Just Popping By.

I am missing my blog and want to get back here, but I am rather in the midst of some cheery bunting - 40 metres of the stuff to be precise. Quite a large order. Wonder what it is for? Hmm, maybe I'll ask.

I want to get back to sorting the blog out as it is mid change at the moment but oh, doesn't it eat time away once you start playing with new things? Thank you to my dear friend Diana who helped me find my 'global settings' problem (no, I didn't know I had one either!) and also gifted me some gorgeous sock weight yarn. New things to show then...

...when I get a mo. Be good to see some new pics too wouldn't it? The tulips are up but obviously not out as the image suggests. Another photograph of Coombe to keep things going. Well done to those of you who guessed the last boat picture was of Penryn River.

To be continued x

A Friday's Musing.

The glorious summer/autumn weather continues and brushes everything with a golden light. So beautiful the mix of hot sun and chill air at either end of the day. The marigolds are still flowering madly on long stems perfect for cutting, the petals catching and holding the sun even in the shadier parts of the garden.



My pretty Lauren has caught the gathering & preserving bug, making bramble jam yesterday which filled the kitchen with rich perfume (and not a few wasps!).



A beautiful walk at the weekend with the children through woodland running deeply on the banks of a river creek uncovered a grove of mountain ash covered in bright berries which we gathered to make into rowan jelly. It is the first time I have come across these pretty trees growing wild in Cornwall, though I dare say there are other hidden spots, and I am most excited at the chance to make this particular jelly as I have never tasted it before. I don't imagine there will be more than one tiny jar from this haul as jellies bear far less juice than jams, but those jewel colours more than make up for it.



The haze on the river this morning created soft watercolours of the scene, erasing the edges of boats and trees, and merging the whole into one fluid painting. It is so very beautiful here and the brush of chill breeze as I stood at the water's edge was as refreshing as a cool drink on this already hot day.



I am off now to my sewing room where the orders are a-waiting: beach bags and cheery bunting will make a pleasing change from all things Christmassy!



And it is Friday...Hurrah!



Happy Friday to you x

Thank you and a Little Reality.

I wasn't going to blog until my giveaway was over, but some habits seem hard to break. I also wanted to thank those of you who have entered so far; the feedback has already been so useful and has helped focus where I am going with products for the future. What I have found interesting is that your comments have very much reflected the orders I have received since I started the business almost 18 months ago - that long? Where did time race go? - with a huge variation in what people listed as favourite items. My orders seem to take in the whole range from bags to bunting to door hangings, and I can honestly say there is no product that has been left un-ordered. This used to worry me a little as I felt I was indulging my own huge range of interests and perhaps not being entirely professional in my approach. Now I think, blow it! If people like a wide variety and I enjoy designing and making a wide variety then where is the problem?



One of the products that seems to be quite popular judging by your lovely comments is the Bright and Breezy bunting (seen above in all its former glory). Hmm...reality check methinks as I have been so busy business-wise that the garden has somewhat taken a back seat lately. Nature is fighting back and the bunting on Davey's writing room, once indeed Bright and Breezy, is now faded and tired, the colours bleached out by so much sun (and so much rain too) and the room itself being surrounded by triffid-like nettles. I love making the bunting and so will be making more very soon, some for our own use and some to replenish the stock running low in my sewing room. I am also thinking of adding a new colourway to the range, an equally bright and cheery - new name maybe? - line of festival flags which are great in the garden or inside for parties...or just because.



While I am finally allowing reality to impinge - darn it - I noticed the duck house so lovingly built by Dave several years ago now is desperately in need of a scrub and repaint. Ducks, as those of you who keep them will know, are messy. They poop copiously (and noisily, sorry to shatter any dreams here) and love to ferret around in earth, particularly soggy earth, flicking it hither and thither in gay abandon. Ours have the use of a vast pond and four ducks diving, splashing, shaking wings dry means there is a lot of mud flying around hence the mess viewed here on their house. Once a pretty forget-me-not blue, it really is rather sad now, so time I wielded a brush once more.



Nettles in the hen pen are almost taller than their house and laugh at me each time I venture near!



There is a prettiness in some of the wildness with ramsons and bluebells viewed through tangles of slightly faded scarlet tulips.



Of course, neglect means there are masses of golden buttercups to gather. Wonder if I like butter?



A quick search reveals prickly, hairy goosegogs - I love them in crumble with golden clotted cream (Cornish of course).



I know this is a tale I have told before, but when I was pregnant with Isabella, Dave sent me 100 bluebell bulbs as she was due in May and I had always wanted a Bluebell Baby. I knew nothing about them and they arrived on day where I was feeling grotty (20 weeks of all day sickness had pretty much wiped me out). Such a lovely, wonderful gift and very much typical of my lovely, wonderful, romantic Dave. Now Isabella is almost three and the bluebells are flowering beautifully all along the bank of the hedge, their evocative scent perfuming the air and that soft haze of blue shimmering against the leaves. I love them.



So perfect.



Well, that was supposed to be a post showing all the grotty bits in an attempt to prove that blogging can sometimes present a slightly unreal view of life, but you know, once I started looking all I really saw was the beauty hiding away. I am quite good at shutting my mind to mess. Notice there are no shots of the house though - apart from this one where it is fairly hidden away and can only be seen peeping through the undergowth!



Thank you again to all those who have entered the giveaway. Lovely to hear from new people and I hope you will return as I love getting everyone's comments and getting to know new people. If anyone hasn't entered but would like to there is still plenty of time. Just leave your comment on the post below. I am changing the draw to Monday 12 noon as I realised that a Sunday evening was a strange time full of homework and uniform washing and baths...groan.

Have a good weekend x

The Forgotten Giveaway!

Ok, so I admit I forgot - I offered the chance of a giveaway and then completely forgot about it. In my defence I have been busy, very busy, but still 'tis no excuse and I apologise. Better late than never though, so here it is (fanfare, drumroll, etc about now): I shall be giving away one of my Lauren Tote Bags and hopefully, very possibly (if I don't forget that also) one or two other little bits and pieces as well. All you have to do is:

a) Tell me which colourway you would like - Bubbles



or Jazz (really need to do a new shot of this one on a beach as the colour is just lovely, but isn't shown off as well as the others here)



or Blossom



or Almond Blossom




Now on the subject of product images, the one of Almond Blossom was taken on our jolly down to Cape Cornwall - pictures in the last post - and it made for the most gorgeous backdrop. If only there were time enough for travelling the county every time I need to do photos! It shocks me just how long these things normally take and yet this time the light was perfect, I only took one photo and as for that setting...sighs deeply at the memory, especially as today is dull and grey yet again.



Now for the second part of the giveaway (sorry, but I thought you could help with market research). Could you please pop over to my website and have a look at the products, then let me know:

b) which product do you like best? if none, please be kind and lie! It may be the Summer Days Bunting above, or perhaps a Lavender Hush Heart



or a Dreamy Days Doorhanging



or something else entirely...just let me know as it helps with future product development (official sounding isn't it?). So that's it. Just let me know which Tote bag you would like and which product you like the most, and I will draw names out of a hat next Sunday evening 10th May at 7.30pm (because that will be the first chance I get!). I truly don't mind if you have never visited/commented before, have lurked forever in the background or whatever, please feel free to enter anyway. Sorry for the product heavy blog, but that was sort of the point. Here are some more crab pots to cheer youy on your way...



oh and I'm still trying to get the newts...



what do you mean you can't see them!



Ah well...



Bye for now! x

Random thoughts.

Isabella and I have returned from a trip into Falmouth where the rain poured down one moment leaving beautiful spring sunshine in its wake the next. The harbour, filling up rapidly with boats of every description ready for the summer season, glistened in the full tide, the fields on the banks opposite seeming impossibly emerald thanks to a weekend of frequent, heavy showers and the sea itself freshly oiled as the gentle breeze ruffled the surface. I didn't have my camera with me for once, but the picture below gives some idea of how it looked as Isabella gaily trotted from quay to quay in order to spot her best boat.



The weekend pace was gentle with the usual pot of coffee in bed starting the day. A trip to the allotment to inspect the plants Isabella and I had planted out on Friday: hundreds of brussel sprouts, purple sprouting broccoli, cabbages and spinach plants all raised from seed by Dave; so many indeed it took us almost three hours to plant! The first broad beans are covered in flower and looking good and my little helper and I grazed along on green & red cut-and-come again lettuces, tips of onion leaves and scrumptious rocket which I just adore. A lovely morning together before heading for home where Isabella settled for a nap, full of fresh air and fresh food, while I taught a lesson and worked on orders till she woke.



Indeed, working on orders is in full flow as I seem to have had quite an influx just lately. A few new wholesale orders have been placed and my own website seems to be doing well too, so cutting out has been the main task of the day, a job I loathe unless I am on a run. This makes me feel so much more organised then when I cut a bit, sew a little, stop and start. The orders have been for a mix of items including some of these beach bags...



Sweet Dreams hearts...



Bright and Breezy Bunting



and Lauren Tote bags...



amongst others (all of which are available here). A lovely mixture to work on, though unfortunately my sewing room looks rather bomb-like which brings me to a need to bask in this gorgeous studio featured in Vanessa's beautiful blog, 'Do You Mind If I Knit?'. I love this blog for its stunning photos and the way Vanessa writes so beautifully about a wide range of things. Her home is just lovely, her knitting wonderful, and she is defintitely firmly on my list of bloggers I hope to meet, but ohhh that studio..... sigh...



Ah well, I can dream can't I? And I am lucky to have a sewing room at all, especially one made just for me by my lovely Mr Davey - just need to hoover up the threads, tidy up the fabrics, clear the floor....hmm. Off to catch me a ladybird now as one just flitted by the window.

Have a lovely Monday x

All things merged together.

Isn't Bramley apple blossom pretty?




After thinking about it for a little while and seeking the advice of those good enough to read them, I have decided to merge both my blogs together; the business and family life are so very closely entwined that it seems increasingly hard to know what to write where. Obviously the family - all seven children, ducks, hens, cats, etc - existed long before the business officially began and the very skills I use for it are the skills I have used for most of my life. I have always sewn, whether for clothes for the children or soft furnishings for the house; I have knitted for longer than I can remember and I have gardened since I was old enough to trail around after my Grandfather, bucket in hand to catch the haphazardly thrown marigold flowers as I helped to deadhead them. I learned these crafts by osmosis, by following and watching, by trying with a determination that drives me insane sometimes (wish I could allow myself to fail just once in a while!), and now they are second nature to me and my life would feel odd without them.






How does all this relate to the blogs? Well, we have acquired a 90ft x 30ft allotment run not by the council, but by a lovely chap who happens to own a field which got a bit much for him. He thought he would rent out plots and get a bit of a community thing going and we were there in a jiffy. Already we have begun turning it over and as well as feeding our family from it, I shall be growing the herbs I need for the business - the lavenders and marigolds, chamomiles and marjorams; the list is endless and much of it we already grow in our own garden, just not in the quantity I need for a supply of sachets and pillows, etc. So with this allotment business and family life blend together once more, hence it is time for the blogs to do the same... here's a few pictures:


view from the top to the car




bit of extra land the lovely owner let us have to encourage wildlife and pop a shed on




view from the car up!




Ok, so now you are bored! Well, having dug like a mad thing for much of the weekend (slow but sure) I transplanted some young globe artichokes into the allotment, looking forward to when they get like this one in our garden




and on a different note, don't you love looking up through cherry blossom at a gorgeous blue sky which we had plenty of for the entire weekend?




So, there you have it - Pipany and the Poltisko Memoirs all in one blog from now on, and hopefully the change won't be too noticeable. Off to tackle an order for three feet of bunting now which should make for a bright and cheery day!




Byeeee xx