gardening…
cooking …
listening …
agreeing/disagreeing
remembering Snowy and missing him (no muddy paw prints on the blue bed cover)
and generally hanging out in the kitchen …
sewing by hand: the texas star quilt (slowest project in history?) is made from liberty bib scraps and some extra blue fabrics too, just because I love this color
driving to the airport
oh, and taking as many photos as possible while the sun’s out
thank you for visiting
hope your week goes well and is filled with happiness
love, Barbara
a special mention for my two newest stockists …
Jelena in Subiaco, Perth has a beautiful store, mrsparrow, and an online shop too, with all sorts of unusual gifts for everyone in your life (check out her blog too)
so happy to have the bibs there since november last year, thank you Jelena
mrsparrow
shop3, 223 Bagot Road
Subiaco WA 6008
Phone: 08 9381 6362
Nicole has filled an art deco shop in Camberwell, ownlittleworld with vintage style gifts, including palebluedoor bibs as of this week! thank you, Nicole
Be sure to check out some great photos of her shop and the charming street setting in Gray’s blog here … and a cafe nearby
own little world
122 Fordam Ave, Camberwell
(03) 99396579 | www.facebook.com/ownlittleworld122
thank you for visiting, see you soon, Barbara x
151 kms x 2
2 AL days + 1 weekend
13 friends
4 cottages
3 hens, 1 rooster
35 hours sleep
1 batch freshly-baked scones
2 tubs of cream, 1 jar jam
= happiness …
weekend raspberry cake
125g butter
275g caster sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
2 eggs lightly beaten
125ml milk
185g wholemeal self-raising flour
70g almond meal
200g fresh raspberries
preheat oven 180 degrees
20cm tin, lined and buttered
cream butter, sugar, vanilla add eggs and milk
fold in flour, almond meal and raspberries
bake one hour
dust with icing sugar
serve with creme fraiche
wishing you a happy week ahead
love, Barbara
indian
dear readers, sorry to be away from my blog for so long, just needed some time alone …
everything is homely right now behind the pale blue front door, as in:
sheepskins on chairs and wooden floors … because this house will get cold … (ikea is great for these and down pillows too)
filling the green case with summer clothes which suddenly look too pale or bright and taking out piles of wooly scarves and hats …
first casserole of the year (lamb made with almost a whole bottle of red wine)
washing a favorite cardigan
cutting out a long-sleeved shirt in a very special fabric which helped scotsman Edwyn Collins recover from serious illness …
thank you to Alli of the empty oxo box for allowing me to link to your post
(love the way Astrid le Provost draws and labels her pattern pieces by hand and the little details like elbow darts …)
wishing you a busy and very happy autumn/spring
and looking forward to seeing you again
love, Barbara.
sublime chamber music concert friday night
hyacinths
chocolate and chocolate muffins …
easter just round the corner (as per usual bunny bibs made at the last minute!)
an old record on the turntable
rain, rain, rain – wonderful sound on the tin roof in the lean-to …
michael bubbles channeling frank sinatra …
this clip from a favorite movie … love the song, the clothes, the taxi … just everything really
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JW8qwOrPJQs
thank you for reading, see you soon,
Barbara x
ps so much kindness this past week … thank you …
the sound of your paws on the wooden floor
our moonlight walks at the end of a long day
the way you showed off a bone covered in earth
the way i could tell you all my secrets
and your dear black nose …
all these are written on my heart and soul
last photo taken by Tim
who chose you almost fourteen years ago
and loved you most of all …
dear readers, too many weeks of unreliable and then non-existent internet connection here behind the pale blue door - at first not enough gigabytes, then a modem which seemed to be working but wasn’t … never mind now, it’s so good to be back!
how I’ve missed you and your blogs! there’s been so much knitting, sewing and general home decorating happening which i’m gradually catching up with … must mention Sandrine’s adorable ice-blue pullovers with wool from quince and co …
this fabric had been in my cupboard for far too long
it’s now a simple shift, sixties style, we have had a record number of hot days in a row here in melbourne …
pattern is number 1(b) from this book (and you don’t need to know a word of japanese …)
if you are making it the darts could be a little lower and I took a two inches off the length, also added topstitching … but i love the way the facing sits so neatly
wishing you a very good week ahead
love, Barbara
january is almost over …
the sun is shining (have washed every quilt in the house)
the tennis is wonderful …
the new liberty designs are here
spaghetti marinara (home made) has never tasted better …
my first citronille pattern has arrived from france
and this weekend i’ve managed to keep alive three chooks, one cat and a magnificent garden for the best neighbors ever …
hoping your january’s been wonderful too …
looking forward to spending this year in your company
love, Barbara x
time for thanksgiving (wish we had this in australia …)
firstly to the angels who led me to my new job, surrounded by people both clever and kind … everyone runs along the corridors and there are 1001 things to be learned, including how to work faster and not to panic (probably at 300 so far) but still i love every minute …
to all those who’ve bought the things i make and given me feed-back, to my stockists too – thank you so much for the encouragement …
to family, friends and colleagues, too neglected at times i fear, yes i’ve been tired and grumpy; never doubt for one moment how much you mean to me …
and finally to you, my blog visitors, thank you for taking the time to read, you are the best!
soon there will be real cricket and the longed-for tennis so will take a break from blogging until later in january
looking forward to seeing you again then, take care
love, Barbara x
