Monday, 20 February 2012

Valentine Flowers

On Valentine's Day I took a walk over to my friend Rita's to have coffee.  What a delight to see some early signs of Spring pushing their way into view.  It was interesting to see more yellow crocuses than blue or white out in bloom this early in the season.
 Snowdrops were making an appearance also.
 This plain yellow crocus was doing battle with some mulch.
 In Rita's Garden there were a few snowdrops in full bloom.
 This ones petals looked a bit worse for wear, but an interesting shape.
 Her Hellebore were coming out to put on a fine show.
 I love how this one looks like an umbrella with the pretty stamens below.
 What an interesting wave design on this cyclamen.
 Rita cheated with a forced daffodil, but had one that was almost ready to break into bloom elsewhere in her garden.
 More Hellebore blossoms and buds.
 A wild looking pincushion daisy along the walk home.
 This fiery red one caught my eye.
 The Rhododendrons are coming into full bloom.
 Some snowdrops in a neighbour's garden beside my entry door.
14 pictures of flowers for Valentine's Day!

Tuesday, 14 February 2012

Valentine's Suprise!

I recently participated in an on line hoochy mama heart swap with Mary Lou Weidman's yahoo group.  I made 12 hearts and sent them to our swap hostess Mari and today mine arrived in the mail!
 Linda Ahn made this first heart.
 Lynda McCoy made this one.
 Kim Schory made this polka dot stripped one.
 Nancy McCain made the checker board one.
 Rebecca Morrison did this one.
 Leanne Clare mixed hearts and stripes.
 I don't know who made this checker board valentine.
 Another unknown pink valentine.
 Lacey heart by another unknown valentine.
 Checker boards and stripes by Mari Linfesty our swap hostess.
 This is one of mine that I sent off.
An asymmetric beauty by Deb Green.  Now to get all these beauties together into a top and quilt it!  Thanks to Mary Lou, I hope you enjoy your hearts we sent you!

Thursday, 9 February 2012

Celebrate!

Today is my Birthday!

Sunday, 5 February 2012

Canadian Ground hogs predict an early Spring!

February 2nd was Ground hog day and our Canadian Ground hogs, Wiarton Willie in Ontario and Nova Scotia's Scubenacadie Sam predict an early Spring.  As you can see here in New Westminster along the Fraser River Spring is showing it's colourful designs.
 The yellow Witch Hazel is looking bright and cheery.
 The orange Witch Hazel always looks like orange Spider Crabs to me.
 A few Snowdrops are out in full bloom
 Winter Cabbage is looking very full alongside some Kale.
 Rhododendrons are starting to bloom and it is only February 5th!
 These blossoms are on the sunny side of the plant, but get a lot of wind from along the river.
 The pink Winter Flowering Forsythia is putting forth a lot of lovely blossoms.
 I like the background of this shot.
 The blossoms are so tiny and delicate and come out well before any leaves.
 They look like little trumpets waiting to be blown by the fairies.
 You can see the buds forming for the leaves on the far branch.
 Yesterday I went up to West 10th to the Cloth Shop for my Saturday Sisters Block of the month.  This garden shop has such a whimsical sign.
 The Black Goat shop sells cashmere, I love their logo.
May Spring come to your corner of the world soon, in the meantime I hope you enjoy mine!

Saturday, 21 January 2012

Heart Swap

I belong to the Mary Lou Weidman on line group and we are doing a Heart Swap for February.  I'm sending off twelve of these hearts and will get eleven different hearts back, plus one of my own.
 It was fun sewing the stratas together and then finding a fun fabric for the other side of the hearts.
You may be able to see that I have a white background with a very small red polka dot print on it.  I thing they will look great all put together.
Thanks Mary Lou for getting us all together for this swap.  I'm looking forward to the bee and bug swap up next.

Sunday, 15 January 2012

Snowy Surprise.

Yesterday morning I woke up to grey skies and a skiff of snow in the courtyard.
 Almost 24 hours later and there is a winter wonderland outside my condo.  This arrived overnight and was a delightful surprise.
 Looking at the waterfall pool in our courtyard.
 Snow on the palm trees.
 What a lovely lacy effect on the trees.
 Looking over the gate into the courtyard.
 Walking east along the Fraser River.
 More lacy trees.
 The yellow witch hazel covered in snow.
 The orange witch hazel buried in snow.
 This looks like a spider emerging from the snow.
 The curly willow making some interesting designs...maybe inspiration for some stippling designs.
 Beauty berry covered in snow.
 Melting snow on the berries.
 Snow melting in the sunshine.
 Pincushion daisies showing their sunny side.
 Cyclamen weathering the snow.
 Witch hazel emerging from the melting snow.
 Walking west along the boardwalk.  They say we'll get some more snow tonight or tomorrow.
Winter flowering forsythia.
 Love the contrast against the sky.
 Bravely trying to bloom.
Slowly melting in the sunny skies.
 Roses still putting forth blooms.
 Winter white!