Sweet Mary

Now, who knew that cats enjoy popcorn garlands? We didn't but have had a good laugh over Maisy's obsession with the puffed up grains. Telltale signs of pulled string and fallen popcorn crumbs and a "who me?" look all add up. Merry Christmas family and friends, enjoy the celebrations and I will see you back here from Thursday 7th January 2016.

Small at home harvest. We knew it was going to be a hot day today but we also knew that the lavender needed its first harvest of the season. So early on we arrived at the mini lavender field to harvest our five (yes, five!) very prolific lavender plants that reside at our friends' property. It didn't take long to cut and shape the plants before we settled down for a good chat and a cup of tea under the shade of the pergola. Home again to bunch the lavender and hang to dry from the repurposed curtain pole wedged in the corner of the garage where it is dry, shady and well ventilated. A few weeks down the line and I will start stripping the dried stalks of their scented rubbings to store for use in my Sweet Mary lavender filled sachets.

First currants of the season, my first black peony poppy to flower, a modest first lavender harvest, first and very fragrant tomatoes and the last of the sweetpeas. Broad beans, mange tout and lettuces all harvested, eaten, bolted or frozen for later. Very satisfying indeed.

Haberdashery heaven. Click on the large C&D Market (5th&12th Dec.)logo to the right or click HERE .

Miss Frou Frou. Lavender filled hearts. Lavender hearts at Miss Frou Frou. Miss Frou Frou , the beautiful "event" studio at the top of Joll Rd in Havelock North now has a small display of Sweet Mary lavender hearts for sale. Drop by to see Suzanne and be surrounded by all that is gorgeous. All you need to fulfill your special day and a pretty lavender sachet to help you relax!                                                                                 

Yesterday I repurposed one of my rescued vintage tray cloths. Cutting carefully around the rust marks and holes I managed to shape three beautiful heart shapes. Filled with dried rose geranium leaves and lavender, backed with heavy cotton ticking, these three have to be amongst my recent favourites. Click HERE to go to the listings in my Felt shop.

Last years needle books were a winner on the Sweet Mary stall so I decided to update them and have made a few over the past week, out of my linen and vintage embroidery stash. I have just listed 3 in my Felt shop. Click HERE .

Just listed a few button cards on my Felt site, click HERE .

Last years needle books, above, were so well received that I decided to make more to add to my Haberdashery section. This years ones are made from linen and vintage embroideries. I have been making them over the past week and have a few more to do so come back early next week to take a peek a the new selection.

Christmas table runner - linen and lace. Its market day tomorrow, click HERE for the Craft&Design Mkt.facebook page.

Last Saturday's market was cancelled due to poor weather so we are trying again, this Saturday. Fingers and toes crossed.

Occasionally there is an extra Craft&Design market, a special weekend or in the lead up to Christmas. With this in mind, there will be one of those extra markets this Saturday, Labour weekend. As usual we will set up around the Hawthorne coffee shop in Havelock North, from 9am until 1pm. If the weather on the day is rainy, please check THIS Facebook page in case of cancellation.

                                                                   I am HERE today!

Button cards are back! New and improved, each colourful card comes crammed with a cute collection of "found" buttons. The perfect present for the haberdashery hoarder in your life. Sweet Mary , as usual, will be at the Craft&Design Market this Saturday. If you wake to inclement weather, please click on the Facebook page.

home brilliant! favourite ! Okay, I must admit,I do have lots more fabric than these two shelves worth (top photo), stuffed in boxes, draws and the hall cupboard. But I do sometimes dream about storage bliss where I will see at a glance what I have without having to pull bits and pieces from here and there. The second and third photos are from THIS website, go and have a look - very inspiring.

Just a few more days to the first market of the season and a very special 50th one too. Please check the Craft&Design Facebook page in case of inclement weather - a link at the top right.

Just a bit longer, the 5th of September to be precise, the restart of the Craft&Design Market in Havelock North. Its the 50th market (goodness me!) and Sweet Mary has mainly been there since the beginning. Come along, have a very good coffee, meet your friends and most of all support your local crafters and artisans. Click HERE .

Its pillowcase depot in the Sweet Mary studio this week - I have made quite a few pillowcases already to restock my stall at the Craft&Design market in a few weeks time - they sold so well last season. There are more to be made though so it will be a sewing and making week and trying not to look out the window at my garden. Spring is the time when I like to garden every day, weeding when I have to but mainly planting, planning and scheming. I won't have my computer this week as its going to be "fixed" so no distractions there either. See you soon.

This beautiful Song Thrush has been singing passionately in our garden for weeks, off  and on all day but especially early morning and late afternoon, which is when I took this photo yesterday. The sky really was that colour and as I looked up to watch him sing I thought how happy he sounded up the top of the Melia tree. Today I replanted my passionfruit plant with very high hopes that this time it will grow strong and give me lots of delicious fruits in a year or two. It is a long running saga here at my garden trying to grow passionfruit - I have not managed to produce a single fruit after 3 different plants and lots of research in as many years. I read this and this daily like a mantra - it WILL take this year.

I planted my first lavenders many, many years ago and have moved many, many times since then, always planting a lavender or two as I settled in to my new garden. Some of those moves were in the north of England and I can tell you that growing lavenders in that environment can be very challenging but I always felt that if I tried it would keep me connected to the things I love. Now I live in a temperate part of New Zealand that allows me to easily grow lavender, the French lavender s flowering all year in my garden and the English Gross o giving me two harvests over spring and summer. I grow Grosso to use in my sachets not only for its wonderful scent but because its a heavy cropper in the right position. I am also lucky enough to be gifted large bunches of this lavender (type unknown) every year from a friend.  After hanging the bunches to dry for a few weeks, the lavender is easy to strip, a tray full each Autumn night whilst watching Corrie . All this drying of lavender

The front entrance has been swept and tidied and tiny Johnny Jump Ups potted... and the rhubarb has grown strong all winter and provided us with delicious crumbles. Is it truly winter when I can still pick lavender and harvest the Rose Geranium? Dried Rose Geranium is not the prettiest but the scent is truly amazing... Not that you can see but the sweet peas are climbing the frame already and soon it will be time to cut back the hydrangeas ready for spring - a few frosts yet to come but spring is really nearly here.

Its that time of year again, time to have a break, to hibernate of sorts. Its time to slow down over the winter months, take a creative breather, catch up with reading and thinking. I'll see you all in a few months, come back August time.

Lavender wheatbags This Saturday is the last Craft&Design market for the season, we close up for the coldest months over winter and re-open come September. As this is the last market for a while I am reducing, for one day only, my lavender wheatbags and lavender filled hearts so come down and stock up for the winter months. Its also a good idea to buy now and store for later gift giving. Click HERE for the Facebook page of the Craft&Design Market.

Making pillowcases for my daughter today, a beautiful grey which will go well with the subtle coloured linen she has already collected.

Easter egg warmers Its going to be a beautiful sunny day - see you there!

Gifted rhubarb, good recipe (Digby Law), autumnal days, recycled jars all adds up to our winter supply of chutney. Smear on just about anything edible.