My Threadbear Life

Hello there friends & readers,

Today it is pouring with rain here, we have just had a 2 hour power cut & I am sure the rain is coming down sideways! !

I looked out the lounge window & this is the poor cows in the house paddock, trying to bunch up to get some shelter! !

And further along, past the clothes-line. . .

I commented to "the Mr" that I felt so sorry for them.

"Oh" he said "shall I phone the farmer & tell him not to put the cows in the house paddock when the weathers bad as you find it distressing??" ! ! !

"Oh - could you " I asked

I cant print what his reply was ! ! ! :-(

I saw the fat fluffy looking thru the glass doors at me - resembling a (rather large) drowned rat . . .

I took pity on him & let him in . . .

After my last couple of posts I have had a few emails with readers asking me "what is it that you actually DO at Threadbear Cottage??"

So I apologise for being rather "vague" & wanted to explain a little bit about what I do here & how I got started.

(I promise to try to give you the "short version")

In 2006 I fell out of a hammock down by our pond & broke my neck.

I fractured C2 - commonly known as the "hangmans fracture".

The bone took a long, long time to mend - 18 months in fact.

During that time Graham (the Mr) & my youngest son, Kane, decided to build me this rustic little cottage which was intended to be a sewing room for me.

It was through the encouragement of my creative friends that a little craft cottage "evolved" from this.

It had long been a dream of mine to have a little "shop" at our property here.

To say this was built from scraps would be an understatement.

We had a budget of $0 ! !

It was built from "scrap"

wood that was exchanged for some work the Mr had done for a man who milled timber.

The windows were out of an old shed of ours.

When I set the inside up, I used furniture from my house.

And so, . . . Threadbear Cottage was born :-)

I should add at this point . . .

while I had something else to think (worry) about - rather than my neck, the bone began to mend at last :-)

This was (thankfully), right at the point the specialist was going to take bone from my hip to fuse the break.

Amazing what a bit of "diversion" can do.

And so I kind of developed the garden around the cottage as you have to cross our property to get to the cottage itself.

My garden is - & always will be - a work in progress.

It continues to grow (like Topsy) . . .

The tree in the background was where the hammock was hung

Though I do love to share it with people.

I feel that gardens should be "shared"

Not hidden away just for you to enjoy.


My Paulonia tree in bloom - taken from the deck

I took the above photo yesterday as I never get to snap this tree in flower.

Then I finished mowing the lawns & took the next picture 1 hour later. . .

Can you believe, I have (stupidly) raked all these flowers up when I have a group coming !!?? (you dont have to comment on this!! I can HEAR you)

Anyway, I open the cottage for customers who are passing by but I also have groups come - buses, garden clubs, ladies groups who sometimes have their meetings in the garden & I have had the odd vintage car or classic car club going through on a "run".

They come & (sometimes) shop & often bring their lunch or morning or afternoon teas & have here.

We had some friends use it once for their wedding :-)

I love people to use the area.

Though I must admit here a little secret. . .

we have had a few disasters ! !

Mostly weather related, & the odd naughty child :-(

I have had a few vehicles break down but by far the worst thing that happens is when . . .

people bring naughty dogs ! ! (yep they actually do!!)

And of course you can imagine Mr Fat Fluffy when this happens. . .

Anyway, this was supposed to be a "short version"(sorry)

I have my handcrafts for sale plus I have several friends work also

I have my friends soap & skincare range that I posted about back in March.

I have my mums knitting (gollies & baby knitting)

Hello, here we all are in our babys bath :-)

I have a friends jams & chutneys,

my friend Donnas felting work,

my friends home-made cards,

These are old pics - taken a couple of years ago

I have my friends Mums beautiful fine mosaic work.

The above are just a few older shots as my camera is not behaving itself at the moment.

The reason I began my blog (apart from the fact that I am a little "obsessed" with reading blogs), is to keep some sort of journal of the happenings here at the cottage & also some record of the things I make as I often forget to photograph them.

I was hesitant in the beginning to reveal too much as I didnt want folk to think I was kind of saying

"look at me & all that I do"

However, it was the very kind Betty from here

http://betty-thewoodfairy.blogspot.co.nz/

that pointed out to me "it is more about sharing of things with fellow bloggers, ideas, tips etc - kind of come & join me for a chat"

rather than "look at me" - so thankyou Betty for making me realise

& look at it this way instead.

I hope you have enjoyed your little "tour" of the cottage folks - thanks so much for listening to my ramblings.(I have sure jumped around a bit this post - sorry)