The Blink of an Eye .....................................

Greetings lovely friends & readers

Another busy week has gone by in the blink of an eye.

This vintage Cane Dolls Pram was gifted to me over 5 years ago by my dear friend Leeanne.   I usually plant it over winter with Pansies & then in summer it enjoys either Petunias or Busy Lizzies.  

After I removed the flowers last summer I noticed that the entire carriage underneath had collapsed - due to constant watering the wood had rotted.  I didn't plant it over winter but I really didn't want it to go to the "cane pram graveyard" just yet ... so I pulled it into shape as best as I could & then stacked lengths of wood to hold the undercarriage up.

 

This worked well but looked hideous so I popped it in a spot in my garden where I knew the plants would grow around it & hide this ugly fixer upper.  I lined it with a black rubbish bag & then planted some Snapdragons in it ... true to form the flowers have grown & it now looks great tucked into the garden beside my deck where the forget-me-nots will sprawl out & surround it.  It has bought me many years of pleasure this ratty old cane pram. 

Last Saturday my eldest son turned 40! He wanted to celebrate with a finger food family dinner here at home. 

 On birthdays I always ask my boys if there are "any special requests".  He asked for a Honey Rice Bubble Slice & a plate of Salmon Rolls.  It only seems just yesterday that I was making Honey Rice Bubble slice for them as youngsters.

We had a very enjoyable evening & his wife Sarah made him a carrot cake which is his favourite.  I blew up some balloons but these were more for the little boys than the big boys.

Aaron is my eldest son & is dad to Alec, my eldest grandson.

Happy Birthday Aaron - you have grown into a wonderful man that I am So Very proud of  ...  & it feels like I blinked & forty years went by!!

On Monday I hosted the craft ladies - we are able to have small gatherings indoors now & as there were only 7 of us we had a wonderful day together sharing ideas, inspiration & delicious food.

Our last meeting was a few months ago now & we had all worked on felt pincushions in a variety of patterns.  I had taken along 3 of my Hatched and Patched Designs pincushion patterns & some of the ladies made these - others made felt fruit pincushions.  

I decided to make the Alice Angel Pincushion but as I have lots of pincushions - I made mine into a door hanger by filling her with dried lavender,  stitching a hanging loop & some rusty bells to the bottom.

My one is shown up close on the left & the ladies creations on the right - poor photo sorry

On Monday I made up kitsets for us all to make the "Christmas Elf in a Pudding".  This is a pattern from 

Tis' the Season gifted to me by my neighbour last year.

Some of the ladies bought along their Lockdown projects for Show-&-Tell, & Gail had made this beautiful framed Tree.  She had sewn a tree shape to some embossed fabric, stuffed it lightly, stitched on some braiding & then embellished away with beautiful copper coloured charms before framing - it was truly stunning !!

On my Tuesday-with-Sid it was a beautiful sunny spring day so we went to the Park for a couple of hours, then Sid had an Icecream & a packet of Smarties ... & Granny consumed an entire bag of Jet Plane lollies All By Herself  

😐 !!

If you look at the pic above right you can see that Blackie was not at all worried about Sid & had a nap on the couch while Sid watched Dinosaurs .  .  .  .  .  .

.  .  .  .  .  .  . whereas Madam Pip who prefers to act traumatised all day long, hid in a sewing room drawer that I had accidently left open.

I am happy to report that after the seed planting efforts in my last Post it would appear that Houston We Have Liftoff  !!  😊  I'm sure you can see from the photo above which ones I planted & which ones a certain little boy buried down real deep !!

Well dear friends - I had my final Covid Vaccination this morning & now I need to pack my bags as I am off to Mum's for my usual 3 monthly visit.

Thank You for your visits here today - wishing you all a wonderful weekend - be kind to yourselves & to each other,

With much love & friendship To You All,

Julie & the furry ones x0x0x

Snippets from my Week

Greetings lovely friends & readers

I was delighted yesterday, to collect my newly framed Sampler from my local boutique Framing Shop.

I began stitching this back in June - it is a French General Chafarcani Panel pre-printed on Linen.  There were a set of 4 in the series - I only purchased 1 & now wish I had bought more. 

Really hard to photograph on this rainy dull day

Janet at the Framers helped me choose this frame - new in stock.  I liked that the "plain-ness" of it didn't detract from the stitchery itself & I also really liked the pale pink wash of the wood.

I stitched this using Cottage Garden Thread in the colour "Running Postman".  (Whoever knew that Running Postmen had a colour ???!!!) 😉

Very slowly my Sampler Wall is growing .........................

My dear friend Carolyn was up visiting as her youngest son & his partner have just welcomed a new born baby son.

I buy white bath towels when they are on sale & use these to back my Bibs

I wanted to put together a handmade baby parcel for Carolyn to give them so I went hunting through my stash of fleece & flannelette.  I made 3 bibs using * this * free pattern which my daughter in laws always told me were "the best bibs Ever"!  I made a thick fleece cuddle rug from some gorgeous polar bear fabric & added in a pair of knitted booties.

 

The lockdown dishcloth knitting continues as I slowly use up all my oddments of cotton/bamboo.  I really like using 

* this * free pattern as I find it enjoyable to knit up as well as being a nice size for a dishcloth (not too large, not too small)

My lovely friend Shirley asked me to run up 4 lavender sleep pillows for her. She provided the beautiful Japanese Woven fabrics cut in to 6 x 4 inch squares. Shirley is a wonderful sewer but her machine has thrown a massive wobbly & gone away for major repairs. 

To try & use up some more lemons & oranges, I made a Citrus Slice  & also made The Mr a Weetbix Slice which is his favourite.

As mask wearing is mandatory in our country now, I have had more requests for masks.  I don't especially enjoy making these as I find them very boring & uninspiring to make & lots of people request plain black which probably doesn't help.  The one on the far right (black with scissors) was for my hairdresser which I thought was perfect for her.

Last Tuesday Sid & I planted some "dinosaur gourd seeds" which I hope grow as a certain little boy pushed the seeds in rather deep 😉

We also planted some sunflower seeds as every year I seem to leave this too late & then wish I had. 

My dear friend Sandy left me a deliciously moist Banana & Chocolate Chip loaf in my letter box yesterday - it was such a treat with my coffee this morning. 

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend dear friends 

Thank You as always, for your visits here today,

With much love & friendship To You All,

Julie & the furry ones x0x0x

Three Upcycled Items = $7 Total

Greetings lovely friends & readers

A couple of months ago I had to travel to Putaruru, a small rural town about 45 minutes inland from where we live ... I had to collect a farming part for The Mr. 

There is an Op Shop in Putaruru called "Paws" (Pet Animal Welfare Shop).  It is dimly lit inside,  everything is just tossed on shelves,  there is very little in the way of displays -  but the prices are Very reasonable - my kind of Op Shop !!  😍

 This old steamer pot (for $2) was the first item I picked up & the lid (which doesn't fit the pot) was $1.  I had an idea in mind for these.

I painted the pot & the lid using Newtons Chalk Paint in the colour Country Green.  Because we are in Lockdown it was very much a matter of using up what I had on hand as there were No shops open to buy supplies.  Once dry I decided to apply some transfers & as you can see I had good assistance in choosing which ones to use. 😉

I tied a thin balsa wood swing tag to the handle once finished.  

I also sprayed the entire thing with 2 coats of clear acrylic varnish in a matt finish.

The pot had to wait two more weeks before our Lockdown Levels changed & I was able to purchase some plants for it.  First I lined the inside with a black rubbish bag as even though it had holes in the bottom I didn't want the water pouring out every time I gave it a drink.

I had visualised white petunias in it but all I was able to get were dark burgundy petunias, which I think will be equally as nice once they bloom.

The 2nd item I purchased from Paws was this wooden box for $1.00

It contained filing cards inside which were surprisingly still in quite good condition.  It had a chip out of the lid which I was able to fill with polyfiller.

  Once again - using up what I had on hand, I painted this with Voodoo Molly Vintage chalk paint (Robins Egg) - two coats.  Then I stenciled this rabbit design to the top using a testpot of white acrylic that I found.  I ended up sanding it back quite a bit as I wasn't especially happy with my stenciling finish initially.

I lined the inside with some cardstock paper & screwed a small file-label holder to the front 💙

It looks perfect amongst some other pastel items on my corner table.

The last item I purchased (for $3) was this heavy old metal stool. I could not resist it & could visualise it already revamped in my mind.

I removed the seat part (with great difficulty) & then set about painting the legs with some Pumice Chalk Paint left over from the drop leaf table I painted Here

Fortunately,  amongst the myriad of things in my stash - I found a piece of thick foam rubber.  I had to get The Mr to help me upholster the seat as it needed an extra pair of hands. I had this Sanderson Oilcloth left over from other projects & I use it sparingly as I adore it.

I absolutely LoVe how this turned out. I painted right over the rubber feet of the stool as I knew I could not get to any Hardware Stores to buy more & I think it turned out just fine. It's actually really comfy to sit on too ! 

I was so chuffed with my 3 upcycled items for the princely sum of $7.00  💗

Thanks so much for staying with me through this waffly post dear friends - I shall leave you with this picture of Blackie.

I walked around my house & I counted Ten different comfy sleeping places  - boxes with blankets in, cushions & folded up cuddly rugs, lined baskets ... just especially for the furry ones !!

And where does he choose to sleep I ask you  . . . . . . . . . . ???

On top of The Mr's electronic keyboard !!!! 😖    No further comment I think  . . . . . . . . . .

Wishing you all a Wonderful Weekend ahead,

With much love & friendship to you All,

Julie & the furry ones x0x0x0x

A (thrifted) Spring Tablescape

Greetings lovely friends & readers

Welcome to Spring  - my favourite Season of the Year 💗

On the very first day of spring - right on cue - my Magnolia buds burst into bloom.  How wonderful !

Yesterday, while weeding under some shrubs, I pulled these pots of bulbs out ... I had forgotten I had shoved them under there last year when they finished blooming.

Pretty Pots of Tulips & a white Hyacinth which smells divine !!


I was cleaning out my hallway cupboard & came across a plastic bag of doilies that my friend Gail had tossed my way. In the middle of the doilies I pulled out this cross stitch, all screwed up & forlorn looking.

I decided to frame it myself & make up a little Spring Tablescape on my Vintage Singer Sewing Table, which still had its Autumn display on it.

 I have a box full of frames in various sizes & states of repair - left over from the days of running my Craft Cottage.

  

I found this one which was a good size to fit the cross stitch.  I gave the frame 2 coats of paint & then decided to add the small scroll to the top.  I gave the cross stitch a gentle iron to get all the creases out & then framed it using some double sided tape.

I was really pleased how it turned out & the frame fitted it perfectly.

These sad looking little birdhouses were in another box of junk treasures so I gave them the once over with my cream chalk paint too & then added a couple of Transfers & some dried moss.

The lace doiley I displayed on my pedestal stand was thrifted as were the lace cloths I used on the table.

I found some Tilda flowers that I had made a long time ago & displayed them in a thrifted glass bottle ... the flower plate was a thrift store find on my last trip down to Mum's. 

The wool blanket flowers were displayed in another thrifted glass milk bottle.

(I foraged a couple of birds nests)

I dug out the "Spring" Stitchery that I made in this Post  last year.

The China tureen is also a thrift store item & the other few bits were just gathered from around my house.  

Total Cost $ zero !!

And to put the finishing touch to my display ...... I picked my very first vaseful of freesias to sit in a thrifted vase.

On Wednesday I knew my friend Sandy was heading in to town so I left bags of Oranges, Lemons & some Worm tea in my letter box for her to collect on her way past.

She Very kindly left me a delicious Banana Loaf in return & I have been enjoying it with my cups of tea.

Mask Wearing has become mandatory in my Country now so I decided to make myself a couple of new ones yesterday, using up some scraps of pink floral fabrics. I also made The Mr a plain black one.

I have 2 friends with birthdays soon & I want to post them each a Garden Voucher which I am able to buy using click & collect. I made two hanging heart pockets as I love using these to gift a Voucher inside.  These are made using 

* this great tutorial * from Craft With Fee.  And I reluctantly cut into my treasured Tilda fabrics 💕

Miss Pippi - tucked away where she is NOT supposed to be !!!!! 😖

Thanks So Much for your visits here today dear friends,

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend - remember to be kind to yourselves & to each other,

With much love & friendship to you all,

Julie & the furry ones x0x0x0