Baby Shower...

 

with the baby!

 

 

hi...

this morning some friends and i

held a baby shower.

 

 

 

 

zoe was expecting a girl,

but lo and behold a boy was delivered

exactly two weeks ago.

 

i had made pink invitations

&

had them in my handbag ready to deliver

when a little boy was thrust into my arms.

 

here he is sleeping snugly this morning,

at his own welcome party with a friend.

 

 

last friday

we made some bunting...

 

 



 

which we strung along the rails of the deck at the cafe.

 

easy bunting it is.

coloured paper stapled on to curling ribbon

taped with washi tape onto the railings.

 

we blew up the balloons...

 

 

ordered cappucinos and cake

&

played party games...like baby bingo, baby memory,

name the parents and name the baby.

 

 

i can't wait to help host another one

it was so much fun!

 

i'm hoping you're all having fun this wednesday too...

 

 

naturally Carol xox

 



 

 

 

 

 



Summer Blue!

good morning to you!

 

like all good foggy mornings

soon a patch of blue was forming

right over us.

 

i've been sewing another bag,

this one's for me

'cos i'm preparing for summer blue

&

golden yellow...

 

 

 

pegged by lime birds...

 

 

 

onto the banksia tree.

 

 

there are less words and more pictures today

as i'm a bit fuzzy-headed this week.

 

i'm doing more blog reading than writing this week,

thank goodness

that blog posts are short & sweet compared to books...

'cos i've read about two pages of a book

before i end up asleep!

 

 

here we are looking forward to summer blue

&

perhaps where you are there are sweet memories of summer blue...

 

but whereever you are

 

i'm wishing you happiness!

 

 

naturally Carol xox

 



 p.s...i know i said that bag no.1 was for me..but i gave it to my mum in n.z! i don't think i was thinking i would love to make so many  more at that stage. i will show you the one i made for my sister next...and i'm half way through one for my brother's partner for christmas.

 

 

 

 



My Blue Heaven!

hi!

this fabric

is as close to blue heaven as i could get...

romantic and dreamy

and just adore blue and white stripes,

they are a match made in heaven...truly!

want a closer look at the stripes?

and the back?

now just imagine yourself

lying in amongst this trio of comfy blue goodness

on your freshly painted verandah...

under blue skies

this summer!

yep...

i'm just imagining it now...

hang in there...

summer's coming to oz...very soon!

naturally Carol xox

Breaking My Own Rule!

hi there!

remember how i said that the cushions should be no more than 50 cm square...

ha! ha!

i made these large cushions last weekend

quite unintentionally really...

they just kinda happened!

i think i just went with the width of the fabric...

they ended up 55cm square,

soft and squishy...

made from more of the fantastic fabric

t nancy from 'a gardner's cottage'

very kindly sent to me ...

for flood affected queenslanders!

the front of both cushions are the same...

i called one 'rainforest beach' and one 'rainforest island'

'cos the fabric is like the rainforest meeting the sea!

the backs are aqua

with slightly different features and buttons...

'rainforest beach'...

yellow buttons and an aqua selvedge with little buttons...

and...

'rainforest island'...

black buttons and a geometrically influenced design on the selvedge

here is the close up ...

i machine stitched the aqua triangles and

then handstitched the little running stitches in a variegated green embroidery thread.

the 'if ' tags...

 curly 'if '

and

leafy 'if'...

 

do your weekend plans include a beach,
an island
or a rainforest?

i'm dreamin'...

naturally Carol xox

p.s...someone asked whether i have a coffee machine..i do have a hand me down espresso machine. it was left here when mr s went to taiwan to live.  it is basic but sturdy..i heat up the milk in the cup for a minute and a half in the microwave and then put in 30 mls espresso from the machine and stir.  great coffee with a good crema!

Makin' an Apron...

this one's for terri!

miss b gave me this georgeous

blue bird print fabric.

the order was for blue...

so out of my little stash of possibilities,

a souveneir tea towel from norfolk

came begging to be used too...



snowy white ric rac and a few bright yellow buttons...

a strip of blue floral 'cos we needed a tie or two.

and here's a blue apron for you!

miss b is heading back to brisbane

as we speak

a bright and early start.

mr w journeys back up north to work

in a few hours...

and wants me to type up his resume

before he leaves!

{so i better get a wriggle on with that!}

mr brother has an appointment in brizzy too

so will be leaving mid mornng as well!

so mr m and mr p and me

shall have a quiet monday.

just us...

and the pitter pattering rain on our tin roof

that's enough for today!

hoping your monday

will be peaceful too...if you want it that way!

naturally Carol xox

Happy Birthday Miss Chloe...

happy birthday

to you...

happy birthday to you...

happy birthday dear chloe...

happy birthday miss two!

miss chloe is miss b's friend's daughter.

miss b was up to see her mum {me} for the weekend,

so we went to choose a pattern for this birthday frock together.

well...

we chose a pattern then decided to alter it.

then...

a friend had given me this material

but...

i almost gave up on it,

and...

was ready to ditch it,

'cos...

it was so thin and fine

and i was all fingers and thumbs.

but...

with some super human {for me}

perserverence

and...

patience {phew!}

i ended up really pleased with

the result.

the little sundress

turned out to be so sweet

and

light and fresh and soft...

happy birthday little sweetie

may God bless you and your family.

ps. the cushion is made from the last pieces i had of

'city weekend' charm squares and a few extras.

have a delightfully sweet monday...

please tell me what you're up to if you've time.

naturally carol  xox

Perfectly Practical...

tea towels are perfectly practical

as opposed to...

mary poppins

who

as we all know is

practically perfect!

they only take a few minutes

to cut out and sew,

perfect for using

oddments of fabric.

the butterfly fabric

is a leftover from miss b's endeavors.

the patches

are 'city weekend' charm squares,

which happen to contrast with

royal blue

beautifully.

these 'maxwell & williams' teatowels

come in a pack of three

and are only a few bucks each

on special....yippee!

i reckon

they will make

great gifts...

thank you and i'm thinking of you

presents and stocking fillers...

'cos

i'm a practical kind of person,

i guess.

haveagoodweekend!

naturally carol xox



Cool Blues on a Friday....

friday sings its own song,

a song of anticipation...

a weekend is at hand.

a change of pace...

winding down the week day activities...

gathering momentum for other agendas.

just feel like chilling out

this friday.

my mood matches the cool blues

of these cushions

when Miss B returned the sewing machine,

she gave me a large cardboard box,

full of material, unfinished projects and

one and a half curtains.

(which didn't fit any of our windows)

so i made these from the curtains...

the cording made me nervous,

but...

it was surprisingly easy doing it with a zipper foot.

3 buttons for practicality.

these are the other 2 cushions covered with

the st vinnies sheeting i mentioned before.

this little bonsai pot

is on my outside table...

under the passionfruit vine.

have a cool blue friday too...

and a sunny yellow weekend.

naturally Carol   xox