In A Vase On Monday - More of the Same

Hello Everyone

Monday again and time to share with you and Cathy on Rambling in the Garden what's in my vase today.

And really it's more of the same. Roses and cosmos have been featuring rather heavily of late but that's because they are both doing really well in my October garden.

The roses - the white 'Iceberg', plum coloured 'Burgundy Ice' and pink 'Happy Retirement' -   are enjoying a late flush and the cosmos - 'Candy Stripe' - just keeps blooming.

What is new this week is the verbena bonariensis 'Lollipop' which has happily set seed in the round bed returning year after year.

It's growing close to the plum coloured astrantia which I've also included this week. As it was a gift from a friend's garden I'm not at all sure of the variety but given it's appearance it could be 'Claret'.

A brief mention for the vase which you may have spotted a few times before ... it's a favourite. I don't know much about it - the marking on the bottom is illegible and no help at all. What I can say is that it was found in a Scottish Tourist Information shop, a very good source of local pottery, and the potter is based somewhere in Scotland, but no more than that. 

Following up on last week's vase I can report that, apart from the godetia 'Little Frills' and the clematis and fennel seed heads, everything else has gone over. I must admit I'm rather pleased with the lasting power of the godetia. I only sowed the seeds as an afterthought this year and expected very little but, not only have they provided a bright spot of colour in a dull corner for much of the summer, they have also  proved their worth as a cut flower too.

If you have enjoyed this post, and would like to see what others have in their vases today, do please pop over to Rambling in the Garden where you'll find plenty links to many more beautiful arrangements.

Friday Smiles - On Saturday

Hello Everyone,

I meant to post this yesterday but this computer or, more correctly, my broadband had other ideas. Technology!!!

Anyway, here's some of what has made me smile this week.

I can't help chuckling at the look on my daughter's face while my grandson, Alun, poses for his granddad!

He had a fit of the giggles despite his granddad telling him to be serious! We were all in hysterics as he tried to stop laughing. You had to be there to appreciate how much fun we had.

Loved, also, this photo of my three great-grandchildren having some play time in the park on the way home from school. They are a lovely little family that get along nicely together most of the time but their mother tells me that ten minutes after this pic was taken they had a complete meltdown!!!

Spotted this red admiral butterfly on some asters in my friend's garden. 

With butterflies in general becoming a rare site it was great to see them still out and about as late as October.

And finally, a little gift I received this week which definitely makes me smile

It's a simple wee ... I'm not sure how to describe it ... it's a case, a cover for knitting needles. Not just any needles but this very small set of five double pointed needles that I'm using to knit, for the first time ever, socks!

Popping the needles and knitting inside the case prevents the stitches from slipping of the needles and the knitting unraveling.. Brilliant!!! Amanda, who runs the Thursday crafting group, made it for me. She's a very clever needlewoman who also teaches the sewing classes I attend.

As you can see, I've had quite a lot to smile about but to see many more reasons to smile pop over to Annie's, at A Stitch In Time.

I hope you are having a very happy weekend.

Scrapbook Pages - Made in Wales

Hello Everyone,

I'm off out to the craft club in a while so this is going to be a very quick post. These are two layouts I made in the the cottage we stayed in during our spell in Wales.

First Ballet Pointes

This page is an unashamed lift of a design by fellow MTS scrapper Yvonne Schofield. It makes great use of leftover scraps of patterned paper and minimal supplies. The photo is of my husband's great-niece, Kimberley, trying out her first ballet shoes. Kimberley, who is in her thirties, has been a dancer since she was very young but she's never studied ballet ... that is, until now! 

Here's a photo of the layout by Yvonne which inspired my page.

Vegas Baby

Another layout that was inspired by a fellow MTS scrapper -  this time it's Andrea Newton. Again the design uses scraps of patterned paper and not much else but what I particularly liked was the circle element drawing the eye to the photo.  It's made from lots of tiny punched stars. The photo is of my daughter-in-law on holiday this summer in Las Vegas. .

Again, here's a photo of the original layout lifted for my page. 

As you can see, both of the inspiration layouts helped me make the most of the very limited supplies left after almost a week scrapping out of a tote. 

Have a great day everyone.