Monday, June 1, 2015

The Malady Lingers On

I was determined that there would be no toying with hexagons at Shoestring Cottage this weekend, and on the first day of the long weekend (Queen's Birthday, good on you Lizzie) I did very well.  I got into the garden and repotted a lot of geraniums to ensure they survived for next summer, I planted up hanging baskets and generally turned my mind away from the thing which had been bothering me the most, the new possibilities of framing toile fabrics with baby one inch hexagons.



I have one Pelagonium sidoides (yes I know, isn't that clever, quoting correct botanical names?) which never disappoints.  It is an excellent doer and thrives in the sunny front garden.  It has scented leaves and insignificant white flowers but I was thrilled to find the one above with beautiful blood red flowers which I hope will prosper in one of the new hanging baskets.

Apart from that nothing much was looking floriferous in the garden, though in the front porch things were still quite good.


The hare's foot fern is attempting to take over all the coconut matting in its basket and I have hit upon a plan whereby I will use bent pieces of wire (or maybe hairpins) to stick the rhizomes into the coconut matting so that in time it will appear to be a solid ball of fern.  I hope it works because it could look quite spectacular.



The tradescantia (I think it is Tahitian Bridal Veil) hasn't received notification that it is winter and though you can't see it above, it is covered in tiny buds and should soon be smothered in blossoms.

On Sunday the rain came so I had to move indoors and play with beads, I am thinking I may make a couple of shoe pins using old earrings, the one on the left is the prototype but I suspect I won't have the patience to recreate it so may end up with two brooches instead.


I did make a start on trimming a hat for winter deco but somehow had left the hat behind in town and had to content myself with the ingredients rather than the main course.  Next weekend I will do better.



I have to admit to being rather pleased with myself on finding these plates (Habitat for Humanity never disappoints) to smash up for the mosaic in the back garden.  But when it came down to it,I couldn't bear to take the hammer to them so they might have to reside intact and indoors after all.


 Anything with birds has to be good




I think the crinoline lady is particularly pleasing; although you can't see from the photo she is a footed plate which would be very useful if I was in the habit of hosting garden parties where pastel coloured sugared almonds were served.


But these shoes really were the best buy this weekend, they are so beautifully made and perfect for winter deco.  I have a heather pink tweed suit which will be ideal to wear with them and though the heel isn't quite right (should be Louis), the rest of them is perfect.  

In the end though the old malady came bursting out once again.  I must have cut out hundreds of old silk tie hexagons, cotton hexagons and worst of all I gave in to temptation and cut out sets of 18 with which to frame toile scenes.  I wasn't going to admit it, but such was the case.  There really is no recovery from the hexagon fever once it takes hold.  I did take some photos but I won't include them because they only serve to prove that I haven't recovered at all.