Tea Bags

Tea bags stitched onto fabric to make a toaster cover.

Some tea bags are stamped as you can see

It is amazing what you can do with the humble tea bag.
I do enjoy making something different apart from a cup of tea!  This sure fits that category.
 Do you agree?
If you google tea bags or tea bag art you may be surprised what you find and it probably isn't
a cup of tea!

Bye for now
Joan

Lace Wrap!

So Sew Simple!



Some stretchy, soft lacey fabric wrapped around two glasses and secured with stitches gives a very effective look of etched glass. 

 Two little scented candles have been burning for hours and scenting our dining room with a very pleasant scent.

 

Simply effective and a lot of fun.
The candles sit on a little woven mat recently completed by moi.

A soft glow from the candles helps to warm the atmosphere whenthe weather outside has turned rather nasty.

This is very simple and just lovely.  A homely touch.
You may like to try it.
I hope so.

Joan

The Amazing Beauty of Autumn

Autumn and some of its glory is evident in these photos not far from my garden
gate.  I was out walking this morning and was delighted to see what had appeared
amongst the layers of autmn leaves.
I just had to fetch our camera and a Grandaughter for this autumnal photo.



To be quite honest, I think I was more fascinated by these wonders of nature
than my little friend.

.......but she was obliging and  made a great subject for my photo.  

 

Weaving from Natural Dyed Fabric

My woven tablemat with 'cecile brunner' rose on display.

 

I have a selection of fabrics from my natural dyeing experiments.  I really enjoy weaving so the above photos show what happened when I wove fabric strips from naturally dyed pieces I have on hand.
There's pink pieces from the bee balm in my garden, a spot of blue from pansy colouring, probably from ice flower dyeing as developed by India Flint.
I added a brown selvidge piece for contrast and interest. (Not dyed by me)
Also, there are one or two other pieces not part of my dyed stash.
This little piece sits on our dining table.  I love  the rustic appearance of it.
that appeals to me.

have fun,
 Joan

 

'Grow Your Blog Party' Giveaway Winner

What a great party it has been.  I have loved meeting new bloggers.  Enjoyed seeing new blogs  and receiving many encouraging comments.  Having new followers has been part of the party fun. 
Thankyou all and especially Vicki for doing the hard yards to make it happen.

The winner of my giveaway is Betsy's Heartstrings Blog.
She will be receiving her gift soon.

Grow Your Blog Party - Giveaway

Thankyou for visiting my blog.
I love having visitors and your comments are especially
appreciated.

This blog party is an idea of Vicki at

2bagsfull

 

A little bit about myself...
I live in the South Island of New Zealand.  I enjoy gardening, especially when the roses are in full bloom.  The scent, colour and variety are a delight to me.
With four grown children our empty nest suddenly comes alive again when our Grandchildren visit.
We have six and we love their visits, bringing with them the 'joy of life.'

I work with the elderly in a local rest home.  This is voluntary work helping with art and crafts and
other activities.  I love this and feel that I receive more than I give and have lots of laugh as well.

I love the photograpy side of blogging as well.  I am self taught and am not great at it, but I sure
enjoy playing and having a lot enjoyment and a few surpises too!

- Margaret Merrill in my garden.-

a very beautiful rose


This giveaway is a way of saying thankyou to my followers.
Also, I want to encourage others to join in the party fun!

My giveaway includes a some of my  handstitched hearts and a
beautiful vintage doiley to complete the package.

I hope you will join in. Just leave a comment so I can contact you if you win.
The winner will be drawn on February 1st.

 Thankyou for your visit.

Joan

 

My Fathers Hand

Our Australian bottlebrush has flowered beautifully this season.
The seeds are bountiful also.   I flicked some off the branch and have strung them
onto wire as you can see in the photos above.

 

This blurry bee accompanied me in my tabletop project.
I shall gather him up very soon and place him in the garden. 
We don't have enough bees now.  Pretty sad.  Too many
chemicals???

 

My spiralled wire of beads hangs in my kitchen window to dry.
I wonder how they will be when they are dry.
A fun thing to do anyway.
(Dougal our labrador keeps an eye on me)

I headed this posting 'My Fathers Hand.'  The reason being that I refer to my heavenly Father.
He is the one who created all the wonderful plants, flowers etc. that we are able to enjoy.

I am really enjoying 2013 and the new opportunities and ideas that abound.
I hope that you too can enjoy this New Year.

Joan
(be back soon)

Its written on a Rock

Garden Meditation

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Must haves for Flower Girls

"The spring came suddenly, bursting upon the world as a child bursts into a room, with a laugh and a shout and hands full of flowers"

-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow-

Fabric  Flowers.

and so it is....... flowers girls need flowers.
The one above is made as a wristlet for a little three year old flower girl.

May she enjoy being a flowergirl and her day be full of fun.

(I love those words of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's...what a mouthfull!  They put a smile on my dial.  I hope they do that for you too.)

Joan

Layered fabric flowers

Pretty in pink.

Organza, net and other soft fabrics.

This girl loves these.
I had a go at making the stamens as well this time.
I hope you enjoy them.

Take care, another weekend is upon us.
We're having a great time with visitors staying and our youngest son arrives home today, for the summer holidays which will be great.
Joan.

Two Crocheted Sculptures on my Windowsill.

I am forever fascinated by sculpted vessels often seen on other blogs etc.
So I decided I would give it a go and loved it.
A large crochet hook and cream wool for the vessel on the left and mixed shades of wool
for the one on the right.  Away I went, shaping as I went until I came up with these two individaul
creations.  Painted with acrylic paints, embellished with beads and they became more like I imagined they would be.  The paint stiffened the wool.  Blue coated wire enhances the smaller one.

A great little project to nurture your creativity.
Will you try it?
Let me know.

Do what you can with what you have, where you are.

~ Theodore Roosevelt ~


Bye for now
Joan

Barrells of fun at local Rest Home.

Two large lidded barrells were donated to this resthome where I help out with activities.
Last week they were brought out of the cupboard and the task of covering them in a de coupage resthome style began.  One is being covered in torn sheet music and the other has a fashion theme from magazine pictures.  The barrells will be used to store hats on completion.  I'm sure they will look classy.




Nobody wanted to be photographed with these works in progress, I wonder why?

We make the main thing, the main thing.  That is, we have lots of fun and laughter.
Often we also have a messy time as seen in the photos. Pack up your troubles,
do something creative and have a good chuckle or laugh.  This is the best therapy ever.
I'm sure you will agree.
 

Canvas Art

First  Time Canvas Artistry.



A black canvas,(photo doesn't show this) old sheet music dyed with
coffee grains, a layered fabric flower, and fluffy white feather.
This is my first attempt at canvas art.
More to come I think!
Its not a great photo. Nevermind, I think you can get the general idea.  I hope so!

Another weekend is nearly upon us.
Lets have a good one!
Joan.

 

A place I call home

 

To me, this says it all.
A beautiful place I call home.

Wow! Photos here again.

 

Summer daisy in the brilliant sunshine.

 

 

 

Californian poppy.

 

 

'Sunny  Honey'

At last!

Well, I have had major issues with postings.  Actually I'm still having them.  I just can't get photos to upload.  A blog without photos just doesn't work!
I know its all to do with google accounts, logging in etc.  I need my son home from university to sort this one. 
Hope to be up and running very soon with some special photos.

Joan.

Its raining, its pouring and I need a few dozen eggs!

With the rain pouring down and puddles in the paddock forming lakes of water about to pour across the road, my Grandchildren and i kept warm and dry inside by the fire.
Then the phone rang.
A friend asking if I thought it was a good idea to travel a distance up the road to buy a few dozen eggs for
some old friends in town?
Well, if you get stuck G. who on earth is going to pull you out?
Was there ever any question to this?

p.s.   I am over people pleasing, especially in conditions like that.
the eggs can wait.

Do you agree?

Bring on the sunshine.
Joan