Art for Heart's Sake

Blue Sky, Sunshine, Yawn... giggle!

Hi, it's Monday morning and I'm steaming at the ears (from heat not irritation) because I've been making a list of plants to take to Bay Landscapes this week and the sun is beating down out of clear blue sky AGAIN!!  B O R I N G   B O R I N G.. GROAN!

I know a lot of you will be thinking ''how can she moan about blue skies and sunshine??''... well it's because here in the Nelson region that's all we seem to be getting and our summers are long and monotonous.  I truly didn't realise the weather doesn't change much here.. humphh!

Yesterday pm I started sewing the ribbons on my demi-pointe shoes.  Before I did that I reinforced the back seam on both (just one side) because I could see the stitching was going to unravel.  I have no idea why!  I have a funny feeling that because they are 2007 shoes (it says so inside them) it is possible some of the stitching has been weakened, especially if other dances have been trying them on.  It's a bit disappointing when I'm supposedly buying brand new but I have to say the fitting I had was truly wonderful so slightly less than perfect shoes are worth it in my eyes.  

To get back to the ribbons.  Ermmmm sewing of any sort, whether hand or machine, has never been my forte.  I tend to break out in a hot sweat and my hands get all clammy!  I can remember being like that in sewing class at school too!  Crikey!  I got about 1/3 of the way along one edge of the ribbon when I ended up with a knot in the cotton and no matter what Caroline (my dear friend and neighbour) tried to do we couldn't get it out.  I'd gone over there for some advice because Caroline used to be a Home Economics school teacher and she's wonderful at sewing.  Needless to say I didn't get any further with the ribbons yesterday because I got too hot and bothered.  I will try to do them this pm so I can pop back over and get Caroline to pin the elastic that goes across the front of my ankle to the shoes so I can sew that on too.  After that I can start to break them in by wearing them with woollen socks so the shoes will mold to my feet.  Something I didn't realise - when you take your demi or pointe shoes off after dancing or breaking them in you need to hang them up by the ribbons immediately so they dry in the same shape as your foot.  If you put them in your dance bag there is a big chance they will become malformed and unwearable!!  Once the ribbons etc are on I will take a photo for you.

This pm I also need to do some pricking out so I might go and start that now, before lunch.  Smiles..

A Quiet Sunday.. NOT!!

Hi there on a rather noisy Sunday afternoon here!  One of our neighbours (not one we've met I don't think) has two chainsaws going full tilt.  They sound as though they are on our property, that's how loud they are.  Needless to say Chester is not very happy - they make him very agitated.

Yesterday we put up our tent in the paddock - just for fun!!  We are going to sleep in it occasionally over the summer period.  This may sound like an odd thing to do but it's sort of like having a night away without actually going anywhere!!  Giggle.  It's a lovely big tent (photo to follow) and I just sat down there in the awning area to eat my lunch.  It's not far down the paddock but far enough to make us feel as though we're ''away'' from things.   We've had the tent for about 4 years (I think) and we've been camping with it ONCE!!!  What can I say, I'm not much of a camper.  I love caravans far more than tents.  It must be from spending 2 months in a tiny 1.5 man tent in the UK in 1987.  I remember that tent was thrown out the minute we got back to New Zealand!!

I've just finished the 60 Christmas gift tags that Pete ordered especially for a customer.  I am so thrilled that someone wanted 60 of them!  Very exciting.  I will be posting them off tomorrow.

Yesterday I spent some time in the kitchen garden, getting ready to plant some more vegetables.  I was going to plant them last evening (it was hot again yesterday) but we ended up going to see some gorgeous coloured sheep instead.  We are looking at getting a couple of lambs to help us keep the grass down in the paddock.  These sheep are STUNNING - they have faces like teddy bears and we learned a lot about looking after them yesterday.  We don't want more than two and they will be manageable in terms of upkeep and electric fencing so we just need to work out whether it will be now or this time next year.  I did manage to touch the top wire of the electric fence.. BIG MISTAKE..  I got a good jolt in my hand that's for sure!  I won't do that again, giggle.

John is out at a choir performance so I'm going to do ballet practise shortly and then I will be sewing ribbons and elastic on my demi-pointe shoes, with my neighbour's guidance!  I'm not great at hand-sewing so I need all the help I can get!  Smiles..

A Skiff of Rain!

Hi there on another hot, windy day!  We had a couple of showers FINALLY last evening but it only came to about 2mm if that.  So sad!  At least it was better than none and gave the plants a tiny breather.

Today I'm working in the kitchen garden this morning and then this afternoon we are heading out to our local mega hardware store to exchange my non-kinking hose for one that DOESN'T kink!  Grrrr, giggle, I spend almost my entire life battling kinking hoses which is enough to drive anyone mad.  I use the ''non-kinking'' hose several times a day in my tunnel house and being a confined space it drives me crazy because it kinks EVERY time!  

We're also going to pop into a really good pet shop franchise store, Animates, which is like a pet sweet shop I can tell you!  They have every conceivable everything for your pet.  We want to get some small christmas pressies for Chester, Monty, Benjamin Bunny and Bunikins bunny.  We're also going to get a small bag of chick crumble just in case Gertrude produces chicks in the next few days.  There is a real chance she won't but we need to be prepared in case.

Speaking of Christmas we've just put a short strand of solar LED lights on a douglas fir tree we have planted on the lawn up behind the studio.  It's only a short, slightly wide tree but we'll be able to see it on our way up the drive which will be so pretty!  I couldn't wait any longer to put the lights on it!  I LOVE CHRISTMAS.. our tree is going up next weekend too!  

I'd better stop waffling and head back out to the kitchen garden before it gets too hot (which is really is already!).  Smiles.. Back to the old colour until 1 January 2016

Demi Pointe Shoes!

Hi, it's Friday morning and I'm about to leap out the door to go to ballet class, yippeee!!  Unfortunately I have to drop the demi-pointe shoes I bought back to the woman who sold them to me because I've realised the back seam of one of the shoes is coming apart - not only outside but inside the shoe as well.  I put them on very briefly on Wednesday evening and when I took them off I noticed something didn't look quite right.  At first she mentioned getting them mended but they are brand new so I'm loathe to have to do that!  She does have a pair the same size but because these shoes are hand-made in Russia there is always a chance the same size might not fit as well if someone else made them!  We shall see.....  Worst case scenario I'll keep the ones I have and get her to mend them - at least I know they fit me properly!

This pm I will be pricking out more seedlings so that's my day sorted!  Smiles.. p.s. oooh I think I've found my colour for next year!!!  This is pretty!

I'm Melting!!!

Hi there on  a very hot Thursday pm!  There is only a tiny breeze, the sun is SCORCHING HOT, and the sky is BLUE!!  Rain is predicted tomorrow but I'll believe it only when I see it!  Oh my goodness this heat is more like the end of January than the end of November.  Water restrictions start next week unfortunately and they have gone straight to hand held hosing of productive gardens only on odd or even days (coinciding with your street number).  Normally there is a step or two before those sort of restrictions.  I hope and pray we get some decent rain VERY, VERY soon!!!!

This morning I took two loads of plants down to Bay Landscapes and I have to say I'm really happy with the way my stands look!  I love filling them with beautiful plants just in time for the weekend.  If it rains tomorrow people may be gardening, especially in their vegetable gardens, this weekend.

This pm two people came to look at the garden and buy a few plants.  I love that they told me not to apologise for the weeds!  Just as well, crikey!

I need to prick out a couple of punnets of things this pm so I'd better get started - it's 3.30pm, where has the day gone??!!! Smiles..

Ooooh!

Hi and oooh I now am the owner of a pair of demi-pointe shoes (photo to follow).  I am SO happy I went for the consultation yesterday.  I was there for about 2 hours, tried on I don't know how many pairs of pointe shoes (it's amazing how refined the sizing can be) and then some demi pointes.  I will get my report in a week or two but I am happy to say I have the perfect ''line'' for pointe work which is a huge relief.  Part of me was thinking I would be told ''no way can you go en pointe''.  

The funny thing is I went to ballet practise afterwards, danced in my flats and when I got home I tried my demi pointes on and they felt far too small!  Bah... I'm hoping it is something to do with my feet being hot and slightly swollen.  I know I was fitted correctly but now I'm a bit nervous about trying them on again!  I can tell you that no matter what they are not terribly comfortable - this will change quite a bit when they are worn in.  Demi pointes look like pointe shoes but you don't go up en pointe in them at all.  They are designed to strengthen my feet and get me ready for pointe work.    I was tempted to just go for the pointe shoes but let's face it, I need to walk before I can run and I am really sensible - no way would I go straight up en pointe!

Last night I came out to my studio after dinner and did the 60 tag backgrounds.   I need to do an extra 5 because I've realised I have too many of one design so I'll do that later today.  Tonight I'll cut around the tags, then put double sided tape on them and put them on cardstock ready to be cut out.  All I'll need to do then is edge them with gold acrylic paint and put the ribbon on!  I will definitely get them in the mail on Monday, if not before.  Yay!!!

This pm I am labeling plants to take to Bay Landscapes tomorrow.  I've spent the morning writing the labels and working on colour labels that I will have to laminate later today.  I did 1.5 hours gardening at my neighbour's this morning too.  Phew, what a day!  Back to the tunnel house I must fly.  Smiles..  ewww don't like this colour!

A Special Day & Another Photo!

Hi, it's Tuesday morning and today is a special day for me.  I'm going to chat to a woman about being fitted for pointe shoes.  ''WHAT, ARE YOU MAD'' I may hear many of you scream.  ''Quite possibly'', is my reply, giggle!  Now please don't think I'm going to go leaping around the ballet studio en pointe, that is certainly NOT the case!  I know deep in my heart and soul that I am going to dance en pointe, even if it's only briefly so I want to be properly fitted for them.  It may be that my feet are completely the wrong shape for pointe shoes but I want to find out.  

I'm off for an appointment late this morning and then I'll carry on to ballet practise this pm. 

Here is a photo of the garden I worked in on Saturday.  It doesn't look very exciting now but it will do in a few weeks when the plants are flowering.  I am going to make sure I keep this garden well watered so they stand the best chance.  I put lots of gorgeous fish compost on the garden before planting so that will make a huge difference.

I'd better get going, a very busy day today - I have to call in on Bay Lanscapes too on my way home from ballet practise.  Smiles.. Oooh I like this colour - it's a custom one so will I be able to find it again??

A Gorgeous Colour Combo!

Hi, I took this photo this morning, I just couldn't resist such a glorious colour combination - it's Rose ''Charles de Mills'' sown by a bird a few years ago and a rich yellow evening primrose that fades to apricot.

This morning I had an appointment with the nurse at our local medical centre for a routine test that she stuffed up last week.   They had an emergency, a very sick baby, just as I arrived so my appointment was delayed by 30 minutes.  I just hope the baby is okay - it was taken away by ambulance with its mother - a very sobering sight.  I came home and then headed into Richmond (opposite direction from medical centre) to see my optician about my eyes.  I've been suffering from VERY dry eyes during the night - it feels as though I'm peeling my eyelid from the surface of my left eyeball - most unpleasant.  I now have some eyedrops for inflamed lower eyelids (been going on for months) and some very viscous eye ointment to put in at night to hopefully solve the problem.  Hayfever season is in full swing and I think that has a lot to do with the dryness of my poor eyes.  Fingers crossed this stuff works.  

Since then I've managed to get some seed sown and I'm about to do some more.  I also need to prick out some more seedlings too.  

It's another very warm, windy, fine day here which is such a bother.  Everyone is starting to get a bit niggly, we've had such windy weather lately.  I will be putting the sprinkler on very soon and one thing I do know - we will have water restrictions within a week I would say if it doesn't rain.  Pookies!!  Smiles.. p.s. this is a test colour for next year.. a little dull???

Sunday Audio Blog

Hi there, here is an audio blog.. ermmmm I'm not sure I make much sense as my brain wasn't terribly well connected to my mouth, giggle! 

Audio blog 22 Nov 2015

 

Happiness is...... Gardening!

Hi honeys, it's Saturday pm and I'm just about to enjoy a much-needed cup of tea!  I spent time from mid-morning weeding and composting the smallish garden directly in front of the house.  I have some herbaceous clematis, one hybrid clematis and a couple of roses as main features in this garden.  I also have some hardy geraniums in it and now I've planted some Cleome (spider flower), zinnia and nigella (love in the mist) to give me some colour in early summer.  This garden gets very hot and dry but I am determined to have it looking wonderful for Christmas.  I will throw in some spare petunias and salvias too (blue and white ones). 

I can't tell you how wonderful it feels to be gardening again!  I still have a few punnets of things that need pricking out and I will do them after my cup of tea.  Tomorrow I'm going to start working my way through the main perennial border, pulling out tall weeds and trying to remove as much of the tall couch grass bits as I can.  If I manage to weed at ground level I will then put beautiful compost on the soil as I go too.

Time for my cuppa.  Smiles.. p.s. I need to start thinking about a new colour for the new year too.. I'm SO over this orange.. giggle...