Sunday, October 30, 2011

More Colour from My World....

Hello Dhaaarlings...

More colour from my garden to help warm your day





Starting with 2 forms of Aquelegia / Granny's Bonnets

Don't ask me their propper names, as I don't know them Darling...






Borage with the blue star shaped flowers,an edible herb that tastes like cucumber... and the "Blackboy" Rose stating to bloom.







Blue Sage flowers and Nasturtiums




More Granny's Bonnets




Calendula Daisys and some struggling Primula




More Granny's bonnets





Margurite Daisies....




There.... That should spread a little sunshine on your day Darlings

Friday, October 28, 2011

The Colours of my World...

Hello Dhaaarlings...

These are some of the current colours in my world...




Golden Bearded/ Flag Iris




 Purple Bearded/Flag Iris




Red Azelia





Mauve and White Bearded/Flag Iris




Chocolate and Cream Bearded/ Flag Iris



Strangely deformed Snapdragons.
 I've grown them before but have never seen the flower heads develop like this!!!

But I'll forgive them for they add such pretty colour to an area of the yard that has been taken over by self sown flat leafed/continental parsley..

Much of the garden in this area was inundated with flood water earlier in the year and it is my suspicion that what ever chemicals and residues that washed in with the water and lay around for a couple of days has soaked in and effected many of the plants growing in that area. 
They have all struggled through winter... Even the old geraniums that usually remain hardy and almost bullet proof despite the weather conditions... have died back and gone all straggly but continue to try and produce foliage and flowers.  
Ah well... such is natures way...



Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Mad About the Hatter...

Hello Dhaaarlings...

Are you feeling a little neglected darlings?
I've been frightfully aware that I haven't been paying as much attention to you all as I would like but you see the deadline is rapidly approaching for the costumes that you know I've been beavering away at over the past months for a local school production of 

 Alice in Wonderland.

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of meetings discussions, fittings
 fabric sourcing, and fleshing out final designs...

Frankly Darlings...I feel like a one legged man in an arse kicking competition!

All the costumes for the main characters (25 in all) need to be completed within the next four weeks so that the publicity department can take some photos and prepare the programme.

In the meantime... Princess when not rushing hither and thither has been chained to the old Phaff and Overlocker

The hours and hours of slaving over hot fabrics pretty patterns and broken bloody needles is finally starting to pay off!

Princesses Phaff: a bargain at $50.00!

There are only 6 weeks until opening night so I'm finding that my work is quite cut out for me... despite the fact that yesterday my overlocker decided that the task was just too great and called it Quits! 
So it has taken a rather... selfish under the circumstances... well earned break with the local repairman!  

Personally I wouldn't mind a well earned break with the local repairman myself, (he is quite a dish)....well any repairman really... No... really Darling... 
It has been quite a while....

But I digress.




The fact of the matter is...
 "The Mad Hatter's" coat is almost completed.
It just needs the lining tweaked, some buttons and baubles and it will be good to go!




I have more peacock feathers to add to the cuffs. And and "Ammo Sash" of coloured cotton reels to make and I'll be done.

I've a meeting with the lady making the "Hatters Hat" on Friday so as to coordinate fabrics and colours and work on the finer details of the outfit.

I've had an absolute ball creating the coat and it has at times really tested both my creativity and my patience and, although it has been wonderful fun... it has been very time consuming to make. 

The fabric had to be created by me, (no darling you can't buy ready patchworked  multicoloured velvet off the shelf.... who would have thunk?), by cutting and sewing together each piece of velvet to make one large piece, big enough for the pattern pieces to be cut out, after drafting off the pattern from the master, then constructing the garment at the Phaff...




The velvet was supplied from scraps donated by parents and leftover from past productions, so there is a mix of weights and even some stretch fabric which made the task even more of a challenge... 


I tried to incorporate some of the colours from the peacock feathers into the design from the colours supplied in the donated fabrics.
I think I did a pretty good job!

So while the overlocker recovers... I'm in the process of "French Seaming"
x5 Fifties style Hooped Petticoats, and tomorrow will be cutting out reams and reams of tulle to gather before attaching it to the skirt of the petticoats. They are to be to be worn under the Lead Flower gowns along with making five belts in matching colours that will hold the large wired crystal organza leaves at the waist...

I have the bodices for the gowns cut out but alas... I can progress no further until my slutty overlocker has finished with the repairman.
(All I can say is that it had better be ready for some serious work when it returns on Friday!) 

The full circle skirts are sewn together and hung so that they can drop before final fittings and hemming.... but more on their progress in another post Dhaaarlings.... 

I know... You just cant wait for the next enthralling and exquisitely exciting instalment... I know I can't...

Till next time Dhaaarlings...




Bottoms Up!

Monday, October 24, 2011

Haiku Monday....



Hello Dhaaarlings...




 Welcome to this weeks edition of 
 Haiku Monday...


"Aunty Belle " is returned from her French Connecting and being the all jet lagged Aunty that she is...
 Still throwed her hat in the ring over at "Rafaels"... to win last weeks Haiku challenge.


So Aunty gets so be a most gracious but I suspect somewhat out of sorts hostess and judge this week.


 Always one to come up with an interesting and challenging theme... Aunty has not let us down by coming up with a beauty...


The theme is...




"Ghost"


I have a couple of variations on the theme for this week...and have really enjoyed preparing them 


So here goes...
1.
Silver Styx






An unprepared Soul
Don’t stand a ghost of a chance:
Pay the ferryman




2.
Unchained Melody



Love springs eternal
Whoopi? A ghost whisperer?
Cue Righteous brothers 





3.


Something in the air










Spirits rising
All hallows eve approaches
Candy's the reward






Happy Haiku Monday

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Meet the Girls...

Hello Dhaaarlings...

Meet Ruby, Jane, Zelma and Tilly...










Industrial Chickens


Sunday, October 16, 2011

Haiku Monday....




Hello Dhaaarlings...




This weeks Haiku Challenge is being hosted by "Rafa"


so head over there for a visit and see what other interpretations there are on this weeks theme


"Home coming"



Anticipation...
Winter of my loves return
Final homecoming

Only one from me this week as things are ramping up in the costume department...

(Besides, "Homecoming" is Quite the foreign concept in these parts)


I'm busily sewing together cut strips of velvet (If only I'd thought about it for last weeks theme) to create a "Captain Jack" style coat for the "Mad Hatter"


More progress reports to follow but until then...


Happy Haiku Monday Darlings.... 



Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Time for Tea...


Hello Dhaaarlings...


Ever gotten home feeling footsore from a busy day gadding about and popped on Kettle and thought Ooh... A nice  Cuppa will do the trick! Only to do a "Mother Hubbard" when you've dipped the hand into the tea caddy for a bag or scoop of leaves for the pot? 

I have Dhaaarlings and there is nothing worse! I don't know about you... 
But by this time I'm far too exhausted to backtrack to the local tea emporium for a parcel of Earl Grey or Oolong. 

I have the answer to remedy this very situation for you...


 Make your own Fresh Herb Tea.




Keep pots of fresh herbs growing in your garden or on a balcony.

I have Peppermint, Bergamot, Camomile, Mint, and Borage growing in my garden along with many other herbs.  Most of them can be taken singularly or mixed in a combination to make a lovely refreshing, stimulating or relaxing tea

I just grab a handful of the herb that I feel I'm in the mood for, throw it in a coffee plunger and steep it in boiling water for one or two minutes then pour it into my favourite cup. 

Sweetened with a little natural honey or a twist of lemon to taste!

Here's my favourite "Emergency" Herb Tea.




Grab yourself a handful of fresh peppermint, a glass coffee plunger, and some Brown sugar 





I love making fresh peppermint tea and I always add some brown sugar to the mix before pouring in the boiling water and letting it steep.







 let the brew stand/steep for 2-3 minutes



Pour it into your favourite Tea Cup then... 
Take yourself to your favourite comfy chair pop your feet up on a comfy old poof, sit back and sip away to your hearts content...

I find nothing more relaxing than a hot home made cuppa after a hard day at the orifice...


Bottoms up Dhaaarlings...



Monday, October 10, 2011

Haiku Monday....

Hello Dhaaarlings,

After all the fogginess of last week 
Was our eventual winner and so is Hosting and Judging for this week.

I've been threatened with being turned from a rooster into a hen following all the fun in the wood heap so....

Here are my entries for this weeks theme

"VELVET"

Certainly not the easiest of themes!!!

Get on over to Chickory's and check out all the other players entries...


1. Velvet Moth



Scaled Kaleidoscope
Icarian wings take flight
Flame be your downfall







2. Velvet Deer




Furry Majesty
Scratch until you make them bleed
Oh Deer! Bad horn day!







3. Velvet Sage




Stands of purple: Proud
Softly stirs your airy plumage
Wise old Mexican




Happy Happy Haiku Monday...

Monday, October 3, 2011

Haiku Monday....

Hello Dhaaarlings...

It' haiku Monday once again and this week is being hosted by last weeks winner "Curmudgeon" 


So pop on over and read all the other great entries for this weeks theme




"Fog"
 an eerie yet somewhat en-rapturous theme
and one which nearly did my head in in trying to put together some haiku

1.



Hazy muddled mind.
Cause of my visions blurring...
Misty invader





2.



Clouded shrouding damp
Muffles mournful echo of
Curlews’ solemn cry






3.



Rolling in from sea
Causing castles in the air
Is life still below?




Happy Haiku Monday


Anyone for a "London Fog"?... 





Bottoms Up Dhaaarlings...