A Suesday & a Bag Lady . . . .

Hello dear friends & readers

Last week I got to (kind of) take part in a Suesday,

"What on earth is a Suesday"???!!!  I hear you all asking . . .

My fellow blogger friend Sue whom I made the Pay it Forward gift for in my last post came to visit me with her other friend ... also called Sue ... from here

Every so often these 2 lovely girls go out for a days Op Shopping & call it a "Suesday" ... 
as they came across to visit me, I kind of got to take part in a Suesday
You can read Sue's post about it here & the other Sue's post about it on her blog here
It was honestly SO lovely to meet some other bloggers from my region
. . . AND . . .

. . . they came bearing gifts . . . 

the cutest little cane basket filled up with Sues lovely homemade jams & jellies (with doiley lids) & topped off with a vintage sheet  . . .
We had the most wonderful morning together & then I sent them off with an Op Shop map of my local area
Thank You SO much girls for taking the time to travel out to visit with me (& Mum)  :-)

Also this past week I have had my Mum staying with me - Mum came up for a small family get-together which I drove her to over at a lovely cafe at Papamoa Beach

Mum is 85 now & originally came from a family of 13 (11 children, 2 adults),  there are only 7 remaining now - 
4 pictured above + 3 other brothers who live away
I love being a part of these family get-togethers while we still can 

Me & my little tiny Mum

While Mum was with me I had an order for some sheepskin slippers -
 "size 2 with some pink/mauve in them" was the request

Mum knitted frantically while she was here & managed to finish them before going home 


I have not done any sewing or crafting for a week & I almost have the shakes !!!!
Prior to Mums visit, & inspired by the bag I made for Sue last post, I made a few more bags from some vintage blankets & fabrics I had in my stash

The pattern is a Kwik Sew design, style No 3171 -
 I had been either gifted or thrifted the cane handles so long ago I can barely remember

This lovely Sanderson Linen one is - perhaps - going into "Julies wardrobe" & not into the Cottage stock I feel

I lined each one with vintage fabrics also

A customer commented last week "gosh you sure have lots of feral animals choosing to live round here"

She had spotted the kittens on her way in ... & then the doves on her way out again

I did have to laugh at little squawker & little sickie this week

Although they were certainly not hungry, they just had to sit up on the birds dishes to prevent them from flying in to eat ... I think sickie may have had a little "taste test"

this little rascal here has melted my heart in ways I just could never have imagined ... even though a good puff of wind can blow us sideways,  we think we are 10 feet tall & invinsible !!!

And dear old Bob still remains very much on the fringes of it all ...
he is happy to consume our food & milk but do not expect any further interaction thanks very much!!

Well folks I am off to town for a haircut - I hope you all have a wonderful weekend & find some creative time in the days ahead
Thanks so much for stopping by to visit me today
much love & friendship,
Julie x0x0