Cottage Garden

I spent this morning in the garden after too long neglecting it.It's a few weeks since I've been in it, what with the weather and one thing and another. It is a place I love particularly at this time of year as it starts to fill out and my favourite flowers are in bloom.  I love the aquilegia- so pretty and delicate and something I really look forward to seeing, and then in complete contrast the camellias with their big, brash blooms which fortunately grow very well here.

I'm rather a lazy gardener. I try to keep my garden simple and it's filled largely with shrubs and perennials- fill the beds to cut down on the weeding. I do have some fruit bushes, herbs and something I think no garden should be without, rhubarb ( maybe that's just me)- it's cropping very nicely at the moment. I have this fantastic clematis that winds it way through a rowan tree and the moment is just coming into flower.

So this morning was tidying, weeding and the cutting the lawn- a rather posh way of describing the scrappy patch of grass filling the space between the beds. It's a amazing though how just cutting the grass improves the whole look of the garden.

So feeling rather pleased with my efforts I had coffee in the sunshine and surveyed the results of my efforts this afternoon.

Tea Time

Thought I would post a pic of a wall plaque I've just made. It was something I was asked to do- although I didn't quite stick to the brief but I'm really pleased with the end result.



The picture is really simple, and was fairly easy to put together once I'd created the templates for the teapot and teacup. The fabrics have worked very well together- I love the mix of prints set off by the neutral linen background. I've mention before I tend use 'Bondaweb' for most of the appliques I make and have done in this picture. There is a row of machine stitching around the edge of the pot and cup- this helps define the shape.

The plaque is stiffened with some very heavy interfacing and backed with a piece of linen. The fabric could as easily been stretch over a canvas frame.

So I think it may by time for a cuppa!

More Crochet

So still busy with a crochet hook and I've now actually manage to make something useful with my efforts. I tried crocheting with various different yarns, but my favourite so far is string to make flowers. The cotton string works really well and fabric covered buttons make the perfect centres for the flowers.

I've added little brooch bars to the back of the flowers so they can be worn.

 The flower brooches are now available for sale in my Folksy and Etsy shops.

 I've been adding other  new products to the shops this morning so I'm feeling a little cross eyed after spending a couple of hours sitting at the computer screen. I've managed to get hold of some new fabrics and despite saying I wasn't going to make for the forthcoming Jubilee I've given in. I found some fab fabric that I just couldn't resist, so there a bit of red, white and blue available in the shape of wash bags and bunting with a few more things to come. Hopefully all made in the best possible taste! 

 

 I'm off to Llandudno for the Bank Holiday weekend and the annual Victorian Extravaganza- the craft fair is in the Town Hall on Sunday and Monday (6th & &7th May). I'm also doing a couple of event in Shropshire later in the month both new to me this year so a step into the unknown. I'm off to an event at Dearnford Lake near Whitchurch on the 19th & 20th for their country fayre ( www.dearnfordlake.com ) and the following weekend the Shropshire County Agricultural Show ( www.shropshirecountyshow.com )in Shrewsbury. I'm looking out the window just now hoping that the weather is going to improve over the next few weeks.