Thursday, December 3, 2009

Come for a walk with me....

Now that the boarding school is 'our backyard', and the students have returned to their homes, Blossom, hubby, Slicer, Bob-the-dog and I, have begun regular walks around the grounds and across all four sports ovals.
Along the tracks we see the mango trees are full with ripening fruit...

...the flame trees are vivid in display...

...bottlebrush are blooming and feeding the nectar loving native birds...

...and the beautiful golden wattle trees are -

...dropping their seeds! Blossom is holding the seed pods to show you how large they are! When you shake them they rattle loudly - perfect if we wanted to start a Wattle Band. :-)

This is the rear of our very hot house. The white building you see almost attached to the right of our home is one of the girl's boarding dormitories. Now that the girls have left for the summer our nights are SO much quieter - except for the cane toads, the possums, the bats, and the tree frogs!

~~~~~
Tuesday heralded the opening on my very first Advent gift from Jeanette (through Jo and Fiona's Advent Swap). When I opened it I thought she must have put the wrong number on the package because this is soooooo beautiful I would have been thrilled to have it as my number 25 Christmas Day surprise!

Jeanette said she knew how much Blossom and I love our afternoon teas, so as soon as she saw this pattern she knew she would make it for us. Naturally Blossom and I had to christen our tea cosy and coasters with a tea party - in mine and hubby's bedroom! Blossom gave me a little round table recently and I covered it with a quilt I made in 2006 when I was just a newbie to sewing...it fits perfectly in the bedroom and as that is the coolest room in the house we have begun to meet there for our afternoon cuppa.
Thank you, Jeanette, for making these afternoons such pretty affairs!!

Day 2 I opened a teacup pin cushion Jeanette had made, and this morning I opened a cute package of 7" blue fabric squares! How did she know I was going to make 2010 my year of blue?? Hmmmm....

~~~~~
News from my sewing room is that I have finished stitching Block 1 of next years BOM and have begun stitching block 2. I might be persuaded to give you a sneak peek if you *really* want one.

I'm also catching up with a long overdue present for a dear friend's daughter. I bought a book of children's apron patterns, but nothing really caught my eye - so I designed my own!

The little girl in question chose the fabric for her apron - isn't it the sweetest!? I thought it would look lovely with a dash of red and white spotty print, then I added a little ruffle to the bib for that frilly feminine touch.

~~~~~
Have you been visiting our Gum Tree Designers blog each day?
All through Advent we are sharing daily projects, ideas, and recipes to help you plan your Christmas giving.
Make sure you visit! You're sure to find something useful.

Now, back to the Christmas sewing...and one of next year's BOMs.
(oops...did I say *one* of next year's BOMs? How many have I got!!?)

Hugs
Jenny
xxx

28 comments:

miss~nance said...

oy to read your blog Jenny. Loved walking thoriugh your garden with you.

AND how spilt are you in that advent swap. Very nice gifts indeedy.


Hugs & Blessings

Gail

miss~nance said...

oops half of my first line dissappeared.

I was trying to say

"It's alway a joy to read your blog".

LOL.

Sarah - Kala said...

Beautiful stuff. Enjoy the quiet! I would think having tea would be more fun with those lovely things and the finest company God can give us: a daughter!

Anonymous said...

I can't believe the size of the golden wattle seed pods, they look like they could be dangerous!!
Happy school holidays with your family. My DD Sujatha (pronounced Su-jar-ta)- she is our adopted daughter from India and her fiance Pete and their two large dogs are heading back from WA to the East Coast. They headed off today. I would appreciate your prayers for safety for them driving back Jenny and also I pray the dreaded heat is not too bad for them while they travel. I will let you know when they arrive back safely. She will be 29 in January and it seems like yesterday that DH, her 2 big brothers and I picked her up from Sydney Airport, one hot February day in 1982 when she was 13 months old. What a day to remember that was!!!! Happy sewing too!!

Deb said...

Hi sweet, what stunningly beautiful advent gifts. You deserve to be spoilt, enjoy.
The wee apron is so sweet and the fabric, how lovely is that.
You are such a tease with your sneak peeks or lack of!!
hugs Deb

Fee said...

Aaaarrggghhh ... that is the cutest little apron EVER!! You are so jolly clever Jen.

Love,
Fee x

Maria said...

really enjoyed my walk through your backyard. Wow what a large seed pod. Ours are nowhere near that size. Different wattles.
Your advent swap lady has made some beautiful things. I would love to join in one next year.
The apron is soooooooooooo sweet.
Loved reading your blog

Abby and Stephanie said...

Oh how I love all things tea. What very lovely gifts. Now I must say that seed pod is big enough to use as a weapon! Wow. Sweet sweet apron.

Carrie P. said...

Oh my, Jeanette really made you some really beautiful gifts. The tea cozy is so pretty.
I would love a sneak peek of your BOM.

Cattinka said...

Yes of course I want a sneek peak! But I know you just like people asking for it, thats only fair.
KATRIN W.

Amanda said...

Wow, those seed pods are enormous, are the seeds equally huge? Everything does look really hot though. How exciting to have a gift to open every day, and what beautiful gifts too.

Leslie said...

Jenny,
What beautiful sites from around your area! It's so hard to realize that it's just spring there when we're settling in for winter....

I cannot imagine living on the grounds of a school! And to be that close to the dorms! LOL I'm sure it is quieter these days.

You received some very beautiful gifts for the Advent Swap! I'm sure you'll enjoy them for many years to come :)

More than ONE BOM?? Oh, my! I cannot wait to see what you have up your sleeves. I still need to finish the Shabby Roses but I know I'll get there...

Have a wonderful day!

Leslie

Gloria J W said...

Hi Jenny... I'm not far from where you live and I hate to tell you, but... that tree is a castor oil tree, {I'm pretty sure of that} as we have some on the other side of our lagoon! I just love the flowers! and the seed pods are great too aren't they? Loved the apron, such cute fabric.
Rainbow smiles :0} Gloria
PS Really can't wait for a *sneak peak* at next years BOM. Maybe I should just live this year first!!!

Allie said...

That must be a beautiful walk - but don't let a seed pod hit you on the head! I've never seen anything like that!
I love your gifts - Jeanette is surely a sweetie! What a great idea to move tea to your room where it's cooler. The apron you made is just darling, dear Jenny - and please oh please, just one sneak peek?

Chocolate Cat said...

Wish the boarding house where I work was that quiet now! I am on this weekend and now exams are finished and they are going home next week think it will be extra noisy!! What a beautiful tea cosy! You certainly have been busy. I'd love a sneak peek of next years bom!!!

Micki said...

I wish that I could visit your garden personally...It is lovely! I enjoy gardening so much, and I love yours!
Micki

Jeanette said...

Hi Jenny,
love the little apron. So cute. Yes please to sneak peek of the BOM. Got to have something to look forward to next year & get all excited about. :). Hugs, Jeanette

Maggey and Jim said...

What lovely gifts, I know they made you so happy. As you are hot,hot there we are at 22 here in the midwest. Some areas got a sprinkle of snow last nite. But we lucked out and it wouldn't have lasted with the warm ground. Have a peaceful time now that it is quiet. My Mother and I enjoy our teatime too.
Hugs,
Maggey

Kim said...

The tea cozy is so cute.

Sew Useful Designs said...

Wow Jenny - those wattle seed pods are ginormous!!!!

The little apron you've made is incredibly cute - love the fabrics and frills!!! And *yes please* to the sneak peeks!!!

Hugs!!!! Vikki xoxo

Teresa said...

Thanks for the walk Jenny. Love love love your tea cosy and coasters.. aren't you lucky, all your little gifts are gorgeous. The apron is so cute too.. she will love it. Can't wait to see next years BOM.. maybe just a little sneak peek???? xx

Anita said...

Jenny, I have just finished making one of your Festive Jenny Pockets, it turned out lovely. Thanks very much. Kind regards, Anita.

Myra said...

Wonderful photos of the plants/trees in your area Jenny! Mangos!?! Those seed pods are huge!!!

Wow! That is close quarters for a dorm to your house... not much privacy during the school year hey!?!

Lovely tea-time goodies you've received... 8-)

Darling apron...

How is Blossom's lip healing?

roccagal said...

OH Jenny its been a while since I read your blog-they have blocked all blog sites at my work and once at home there is no time to sit on the computer, so I have not been keeping up to date.I knew that I missed your blog but after reading the lasts week's entries I realized how much I do I LOVE your blog.-thanks for the inspiration and sharing your family life with us.
ps the label is lovely and I did try the rock cakes-delicious!
srocca2004@hotmail.com

Carlie said...

It is still hard for me to wrap my brain around the fact that you have a summer Christmas down there! But it looks so lovely. Can't wait to see your new BOM...It looks lovely so far!

Janice said...

Thanks for having a nice stroll and chat. I really enjoyed it. I've never seen such big seed pods, they are truly amazing. Enjoy opening all those Advent gifts.

Therese said...

Jenny

The apron is gorgeous. I think I will have to make one for Amelia.

KaHolly said...

Jenny, I am so looking forward to next year's BOM. I had so much fun with Shabby Roses!