blogging friendships :-)

Hello friends & readers,

whew ... it has been a blur of a fortnight

sometimes life gets busy & kind of gets in the way of things...

like blogging & catching up on others posts :-)

my poor old swan plant is smothered in caterpillars

which I hope will turn into crysallis's before they strip the plant completely

I have read to put pieces of pumpkin down for them to eat when the plant becomes bare.

I found some time after my last blog post to do some doll making

I know I have told you this already but . . .

I would make dolls every single day if I could !!!

the above 2 angels are Rosalie Quinlan designs,

the larger one is Charlotte Angel & the pattern has her with a small cane basket in her hands but I improvised . . . (due to lack of any cane baskets!!)

Her pinny is a lovely old tray cloth from my doiley stash

Next little lady is Rosalie Quinlans Warmth of Friendship Angel from an old copy of The Homespun Magazine

the original pattern has her wearing a felt jacket but I didnt want to cover up too much of her lovely rosey dress fabric :-)

A couple more doiley dolls made from the same pattern but dressed from my doiley stash

having a bad hair day - rather like her maker!!!

And discreetly lifting up her dress to show off her bloomers...

I wasnt too sure about this colour combination to begin with but in the end I was really pleased with how it came together.

Next another Miss Pink  . . .

her bloomers were originally table napkins


Last Saturday I had the most wonderful visit from 5 very special stitching friends from the far north . . .
which kind of just goes to show what wonderful places these here blogs can be & how they can bring likeminded friends together across the miles . . .

Way back - sometime last year - I met Leeanne from here

 quiltmekiwi.blogspot

we rapidly became blogging buddies & met up in January when she passed through my neck of the woods.

She mentioned that visit about bringing her stitching friends & I said that would be great (not expecting her to actually DO it bearing in mind they lived a good 4  hours away from here!!!)

So last weekend a group of 5 of them travelled to my little patch of (brown, crisp) Waikato & visited with me & Mr Fat Fluffy :-)

Honestly folks ... what a lovely bunch of girls - they were just the very best - Kerryn is from here  . . .

thecountryyard

& also Raewyn (middle) has a blog - go visit Raewyn here . . . 

stitchingfarmgirl.blogspot

We had some lunch together before they began their long journey home again (wagon loaded up) & then after lunch they presented me with this "interesting looking" package . .  .

which upon opening it,  revealed all these goodies -

(thought I had died & gone to heaven I did !!!)

for hosting them & providing lunch ! ! !

What an absolute treasure these ladies were & for the first time ever . .  . I wished I lived in the far north !!!!!!

so I could stitch & "hang out" with them on a regular basis :-)

Their visit left me feeling that lovely warm tight feeling that you get in the middle of your chest where you imagine your heart to be,

just a kinda warm fuzzy feeling :-)

they made me feel so good about what I was doing here in my funny ol threadbear patch (thanks so much girls)

Well Mr Fluffy is struggling today & hasnt moved far away from the fan - I am off to water some pots that are struggling also

I have been helping a friend move shops over the last fortnight & hope to have some pics next post of her new premises all set up & running - tomorrow is her grand opening.

Thankyou to all of you who stop by - it means so much that you take the time to read my ramblings even though the Mr tells me I mostly talk to myself . . . (I just havent realised it yet he says!!)

I have decided to reply to comments by email so that you actually receive them as it has been pointed out to me that unless you go back & check the comments section, you are not actually aware that I have written you a reply,  I cant do this for non-reply bloggers but you all know this already :-)

Wishing you a wonderful week folks,

Love/hugs/friendship,

Julie Xox

fossicking

Hello there friends & readers

do you love to fossick, as I do ?????

fossick . . .  to rummage or search for (something):

to fossick around for ...

this past week I have fossicked a great deal & enjoyed myself immensely :-)

firstly, I was fossicking in my sewing room

& came across this fabric which was a pair of pyjama pants given to me quite sometime ago by my friend Gail

also I came across a golly body - as when I made my Tobias boy golly last week, I sewed up 2 bodies

an idea began to form in my head . . .

then on a trip to the $2 shop I fossicked some more,

& came across these hairclips (I actually went there to buy envelopes!!)

more fossicking in my sewing room led me to some chenille fabric - my friend Una used to cut up large squares off an old bedspread & post them across the Tasman to me to use!!! (Una is 94!!)

I decided Tobias should have a girlfriend . . . 

This is the same Melody Daly pattern but dressed as a girl this time - (no gender issues here) - not sure of a name for her - I suggested Tabitha but the Mr pointed out that Tabitha is hardly a gollies name ! ! ! (not sure how he knows this but nevermind...)

the chenille bedspread offcut became her top & the $2 shop hairclips became embellishments for the front (the clip backs removed of course)

more fossicking (in my box of toys) revealed a giraffe with pale pink felt dots - these were removed to be replaced by hot pink dots & a lime green ribbon 

the perfect toy for her to hold in her hand

the happy couple - look how brightly Tobias is smiling now!!!

Later in the week a good old fossick in the Op Shop led me to this little find . . . 

of course, it didnt quite look like this when I purchased it
but its amazing what a good soak & a gentle wash can do

more fossicking  -  this time on Trade Me  -  & I became the very proud owner of this little number . . . 

in immaculate condition :-)
When I was a young girl I owned a cane banana basket . . .  do you know I thought I was just "the bees knees"  - fast forward to my teenage years & I wanted a trendy shoulder bag . . .  whats wrong with your banana basket my Mother would ask . . . how I hated it !!!!  Now I am in my "grown up" years, I simply adore them & have coveted one for ages - I plan to doiley it up a bit (like my friend Sallys) & then keep it by my chair with handwork in it)

I was so chuffed with my purchase :-)

I have been making wheat bags - this seems like a criminal task in this long hot dry summer we are having, but oddly enough people have been asking for them for injuries etc

I like to make them in flannel fabrics - much softer & nicer

I had a local resthome bring their morning tea last week & enjoy in the summer sunshine

the ladies loved sitting under the trees & didn't notice the crisp & brown lawn

as they were leaving they informed me one of the residents that came was 103 ! ! !

Before I go I would like to share with you a photo of my youngest son & his lovely partner - she had been a bridesmaid at her brothers wedding just before christmas -
I thought it was a lovely one of them both 

Kane & Nicole

I have had some prints taken off for Mum & I - it is SO rare to see my boy dressed tidily ! ! ! :-)

Well folks, Mr Wolf & I are off to the neighbours for more fossicking
I am wanting to collect the mini pinecones & other nuts that fall under her trees at this time of year - I use them for my citrus potpourri 

Ha - if she thinks I am going out in this hot weather to gather pinecones . . .  she IS very delusional !  ! ! !
think again Mum . . .  & while you're at it, put some more icecubes in my water bowl  . . .

Wishing you all a great weekend folks,
much love/hugs/friendship,
Julie & the (hot) fat fluffy xoxoxo

small steps

Hello there friends & readers

Happy Weekend to you all :-)

It has been a week of small steps & a few finishes this week

though it feels like veeerrry slow progress with this drought we are having, & everything looks & feels, rather bedraggled

. . . including the writer of this blog :-)

A lady from the busgroup last week commented that my suitcase of flowers was . . .

"struggling, but still trying to put on a good show..."

"ah yes" I thought ... "sounds just like me!!"

Someone else, however, is NOT managing to put on a good show

& cant wait for the cooler weather to come

No, I am not a new style of floor mat - step over me, not on me!!!!

I managed to finish dressing the nude boy golly that was waiting patiently in my sewing room last post

His name is Tobias, & he is a Melody Daly design out of an old copy of the Handmade magazine

Hello there . . .  my name is Tobias

He is certainly a cheerful little chap & is made entirely from scraps I had lying around (including his vintage buttons down his jacket)

Seeing the wide embroidered braiding lying on the wool flannelling gave me an idea ...

I really liked the effect of it against the checks 

So I fossicked around & found some ric rac, & made a matching cushion in the Union Jack design

I have always liked the combination of black & red together :-)

I also topped up the bowl of lavender sachets as these always tick along & I had sold a few to the bus group ladies

A lovely group of ladies from Rotorua - the Womens Institute :-)

really nice ladies, loved the Cottage - even loved Mr Fat Fluffy

(even when he peed on the bus's wheels they loved him!!!!) 

I had been sorting out a box of stitcheries & bits & bobs that I had done quite some time ago

there were lots of Country Friends stitcheries in here, completed, but never taken any further, so I decided to start using some of them up in a few small projects

this one made up into a lovely little needlecase

which I lined with a lovely ticking fabric I had

I really enjoy these small projects - they are so achievable in a short time frame & make you feel like you are accomplishing something

My final finish for the week was an oven glove & matching teatowel with gollies appliqued on to them

A bit of a bright splash of colour for a change :-)

In between times I have been trying to "enjoy" the summer sunshine as it will soon be autumn here (I hope!!)

Mr Wolf & I took our lunch out to the deck lots of times this past week & I have been enjoying the latest Molly Makes issue

(which came with a beautiful free Calendar)

There are some lovely projects in it to tempt me :-)

Lastly folks, I hauled another old piece of furniture out of the wood shed a few days ago

I was so sure I had taken a "before" pic of it but cannot find it anywhere!!!????

It is an old wooden plant stand & I decided to paint it cream & then lightly sand it to "distress" it

there were quite a few borer holes needing to be filled & I sprayed it with kerosene to get rid of any "unwanted callers"

I hope to show you the finished article next post.

Wishing you all a great weekend out there - hope its a most enjoyable one where-ever you are in the world :-)

I shall "keep struggling & trying to put on a good show" ! ! ! ! :-)

Love to you all & thanks for stopping by

Julie XoXoXo

Gathering, drying, golly-ing, & horse-ing (in no particular order)...

Hello there friends & readers,

It has been a mixed bag this past week...

I was lying awake one morning at around 2 pm & somewhere in the far, far reaches of my mind (an" interesting place" I might add!!!)

I remembered seeing in a magazine somewhere... a long, long time ago ... ???

something along the lines of a herbal "door hanger"???

hmmm ....  you are shaking your heads I know !!!!

So the next day I fossicked around in my box of bits & bobs

& found my crinolene ladies, (crocheted by my friend Joyce)

I thought it is long past time I put some of that lavendar to use

So it was very much a kind of "make it up as you go along" project

but I am thrilled with how they turned out...

which is your favourite???  Red or cream??

they are both on linen - half filled with lavender - can you smell them???

I thought they would look lovely hanging on one of those dark timber doors ... the one with the handles way up high :-)

I have also been trying to finish some more gollies as my golly ladder in the Cottage was looking very empty

I made another Isabella as I always like to have at least one of her

Why hello there ...

just hanging out with my friend Ted

I came across a pattern I have only ever made once before

This was about 6 years ago as I made it for a friends 50th birthday

Again it is a Lil Blokes design ... say Hello to Mimi

I have taken a pic of her lying down to show her apron detail...

Although it has photographed pinkish, it is actually a lovely deep

burgundy red in colour

I make horseshoes for a local shop & it must be the wedding season

as I have been struggling to keep them in stock

the horseshoes that I cover are actually real ones

they are a lightweight aluminium & are used on racing horses

they are nice to sit & do at nights when I am struggling to see the darker golly fabrics

Plus I love to think about the brides that will receive them :-)

Speaking of horses ... as I sit & type this post I can hear the Polo Tournament from just across the paddocks from me . . . 

You can see in the distance they have erected a huge marquee

it is great excitement as South Africa have come to play against us

right here in lil' old Kihikihi :-)

I can hear the loud speakers & I wonder who is winning??!!

It is that time of year for gathering & drying things from the garden

which I use for my potpourris - there has been plenty of this going on during this hot dry weather ...

fresh rose petals drying in the Sleepout

Strawflowers drying in baskets

Poppy heads drying in the sun


Finally, a couple of snaps from around the garden as late summer kicks in & things are still struggling along ...

I remembered photographing this barrel of petunias in early spring

I must've fed it something it liked . . .

I hope you all have a great weekend, where-ever you are in the world & whatever you are doing 

take care - I am off to make clothes for a boy golly :-)

(the Mr has kindly pointed out I have more than enough girl gollies now !!!)

thanks so much for stopping by & for your comments that you leave me - you have no idea how they brighten my day :-)

Love/hugs/ friendship,

Julie Xox