What is it about flowers??

What is it about flowers?? What is it about flowers that resonates with my being?? What is it about flowers that feeds my soul?? What is it about this floral addiction of mine from which I have no desire to be cured??

Is it the universal language of flowers?? Is it the symbols that traditions and folk lore have alluded to for each flower; love, purity, friendship, gratitude, innocence, remembrance, affection, loveliness, celebration.........yes, yes and a resounding yes!

Is my addiction, my penchant for flowers something that manifests itself in the beautiful garden in which I wander each morning, secateurs in hand to cut a pretty flower or two? Is it the divine fragrance each flower gifts?? Is it all the pretty dresses each flower wears?? Is it the symphony of colours within the spectacle of a garden. Is it the beautiful reminiscences a flower brings to mind.....recalling those memories one hides within one's heart?? Is it the beautiful floral fabrics from huge, blousy blossoms to tiny sprigs.....which I am drawn to?? Is it the glorious floral-inspired paintings from the sublime brushstokes of Monet, Margareta Haverman, Margaret Olley, Van Gogh to name a few which I have always loved?? Is it those quilts where blossoms flourish all over that captivate me, and the cushions I have fashioned where  a concoction of ribbon flowers dance with floralicious delight?? Is it the pretty floral patterns on vintage tea cups and teapots that sit ever-so-prettily on my dressers, with an air of expectancy waiting to take part in a little tea ceremony each day?? Is it the  books which line the shelves of my burgeoning bookshelves, where page after glorious page delight me with photographs or botanical artworks of floral gorgeousness, taking me on a magical journey where flowers abound??

What can I say. The answer to all these questions where it appears I may just well  have a predilection to all things floral, a 'slight' floral addiction, is yes, yes and again I say yes. That's what it is about flowers. It is all the above and more; where it seems to me that the beautiful flowers are what pops up time and time again in my creative journey. It is the beauty of flowers in all their glorious representations; in Mother Nature, in paintings, on fabrics, on quilts, in embroideries of bygone eras, in books.......so, so many intangibles of why I love them so. Flowers touch me, inspiring me daily from deep within my being, nourishing my imagination.

Indeed, for me there are few things that are  as alluring as flowers. I do not say this lightly. Although I live in a little patch of paradise and marvel at God's wondrous creation every day, from the majestic mountains that surround me to the clouds in all shapes and forms dancing across the sky playing the game "can you guess what I am??";  it is the flowers in all their guises and colours which thrills my soul the most.

Flowers are a veritable pot pourri of magical delight. They make my heart smile. What is lovelier than a gift from a friend of a sweet smelling bouquet of beautiful blooms when one is feeling sad, or perhaps to celebrate a special occasion. A bouquet of overspilling blossoms, cinched together with a pretty ribbon is truly one of life's simple pleasures. AND....of course a home with a vase or two of blossoms in every room is one of life's beautiful delights. Indeed, it is a rare thing not to have a vase of pretty blooms somewhere in my home; even in Winter, where only a single flower might be seen to cheer my day. 

The flowers which have put a smile on my face, indeed, the flowers that have satisfied my addiction this last little while are the Irises and sweet, sweet Lilacs.......Iris - royalty, wisdom, valor..........Lilac - spirituality, purity, innocence, love and passion.... hence a little (just a little) photo shoot was required. =)

This last little while I have been deeply saddened by the news that some beautiful ladies whom I have met here in my little place find themselves travelling down difficult and torturous paths. Others too, whom of late have had loved ones pass away and have had to say their final goodbyes. Beautiful ladies whom though I have never met in person, I feel we are kindred spirits. Sometimes in life we are faced with hardships that are almost too much to bear. I have sat much in my garden this week. I have thought of you with much love and prayed to my Heavenly Father that He may wrap his arms around you, your family and loved ones and give comfort that only He can give. On my morning walks I have looked heavenward and prayed for you. As I think of you, may I gift each one of you a beautiful bouquet of flowers filled with much love. Wish oh wish I could knock on your front door, greet you with a warm smile and an engulfing hug and gift you with a bunch of flowers.....but I cannot. Please know that way down here at the bottom of the world, there is a lady who is thinking of you with much love♥

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

Flowers, Flowers .....Everywhere

A lovely welcome to you! My little world of late has been filled with flowers, flowers and then some. There are flowers blooming everywhere in the garden; Tulips, Irises, Granny Bonnets, Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Lilacs, Foxgloves and so on and so on.  There are more flowers blooming on my quilt as well, but more about that later on.

Spring down here is constantly delighting with the most amazing colours and fragrances. Truly, the garden never fails to delight and surprise. Each morning as I walk around the garden it seems new magic awaits me. At the moment the Irises are showing off. They truly are gorgeous.

It won't be long till the Lilacs and Wisteria take centre stage. Oodles of preserving jars are filled with blooms ready to be scattered throughout my home and what better way to take happy snaps of these pretties than to showcase them with the backdrop of the pond. =)

The Tulips at the Tulip Farm I visited a couple of weeks ago were a vision splendid. Hectare after hectare of rainbow-filled gorgeousness. I tippy toed (well at least in my imagination, I did) up and down, row after row of floralicious delight. Indeed they were a delight to all the senses. Can you imagine a meadow (or as us Aussies say a "paddock" over-spilling with these splendid flowers??  I can! I will have to speak to my gardener to see what those miraculous green fingers of his can do!! =))

Flowers of the fabric kind have been growing on my quilt as well. Hydrangeas, Daisies, Tulips, Poppies and sweet little blossoms kissing the water's edge have as if overnight, magically begun to blossom. Did I say "overnight"?? Believe you me it has been hours and hours and many more hours of me coaxing fabric into petals and then into flowers. There doesn't seem to be much progress does there?? I do believe this flower quilt is going to take season after season to blossom in all it's beauty! At least the bottom corner of my flower garden is finished! All the finer details of each flower and leaf will be embroidered  or quilted later on.

Each flower not thinking of competing with the flower next to it. Each flower blooms......and beautifully so. Though, in saying this me thinks the Iris might think it's the star!

Thank you so much for visiting my little place. Indeed each and everyone of you makes me want to dance on my tippy toes through my garden! Why, I think I just might! =) So, so sorry for a gazillion happy snaps of all the pretty flowers, but somehow I didn't think you would mind.....at least, I hope you don't.

I am off to enjoy a little slow Sunday stitching this sunny Sunday afternoon.......by the pond, me thinks. Have a most beautiful day♥

Until the next time......

Linking this week to Kathy at Slow Sunday Stitching, and
Soma's, Wandering Camera over at Whims and Fancies.

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.