Doing a very good thing

A rainy afternoon hello to you dear friends & readers,
Well where did May disappear to I ask you??!!

Over the long weekend I went out to visit with my eldest son Aaron & his lovely partner Sarah.
(they live out in the country on a block of land about 35 minutes away from me)

Last year Aaron & Sarah (after much homework),  began a "chook project" 
This involved them purchasing chooks from Battery Hen Farms & undertaking to "rehabilitate" them & then sell them on as free-range laying hens.
At approx 12 -13 months old the battery hens are considered to be past their best "point of lay" & so they are "moved on"

It is at this age that Sarah & Aaron are able to purchase them for $4.00 each - they arrive in varying states of health - mostly they have no feathers left & all need their nails clipping as they have grown around the wires of their cages
 The chooks do not know how to walk normally as they have spent their entire lives in cages up to this point

Once their nails are clipped, they then have to learn to walk properly (& out on grass), eat & drink, & generally act like a normal free-range chook does.

When they undertook this project Sarah & Aaron had commissioned a lovely large purpose-built chook house for them plus they fenced off an area of their land for the chooks to live in.

Aaron feeding them pellets

Once it became apparent that some of the chooks needed to be separated from the others as some came with very "special needs", then they fenced off another area & built a smaller chook house for these "special needs chooks"

slowly their feathers begin to grow back as their health improves & their combs turn from pale pink to red

Here is a picture of some of them - we have Hoppy (came with a broken leg), Dot (wouldn't mix with/ timid around any other chooks) & Karate Kid (very aggressive with other chooks) 
(yes I must confess to becoming slightly alarmed when they named them all!!!)

Then we have the lovely Beaky . . . 

You can see how she got her name - she was born with a deformed beak & has struggled to eat properly all her life - so Sarah discovered she likes her pellets made into a sloppy mash & she has her own special chair so she can eat up away from the others . . . 

Beaky has absolutely thrived & gone from being such a scared timid chook - to being so friendly & always right there looking what you are doing . . .  quite the nosey parker.
(since starting this post Beaky has found a lovely new owner & is very settled in)

I must confess that I simply imagined that the chooks would all arrive, settle into their new homes & think "wow - this is what heaven must feel like - green grass, food on tap etc etc"
However ... this has not been the case ...
They are quite traumatised when they arrive & often very aggressive & pick on each other & I guess, are so used to just fighting to survive
Often they come with lots of illnesses that have gone undetected til now - or if detected, then left untreated
This involves often a course of medication & so they have to be kept that much longer before being able to be rehomed
The treated ones eggs cannot be sold either - at least until they have finished their medication

(this pic was taken last year when Mum was visiting)

Aaron & Sarah both have careers that involve long working hours - so I asked Sarah why she undertook such a time-consuming project?
her answer was simple . . .
"everyone should do their little bit to make the world a better place"
She is sooo right :-)

Why - hello there !!!!!

There are some other "folks" that I very much enjoy visiting with when I go out there too

Little Feebie in her basket (an abandoned dog Sarah rescued a few years ago)

Aaron & Sarah have 4 female dogs & 1 male cat (Sonic)
Let me put it this way ....  if I had to be someones pet ...  please Lord let me get to live at their house...

I know you are not supposed to have favourites but this girl in particular,  melts my heart

Mina is a Neopolitan Mastiff

this is Mina (ming, she is sometimes called) - I just adore her & have known her since she was a tiny new puppy

such a sad face but such a happy life

she frequently has slobber over her

there are other stars too ...

They have 2 Black Russian Terriers - Mischa & Nika - I can hardly tell them apart but they would not pose for a photo together for me (I have known them since tiny new puppies also)
& Sonic the cat was asleep in the hot water cupboard & not posing for the camera that day :-)
Nika was always the "runt" of the litter but she has grown up to be an incredibly intelligent dog & so protective
This photo greeting was in my inbox the other morning & quite made my day

Look at those beautiful brown eyes :-)

Its always a pleasure visiting with them all - adults + pets alike :-)
I always drive home with a smile on my face & a warm feeling in my heart
I am so proud of the "difference" they are making in their little part of the world.

And as for craft related pursuits . . .
I managed to top up the old leather suitcase that I display all my wool blanket cats & rabbits in this past week
(I have sold a few lately & it was looking depleted)

I very much enjoy making these wee critters

Sometimes I have runs on selling mostly cats ...
then other times of selling only rabbits !!!???
I also made 2 cushions while I had the wool blankets out...

the larger size one was only intended to have a ruffle across the top
but I decided - when finished - it looked too plain so I added the red  wool heart which I blanket stitched on by hand

the stripey blue one was the result of a picture I had seen awhile ago on pinterest
& really loved the tiny buttons stitched in a heart design & framed as a picture
So I put my own version together, stitched them onto Osnaberg & made up into a cushion

Both cushions were meant for the Cottage but I am finding myself rather partial to the blue one & rather like it sitting on my couch with my other 2 blanket cushions . . . 

Incidently the blue striped blanket was bought from the Op Shop in the "pet blankets bin" for $3.00!!!  In a filthy state but its amazing how a good soak in Napisan & some sunshine can do wonders :-)

I hope you have found some creativity or some me-time in your week folks as winter sets in here in our little corner of the world.
Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by & "see me"
I do so appreciate your visits.
Wishing you all a great week ahead
much love/hugs/friendship,
Julie x0x0x

some snaps from a threadbear week

Hello dear friends & readers

How has your week been??

Have you accomplished much??

One of the great things about blogging is that I have learnt to take lots of photographs along the way

so that often when you feel like you have achieved very little ...

the photos can tell a different story

When I place a vase of rosemary in the room & light the fire the fragrance goes right through the house

I thought I would share with you some snaps of my week :-)

Autumn for me means loads & loads of leaves to rake up & put back on the gardens to rot down

visitors that come often comment to me

"oh I do envy you your trees" 

& while this is lovely, they are all deciduous

& make for alot of work when autumn arrives

I put the smaller ones on the garden & I burn the larger leafed ones like the paulownia

I tell myself it is good exercise . . . ??!! hmmm...

Like a squirrel, I gather walnuts & dry in the sun on big cane trays

Our tree this year is prolific - once upon a time, I used to mow them all up - (yes I am ashamed to admit to this)

I have harvested the last of my pumpkin crop

though prior to this, I have given quite a few away

Remember last year when we had some large trees removed & mulched . . .

I am still slowly wheelbarrowing the mulch around my gardens - it is a slow process (I am slow, that is)

one huge pile done, 3 more to go !!!

I like to put it on really thickly as it soon sinks down

We have had some lovely late autumn days

where the sun has been really pleasant & I have tried to sit out on the deck enjoying it before winter hits us

& we bunker down

my favourite lunch ... grilled cheese on toast - while sitting in the sun stuffing rabbit & cat bottoms!!!!!

(yes, honestly!!!)

And on the sewing front . . . 

my dear friend Shirley very kindly lent me her pattern for the sweetest little pincushion angel which I just adored

It is a Woodberry Designs pattern by Kerryanne English ... I made the 1st one the same as Shirley's in very neutral linens with cream trims, doiley etc

She seemed to take ages to make 1st time around

but then I had another go & it felt much quicker

I made the 2nd angel in pink rosey fabrics with more whiter trims & doiley

I just love them - they are very tilda-ish in style, & they have a little pocket in the back, which is optional

but great for holding scissors & sewing supplies

Also I have completed another wool blanket bunting

like the one I made for my friend Donna's birthday last month

instead of "Studio" this one says "Home"

I am very partial to the pastel vintage colours & just love sitting blanket stitching around them by the fire in the evenings

This is taken on my ironing board - it is the words "Vintage", done in paisley,  waiting to be finished & stitched together -

this weekends project maybe??

I hope you have all had an enjoyable week whatever you may or may not have accomplished ...  always remember this little verse ...

poster from my friend Sally - gets read all throughout my day :-) ... thanks Sal

Thankyou all SO much for stopping by & I hope your weekend brings you only good things :-)
cheerio from my little part of the world
much love/hugs/friendship,
Julie xOx

Finishing things

Hello dear friends & readers

this past week has seen me finishing a few things that were begun quite a wee while ago

Prior to my last post I had actually finished 2 things but did not wish to post about them until their new "owners" had seen them first ...

the first finish was an order from my friend Leeanne from here

On her last visit Leeanne had ordered a Miss Alice doll

She was to match a stunning quilt Leeanne had made & quilted

You can read her blog post about it here
(Miss Alice is a Mogs Design Pattern by Melissa Duncan)

to be honest I dont think neither mine nor Leeannes photos do Miss Alice justice

she is in gorgeous deep mustards & reds, & a friend who dropped in & saw her, mentioned she looked like a prim Amish girl - which I thought described her perfectly

I was so pleased that Leeanne loved her

(as I had offered for her to come back & live at my house!!!!!)

The 2nd finish I achieved was something a little unusual. . . 

When I visited with my friend Claire a month ago, she had revamped her laundry with beautiful vintage & shabby chic accessories

once again, my photography does NOT do it justice sorry folks

Now I knew Claire was always rather fond of my peg garland

made for me by my friend Elaine.

So I decided to make Claire a peg garland for her "new" laundry

but rather than the prim style I decided to try to go more shabby chic/ vintage style (yes these ideas just all float around in the wilderness inside my head!!!)

I was so happy with the finished result (as was Claire)

but I must confess to you . . . 

there I sat on the deck happily painting/sanding my wooden pegs

& a customer happened along. . . 

when she asked me what on earth I was doing??

I should've lied .... made something up ...

as when I explained I was making my friend a "peg garland"

she commented that I must be seriously bored/ perhaps needed to "get a life" !!!!!

(I didnt reply - I was too stunned - she just didnt GET it 

but Claire & I had a good chuckle about it later)

When the lovely ladies visited in February from here

& spoilt me presented me with this amazing parcel of goodies for hosting them

I was especially taken with this piece of fabric (back left hand corner) - that I had in mind to dress a dolly in & use the ric rac to trim her frock

I was quite delighted with how she turned out when I eventually got finished clothing her

Once again I have used the Rosalie Quinlan pattern "Friendship Angel" from the Homespun magazine

My friend Christine is a mad keen teddy bear fanatic & her house is full to the brim of the most gorgeous bears

(& its a 2 storey house I might add!!!)

She had long ago asked me to make a doll to hang in her entrance that was related to her bear collecting passion

so I dug out my Rosalie Quinlan "Ruby" doll pattern & found I had 2 doll bodies made already

the first one I kept entirely to the pattern

but for Christines order I altered it a little so I could tuck a bear in her arms 

plus I gave her a little felt hat I had made just so I could stitch the little bear button onto it (felt hat from Miss Alice pattern)

I hope she likes her "Ruby" bear-collector doll :-)

We have had some damp foggy Waikato days lately & the fire has been working overtime

it is good for drying dolls shoes when you are in a hurry to add the 2nd coat

No dolls were harmed in the taking of this photograph!!!!!

but you have to keep an eye out that they dont get singed!!!

I had the most special visit today from a very lovely blogging friend that I had met through our craft blogs

Wendy came over to visit with me from here :-)

We had a cuppa & a crafty chat & it certainly cheered my week immensely :-)

Wendy presented me with this beautifully wrapped package

(yes Wendy ... I wrapped it up again to photograph!!!)

Almost too beautiful to open!!

Inside was something I had commented on before on her blog, & had decided to purchase myself a copy in the future

the Simply Rouge book from House on the Hill design

gosh ... how special .... Wendy has made some of the gorgeous red handcraft designs in here

she does the most beautiful work & I am especially fond of her redwork & cross stitch

Thank You So Much Wendy for your very thoughtful gift - I am off to make a little heart out of the book (dinner can wait awhile!!!)

I have been especially lucky through my blog to meet the most loveliest like-minded craftspeople

& I feel very thankfull  :-)

Wishing you a wonderful week folks - happy creating where ever you are

Thanks for stopping by

much love/hugs/friendship,

Julie xoxo