm tea & a good water.  I am hoping they won't die of shock after this (!!)

Sid had book character week at his school & went as "Dog Man" from the Dog Man Series of books.  His Dad made his 3D mask & his Mum made the hat & decorated his shirt.  I thought he looked wonderful 💙

I am not sure how this happened last night & I can assure you I had not sedated the Ginger Girl Cat (!!) but they got rather close on the fireside mat.  If you look closely at Pippi's face you will see she is not entirely happy about this but Little One was hardly breathing in case she hissed at him.  I can verify that No Hissing took place (maybe I hissed just a teeny bit at The Mr) 😉

Thank you dear friends, for your ever-welcome visits here today,

Wishing you a wonderful rest-of-the-week,

With much love & friendship to you all,

Sewing for Juno & Sadie

Greetings lovely friends & readers

 Welcome to Spring - you old favorite of mine 🤎

And we have definitely been having Spring Weather here this past week - four seasons in one day - classic Spring weather.

 Last Sunday marked the two year anniversary since Mum passed away & I gathered together all her favorites ... Orchids, daffodils, lavender scented candles, & played her favorite songs all day.  I still find it hard to believe she is no longer here. 

I have finished some Christmas Gift Sewing for my Step Grand-daughters, Sadie & Juno.  I have crossed out "the C word" so you don't all yell at me that "it's far too early yet Julie, to mention that word!!"  😉

I purchased this book for Sadie & then remembered the doll set I made for my friend Jane back in * this post * in 2019..  I asked Jane if she still had the pattern & she very kindly posted it to me.  It is Goldilocks & the three bears by Two Brown Birds designs.

The doll was tricky to make, the bears were simple.  I ended up remaking the dolls legs longer as they were so short they barely peeked out from her dress.  I didn't want to shorten the dress as it needed room for the pocket.  

I'm pleased I lengthened the legs as she looks much more in proportion now.  The small & the medium bears both fit in the pocket. 

I decided Sadie needed a drawstring bag to keep the set in so I sewed this lined bag using fabrics already in my stash.  This entire set was made using fabrics I had - the only item I needed to purchase was the maroon drawstring cord for the bag.  

Sadie is now 3 - I am hoping she gets lots of pleasure playing with her set.

Juno is now nearly 6 ... I purchased this fairy from a local friend who makes dolls & sells online under the name 

Little Haboo.  I like to support small business's & I thought this wee fairy was adorable with her glittery wand.  The fairy Princess book kept to the theme.

The fairy came with her own box, beautifully decorated, & a mattress, but I made the wee quilt as I knew Juno would want to tuck her fairy in.

Here is the gorgeous box the fairy came in.

 I felt Juno needed her own drawstring bag to keep her set in as well - once again sewn using fabrics already in my stash.

If Juno doesn't like her Fairy doll then I know a rather-grown-up-65-year-old-"girl"  who would be more than happy to play with it 😉

My friend Jane had given me this cross stitch about 10 years ago now, it had been attached to some calico but was very worn.  Although I'd used it in displays, I'd never made it up in to anything.  I unpicked the calico & gently washed the cross stitch piece.

Using some coordinating Tilda Fabrics from my stash I bordered & backed the piece & then filled it with crushed walnut shells. It looks so pretty sitting in one of my displays. 

I have had much unwanted help & supervision this past week, as I work on crafty pursuits.  Miss Pip very kindly oversaw the painting of some containers during the week ... then Little One kindly sat & pressed the piece of fabric I was trying to sewing 😐. I do not know how I manage without their help sometimes (!!) 😉

Wishing you a wonderful week ahead dear friends - remember to be kind to yourselves & to each other.

Sending much love & friendship to you all,