Hydrangeas, Hydrangeas, Hydrangeas.....and a Water Lily or Two

Hello all you lovelies, how delightful to have you visit my little Spring place. It has been a couple of weeks since I last chatted but I can assure you I have not been twiddling my thumbs and doing nothing. Indeed, I have been quietly and ever so slowly fashioning more fabric flowers for my garden quilt. Why, this very afternoon, a sunny Sunday afternoon, I am going to spend a few hours enjoying a little slow hand stitching. I have reserved a spot in the swing seat beside the pond, for this very occasion. =)

Those of  you who have visited me here for a while know that whilst I sing a rhapsody of all things floral, the flowers that sing the sweetest song to my heart are Hydrangeas. Those gorgeous mop head beauties are my favourite flowers. So, because I am in the mood of a little Hydrangea blue, these are the flowers I have been fashioning this last little while. Yes, that magical packet of mixed seeds has sprung petal after petal (120 itty bitty petals to be exact....but hey who's counting) of Hydrangeas. I am rather pleased with my little Hydrangeas and their leaves. They almost look like the real thing. =) I thought they would be near high impossible to fashion, but surprisingly they were not. Once I got into the groove they played happily under the soft touch of my fingers.

If you were to walk through my rickety front gate in early Spring a row of sunny Daffodils would smile at you, welcoming you to my humble abode.

But as these pretty, trumpet-like flowers begin to fade, the Hydrangeas burst forth onto the stage with great aplomb  and perform the most beautifully choreographed dance, month after month after month. From early December until May these beauties gift me with flowers.  That's six months of these ever flowering shrubs......not bad, not bad at all!

In Summer the Hydrangeas truly are the most gorgeous of flowers. They flourish along the front picket fence needing not much attention. Their only requirement is to be kept well watered, as they are thirsty plants. They are a car-stopping spectacular. We have had  tourists stop and capture happy snap after happy snap of these beautiful flowers. En masse, I don't think there is any flower that can outshine Hydrangeas.

In Summertime vase after vase of these mop head beauties can be found everywhere in my home. They last for weeks and after a while fade into glorious soft hues. Of all the flowers that dance in the flower kingdom, the beautiful Hydrangeas in my humble opinion, reign supreme.

Water Lilies sitting on lily pads have popped up from that floral seed packet of enchantment as well. It's astonishing how magical this mixed packet of flower seeds is.

The pond my husband imagined and then slowly created is the heart of the garden. It is a place of peacefulness, of serenity and of healing. It is a place of enchantment; it is balm to the soul. In the warmer months it is a place where you will more often than not find my good husband and my good self sitting in our swing seat being renewed; by the peace and beauty of the pond, the flowers that hug it and the little critters that call the pond home.

So, of course when imagining my quilt the pond had to have pride of place.

With the Hydrangeas and Water Lilies having been fashioned I decided to begin to stitch the flowers onto the the background fabric. There are a lot more flowers to be 'growed' but I am a little impatient for my garden to flourish. I decided now is the time for the flowers to begin to bloom in situ. I stitched blue batik fabric onto the background for the pond and then the Water Lilies, arranging the Hydrangeas to the side of the water. Stitching the Hydrangeas and leaves I feel, will take forever but that's okay, because as I have intimated before I am loving this hand applique caper.

Love, love, love these sweet little Hydrangeas. In reality there are no Hydrangeas growing near 'our' pond, but as this garden is one which grows in my imagination, anything is possible.

When I have finished stitching the Hydrangeas and leaves on this side of the pond I will be stitching the same or very similar on the other side!! That means....120 or thereabouts, itty bitty petals to fashion and then stitch........not to mention many more leaves! Oh my giddy aunt!! I wonder if this big girl will live long enough to see this quilt finished?? The thought has crossed my mind, wondering if I will have exhaled my last breath before my fabric flowers will be blossoming beautifully altogether. Oh well, I guess I will just keep on keeping on.

But.....I won't worry my muddly little head wondering will I or will I not finish, as this week my good husband and I are off on a little jaunt over hill and dale, on a little road trip around the countryside. The final destination is an acre upon acre Tulip farm where a rainbow coloured tapestry astonishes all who gaze upon it. We are going with a dear friend and two of my sewing girls. We will all have the best fun. There probably will be little time for stitching, but that's okay......there will be oodles of opportunities for me and my camera to take lots and lots of happy snaps.

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

Linking up this week to Sunday Slow Stitching at Kathy's Quilts and
Soma's Wandering Camera at Whims and Fancies, at the end of the month.

Today is a good day.....to have a good day!

Today is a good day.......to have a good day! It is a fresh new year and the sun is shining. My good husband and I have returned from our little holiday and thankfully we did not melt as I last intimated we might. Actually, I found all that lovely hot weather rather wonderful. It was lovely to explore the Gold Coast of Queensland with the Summer sun beaming on us.

The view from our daughter and son-in-law's 13th floor apartment; such a gorgeous view of the city and the Nerang River.

Our daughter and son-in-law took us to the Q1 Skypoint Observation Deck where we enjoyed a high tea. The building is 77 stories high...with amazing 360 degree views of the Gold Coast beaches, to the hinterland and beyond.

Wish oh wish we had more time to spend with my daughter and son-in-law, but alas time never stands still for no man (nor woman). We truly did have the best time!

But....we are home again and for the next 6 weeks I can do whatever I please. You see it is the Summer holidays down here at the bottom of the world. No timetables to keep, no organising of sewing lessons, no anything.......just oodles of time to do whatever I please.......stitching, gardening,  reading (I was gifted oodles of books for Christmas...books are always my very favourite Christmas present), perhaps tarting up a chaise lounge, tarting up a room or two, visiting friends, meandering about in the summery countryside.....aah bliss!!

I want to finish quilting my scrappy/doily quilt and perhaps even finish my Cathedral Window quilt. I also want to  work a little magic on my boudoir....painting walls, creating a feature wall, ripping up carpet that should never really be warming any floors and giving the floor boards a lick or two of white paint. Well that's the plan, but as I am a gal who doesn't keep lists (it's useless anyway.....me and lists......nothing really ever gets ticked off) we will just wait and see, shall we??

But for today I find myself sitting in my swing seat (again), quilting my scrappy quilt. It's seems forever since I last picked up this pretty. I have looked longingly at it over the last couple of months, wishing I could pick it up but the days, weeks, just flew by quicker than quick.

It is beautiful at the moment, lazing here by the pond. Our friendly, neighbourly farmer has decided to plant acres and acres of poppies in the paddock surrounding our humble abode. It is a delight sitting here. As far as the eye can see there is a pretty vignette. The pond to the front, pretty Summer flowers dancing in the soft breeze to the side and pretty mauve poppies swaying in all their beauty for acres and acres to the back of me. How serendipitous. Last year it was a crop of potatoes.....this year poppies. Aah.....can't get much better than this, except perhaps acres and acres of Irises........but for this Summer the poppies will do nicely....very nicely........thank you very much!

Aren't I just the lucky gal to be surrounded by all this beauty!

Of course in a little while the poppy flowers will be gone and the farmer will harvest the seed pods, but for now I will just enjoy the beauty of them en masse.

Sitting here in my swinging seat, with my quilt in my lap, quilting, enveloped in a sense of peace and contentment, it just has to be a good day.....doesn't it?? I rather feel as if I am sitting in the middle of a Monet-esque painting.

Of course the occasional (only very occasionally) glass of wine and cheese always makes for a good day. =)

And of course a li'l quilting and a bottomless pot of tea with a li'l Christmas cake helps to make a good day......well.....perfect! =)

Enough of this chit chat......there's a small matter of a li'l quilting and a li'l tea drinking to be enjoyed! =)

May today be a good day for you, too. Until the next time............

An anniversary......and a giveaway

A lovely welcome to all you lovelies. A lovely welcome to what seems to be my three year anniversary of my foray into the Land of Blog. I cannot believe it has been three years since I began this fun-filled journey; that it has been three years since I began to skip down my lovely bloggy path.

A path where some of you have walked with me from the very beginning and others whom at different junctures, have happened upon my quirky, little corner of the world. You have paused at our beautiful, blue Hydrangeas at the front, opened my front gate and walked along my flower-filled, garden path to say a cheery hello.

Upon stepping on our little front porch, you stopped at our bright pink door and probably have quizzically questioned........"a bright pink, door.....really????" Yes really!! It's okay....you are not alone. In this far rural outpost, many have come aknocking, scratched their craniums and wondered about that bright pink, front door.....but somehow it just works.

Now here's something your beady li'l eyes haven't spotted before. Just recently I painted the concrete, porch floor and stencilled doilies here and there. What better way to celebrate an anniversary than to reveal a pretty new floor.

Love it!!

And of course, a bucket of pink, darling Dahlias goes perfectly with the pretty new floor.....oh and of course....that bright pink, front door! =)

Opening that questionable, bright pink door. you have ventured inside many times, walked along the bright, botanically themed hallway (which I pasted a couple of botanical books,  page by page to the walls) to stop at the doorway of my sewing room, to have a little bo peep as to the goings on in my happy place.

Time after time, you have peeked into my sewing room to see what pretties were being concocted; where pretty ribbons, lovely laces, rainbow-filled fabrics, buttons, vintage fripperies and a little bit of this and a little bit of that, twirl round and round in the merriest of dances.

You have seen me jump off the precipice of  'safe' stitching down, down, down to the valley of free hand machine stitching where there is no unpicking, no rubbing out of one's 'sketches', no eradication of one's boo boos.

You have espied me add to my real estate portfolio. You have seen me design, knit and stitch cute houses, adding many a whimsical touch to a  pretty streetscape.

You have glimpsed me tart up many an op shop treasure......many a jacket which needed a little Kim Sharman touch, a little embellishing......oh how I love embellishing!!

...........oh.....and upcycle kiddos' jeans and jackets.

You have noticed that I have stitched a few bags. Bags that I can sling over my shoulder, enabling my hands to be free whilst diving head first into cavernous containers and fossicking for treasure at markets, op shops......wherever my travels may lead me.

You have glimpsed a few lampshades, using all those lovely doilies from my dowry of cloth....oh... and a machine sketched pretty.

You have marvelled at my clever prodigies who visit 'The Kim Sharman School of Stitching Excellence' in the afternoons and dream up magical creations. Yes all these pretties were fashioned by one of my clever gals. She is sooooo clever.....don't you agree??

You have spotted many a basket..........

Baskets of flowers.



And......baskets overspilling with pretty laces and oh-so-fancy fripperies.

You have had a peek-a-boo at some lovelies that are not quite finished. "Mmmm.....I wonder when she will finish that Cathedral quilt?" I've heard you questioningly whisper, many a time. It's okay.......I too often have wondered when this Cathedral pretty will sit atop my bed with a heavenly chorus above, jubilantly carolling....."IT IS FINISHED......HALLELUJAH....HALLELUJAH!!!!!". Perhaps this year.....perhaps.....perhaps????

You discovered that I love to stitch the odd hexie or two or three or............!

You have occasionally (very, very occasionally) peeked at a woolly or two that I have knitted. I must, must, MUST get those pins clickety clacketing more in the coming years.

You have caught a glimpse of  many a teapot.......both for the enjoyment of a spot of tea......

and....as a receptacle for flowers.......both the........look beautiful, and then metamorphose into a pongy bunch of organic matter within a week, kind........

and.....the bedazzling, ribbon kind!

After ambling through our quirky abode, you have opened yet another door and found yourself strolling through a glorious patch of earth, where flowers at different times of the year,   sashay in beauteous unanimity, in the most gleeful of dances.

Since we arrived here in our little patch of paradise, my husband has been slowly transforming, in what can only be described as an eyesore,  a rather unremarkable patch of earth, into the most glorious garden. He has been weaving his magic into the most stupendous of tapestries, with colours interweaving into a vibrantly hued palette.

Each season brings it's own beauty. It is my husband's most favourite place to be. Our garden is a place where the soul is refreshed; where the body, mind, and spirit slowly heals.

After wandering around the garden you have stopped at our pond; sat for a while in our garden swing, drinking in the beauty of the pond. Indeed, this little oasis soothes the soul and has the power to calm a fearful and worried mind. It is a place where many a cup of tea has been enjoyed. It is a tranquil place. A place where I often sit and reflect on the majesty of God's handiwork that surrounds me. A place where I am reminded of God's goodness and His love for me......and my thankfulness to Him.

You have often seen Maisie make an appearance. She is always ever so willing to be the subject of many a photo. It seems she loves being a model!

You have had a little look at pretty cushions I have fashioned using oodles and oodles of ribbons and a pretty doily or two.

Which brings me to the most important part of this rather lengthy celebration. Are you still there?? Good!! To celebrate my anniversary I thought I might play with some pretty ribbons once more, fashioning ribbon flowers to create a cushion with overspilling, floral abundance. Yes indeedy, I have made this pretty to  gift to one of you lovelies; to thank you for your lovely thoughts and your many kindnesses throughout these past 3 years......oh.....and to thank you for strolling along with me, down this path of memory lane.

Now....if you are a no reply blogger, could you please leave your email in your comment so that if perchance your lovely name is drawn out, I will know where this pretty can travel to.

As I wind-up, it strikes me what a wonderful place this blogging caper is. Some of you whom, though I have never met in person, I feel as if I have known you all my life. I feel as if I could just pop over to your place for a cup of tea served in a fine bone china tea cup and luxuriate in a chat about all things pertaining to this life we live. Indeed I feel that you and I are kindred spirits. I have visited your lovely blogs and am continually inspired by your uniqueness,  your beautiful imaginations and your amazing creativity. 

This bogging community is one of encouragement and friendship. This blogging community is filled with beauty, inspiration, affection and love. There have been many times when your kind thoughts have wrapped around me in the warmest of hugs.....thank you. Thank you, to you lovelies who have taken precious time out of your day to pay me a visit, all the way down here, and have been so kind as to leave a lovely comment or two. They always bring a smile to my heart.

So here's to more posts as I skip along the fun-filled road of blogland. Here's to more skipping along the bendy path penning my thoughts; a few more posts waxing lyrical about the next pretty I have fashioned; a few more posts oohing and aahing over some gorgeous blossom I have picked from the garden......or some other funny story to bore you make you giggle. This blogging caper is really rather akin to keeping a visual journal, after all.

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

Linking up to this week's parties at Stephanie's, Roses of Inspiration
Jann's, Share Your Cup Thursday
Bernideen's, BTTCG