Jonquil Study & My Sister's Giveaway!

 

good morning!

 

i feel like i'm almost a stranger here in my own space

having only briefly popped in

over the last week or so.

 

wandering through our local shopping centre last week

i was delighted by these jonquils

&

had to bring a bunch home...

 

 

 

in the winter

our dining room gets the afternoon sun

which is the only time

to successfully take some pics...

 

 

 

the setting sun

was brilliant

&

cast a golden glow into the room...

 

 

 

late in the day

&

as mr t and i messed around having fun with the camera

the light grew into night

and evening was upon us!

 

 

 

enjoying these jonquils calmed my battered soul.

 

it has been a week of emotional stretching...

wonderful to embrace another adultchild into the fold again

but of course change...

even a good one...

brought the household into a state of chaos

physically and mentally.

 

 

equilibrium

has been gently reached

&

peace obtained

although we're all a little weary and fragile.

 

enough about this though...

 

my sister jill (the artistic talent of the family!)

is having the most superb giveaway!

 

 

a set of these handpainted designer coasters...

the choice of which is yours...

 

 

may be yours

 

just by going to her giveaway post

&

leaving a comment

 

on her new design blog..."jill butler design".

 

 

'cos I've been late telling you..

there is only about 30 hours left to enter...

the draw is tomorrow...saturday at five pm, nz time...

so don't delay.

 

i got a set for christmas last year

and love them...

they designs are stunning

&

they wear really well,

even after many hot cuppas this winter

and all the icy cold ones over summer

they look brand new!

 

 

enjoy your weekend

i hope the clouds flee and give us a sunny day!

 

naturally Carol xox

 

 

p.s...kai is seven weeks old tomorrow, maybe i can score some new pics off his mum and dad!!!

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 



The Cure...

 

for a dose of mondayitus...

 

 

 

...is a cup of jacaranda tea preferably made in your grandmother's teacup,

don't you think?

 

a funny thing happened yesterday.

 

i had a strong urge to ring my brother.

{that is not really funny in itself!}

i hadn't spoken to him for probably four months

and just wanted to catch up and see how he was.

 

it just so happened

that he was only half an hour away

heading in my direction

from out of town.

 

i quickly vacuumed up the dog hair off the floor

and was on the phone to my sister in nz

and he walked in the door...

and there were the three of us, having a conversation together..kind of.

 

how good was that?

 

but that's not all...

due to my brother shifting house a lot with work

sometimes we still get some of his mail.

inside one of the letters

was a renewal of his teacher's license

{he isn't able to enter a classroom to teach without a current license!}

...due this week

a fact that he wasn't aware of 'til yesterday.

 

a fortuitous phone call!

how good was that.

p.s...look what just came in the mail!

it will be the mugs i won from em @ teacups too! yay!
i'll unpack these now and show you tomorrow!!

i think the jacaranda tea in granny's teacup definitely cures mondayitus..

 

 

naturally Carol xox

 

 

 



Little Brown Nut...

hello today!

 

when my sister was very small

my dad used to call her his

little brown nut...

 

she was very cute...

short dark brown shiny hair

shining brown eyes

olive brown skin

 

when i was making this...

 

 

i found myself thinking of my sister

jill of velvetmoss

&

knew it was for her.

 

 

so this one

is not jane's market bag

it's jill's.

 

i'm sure she'd love a visit from you too!

 

i'm hoping you'll have a very special weekend with your family...

 

naturally Carol xox

 

 

 



Very Special Christmas Cards!

good morning!

it is a sultry, can't make up its mind weather

kinda day here in queensland!

{fortunately not too hot yet}

just thought i'd share some really special Christmas cards

with you today.

when i first saw them i was in love

with the richness of their design and colour...



they are all made from original designs by jill butler

the fabric is screen painted by hand

and then applied to top quality card and then hand trimmed and finished...

their exquisite detail and quality

sets them apart from others!

jill works with terri, they've been friends forever!

you will find these cards

and more handcrafted goodness at

velvetmossnz

jill and terri would love you to go over and browse in their blog

(link above or at the right hand side)...

pop in and leave a comment or two

if you're so inclined!

they'd love you to say 'hello'.

this afternoon's task for me

{which actually, i really enjoy!}

is to write out my Christmas cards

and get them sent off....pronto!

have a wonderful wednesday

naturally Carol xox

ps...jill is my sister!

Ruffley Skirt for Miss B...

let's do some addition...

3 georgeous new 'anthology' fabrics (3 yards),

1 owley freebie from retromummy (1 fatquarter, only used little corner)

plus...

1 pattern from miss b herself...

equals

1 new ruffley skirt for miss b!

i will show you a third of a skirt today...

yes, i know i am teasing you,

you'll just have to wait until tomorrow

for the next,

this is to build character into you...patience...hehehe

got the yoke onto the first ruffle...

showing the skirt under the ruffle...





this is the first time i have sewn in

an invisible zip...

hooray! it is almost invisible!

tomorrow...the yoke facing/lining...

the second ruffle and underskirt...

i'm loving that grey and yellow combo
just as much as i did when making the apron

by the way...

ta da!  drum roll please...

my sister jill has just created a blog...

'velvet moss'

can be found on 'check these out' {look on the right}...

just press the link

and zoom...you'll be in jill's world,

all the way to new zealand.

mr w

is doing a spring cleaning thing...

under the house today

with no 2 son!

another hooray

for monday!

hoping you're having a hooray! monday too...

naturally Carol  xox 

Velvet Moss...

my sister jill

is in 'cuisine' magazine

this month...

september issue

page 34, 'the coaster's clear'...

jill is the designer

and creative artist,

she works with her friend terri

and together they are

velvet moss.

jill sent this set

to mr t and sharrie...

big hint,

i hope she sends me some too!

they are made by

screen printing wood,

sealed

with a felt backing.

eye candy

with a cuppa...

i am very proud

of my wonderful clever sister.

she said i could tell you

that you can contact 'velvet moss'

{some people have been known to call her

'velvet' instead of jill...hehehe}

by emailing info@velvetmoss.co.nz 

if you want to know more.

{or leave a comment and i'll let her know how to reach you}

she also makes the most

delicious cards...

but my pics

weren't up to scratch

so

i'll show you later sometime...

when i get my act together!

have a great weekend

naturally Carol  xox