welcome

Welcome to the land of Clootielugs where squirrels, rabbits and their like rule the roost. I love to make and sew and find inspiration from many sources although nature in its many forms tends to be the thing that fires my imagination most often!

You can see and purchase many of my creations on Folksy:

Tuesday 3 May 2011

Gardens

After a week of much longed for sunshine my garden and the surrounding countryside has suddenly burst into life! Flowers, (brave little things that they are to have survived last winter!) - have once again brought wonderful colour and texture - and the trees are joining in with every shade of green visible now that they have shrugged off the crumpled leftover leaves of last year to reveal their stunning new foliage - so new and fresh! Nature's recent efforts have been my inspiration for this weeks Folksy Friday selection. Take time out for a walk with me around my favourite Folksy gardens....

I spotted my first chosen item on Folksy's forums this week and fell in love with it! I adore the simplicity of it's presentation which, coupled with the quality of the detailed embroidery, makes this hanging picture by Lynwoodcrafts the ideal starting point for my garden tour! ...






...past the delphiniums and round the corner and we enter the very formal surroundings of this beautiful manor garden by Mengsel. I've chosen to show the red version of this print which is also available in forest green. These strong colour choices really suit the geometric style and classical layout of the manor garden.






...making my way round the back of the manor house and through the wooden gate overgrown with honeysuckle and look! What a sweet little cottage amongst the trees! This delightful collage is by Dollydoo and features newspaper,felt,buttons and if I'm not very much mistaken a tiny coiled spring as a chimney! It must be one of the cutest pictures on Folksy!







Further on down the little path and the trees grow closer together, the sunlight dapples all around and all that can be heard is the gentle hum of the bees and the distant rumble of a tractor in a far off field. But oh my goodness! What a sight! At the edge of the woods beyond a crumbling stone wall the most luscious meadow I think I've ever seen! Little jewels of colour pepper the fresh green grass which sparkles like diamonds in the sunlight! This unique bowl is made by ChocolateFrog and is just one of the wonderful textile creations for sale in this Folksy shop.







I could stay in the meadow for hours but I must get home before it gets too late! Carefully picking my way through the grass, being careful not to crush the delicate flowers as I go, I eventually reach the far side of the meadow. Once over the rickety style I find myself on the edge of a small hamlet. Wandering past the tiny houses and neat garden walls I can't help but peer over to admire the tidy little cottage gardens there. Each one is stunning; ordered, but with just the right measure of spontaneity and joy! If only I could be so clever as to achieve such a fine balance....I think this embroidery kit by Lorna Bateman Embroidery does so very well indeed! What a wonderful introduction to the art of embroidery! This kit provides everything required to produce a picture perfect little bag for pot-pourri!






Finally I can see my own little house at the top of the hill. What a fascinating wander I've had through the enchanting gardens of Folksy! Of course I didn't have time to visit them all and will be sure to return to explore more another day....but for now I'm glad to be home. I can't go indoors however without taking a little stroll around my own garden...it too is now wide awake and while it may not be the largest...nor the tidiest garden in the land but it's certainly colourful and most importantly it's mine!

6 comments:

  1. Great choices - that bowl is amazing x

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  2. I have been admiring Chocolate Frog's work. Dollydoo is new to me - that collage is wonderful - I shall pop over and look at the shop in a mo. The colours in you item are really beautiful. Thank you for including my embroidery.

    Sue

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  3. That bowl is lovely, I love the collage too... great picks!

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  4. What a lovely post to be included in - thank you! Enjoying all the featured shops.

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  5. Thanks so much for including me in your post amongst such fabulous work :) xx

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  6. A gorgeous selection. makes me want to go outside. I'm so lucky I have a bowl like this from chocolate frog!

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