Rainy days

It has been raining solidly for 4 days. The little hint of summer that we had here in Sydney last week has been convincingly washed away. In some ways this makes me very nervous - our wedding reception is outdoors - and it also makes me sad because it means the dahlia season for Sydney will be delayed, and dahlias were my number one choice for wedding flowers (which I am doing myself).


However, I am trying to find a positive outlook on all this rain, and I didn't have to look very far:

 My zucchini plants are going absolutely beserk. Would you believe I paid $2 for a tiny punnet of seedlings from Bunnings two weeks ago?

Hello, delicious zucchini flower. You will soon be stuffed with fetta and fried, and on my plate for dinner.


Maybe the rain can be forgiven just this once.

Just the thing for a grey day

My favourite thing about August:

Sweetpeas.

I am older.

Whilst I was in Victoria on an unexpected holiday, it was my birthday. Seeing as no-one had planned for this momentous occasion being away from home and away from most modern ammenities, it was a lovely un-bothered and casual day, and one of the nicest I have had.

I received a beautiful bunch of flowers from the garden (and psst... check out the gorgeous old vase that belonged to my great grandmother).


Then my aunt made me a sponge cake. Being devoid of birthday candles, food colouring, or any decorative bits and bobs, we found some funny flower candles in a box of random bathroom smelly things, and I collected some little flowers from the garden to decorate the cake. It was filled with whipped cream and my aunt's homemade strawberry and loganberry jam.

Birthday dinner was a delicious Thai chicken curry that my aunt cooked, with fresh vegetables from her garden. So yummy, and such a memorable day.

What do you like doing for your birthday? What was your most memorable one?

Growth in the Garden Area

Tis September and for those of us living on the southern side of the world, time for planting, cleaning out cupboards, and hayfever - yes, it's Spring!

In a suitably perky mood last weekend, I visited my local nursery and stocked up on some loveliness to get me through the summer. I'm a bit lacking in the actual garden department but make up for it with some large pots and a rockery area.

Lavender is always a favourite. This particular kind above is Avonview.

The rockery area is an odd shape and seems to have been fashioned around our hot water system. Strange. I am going to try this little cutie, a Red Saxifraga. Apparently it loves rocks and shade. Good luck to it I say!

The windowbox area outside my kitchen window. I have thyme, capsicum and a magenta pigface. It was intended for my very exciting purchase of this fantastic pig, however, I think the plant will be bigger than the pig.

Lovely friendly sunny geranium. Reminds me of my grandma.


Last but not at all least, an ornamental kale. I have admired kale as a cut flower at my local florist for a while, but it always seems outrageously expensive. So I pounced when I saw it for sale as a plant! I love the colours in it.

Are you fixing up your garden this spring? I'd love to hear what you are planting.

A Rosy Farewell

I had my last day of my job yesterday. It was a day of mixed feelings, as I move on to an exciting new role, but leave behind some lovely people and a fun workplace. The ladies gave me a most breathtaking bunch of flowers.

The florist, Jodie McGregor, had thought to write what was included in my bouquet on the little card - what a great idea! Especially for flower nerds like me. The bunch had Cherry Brandy Roses, Cumquats (actual little mini oranges on branches! Divine!), LA Lilies, and Duke and Magnolia Leaves. Just lovely - the colours and shapes really worked.

I was very touched.

When it's cold outside, and you're feeling low, you need...

Flowers and cake.

Top: A posy my Mum brought me from her garden. Next: A Sponge Cake with Rasperry Jam, baked so the oven would warm the house up. Then: Poppies for my dinner party. And lastly: Sweet Williams to cheer up the house.

Poppies for Remembrance

At the going down of the sun

And in the morning

We will remember them

Camels Hair Camera Case by HondaMom

Hand cut papercut of red anemone poppy by TamaraDesigns

Prohibition Necklace by SoraDesigns

I have been watching lots of my pals in the DUST team present beautiful collations of things they want each Wednesday, and quite frankly I think I'm crazy that I haven't taken part yet. Carley of VanillaPixie started it off, and now she has a list of everyone participating on her blog.

So here we go, here's what I want this Wednesday, 15th of April:

Houses and Bicycles Journal in Blue by FreshlyBlended

Hustle and Bustle Dress by OneHundredYears

All the Love 8 x 10 Print by LifeInSugarHollow

Blackbird Postcards by CrowandIris

A Day on Earth

Our efforts for Earth hour involved Mahjong by candlelight. When I was in China in 2006 I purchased a set, purely based on the lovely designs and patterns on the tiles. This was the first time I had attempted a game - and I have to admit that a Mahjong Master I am not. But building the fortress was fun.

And today: I get in a spin about anything fabric related, so you won't be surprised to hear my excitement about receiving fabric in the post. Some delicious fabric arrived for me today from Belsize Square. They have such gorgeous prints and a great range of fabrics. I am super pleased - I can see it making an outrageously cute dress or skirt for NeverEver.

Next to them, some yellow mini roses given to me by my workmate today, for no reason at all other than to bring a smile. Sweet, huh?

Little Lady

Lemon Floral Milkmaid Skirt



I have broadened my range to include skirts. I am so taken with this little piece of cuteness. Available in sizes 1 - 4.

Snowpeas and Snapdragons

I have been out in the garden a bit today, getting my hands dirty fixing up the area that had been abandoned by the previous tenants here. A lovely jasmine had collapsed on it's trellis, which has been tied back up; and I have planted some snow-pea seedlings along a wall near our back door. Hopefully they will reach their little tendrils skywards and produce some yummy crisp peas for my stirfries in 2009. Snapdragons have once again found their way into my garden - I think it's the irresistable urge to pinch in the flowers to make them "snap", from when I was a little girl. I have also done some sewing of a different sort - tomatilloes (green tomatoes) and dill seeds, which will hopefully produce some yummy goodness in the weeks to come.

My flowers like it better in Sydney

So, in Melbourne I decided to grow foxgloves, seathrift and various other cottage plants. They were lovely, healthy and green but nothing resembling a bloom. Then I moved to Sydney and within a week - hey presto! Flowers on my foxglove and my seathrift (I would post a photo of them too, only a rogue bird was hungry and pecked them off! Grrr).

I couldn't be more pleased and look forward to a garden full of blooms!

In other news, I have been busy sewing some custom orders for buyers, setting up my studio space (will post pictures inthe next few days - it's GREAT!) and buying Christmas presents for my nearest and dearest.

The christmas tree is up, the sewing machine out, and the flowers blooming. The start of a wonderful summer!

New style in store!

Here is a new design in my Etsy store: the tuxedo shift dress. I love the contrasting fabrics and colours. Super cute for summer!

Spring Has Most Certainly Sprung

Around here, there's more than a hint of that lovely warm breezy spring feeling. On a couple of short walks around my area I have been thrilled to see buds on tree branches, tiny flowers in grass, and the sickly sweet smell of pollen resonating in the air. We even had a chance on the weekend to go to the park and lie on the grass, staring up at the trees, eating ham sandwiches and generally doing nothing - except experimenting with my camera.

So with all this spring in the air I have bought up big with some lovely floral fabrics and plan to make them into some fabulous sundresses. Something jazzy to wear into the spring months - I had to paint my toenails today, as for the first time in months, I could wear sandals! *Bliss*