Angels ... & a Book about a Cat

Hello dear friends & readers

I noticed my angel wall in the Cottage was looking a little depleted lately - although they are not a huge seller, sometimes you can sell 1 or 2 & suddenly ... its looking rather empty

So I set about remedying the situation ... first up was my old favourite "friendship angel" from Rosalie Quinlan

You may perhaps recognise the dress fabric Catherine  ???

I especially loved her delicate little pearl bracelet on her wrist  :-)
I also made 2 other bodies so will endeavour to show you them as they "get their clothes on" ! ! !

Next up I decided to make some more angel magnets, but I thought I would use up some of my doiley offcuts for their dresses this time round

little ladies all lined up waiting for their wings & their hair  :-)

I like to try them on my fridge to make sure their magnets adhere well ...

Some of them have tin wings & the top 3 have wings made from stiffened lace scraps
(I once made a dozen of these for a lady going overseas & she sent me a postcard from Chile to tell me my angels were "flying all over the world" - she used them as hostess gifts)

Although it is mid summer here, we have had all 4 seasons this past week ... on the nice sunshiney days you get to do chores like this ...

One poor ol' ted is hanging by his foot as he has no ears to peg on to !!!!!

On those off days when you are feeling just a tad grumpy & out of sorts with the world in general (or perhaps with The Mr!!!) I have discovered a bit of a tonic . . . 

I have discovered - quite by accident - that if you sit outside for a couple of hours in the fresh air & the sunshine rubbing lavender stalks, &... (as an added bonus) ... listening to Fleetwood Mac at quite a high volume . . .  

not only do you end up with much uplifted spirits & enhanced mood (or "high as a kite" as The Mr informed me!!!) ... 
but my friends . . . 

you also end up with a lovely big bowl full of lavendar to use  :-)

My friend Lois had been on my mind alot lately & I remembered that it was coming up to the one-year anniversary of her sons death  - he died just a month short of his 30th birthday - so I decided to make a lavendar heart & pop in the post to surprise her

For some reason this years lavender crop seems very high in oil content - I noticed this in my rubbings - & the smell throughout the house is intense ... so I filled Lois's heart with it
Plus I filled the parcel post bag with bunches of rosemary (for remembrance) ... no wonder the man at the Postal Counter was looking at me oddly this morning when I handed it over !!!

I also completed an order for my dear old friend Margaret - she likes to keep a good stock of these padded coathangers on hand for gifts to give to her elderly friends in the retirement village

once again I used this years lavendar rubbings

Cleaning out a top cupboard I came across a bag of lightweight cotton gloves - Mum had given me these when Dad passed away (12 years ago now) ... & I had done nothing with them in all that time
Continuing on with my "prim theme" from last post I dunked them in a heavy parisian essence mixture & made up some primitive hand-to-heart little wallhangers

not sure what my Dad would think ... no doubt shaking his head & rolling his eyes !!!

I had been watching this late soldier-poppy seedling poke its head through in the old tin bucket where I grow my red begonias & when I saw it flowering just yesterday morning, I tried to capture it ...

Finally friends I wanted to share a special book with you ... I really enjoy it when fellow bloggers recommend books they have read ... & it has often lead me to either borrow them from my library, or purchase them myself.
When I gave my son Kayne this book 2 christmas's ago & he opened the parcel ... he actually, honestly thought I had mistakenly given him the wrong gift & that this was a book meant for a child

But he has read it, loved it, & last week returned it to me as I had mentioned I would like to re-read it ... it is truely the most delightful story & one I would thoroughly recommend

Kayne had just returned it to me & I had been thinking to myself that I must mention it on my blog when I came across this post from Betty ... in which she recommends the book also.
Phew I have sure prattled on this post & jumped all over the show ... apologies if I have lost you along the way  :-)
Wishing you sunshine & rainbows in your week dear friends & readers - thanks so much for your visit,
much love/hugs/friendship,
Julie x0x0x

A little bit of prim . . . just because . . .

Happy New Year to you all dear friends & readers

2013 was a real mixed year for us here at my threadbear life . . . we experienced some great highs . . . 

my eldest son got married in my garden in late November

and some real lows as well  . . . 

we had to say Goodbye to our dear friend Nero at Easter ... & I lost the big fat fluffy "floor rug" that I always had in my kitchen ... we still miss him a great deal

But that is the way it goes for us all . . . ups & downs & roundabouts  ...  as life ticks on through the seasons   . . . 

For some reason, even though it is mid summer here in our hemisphere, I have felt like doing winter projects ... wool blanket & felting projects ... (yes we have already established that I am a little odd & back-to-front!!))

 The Simply Vintage Magazine that I mentioned a couple of posts back had a few projects that had caught my eye ........

I very much liked this prim pear pincushion in mustard wool felt (a design by Debbie Lofgren for Little Stitches) 

I found an old pine wooden base that I had tucked away & stained it darker, then made the pincushion, crow & strawberry - the crow is just calico, painted black & then lightly sanded

Inspired by the finished article, I turned my attention to another project catching my eye ...  "Jack the Cat"

 (a design by Deborah Busby for Wooden Spool Designs) 

Although the pattern made Jack up at 26 cms tall, I decided to enlarge it & make him into a doorstop ... my Jack came out at 39 cms tall

I used part of an old grey army blanket I had & weighted him with half a broken brick (so he is rather a heavy chap) 

plus I decided to give him a more smiley mouth as I felt he looked a little grim in the pattern

And speaking of cats . . .  I have discovered a feral mother cat & her 2 kittens living under my cottage & have been feeding them ... the mother is very wild & hisses/spits at me but the kittens are still not quite sure about human beings ... one came skidding into the cottage yesterday morning when I was dusting ... "hellooo" I quietly said ... he looked at me & suddenly something in his brain went click as if he was saying "my mother told me not to talk to you" & away he skidded, off out the door

Oh I could watch them playing all day long ... I mentioned to the Mr the other day ... it wouldn't matter how grumpy you were feeling, to watch kittens playing must surely improve your mood ... until of course I discovered this just this morning ...

I couldn't figure out what on earth had hit my shrub until the Mr informed me he had seen the kittens playing & jumping in it when he left at 5 this morning to go to the farm !!!

"So umm, you didnt think to chase them away?" I asked him ??!!
"Oh it did cross my mind,  but they were having so much fun" he informed me !!!!!!!
I am hoping the little ratbags dont come back tonight & decide to "re-arrange" the opposite one 

The vege garden & our plum trees are offering lots of pickings at present

The plums are very tasty this year - for some reason, we seem to get a really good crop every alternate year 

I stood at the bench this morning making up some more of my herbal moth sachet mixture

You can find the recipe in this post here should you decide to make some up yourself

Just prior to christmas I sold the last Isabella Golly I had in the Cottage - I usually like to keep at least one in stock & also keep on hand a few of the painted face panels (which I paint myself)
I found one last face panel in my "Isabella box" but none of her cardies, which my Mum knits for me from 5-ply wool

I think Miss Pink Isabella is just delightful   :-)

I went ahead & made up the last face panel into a Golly,  left her without a cardy but gave her a nice lace doiley collar instead.  I havent done a pink Isabella for many years but had these dainty little ballet shoes which made me decide on this colour combination.

I hope you have found some creative time in your week dear friends - the weather here today is glorious but we have had lightning/thunderstorms &extremely strong winds as well this past week 

thanks as always for your welcome visits - wishing you all a wonderful 2014
much love & friendship
Julie x0x0x
(I am just off outside to try to resurrect my kitten damaged shrub!!!)

Rainy December days :-)

A rainy good afternoon to you dear friends & readers,

Rainy days in December are always so very welcome & precious

rain drops on the lillies 

The house is quiet today - the Mr is away - I am burning hot cinnamon wax melts & enjoying the peacefullness ...

red alstromeria & white penstomen - picked yesterday before the rain came

and most of all . . . 

... not feeling guilty that I should be outside working  :-)

My hanging baskets have been a picture of colour this summer - I have been diligent in my watering (for a change) & it has paid off

plus I have tried to plant some things that last a little longer - like catmint & geraniums ...

But it is not all picture-perfect flowers in my world - I get into some right messes at times too ... like yesterday, while having a bit of a heavy duty weeding session ...

... this is what greeted any customers that walked up the driveway ...

I hope you all managed the christmas festivities & had a most enjoyable time - it seems like the blink of an eye, & it is all over for another year

Gorgeously  packaged (& delicious) home baking from my friend Sandy

I have been working at the table most nights doing some small felt projects - like the mice in stockings I mentioned in my last post ...

I decided to "make an early start" on some more for next christmas ... plus I had downloaded this pattern quite some months ago & squirrelled away some empty matchboxes during the winter. 

Continuing on with the mice theme, I just adored these little mice in  their matchbox beds

They only take a small scrap of grey felt & look so cute when made up ...

I love the little note pinned to his bed :-)

As I wanted a bit of a primitive look I sprayed the quilt scrap, pillow & note with a mixture of parisian essence, water & vinegar in a spray bottle - you can be quite liberal with the mixture
(note to self .... spray the piece of white dacron that is in the bottom of his bed)

The Mr came home one night & asked me what I was making ...

"some christmas decorations" I replied

"well I hate to burst your bubble" he informed me "but umm,  christmas is umm, actually over for the year!!!"

"I know ... I am making a start on next years"   :-)

Go here for the free mouse pattern downloads - scroll right to the very bottom of the page

My neighbour popped over early christmas morn in a bit of a tizz

She was off to Rotorua & had thought they "werent doing gifts" but had suddenly learnt ..."they were" !!!!

We quickly wrapped up some lavendar hearts in tissue & ribbon & off she went on her journey ... 
which meant I got to sit at nights & make some more (Oh such a chore!!)

I really enjoy the whole process of making these dainty little treasures

Almost mid summer here is a time for lots of harvesting & gathering for me ... I have been collecting many different seeds as I weed, & storing them in brown paper bags. I also had to have a quick prune of the lavender up the Cottage path as it had flopped all over the bricks

Plus all summer long I constantly gather nuts, cones & strawflowers for my pot-pourri making ... this is second nature to me now 

The small cones to the left were lying on the lawn under the magnolia tree & hastily gathered yesterday before mowing

I noticed how much the fluffies garden had grown in the 6 weeks since I first photographed it, so put together this little collage to show you ... (click on the pic to enlarge it)

The catmint & shasta daisies are all in full bloom now

Before I close I wanted to mention a beautiful website that is well worth a visit ... my young friend April now has a site for her aprons & gorgeous handmade craft work, go visit here  ... & also for her wonderful organic skincare products, go visit here.  April has put together her website so beautifully, it is a treat for the eyes  :-)

I hope the New Years arrival brings good things to you all my friends & that all our hopes, dreams & wishes come true in 2014

Thanks so much for stopping by this wet December day
much love/hugs/ friendship to you all out there
Julie x0x0

A festive Thank You

Festive Greetings dear friends & readers

I wanted to pop by & wish you all a Very Merry Festive Season

And especially to say a heartfelt Thank You to you all out there who stop by to read my blog posts
Many blessings & joy to you ALL this christmas season

To those of you that take the time to leave a comment or to "follow" my blog - thank you SO very much 
To those of you that just "pop by" for a quick read - thank you SO very much
And even to those of you that read my posts & think to yourself "she sure knows how to waffle on that rather odd threadbear girl . . . " !!!! - thank You so very much
Because you have still taken the time to read my ramblings

In the countdown up to christmas it is easy to feel overwhelmed by everything
I felt a bit like that this morning ... so I decided to begin by clearing my table off ... & then just take small steps from there ...

Its surprising how picking a small bunch of dahlias can change your mood somewhat  :-)
(notice how I dont photograph any of the rest of the house which currently looks like a complete bomb site!!!)

I had been making more citrus potpourri, so I filled my old scales up & the kitchen smelt delicious (for a change!!!)

The Mr came in with some fresh pickings from the garden last night - (honestly the way he carried on, you would think HE had planted & tended to them!!!)
 but it was lovely to see the first of the cucumbers as it is something we both really enjoy eating

Cucumbers, courgettes & rainbow beet freshly picked

And yesterday I sowed radish seeds as the lunar calendar is good for planting things that produce below ground at present - (all your root crops)

These have been busy days on the farm with silage making - I love to see the paddocks all cut & drying in the sun

And then the men come in with their "big boy toys" & make the silage into bales 

You can just see the fluffies garden to the bottom right - a bit more in bloom now

And then the bales sit in the paddocks waiting for the "wrapper" to come in & do its thing  :-)
The weather has been great for the silage & hay making so the farmers ought to be are happy !!!!!

I have had a few last minute completions this past week

My sons fiance has been rather partial to all things "Paris" since the return from their trip -  I was looking through my scraps & came across this Paris piece of fabric which was just big enough to embellish a good sized carrier bag ... the handstamped ribbon was a trademe purchase many months ago ... I knew I would find a use for it oneday - I continued the ribbon around the back of the bag also

My neighbour has a lovely young English couple staying & requested me to make up some more of my Spice Mats to give them as gifts using some N.Z native bird fabrics (incidently Spice Mats are fabric coasters filled with wadding & cinnamon & cloves - the fragrance is released when you sit a hot drink on the mat)
Yet another good old fossick in my scrap bin & I unearthed some lovely kiwiana bird prints . . . 

I also made some vintage doiley covered notebooks for some "secret santa" family gifts & for popping in stockings

Finally a bit of wool felt stitching to put together some coasters & adorn a gorgeous piece of  french linen which I made up into a tea towel/table mat/tray cloth

Dont forget to take some time out in this busy season to stop & "smell the roses" dear friends

I hope you all have a happy & safe time in the coming week & that Santa brings you a little (or a lot) of what your heart desires

Thanks so much - as always - for your visits
with much love/hugs/friendship & joy today & all the days of the year
Julie x0x0x