Signs of Spring . . . .

. . . . but a big freeze is on its way from Finland.  Nice of them to share it! 

First, a Christmas rose . . .

. . .or two (or three) . . .

. . . food for the blackbirds  (these apples are all very small, that's why they didn't get eaten by the local humans) . . .

. . .touch of purple . . .

. . .  and of white . . .

. . . and two nice smelly ones, a sweet shrub  . . ( I can't remember the name of this one, though a kind blog reader told me it last year when I asked if anyone knew it.  Are you still there?)

. . . and a rose.

Giving up apologising . . .

. . . for not putting any new posts up for ages.  I just don't want to spend as much time at the computer these days, and something has to go.  But maybe I just need some new ideas for the blog, a different approach.  Well, not today anyway, but I'll think about it.

The latest craze is making these felt brooches.  Very simple, just felt, some buttonhole stitch and beads, and a bit of organza and / or net, and a safety pin stitched on behind.  I've been doing some with the grandchildren and at the birthday party of one of them (11 year olds), where they all made one, and some even two, with hair grips instead of safety pins.

Bags

Time for some more sewing - Japanese bag, from Kumiko Sudi's book Omiyage.  Various views, 36 strips had to be sewn together, gathered at the base, and lining and casings added. 

This is one bought as a kit at the Festival of Quilts, from a stand called the Gourmet Quilter - everything packaged in appetising looking ways!  This isn't the actual kit, I just used it as a pattern for my own fabrics.  It has proved very popular and 2 granddaughters have now made one each and their mum has made about 3 or 4 by now!  I've done a second one without the little tag things.

And I can't resist posting this, a fuchsia with giant flowers!

Flowery fancies.

Abbotsbury main street, from my post on the door at the West Coutnry Embroiderers Dorset Groups Exhibition, in August.  Bit wet at the start of the day,but it cheered up around midday and a sunny afternoon brought in a few more tourists in the street and visitors to the hall.

Various groups did communal pieces.  Ours in the Poole group was making the centres of the flowers.  Committee members cut out the petals and assembled the flower bed.  No two centres are alike. It's amazing how these things turn out!

The butterflies had been made at a workshop several months ago.

My effort is in the bottom left corner.  I filled the circle with a dense chainstitch spiral in various odds and ends of colours.

At Witchampton, another small Dorset village, there was a flower festival a week ago in the church, on the theme of Creation.

These are such a gorgeous rich colour.

And children made this banner.

Colour collections . . .

. . . always interest me, so here are a couple from the garden, the ever intriguing red and green first - clockwise from top left: a 4 or 5 year old oak tree; a ragged tulip; peony buds; red onions and celery in the frying pan (oops, sorry, from the co-op, not our garden, but the colours interested me); strawberries, ok, from last year, but I needed a 9th pic to make the collage grid; a pelargonium; roses (last year too0; chives; frilly lettuce (that IS this year's!)

And pretty pink - apple blossom 1 and 2; a perennial plant, the grandaughters call it bleeding hearts, but I'm not sure it's right; another pelargonium; clematis; an azalea; a peachy pelargonium; a rhododendron; an anonymous flower.

. . . and a few more . . .

. . .of the photos from our Upton Heath walk - pussy willow . . .

.. . nice and furry . . .

Why do dandelions count as weeds?  In colour, shape and construction they are just as spectacular as many recognised cultivated flowers.

Celandines need to be in big clumps really but this is the best I could do for now.

And on the way home I snapped this.  We have no idea what was going on here, there's been nothing in the news, but I liked the row of police  cars with the repetition of the patterns and colours!

A very big thank you . . .

. . . . to everyone who has left a comment in recent weeks.  My apologies for not being able to cope with thanking each of you individually which I am sure I should really. Thanks especially to 'Cat', who has given me a sunshine award, but I've not been able to get to your blog, Cat, I get a page saying access is restricted.  People have said some very nice things.  I feel rather humble!  Unfortunately I've also had some very dubious links arrive, which have been rejected, and 2 in Chinese, which might have been interesting to put on, but Google translator didn't give me anything I could make sense of, so I am sorry, they do not appear.
I've been taking and uploading pictures lately, so will be doing a bit of catchup.
So some signs of spring to lift our spirits - things are alive out there, and trying to catch up the 2 weeks that they are behind apparently, compared to other years, because of all the cold weather the UK has been having.

This bush smells absolutely beautiful.  I don't know what it is called.  I've put some in the bathroom!

Next door's mimosa tree that hangs nicely over our garden and makes us believe it is ours.

And to feed the body as well as the soul - the rhubarb is looking promising!

After the paper making at the craft activities at our church I had a bit of pulp left over - only enough to make about 90 A5 sheets!!!!

Colour sequence in the garden . . .