Liberty

I'm organising a Bloggers' meet up

at Liberty of London

in June...

If you'd like to come

email me at

Pennysteel@talktalk.net

to arrange a date for...

Coffee / Cake / Natter

& fabric fabric fabric !

friendship string

Today I didn't mind that we have a

difficult postman who doesn't like my dog...

because he delivered this !

a lovely gift from Cory at:

Pink Dogwood Blossom

http://www.blogger.com/profile/15938991454011362735

Thank you Cory

I love it

& I love the history behind it

( I hope you can read it

if you click on the photo )

It's going to live here on my dresser

and looks perfect there

matchbox swap

the little Spring to Summer matchboxes

are beginning to arrive

at all the swappers' homes-

so I can now reveal all !

***

The one above was made by

Jo at Fiddlesnips.

I love the idea of discovering these tiny seed packages
in the back of a drawer in the potting shed.

I love the colours Jo used

& the earthiness of it

***

Pat from Artfully Ooglebloops

covered her matchboxes in pretty dainty handmade paper

and added quotes-

so pretty

***

Kimmie at Art in Red Wagons

included one of her fabulous inchies

I love the decoration

with the tiny gold charm & wonderful leaves

***

Jan from Jan's Arty Journey

sent these delightful boxes

with the adorable bird sitting in her nest hidden inside.

It's cheerful & fun

***

Melissa at Little Messy Miss

created these wonderful boxes

with natural adornment

& filled with treasure-

sand from Monument Valley USA

and Gourd seeds from an Amish Birdhouse

***

Hope at Pixie's Ponderings

made these dear little seaside scenes

stamped shells

& vintage images

so lovely & nostalgic

***

Thank you to all the swappers

I enjoyed doing the swap and

will definitely organise another !

It was fun seeing the different interpretations

of the theme

I know what I want to do next

& I'll need twelve players

( more about this in the autumn )

My matchbox for this swap is in my previous post !

spring into summer

If you don't want to see

my matchbox for the swap...

look away now !

***

Spring was a long time coming this year.

It was cold, frosty & ethereal

I used old Spanish linen

and lace from a Victorian style nightdress

I've has since Jess was born.

It's been in the dressing up trunk for years

& fitted out many a fairy or Angel.

The skeletal leaves

are cut out of

flower shop wrapper.

Summer is hot very hot

peeping through a window in Greece or Spain

whitewashed stone or plaster

lace curtains

geraniums in teracotta pots

and bright beaded curtains

more of the lovely

Spring into Summer treasures

next post

***

I got home at lunchtime to see a post van parked outside-

the postie was playing ball with Dillon !
I said,

" Welcome to the Mad House "

as the hens pecked around his feet.

I was so excited as there was a HUGE stack of parcels on the doorstep !

My lovely lovely stamps...

this little fellow looks right at home in his matchbox !

***

Speaking of matchboxes

they are all here now,

wrapped & waiting to go to the swappers...

names have been picked out of the hat

& the two extras go to:

Heavens 2 Betsy

and

Dogwood

can you email your address to

Pennysteel@talktalk.net

I was just in the village flower shop

ordering flowers for mum's 80th party which

she can then take home afterwards.

I spotted these pretty flowers & asked Nicola, the owner

if they were the flowers which dry out - everlasting flowers.

She told me their name

but I've forgotten it already.

Nicola has just done all the flowers for her niece's wedding

& these were leftovers.

As she thought they were a bit past their sell by date

she gave me a bunch for free.

I thought I'd use them in some art work if they dry out nicely.

Does anyone know what they are

or what those everlasting flowers are that I'm thinking of ?

Do you think I should keep these out of water now

& hang them upside down to dry out ?

They are turning brown which is rather lovely.

I've been altering more matchboxes...

bit of a bird theme going on so shall call them my

bird boxes.

I love this one

linen fabric from Spain

a delicate tissue which covered an illustration in a plant book -

the paper has the faint outline of the picture stained on to it

Vintage French linen...

this one isn't finished because....

I'm waiting for...

these !

Aren't they lovely ?

***

( just waiting for two matchbox swaps to arrive

then I can post them all off)

100th POST

100 posts & a giveaway.

***

I organised a matchbox swap here

at The Linen Shelf...

just waiting for the last package

then I can sort them out & mail them off.

I don't want to spoil the surprise for the swappers

so here is another one I made !

Jan from

Jansartyatcjourney

made an extra one for me

included with her swap...

thank you Jan - I love it

I will have one or two sets left over to give away-

so if you would like one

leave a comment &

I'll pop your name in the hat !

***

Thank you for visiting me here

and all the encouraging comments you leave

as you know,

I only started " creating " again this year !

***