Fabric Handbags

I've not posted to my blog for quite some time, as I have been busy with markets.
The first was Talana Creations in late October/early November, and I did very well there.
I spent some time after that making crochet angels for the Christmas Tree at the Talana shop, as the ones I made for Creations all sold out.
Then I shared a table with my friend Marilyn at the Bon Appetit Café Market on 29 November. The day started out cold and drizzly, but warmed up in the afternoon, as did the sales. Luckily, we were in a marquee, so we didn't get wet.
Tomorrow were are again sharing a table at the Lennox Farmers' Market, and we are inside their barn.
As I bought a bargain bundle of furnishing remnants, I decided to make bags. Here they are:

 

This is a pretty green and beige striped fabric, lined with ecru cotton. The flap is trimmed with a beige pearl button. I bought the bamboo handle some time ago, and think it looks well on this bag.

 

 

This 'lion' bag is made in a beige fabric with ribs,, rather like corduroy, and is lined in ecru cotton. There is a flop-over tab to close the bag, weighted down with two huge beads.

 

 

I trimmed this bag with printed cotton ribbon. It is lined with cotton, and the tab is fastened with a magnetic button.

 

 

The last bag is in beige fabric has shiny bronze-coloured handles.  It is lined in Shweshwe. The flop-over tab has a large bead to weight it down.

These will all be in sale tomorrow, here's hoping it will be a good day for me!

No crafting, so I took a walk around the garden

I've not been crafting lately, probably because I wore myself out preparing for Creations at Talana! I have been having a clear out and a tidy up, though, and I also took a walk around my garden. This is what I found:

While rummaging in the garage some time ago, I found this old birdcage. I decided to put  a plant in it, and I decided on the lovely burgundy ivy geranium. It looks pretty good, I think.

 

I planted foxgloves last year, and now some are blooming again.

 

 

I bought an old wheelbarrow at an auction. A man said to me "You do know it's got holes in the bottom, don't you?" "Yes." I replied. "That's why I want it." So here it is, all planted up and blooming, That's Tyson in the background.

 

These dietes, the South African wild Iris, have blooms that last for only one day. I like them as I am fond of white flowers. It is said that when the dietes bloom, it is going to rain, So far this year they have been telling lies!

 

 

 

This jasmine is so rewarding. Every so often it is covered in beautiful star-shaped white flowers. They are scented, and they perfume the whole garden.

 

Now I moved indoors with my camera.

 

 

I love orchids, and have bought several from time to time. When they stop blooming, I put them in my dining room, and nurse them. This is the result! I now have three in full bloom.

 

 

Somehow I managed to cut the top off this one when I took the picture.

 

 

 

This is quite a small plant, but there are at least six flower stems coming from the main stem. It will probably stay in bloom for the next six weeks or so.

 

 

Happy Birthday, flowers and knitting

Caspar, the daxie that I gave to my God-daughter Shanay for Christmas in 2005 when she was six, is eight years old today. Happy Birthday, Caspar!

 

We planted a Natal Wild Banana in the garden about eight or nine years ago. Every winter, the frost burns the leaves, but it still survives. This year, it has rewarded us with a flower. It looks just like a white strelitzia.

 

 





Every year the wisteria amazes me by bursting into blossom. The ground is very dry, and it gets no water from one rainy season to the next. It is cut back hard in the autumn, and this is our reward!



I bought a lot of yarn from Talana Museum, among my purchase was some lovely soft chenille. I am making Aran sweaters for my two great-grand-daughters. This is the welt and first twelve rows of the first one.
 



Our two orange trees have surpassed themselves this year. The fruit is now ripening, so each morning I pick a bowl full, and juice them for breakfast. Nothing nicer!

 



 

Cheers!



Lots of vegetables

I have a large shade house where I grow my vegetables. There is overhead mist irrigation, which makes watering very easy.
This is what I have at the moment:

 

The spitz cabbages are starting to make heads.

 

Spinach

 



 

A patch of healthy-looking carrots

 

 

We're enjoying peas at the moment

 

Just seconds before I at them!

 

I pulled this carrot just to see how big they are getting. It tasted good.

 

 

The broccoli is coming on fast.

A tree full of birds, and Mucky Pups.

I heard a lot of chattering birds one afternoon this week, and I saw this tree in a neighbour's garden.

 

I've been making these for Creations at Talana. I call them Mucky Pups.

They are beadwork chains on which you hang your serviette.

This is how I plan to display them.

 

This is a close-up of the beadwork.

 

I like the little pegs on the ends. They could be used to hold your specs as well.

 

Baby blankets and orchids

I've been making baby blankets to sell at Talana Creations, and I am pleased with the result. They are big enough to use as a pram cover, or to wrap up  a small baby.

The blankets are made from fleece, with crochet edgings.

 

 

This mauve blanket with butterflies is very pretty.

 

I love the colours on the border of the green blanket: Cream, yellow, light green and a green that matches the fleece.

 

 

The variegated border on the spotted blanket reflects the colour of the spots.

 



A few years ago I bough this cymbidium orchid, and now it has flowered again.

It has six trusses of flowers.

 

The pinks and purples are so pretty. It started flowering about a month ago, and will probably last at least another six weeks. That's the joy of orchids!

 

Angels, bells, and things in the garden

I've been doing some more crochet goodies for Creations at Talana Museum in October.

These are Christmas angels. They are about 10cm high, and would look good on a Christmas Tree.

 

 

These bells are quite small, about 5cm from clapper to tip. I may make some in other colours, such as red, green and blue. Depends in my mood, and the time available!

 

 

Now for something really big. This is one of the biggest lemons I have seen - a whopping 12cm from base to apex. About the size of a grapefruit, it weighs 350 grams.

 

 



Now for something really small. I found this miniature daffodil, who apparently doesn't know that officially it's still winter!

 



I picked this bunch of camellias, They look so pretty all together in a vase.

 

 

Nearly nine years ago I bought some nasturtium seed. I have never bought any more since, but they self-seed and come up year after year, giving a splash of colour wherever they grow.

 

 



Asparagus is a wonderful vegetable, but you need  a lot of patience, as it takes two years from the time of planting before you can reap the first crop. Up to then, you just have to leave it to grow!

This is my first asparagus year, and this is my first stalk of many. (I hope!)

 

 



 

The peach trees are in bloom, such pretty flowers with a promise of delicious fruit.

 

 

 

Apricots have white blossom, and there is a bee collecting the pollen from this one.

 

 



 

We have a huge crop of oranges this year, but they will not be ripe until mid-September. On each tree, apart from the ripening fruit, are small green fruit, getting ready for next year,  as well as lots of sweet-smelling blossoms.

 



 

 

I planted strawberries in pots, and these are the first two fruit.

 

I've been doing lots of crochet

I've been doing lots of crochet these past few weeks, getting ready for Creations at Talana Museum in October. I've already started pricing and listing the things I have made, and here are a few of them:

 

 

 

I have made several crochet-and-bead necklaces, all mounted on chains. I think this red one looks rather classy, with all those lovely red dangling beads. I showed it before, but not mounted in its presentation box.

This pink one has the beads worked into the crochet. I used pink pearl beads for this one.

 

I have made several pen pots, covered in crochet and trimmed with buttons and flowers.

I've had the yellow buttons that I put on the brown pot for ages, and have been looking for the opportunity to use them on something. I think they look rather smart.

 

More button-trimmed pen pots.

 

      I have made several sets of little crochet nesting trinket bowls.

I make them in sets of three, each a different colour.

              These ones are the smaller size, and measure about 5cm across the largest of the three.

These are bracelets, all trimmed with pretty beads, and of a size that would fit little girls. I've shown some of these before, but they look rather good when opened out.

 

 

This is a rainbow purse. Its about 17cm across the bottom. It is lined in blue felt and is closed with a purple zip to  match the outside colour of the rainbow. It could be used as a small  clutch bag.

Back to the crochet hooks and yarn!