Lovely Lavender

 When we were away last week we made a special trip one day to see the lavender here, which someone had told us about - even though it was tucked away in the countryside miles away from where we were staying....It was a gorgeous day and well worth the driving to see soooo much delicious lavender.....

Lots of different shades and types, surrounded by white gravel to really show off the pretty colours, and there were David Austin roses planted there too - a gorgeous combination....the tea room served delicious lavender scones with lavender and strawberry conserve, the shop sold all kinds of lavender aromatherapy products and the nursery sold lavender and roses ....it was bliss!

 The sky looks washed out for some reason in my photo - it was blue really.....

 ....there were also hens at the farm, and their newly laid big brown eggs were for sale...they came in a lavender coloured egg box....

 I bought some dried lavender and some lavender oil...this picture shows some of the lavender bags I've made in the past for book and magazine projects...I like to keep lavender sachets in among the linen shelves...(the linen cupboard in this house was one of the things I really wanted it for when I first saw it)..

 I also bought a couple of lavender plants to add to our collection...it would be nice to sit in this seat looking out over the field of lavender to the rolling Devon countryside beyond...very relaxing....

Since we came back it has mostly been raining here and also blowing a gale and feeling autumnal....what strange unsettled weather we have here, no wonder we're always talking about it! It's perfect weather to stay in and sew anyway which is what I'm doing...thank you for visiting me here...I hope you are having a very happy week. I'll be back soon with some sewing pictures xxxxx

Lavender Love

There are a few varieties of lavender growing in our garden. I like to add to the collection when I can, and I have to replace some of the bushes every few years when they get too woody.

During the summer flowering I harvest some of the flower spikes and hang them up in the linen cupboard to dry, then use the lavender for making little bags to give as gifts.

The lavender bag shown here is part of a project I did for Crafts Beautiful magazine. (It's in the September Issue, new in the shops now). I made the lavender project using a variety of techniques including sewing, cross stitch, rubber stamping and paper crafts.

The little bags are lovely to hang in the wardrobe or tuck into a drawer - a lovely old fashioned way to make things sweetly scented.

Do you love lavender too?