The fibres of life

Where would we be without natural fibres? So much of what we wear these days is made from synthetic materials that it was an absolute joy to visit our local Woolfest at the weekend. The large venue was awash with fibres of every colour and type.

Gorgeous crochet

Magnificent socks 

Scrumptious displays showing.....

.... felt of every shade

Skeins of vibrant fibres, mixed and matched

And amongst all this beauty were pens containing the irresistible animals that supply us with so much 'must have' fibre.

Shaggy sheep, waiting to be shorn. 

Sheep whose winter coats had been removed

  

 and the cutest angora rabbits who, unlike the sheep, refused to pose for my camera.

I had to show you these little dolls who were proudly wearing their traditional Norwegian knitwear. Aren't they adorable.

 I came home with a bag full of yarn and can't wait to use it.

I'll definitely be back next year!

Paint it white!

You might remember I recently told you we were stripping the wallpaper in our breakfast room. I was full of enthusiasm at the time and sure the room would be finished in record time.

But as always it has taken longer than we anticipated and we are only just getting round to completing it.

The walls are now bright and white.

The window is white

and the door, removed from its hinges and laid flat for painting is............ brilliant white. We always take large items into our garden room for painting as there is plenty of empty floor space.

We have a new carpet

and we did consider a new chandelier to replace an ancient one which we inherited when we bought the house. However, I decided it might look OK if I painted it white. What do you think?

Rest assured, it hasn't been all about painting things white round here. Whilst hubby has been glued to the TV watching the World Cup I've been experimenting with a few ideas. White ones of course!

Yesterday I began knitting this little snow bunny. It might become part of a festive pattern collection I'm planning for later in the year.

But enough about knitting!

I'm eager to get my china back in the dresser and have decided to display my vintage florals rather than my blue and white which has been in there for quite a while. My blue and white will have another home, but more of that in a later post.

Jolly gardening

The sun is out and there's plenty to do around the garden today and so I found some willing volunteers to help me (knitted ones of course!) They are my new dolls known as Jolly Tots and I thought I'd introduce a few to you.

This little girl is removing the dead flower heads from my petunias (a job I'm very lazy about doing).

I'm not sure if this little cutie is doing much work, she seems to be comparing the lovely scarlet bloom with her own red hat.

Little boys are always more interested in climbing trees don't you find?

This frilly pink poppy appeared in our flower bed in early spring. I didn't plant seed so its arrival remains a bit of a mystery. These blooms stand at least one metre off the ground so this little Jolly Tot has had a difficult climb on her tiny legs.

"Peekaboo"..... another little tot pops out of the petunias 

Gardening can be thirsty work. "Who's for a nice refreshing cup of tea?"

If you'd like to knit your own 'garden helpers' you'll find the pattern for Jolly Tots in my Etsy shop.

A bright idea

Just look at that juicy strawberry! It's our first of the year and its growing plumper and riper every day.  Unfortunately the local birds and squirrels have also spotted it, so today I decided it was time for action.

This year my strawberry plants are outside the sitting room window where I can keep an eye open for thieves of the fur and feathered variety. But I can't stand guard endlessly so knew it was time to drape netting over the ripening fruit.

and I had a cunning plan.....

We've had an old umbrella in the garage for many years. It was battered and torn but we always felt it might come in useful one day.

First I removed the fabric and then hubby cut off the handle.

The strawberry plants are standing on a makeshift table made from a large wooden reel which conveniently has a hole through the centre. So with a piece of old pipe (more junk we've stored for years) pushed into the centre of the reel we were able to support the umbrella.

 

And it made the perfect frame for the strawberry netting. Let's hope it proves a good deterrent

I bet the birds and squirrels won't be pleased when they see it!

Busy doing nothing!

It's one of those days when I start with good intentions and end up doing not very much at all. This morning I spent a little time knitting. I'm working on a family of little rascals (see below) the pattern for which will eventually find it's way into my Etsy shop. Hopefully in time for Christmas!

As the sun popped out from behind the clouds I couldn't resist visiting my strawberry plants which I'm pleased to say are all doing well. I usually have them in the veg patch but this year they're in pots beside the garden room door which will enable me to pop outside and pick a few whatever the weather.

The tomato plants are looking healthy also but have only just started flowering, so I'll have to wait a while for the juicy fruits to appear.

Unlike me, hubby has found a real job and is clearing masses of vegetation from an area of rock adjoining the lawn. This has always been a problem spot and so we've never done much with it, but I have plans!! Well before the patch is cleared I'm thinking about the plants I'd like to see there. Sensibly hubby has said we must use what we've got and not acquire more. In other words, we move plants from elsewhere in the garden that are in the wrong position or have been crowded out by their neighbours.

The first candidate will be this delicate little rose with gorgeous red stems and pinkish grey leaves. I planted it a couple of years ago in front of the dining room window not realising how tall and bushy it would become.

These purple iris are another possibility. We can't grow the big blousy irises here unfortunately (too wet and not enough sun) but these are iris Sibirica and they thrive and multiply with ease so they are definitely on the 'to move' list.

These pretty little violas won't be moving to the new patch. I bought them at our local garden centre a couple of days ago and they are destined for one of my patio pots.

Why do some gardens look lovely when little plants pop up between the paving on the patio and others look a neglected mess. Sadly ours falls into the neglected mess category.

I think I'd better do something really useful and remove a few of those weeds.....But first.......Who fancies a nice cup of tea?