Sunday 23 June 2013

Hand Embroidered Bookmarks and Nesting Bird Lavender Pillows For Handmade Monday



Another sunny week - woohoo! Apart from anything else its so lovely to be able to take product photos without waiting days and days for favourable conditions...! I keep getting distracted by other beauties in the garden though, like this gorgeous poppy...



... around for such a short time but stunning while it lasts :)



Nesting Birds Lavender Pillows





Regular visitors to my blog will recognise the 'nesting birds' design on this fabric from my Birds Of A Feather Collection (follow the link to my spoonflower store for more details).

I still really love it and i think it works well with these little lavender pillows - perfect for slipping into a draw to keep everything smelling super fresh! I love the soft pastel colours too, i could see these working well in a nursery amongst adorably tiny new baby clothes :)

They are stuffed with a combination of pure British wool and delicious cotswold dried lavender.


Each pillow measured 9x9cms. A set of three can be purchased for £11.00 from my Etsy shop and other outlets.




'Books Are Better With...' Bookmarks

I couldn't resist creating a couple more bookmarks this week... i think i have a new crafting addiction!

As with last week's, there is a theme - 'books are better with...'. So far i have 'a cup of tea'...


... featuring an applique floral tea cup with hand embroidered saucer and wording...


... and 'at the beach', featuring an applique sun umbrella and lounger with embroidered details and wording.


They are both made from top quality natural white linen and are available for £6.50 from my Etsy shop and other outlets.

That's it for me on the making front for this week, although i do have some more projects in the early planning stages which i look forward to sharing with you in due course... :)



Mystery Flower Time!




So.... last week's mystery had a few of you scratching your heads... there were some superb guesses but no correct answers! (although an honourable mention goes to Ginx Craft and Highland Monkeys who went out and tried eating 'furry' radish leaves :)  i applaud your curious natures, being interested certainly keeps life interesting!!

The green leaves with the little red roots are actually very young beetroot! We've been thinning out our beetroot rows at the allotment and they make a delicious and colourful addition to a summery salad :) When the roots are tiny like this you can just add them into the mix, as they get bigger they're a bit hard to have raw but the leaves are still mild and tasty - a little like lambs lettuce.

The little lilac flowers (which i probably should have given you a better photo of!) are rosemary flowers and they are sooooo delicious! Much milder and softer in flavour than rosemary leaves and a really unusual and pleasant treat amongst the usual salad favs (do let me know if you give them a go!)


I'm off to explore the mysteries and delights of the crafty linky party that is Handmade Monday... do pop along if you haven't been before, there are always lots of lovely things to see!

Have a wonderful week! x

42 comments:

  1. The fabric looks very clean and fresh and are perfect as lavender filled scented pillows. I do love your bookmarks - actually anything is better with a cup of tea!!

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  2. Definitely a lavender fan!
    and I find poppies difficult to resist with the camera - the big bright red orientals feature often in my album.

    My favourite flower in salads is the chive flower - lovely colour and gentle oniony flavour. Not tried rosemary flowers but will try to remember them another time (snow killed my plant this year)

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    1. lavender is such a classic isn't it, i love it!

      oh that's a shame about your rosemary... i agree, chive flowers are delicious and so pretty too :) x

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  3. Lovely makes, the lavender pillows look lovely in your fabric and would make an ideal gift. I've never tried Rosemary flowers, now I just need to find some to give them a try :)

    Jan x

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  4. Love the pillows - I bet they smell gorgeous! I think pot pourri would be good inside them too :)

    the bookmark is cute, and again, supa neat sewing - lovely :)

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  5. I love your book marks - they'd make a lovely gift. I might have to try rosemary flowers - I like the sound of them.

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    1. thank you Wendy :) you should, they're delicious! x

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  6. I really like the linen fresh feel you've captured in your photography & the bird fabric is gorgeous. x

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  7. I love your bookmarks, especially the way you do the words, not using backstitch. Your fabric is lovely too.
    Have a creative week.

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    1. thank you!

      i'm no embroidery expert... this is the only way i know how really but i'm glad you like it! :)

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  8. You are certainly making lovely items with your fabrics. These pillows look lovely and do look perfect for popping into drawers. Where is this weeks challenge? ;)

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    1. thank you!

      hehe :) i'll have to make sure there's a good one next week! :) x

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  9. Lovely little pillows, they look so fresh and clean!

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  10. The bookmarks are so unusual. There will be so many things you can put with them. The lavender sachets are pretty too with your fresh bird design.
    Wendy x

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  11. Oh, I had not even noticed the little flowers. How remiss. Your lavender bags and bookmarks are lovely. But no plant to identify this week. Bit disappointed ...

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    1. thank you!

      hehe :) i know! i will be more organised next week :) x

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  12. I love the pillows. They look very pretty tied up together. The fragrance must be so fresh xx

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  13. Hello. I've been always wondered what the people put into these lavender bags. You've cleared up my doubts completely. They must smell gorgeous. ...

    Your beetroots look like my radishes which didn't make this year. Thay did not developed the root at all.:(

    Have a nice week
    (Jo) Selenarte

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    1. i'm glad i could help Jo! they do smell good :)

      oh no your poor radishes :( i hope your other plants have faired better! x

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  14. The fabric is simple and perfect. I'm sure they'll sell well

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  15. That's interesting about the rosemary flowers. I didn't know they are edible. I think mine has just about finished flowering, so I'll have to wait till next year, but thanks for the tip.

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    1. yes i think ours has jest about finished now too... they are definitely worth trying if you can find some though! x

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  16. Lovely makes, especially the nesting Birds lavender Pillows. love the pic of the poppy too. Hope you have a good week.

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    1. thank you!!

      poppies are so pretty aren't they :) x

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  17. More gorgeous bookmarks and I love the colours of your lavender pillows

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  18. I really admire your sewing abilities - the wording on your bookmarks are all even and neatly stitched, they must take you ages.

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    Replies
    1. thank you Lucy! i think linen helps with stitching because it naturally has even gaps between threads :) x

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  19. The photos of your crafts are beautiful. You're so good at showing your stuff at it's most beautiful. x

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  20. Beautiful bookmarks so simple yet effective, I too am a fan of Poppies and have taken so many pictures this year.

    Just popped over from Handmade Monday

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Your lovely comments are much appreciated x