Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Spring is in the Air & a Little Catch Up...

Oh, how dearly I love this time of the year!
There is a joy that fills my heart as I breathe in the delightful scent of the coming spring...
The days are beginning to lengthen...there is a little more sunshine with every passing day, and it is happily warmer which means I don't have to wear quite so many layers of clothing...{happy sigh}

"It's spring fever.  That is what the name of it is.  And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!"  - Mark Twain

Gorgeous sweet peas grace our hanging baskets...they bring such cheer!

~
August has been a busy month thus far for me as I finish planning our summer garden and prepare vegetable beds with rich compost...  There are pepper and tomato seeds to be sown, and chicks to be bought so that we can increase our little flock somewhat...  Usually I spend a Monday working in the glorious outdoors...

 One of my favourite flowers...Calendula...

The rest of the week is usually spent sewing new heartmade products, babysitting an adorable little boy, blogging and all the other lovely things that fill each day with both work and pleasure...

Before winter slips by completely, I decided to knit a gorgeous green cowl for myself as alas!  I have not picked up my knitting needles for months!  In the evenings we have been watching Bleak House by Charles Dickens, and I am happy to say my knitting needles have been clicking throughout...I hope I will have time to wear my new cowl before it gets too warm!


I sorted out my sewing and papercraft supplies just the other day, and oh!  How good it felt!
As I mentioned before, I am already doing some Christmas sewing, namely my fabric reindeer which are among the favourite products on the heartmade stall at Christmastime...
A few brighter, busier days at the market meant I could visit my favourite quilting shop once again and stock up on a few more beautiful fabrics...at the moment I just buy fat quarters, as this gives me enough fabric to work with without tiring of the design...


Do visit heartmade to ''meet'' the reindeer!

You might like to see my darling new Miss Lettice rabbits...on my recent visit to the Cape, my grandmother sweetly took me to the fabric shop there and spoilt me with some delightful new fabrics...I thought they would be perfect for Miss Lettice outfits, and set to work sewing them shortly after my return...oh!  Sometimes I do wish I could keep the items I make to sell!

 
My sweet sister, Nancy, crocheted these beautiful earrings for me...she has added these to heartmade, along with a few more pretty designs!  I am hoping to showcase them on the heartmade blog sometime very soon...

 
 I love these crocheted earrings...they complete a winter outfit perfectly!

Oh, and I thought I must show you a few photographs of the lovely baking and tea party my dear friend had for her 18th birthday in July...

Filling beautifully decortated glass jars with flowers for the tea table...

Heidi-Mari is so wonderfully organised and made sure everything was perfectly planned...each young lady was assigned a team, and she and her teammates were in charge of certain tasks such as baking coffee cupcakes, preparing the toppings for the mini pizzas and so on...it was such a delightful way to get to know the other girls and have fun while about it...we baked, chatted and then donned scarves and hats and took pictures outside...then we had a beautiful high tea and enjoyed the sweet treats we baked during the morning...

 
Dear friends...

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Other lovelies lately have included long letters to sweet far away friends...

"What a wonderful thing is the mail, capable of conveying across continents a warm humann hand-clasp."  - Author Unknown

 
 Pleasant walks along gravel roads and fields surrounding our home...


"The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therin."  - Psalm 24:1


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What have you been busy with lately, sweet friends...?
I am afraid I haven't been able to share as much here as I would like to...but springtime is always blissfully busy!

~ Have the loveliest of Tuesdays ~ 

15 comments:

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

I love your sweet little bunnies and aren't those earrings adorable! I'm still making doll clothes and having fun with that. I can't wait to start some holiday crafts though. Hugs, Diane

Debby Ray said...

It sounds like you have been a busy girl and are about to get even busier! I'm still trying to wrap my brain around the fact that you are just about to usher in the spring :) Have a lovely week!

Anonymous said...

Sweet friend, I absolutely loved being able to peek into your world a bit! How lovely it was- as though we were chatting over tea and scones :) You have been busy, but with some wonderful things! Isn't it so nice to be doing things that you love while with the people you love?!?!

Your photos are just beautiful! And the one of you with the earrings is simply beautiful- your sweet spirit just shines through! Your scarf is so cute- I'm looking forward to the day when I can wear scarves around here- hopefully in a couple months :) We're counting down the days until autumn comes!

Your friend's tea party looks and sounds like it was loads of fun as well!

Thank you for sharing this little glimpse into your world with us! It was so fun to visit with you!

Sending you many blessings and much love as always...thinking of you often, dear friend!

Vicky Hunt said...

Oh how I enjoyed reading all about your life recently. You have been quite the busy young lady! Your photos are so very pretty and your writing has such a lyrical quality to it. I love it! Your earrings are just lovely and they do complete your winter outfit perfectly. Beautiful photo of you I might add! The tea party looks and sound like such fun. I hope you have a lovely rest of the week. Hugs, Vicky

Debbie Harris said...

Spring...It seems like our spring was long in coming and summer was way too short, and before we know it fall will be here. I'm just not ready.

You look so lovely in that color of scarf, Kelly-Anne.

I have been busy with my grandsons as they have been spending time with their Pa and I.
School will begin soon for them, so now is our free time with them.

Being out side and playing in my yard and flower boxes is one of my favorite things to do this time of year, not to mention a beautiful long walk during the day.

Bless you ~ Debbie

Sheryl said...

Beautiful post and photos. Your reindeer is really lovely, the fabrics are just perfect

Alex said...

Hi Kelly-Anne! Wow, you have been busy! I loved reading about how you have been filling your early Spring days...oh the picture of you in the earrings is lovely,and as Debbie said, the colour of blue suits you so well.
And of course Miss Lettuce is just charming...you are an incredibly neat and gifted sewer!
Spring really grabs your heart at times, so much promise is in the air!
Gosh I would like to be poised at the beginning of that season all over again, but Autumn brings its joys too.
What have I been up to lately? trying to sell our house and buy another one!!
And noticing beautiful things in this wonderful world.
You are one of them!
X

Esther Asbury said...

While you're preparing for spring - we're feeling the first tinge of fall in the air and getting anxious for comfort foods like: pumpkin rolls, apple streusel muffins, and chunky soups!
I enjoy seeing your craft projects and reading about all the lovely things going on in your life!

Daniela said...

My darling Kelly-Anne, first of all I must say that I'm so very glad you've been featured yesterday at 'Roses of Inspiration' by Stephanie with your lovely and delicious cakes, you truly deserved it and about today's post, well, it's so sweet and charming !

Here our summer is still in his plenty and it's quite soon for thinking about our vegetable garden's beds, thing we're going to do with the next month.. I love the JOY you always share, thank you sweetie.
Have a blessed continuation of the week,
with all my heart
Dany

Melinda said...

Hello!

My daughter, Rachel, and I love Charles Dickens! And the Bleak House film is one of our favorites. :) Just seeing it on your blog makes me want to run right down to the library and check it out again.

Autumn is upon us here in New York. I'm a wee bit envious that Spring is coming soon to you. But we must go through each season. I'm learning to embrace the cooler months. I'm originally from the South here in the USA. So acclimate was a must!

Thank you for such a lovely blog.

Smiling big,
Melinda

Ida said...

Lovely post. - It always gets me when I read that people are experiencing a different season then where I live. As you are going into spring we are heading into Autumn soon. Both are my favorite seasons so it will be nice seeing your spring images as I share fall ones on my blog. - The tea sounded so fun. I just love your reindeer.

CherylQuilts said...

Oh, sweet Kelly-Anne, what a delightful post with beautiful flowers, your adorable reindeer and bunnies, and beautiful photos of you and the girls! How precious! And what a wonderful quote about how precious mail is across continents, for they truly do feel like a warm human hand-clasp! Beautifully said! Hugs and love to you, dear friend!

Ana said...

What a sweet little reindeer Kelly-Anne. It reminds me how close we are to Christmas time, yay! it is my most favorite time of the year. Time flys by way too fast, doesn't it. We just need to enjoy every day to the fullest.

Hugs,
❤️Ana

Parlor Room Ponderings said...

Such a beautiful picture of you Kelly-Anne! And you have such a beautiful spirit to match! It's strange to hear you talking about spring when we are full on in summer mode with some very hot days right now. Your dolls are so cute. Always a pleasure to visit with you. Hugs!

Anonymous said...

What a pretty post!
I can't tell you how much I love the lace earrings you sent me.....thanks to you and dear Nancy!
It makes an every day outfit seem more elegant :) I wear them often and always think of you girls when I do!
Love, Ashleigh