Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Owl-ing, Angel-ing & Potpourri-ing ! ! !

Hello there friends & readers & new followers  :-)
It has been a busy week again & I am sure looking & feeling threadbear!!!
I had quite a few gaps in the cottage after the last couple of groups had done some christmas shopping
so it was time to focus & make some more stock
 
I decided to make some of my blanket owls

This pattern is a Cameron James design which makes up the small size owl
I then enlarged the pattern to make the bigger size
When I had stuffed it, & finished,  I thought "whats the use of that"
So I unpicked it, took out half the wadding & then filled it with wheat to be used as a doorstop


I am just about to finish 2 doorstop Owls made from a lovely tartan rug for an order for my friend Sandy
(photos of these next post)  


We got a couple of nice warm days sunshine this past week
& I took my sewing out onto the deck to enjoy the nicer weather
Mr Wolf likes to sit at my feet as I work out here
He likes me to put my foot on him as he sleeps


There is something quite comforting & repetitive about stitching away to the rise & fall of his breathing in the sunshine :-)
I made some angels - an old pattern of mine from many years ago
called Wee Lil Angels
I decided to make 2 christmas'sy ones

    
which I adorned with cinnamon sticks etc
& then 2 pretty ones    -     just because . . .


They have a "boxed" base filled with wheat so they sit really well

On Saturday I took part in a big craft fair at our local Rose Gardens
Te Awamutu is called the Rose Town of New Zealand
because we have spectacular rose gardens
I had booked this annual stall many months ago
the weather was sunny but wind kept whipping through & some gollies took a nose-dive a few times ! !
I remembered to take a few snaps of my stall

       
You can see my Owls sitting on my stall :-)
It was a HUGE day - up at 5 to get set up & then you are not allowed to pack up til after 3 
then get home & set it all up in the Cottage again
as I had a busload the next morning at 10 am
No wonder I am feeling slightly threadbear !!!

 
Next morning a lady from the bus group happened to ask me what would be my best seller in the cottage
"my homemade potpourri" I answered her
"Oh" she said "well thats simple, you just dry a few petals & biff them in a cellophane bag - no work required there"
this made me think after she had gone (& I had finished choking!!)
about how much time & energy I actually spend on my potpourri making process??!!
Now that the roses are in bloom I spend ages picking & drying the blooms, turning them each day as they dry

freshly de-headed roses ready for drying

sorting out the good ones, making the potpourri & then "curing" it & adding other dried flowers to the mix for colour,
  bagging it all up & making it look attractive   
    
Lucky I dont keep count of the hours involved
(cos I would probably be crying in the corner)

   
All for just $4.00 a bag ! ! ! 
I wish she would come back again -
(so I could tell her what I really think!!!***)
 
 I did laugh to myself as I followed the last group of ladies back to the bus - listening to their conversations. . . 
"did you see that huge fluffy dog inside" they said
(they often come inside to use the toilet)
"Oh he didnt even raise his head at me" said one
"I took his photo" said another "& he lifted his head, looked at me, then flopped it back down again" 

Help yourself to whatever you want ladies,  just dont disturb me!!!
    
You can just imagine !!!!
the great guard dog    :-(

Finally friends, a couple more of Peles photos from last week to share with you all . . . 
Image through the mirror of cottage


tea-dyed doiley cushions

Queenie & Claudia - felt gollies - made by me (a Lil Blokes pattern)
Wishing you all a wonderful rest of the week out there.
thanks so much for stopping by :-)
Hugs/love/friendship,
Julie Xoxo  
 

12 comments:

  1. I love those owls with the doilies on them! Your stall table looks amazing! I hope you had a good day.

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    1. Thanks Louana - yes I love the vintage blanket owls too - some things you make just become "favourites" as I'm sure you will know this. The stall day was good but wind was bit scary at times & even tho people were out "browsing" it didnt feel like they were buying much (other stallholders commented on this also) cheerio - Julie :-)

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  2. A lovely post Julie,every photo a delight to look at.Love everything you make, you are so talented and fussy with your making technique. Your tiles with the poppies on are to die for. The roses are a beautiful red or a deep cerise and your potpourri is wonderful.Always smells so lovely in your cottage.Hugs Shirley p.s. hi to big fluffy:-)

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    1. Hi Shirley - thank you !!! I also adore what you make. The roses are deep cerise, smell lovely but soon drop their petals. I try to enjoy them while I can. Fluffy is inside today looking like "butter wouldnt melt"!!, Hugs, Julie Xo

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  3. Oh I just popped in as I am getting ready for my flight.
    Just reading what you are up to makes me tired for you, lol
    What lovely and wonderful things you make!!!
    Don't ya just love the 2 cents people give about others creating and lives...you should have said lets do a walk thru of how I prepare this mixture. The nerve of her!!
    Enjoy your sunny days outside just you and mr wolf. What a beauty!
    Do you cut his hair down in the heat of summer??
    Take care Julie :)
    Amy

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    1. Hi Amy - was thinking of you packing today - hope you have a wonderful trip away & it all works out great for you - you deserve it.
      Yes I agree about the ladies "opinion" - I have to bite my tongue many times with the things they say. We dont cut Mr Wolfs hair as we were told not to begin unless he had had it done from a young puppy. He suffers a bit in the heat of summer but we take him to the farm where there is a trough like a giant swimming pool (which he loves).
      Have a great break away dear friend, Hugs, Julie :-)

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  4. Oh Julie we are both SOOOO glad that we came to visit...you & Nero & Threadbear Cottage..just exactly as I had imagined you all to be. Goodness, you wouldn't want to be doing too many of those craft days would you..well not in a row anyway! Your tables looked just lovely. I rather liked the owls anchoring things in the middle. The little angels with cranberry hair & cinnamon sticks are adorable! The scents in the cottage are delicious! I was dead-heading in one of my gardens today & gathered large handfuls of the headiest of scented roses which I then spread out in the back of my car (hatchback) with the sun streaming through the back glass it really is the best possible place to dry the petals & so quickly. My car smelled a lot like your shop all the way home : ) Byt Rob is so funny...he just loves the hottie & it's cover..is that your mum's knitting? It's now sitting on a chair in our bedroom. Hugs & friendship dear friend x0x0x0x

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    1. Thankyou Catherine - & thankyou also for taking time to visit. It went by waayyy too fast though. Yes I can just imagine the lovely smell in the back of your car from the roses - the sun really sets the fragrance off. You can dry them & make delicious potpourri :-)
      Yes the hottie is Mums knitting but I have embellished it. So glad Rob loves it so much. (do wish we lived closer) Big Hugs to you dear heart, Julie Xox

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  5. I'm visiting from Michelle's blog, what a lovely wee shop you have. I will have to pop in next time I'm down that way.

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    1. Hello Leeanne - thanks so much for stopping by - I shall go and have a wee visit to your blog also. It was so nice of Michelle to give me a mention on her blog & certainly cheered my day :-) Thanks again, Julie

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  6. Hi Julie, I have come to your lovely blog from Michelle's. You have created many beautiful things. I adore you owls.

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    1. Hello Michelle, thank you so much for popping in to visit my blog. Gosh Michelles post has brought me a few new "faces" which is one of the lovely things about blogland - us all sending each other off to visit other likeminded crafty souls. Shall go have a wee visit to your blog also. Cheerio, Julie :-)

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