I have to share..

Some of the beauties in my garden.. 

 This gorgeous iris,

Do you see the bright blue 'caterpillar' on the fall? Is that not just unbelievable? I am amazed by how stunning this is. Sadly, the wind blew it over a bit, and I have had to stake it, but it is giving me great joy. 

 Penny lane looking perfect in her half open state, when she gets a bit of sun on she will smell super, too.

 The veining on the petals ( bracts really, I know) of this clematis are so clearly marked, I love it!

 And this beauty hiding under my little pink rambler... treasures to be found by accident!

and, no, my garden is not manicured, but cottage-y and it suits me! That white clematis does so well, climbing up Penny Lane and sharing it's flowers for everyone to see!

Very green, or perhaps not..

Purple and lime green, that is what my Secret tote partner wanted- sorry, Caroline, I cannot send you this, but it made me think of you! you will have to ignore the slug evidence- I suppose they have to live too.. 

 This little lady is Teasing Georgia, She graces my back garden



while.....














Graham Thomas sells himself in the front!














Philadelphus Belle Etoile smells gorgeous.

And the smallest yellow courgettes in the world are just about big enough to eat now!

 and the first cucumber flowers are out!


and I have eaten my first home grown tomatoes!















A hanging basket tomato!












 Just to complete the picture, a new tree has appeared! This is Tanya's Hipbee request.

It is quite difficult to photograph this one, as it is so pale. I hope Tanya will like it.

And this is what I have managed for the Stash bee. A bit uninspired, but the request was, get all the ugly fabrics out and make these triangles. So, ugly I have very little of, but these feel, well, a bit ... dull?  I think I shall have to make some brighter ones to go with them!







Now, if you have made it all the way down here, here is a thought,


May, that fabraholic lady, runs a little Flickr club. She calls it Lazy Bums. Well, I would never come up with a name like that, would I?
So, the object of this club is, to take ten UFOs, and put them up on a list to be tackled. There are various ways we are going to be challenged to deal with these awkward clients. Perhaps one month we shall all try to complete UFO number 4, or, another month she will ask us to wipe out the oldest UFO on the list. One way or another, we are to be encouraged to attack these stored in boxes UFOs, and get them finished!

To find out more look at her post here, she explains so much better than I can!

So, why not join in? Just pop in to the Flickr group and ask if she will let you in. After all, if she let me in, I am sure she will be glad to welcome you!

Sugar Plum Fairy

 I have been working on this cutie. She should be on stage in about a week!

 This delicate coloured rose is one of those nameless ones you are given for an occasion. Looks like porcelain to me, but she is real- even to the greenfly she supports..

 Lily Marlene pretends she is not a rose at all..

 And, in a few short weeks we go from this...

to this!

mend- it is a four letter word..

Have you ever had one of those garments which relies upon ruching elastic, to give it shape? 

 And then the elastic decides it is going to give up on being , well, elastic?  So instead of a gathered item you have a saggy rag?

saggy elastic

I had a garment like this as a small child. It was a swimming costume. I distinctly recall having it aged about 4. The wretched garment went on and on and on. I wore it for swimming lessons at school aged 11. I hated it, and it was a relief when that one gave way!
 So, a friend of mine also had a garment like that. But in her case it was a rather elegant and pretty dress. In a fine fabric, with beading around the neckline. But it had sagged.

So, the question was, could I fix it? I had never attempted the job of sewing ruching elastic into a garment before, but I knew the principle, and watched a couple of videos on youtube. Which, incidentally, contradicted each other. And I had a bash.

First, though, I had to take out the old elastic!

3 hours later... a pile of old saggy removed elastic ( why is a cigarette coupon from the 1960s in the picture? I welcome guesses, and if anyone gets it right- I will make them a surprise! just the first one to get it right, thank you. )  And then winding ruching elastic onto bobbins. There is an art to this. An art I have yet to master. But I did it. Somehow.

And then to sew elastic back into the dress.

 If you look carefully at this picture, you will see some ends in the middle. No, the bobbin did not run out. The elastic broke. It broke several times. Sometimes I removed it and started again. Other times, I just kept on going, having sorted the bobbin out again.
And one bobbin lasts about three rows across the back.
I eventually got the job finished, and I await information as to whether it is satisfactory. I have no idea what I might do if it isn't, as the elastic sews in at the tension it wants, and there is very little I can do to adjust that!

Latest arrivals in the garden? This peony is now open. She is very frilly and dainty. 

 My little pink rambler is being little and pink...

 

A hot lily makes a gorgeous rich impact on the eye, and self sown foxgloves grace the ignored corner here.

And I have yet to confess to my other half- but I have signed up for a triple zippy pouch swap! Sign ups go until July 6th, and posting out is in August- 17th I think. I have wanted to do one for a bit- since I saw Annaliese's ones, and this will make me do it!

And a housekeeping note- I got some really lovely text charms through from a texty charm swap group! no Idid not take photos- but go and look at Cindys if you want- they are the same but much better photo's than I can do! One of my daughters has requested a selection for making a new kindle cover! So suitable! Of course she may!