Wednesday 26 March 2008

fabric


More Cath Kidston fabric arrived today courtesy of yours truly (ebay). I really should get on with making things, isnt it odd how you can find something other then the thing you should be doing to do!
I have pottered around the garden when the weather allows, and yesterday I sowed some carrots, lettuce and spring onion seeds outdoors. Now all I'm waiting for the risk of frost to pass so I can plant my potatoes, which are chitting away nicely in the back bedroom.
Most of my seeds which I sowed last week have germinated so soon there will be pots as far as the eye can see, oh for a greenhouse...

Friday 21 March 2008

good friday


Its Easter weekend and so far it has been quite lovely,
though still bitter when the wind blows. So we made the most of it and went for a walk in the forest just 5 minutes away. I love spring!

Wednesday 19 March 2008

seeds


So today I have finally got round to sowing some seeds
which will be kept on windowsills until it warms up outside.
This year I am growing alot of blue/purple flowers
as last year I had too many pink things! I am growing aquilegia' Nora Barlow' for my shady border. This years sweet peas are called 'fragrant cloud' and will be blue, along with morning glory which I've never grown.
Something else I'm trying for the first time is garlic
chives which have a pretty white flower.
An unusual seed I'm also trying is a giant buttercup that my in-laws bought back from
New Zealand, so watch this space...


This echinacea is just one of the flowers I have grown from seed, and has to be a favourite of mine along with roses of course!

the garden 2007



Today has been sunny so I took the opportunity to dig over my vegetable patch for the hundredth time this year!! I love gardening and have been lucky enough to move to a house with a fairly big garden. This will be my 3rd year at growing organic vegetables. The above picture was last years patch. Which was fairly successful although it was a very wet summer and my first attempt at potatoes ended in blight which is a nasty virus, however I was able to get a good sack full that fed us up until February this year.



I love all aspects of gardening (maybe not grass cutting). My parents have a big garden and have always grown veg, so I guess thats where I get it from. I began in my previous garden with shrubs and sculptural plants with different textures until one day my husband asked why no flowers, well I've never looked back!

Monday 17 March 2008

recycle


This one of my most recent. Its a christmas decoration made from old christmas cards. A bit fiddly and sticky but came out a treat. I love them! Also a great way of recycling.

shabby chic


This cabinet was found in a junk shop somewhere in Devon I think it was called 'the best junkshop in the west'. It was originally that golden yellow pine so I rubbed it down and white-washed. I made the heart hanger out of some found wood. Unfortunately it has yet to find a new home since we moved two years ago..

the quilt


Here are some projects I have played around with over the last few years. This is my first patchwork quilt! A little ambitious but no pain no gain! It is a kingsize 'ohio star/martha washington' style, completely handstitched including quilting. It took me about two years to finish, however I started it because I needed something to do whilst wasting so many evenings watching tv. My inspiration came from a visit to a beautiful b+b in Cape Cod called the Seabreeze Inn. The interior was really oldie worldie, which has stuck with me.

gatherings


So I'm still none the wiser as to how all this works so I'll just continue this way.
My first Cath Kidston parcel arrived today how exciting! Its all a bit girlie but what the hey. I have been squirreling away some labels which I have been hand embroidering which I want to make into heart hangers. As always I'm on the look out for interesting fabrics, ribbons etc, but I'm getting frustrated not knowing any good cheap places. My inspiration for this blog came from a blog that I stumbled across 'applehead' which is written by an extremely talented artist, I am not worthy. I have been thinking about making a scrapbook of a year in my life so maybe this is better.

Sunday 16 March 2008

beginnings


Thought this would be a good picture to start my blog off, as it captures alot of what I like. Painting. Patchwork. Kittys. Vintage fabrics...