Sunday, September 18, 2016

Aahhh.......SPRING!

Spring is beginning to snail it's way slowly and steadily around the bend in our country road. There is a slightly warmer feel in the air as the warm breath of Spring begins to thaw Ole Man Winter's chill. The chill in 'dem old bones' is lessening and there is a spring in my step. The bare, winter earth is ever so slowly beginning to flourish; beginning to make room for the weaving of the glorious scents and vibrantly coloured, floral tapestry which is beginning to caress the landscape. Each blossom, magnificently 'embroidered' in the richest, intricate and most splendid design. Impressions of Spring are beginning to delight everywhere.

This week we have been out and about quite a few days. We set off early in the mornings with the backdrop of gorgeous sunrises and returned home to evenings where high above transcendent canvases painted with brushstrokes from God's masterful palette, abound.




I never tire of driving through the countryside. Every day I pinch myself, feeling blessed to live in this glorious part of the world, a land so rich in natural beauty. Each drive is filled with delight with an ever changing vignette before us. As we drive along the winding road, with the mellifluous sounds of movie sound track orchestrations reverberating around the confines of our car, each bend in the road reveals another surprise, another view of yet another beautiful vista. Crazy patchwork paddocks, both velvety green, and fertile, red soil ripe for the planting of Summer crops. 

There is nothing quite like the blossoming of cherry trees in early Spring. Each tiny bud cannot sit enclosed within its confines any longer. Blossom after blossom joyously bursting out, unfolding each perfect tiny petal, sometimes cascading down, waterfall-like, in a truly magical way.




Then there are the Magnolias!! Wish oh wish our garden had decades' old Magnolia trees blossoming high, wide and handsome. I discovered this beauty in town. After me screeching "STOP".......my startled husband found a park, I jumped out of the car and entered the gate and proceeded to take some happy snaps. This beauty was in the grounds of an old rectory, so not a soul minded that I clicked happily away.


Each amazing flower was the size of a dinner plate!




Driving through this heaven in which I live, I have been knitting at intervals, whilst drinking in the beauty before me. Remember this blanket which I am fashioning out of vintage Scottish scarves? Well.....I found some more pretty scarves which I wanted to add to my blanket.


I wanted to make the blanket a little larger and sprinkle a little more pretty colour to it. Serendipitously, I happened upon these pretty scarves which would blend perfectly with my blanket.

I have finished joining the patches of scarves together, and now I am knitting the very, very long cable strip which is going to hug my blanket all the way around, as a border. The knitting of the cable strip is perfect for long country drives as there really is no thought required, enabling me to ooh and aah at constant intervals at the vista which unfolds before me.







Whilst in town, we visited our new favourite bric-a-brac shop. One always has to stop because one never knows what is waiting.....pleading, imploring.....to take it home with you. My husband, (yes he found some treasure yet again) espied this dinner set. Oh....glory be; a dinner set which just happens to be my favourite hue blue, and is such a funky shape. It is a Poole Pottery set and it really spoke to our hearts. I am in love with the quirky shape of the coffee pots and the tea pot and I love the happy juxtaposition of the grey and blue colours.

You surmised correctly.......this funky dinner set came home to live with me.


There are two coffee pots, one teapot, one sugar bowl, one milk jug and a dinner setting for six people.



The only problem with this gorgeous crockery set is that when I arrived home I turned my house upside down to find the perfect place for it. I have a sneaky suspicion there just might be a few of you understand my predicament.....I put it here and I put it there, but nowhere seemed quite right. I then entered the man's cave, unearthed an old bookcase from mounds of dust and cobwebs, gave it a couple of coats of paint of a pretty, grey shade called Marina Pearl and placed it at one end of the kitchen bench, with the pretty crockery sitting atop it. Voila!! It is the perfect spot! Though I do confess, the finding and preparation of the perfect place for my dinner set and then tidying up and replacing everything took two days. Why oh why do I do such things!! =)






I also have been enjoying a little hand quilting this past week. I have spent many moments, sitting in my favourite chair with the sun peeping over my shoulder. I sensed the sun's smile, warming me as I slowly stitched. I am hand quilting around each strip of fabric.



Very simple I know but I thought I might leave the dense perfect quilting to the experts. I want this quilt to be a simple one, both in design and quilting. As there are doilies interspersed here and there in this quilt, I didn't want an all over quilting design.



Alas, my quilting is a little rusty; it doesn't always run in straight-as-straight lines. I am afraid that my stitches are a little wonky in places, but that is okay with me. I am not overly fussed with wearing my perfectionism hat for this quilt. That hat has been placed in the closet away from sight for this quilt........just for a little while, though I have no doubt my quibbling and fault finding little hat will find it's way out of the closet and perch itself atop my cranium, yet again! =)



A couple more weeks and this quilt should be sitting, ever so prettily, atop my bed......well that's the plan anyway. There are more appointments in town this week, so perhaps, just perhaps there will be some more knitting of my very long, cable strip, which could mean my patchwork, woolly blanket will be warming my tippy toes very soon!! More glorious country drives drinking in the beauty of the fresh and awakening Spring. Aahh....Spring....'tis a wonderful sight to behold!!

Hope you are all enjoying the most wonderful weekend. Until the next time.......



56 comments:

  1. Oh that teapot set is adorable! I LOVE how you found and repurposed the old shelf and created a special place for it! You have a knack for creating amazing things out of whatever your hands touch! I agree with you about spring too... just amazing the views that the skies can serve up! Enjoy the spring days my friend... we are headed quickly into winter here, lol!

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  2. There you go again, sweet Kim, being totally and wonderfully amazing :) Your blanket is oh-so-pretty with its soft colors and oh, it looks so warm and cozy.

    And then the dish set....WOW! It looks perfect and I mean PERFECT in your home. I just love the way you have displayed everything.

    Thank you for sharing the glorious flowers! Love and hugs to you!

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  3. OMG!! Those magnolia's are magnificent, are all the other snaps you took along the way. There is something special about natural beauty and the sky shots are awesome. Love all the crockery set too...it needed to come home with you. lol Just as a matter of interest.....I noticed a book in your book shelf called "Venezia", it looks interesting to me. Love your beautiful craft work you've got going on.

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  4. Beautiful post to greet me when I decided to take an hour to 'blog post read' this afternoon - first in a long time! Loving both your projects - they are calling to me to try something similar. A beautiful time of year that is for sure - undecided if I like spring or autumn more. Well I am off to do some back blog post reading to catch up on all that you have been doing!! Have a lovely week beautiful lady.

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  5. Gorgeous post to celebrate Spring !!! Love the photos !!!! And your work !!!
    Here, Autumn is at the corner...
    Enjoy your Sunday ! And week !
    Hug
    Anna

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  6. The early spring blossoms you have shared are so pretty. I adore your latest projects. The dinner set you two discovered is exquisite and I love all the "extra" pieces. It is displayed so beautifully. May God bless you both in the new week. xo

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  7. Oh, how lovely, Kim!
    The woolly blanket is so clever, so pretty! I'm knitting a long cable strip for the bottom of a vest so when I'm working on that I will think of you!
    The dinner set is so elegant! I love it! You found the perfect spot.
    I'm crazy about your quilt, too.
    Beautiful words about spring, friend.
    I love your blog.

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  8. I think you found the perfect spot for your new dishes. So pretty! The quilt is so pretty. I love the look of all the different sizes of blocks. You are so clever. I am amazed with the pink magnolias! I didn't know they came in pink. Ours here in Florida are white. So lovely!

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  9. Happy Spring to you, my friend! Fall is around our corner here in the U.S. You do create the most beautiful stitchery! Your pastel blanket looks so soft and cozy. Your new dish set acquisition is so pretty, too, I think my aunt had a set similar to that years ago. You've created a perfect place to highlight it, dear Kim, and that is precisely why we do these things! Ha!

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  10. Another beautiful post full of photos of gorgeous things, Kim. I can understand why that beautiful dinner set had to go home with you, and you have found the perfect place to display it. You've done a brilliant job there...interior designer extraordinaire you are!! 😊. Photos of the quilt you are working on really inspire me to try something like that too...it will be stunning! Love your idea of joining the scarves into a rug by a knitted cable strip...fantastic idea!

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  11. I enjoyed this post so much. I wish I had a home in the northern and southern hemisphere so I could enjoy spring and summer year round. Forget Fall and WINTER!! Oh man, do I love that dinner set AND the perfect place you created for it. What a guy to find it for you!! He's a keeper for sure!! I love that soft and comfy blanket. It looks for perfectly hugable.

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    1. Spring is beautiful. Although I love the other seasons, I think Spring is the loveliest with the earth smiling in flowers. Yes indeedy, me thinks I will hang on to my husband for just a little while longer. =) Thank you so much for visiting me down here, Carol. It is always a delight to 'visit' with you. Kim Xx

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  12. Gorgeous photographs! That dish set looks like the 1950s, in color and shape. How wonderful that you had just the piece to paint to display it, lovely!

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  13. Going for a drive through your pretty landscapes would be such a treat. Aren't very early mornings the best time to leave? You feel like you're the only one on the planet witnessing the first dawn. Love the blossoms you are enjoying now. That magnolia is spectacular!

    Your woolen blanket is a beautiful combination of springtime colours. I love the idea of the cable border. Can't wait to see the final result.

    But that quilt has me fascinated! To see all those vintage fabrics all scrunched up together is just quilty heaven! You must love working on that one! I think wonky stitches are just fine in a quilt like this :)

    Enjoy your day!

    Wendy

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  14. As always, a delightful post! Your scarf blanket is looking so gorgeous. And I anticipate how beautiful your quilt is going to look on your bed. Happy stitching!

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  15. I just logged on to see what was new this morning and found your post. How gorgeous those Magnolia trees are. I used to have one in my yard many years ago. You just happened to have the right colour paint to fix up that cupboard? Perfect is right! Stitches that are a bit wobbly are my favourite : ) Enjoy your stitching Kim. I love your patchy knitted blanket!

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  16. How lovely it feels to experience the joyfulness and opening of senses spring brings with itself through your words! I love magnolias and stop every time I spot them to take photos!
    As for the set - my Gosh! It is amazing and quite a treasure! It certainly deserved the best spot in your house where you can enjoy looking at it (and using it!) every day!

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  17. You really do live in a glorious part of the world. Your Spring pictures are wonderful. Your blanket is also looking gorgeous so snug and warm in all those pastel shades. And your quilt too is looking lovely. Thank you for all the colour you bring to us in our Autumn days :)

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  18. Kim,
    First the magnolias--just beautiful! I love those gorgeous blooms! and that blanket you are making fro the scarves! LOVE, love it! So soft in texture and in color! It looks so lovely outside on that chair! You amaze me!!

    Looks like your sweet quilt is coming along! I hope you'll show photos of it finished and on the bed!

    And those dishes! you are right, just the perfect shade of blue! It appears you found the perfect spot for them too! Happy spring to you, enjoy every minute!
    xo
    Linda

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    1. Thank you lovely Linda for popping by and leaving such sweet comments. The blanket is so lovely and soft, it feels like I am wrapped in a cocoon when I wrap it around myself. Mental note to myself...."must take a photo of quilt on bed (when finished)....just for Linda". =) As always, Linda it is always a delight to have you visit my little world. Wishing you the most wonderful week. Kim Xx

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  19. Oh I fell in love with your new tea set all the shapes and colour!Indeed gorgeous.Worth all the effort to put it in the right place!Was it expensive?AriadnefromGreece!

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  20. We are we welcoming fall here, your images of spring are gorgeous Kim!!!!! The tea set is brilliant, the perfect shade of blue as is your beautiful blanket, for sure a beauty!!!!

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    1. ooooh those tulip magnolias, they are stunning and one of my favorites!!!

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  21. Hello Kim, it is looking especially pretty in your part of the world. I have one of those pink magnolia trees in my garden ... it is beautiful at the moment. Your blanket is looking particularly beautiful with its soft tonings. Your new shelf & teaset look wonderful .. yes I can relate to the changing around thing & then finding homes for everything & getting into messes !!!!All part of the fun x x x

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  22. Oh dreamy, dreamy, dreamy! All of it! Like someone sprinkled a box of childrens pastel chalks on the page Kim! Love very much. Mimi xxx

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    1. Thank you, Mimi. Spring is rather akin to the colouring of pastel chalks everywhere, isn't it. It must be beautiful up in your glorious part of the world at the moment. Have a lovely week. Kim Xx

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  23. Hello Kim,

    Happy Spring to you. Magnolia's are so pretty when they bloom.How lucky to be able to find a complete set and all in good condition, enjoy.

    Happy days.
    Bev.

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  24. Kim, I adore your new dishes and shelves. The colors are so serene. And your blanket will be an heirloom for always. ♥

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  25. Your description of spring makes me feel like autumn is not just around the corner here in the US - I can almost smell the new flowers - but then I hear the chilly rains beating on the windows and skylights. Enjoy your rides in the country - another thing we too love to do - autumn or spring - we love it all.

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  26. What a beautiful post to admire on a dull cold and rainy day!

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  27. Everything is so beautiful, no wonder you have been out and about. The blanket is so soft and snuggly, I would have carried it around everywhere like a child does. The quilt is looking lovely too. I love Poole Pottery. What a great find, Kim! The colours are perfect and I love the shapes. They look great in the “new” shelf. Enjoy!!

    -Soma

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  28. realization of the blessings is a greatest blessing itself dear ,whenever i buy new set of crockery i face the same problem but glad you found perfect place for it ,flowers are so pretty ,best wishes

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  29. I like Spring too, the magnolias are amazing. Wonderful post to read and I love the quilt stitches.
    Your blanket looks super soft.

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    1. Spring is lovely, isn't it. All the blossoms are intoxicating. 'Tis delightful to have you visit Loes, thank you. Kim Xx

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  30. Your photos are simply beautiful! Love the dish set ♥

    summerdaisycottage.blogspot.com

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    1. Thank you so much, Summer, your lovely comments have put a smile in my day. Kim Xx

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  31. Lovely hues of spring! thanks for sharing.

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    1. Hello lovely Lynn, Spring is a visual delight down here; it never fails to please! Thank you for popping by. Have the most wonderful day. Kim xx

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  32. Ah spring. Wonderful photos, Kim. I adore magnolias.
    You scarf blanket looks lovely, along with your beautiful quilt.
    Your new dishes--what a fabulous catch! I love the blue.

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  33. Spring is indeed a wonderful Season and those magnolias are stunning, great captures!
    Loving your blanket and embroidery and the dinner service fits into your home perfectly!
    Have an amazing week :)

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    1. Thank you, Prunella. I will do my darndest to have an amazing week! Kim Xx

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  34. I always love your posts, Kim and whenever I see a new one I love to savor every photo! Lovely to see the beautiful spring-time blooms and magnolias are so very special. Your scarf blanket is wonderful, as is your quilt interspersed with the vintage stitchery. I do love your new pottery - such delicate hues and forms and you have displayed them in the perfect way to showcase their beauty. I also love your sweet narrations - truly a joy to visit with you! xo Karen

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    1. .....and it is always a joy to have you visit my li'l Spring-filled place, lovely Karen. Have the most wonderful week!

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  35. Oh my cute friend, we are celebrating the first day of fall as you are sailing into spring. It is my favorite season and the blossoming trees are one of the reasons why. I bought a Magnolia last year. It was full of buds when I bought it and put on such a show. Can't wait till spring arrives here so I can see it again. :) Your knitted blanket with the scarves is absolutely fabulous! I wish I had 1/100th of your talent and imagination! And of course I adore you quilt with the bits of linens! Happy almost Spring to you!!
    hugs,
    Jann

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    1. Happy Fall to you, lovely Jann! I am a wee bit excited 'tis Spring down here. =) As for you having 1/100th of my talent, me thinks you have Talent with a capital T, in spades!!

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  36. Oh Kim how lovely your beautiful Scottish quilt is. You are so clever.I love everything you are doing. The Scottish quilt, the doily quilt and oh I'm sooooo in love with your new/old retro dinner set. I just might copy your idea of the bookcase on the kitchen bench.
    Thank you so much for visiting me. I love your way with words too. such a pleasure to read your posts. Jeanette

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    1. It is always a pleasure to visit your lovely little world, Jeanette. I adore looking at and reading about all your pretties. Thank you for popping by here and leaving such sweet comments, you have made me smile. Kim xx

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  37. Oh my...this is one of those posts when all I can do is sit here with my mouth hanging open. That blanket is beyond gorgeous! And your new little set of dishes looks as if it was made for it's new home. Beautiful, beautiful post, Kim!

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  38. They look like Jane Magnolias. We have the pink ones and the white ones in our neighborhood, but it is almost fall here, so no pretty colors. The leaves haven't started to change yet.

    I like your blanket and all the pretty colors in it. And your beautiful dishes too.

    It's all about the colors for me!

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  39. Dearest Kim the skies are beautiful. For a while when I was caring for mama I took many sunrises and sunset photos.. These are lovely.. Your so talented with these quilts that you make. A lovely idea a quilt made out of woll sarves.. Can I ask you what do you pit in the middle of them. I love your new teaset. Its looks perfect on the shelf. Can't wait to see both of the quilts finished.. Strange to have a friend who has different seasons than I ... It is now Fall here and everything is dying down... Enjoy your springs and o my the trees are beautiful.. Have a lovely week, with lobe Janice

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    1. Hello lovely Janice, I knitted lengths of cable strips and stitched them between each patch of the scarves. Thank you so much for visiting...hope you are having a lovely day. Kim Xx

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  40. Hi Kim...l can totally relate to you driving along and asking your hubby to stop...l do this as well, especially when we have all these Spring blooms to admire...your magnolia photos are fantastic. What an amazing pickup your poole dinner set was...and it looks perfect on the shelf and was so worth your two days work:-)

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  41. The blanket is wonderful, Kim, as are the photos of your beautiful spring. Having just come out of a long hot summer I'm glad we have a bit of autumn and winter to go through before we get there :-)
    Amalia
    xo

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  42. Dear Kim,

    Oh my, It boggles my mind that you are bustling into spring while we are settling into winter. The flowers are lovely!

    I do so love your dishes, such a lovely blue. My how clever of you to use a bookcase as a hutch.

    Your quilt is coming along very nicely :)
    ♥Hope

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  43. Always such a wonderful visit to your spot in blogland. Happy Spring to you dear friend.

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  44. Wonderful blanket Kim, the colours are so soft and pretty and your beautiful blue dinner set, just perfect. We are still having marvellous sunny days here in Spain but not much flower display on my terrace now :-(

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