JoZart

I haven't managed to join in with Friday Smile for a couple of weeks, over at Annie's astitchintime blog, as I have been galavanting and having a super time with my dear friend Dolores in Kent. We went out and about to some lovely places, had some lunches out and some lovely meals in (thanks to Dolores) and managed a bit of crafty time too.

Before we drove down South I finished this quilt, inspired by Lori Holt's Bloom Quilt. I made it to try out the applique technique of lining the applied flowers with Pellon or fine Vilene before blanket stitching them onto the background (by machine). Full details over at Bee in my Bonnet blog. It was made from scraps of fabric I had saved from other projects, except for the backing which only cost me a bargain £4 a metre.

I also finished making this table centre which will be a prize at our exhibition next week. This is so easy to make as the component parts are just 6 inch squares and they are joined to make this circle. It can be used just as a centrepiece or cutlery and napkins, sweets or gifts can be popped in to each segment.

I made them last Christmas in seasonal fabrics and they were a great success.

This morning the sun was shining and I ventured out into the garden in my PJs to see what had popped out whilst we were away, so here is my smile for this week, a tour of my own little bit of England that I am so lucky to have.

It was so warm and the garden was bursting forth with blossom and buds.

The central flower bed is a good mix of colour and the rust coloured, slow growing Acer was planted over 20 years ago and was a gift from our two daughter's for DH's 50th birthday. He'll be 73 soon!

We have so many sentimental shrubs around, some which our grandchildren have planted.

The ones planted by the Brighton Belles are only in bud but this one, planted a few years ago by our little Fraulein, has really bloomed early and there is a close up of its lovely white flowers.

Planting it in 2012

Look at the shrub today and that cute little girl is now 6 and as high as my shoulder!

Looking down the length of the garden I noticed this branch which had grown into a crazy curve, totally different than the rest of the tree.

We really are lazy gardeners and just potter about in fine weather when we have time and a whim and these pictures are taken before any tidying has been done this year.

It's ages since I had a veg plot but I still love to grow and use a variety of herbs.

This bay tree, which I have to keep chopping back to keep it short, was another purchase from Woolworths for £1.99, in a tiny pot, just like the Camellia tree in the background. I once cut the Bay tree down to the ground as it blocked my view from the kitchen window and it still came back.

The Forget Me Nots seeded from the garden of a lovely neighbour, Mrs Heaney, who lived over the road when we first moved here 40 years ago. They are in the gardens of all the other neighbours and they create a blue haze at this time of year. I always remark that Mrs Heaney is here!!!

The bluebells below arrived as a gift of Nature but I think they are the Spanish ones that are pushing out the natural English variety.

This is the apple tree that was so rotten last year so we had to cut it back. I left part of the trunk so I could grow a clematis to twine around it but I am so happy to see that there is life in the old tree yet.

Catkins have arrived on the miniature weeping tree that was a gift from my SIL after his first visit almost 20 years ago.

We joke about it as a gift and call it "the stinky tree" as it really smells so dreadful in the Summer.

It is, however, home to our family of wrens each year and we love to watch them dart in and out of their nest in there.

This is a piece of 1960s ceramic sculpture that my late neighbour was going to throw away some years ago! It has weathered many Winters and reminds of the lovely man who made it.