Smiles all 'round

And so it is finished - HSC done and dusted!

She hasn't stopped smiling since.

Nor has the rest of the family :)

A thing for green

The newly 18-year-old daughter of my last post has deemed that she needs a birthday quilt. She spotted this collection of 'Daisy Chain' by Amy Butler in my stash and swooned. She has a thing for green just now.

She declared that she wanted something simple and understated, not too fussy. I asked her to draw a sketch of what she was thinking:

We all fell about laughing at her expense. Her father said we could call the design, 'Excel Spreadsheet'! Poor sweet! Her brain is full to overflowing with HSC content. No room left for quilt designs obviously!

I pulled a few more aquas, navies and tans from the stash, to calm down the green. Can't say I'm big on green, but emerald is the 'go to' right now. And daughter has decreed it, so green it is.

After some consultation with the designer, we decided on a modification of her original plan. I did a quick mock up on my Quiltography app, which I can highly recommend. In the early days, Quiltography was restricted to a set of prescribed blocks, but with later updates, I can draw up my own blocks. It is lots of fun, quick and easy, and a whole lot more productive than Candy Crush! (If you're quick, you can get it for 20% off this weekend). Watch this space. Hoping to start putting this quilt together soon. Bloom x

Musical time

Our annual primary musical production happens in Term 3. I have been helping with the costuming for six years now, and I love working with the kids. We have a very talented Year 6 teacher who writes and produces the musical each year. This year's production had a tribal jungle theme, so costuming was lots of fun!

There was the 'Bocconcini' tribe, who were prime targets for the cannibal tribe because they were little and tasty!

 Lots of hawaiian print, a bit of snakeskin and colourful floral head dress for the 'Bocconcini'.

 There was the 'Bigboogi' tribe ... 

... my personal favourite in their black and white. I loved the different scaled prints with their red trim. They worked wonderfully on stage.

 

And of course, the cannibal tribe, the 'Kukabarbi' ...

... complete with papier mache eyeball necklaces and thigh bone headware!

 

The tale was a complete reworking of the Tarzan story,

 but with twin Janes ...

... and a Julia Bollard thrown into the mix! It was hilarious.

Short & sweet #1

Life in the Bloom household has been so full that the prospect of blogging about what has been happening seems overwhelming. In an attempt to get myself back into regular blogging, I've decided to do a series of 'short & sweet' posts every day or two; to whittle away at the mountain of news in small instalments.

I am going to start with the most recent newsworthy tidbit. This happened yesterday. We have been at the farm for the school holidays. I insisted on some 'quality family time' in the garden yesterday evening, which translated means, "I need some help weeding what I thought was a flower bed".

My Sweetness was weeding this patch of irises when he was startled by a sudden movement as a tiny bird took flight from amongst the leaves. On closer inspection, he found the most perfectly formed nest, carefully constructed on the ground and complete with three pretty speckled eggs.

My guess is that this is the nest of some sort of quail, not sure what sort. She flies away in such a hurry when we approach that she is difficult to identify. Perhaps a stubble quail? We all 'ooohed' and 'aaahed' over the find. Glad I insisted on the 'quality time' together! I think we'll do it again today, hey kids? ... Kids?!

A living treasure

We took some time out from what seems to have been the busiest school term ever to wander with some lovely friends in their garden on Sunday.

 

Sometimes it seems God smiles upon me and gifts me with a moment of perfect light for taking photographs.

Late Sunday afternoon was such a time,

our friends' garden basked in a warm glow.

Our friends bought their property about five years ago from an elderly couple who were obviously avid gardeners and serious plant collectors.

Their garden is a real treasure! With each season, new delights emerge in wondrous succession.

 There are so many plants in this garden that are unfamiliar to me. I love the challenge of working out what they are, seeking clues from unfurling buds, or new leaves. 

As Australian gardens burst into springtime bloom, our friends' garden is spectacular.

 

There are sweet surprises waiting at every turn!

The daffodils form a veritable sea in every shade of gold.

There are countless different varieties, 

some with peachy pink, frilly trumpets ...

 

... others with simple, electric orange centres ...

... and around another corner, these sparky Pheasant Eye beauties!

The resident Crimson Rosellas kept a cheeky eye on us as we wandered the garden. 

 

 No doubt they will have their way with the fruit trees at a later date. For now, the orchard is in glorious bloom.

 

  

The magnolias were magnificent,

especially bathed in the warm, afternoon sun.

Both the pink and white varieties of Magnolia stellata were true to form,

shooting starbursts from bare branches.

 Now if you happen to have made it to the end of this rather epic post and like a horticultural mystery, try this one on:

This unusual specimen sits quietly in one corner of the garden. It has the  most wonderful cream and green mottled stem.

And the leaves have really interesting white markings. Hmmm, intriguing! Clues anyone?

I will no doubt coerce my friends into sharing this special garden with me again soon! A very lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon :) 

A flannel quilt for me

I took my newest quilt and my two youngest offspring to the Botanic Gardens on the weekend. I required said children for this shot:

Children are crouched behind the quilt, one grasping each corner, giggling maniacally about what I'd do if they were to let go. Hmmm ...

The quilt is made predominantly from cuddly Anna Maria Horner flannels and I've made it up in a similar way to my raw-edge layer cake quilt.

The task of clipping all those raw edges was made ever so much easier with the purchase of some Fiskars Easy Action Micro-Tip scissors.  According to my Sweetness, they are also very good for clipping fingernails. Hmmm ...

I didn't have quite enough fabric, so I've thrown in an occasional nine-patch to use up the smaller pieces.

The Baby Girl was quite happy to swan about the gardens, quilt draped about her shoulders for the sake of an artistic shot.

The Boy's preferred pose was this: 

"How's this Mum? Is this helpful?" Hmmm ...

An unkind mother might say I've captured him at his best!

Snowdrops and (winter) roses

Some cheerfulness from my winter garden on what is otherwise a very dull sort of day.

Hellebores, or winter roses, can always be depended upon to pop up their heads when nothing else is willing. 

This is the third winter for these blooms, and each year they are stronger and more abundant. They were purchased from Post Office Farm Nursery. 

H. x hybridus 'Double Picotee'

 

H. x hybridus 'White spotted'

H. x hybridus 'Primrose yellow spotted'

If I've whetted your appetite for these winter beauties, you can learn a lot more about them in this Gardening Australia interview with Peter Leigh from Post Office Farm.

Or for those not blessed with a green thumb, perhaps this archival botanical print from Australian botanical artist, David Mackay is a more satisfying option!