Sweet Jane and Tiny Violet

Hello lovelies!

It's such a nice time of the year here just now.

Everything is still new....

and fresh & sparkling.

It's funny the ways of doing things that we get used to, isn't it.

For instance, a vase needs to be, well, vase shape don't you think? But when I spotted the Spode vase below in "The Dog Shop" it suddenly dawned on me, that the flatter waterlily shape would be perfect for displaying camelias, like this pretty Sprite.

 I am becoming very fond of orchids.

 And funnily enough, I never tire of pink!

 I was so glad to have caught these few moments of glorious splendour a few evenings ago.
That's what life is all about really, isn't it
......moments.

 I will always be best friends with hearts-ease.
Gazing at this cheery, cheeky wee face, it seems quite awful to eat think about eating it! But they are most edible & look so pretty sprinkled through spring salads.

 Violets are edible & medicinal too. My little double parma violets have the most divine scent. I heard the other day that they can be put in to sugar to make highly scented sweet violet deliciousness. The same can be done with lilac & elderflowers.
I started with the violets. I decided to whizz my organic raw sugar in my little retro grinder & then tossed the violets through the sugar. The mixture is now brewing/imbueing in my amber glass jar & every time I lift the lid to poke at it all & see how it's getting along, I am overwhelmed by the most heavenly scent.

 Lucy had a little outing on Tuesday. She was required down at the testing place, to be put through her paces to see if she was still up to scratch. The simplest way to prepare her for such an event, seemed to be... plop all the extras off the counters in to our vintage washing baskets...simple.

 Then off she went...down the road with Rob.
I had to stay at home & hose down on all the paving!
We're going to "do" the bit on the right next.
A policeman stopped the pair on their return journey but it was a random stop: license check. The nice policeman was more interested in Lucy than anything else.

 Someone asked to buy a metre & a half of this Cath Kidston wallpaper on Trade Me last week & it got me to thinking that I could use my other off-cuts for the bottom of dressing table draws & the such-like.

 Meantime, I finished the little dolly crocheted blanket & made a wee candlewick cover to go with it from a salvaged bedspread.

 Of course, there's not much point to the bedding without someone to cover up.
I found Jane on Trade Me a few weeks ago & took a shine to her, so when little Nina popped in for a visit I showed her the dolly's picture & asked her what she thought. She pondered for quite a wee while before declaring that "I would really like to have that dolly"....
so we bought her.

 There's not much use in having a dolly & some blankets unless you have a bed for the dolly to sleep in & what should I find out at The Mart, but a pretty little pink vintage dolls cot.

 And now every one is very happy & content.

 Good old-fashioned advice for making happy healthy babies is lots of sunshine & fresh air...right!

 Jane is blissfully content amidst the spring Festival blooms.
There was a time when you were advised to place your baby to sleep outside under a tree during the day but you must not, on any account, cuddle/coddle that child.

We'll have none of that nonsense here, thank you very much!

 And then, all of a sudden I recalled that I had a little friend for Jane. A tiny Violet.

 Nina hasn't seen them yet. I am hoping that I'll have time to make some sheets & a pillow before she gets to visit again.

 I came across this wonderful little afternoon tea cloth at the market recently. It had a small hole in the cloth part so I decided to do a Threadbare Cottage fix & layer the centre with doilies.

 No matter how well I pinned them they seemed to wriggle around as I sewed them but never mind, now we can use & enjoy the glorious handwork.

I also finally made this old tapestry in to a new cushion.

And found some of these fabulous new vintage Ball jars down in Waipawa...on the way to see the daffodils. It just so happened that the red gingham tops fitted perfectly.

The new Cath Kidston Kew stripe is looking great in Lucy. I have even sewed on the buttons & finished the button holes on the back for once.

I wish you could sniff this viburnum it is sooo lovely. I have positioned it right beside the path so that we can smell it every day while it's wafting.

A cute little daffodil planted from a mixed bag.

So wonderful of you to come by.

Thank you, as always, for popping in to visit.

I hope that you have a wonderful week filled with lots & lots of memorable, sweet moments.

MUCH

♥♥♥♥♥