Seed heads at the Herb Farm

When I was at the Herb Farm I took some pictures of seed heads. It is so late in the year, that there are some rather decayed specimens, but I found them fascinating.

The Herb Farm

I took my camera to The Herb Farm at Sonning Common in Berkshire. It is a specialist garden centre for herbs and has a nice cafe and gift shop.There is a always a feast for the artistic eye in the garden. I like the unusual herbs, such as pineapple sage and lemon curd thyme. Everywhere you look there is an abundance of textures.

Colours of Autumn

These wonderful autumnal colours were found at a farm shop. The weather is changing here, so there may soon be a posting of winter photos.

Experiments in Patchwork

I first started patchwork when I was about 18 and a university student in Norwich. A group of us had a craze on doing English patchwork with hexagons, using Laura Ashley fabrics. I started a quilt, which has been in a drawer somewhere, unfinished for years. When I was looking for something to do whilst convalescing, I thought I would try out patchwork, but this time do the american style of piecing. I stumbled upon this beautiful book by Lynne Edwards It was exactly what I was looking for, instructions on how to make each separate block. Some are hand-pieced, some machined. I have to say it is not as easy as it looks!

Although I do have a lovely stash of patchwork fabrics (along with my other stashes), I felt the need to buy some more fabrics, to be sure they went together. I really like the feed sack type patterns. Aren't they lovely!?

My first block " Tumbling Blocks". This is hand stitched.

My second, Maple Leaf, also hand stitched

Polish Pottery

I cleared my dresser and washed all my pottery and arranged it. This collection is know as Boleslawiec, from the region of Poland where it is made. I have collected it since the time I lived in Warsaw in the early 1990s. The background colours are blue and white, with other colours incorporated into different designs, so the patterns all go together. They are hand painted and stamped. I never get tired of looking at all the patterns and textures, and I think you will agree they all sit well together. In fact I think my dresser was made for it, despite the fact it was built for my 1920s house in England