Apple Time

It's time to make things with apples here - the scent of apples from the kitchen kept reminding me whenever I left the studio this week.

 My little sampler, made a few years ago to welcome autumn, is standing on the dresser in the dining room and I remembered it too has little apples on it in the form of shiny red beads.

We've got eating apples and cooking apples, though I often cook with eating apples too - especially when they are not in perfect condition and have to be cut up carefully - much better to peel and chop them and put them in chutney!

The big green cooking apples are perfect in the crumbles I love to make (and eat) and I've put some in the freezer to have as weekend treats later in the season.

And there are still some to eat just as they are - an apple (or two) a day.

I hope you have had a good week. And a big welcome to all the lovely new visitors to my blog this week! x

Warm September Brings The Fruit

When I was at my local greengrocer's the other day I found these lovely little bellis daisy mixed plants, which was a nice surprise as I thought they only grew in spring. I remember planting up a big flower pot with bellis daisies and violas one spring and really liking the combination. So here is the latest autumn planting in my special blackboard plant box. (It takes a bit of extra effort because you have to think of something to write on it!) Next to it are some conkers slowly opening and some pears ripening and glowing on the sunny window sill too.

And here is a little peek at my two new autumn cardigans which I've recently finished knitting - I mentioned them in some earlier posts - the Soft Grey cardigan and the Frankie boyfriend cardigan. Both are cosy and great for layering and I like wearing them. I decided to show them with my much loved Persephone book collection - especially good for cosy autumn reads beside the fire.

There was one daisy plant too many to fit into my blackboard box, so I put it in here...

I hope you're having a happy and mellow autumn week. x

Autumn All Around

Everywhere there are signs of autumn - the colours, the fruits, the grasses, the berries, the changing leaves whirling around, the golden September light. I love it very much!

This weekend I'm busy tidying the garden, seeing the family, washing and ironing the laundry from our trip away, sewing a new quilt and knitting my blackberry cardigan. And baking a crumble or two. Just really enjoying autumn things - hope you are too. x

Strawberry Season

We had strawberries in the garden this weekend, in glass dishes with creme fraiche, and on a carrot cake for someone's birthday. Our homegrown strawberries have been nibbled by mice or birds, but there is a little plant of tiny alpine strawberries that is almost ripe and so far untouched by nibblers.

I often include strawberries in my work, painted, stitched or appliqued, and I realised just how many things I have around with strawberries on. A lot. I've always loved them and I doubt I'll ever tire of them (though I must admit that eating-wise I now prefer raspberries!)