Sooty helps to put the garden to bed for winter

I always feel a little melancholy when it is time to re-pot plants and take them into a safer place for winter. Autumn is such a lovely time for colours, but I'm so aware that winter will follow and I love the sunshine.Never mind...today I had Sooty's company as I started to put the garden to bed, and we had a lovely time in the October sun.

Sooty helps to put the garden to bed and sort out the cat-mint.

"Have we got enough cat-nip to get us through the winter? I'd better just check".

"Have I got it right?....what do you think"?

"Yes...I'm content with that....we can rest now".

Enjoying the Autumn Sunshine

While I was busy with the camera taking photographs of vintage clothing and lace for ebay ( yes....it's time to fund my studio work again!),William and Sooty were enjoying the autumn sunshine comming through the window...I guess at 15 they deserve just to laze around all day...and all night now, but Sooty actually attempted to climb a tree this week-it's a long time since I've seen him do that, it must be this Indian Summer we are having for October and long may it last.

I've had the indigo dyed muslin waiting for several years,and then decided that it would make a "heavenly" sky for the cherubs and doves whilst I'm making up my mind just what to do next.
Natural dyes are lovely to use...my favourites are Madder and Indigo, and it is always a surprise to see how they react to different fabrics when they all go into the vat together.

Little details from some new textile pictures...cherubs and pearly doves on indigo dyed muslin.

A New Skirt

I have had this navy pillow ticking for years and decided, on a whim to make a box pleated skirt from it.
I've cut out some of the large floral print from a charity shop skirt purchased in the summer...because I thought it had potential, and sewn them along the hem using free machine embroidery which I continued in another row around the motifs. I also ran a row of red machine stitching inbetween the navy rows, as I just love a touch of red, it seems to bring things to life...just a touch though.
I'm still waiting for some fresh inspiration to come for my textile artwork, so untill it does, I think I shall make up some of the clothes I have had ideas for for so long.
I rarely buy new, as it is so exciting to collect second hand ones and put them together to make something completely unique....it just needs a little patience to collect the right combinations, hence I have a whole pile now waiting.

Peace and Reflection Time

I've taken several weeks off...away from the studio to refresh my mind and creativity and have been so enjoying the peace and quiet of my garden.
Sitting under the trees I have been soothed by the constant whirring of wings as the birds...who seem to be so used to me now, flutter around the bird table and through the leaves of the trees, whilst others rush to and fro amongst the plants at floor level.
I am blessed to have a garden full of wildlife, and over the last few days, whilst we have had this wonderful Indian Summer, it has been a place to reflect and write in my journals....I will take some photographs of the pages,presently....I have made them over the last 6 years out of antique books from my late mother, reading the ancient stories as I have covered and worked on the pages.
Here are some images from my peaceful garden: