Fabric Fun and Eyeballs

Over Christmas we have had quite severe colds and are still not quite over them. So I have spent some time just sitting and using up fabric stash. I did have quite a lot of fabric scraps so one rainy day I set to and sorted out the lot. From it I was able to cut multiple squares and rectangles.

It was an eclectic mix of colours, so I sorted it into brights and pastels. I made three mini-quilts.

The new puppy Gordon got the bright one. He loved it and curled up on it straight away.

 

I also made fabric bowls, .....not quite as precise as I would have wished, but they are stackable.

The nephews have been into drawing eyeballs (don`t ask) so I made them each a crochet eyeball with veins and hanging from the optic nerve!!!

 

And I found this free pattern on Pinterest. I think he is quite cute. He might get a little cosy blanket or a nest.

I`ve completed four traditional knitted teddies in varying colours.

A lovely pattern which I have adapted to suit myself.

 

I have made one foray to sort out the greenhouse. Many of my geranium cuttings have suffered in the intense cold. I had to pick over the lot, removing mildewed leaves and then I covered over with fleece and old net curtains. More cold weather is forecast.

The sweetpeas are doing well. They are a bit of an experiment with home-saved seed which is often a bit more robust.

And finally after removing some dead leaves I discovered the helleborus nestling amongst the foliage .... a sign of things to come.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baubles, Ribbons and Pinecones

The Setting 

One fabulously frosty, cold, sunny morning.

One beautifully warm yurt with a blazing fire going in the log burner.

Christmas music playing.

A table covered in greenery ...holly, ivy, spruce, variegated shrubs.

Boxes and baskets of baubles, ribbons, teasels, pinecones, acorns, pompoms.

Eight people eager to learn how to make wreaths (well some I feel had done it before)

 What we did

We used circles made from our own willow, as a base. 

 

We padded it out with cypress lleylandii and laid spruce in layers all round, tying off as we worked round the circle. We used garden string or florists wire.

 

Then we had a teabreak with little gift boxes containing chocs and silly Xmas jokes.

We exchanged the greenery for the goodie boxes and began the really fun part, adding all the pretty bits. There were a few hints about wiring up various things such as pine cones and baubles.

(Pine cones are easier to wire up if they are opened up. And it was easier to pull the ends off the baubles and wire tightly round the little ridge there.)

The most difficult item to wire up, was the delicate gold sprayed acorns but we managed.

The great thing to see at this stage was how the wreaths became so individual and the "look" that people favoured.

Some were delightful in their simplicity.

Some were more natural looking.

Some were "busy."
 

All of them were lovely in their own way. And everyone was proud of their own effort. 

The Results

 

Hollie nearly escaped before her photo was taken.

 We ended the session with home-made tomato and lentil soup courtesy of Anne and butternut and lentil soup courtesy of Jan and Julie. I tried both ..... delicious.

Paula made a batch of her lovely mince pies with cream.

We all had a wonderful time, a lot of laughs and ended up with very special wreaths.

And I think we might be doing it again next year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rainbow Elves and Purple Fairies

I can hardly believe that November is nearly over. There has been no frost so far and despite torrential rain, its not been at all cold.

Still flowering at the garden .... gazanias and French marigolds.

I have been very busy with my Christmas crafts, getting ready for a Christmas Craft Fair at 

Five Villages Icklesham 

on 

Tuesday 29th November

10 a.m to 2 p.m 

And of course plenty of toys for the children of the family.

There are grumpy Grinches ....

 

....and purple fairies.

Snowy owls...

......and bearded gnomes.

 Squirrels and hedgehogs .....

 ......tiny felt gingerbread men.

 

Colourful mittens .....

.....and crochet sprouts.

 

Last week we had a lovely visit to Hobbycraft in Eastbourne where I spent an hour treating myself to all sorts of goodies.

I found some lovely rainbow wool and made these rainbow elves.

But I can`t bear to sell them and would have no idea what to charge for them. 

Oh dear.

Maybe they will be on my own Christmas tree.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

Outstanding October

October has been delightful. And today, being the last day, was no exception. We were still in t.shirts. Even the wellies were uncomfy but we needed them due to wet grass. 

My main job was to clear the first flowerbed. Last time I cut back all the growth  .... Michaelmus daisies have taken possession of the whole bed.

Here it is a few weeks ago ....

And here it is today .... three full barrows of roots later. It was very hard work. I need to rake it down to level it off and plant up with saved bits and pieces plus new plants.

Alongside, Steve lifted the membrane on the old path and seeded it with grass. This completed the whole seeding of the path.

Our teabreak was outside still, in baking sunshine. I took the chance to take pictures of the late late flowers.

Here are some of them 

Pooh Swan Island (this one is at home).

Boogie Woogie

 

Garden Festival

Alf Ramsey

I am astonished at the plants still flowering.

Anne`s salvias are beautiful. I forgot to take slips for cuttings. They root easily in jars of water on the bathroom windowsill.

 

The crabapples are doing their thing.

Tim has brought round a load of manure.

What a wonderful sight.

Blue sky and manure.

 

One bed done so far.

 

And quite a few to go!!