Patchwork Blanket Tah-Dah Moment

Good Morning....how's your week been....

This week I have finally finished the Patchwork Blanket...here it is in its fully glory :)

Tah-Dah!

 

I have to say that it has been a joy to do and I will definitely been making another one...its perfect for using up odd bits of yarn that are left...I will be writing a separate page for the making of the blanket, going into more detail...probably this week as I don't want to bore all you non crocheters with the details.  I am overjoyed with the way the colours have worked and my border...well I had made my mind up this was what I wanted to do...I found the pattern a while back and this was just the perfect edging...a bit fiddly to do but well worth it!

 

 

It has given a lovely little ruffle of pompoms..... :)

I have started my new project...a cushion cover for my little brown chair...its a corner to corner crochet and it will be finished this week...the pattern works up so quick!

  Then I shall be starting my Autumn Wreath...oooh the ideas are flying around in my head...I cant wait to get started..

This weeks weather has been a very mixed bag....a few absolutely beautiful days and more than a few of god damn awful days!!

Lets start with the good days.....we have been spending some time in our little sanctuary in the garden...me and Puppy Dog just love this place...



 

On our walks this week you can tell that the season is starting to change already...one of the trees is already looking very autumnal in colour, everything is ripening....

 

Rose Hips ready to burst...

Branches on the Rowan Tree so heavy with berries...

Blackberries almost ready to pick...mine will be making Blackberry Gin this year...I made Jam last time...

Elderberries forming...

Crab Apples getting larger ready for some Crab Apple Jelly....

Apples almost ready for picking....just look at that blue sky....

 

These Bull Rushes are so tall....I took this photo standing next to them and they were taller than me at 5' 4"....

But there is still plenty to remind you that it is still summer....

Bees still busy....

Wild roses still blooming amongst the rose hips...

Dandelion clocks to make wishes with....

A little Oak Tree seedling....

From these little beauties...I can wait to pick these....(I have a plan for them...ha ha)

 

And my favourite Tree on our walks....our Weeping Willow....so magnificent....

And a very playful Puppy Dog....

And then the weather turned...it went extremely hot and humid....and in England when this happens...we get very, very grey skies forming....heavy rain...very windy...this was taken through the bedroom window Saturday afternoon...

The rain was lashing down...but later we did have the most amazing thunder and lightening...great to watch and listen too....not so good for those at the V Festival up the road though!

Well lets back to nicer things...and leave the grey skies behind...

I took a photo of the latest batch of blankets all piled up and loved it so much I have made it my icon on all of my pages...luckily taken before the blue granny blanket went off to its new owner at the end of the week...

I love to dream looking at all the amazing interiors on Pinterest...but I'm not in need of mansion (I'd take it if someone wants to give me a mansion ha ha)...just something with a bit more space...more open plan...I found this photo and this is what I would like...

So this has been added to my dreaming file of Interiors on Pinterest...one day....I just keep dreaming...

Well I've kept you long enough now...another week has flown by...this Vintage picture made me chuckle...as it is so true for me....its not going to a bikini holiday yet again this year ha ha...

And this weeks quote...

Have a lovely week...enjoy what ever you are doing...and be kind to yourself xxxx



A Bits 'n' Bobs Week

Morning...

A day late with my diary update...we had a day out at the shops yesterday....the 2 of us shopping in town doesn't happen very often so it was a lovely change....then lunch at parents...all in all a lovely day :) so I thought I would make it a very lazy day and do my writing today instead...

On our shopping trip yesterday....I came across this biscuit barrel...and I just had to have it...a beautifully designed piece by Ashley Thomas....The Bakery...

 ...and the reverse side has the cutest little dog at the door....

It sits along all my other treasures perfectly and as it was biscuit week on the Great British Bake Off (one of my favs of course) we had Raspberry & White Chocolate Cookies...yummy!

My little moo cow milk jug perfectly holds two of the miniature roses from the rose bush my dear friend Yvonne got for me and its just flowering again for the second time this year...the pink of the rose perfectly picked up the pink in the biscuit barrel...a match made in heaven :)

The rest of the week has been like the title...a bits n bobs week...I have been dipping into different pieces of craft all week and I have to say the week went quickly...

Some of my little crafty parcels arrived from China so I was able to have a go at some jewellery making...I have done a wire craft class on one evening before and made a bangle which I was very pleased with...but actually making something from scratch, with thread and findings was a very new experience....so after a few views of videos on YouTube off I went....I love Turquoise and have wanted a bohemian style chunky necklace for some time...I have seen them on TV but have never been able to buy just what I wanted in my head....so the answer was to have a go myself...I bought the 'findings', stones and centre pendant all separately...with clumsy hands...and the need for my glasses (goodness some of the findings were so small!) this was the result....

 

 

...and I love it...it was just how I imagined it in my head...the combination of silver and turquoise...beautiful :)

 

I'm always putting my glasses down...I only need them to read or for very close work...so I also made a little holder for them so I know where they are....

 

They can hang contented around my neck and this way I don't feel so old as they seem a bit more trendy....ha ha...

I'm still collecting my white feathers for Xmas when out on my travels...the grey ones I gave a bit of spruce up....they haven't photographed that well...they look much brighter in the flesh...but I'm thinking maybe metallic paint would be better than paint pens...I will use these on a dream catcher when I get around to it :) ...

 

As for the garden this week...apart from my beautiful pink roses....there was a stunning creamy rose which was just as perfect....and the sweet peas....well they have been working over time...I've had around 4 really good bunches this week...so the house is still full of that heavenly fragrance...much to the annoyance of my Dad...he gave me the six plants he had left over...mine have flowered and flowered and Dads...well lets just say they are compost now :((

And now we get to my real passion...crochet...I'm still gently working on Patchwork Blanket...its nearly finished...I'm just doing the last of the joining seams and then just the border to go...and low and behold...I know what the border is going to be...yay...that will be a first!

 I'm loving the way the colours are 'popping' out now they are framed with the white...

From Pinterest this week...these bags are my favourite...made from embroidery on vintage tablecloths and napkins...such a clever idea...I see these vintage tablecloths all the time at the Antiques Fairs and they are always very reasonable...so next one I go to I will be picking some up...I think I could manage to make one of these bags....a great bit of recycling of vintage pieces that aren't perfect anymore :)

 

Photos taken from Pinterest

 

 I'm going to make a little plea now...I hate doing this but...I need more followers on the Facebook page of my blog...so I would be really grateful for a like and a share to get the numbers up...I promise I will not fill up your timeline with rubbish...I just post the link to my blog on there...the link can be found in the text under the next photo...thank you in anticipation :)

 



Facebook Page for Florrie May51 Diary blog

So to the vintage photo for this week....this is so true of me...and made me laugh out loud...

I am guilty of not always telling the whole truth about what I have stashed away...let alone the costs... :)

And my quote for this week is....

Have a great week...enjoy everything you do...most of all have fun....xxxxx

 

Patchwork Love

Morning...
 
Feeling bright and breezy today....the sun shone all day yesterday and it seems more of the same today...so far...yay! Its amazing how different you feel when the sun is out :o)
 
This week seems to have gone so fast...I'm in love with my patchwork blanket...so pretty and summery
 

 
This is the first half all joined across...I have been gently carrying on with the rest of the little squares...it has been so calming and therapeutic making these....as I promised myself I haven't rushed...I've just enjoyed the process....
 

 
only another 28 to do....I should finish those today...then the fun of putting them altogether and deciding on what border to do...and whilst I'm doing that...my mind will be drifting off to the next project...not sure what it will be yet....I'm thinking of....wait for it....NOT doing a blanket next!!!  With this one I have a nice little pile of 5 blankets so maybe I should sell those before I make another....but knowing me there will be another one on the go before long :o)
 
Hubby has been at work a lot this week so Puppy Dog and me have had to do with our own company...It was my Moms Birthday this week so...we all had lunch together on that day and yesterday we had a day trip home to enjoy the beautiful weather in my parents gorgeous garden....
 

 

 

Puppy Dog on patrol...keeping the pigeons at bay :o)

 

 

I promised to show you my Charity Shop finds...I love Charity Shops....I cant resist glass, pretty china things or pretty crockery...

 

 
Top left are six beautiful champagne coups...heavy lead crystal for £5!!!....top right a stunning little 1930-40's pressed glass little vase 49p!!!...bottom left the most gorgeous vintage jug...as soon as I saw this I was in love...a bit pricey I thought but I had to have it at £4....and lastly a lovely lead crystal preserve jar...it doesn't have a lid...but when we have scones and jam it doesn't last long enough to need a lid for £1...so all in all I was a very happy bunny :o)
 
These are photos of them in use...immediately :o)
 

 
 

 

I couldn't resist these amazing pink gerberas from the shops yesterday!

 

 

When we go on a our daily walks I am always picking up little treasures....wild flowers to press...seed pods (just because) and feathers...I love feathers...now here in England we don't have exotic birds so mainly the feathers to be found are white, grey or black...I now have quite a jam jar full...I had seen some pictures recently where someone had beautifully decorated feathers using pens...so I am going to give that a try and use them for a dream catcher...but I thought I would see if you could stamp them...and you can...

 

I thought these would be great for place settings...or as gift tags...so I'm on the look out for more and more white feathers to use as gift tags for Christmas :o)

While scouring Pinterest (I'm an avid Pinterest user ~ Florrie May Pinterest ) I found this photo of the prettiest tea cosy's and I had to share them with you....

Over the next few weeks I hope to making some jewellery...(yet another weakness of mine!!) I have excitedly ordered components...and as most of it comes from China (its cheaper and you get loads more)...and it takes a long time to arrive (the downside to ordering from China) I'm eagerly awaiting the little parcels to pop through the letter box :o)...so something else for me to look forward to making...

Well I was wondering what I was going to write about this week as it didn't seem as though I had done much and thought I wouldn't have much so say...but as many will testify I can rattle on about nothing for ages!!! Ha Ha

The vintage photo this week....is something I remember very, very well from my childhood....

...the Coal Man...I remember the weekly or fortnightly delivery...in the first house we lived in when I was very little we had a coal fire and a coal house off the kitchen...and now that we don't use coal anymore...how useful are those coal houses now for storage!!

Well I will leave you as Puppy Dog is giving me a not so gentle reminder (putting her nose under my arm and lifting it away from the keyboard) that it is time to go and play ball over the field...

Have a great day....and a great week...enjoy everything you do...xxx

 

 





 

A Gentle Quiet Week

Morning All,

Has everyone had a good week?

It has been a gentle...quiet week here...no drama's...its just plodded along lovely :)

This week has seen two celebrations....the first....puppy dogs 2nd Birthday...I cant quite believe she has been with us for 2 years!! Seems like only yesterday she turned my house upside down!!! Ha Ha

The second celebration....my parents Wedding Anniversary...wont tell you how many years....but when you see this weeks vintage photo...which is of me...you'll be able to see that I'M Vintage these days!!  I like to make my own cards if I get inspiration....I don't have loads of dies to make cuttings...but I do have my new stamps and pens..... :) so after a little bit of colouring in...and some gold stamping...this is the card I made....and they loved it....Mom has put it in a little frame...bless :)

My patchwork blanket is still very much a work in progress...I decided to just take my time...pick it when I felt like it...lately I have been racing through every project...but I'm enjoying doing it at a slower pace...and....I've got more housework done!

I've taken Hubby and myself in hand this week...we had news that another one of our friends had been unwell....and unfortunately we are getting to that age...so as from this week...we are taking supplements (spent a fortune!)...eating more healthy.... and I'm going to start doing my yoga again...we both need to lose some weight (ha ha don't hold your breath)...so we'll see how we fair over the next few weeks :) 

The Sweet Peas from the garden have come to a standstill this week...haven't been giving them time to produce more flowers...so had to buy flowers for the first time in ages...and oh how I love pink roses.....

 

....a bunch in the kitchen and one in the bathroom....so lovely :)

This is this weeks charity shop find....a Yankee Candle glass shade....£1.99 sits beautifully on my candle...bought for me by my dear friend Dot when I had my operation :)

I took a trip out to the big charity shop local to us yesterday and purchased more....but I'll show you that next week as I've not cleaned them up yet :)

So as you can see...a gentle...quiet week...not much happening at all....but all the ideas I have floating around I'm sure the following weeks will be a bit more crafty...I hope so anyway :)

This weeks vintage photo...is me :) on a day trip out and about...

 ....just love looking at old photos......

I will leave you with this weeks quote....

Have a lovely week all....make each day special and visit your "Happy Place" often :) xxxx

Sign found of Pinterest