Vintage Lace and Linen in a Bag

I was thinking it might be time to create something

just a little different

using some

left over linen and laces combining them with

a beautiful old white cotton blouse

 to create this little bag to hold bits of ephemera,

laces, ribbons or whatever comes to mind!
Maybe even your secret dreams!

Isn't this such a pretty old piece of cut lace linen?

I had already used the other end of it on 

a journal page about a year ago.

 Somehow the addition of brown and black buttons

brings more vintage charm to these old

favourites!

 The back of the bag is made by combining

pieces into a crazy patchwork effect.

and more buttons on a rusty old safety pin

brings a bit of shabby charm

don't you think?

 and what better thing to create

with than those gorgeous little left over pieces

of precious lace?

- a tag to adorn this dear little image with!

Although we are about a month away from

the start of Winter here in Australia

I'm still picking these beautiful

blooms of "Just Joey"

to grace our kitchen window shelf with

and what a beautiful view it is from the kitchen window here

as the Autumn leaves rapidly fall and get blown away.

Did you know that Pink Roses represent
happiness, gentleness and sweetness?
May your days be filled with much of 
all of these!

I'm linking this post to Blissful Whites Wednesday!
so go and check out this beautiful blog!

♥♥♥

Love and blessings, Suzy  xox

Autumn Colour in our World

 How could I not resist sharing these images of

Autumnal goodness in our part of the world?
(On the far south coast of Australia)

Only two weeks ago we were seeing

these golden leaves

slowly turning to varying shades of pink

 into these deep russet tones of red

It is so amazing to be able to peek through

these curtains of the Ornamental Grape Vine

draping itself across the verandah

forming different framed pictures out into the garden! 

Look at the contrast it creates against the greens!

Autumn leaves falling creating a carpet

of jewells! 

that I just can't bear to sweep up

because I know before long the wind will carry them away

for us to gather up and compost them to grow more goodness

that will end up on our table in time

as well as create more deep rich beautiful mulch

for our ever changing and rambling country

garden.

It is a very fortunate life to be able to experience all

of the four seasons and to appreciate each

and every day we have our

precious health and

happiness!

I contemplate and reflect on these words again as I think of my
dear friend, Andrea, recovering the effects
of neurosurgery right now for a brain tumor.
  Please help me send her much
healing energy
with love.

Thank you so much for all of the wonderful comments left
for my "Gypsies Past" Lace book
and 
a very warm welcome to all of my new Followers!

Love and blessings, Suzy

"Gypsies Past" - a new Fabric and Lacebook

While many of our blogging friends are starting to enjoy

the bright blue skies and soft pastels of Spring

here in Australia we are heading to

the more deeper and richer

tones of Autumn

and

today I am showing some of these deep rich

tones and shades in the form of

"Gypsies Past"

 a recent fabric and lace book -

a custom order completed

recently.

Many layers including vintage tapestries,

variegated dyed silks, sari ribbons,
coins and braid and buttons
and beads and 

 laces - some dyed and some

left as is

 have been well selected to adorn the

gypsy women in these pages 

some telling fortunes and divining the future

while others hiding their shame beneath

the beauty of coins.

There is just something about these pages

which transform you to another place -

to another time when life

was not as romantic

and as easy going

as the pictures convey! 

This was a special page included for

my client's love of crazy

quilting again with vintage fabrics

and machine embroidered

by me.

A pocket created here for 

a Gypsy's Love Song - in words

and in music

(in another pocket!)

  

for Greenwood Girl.

(I have to confess how fond I am of this beautiful image).

The book is full and the pages finished!

as the journey ends for these "Gypsies Past".

"When the heart weeps

for what it has lost

the spirit laughs

for what it has found"

...........Sufi proverb

Thank you all dear friends for your kind comments -

they continue to inspire me onward!

xxx Suzy

Savouring the Roses

 In Australia we are moving into Autumn

and we have come to the end

of our rose growing

season

 so this is the time I love to pick the end of the

roses and hang them for drying

in the kitchen.

I am often inspired by the Tea Cup Tuesday segment

on Terri's artful affirmations blog

but never seem to manage posting there

due to all of my other

creative pursuits!

(Sorry Terri! I will get there eventually!)

So I'm posting a little taste of teacups in my kitchen

at present along with some of my

favourite dried roses!

It takes a little experimenting

to see which varieties of roses handle

the drying 

and which ones just fall apart.

 I must say I am quite partial to the pinks

and these ones (for some reason)

dry the best but, of course, there are no rules

about this

 as these colours look quite beautiful also.

Thought you might like to see some of the china

and depression glassware

sitting in the corner of my kitchen at present

 as a reminder that all of the beautiful pastel shades 

of Summer  have not totally left us yet.

♥♥♥

I was gifted this beautiful book from a dear friend, Marion,

a couple of years ago

It contains some inspiring words of wisdom

and this page is just one you might like to read.

 We can certainly to with more of these positive

thoughts and words in our lives today -

Enjoy!

Thanks for sharing some natural beauty here with me!

and for the kindness you show when you

visit and follow me too!

Love, Suzy xox