Bloom

Tuesday, 4 November 2008

A quick little project

No time to sew? This little treasure can be whipped up in no time at all.

Pink Penguin has a great tutorial for making this cute little fabric basket here. Made from scraps from this project and this one.

Monday, 3 November 2008

Quilted with love

I posted a little while ago about the quilt my Mum was making for my Grandma who has recently moved (reluctantly) into an Aged Care home. Here is the quilt all finished.

The pattern is called 'Crazy Eights' by Bits 'n' Pieces. A very versatile, simple pattern which details how to make a lap quilt from 8 fat quarters.

My Grandma loved the quilt, but tried to convince my Mum to keep it because 'it was too good for her to use'. Mum, of course, made Grandma keep it & promise to use it, but last we heard, it was folded up neatly in a drawer! Oooh, she's naughty!

Friday, 31 October 2008

Can you name this plant? Specimen #3

I spotted this beautiful tree while taking the kids to school this morning. I have no idea what it is, but it is spectacular.

The most wonderful pink panicles, so pretty.

A small, neat tree.

Really hoping someone knows what this is because I think I NEED one!

Thank you to Gina, all the way from South Wales and Fran in Tasmania for identifying Specimen #2 as the Judas Tree (Cercis siliquastrum ). Horicultual hero points to you both!

Wednesday, 29 October 2008

Just fiddling about ...

A little bit of this ...

and a little bit of that ...

a little Dear Jane ...

and a whole lot of nothing much at all!

From the archive

Fellow stitcher & rose-lover, Joy, left me a comment recently. She is the creative soul behind Joypatch, and the designer of a bag I made a couple of years ago for my Mum.

This design is appropriately (!) called 'Housework' and is a great pattern for charm packs.

The text is backstitched on cream sandcastle fabric & the charm pack I used is 'Anticipation' by Sandy Gervais for Moda. The cane handles were salvaged from an op shop find.

Monday, 27 October 2008

Sweetness

We were back at the farm on the weekend for a birthday camping sleepover (hmmm, more like 'talk-over'!) for my newly 13-year-old daughter. I made Princess Martha's White Chocolate & Strawberry Cheesecake as the birthday cake - oh, my! It was VERY good!!

Being back at the farm allowed me to catch with my beloved roses which are blooming profusely right now. Here are just a few of them, mostly David Austins:

The softest pink of Mary Rose

One of my favourites, called 'Othello'

'Othello' again, beautiful perfume, but the most wicked of thorns!

'Golden Celebration'

'Perfume Perfection'

'Grace'

If I could send the heavenly scent of these roses across cyberspace to you I would!

Friday, 24 October 2008

Poor neglected Dear Jane

My Dear Jane blocks have been languishing, unattended in their little box for weeks. I am far behind the group, & won't even count how many I need to do to catch up. But I will whittle away slowly at them when I can - they are always very calming & enjoyable to return to.

A10 Which Points West

Fabric is 'Look & Learn' by Sandy Klop of American Jane by Moda.

A5 Cathie's Campfire

Fabric is from an old Robyn Pandolph line, called 'Bed of Roses'.

TR3 Checkerboard

Fabric is from 'The Merrimack Collection' by Judie Rothermal for Marcus Fabrics.

Can you name this plant? Specimen #2

Genius points to my lovely friend Belinda who identified Specimen #1 as Iris Japonica or 'Poor Man's Orchid'. The leaves are so different to any other iris I have seen. I wonder if she will know what this is:

Small tree, lilac pea-like flowers, prolific seed pods dangling from the branches, heart-shaped leaves.

I confess I found one of these in flower in a nursery today, so now know what it is, but I will test to see how clever you all are anyway!

Thursday, 23 October 2008

Can you name this plant? Specimen #1

OK, all you cool climate gardeners out there - I need your help to identify some plants I found at the Botanic Gardens earlier in the week. Any ideas what this is?

It looks like some sort of orchid (?), knee-high with strappy leaves. Very delicate & pretty.

I have a few 'mystery-to-me' plants that I will post over the next few days. I'm afraid there are no amazing rewards for being clever enough to identify these - just the simple pleasure of discovering that you know something that someone else doesn't!!