Autumn Days

Sewing and making is the theme today.....more toadstools - or mushrooms - are appearing around our house, some decorated, some not.....all dotty whether they are large or small....

...i am really enjoying exploring this idea and have lots more mushrooms that i want to make yet......

 .....i made some simple card templates to create the top of the toadstool and the stalk which can then be used to draw round and make lots of others quite quickly.......

 .......so far for decoration i have made some felt flowers, but have some other ideas percolating too....

 .....as i'm working on spring themes in my studio this week, it's fun to also make something with an autumn feel in my spare moments.....it feels just right to be making these just as they might be appearing in the woods nearby or even in the garden almost hidden amongst the leaves.....

 ......i had a wonderful surprise this week when a parcel arrived for me...the next picture shown below is of the gorgeous bag that i won in Karen's wonderful giveaway over on her blog Karen's Crafts here....i was thrilled to receive this lovely gift as you may imagine, and even more so when i discovered.....

                                 ......lots of other treats and surprises hiding in the pockets....

 ....an adorable pincushion, a pretty tissue cover, and  lovely crochet jam jar cover so beautifully made by Karen, and a sweet little strawberry pink candle, too. Thank you so much Karen for these generous gifts....do go and visit her lovely blog it's lively and inspired and full of crafty things....

 .....my autumn days wouldn't be complete without a quilt or two on the sofa, and that thought this week inspired me to tidy up my quilt cupboard, which i have mentioned and shown before and is in the sitting room, handily next to my sofa where i spend many happy hours stitching away. Sometimes i keep fabrics in the cupboard too but at the moment i have taken them all out for a grand fabric sort out...so there are just quilts in there which seemed like a good time to take a photo....

 .....while they are tidy and folded neatly.....the fabrics are now in the dining room also known as the sewing room in a huge pile and i am going to organise them ready for a big project that is about to begin....

.....so much sewing and quilting and mushroom making this week.....i love it! Other things i'm loving are: berries, crunchy leaves, cosy evenings by the fire, candle light, apple and blackberry crumble and custard, home made bread {in a breadmaker so didn't take me long ;-)}, reading a Persephone book, piecing a quilt, watching the grandbabies laughing and playing together, hearing the front door when Mr P arrives home from work...so many simple things to enjoy and make the most of......i hope you are having happy times this week too. Thanks so much for dropping in to see me and for the lovely comments. I'm off to do some crafting again now....but i'll be back soon. xxxxx

Sew Autumnal

It's been a wonderful autumn week here, with all kinds of autumn weather and so many of the things that mean autumn to me....plus a little autumn sewing too.... like this stuffed toadstool i made....

 ....i've spent a bit of time in the potting shed too this week, here is the outside of it with the lovely hanging toadstool garland that Mr P bought me last year, such a nice surprise....

 ....the potting shed is a great place to arrange flowers and berries, as well as potting plants and bulbs....

 ....i bought some new ones to plant this autumn, narcissi and hyacinths as last year i was mad on tulips and planted a whole lot which hopefully will appear again next spring....

 ...the toadstool  above was easy to make and there will be more of them in a future post, as like many crafty things, once you make one you just have to make another....and another....and then try out different fabrics and decoration....so look out for more to pop up here (as real toadstools do) .....

 ...i treated myself to an adorable set of garden buttons from Jenny, and here is the toadstool one fitting in so well with my autumn week....these are so beautifully made and designed...you can find Jenny Arnott's gorgeous shop here.......

 ......this glass jar is filled with a bunch of small rosehips from my favourite florist in our little town, she always has something special for the season....

 ....autumn supper table ready for friends visiting..... it will be cosy with candlelight when the evening draws in

....loving this autumn time, even with a night of gale force winds that knocked the runner bean canes flat  to the ground, and even with the chill and damp...there are also sunny days and that wonderful low light you get at this time of year, as well as all the autumnal nature finds for my nature table....hope you are enjoying a very happy weekend. Thank you so much for popping in to see me here, and for your lovely comments too, enjoy your autumnal times.....Back soon xxxx