Blue Skies Smiling At Me ❣

 

Hello lovely lovelies❣ A lovely welcome to my summery, flower-filled place, where blue skies are smiling at me. Azure Blue skies which stretch as far as the eye can see. 'Tis the last day of January. One whole month of 2021 has flown by. Wow! Where did those days disappear to?? One whole month of delightful stories  which were penned in my book, down here.

Stories of page after  page over-spilling with summer days filled with pleasant meanderings through the countryside, birthday celebrations with beautiful friends; long, leisurely hours spent with birthday books. I revisited old favourite flowery and interiors books.....nothing heavy, nothing political, just books where page after page enticed me into the beauty of each floral specimen before me, luring me to spend many happy moments dreaming. One book my husband gifted me is titled 'Bloom Wild'. A gloriously scrumptious book where every page is flourishing wildly with flowery delight! Me thinks, a perfect book for me. Apparently, he did too. My daughter gifted me the sweetest little birdie pretties.......three little birdies 'flying up the wall', and, the feathers are in Liberty, no less. Truly, each little birdie is gorgeous.

January is always a month where it seems afternoon teas are enjoyed with sweet friends. Long, leisurely afternoon teas as no-one is in a hurry, with it seems, nowhere they have to be. Many hours of quiet and reflective times sitting in the garden enjoying the miracle of each exquisite flower. And....speaking of gardens, much too many hours of curtailing the beast that is called weeds, was endured.

There was the watching of many an enjoyable movie on TV too. And......now don't lynch me.....but I got up at 2am to watch the US inauguration. I know.....crazy! Some of you lovelies and I have been corresponding re all things America and politics throughout last year and found a consensus in opinions, so I thought I would sit with you even though we are at opposite ends of the world, and watch the proceedings unfold. There were many highlights, but for me I was moved by the young Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman's powerful poem, The Hill We Climb, both by her words and her delivery; and her presence. Such a beautiful and exquisite gift in one so young.  I have viewed Amanda Gorman speaking at other venues and I must say I am always deeply impressed. Her 'voice' and words rather remind me of Maya Angelou.

Of course, there was a lot of capturing happy snaps of the gorgeousness of each exquisite flower, and the styling of said exquisite flowers, because as you know moi is a rather tragic gal who just cannot leave well enough alone. Oh, I do go on and on, don't I. =) But what is the point of life these days, if one cannot wax lyrical about the simple things of life??

The garden is a vision. Hydrangeas resting peacefully under the shade of blossom trees just doing what hydrangeas do best......show off; and then there are the hydrangeas which are climbing high up into the trees. Why this is so, I truly have no idea. I must ask my garden gnome's expert opinion. Trailing pumpkin vines making a concerted effort in the  taking over of the veggie patch, with tentacles winding here and there through the garden, strangling anything within said tentacles' reach. There are dahlias sashaying in a myriad of colours stretching as if to touch those blue, blue summery skies. Sweet peas too, are delighting in pretty colours and intoxicating sweet scents. winding their way across the wire. Roses, gladdies, impatiens, cosmos.......all banding together in unison to sing a sweet summer song......you get the picture, don't you?? =)

Oh......and there was a bit of stitching too. Not a lot but enough hand quilting of my happy clamshells to make it acceptable to 'show and tell' at Kathy's, Slow Sunday Stitching, today. There is not a lot to say about said hand quilting of my little clamshells except to say it is rather pleasant quilting little stitches, up...across.....down....up....across.....down; in happy arches from one side across to the other. No brilliant and complicated quilting design here, just KISS.......(KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID......for those of you who are not familiar with my anagram in justification of my rather unspectacular quilting prowess).

The very best thing about blogging is the beautiful friends one meets along the way. This week one such dear friend, Julie, of My Threadbare Life, sent me, as a thank you thought, a parcel filled with pretties that truly cause my heart to sing. From the parcel tumbled  divine smelling soaps, the prettiest of buttons, note cards, the most whimsical of cards designed by an artist Julie knows, a dishcloth knitted by Julie....and the piece de resistance, the sweetest patterned Liberty fabrics! Julie and I have popped into each other's homes for years now. I love Julie's beautiful place. It is a place where she weaves magic with whatever she imagines and then fashions. There is many a time I would dearly love to paddle across the ditch to New Zealand and stay awhile in her lovely home, wander around her home filled with her gorgeous handiwork; indeed, share a cup of tea in a pretty tea cup in her beautiful kitchen.....or her beautiful lounge room, because wherever we might sit the ambience, I feel, would permeate my soul. Alas, there would be a problem of course with the paddling of my canoe on the way back to Terra Australis. I fear my little canoe would sink deep, deep down to the realms of Neptune's watery underworld as my little canoe would be overspilling with 'loot'.....ill-gotten gains, from Julie's beautiful place.

I must say, with the scents wafting from Julie's soaps and the sweet peas here, my home has the delectable aromas of a florist......how unusual. =)

So that was January. A wonderful month where day after day held the promise of much delight. Days filled with blue skies smiling at me and many enjoyable pursuits. On to February. Summer holidays are finished and now the days march towards autumn, as time waiteth for no man; nor indeed, woman......even though this gal would dearly love it to. Before I go, thank you, lovely lovelies, who emailed me and wished me the happiest of birthdays. Truly, you made my day even more beautiful. May you bloom wild this coming week, finding many moments to do what you love, and may little birdies with sweet Liberty feathers sing you a sweet song. Sending all you lovely lovelies a li'l love wrapped in a posy of sweet peas❣ Take care❣

Until the next time...........

Let the Quilting Begin

 

A lovely welcome to my summery place❣ A place where all is calm, all is peaceful. A far rural outpost where summer days slowly pass by in a haze of warm, sunshiny pleasantness and I must say, given the goings on in some parts of the world, my little place at the moment, has got a lot going for it. I must say, there is no other place I would rather be at this present time. I mean, hear me out; it's summertime where long lazy, warm days slowly float into the next, the hydrangeas are showing off in hues of purple and blue, it's holiday time, and there is no noise of the madding crowd.....except of course when I turn the news on.

Goodness me, what a week! Covid is raging in some countries with lockdowns happening yet again; Old Man Winter's dastardly tricks are whipping up snow storms causing causing havoc and chaos.....and speaking of chaos.....then there is America!! I am still in a state of disbelief of the alarming images the TV is beaming to me down here. I will be holding my breath over the next ten days; and I know some of my dear friends who are living right smack in the middle of  the diabolical, political pandemonium, will be too. You know my thoughts and opinions of one, Donald J. Trump. Let's just say 20th January is nearing  and I will have a double celebration, as not only is this the day of the inauguration of a new president in the USofA, but it just happens to be my birthday as well. Yes indeed, I will be kicking up my high heel shoes (not that I own a pair of high heel shoes) and celebrating with great gusto. When I wrote last Sunday wondering what stories we would pen this year, I couldn't for the life of me imagine the bellicose events of week two of this new year eventuating. But enough of  dissertation on  violence and seditious activities, let us chat about quilts and quilting, shall we??

Last week I said that I would search high and low this week for the perfect border and backing fabric for my Clamshell Party quilt. I thought I didn't have anything which would dance with my happy clamshells, but I was mistaken. When the fog of forgetfulness lifted and disappeared from my muddly brainpan, I remembered there was a perfect fabric tucked away from prying eyes. Don't you love it when that happens?? I know I do. AND.....there was enough for both the border and backing. Absolutely marvellous!

It is a fabric with flowers flourishing haphazardly all over. Tulips, irises, convolvulus, bell flowers, delphiniums......and butterflies fluttering amongst the blossoms. The green background and vibrantly coloured flowers are a match made in heaven with all the little flowery clamshells.

So now, the quilting begins. Simple quilting along the edge of each clamshell will be perfect, me thinks. As it is Sunday, this morning I put Clamshell Party in the frame and for a little while happily quilted away. Each clamshell is quick as quick to finish, so I am thinking maybe, just maybe this quilt won't take an age to finish. It is an eternal optimist, that I am. =)

As I sit here thinking of those of you lovely lovelies who have had a  tough week, please know I am thinking of you. Why, I am sending you beautiful thoughts and hugs swirling around in the form of a pretty bouquet of hydrangeas, cinched with a pretty bow. I hope you don't mind me being in my hydrangea print pyjamas.....well it is evening after all. =) Wishing you a week where you will find a little beauty in each day; and may a little sunshine kiss your cheeks until next we chat. Take care lovely lovelies, and please, keep well❣

Until the next time........

Linking up this week to Kathy's, Slow Sunday Stitching.