Sweet Mary

 With the best will in the world, I still haven't managed regular blog posts here. Lots going on re: my lavender filled sachets so if you can please come and see me on my Instagram account you will see very regular posts there. Please click HERE  💜

 Last Saturday I ran a Sweet Mary stall at the Taniwha Spring Market in Central Hawkes Bay. Its a few years since I have sold at market and I have to say it was very nice chatting to old and new friends. I am gently easing back into the world of making and selling direct so only plan to attend one more event this year. This will run for three days in Havelock North on the 12th,13th and 14th November at the Function Centre  next to the library. For up to date information follow my Instagram feed, click on THIS link.

   Rescuing and reusing vintage linens to make my lavender filled sachets is what I do. The idea came one day when once again I arrived home from op shopping with a stash of stained and rust spotted vintage linens. Still beautiful but no longer used for their original purpose. I also have to credit my mum with the idea too as she long ago suggested it as a way of repurposing linens embroidered by my grandmother. Every piece I find is laundered and ironed ready for the next stage of cutting and sewing. For many years I have grown and harvested lavender for use in these beautiful sachets. To view and purchase Sweet Mary items please refer to my Instagram account, top right of this blog. Its a delightful labour of love with the emphasis firmly at the love end.

Each year we harvest our five large lavender plants which once dried will give me enough lavender rubbings for my vintage style lavender sachets. These plants grow in perfect conditions at a friend's lifestyle property. I planted them about four years ago and from memory they are Grosso but as I can't find the original tags I'm not absolutely sure. I also grow a few plants in my garden to top up this harvest, ending up with about 2 kilos of the dried rubbings. At present the only outlet for my lavender sachets are from a beautiful shop in Havelock North (NZ) called The Garden Marke t,  which is  packed full of an eclectic mix of vintage items for your home and garden. For more recent updates follow me HERE on Instagram.

Something old, something new, something grown, something handmade, quite a bit of love, have a very Merry Christmas to all. If you are new to my occasional blog keep in touch through my Instagram account, click HERE .

These days you can find me on Instagram by either clicking on the "red" sweetmarynz link under the Instagram heading top right of this page or if you are on Insta yourself, find me under the same: sweetmarynz. Happy following.

This past year we moved house, our son married, our daughter will be married in a few weeks, lost a much loved family member and a new job for my husband. Its been a lot in a year and not too much time or inclination for crafting. But as Christmas approaches I have put together a little bit of handmade bling. Click HERE   or on the felt. icon (right) to look.

I don't want to give up my blog but I do want a good long break. So, for the meantime if you want to check me out I am on Instagram. Click HERE . Cheers!

It happened! After many baking hot days it rained last night and is showering a bit today. Lower temperatures for the next few days too. After suffering local water restrictions I imagine the garden has taken a big sigh of relief. It is so pleasant out there, this is my view right now, looking out from my studio. Sometimes a tui will come down to the water for a drink and the fantail pair too but right now, all is quiet. I will be planting out this evening, plants that somehow didn't get in before Christmas and then didn't get planted in January either, sometimes that happens. I will sew today as well, putting the quilt top together before starting the hand stitching. I know it will change but weirdly it feels like autumn.

Happy New Year! In the blur after the Christmas festivities, on a warm, still morning we harvested the lavender that we grow on a friend's nearby property. Left to their own devices, our five plants bloom prolifically giving us two harvests over the summer months. The smell was amazing while we merrily bunched up the lavender for drying accompanied by the happy but slightly disconcerting buzz of many bees. Very hot summer days here now so the lavender will dry quickly I think. Come the early days of autumn I will strip the stalks for the rubbings, thinking of my lovely mum who always did this job for me.

Well, its time for me to close up for the year and say, see you in 2017. Have a very Merry Christmas!

One of the standout things that makes Christmas special for me is a handmade decoration. Made by the giver or bought from a maker to give to me, they are my most treasured possessions. From the ones made by my children when young to the ones given to me by like minded friends, they all hold a special place in my heart. Every year for my Sweet Mary stall I make a small number of decorations for Christmas. In past years these have been a variation on the lavender sachet, one year a bird, another a heart, some years there are both. As I now stock a good number of vintage buttons and have many jars full at home, this years decoration is a small Christmas wreath decorated with some of my favourites. My husband made the wire circles which I bound with bias binding and then many nights I have sat down to watch television and to stitch the buttons on each wreath. Each decoration is a one off and rather special and I have to admit, very enjoyable to make. They will be available at the next P...

A quick walk around the garden initially to do a bit of spot weeding and check on blackbird damage turned into spring posy making. The deep purple stocks and sweetpeas are particularly beautiful, its amazing how such a simple job can quickly turn into a feast of colour and scent. Hope you are all having a happy Monday! Go gather a posy, spring or autumn, you will be surprised at what is in your garden.

Large, red, vintage buttons. Packing buttons for market. Needle Books. Its nearly that crafty time of the month again, this Saturday the 5th,  the November Piece-Makers Market will be set up around the Hawthorne coffee shop in Havelock North, running from 9am-1pm. There is always a great selection of handmade and speciality items to tempt and delight, my metier being haberdashery, mostly vintage or with a vintage twist. I also sell a selection of beautiful lavender filled heart sachets.

Just one more photo to add to the previous post. Over the long weekend we laid the paths with gravel to finish the potager. Delighted with the end result would be an understatement. The three raised beds are layered as a no-dig garden with very promising growing results. I followed this post, click HERE .

A walk around our spring garden this morning, a little bit of a dull day but good light for taking photos. Enjoy.  PS: (Princess) Annie is her name.

Sweet Mary will be there with a stall so come along and find some treasures.

I have been making bunting most of this afternoon, meters and meters for an upcoming family wedding. Time to take a break though and go for a walk with the dog. I just picked up the camera and took the above photo of my studio view of our garden - I know Annie the cat is in there somewhere.Enjoy the weekend folks.

I have had such a busy week but not too busy to package up my new stash of vintage buttons. I will be at the market tomorrow in Havelock North.

Lavender and Rose geranium hearts, handmade at the Sweet Mary studio, are finished with a wee bit of stitching using thread from my old tin of threads. As is usual, my collection is a mix of newly bought and vintage found. I am not an embroiderer but I can manage a competent running stitch and the odd flourish after consulting my handy "stitch" book. However, my limited skills do not stop me from fossicking for old thread in charity shops. New or old, the colours are always enticing and come home with me to take up residence in the "thread tin". Click HERE to view and buy a Sweet Mary lavender&rose geranium heart.