I’m suffering from the Blues a bit here after last weekend. No lounging in the garden for me this time, but it’s all full on for Open Studios in 10 days time, and anyway the weather has gone back to it’s default setting – Rubbish! I can’t believe it’s nearly mid May and I’m back to lighting a fire in the evening. Not that the four legged members of the family are complaining, they can’t believe their luck!
I didn’t even find time to write a blog post either, and I’ve been collecting lots of photos over the week. Mother Nature is a lot more robust about the weather than I am, she’s in ‘I’ve started, so I’ll finish’ mode and the garden is filling up nicely, and the hedgerows and verges too.
I love the way Spring has a sequence of colours, it’s reminds me of the little mantra of names I run through when I’m packing the Planet Penny Cottons…Aubretia, Delphinium, Cornflower, Eggshell, Aqua, Jade, Apple, Lime, Buttercup, Marigold, Peach, Petal, Gerbera and Rose Red. Spring starts white, with Snowdrops, but almost immediately there are yellow Aconites…
photo: Van Muewen
…and then the Daffodils and Primroses arrive.
Not long after, pink is added to the mix, with Primulas, Tulips and all manner of blossoming trees. But get to May, and it’s blue…the Beautiful Blues and probably my favourite time of year. I’ve tried and failed so often to capture that mysterious ethereal blue of the Bluebells but it always defeats my little camera…
…and anyway I can’t catch that glorious smell and save it in a file on the computer, can I? It’s an experience, and all the more exquisite because it’s impossible to completely capture it.
In the garden, there are Forget-me-nots.
….Periwinkles…
and Cornflowers, and quite a few of the ‘Wrong sort of Bluebell’ , a European interloper, very prolific but not quite achieving deep glow of our native species. Still, it looks pretty good as a flower arrangement…
There are also Irises, but I can never bring myself to pick those…
…aren’t they amazing?
Back in the studio the challenge is to turn the working space of one incredibly messy worker (Moi!) into an exhibition space for two, and it’s a l-o-n-g job. I can always think of so many things I would rather do than tidy up! T’was ever thus. My dear Mamma, listening to me moaning said, ‘Well, you always used to stuff things under your bed…’ Too late….full!
I’ve tried hard to keep the creative vibe going though. I mentioned the on going white cotton theme in this post, and I’ve at last found time to complete the project which required it. I found this gorgeous pattern…
…with a tutorial here which was just perfect for the Planet Penny colours. One day I might have time to make a throw, but in the meantime, there is this…
It looks perfect on the dresser.
If you are looking for white cotton, there are still a couple of packs left from this post and of course all the other colours can be found in the Etsy shop.
I might be a little random in my appearances over the next week or so, there are a couple of family birthdays, a confirmation and much travelling round the country coming up, but I’ll be back, like the proverbial ‘Bad Penny’!
See you soon …x
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I think we’re having the exact same spring … we’ve had two or three freezing nights and I refuse to turn the furnace back on! 🙂
You are so right about the progression of colours through the year. And what a lovely blue post – it’s funny but my camera never seems to get blues and purples right either. I can just imagine your bluebells and irises (and don’t the irises smell amazing too?).
Good luck with Open Studios, and I hope you find somewhere to shove your stuff – have you a spare bed anywhere? 😉
P.S. I always loved your PPCC colour names. The dresser mat is adorable.
Lovely picot edge:)
truly beautiful blues! lovely photos, Penny. And I love the pattern for that throw. x
I remember that pre-open studio feeling of panic, you’ll be fine because you care and want to do things really well 😉 I wonder if I can fit in a visit?
The dotty pattern is lovely, I have that pattern earmarked for a project. I rather fancied translating it into subtle faded pebbly colours. So many ideas so little time.
Hugs to you and Higgins xx
Hi Penny – love all the photos of spring in the northern hemisphere. Down under we’re heading into winter. I couldn’t open your link to your tutorial for the lovely granny circle blanket. Could you help me out please? Many thanks 🙂
Hi Penny! Your garden looks well advanced. Ours up here in Bonnie Scotland has burst into life but so far we have only a few splashes of colour to greet us when we look out of the window. However it’s great to see new life stirring in the garden after what seems like an eternal Winter! And I have not been letting the weeds grow under my feet either! I have been designing and making new Garments and Neckwear ready for the next Show. In the meantime, they are on sale on my Shopping site: http://www.feltheadtotoe.co.uk/shop Have fun!
What a cheerful and very Planet Penny dotty cotton cloth, really has cheered up this wet weather we are currently having Penny, we even put the heating on for an hour this evening!
That iris is gorgeous and the colour so intense. I hope you managed to muster up the energy for sorting your studio out and I’m sure you’ll be well pleased when its all done and dusted, look forward to seeing the pics xxx Penny
Open Studio here is in June- started to tidy already as it is indeed a mammoth task. Early purple Iris are gorgeous aren’t they? Blue bells only just open here- all the colours seem to be more intense than ever this year- which is fine by me, though a bit of warmth would be welcome!
I love Spring. It’s my favourite season as Mother Nature really does work her magic on the colours.
You’ve captured Spring beautifully in your photos. Your garden is stunning. You really must put an awful lot of work into it xx
Stunning photos – just what I needed as Auckland drifts me into winter! Spring bulbs and a colourful tea cosy – ample sufficiency of loveliness!