A bit of a blur . . .

Hello dear friends & readers

This past week has gone by in a bit of a blur . . . 

The highlight was definately the return of "the travellers" (my youngest son & his fiance) after their 6 week Europe trip 

On Wednesday I drove to the big smoke to collect them from the airport ... but first I had to deliver some very special cargo to their home in Hamilton

dear little Karma who missed her Mum & Dad terribly but was sooo well behaved

It was wonderful to see them come through those Customs doors - both smiling - "I missed you" were my sons words 

Since arriving home he has emailed me some pictures of himself in far fetched places ... 

A" free spirit"  is my son .... Love the glasses Kayne  :-)

I think he was looking up at a plane ??  or daydreaming maybe ??

I look at these & its hard to get my head around all the places he has been & the things he has seen ...(& I must confess that a tiny part of me would really like to send these pictures to all the teachers that repeatedly told me my son would never amount to anything in life!!!!)

I was also rather spoilt & received some delightful gifts 

The wee Owl was from a tiny village in Cinque terre in Italy - the lady was sitting in her Craft Shoppe overlooking the ocean - stitching them (Oh the poor lady!!!!!!) Incidently they said I would've thought I had died & gone to heaven had I been in that shop!!!

When I look at this photo they sent me .... OH YES ... I can see why !!!!!!!!

Looks pretty much like Heaven to me  :-)     click on the pic to enlarge it - its gorgeous !!!!!

After the 10th my moon calendar told me it was very good fertile planting time & most prolific for sowing & planting all that produce above ground . . .  so I planted come courgettes & cucumbers
 (my friend Donna had very good success with growing hers in tyres last year, so I thought I would give it a try this season)

We are experiencing the most awful chilly winds at present, so they are looking a little wind blown

A dear blogging friend Shane & I did a "seed swap" through the mail - you can read Shanes post about it here - so I planted the gorgeous variety of seeds that she so kindly sent me also.

(thank you all for your lovely comments about lunar gardening ... it seems there is lots of interest out there so I may keep "mentioning" it on my blog from time to time)

Last year I made pincushions from some vintage china cups & saucers, but they did not really sell in the Cottage, so I decided to try something else . . .  birdfeeders seemed a possibility ??

I have one in my front garden & often get comments on it ... so thought I would give it a try . . .  they look lovely sitting in the Cottage garden (the green stake is removable by the way)

At the start of the week ... I took a long hard look at my bathroom & decided it could do with a revamp.

Having neither the time, money, nor the energy to do this task . . .  I decided to improvise . . .  

& make a new curtain for the window  :-)

In fact, the curtain that was already there - having decided it was just dusty & needed a good shake - upon taking it outside & doing this - it promptly fell to pieces on me ... it was faded & rotten !!!!

So I decided to line this one to prevent fading & also, the sun rotting it ... I found some calico in my stash, along with the blue check seersucker type of fabric that I used.

To tell you that I very nearly threw the sewing machine out the window during the making of this . . . 

 would be the honest truth !!!!

Give me a fiddly doll to make anyday!!!!

The bows are purely decoration & serve no useful purpose whatsoever!!!

Upon completion I asked the Mr what he thought of my new blind ??

"Very blue" was his reply !!!?

So then I turned my attention to my little wrought iron chair, gave it a whisk of paint with a spray can - then decided to recover the cushion squab that was on it (& rather water stained) - I used the oilcloth I had bought several months back (& also the help of my friends industrial sewing machine)

The linen cushion was a pair of trousers given to me by my mum (many moons ago) & still in the "cut-out-ready-to-be-made-up" phase

I couldnt resist attaching one of the beautiful crochet hearts sent to me by my friend Amy - to be used as coasters 
But, Oh ToO LoVely to sit your mug of tea on !!!!

Thank You So Much dear Amy

Sometimes as I am rushing about my day or my week, I occasionally catch glances of vistas in the garden & they make me stop & appreciate them for a minute ... because they pass by so quickly with the changing of the seasons ... this was one such view last week as I hurried to open the end gate for a customer

The blossom petals reminded me of confetti on the ground


While pegging out the washing I noticed the wisteria flowering & the purple catmint underneath it 

I read this post by eco ethel with great interest - I absolutely loved what she had done with the jumpers/jerseys
I mentioned to her that I had been making herbal mothball sachets this week & promised her the recipe

(for eco ethel .. & for all of you) x0x0x

Herbal Moth Sachets:-
50 grams dried rosemary
50 grams dried mint
50 grams dried thyme
25 grams ginseng
200 grams whole cloves
mix together & place in squares of muslin
I also add a good handful of dried lavender to my mixture + the ginseng I buy as a tea (or teabags) from Health Food Shops.

Hopefully this will help keep the moths out of your woollens & not leave that nasty napthalene smell that mothballs seem to

Well friends I have another box of soaps arrived that need labels made for them

The house is quiet & I am burning my Apple Spice Wax Melt - so it smells like someone is cooking delicious baking ...

which - unfortunately . . .  they are not ! ! !
And this lot awaits me on my dining room floor - which I need to finish before the Mr arrives home  :-)

"Works-in-progress" which I shall show you next post.
Have a wonderful week filled with only good things,
thanks so much for your visits   :-)
much love/hugs/friendship to you all
Julie x0x0x