Mmmmmm...Time for Cherry pie!

Sitting in the garden today was just great. The cherry trees are in full bloom in the flats communal garden next door. They tower above the flats and are the biggest cherry trees I have ever seen and must be ages old. At the end of the month my garden will be covered in a layer of blossom "snow!"

Each year there is an abundance of cherries, which sadly are left on the tree to decay and eaten mainly by the birds. I sometimes go off on a daydream about making these beautiful trees more of a landmark of Sleaford town and imagine "Cherry Pie Day".
Everyone in the flats (and their neighbours - so I am included!) would have a giant picnic under the cherry tree. Then the cherry picking would begin...Everyone would get involved and bring baskets, ladders etc... There would be music playing in the background, (It would, of course, be a lovely hot day)... Rugs and blankets would be set beneath the trees and people would laze... and talk... and read. Oh, and there would be wine flowing and daisy chain making too.
Then some people would pop home to make a cherry pie or two... and maybe some sort of cherry liqueur to put by for next years cherry pie day.
Later, in the afternoon, all the pies would be set out on the gingham clad tables and tasted and judged.
There would be lots of eating, relaxing and chatting and then, when the evening started to draw in we would all retire to our homes with full bellies, having given the cherry trees our full attention for the day and the respect they deserve...

Or maybe strawberries are more your thing?

I just adore the Cath Kidstons retro strawberry fabric these buttons are covered in - I put them with some of my (many!)vintage buttons - and hey presto! A pretty Spring necklace. It's in my Folksy shop if you can't live without it!

Fabric Flower Garland

I created some pretty flower garlands, using up crisp bright cotton fabric.

These look great in a children's room or outside in the garden - a lovely way to invite Spring into your home!

Really simple to make:You will need an assortment of scrap fabrics, a sheet of iron-on bonding fabric, few buttons/beads & embroidery cotton/twine for stringing.

1. Bond the fabric pieces together as per instructions. This way you will have a pattern on both sides of each flower.
2. Cut a flower template from stiff card and draw around it onto the bonded fabric.
3. Cut flower shapes out.
4. Lay the flowers out in desired order and pierce the centre of the first one with the threaded cotton/twine.
5. Add buttons and beads to either side of the flower and knot so that the flower does not slide along the twine.
6. Tie a loop at each end of the garland and hang!

Try some variations on this basic pattern - cut different shapes or sizes of flowers or experiement with different fabrcs and styles.