Sweet Mary

I didn't think I would get another post done before Christmas but here I am again. As I knew it was going to be a rainy day today, I picked all the sweetpeas and filled four vases with their beautiful colours and country garden scent. Later on in the morning I found Annie tucked under the hydrangeas and pink yarrow. She looked so sweet, all wound up in a ball but came out to see me the second I bent down to take the photo. Still sweet though I have had a wee run of sales from my Felt shop recently so have just listed two more items including these sweet clothes hangers. Click here to have a look. For those who don't know, except for the odd one which I will inform you about, I will not be running my Sweet Mary stall at markets from now on. Mainly I will sell online through my Felt shop - click the Felt icon, up a bit on the right.

Okay, I have to own up to neglecting my blog and today only posting one photo (a pretty one though!). No excuses, have just had other stuff to do. So, I wish you all a Merry Christmas and I will come back in the New Year - have a good one. Also, just listed a couple of more items to sell in my Felt shop. Click here to view.

This Saturday, the monthly Craft&Design Market held outside Hawthorne coffee shop, 23 Napier Road in Havelock North takes place between 9am and 12.30pm. It will be the last time for the foreseeable future that I will run my Sweet Mary stall of vintage style handmade crafts. I will still sell Sweet Mary but online only, initially through my Felt site. Click here . As Saturday will be my last day, everything on the stall will be reduced by 25% for that market day only. Please call by and pick up a bargain, maybe something pretty for yourself or a Christmas present for a friend or family member.

Its a rainy day here in Hawkes Bay but the rain and the greyness does cast a certain light that I quite like. Most people would say it was dull but to me it looks a little bit silvery. I can think these happy thoughts knowing that we don't have too many of these "silver" days in our region and after checking on the internet, it will be a sunny warm day tomorrow. In the courtyard, the strawberries are now netted under the "bridal veil" against our resident blackbird family. The sweetpeas are growing up the fence around the apple "stick" which will eventually morph into an espaliered apple tree and I have cut back the rose blooms to encourage new blooms for Christmas. A bit of finger crossing is going on around here. I have been making more bunting and there are two new ones listed in my Felt shop. Please click HERE if you would like to have a peek. And right now, I am about to do my final pack up of Sweet Mary handmades to take along to the Cross Hi...

I have just added some handmade items to my Felt Shop. Click HERE if you would like a look.

Yesterday I made bunting for my daughter. I love making bunting especially when you just mix up the colours, no particular theme, it just has to look vintage and gorgeous. I like it a lot and think I may make some more this weekend and list it on my Felt site next week which has been woefully empty for a while. I can feel a Christmas theme coming on. My pot of ranunculas have flowered their little hearts out for months now and deserve to be in my blog as a reminder to SMILE! Have a good weekend x

Three fabric covered wire clothes hangers - so far I only have one set of these to sell. They are the sort of hangers that would be ideal to hang flimsy or strappy clothes from as the cotton fabric stops them slipping off. The clever couple who are Coulter&Coulter , hand printed lavender stalks onto this soft cotton fabric. I have made lavender filled sachets with this beautiful print (thanks Nic!)and backed them with squares of vintage barkcloth and wrapped them for market in stacks of three. Don't forget! Craft&Design Market 4, held around Hawthorne coffee, 23 Napier Road. Saturday 22nd October. 9.00am - 12.30pm. CASHandCHEQUEonly .

Today I decided, was the day to finish my quilt.Not an obvious thing to do when there are many other needy projects to finish especially with the Craft&Design Market in Havelock North happening this Saturday. See details on the right. I don't use basting pins but prefer to baste my quilt sandwich with a brightly coloured thread. I find this the easiest way as I also prefer not to use a quilting hoop. So, out came the emerald green thread which I rather liked. Next, I pulled out my collection of leftover or unused binding strips and found I had just enough of my favourite Cath Kidston. It is a blue paisley that Ikea had in stock sbout 10 years ago. Bound, washed and drying in our sunny Hawkes Bay day. Finished off for five minutes in the dryer to get the "vintage" look I like and its now on our bed. Its the first bed quilt I have actually made for myself and my husband.

My sewing table over the weekend while making treasures for my Sweet Mary stall and yes, some of them are for Christmas! These lavender pillows (15x15cm) are filled only with New Zealand grown lavender rubbings from Hauiti Lavender Farm. Made with Cath Kidston fabric topped with vintage lace and embroidered heart, they have a red with white spot base fabric. These pillows would make a lovely Christmas present for a special friend or family member, to scent the bedroom and help with a peaceful sleep. I only have 5, so if you just have to have one, make sure you come along to the next Craft and Design Market at Hawthorne coffee shop in Havelock North. It will be on Saturday 22nd October, 9-12.30pm. And finally, a bit of prettiness to make you smile. SMILE!

Myself and daughter on my Sweet Mary stall Nic of Coulter and Coulter Birdhouses from Perry Davies Beautiful Carabana Vintage Skirts by Sally. Another successful market - date of next one is: Saturday 22nd October

I am having a two week break but I will be at the Craft&Design Market at Hawthorne coffee shop in Havelock North on Saturday, September 24th. See you there!

Last week I joined a group of friends who were going out to The Farm at Cape Kidnappers to have a set afternoon tea. If you would like to know more about this beautiful Hawkes Bay venue click here - all the information and lots of good photos. There are a series of "common"rooms for guests to use and as the conservatory had the best views over the Pacific ocean we gathered at one end around the comfy sofas. It was a stunning spring day even though officially spring was due to start the next day. We choose our individual teas from a varied selection and then waited (not long!) for the incredibly delicious food to arrive. I can happily tell you that the chocolate maccaroon was mouth wateringly good, followed closely by the smoked salmon sandwiches. I am still thinking about them a few days later. Another beautiful "common" room. I took this photo from the comfort of my soft seat while eating my near perfect afternoon tea. I say near perfect because, to me, afte...

For the last few days I have been washing, ironing and sorting through my stash of vintage linen. Its an eclectic (or just mad!) mix of inherited pieces and collected by me along the way. After this weekend I will probably have more. I am in Auckland over the next few days to see my dear friend Kate and to go to the Vintage Textile Fair . We went for the first time last year and loved it so much we have made a date to go every year if possible. I have my comfy shoes, clothes and backpack packed as its pretty crowded with ladies on a mission. Can't wait. I may have to make something with my linen stash and thought this idea was pretty perfect.

If all goes well these gorgeously pink bags should be brimming with strawberries come summer and especially bountiful for the Christmas table . After dreaming about the trailing harvest to come I decided to raise the bags well off the ground so have sat them on the old day bed. Just what it was made for! Come to think of it, the day bed shape will be handy when I have to net the strawbs from the birds.My husband thinks the bags are a "bit pink" but I have convinced him that the pink will look pretty peeping out from underneath the greenery to come. There were three strawberry plant choices at the garden centre and after reading the decriptions I settled for Supreme which apparently like fairly tight packing which is just what they have got.

I have been making oilcloth noticeboards for Sweet Mary although the one below is a special present for my daughter. She has a bit of a black and white theme going on in her bedroom so when I was gifted this gorgeous piece of fabric I had a fair idea what I was going to use it for. Hope she likes it! I am away for a few days so a friend is going to run my Sweet Mary stall this Saturday. She is Nic from Coulter&Coulter and will have her stall right next to mine at the: Craft&Design Market: Saturday, 20th August 9.00am - 12.30pm around Hawthorne coffee shop, 23 Napier Rd, Havelock Nth Cash and Cheques only

For the past few days I have been reading. My friend Kerry has written a book and I asked if I could read it. Once I started, I could hardly put it down so just gave in and every spare moment I have been engrossed in the story. Its good and I really hope she can get it published. Maisy, aka blanket or cushion girl was happy to keep me company.

Just picked up the new cards for this month's Craft&Design Market at Hawthorne coffee shop in Havelock North. Double click (maybe a double click) on the above photo and you should be able to read the list of stall holders who will be there including myself of course and my friend Nic from Coulter and Coulter. It will be the first public outing for the beautiful products that Nic and her husband produce. Fe of Global Piece organises this event and although this is only the second market it promises to be a "must do" village experience.

This morning we had a frosty start that has turned into a beautiful sunny Hawke's Bay day. Something in the air sent me into a frenzy of washing. These new fabrics are from Tone Finnanger's Tilda range and you can buy them here . I am not sure what I will use them for yet but that is always how I operate, buy the fabric first, look at it for ages then decide how I will use it. I have finally finished covering most of the garden with a layer of peahay/lucerne mix. Its an excellent soil conditioner and as I was unsure how often the soil had been fed in the past I thought it would be a good idea to lay it down. The above bed has a lot of clay so I am adding as much mulch and feed as I can get my hands on in the hope that I will have more success with my cottage garden look this spring and summer. This vegetable bed will also need an overhaul in the spring but over this winter has been producing a nice range of herbs, lettuce, chard and cavelo nero to keep the two of us happy an...