the lazy days of summer -

I'm probably going to be a bit of a bad blogger for a couple of momths, so I'll just say that now and get it out! I was trying to blog every day, but school is out and we've been at the lovely lake you see above. The kids and I have been at the beach there every day so far, and unless it rains, today will be no exception. So, grab your buckets, shovels and kick boards and meet us there, the waters lovely!

wordless 'ATC' Wednesday -

Okay, not quite wordless! I just discovered a lovely new blog, GardenMama, and she's having a giveaway. It is for beautiful Mama and child aprons, you have until tonight to enter, so link over there quick, from here! Good luck!

the summer wreath -

You may remember the Winter wreath from here. Well I decided it was time for an update, so using the scraps from my latest projects, I have revamped the form, into the Sumer wreath! Isn't it cute? And, much more in keeping with the season.

sweet sakuras

I recently signed up to do a swap, on swap-bot, which includes a handmade sakura pendant. So, of course, I would go to Etsy for a little research and inspiration! Here's what I liked the best, enjoy, and have a wonderful weekend!

Charlotte in Cherry Blossom by MDsparks

Trinity by Marshatoh

Japan Shrine, scrabble tile pendant by LaVieIllustree

meet LazyTcrochet -

This months featured Etsyblogger is Tricia of LazyTcrochet, congrats! Her etsy shop, found here, is a lovely place full of lovely wearable crocheted pieces. It's a place to go when, like me, you love the look of crochet, but cannot do it to save your life! So, you go and buy it from Tricia's shop instead. I'm particularly loving the shawls and wraps right now, as they're the perfect thing for summer nights when the temperature dips a little from the hot days.

Tricia also has, of course, a great blog for you to check out also, right here! It's a wonderful place to visit, so make sure you do! Happy Blogging!

summertime and the living is easy!

Summertime here is all about being in, and beside, our lovely lake! Already my kids are asking if we can start going, but it's barely stopped raining this June, and the temps haven't been warm enough to warm the water yet, pretty soon though! It's a small spring fed lake, with limited motor boat use, and no jet skis allowed, so it makes for a nice peaceful place to while away the hours!

The best thing about going to the lake where we live, is it's only a 10 minute walk, of 2 minute ride, to get there. No huge undertaking to go to the beach for the day, just another stroll. Picnic anyone?

work in progress -

So, I've been working on another bag, and I find the more I work with these Heather Bailey fabrics, the more I love them, such vivid colors and lovely patterns. If you haven't already discovered it, she has a great blog also, where you can get ideas and sneak peeks, great fun, check it out here!

It's another gloomy rain soaked day here in the Northeast, what is it with all the rain? I hope it doesn't do this all Summer. We have such long Winters here, that to lose the pleasure of Spring and Summer to too much rain would just be too much to take! You know it's bad when even the farmers think it's too much! Sunday is the first day of Summer, so fingers crossed for a change in wether patterns!

It bloomed!

the garden party bag -

Here is the first of my new summer bags for my Etsy shop, it's "The Garden Party Bag", and I love the way it turned out!
It was made using really lovely summer fabrics from a couple of Heather Bailey's fabric ranges - Bijoux and Pop Garden, aren't they lovely?
I have been admiring quilts lately that have a lot of linen accented by strips of patchwork print fabrics, so I used those as my inspiration. Also, I had to sneek my signature flower, the coneflower, onto the design somewhere - so I embroidered it on the front with a lovely variegated orange thread. Doesn't the lining just make it pop, love that orange!
I'd love to know what you think, so be sure to leave a comment!
Happy Tuesday!

one down, two to go -

I decided to do my daughter's bag first, and I love the way it turned out. Luckily, so does she! She wants to take it to school to show it off, though I'm a little reluctant, since things seem to come home dirty all the time, particular things which can be dragged along every corridor!
I'm glad she loves it, I knew from the moment I saw the fabric that it was a must buy.

These bags are perfect for the summer, with the cool cotton, and the smooth touch of the wooden handles. I love the cuteness of the mushroom lining, with all it's pretty colors, very fun!

Here's a close up of the beautiful fairies, or sprites, and their flowers, it's certainly a little girls dream, and maybe mine too!

Spring is for sewing -

For the past couple of years I've drooled over this Amy Butler pattern, and fabric, for the Barcelona Skirt, but have never got around to actually making it! So, this year I'm going to do it!
Also, how cute are the other two patterns? I love the halter, now if only the weather would out get out of this cool and rainy rut it's in, I'll be more excited about wearing it!
Have a wonderful weekend, are you sewing anything this weekend?

yummy new fabrics!

So, I went to the local fabric shop, KC Custom Framing and Fabrics in Saratoga Springs, and picked out some super cute summery fabrics to make some new bags with, aren't they lovely?
Stay tuned for the finished bags....

and while I was there, I had to get some fabric to make a bag for my daughter too! It's a fabric designed by Alexander Henry with flower fairies and mushrooms, it doesn't get much cuter than that! Fun, fun, fun.....

bags, bags, bags....

So, I've come to the conclusion that it's probably just too hot in the summer to think about carrying a felted wool bag! So, I went fabric shopping and picked up some lovely bright cotton prints, and I'm going to make some lovely summer bags, like the one pictured below, I can't wait to get started! The new bags will be more subdued than the one below, playing on the linen and patchwork quilts I've been coveting of late! I'll keep you posted! Happy Thursday!

wordless wednesday -

a treasury for tuesday -

Just a few things I spotted on Etsy today and loved -

Vintage Vacation - an Original Watercolor by Printmaker Jenn

Herb Garden Speciality and Novelty Fibers by Beck and Call Girl

I Love to Hike Pin by Helicopter Studios

Small Swirly Dessert Bowl Set by Lure Arts

happy, happy June days....

Beautiful June days, happy gardening weather! Enjoyment in the simple things is really the best of all. My children's favorite thing to do lately is looking for salamanders, especially when they go for a swim in the fairy house pool! Happy, happy nature filled days! Enjoy!

patience!

Patience is a virtue right?
Last year I planted a peony, so it didn't flower then at all. This year it's put all it's energy into one big bud, and it's been that way since what seems ages!!!! I can't wait to see what it's flower looks like, and it's good at building the suspense. Apparently, peony buds have a sticky substance on the outside of them, which needs to be eaten and removed by ants in order for the bud to open, but I checked and the ants have been there for sure! So, now, I wait........

Have a great weekend!

June is all about flowers and fun!

When I look back at these pictures, I realise how much hotter it was at this time last year! The kid's were already needing water, and shade, to cool off! What idyllic pictures of childhood!

This year it's been quite cool, 60's in the day and 30's to 40's at night, often threats of frost, which has set back a lot of planting. School doesn't stop for Summer until the end of June, so that fun is yet to come, but everyone is definitely feeling the pull! With the light evenings, no-one wants to go to bed until late, or then get up early for school either. My kids want to camp out, so tents are put up in the front room, and a starry night light is added for ambience! Maye I should be making more of my small amount of freedom while I can, because soon we will be a 24/7 team again! What fun it is though, long and lazy summer days, I wouldn't miss them for the world! Did someone say ice cream?

lovely june days in the garden -

I've only had this clematis a couple of years, and this year it completely WOWed me! It has more blooms than I can fit in the picture, what a beauty it is! A true perennial, in that it doesn't need much attention at all to keep on returning - I love those kind of plants the best! Gardening can really be a full time job in of itself, so with kids and work and life in general, I don't get as much time as I would like to play outside. So, it's good to have old friends like this clematis, that come around and delight you year after year, without ever feeling neglected!

Aren't the colors of the season lovely?

music monday!

I love listening to music by Feist, it's so fun and makes you want to sing along and dance! I also like Wilco, and I just read that Jeff Tweedy and Feist have recorded a song together, how cool is that? I'm so excited, have to wait for the new Wilco album to hear it though, oh well worth the wait definitely!

So, for today I'll leave with a wonderful Feist song to start your week off right! Enjoy!

Inside and Out by Feist