Crystal drops and candles...

I've decided to make sure we eat al fresco as many times as posible before we loose the summer altogether. We just don't seem to have spent that much time in the garden this year and so today I decided to make our garden into a hidden oasis :-) for when Steve gets home tonight!

 

Aiming to stay out there for most of the evening and enjoy each others company, the garden/wildlife/food and wine

 

Steve wanted spaghetti tonight so I picked up some beautiful, freshly baked, tomato and parmesan bread from Blanchards Cafe this morning to go with it- if you live near Sleaford then my advice to you is to try it - gorgeous! Had to take the picture quickly - it was still warm from the oven and now it's not as "complete" as it was!

I couldnt resist a small piece with pesto on for lunch!

 

 

 Laid the garden table with a vintage linen table cloth, some pretty red and white crockery and picked some flowers from the garden to put in the old ironstone jug that I "thrifted". Put some more candlesticks out, ready for when the sun goes down at about 8. ..

 

 Oh... and I added some crystal chandelier droplets to the plant pots - these will catch the light and sparkle when the candles are lit this evening.

 

Steve's chilling swing is all ready for his return from work and

a cold beer in the fridge -

perfect after a hard days work!

Gertie's pinched my comfy seat - I dont have the heart to move her -

sewing will have to wait until she moves on

All ready for our evening meal and of course a couple of sneaky wines...
... and relaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaax  

 

Red sky at night, Annies delight :-)

 

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!

HAPPY CUPCAKE CHRISTMAS!

The garden looks so beautiful in the snow and when I ventured outside to take a look, I thought that the way the snow had fallen on one of the plant pots, made it look like a giant cupcake! So I quickly got to work to make a tea cup and saucer to go with it! Hope you like it! Who knows, if we have more snow, I may even get round to making a teapot!

Folksy :: AnnieFloribunda

Folksy :: AnnieFloribunda: http://anniefloribunda.blogspot.com/

Inspired by a day in the garden - I decoupaged some small plain notebooks and made them into Gardeners pocket books. I used vintage seed packs on the top one and garden twine on the other. If you cant live without them, visit my Folksy shop where they are for sale.

Found a use for those buttons!

Spent another glorious day in the garden today, with Harry, boiling his brains in the midday sun. (at least I sat in the shade and had sunscreen on!).

Had fun making button flower brooches (to see how to make your own design go to my folksy page at http://www.folksy.com/shops/anniefloribunda) - Oh, and I made clay and paper beads, (and some other things that I am not quite sure what they are yet)!