Half Dolls and a Link

Some years ago, one of my sisters was making porcelain half dolls and I started off making them into tassels.

Then I decided to work out a skirt in the manner of a pin cushion.  I had great plans to market the design, but nothing came of it.  I recently came across a lovely lady called Maureen Greeson, who collects  half dolls, and have given her the pattern where I am sure it will be more useful than sitting in the box on my shelf.  

You can find her blog at http://www.maureensvintageacquisitions.blogspot.com.au/2014_11_01_archive.htm
where she has a link to the pattern.

Maureen has a wonderful collection of beautiful vintage half dolls, and also a tutorial for a skirt she has made as a base for a lovely flounced overskirt.

Pay a visit to Maureens blog because she also does crazy quilting and  has lots of eye candy 

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggedy Jig

Well it is so good to be home again for a little while, and have my little abode to myself again.  Himself is well, and able to take care of himself so my job is done. 

I managed to have a finish of a page, and have two works in progress which I will post about later.  Now this can wait until it is stitched to its backing page.

 I have just realised I have a line on the bottom right that I need to get rid of....oops.

My plants have survived my absence after all, except for the sage plant which turned up its toes in the extreme heat we have been having. The first time I came home everything looked very bad. I took my son's advice and gave everything a feed with "seasol" and it is a miracle.  The mint is flourishing again, and my precious miniature fuschia has all new leaves.  I did lose some of the new coriander, but with the ones that have survived I will get new seedlings.

You can see the difference in the plants from before and after the seasol treatment, and how good they were to come back to.

I dont think I am going to revive the sage or the strawberries.

While I was at the farm, my lovely cactus was in flower.  There are two different colours and they are stunning. Unfortunately they only last   a short while.

The jacaranda trees on the property are all in flower and make a stunning display.

Next to the steps I discovered the tiny snapdragon plant, with one normal sized flower. It was only about 3 inches high.  There was a time a few years ago when I did have snapdragons in that spot so it must have been a lonely little seed that germinated after all that time. When we were children we called them "puppy dog flowers".

we have been experiencing very high temperatures for the last couple of weeks, but today seems a bit milder.  I do feel so sorry though for all those people experiencing the extreme cold weather in the northern hemisphere.

Until next time, happy stitching