Strawberry Season

 We have had a lot of sunny, summery days over the past week or two, when i took these photos.....

 ..........this morning it was cool and grey and rainy, but that is how the garden likes it sometimes, and i know the sunny days will be back soon........we have been enjoying strawberry season here.....

 ..............picking them, and eating them.......daisy prefers eating strawberries and other fruits to eating sweets........i like to put them in this pretty vintage bowl that we found in grannie's attic...............

 ...............as well as real strawberries being much enjoyed, i have been working very hard at every spare moment on my strawberry stars quilt top...........when the end is in sight with a big project like this i begin to speed up with the piecing and the sewing.......

 .............i always feel inspired when the quilt top begins to drape when i put it down, and take on the feel and look of a quilt...........so many different effects as the fabrics fall randomly next to each other........

 ..............last week i just needed to make a few more pink patterned stars and sew them on, then add a few joining hexagons......this week i am adding the side joining pieces and the small border, and then it will be time to choose the backing and binding fabric and get it quilted.....i made the strawberry stars quilt from the star quilt pattern which is in my new book, due to be published in october......the templates for the quilt and the pieces which straighten and join the edges are all included and the good news is that all the templates in this book are full size so no need to enlarge them :)........

 ...............here is a peek at the pretty cover............i believe that the book is available for pre order now on amazon.....

 ............i will tell you more about *modern vintage gifts* and show some projects when i receive my   advance copy....... the pages are looking so pretty, thanks to the wonderful design team at david and charles publishers.............the whole process of making a book is very exciting to me :).....

 ..............out into the flowery garden now, to see my favourite roses in bloom...........

 ..............this bush is growing big and rambling now and is and ready for a bit of a trim, which i will do when it has finished flowering..............the roses here are under planted with cranesbill....i love the combination.............and so do the bees and butterflies.................

 .............below are some of my birthday flowers............beautiful peonies with lots of other pretty pinks and purple flowers, including some gorgeous clematis, and alchemilla mollis foliage.......mister p is a good flower chooser ;).................

 ............one afternoon each week i collect my sweet grandchildren charlie and daisy from school and they come home with me for tea and to play...........if the weather is nice we sit out at the garden table for drinks and a snack and talk about our day...........i love having this time with them as they are growing so fast and the same is true for their little cousin, baby rhys.......we saw him the past two weekends, and he can 'talk' a lot now, and eat pureed vegetables and fruit from a tiny spoon..........he is so cute with his chubby little limbs, beaming smiles and peachy, downy head..............

.................this week as well as doing my quilt i am working on a design for 2016......yes, that far off, it sounds like a date waaaay into the future..........i am also making a project for another magazine feature a little closer in time......so, keeping busy, but still enjoying the hazy days of summer......i hope you are too, dear readers, and want to say thank you for visiting me, following me and for taking the time to leave such kind comments..........wishing you all a wonderful week................back soon xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxoooooooooooooooooxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx