Monday 17 November 2008

A quiet weekend.



Christmas fast approaches now and things are hotting up in the sewing room with things being made for orders and me still ploughing away with the Christmas presents for our own friends and family. We took some time out yesterday to sort the garden while the weather was fine. Yet another roaring bonfire was the result of much pruning of our huge bay hedge, though I kept a large pile of the clippings to dry in the kitchen. The smoke curled through the garden, pefuming the air with the wonderful smell as Dave and I worked away. The leaves were raked into enormous piles by Lucy and Isabella gamely dug the bed I had just planted with chives and bulbs and oregano...thank you Isabella.



It was just so peaceful out there with the sun weakly shining down, the crackling of the fire and the hen scratching around where I dug. The hen pen also had a good clear through and we finally moved the new house Dave and Elias had built into place. Discovery rewarded us with one beautiful warm egg which Dave found as he placed fresh straw inside and we shared it later with buttery soldiers to dip into the deep yellow yolk.



Other good things this weekend included making this wallhanging for a little friend's first birthday. I wanted to make a picture to hang in her room which included applique and hand embroidery (of course) and have been slightly obsessed with these houses - they are beginning to appear on a number of things in the Pipany sewing room of late. The pictures are dire for which I heartily apologise. I had not realised there were smears on the lens until after the present had been given and am now waiting for better shots to arrive from Celia's lovely Mummy. In the meantime, here's a close up of one of the houses with a purple flowering plent twining its way up the walls (perhaps it's a cup and saucer plant).



I particularly like this higgledy-piggledy house and the tree with its underplanting of flowers.



Oh those photographs truly are awful...sigh. Clicking on the images to enlarge gives a better idea of what it looks like. Ah well, it is very pretty in 'real life' and I will just have to check the lens in future won't I?

Happy Monday xx

13 comments:

  1. hi Pip!
    me too. adore the house and flower applique...really sweet.
    Happy sewing... will you share a virtual tea break with me at 11 am?
    ginny xxx

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  2. So sweet - almost makes me wish I had some littles that would appreciate it - only almost though!!

    I'll join you for a virtual cuppa around 11 am too, off today and tomorrow on an Xmas Flower arranging workshop. Kicks of at 11 am with coffee! Very civilised!

    xx

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  3. I love the little crooked house and can imagine how cosy it is inside.

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  4. I think your little house looks very liveable-in. So pretty, as ever.

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  5. Your work is amazing! and very pretty. Lou xxx

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  6. To be honest, I thought your pictures were fine but everyone's photos are suffering at the moment because the light is so bad. Your work is lovely, anyway, you can see that easily!
    You've painted such a vivid picture of your time in the garden, it sounds wonderful.
    Hen x

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  7. What a sweet, sweet creation Pipany, I am so impressed (lovely pictures btw, much better than mine). Sounds like you had a lovley weekend and some sunshine you lucky things (endless drizzle here. Wish we had space for a bonfire, perfect end to a crisp autumn day. What fun!
    Stephx

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  8. Hello Pipany, please do keep your energies up as November turns to December. I really do think your appliques with gingham and embroideries are fresh and witty.

    May I also just admire the production of that first egg. Very fine!

    I am back at work and trying to salvage any creative notions that I can.

    xo

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  9. Hi there really love the wall hanging and my eyesight must be soooo bad because the photos look alright to me! Our new hens have just come into lay and they are giving us the smallest little eggs with the most gorgeous flavour..haven't had soldiers for ages...must rectify at once!

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  10. Hi, Pipany! Your Isabelle is darling...And so is your stitching--so sweet! I love the scrappy-happy look! Happy Days to you all. :o) ((HUGS))

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  11. Gorgeous wall hanging. I hope the sleeping is going better at night? The problem seems to have been resolved here! Well apart from tuesdays when Leo insists on witing for Kiera to get back from karate at 9 to say good night to her ahh. Result grumpy boy at breakfast the next day! Pip got any advice about webpages? I've got www.nimblejacks.co.uk so far! I love the simplicity and look of your website. Great job.

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  12. Such very sweet wall hanging the crooked little house is charming, hope you get on top of your orders without it becoming too much hassel.
    Your garden sounds wonderful.
    Jan

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  13. That is soooo gorgous I love it, I would want to take heaps of photos of it too. It is adorable.

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