This part of my blog is all about the things I collect or the things I make myself. I love so many things, I paint and draw and want to learn oils and pastels. I knit and crochet but want to learn tatting. I embroider and can turn my hand to most things given a chance. So much still to learn and do. I live in hope of some day reading all my books, learning all I want to learn and now I am learning to blog. You will often find my original poems, poor as they are I offer them here. I also appreciate other people art and will feature things I find that I have enjoyed. That includes pictures of fairies and fantasy or maybe just anything beautiful.
I try to use my own photo's as much as possible, sometimes I borrow from the web. If I inadvertently use your picture without giving credit, please do let me know and I will either credit or remove it, I hope you will do the same with mine.
If you wish to leave comments on my blog you can do that by joining google if you do not have a blog yourself, please comment if you can I appreciate that.


Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Lavender............. I love Lavender

Lavender blue dilly dilly
Lavenders green
If I were King dilly dilly
You would be Queen.

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Lavender is still one of the most refreshing and clean smells ever......its still as popular as it always was. I just love the look of it, the smell of it and use it for sachet's and soaps. I like it to mist bedding before guests come to stay.

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Imagine walking through lavender fields, or passing by on the road. Can you even imagine that?
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I love to have dried lavender to make sachets with. I bought some just to keep in jars in the house to look pretty until I make the sachets.


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ladies fair, I bring to you
lavender with spikes of blue;
sweeter plant was never found
growing on our english ground."
Caryl Battersby



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And lavender, whose spikes of azure bloom
shall be, ere-while, in arid bundles bound
to lurk admist the labours of her loom,
and crown her kerchiefs witl mickle rare perfume."
William Shenstone The School Mistress 1742

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Lavender
Author: Alfred Noyes
Lavender, lavender
That makes your linen sweet;
The hawker brings his basket
Down the sooty street:
The dirty doors and pavements
Are simmering in the heat:
He brings a dream to London,
And drags his weary feet.

Lavender, lavender,
From where the bee hums,
To the loud roar of London,
With purple dreams he comes,
From ragged lanes of wild-flowers
To ragged London slums,
With a basket full of lavender
And purple dreams he comes.

Is it nought to you that hear him?
With the old strange cry
The weary hawker passes,
And some will come and buy,
And some will let him pass away
And only heave a sigh,
But most will neither heed nor hear
When dreams go by.

_Lavender, lavender!
His songs were fair and sweet,
He brought us harvests out of heaven,
Full sheaves of radiant wheat;
He brought us keys to Paradise,
And hawked them thro' the street;
He brought his dreams to London,
And dragged his weary feet._

Lavender, lavender!
He is gone. The sunset glows;
But through the brain of London
The mystic fragrance flows.
Each foggy cell remembers,
Each ragged alley knows,
The land he left behind him,
The land to which he goes.

Friday, April 13, 2012

New books..............

I was at Joanne's the other day and I bought two new books. I just can never resist books. I always hope they will inspire me to actually do something.

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Here is a glimpse inside. There are some really cool projects.

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I like the idea of small projects. Gifts, that sort of thing.
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Just a few things to begin with...........just to inspire. I need inspiration don't you.

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Sunday, April 8, 2012

Dollar Store Find.......

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I really liked this set of plates. I found them at the local dollar store.

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Arn't they cute? If they have a set next time I go in I will get some for a gift.

Saturday, March 31, 2012

Bunnies....................

With Easter just around the corner I would like to say this.......PLEASE do not buy bunnies unless you intend to give them a forever home. Not one in a cage at the bottom of the garden but inside with you. Be sure you have a place for them in your heart and home. A warm place for winter and cool for summer. They make wonderful pets, can be litter box trained. They are NOT good pets for small children. Most do not like to be hugged or held unless you sit on the floor. They do not like to be held when they feel insecure and could fall. Never pick up by the ears. You can do that if you have you arms firmly under their bottom. Hold close to your chest if you must carry them. Rabbits like for about five years unless they are special breeds. They may have longer life spans. Rabbits as with all animals are NOT disposable, they are NOT toys they have feelings just as we do. They need love and attention.Most children are not willing to give them that after the novelty wears off and most adults will not follow through and do not have the time.
I once had a couple of rabbits. I raised them from babies after rescuing them from the stew pot. I had a horse at the time and the guy decided to raise rabbits to eat. Well first batch of babies, my friend and I begged for them and took them home. My two were Baby and BoBo and I sure did love those rabbits. They were litter box trained and had a long and good bunny life. I will talk about them again on my other blog.

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Meanwhile. I have a few Rabbit items around the house and now seems a good time to take a picture or two. Everyone should know Peter Rabbit?
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Maybe they don't tell Beatrix Potter stories anymore?

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Then there are these 4. I got those from my Mum's house after she died. I can never seem to get them in the correct order. People are always shuffling them and correcting them. Me? I have no clue so they sit as they are. I used to have them on the coffee table but not anymore since Mr Sticky Fingers lives with us he is at 2 1/2 the master at breakage. A whirlwind of destruction.

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These two cuties were reminders of Baby and BoBo.......
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Friday, March 30, 2012

More Pretties..............

I have collected quite a few bits and pieces and it will take a month of Sundays to get through them all, but here is a start.
A honey pot and cup/saucer and some plates in the back. All either garage sale stuff or on the odd occasion I may get something at an antique shop. Not very often though due to the cost.
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More cups and saucers.

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I found several that had the little legs on the cups, quite unusual.

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I like it when the inside is as pretty as the outside.

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I love the little cottages for the teapot, milk and sugar.

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This is an antique. I'm not sure now what it's markings are. Will have to get back on that.

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This little pretty I brought with me from England, its for jam. Was my Mum's
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Salt and Peppers are fun and I will have to go through and take some pictures of those next. Here are two that happened to be with this batch of pictures.
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Linking up to Table Top Tuesday at A stroll through life

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

I love Violets............

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When I go to garage sales or even thrift shops I buy pretty things when I see them. I have collected a lot of cups and saucers among other things. I love Violets and so some of them are in a Violet theme. I am trying for a complete set of China tea service in the pattern. Not matching but with Violets on them.
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I know why I like Violets, its all about childhood memories. The good times my friend Sylvia and I spent hunting down the first Violets in Springtime. The scent alone is enough to make it one of my very favourite flowers. I do have a sugar and creamer and some pretty cups and saucers.

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And a teapot

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I need some plates now and maybe some serving plates? I do have one plate that I really like

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The cup and saucer that match are also my favourites. I would really love a complete set of them.

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I think I only have three plates so far...........but it gives me something to look for.

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I am linking this post up with "A Delightsome Life"
A Delightsome Life
Linking up for Tea Time Tuesday


Tea Time Tuesday

Thursday, March 22, 2012

My Second Floral project for my Eons group.................

For a long time I have had a piece of beadwork that I found at a garage sale. It has been years. I finally decided to make a pillow/cushion because in my Eons group we are doing something floral for this month. So this was the 2nd project I completed.
I made the cushion from my quilting stash, I already had a pillow form. So then I cut the beaded piece to size and hand stitched it on the completed pillow. The next thing was to put a border on it. I also had to hand sew that on because the pillow was already made.
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I am not sure if its finished or not. I am thinking it may need some embroidery or something else around the border. I must look and see what I have around that wont take long to do. I want to complete a felt project by the end of the month.

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I do think it needs a little something don't you?

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I am linking with "Everything Under the Moon" Bedazzle Me Monday

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Making a Spring Purse.....

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This is a simple little Spring or summer purse that I made. No pattern needed. Its not too big so not intended for carrying everything we own. Its light and easy. I am making one for my Granddaughter Reina who wants one and when done I will post it on here. I am going to make several and have fun with the fabric and decorations. It a good way to use up all those Fat Quarters that I have collected. I intend to use some patterns as well and make other bags. I just wanted to try this first.

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I pretty much made this up as I went along, so should do better next time. I did French seams so that they are stronger. I also put the handles on and then stitched the fabric across them as a contrast that also strengthened the handles. I was quite happy with how it worked out. Next one I will put a pocket inside I think and maybe make it a bit bigger. Although this one is really the ideal size especially if it had compartments.


Linking with Creative Blog........
Today's Creative Blog
Also linking with Ninth street Notions for "Make it Monday"

Ninth Street Notions
Also sharing on CraftOmaniac Monday


Linking with The Stuff of Success
The Stuff of Success

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

New Books............

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These two books came the other day. I have had a brief look through and saw several projects I would like to do. They look quick and if I get any done soon I will post some pictures here.

Monday, March 12, 2012

Can't Help Loving Pink............

I just can not help finding these pretty pink things. I will have to do another Pink Saturday post. Its only Monday but here goes.
These are actual things in my house. I got the cushions at garage sales. Can you believe people would do all that work and then practically give them away. Or maybe they inherited them and they did not fit in. Well, I made space for them and added pink to my colour scheme.
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The next pictures are not my own, I gather things I like from the web and so if I do inadvertently use your picture without credit I will be glad to remove it or give credit. I can not help but collect pretty pictures to share with everyone. Here are some lovely roses.
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Then the beauty of roses and china. I will some day photograph my own china but for now here are some more borrowed treasures.
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The little doll is one that I bought, its hand made and is in my lavender bedroom. Isn't she cute?
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A Delightsome Life
Linking up with HomeGardenThursday
Linking also to Pink Saturday at How Sweet The Sound