Tuesday, November 20, 2012

And Sew It Goes.........


I recently splashed out and bought myself a rotary cutter, a cutting mat and one of those plastic, ruler, measurer thingy's that clever patchworky people use......
Well there was a sale on and so I figured it was a good time to buy them.
Certainly makes cutting fabric heaps easier and when you have lots of triangles to cut for a bunting order it's the way to go.
But there's only so much cutting and measuring I can take before I need a break.
So this morning I grabbed my camera and headed outside for 20 mins or so.....







The root stock of the Blue Moon rose has taken over and I don't mind it. I thought I had bought a lovely red rose to ramble along the chook run fence. I was quite disappointed when it bloomed and it was Blue Moon.....wrong label.
 I have never seen a decent specimen yet. Blue Moon seems to have a rather straggly habit and is prone to black spot, so I will let the root stock flower and prune it off at the end of the season.




Friend or foe?




H.M. Mrs Brown is ready for action.....bugs don't stand a chance with her around......




Out in the tree belt the Bottle brush is flowering it's head off.
It's absolutely stunning, so I grabbed a basket and trusty secateurs, put my boots on and headed over there.


The blooms are stunning, so soft.....
I also picked some 'Silver Dollar' gum leaves to add to the vase.




So it may not be the prettiest flower arrangement and no doubt it breaks a lot of floristry rules....but I don't care......
They look  amazing, I was never one for native plants, but over the years my tastes have changed and I can now see the beauty in their shape and form.

Love the shadows on the wall and table.......






This sculpture has been 'planted' to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the nearby Wooragee primary school.
As I drove past on Sunday morning I made a mental note to stop on my return trip and take a pic.
Isn't it wonderful?
 I love Sunflowers, reminds me I must get some seeds in.
 Of course I'm late doing so....what's new?



You can see the seeds in the middle....whoever made it did a great job.






Hubby and son came up to the market on Saturday for a visit on one of their rare weekends home.
I left them in charge as I went off for a wander and catch up with other stall holders.

No. 1 said if anyone asked who made my stock, he would tell them I sent the designs to China where they were made by the 1000's.

Funny boy....gotta love his sense of humour.

The market was another success, it seemed particularly busy this month which is great.
 The weather was perfect, wonderful live music and lots of sales.






I had made two 'Audrey's' similar to the one I put in the recent art show. It was a last minute decision to take them and test the waters.....would anyone be interested?
Well, the answer was a resounding 'yes'....
The lovely Nat and her friend Roslyn were up from Melbourne for the weekend and Nat snapped up both of them.
I think I was a bit shocked actually and excited, so I asked if I could take a pic. 
Hope you don't mind me posting it Nat?

Roslyn was wearing a wonderful cardy which had been felted and  refashioned and so we got chatting about it.
Love moments like these.......
It was great to meet both of you.
Thank you for purchasing some Sweet Birdy Love makes.


  

After a market weekend, Mondays are spent outside in the garden.
I got busy and whipper snipped the weeds and edges into submission. No doubt the sighting of a brown snake in the back orchard Sunday afternoon prompted me to get busy and tidy up.
It hasn't been seen since, so I hope it was passing through and not hanging around the chook house, hoping to find some mice!!
I also pruned and tidied up the spring growth and  got my dose of Vitamin D.
It was a lovely day and today is the same, blue sky and sunshine and a light breeze. Sounds like it's going to warm up towards the end of the week though.

Well, I better get back to those triangles......somehow I think this will be the last lot of bunting I make.
The list of orders has grown and I need to get cracking......

Hope you are all enjoying your week and thanks for coming over for a visit, it's always great to hear from you.

Take care,

Claire ♥♥ 

24 comments:

  1. Hi Claire, I'm glad your most recent market went well. Always nice to have a good result. That bottle brush is gorgeous, don't think I've seen one that colour before. I can't see all your photos, internet service at Dad and Mum's is dodgy, so I look forward to catching up with them once I'm back home.
    Anne xx

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love the native arangement. Isn't it just the best thing to be able to cut your own flowers and bring them inside!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Full of energy, vim and vigour Claire. Love it. I am envying you the flowers and sun, so glad you are able to get out and enjoy them. Not so sure about your stall holders though, there is far too much sitting there and relaxing...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Congratulations for your sale success!!! You have been really wise to try and repurpose Audrey!!!
    xxx Ale

    ReplyDelete
  5. Glad you had a successful market! Lovely to see some gorgeous florals and colour here on a dull Scottish morning.
    Liz @ Shortbread & Ginger

    ReplyDelete
  6. It's sooooo nice to check in on your blog for a much-needed dose of "lovely life in Australia"! (I'm very homesick now!) As usual, your work is just beautiful. I'm very much missing playing with felt and tweed, and meeting you at the Bright market each month! It was nice to "see you"! - Lauren (from Amman, Jordan) xxoo

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hey Lauren, I have replied to your comment via email but not sure if it will get to you, so will post short reply here....
    How wonderful to hear from you. I hope you are well and safe......
    Miss seeing you at the markets too........
    Keep in touch,

    CLaire x

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm glad you had a good day at the market. I can't see the pansy tea cosy on the stall, is that because it sold? I think that was my favourite of your cosies, the colours were so gorgeous.
    That sunflower sculpture looks great at the school.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thank you so much for taking us through your gardens in almost every one of your posts! With everything here being so brown and cold now, it's nice to see fresh blooms. I'm amazed at the exotic variety of the flowers you have there and love the flower arrangement you made ... especially with the bottle brush! Glad your markets are such a success and that your introduction of new items is well received. Wendy

    ReplyDelete
  10. Such wonderful things you are making Claire, congratulations on your success at your market~ I don't think I've seen white bottlebrush before, its very pretty and looks so good with the silver leaves. I'm planning on planting two new roses this January , hoping they are not mislabled!
    xx
    julie

    ReplyDelete
  11. Lovely creations on your stall, I'm going to get one of those rulers, I'm getting quite brave with my rotary cutter, only break into a slight sweat! :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Wow! Claire you've been very busy too! Love all your photos! Looks like it always sunny there! I always love reading your inspiring blog! : )

    ReplyDelete
  13. Glad to hear that sales went well at your booth, and that you have orders to work on as well. Your reputation for making really nifty one-of-a-kind items is growing. (Very funny #1 son!) I LOVE the native flowers you have there! We never see anything like that here. Ugh on the snake, hope you don't see anymore. I wish I had a chicken to peck at the bugs in my garden. We can't have chickens here in town though... so many rules when one lives in town!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I think your flower arrangement is stunning - and lots of other good things going on too. Have a good week xx

    ReplyDelete
  15. Your native flowers are lovely, quite unlike anything we have here. And the rose looks great in that photo although I can understand your disappointment if it's not what you wanted. As for the sunflowers, gorgeous!

    ReplyDelete
  16. So good to hear a success market story...I am not surprised you did so well.
    thanks for the tour around your garden too. xx

    ReplyDelete
  17. Your flower display looks very Christmassy - lovely !
    That sunflower sculpture is stunning. What a lovely idea... I think my childrens' primary school bought a bench or something for it's 150 birthday !
    Lovely to have some good crafting equipment. I don't have any & have to tidy away from working on the kitchen table which is why I don't make anything any more !

    ReplyDelete
  18. Love love your garden photos Claire... Those sunflowers are incredible..
    So pleased that you had a great market, especially after all your hard work preparing..

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hey Claire - I have almost missed your lovely post! Blue skies and sunshine - wanna send some over our way, hehe! I'm liking No. 1 son's sense of humour - priceless LOL :) Congrats on selling the 'Audrey's' - lucky recipients - they are fab!
    Alison x

    ReplyDelete
  20. Hi Claire, another market day they sure come around fast.....
    and another successful day must of been the men helping !!!
    Your rotary cutter looks a good one I like the handle looks easy on the hand and wrist especially when you have a lot of cutting to do.
    We like to keep the grass pretty short around the farm too already spotted 3 snakes this season so have brought some special solar powered lights which have a vibrating probe which are supposed to discouraged snakes from visiting and setting up home. One is beside the chook pen & fingers crossed, will see......
    Quiet on the blogging front as our garden has been in the Castlemaine festival of gardens, it was a long 9 days but I had some lovely friends who came along to help,one of which has a little dog called Jed who is the brother to my little dog Alfred, Guess who? what a small world! Andrea X



    ReplyDelete
  21. So nice to see some sunny pictures after all the gloom we're having here. Don't like the idea of snakes in the garden though :( Glad your stall did well. You have made some lovely things. xx

    ReplyDelete
  22. Stand well back, Miss Claire now has a rotary cutter and cutting mat, but even more importantly a measurer thingy!!! Will await the new *makes* post-shiny implements ; -)
    Fabulous news on all your market sales. Congrats!!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Hello Claire, lovely post and, yes, of course it's no surprise your 'Audreys' sold - they're so sweet.
    Have fun with your new cutter :D)

    ReplyDelete
  24. what a lovely post, claire! love all your pics...the flower arrangemtn was great, by the way!!

    mezz xx

    ReplyDelete

Life's busy isn't it?......thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.
I love hearing from you and will reply via email unless you are set up as a
'no reply blog'
in which case I will reply here on the comments page...♥

Thankyou xx