Two new beautiful flowers this morning

This morning I went out to water and discovered two new flowers on my poppies. The red and white one is called 'Danish Flag poppy' and the red and purple is a 'Flemish poppy'.

My first black Cornflower and Oriental Poppy

I have my first black Cornflower called 'Black Ball' and first Oriental Poppy flowering in my garden. It's pretty exciting seeing flowers that you have grown from seeds coming into flower.

I am really looking forward to seeing the flowers on my Danish Flag poppies. There are a lot of buds on the plants so hopefully it wont be too long before they flower.

I'm really enjoying my garden and love growing my own flowers from seeds. My new greenhouse is working well and on Sunday I collected over 200 small plastic pots from a lady on freecycle. I was also given a little propagating tray with the dome lid so next year I'll try and grow some seeds in that as well.

This Saturday my neighbour, Mily and I are going to have a small plant sale. I am hoping to sell some hellebore seedlings and Mily has some succulents that she has divided and potted. I've potted over 100 seedlings so I hope they all sell!

Other things I've made over the years

I have tried a lot of different craft projects over the years. Some projects I have enjoyed, others I've tried but wouldn't do again, lots finished and a few unfinished.

Here is a collection of some of the things I've made.

Cross Stitch Sampler. I had always wanted to make a cross stitch sampler so when I found this kit in a little craft shop in Sunbury I decided it was just what I was looking for.


These flowers are another cross stitch piece that I made.





I made these two 'Sit and just bee' wall hangings - one with applique and stitchery and the other without the applique. While they are from the same pattern they look quiet different.

I had made the appliqued 'Sit and just bee' for myself. My mother wanted one as well so as I didn't want to make two the same I made one for her without the applique. It turned out well however she decided that she preferred mine as 'it doesn't show up as well on her wall' so I ended up with the stitchery one. Luckily I like them both so it didn't really matter which one I kept for myself.


I enjoy stitchery and applique and so far have made two pieces which I have framed and have hanging up in my lounge room. I have been given some beautiful patterns of other stitchery that I am looking forward to trying one day.

The 'Garden and me..'


'Home is where the heart is'




There is a series of applique called 'Be Yourself' by Millamac creations. I made this hanging for my mother called 'Be Yourself... there's no harmony when everyone signs the same note'

I've tried several pieces of long stitch making these three pictures as well as Jim's Bowl of Roses. While I love 'Jim's Bowl of Roses' long stitch I don't think I will make any others.

These are the other pieces I have made.






Tapestry is another craft that I have tried. I've made the tapestry of the 'Pioneer' by Frederick McCubbin as well as two small tapestries of flowers. I have been given another four tapestries that one day I might get around to making.



Apart from the quilts that I am making I also have a silk ribbon embroidery that is nearly finished. It's called 'Roses at Dusk' and is made from silk ribbons, silk cottons and beads using different embroidery stitches. The picture of the ladies is copied onto a piece of silk material and then different parts of the picture are highlighted with the silk ribbons, cottons and beads.

My mother brought me the kit to make and has taught me how to sew the various stitches using the silk ribbon and cottons. It's quite hard pulling the ribbon through the material and you often need to use pliers to pull the needle through material but it looks beautiful and is well worth the effort. To help me learn the different stitches I was given this embroidery book "A - Z of Embroidery Stitches' from my mother for my birthday this year.