Once Upon A Little Fernery

A lovely Sunday welcome to you❣  Goodness gracious me, today is the last day of February. Why, it only seems like yesterday I was singing the praises of spring. Was it really six months ago that I was waxing lyrical about all the flowers?? Was it really that long ago that I was raphsodising about the daffodils, blossom trees, irises, granny bonnets, lilacs, foxgloves, forget-me-nots...... which sashayed off the spring stage acquiescing to the roses, buddleias, gladdies, dahlias, zinnias and the hydrangeas, to dance to the beat of the summery song??

Another week has hurtled by and where it went I do not know. This week The Fernery  beckoned me. Do you remember the sweet little glass house (I call it Pete's Folly) my good husband cobbled together, with old windows which he has squirrelled away over the years; and old wood from an ancient, falling down farm cottage?? Well, during the sunny month of February I covered the shelves with paper napkins. I wanted a patched, time-worn effect. It was a simple process but did take some time. I  peeled 3 ply napkins down to 1 ply and then with Mod Podge pasted the 1 ply napkins to the wood shelves. After a couple of weeks I applied a couple of coats of Mod Podge over the top to seal everything. The shelves are bedecked with peacocks, hydrangeas, Monet water lilies, Van Gogh irises, hibiscus, pots of flowers and sweet little, blue birds. I love the colourful shelves. My husband crafted the shelves so that they can be either up or down. As for the wood walls, I don't know if I want to do anything with these as I rather love the cracked and peeling paint. For the time being I will leave them be. Of course there is still a little work to be done to the fernery,  but for now I am enjoying the ambience of it. I am loving the higgeldy piggeldy nature of it.

I love sitting in this quaint, little room, enjoying a cup of tea, while reading a book or participating in a little stitching.....or indeed, taking tea with friends.  I have always hankered after a little room made of glass which catches the sun in those chilly months. A little glass room to savor the views of the garden, the veggie patch....the paddocks, and mountains off in the distance. It is a fabulous place in which to spend many moments of my day. With autumn just around the bend of my country road I can see many moments being enjoyed in there, sitting in the sunshine, protected from the cool winds whistling outside. Yes indeed, Pete's Folly is a magical place filled with whimsy.

This week more leaves were stitched onto my flower garden quilt. AND....... I designed and stitched a wisteria flower. Knowing it would take a while I have been putting off the inevitable. I bit the bullet and decided to just DO IT!! Oh my goodness who would have thought one little wisteria flower would take such an inordinate amount of time; well over 12 hours to be exact. It was so very fiddly.  Just think, there are many more wisteria flowers to stitch along the top of the quilt. OH JOY!!!! Such a pity there is not a morning glory vine rambling amongst the flowers in our garden. That would have been a pushover. =) Not to worry, now that I have a semblance of an idea of what I am doing, with each wisteria it should get easier......shouldn't it??!!

Unfortunately, this week my friend's little blue bag didn't get a look in. The days flew by quicker than quick. With the fernery and the stitching of my flower garden, there just wasn't any time. Maybe this week it will be finished. But then, I may get lost and disappear in my applique flower garden and not find my way out ever again. The wisteria vine may tangle it's way around me, smothering me!

 'Tis very late here. 'Twas a busy Sunday but I did squeeze in an hour or two of enjoyable stitching this afternoon. Well......the word enjoyable is a bit of a stretch.......but I am rather pleased that there is one wisteria growing amongst my applique flowers. Thank you for taking the time out of your day (or is it night) to visit my little place. May your week be filled with many beautiful moments that inspire you, and cause you to smile❣ I hope when next you visit I will be smiling, with many more pretty wisteria flowers blossoming on my quilt. But for now my bed is calling me.....best be off before the bewitching hour strikes.

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

Linking up with Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching.

Hydrangea Blue

 

Hello lovely lovelies. A beautiful welcome to my little place. It is a place where hydrangeas have put on quite the show, these past summery months. Big, beautiful, lavish hydrangeas, all delighting in shades of blues to purples.

They are my favourite flowers, just in case you did not know. =) I haven't chatted about 'my' hydrangeas this summer, so today is the day when I beam a little hydrangea blue to your place. From what I have seen on the TV this week, some of you could do with a little dose of summery hydrangeas. I do hope all is okay in your little corner of the world.

The hydrangeas this year have been spectacular. I don't know why but they have decided to pull out all stops and show off to all who drive by, indeed, to all those who visit my humble abode. So, so many words come to mind when trying to describe these gorgeous blooms. Elegant, bosomy, bold, extravagant, generous, bountiful, happy........and just so long-lasting. Why, the hydrangeas here bloom from December to May. For months they are happy to glow with the gorgeous blues, mauves, purples; and as they age and the nights begin to get colder they morph gently into glorious antique hues. Though the days here are still warm the hydrangeas are whispering to me that soon it will be autumn. Ever so slightly the  petals are beginning to change into shades of wine, lilac, plum, currant, to the prettiest softest greens. Truly, they are all gorgeous.

 

As I am chatting about the hue blue  this week, I have been fashioning a bag....a blue bag.  It is for a friend.......a 'just because' gift. As I always do, I hunted and gathered ribbons, velvet leaves, laces, doilies, vintage pretties, fringing, braids.......and a portion of an old tapestry I unearthed at a market a little while ago. This tapestry hasn't been completed but I always love the look of a little threadbare. My sweet friends loves the look of a little threadbare as well. All the swirling and ruching of ribbons, embellishing with vintage pretties; and the hand stitching has been finished. This week I will sew up the bag; well at least that's the plan.

As it is Sunday, I am going to join in with  slow hand stitchers from all around the world, and enjoy a little stitching. My applique flower garden quilt is making an appearance once again. As summer inches its way to autumn I have decided I would love to re-acquaint myself with this pretty. Gazing upon my garden of applique flowers once more I am reminded just how much I love this pretty. I have psyched myself to begin the begin, the designing and stitching of the wisteria vine tangling it's away across the top. So, as I watch TV in just a little while I will happily stitch and embroider leaves onto the vine. Oh, and stitch a little birdie, too.

Thank you for visiting my little place where blue hydrangeas and pretty blue embellishments abound. Where wisteria vines begin to grow and sweet little birdies sing songs of praise. May your week be filled with many beautiful moments that inspire you, and cause you to smile❣

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