Wednesday 12 June 2013

Lilacs and Labels

 Here in my studio and sunny sewing room it has been a pretty week, with so many sweet garden flowers opening each day just waiting to be picked and put into designs.................
 ...............and a lovely new set of secret garden stamps to experiment with.......making pretty labels with some new lilac and lavender memento inks.........
 .........i've made secret garden key tags to add to lots of things.............embellished a washed out pickle jar with a label made from an old garden book page with a butterfly stamp and a little tie on seed packet and a length of raffia..............i so love playing like this :)............
 .................i also just had to show my pretty garden blocks in my pictures this week, made for me last year by the clever fee at chipper nelly here..........i enjoy having them around my rooms as i work.......
                            ....................i love this little lavender coloured bird cage..................
                                           ..............it was given a little key tag too...............
 ...........so was the crate of tiny bottles (the one that had six bottles but i broke one and never did find the right size one to replace it with)..................
 .............i love the colours of the flowers at the moment.....all shades of lilac, lavender and blue with touches of white............the roses will be out next but at the moment the garden is full of these soft colours.....
 .........more labels.........one of my favourite decorative things is a glass jar with a bit of text on it and a pretty label :)
........and the final label is another quilt label...............now that i've started labelling my quilts i'm enjoying designing and stitching them when the fancy takes me, in no particular order.......this is the rosy lavender quilt i finished last year........you can read about it here............... 

 ...............it was a pleasure making this label with it's tiny roses and pretty colours to echo those in the lovely rosy lecien fabric used in the quilt.............
 ...........this week i've begun a new applique quilt which i hope to show pictures of next time....i must also do a crochet update very soon too..............
............by the way, the little fabric birdie in the lavender cage is made from the pattern from my book *pretty patchwork gifts* here.........thank you for popping over to see me here it's a real joy to have your visits, lovely comments and emails.............wishing you a wonderful week, filled with flowers, sunny times and happy crafty moments........back soon xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

46 comments:

Unknown said...

Hi Helen I just love your bird and cage. I have been looking for a cage and a friend said she saw some in Dunelm Mill so going to have a look. Helen, as always a feast for the eyes. Your blog is fabulous. Thank you
Lots of love
Dorothy
:-)xxxxxx

jan said...

You just brightened my day! lovely lovely work. I love the key tags!
xo jan

forgetmenotsblue said...

Hello Helen. Such beautiful photos. Love the birdie in the cage so cute.
I love the idea of cross stitching a label for a blanket such a clever idea x

greenrabbitdesigns said...

You have the ability Helen, to make the simplest things, like a little glass jar, look amazing with your pretty labels and tags and stamps! :)
Love all the pretty lilac and lavender shades in your post.
V xxx

My Little Home and Garden said...

Hello, Helen

I can almost hear the little bird chirping a happy song amongst all the pretties!

Enjoy the rest of your week.

-Karen

homemade@myplace said...

your quilt tags are so precious!!!!!
xxxx Ale

Anonymous said...

Your lavender colors are so lovely, love your new stamp, and your glass containers just perfect. Dear Helen, I am in love with your Patchwork Gifts book, and if you visit my blog on the 6/12/13 post, you will see my first project underway - thank you for writing this beautiful book filled with the prettiest projects! Hugs ~ Mary

tlcukjourney said...

Your room is gorgeous and amazing!

20 North Ora said...

That is a beautiful quilt and I love the label you made for it! Your little bird looks great in that awesome birdcage. Wonderful projects as usual.

Judy

Naturally Carol said...

Hi Helen...your pretty flowers really come into their own at this time of year. I am definitely going to borrow your idea of wrapping the jar in an old book page...so effective! I am loving your stamped tags and quilt tags as well. Have a lovely week!

Gracie Saylor said...

More lovely work, Helen. Thanks for posting! I am still in CA and have only managed a bit of knitting and crochet...so far :-) Blessings to you and yours,
xx, Gracie

thriftwood said...

I just love everything!

Love Claire xxxx

Ali said...

Always soooo pretty xxx

KC'sCourt! said...

Those colours are gorgeous. Oh how I wish I was as talented.
Love the quilt. Pretty flowers.
Julie xxxxxxxx

KC'sCourt! said...

Those colours are gorgeous. Oh how I wish I was as talented.
Love the quilt. Pretty flowers.
Julie xxxxxxxx

gilly said...

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous.... ALL of it :-)
Xx

Anonymous said...

Dear Helen, your posts make me always feel so happy!!! I don't mind going to wash the plates now, even I would love to make a little bird or collect some flowers! Kisses! x Teje

Things and Thoughts said...

I really admire you Helen.I'm not at all handy with crafts, you create very lovely things and you have such a good taste and a bright mix of colors! It's a real joy to visit you!

Ladybird Diaries said...

Such a pretty post. Love the little bird cage and your quilt is beautiful.
M x

Unknown said...

You make me want to label *everything* in my house with pretty little tags! Your little touches of handmade loveliness transform a house into a *home*. I am inspired! Thank you! Chrissie x

sweetpea family said...

I adore your labels you have given me so many ideas - hope you have a lovely weekend xxx

Vintage Tea Time said...

A lovely post, as always - I love visiting your pretty, cheerful blog! Lots of flowers out here now too - as you say, mostly pinks and purples, which I love. Abby x

Deborah said...

Beautiful images as always Helen :) love your labels

Bee happy x

Country Maison (Eva Martin) said...

Love the labels, the birds and the little bird is so adorable !
The quilt is so nice and fresh with those lavender colors, and yes! the little crosstitched roses compliment the fabrics really nicely !
Lovely works and pictures as always !
xEva

Lillie and Moss said...

Loving all your little pretty details today Helen, so cheerful and a delight to see! Never thought of tags for quilts, something I must do!
xx, Shari

Vintage Sheet Addict said...

You really do have the most colour coordinated posts! All looks divine! :) x

Hannapat said...

What a wonderful post and a feast on the eye. I love all your little glass bottles filled with flowers, I have to confess, I suffer from a similar obsession and how lovely to get them from the garden to brace our homes. I adore the little birdcage and am feeling a little speechless about the quilt (as I haven't seen it before) BEAUTIFUL!! Love your label it definitely finishes it off in style. Thanks for brightening up my day!! xoxo

Cindy said...

Love all of your labels. I am now inspired to make some too. I especially love the cross stitch label for your quilt. Also, can you tell me where you got the "Secret Garden" stamp?

dancing-muffin.blogspot.de said...

Oh what a wonderful blog,the colours
are making me happy,THANK´S.
I come back,again.
Loveley greetings from germany,
Ulli

Unknown said...

Beautiful labels, lilacs and quilt!! I love the birdcage and birdie. It just looks so summery.
Happy mid-June, Helen.

Anne x
PlumCreek22 Studio

Shirley said...

What beautiful pictures. I want to make a little bird for my bird cage too.
kind regards,
Shirley

Madelief said...

Dear Helen,

When I look at your post, I realise we love the same sort of colours and flowers. That must be part of the reason why I like your blog so much :-)!

Those stamps look lovely. What a great find. Love the labels and the wrap you made with them.

Have a lovely evening!

Madelief x

gillyflower said...

Loving all the pretty stamped labels and tags you've made Helen. The little stoppered jar looks wonderful with its tag!
The quilt label is beautiful, as is the quilt from last year - gorgeous!
Looks like there's been some sun in your part of the country - enjoy! We have grey skies and rain again!
Gill xx

Frances said...

Helen, I recognized that fabric bird in the painted cage straightaway. There are so many possibilities where your lovely birdies might find a perch! Your book will encourage lots more to take flight.

As always, you've got wonderful colors here. I'm knitting away with vivid colors even though today (as has been true for too much of early June) it's pretty grey, windy and rainy here in NYC.

xo

Crafts @ Home said...

Lovely colours and photos as usual, love the labels but I am really taken with that sweet little bird in the cage :)
SueXxx

Teresa Kasner said...

Oh.. I adored the thread of lilac and lavender colors through this post.. the quilt is heavenly! Your jug of flowers - what a treat. I do love your images.. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

serendipity said...

What pretty flowers. They look just right in that jar. The quilt is beautiful and I love the label. xx

♥ Mary Janes TEAROOM said...

Such a pretty post Helen!...I don't often use lilac but always think it looks so pretty when I see it elsewhere...(although I have recently received some yarn in a lilac shade)...and it looks gorgeous in your post today! I love your Secret Garden stamps and the little bird in the cage is so sweet.
Your labels are beautiful and finish off your lovely quilts perfectly!
Keeping my fingers crossed for sunshine so we can all spend time in our gardens this weekend but it doesn't look very promising at the moment, does it?
Happy Friday!
Susan x

Erna said...

Goodafternoon Helen, these birds are just too cute, and the quilt....so gorgeous..
Have a nice weekend
Erna x

Simply Shelley said...

Just beautiful,that's my kind of playing...fun ...fun :) Blessings friend

Anonymous said...

Lovely calming colours, I love the way your pretty makes compliment your flowers. Your quilt and personal label is smashing. Pat x

Simone said...

An altogether pretty post. The lavender and lilac colours compliment each other so beautifully. I love your little birdy! x

Julie Whitmore Pottery said...

Dear Helen,
Such a stunning quilt. It makes me feel happy just looking at it. I'd love to see your bird pattern in your book! I like the natural look of it and the way you've done the tail feather effect.
xx
julie

Barbara said...

dear Helen,
such a pretty and beautifully planned post ... I love mauve fabrics too!
and you've inspired me to make way prettier quilt labels
love, Barbara :)

Anonymous said...

Dear Helen, thank you for visiting me, you are so kind. I've decided I'm going to read your entire blog - I've only done this with two others and those I started with the latest posts and worked backward. But with yours, I will start at the beginning. I am very, very excited to read every single post.

Hugs ~ Mary

Anonymous said...

You are very talented, love your style. Do you have a link to your blog?