About Me

My photo
antrim, antrim, Ireland
Hello and welcome to my blog. If you like flowers and gardens, housey stuff, food and banter, then this is the place for you. I am a decorative artist, florist and maker of things. I sell painted furniture, plants and crafts, through a local retail shop, in my native Ireland, and wedding flowers from home. I am married to a lovely patient man and have a smashing little girl. I blog for the fun of it. Thank you for listening.

Saturday 18 June 2011

Cosy Giveaway!

Having been the lucky recipient of two gorgeous giveaways, I have decided to have a giveaway myself. Last week I made a coffee cosy for my coffee pot and thought, as you seemed to like it I would make one for you. Yes Wendy (15 Coast Road) they are addictive! So as not to disappoint the tea drinkers out there I have made a tea cosy as well.

The coffee cosy is embroidered with the word Espresso and is  appliqued with a coffee cup and cupcake in yellow and pink with a touch of green. The fabric to the back is a Laura Ashley cotton print with teacups and cakes on it, the same fabric is on the inside. The front is recycled linen in a kind of off-white shade.



These are not the most wonderfully worked items you have ever seen, but they should last at least a few washes and they are a bit of fun. Now to those of you who say...poo hoo, a tea cosy, not on your nellie,woul
dn't be seen dead with one of those old fashioned things, I say, think on, when you brew your pot of tea and then get carried away blogging, and forget your tea (or coffee), never fear, if it is ensconced underneath one of my cosies it will stay hot for.......ages!


The tea cosy is embroidered with the words 'English breakfast tea' and has printed Minton teacups, recycled from the most expensive pillowcase I ever bought! It is lined and backed with a cotton check and the front is the same as before. I do hope you like my offerings and will leave a little comment to say which you would prefer. I will put the names into a hat and my daughter can draw one out for each cosy. I will make the draw on Thursday 30th June.



I have been Picniking again! Some images from the garden, the Escallonia hedge is wonderful this year and it is a very big attraction for the bees. The peas are coming along nicely! The Pinks, I bought last year after hearing a T.V. gardener sing their praises. I have to admit, I am a bit snobbish about Carnations in flower arrangements, but decided to give the Pinks a go, and they are tremendous, they have so many buds on this year and will keep flowering all summer, and if I call them Pinks or Gillyflowers, then I rather like them!











Saw this idea on Pinterest and decided to have a go. Not just as easy as you'd think! The little blighters spread, even though thoroughly chilled and the holes closed over. I used the wrong recipe, James Martin's shortbread biscuits, heavy on the butter (as ever with James....oh I do love him). I should jave used Peggy Porchen's cookie recipe, as they are less delicate. However, they tasted delish and I think they are still rather cute. The Pinterest ones were threaded unto ribbon, but these would just have broken if I'd tried that.


My little chick  did this picture using oil pastels in school. I think it's really wonderful, but then I would , wouldn't I?




Some thought provoking words to leave you with. Have a happy Father's Day, whoever you are and whatever you are doing, and don't forget to leave me a comment, so that your life can be complete with a  flowers on my table cosy! Love Linda x   p.s. I forgot to say, if anyone wants to be so kind as to put my little giveaway button on their sidebar, then let me know and I will put your name in an extra time for the draw. Many thanks!

21 comments:

  1. Hi Linda

    I love your daughters painting. She is very talented.
    You are a hive of activity, baking sewing and planning. I love blue and your cozies are works of art. They certainly do keep tea and coffee warm.
    Hope you have a very enjoyable Sunday.
    Hugs
    Helen

    ReplyDelete
  2. Tea cozies might be an old-fashioned concept but some of the best things in life have their roots way back when! And they absolutely do keep tea (and coffee in pots too) warm for a long time.

    Your cozies are just peachy Linda - well done. You did a cracking job.

    I won't enter the giveaway coz heavens as you know I have made a lot of those myself and they lie quietly in a cupboard, waiting patiently to be chosen and used.

    But oh my I'd have entered a giveaway for a bag of those shortbread buttons! Yum. :)

    Do you know what? I don't like carnations at all. For some reason (and I can't think where this idea took hold) I think of them as funeral flowers. Oh dear.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I adore the recycled blue and white Minton tea cosy. My own rather battered tea cosy is made of blue and white Laura Ashley fabric. If you would be happy to send the tea cosy all the way to the Middle East (in the off chance I get chosen) I would be delighted to have it in my kitchen. In awe of your sewing skills.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Were you inspired by Poppy Treffrey's book for the tea/coffee cosys? I got my copy delivered on Thursday and I LOVE it. I can't wait to get started on some projects from it. I am desperate for a coffee warmer as I keep having to use our tea cosy ....... yes I have a cosy! We drink sssooo much tea in our house so it is an essential. I would really like a nice knitted one too as they look so kitch!! Happy Sewing x

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hello Linda:
    You know us....we embrace the old-fashioned! Indeed, we live and breathe it. Some people call it a time warp, but for us it is a way of life.

    Your cosies are so very pretty and so very desirable, so that we shall be keeping both fingers and toes crossed in anticipation of the draw on 30th June. A very difficult decision, but we think on balance we should choose the coffee cosy as we tend to drink more Java than Indian.

    Your daughter's picture we thought to be lovely and are sure that the shortbread would be delicious, with or without button holes!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love your daughters picture, she clearly is very creative, just like her lovely Mum :)
    I would be delighted to own any of your gorgeous cosy covers as I drink equal amounts of tea and coffee. What a generous and very lovely giveaway.
    I know what you mean about carnations in flower arrangements, but I agree that the pinks you have grown are very pretty indeed.
    As always Linda, your sweet comments on my post mean so much, thank you!
    Love Abby x

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh, Linda, they are both so gorgeous! How do I choose?! I think it will have to be the coffee cozy as I drink very little tea, but I do love the blue and white design.
    Your daughter is clearly as talented as her Mum, what a beautiful painting. I was surprised to read they were oil pastels, the colours and texture looks softer - more like soft pastels which I love using with my class. It will look stunning framed.
    Thanks for the lovely giveaway.
    Becky x
    PS I will put your giveaway button on my sidebar.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I just LOVE the shortbread buttons! And the drawing is fantastic! Charming or what?

    What a sweet, pretty corner you have "made" for all of us to enjoy! Beautiful! And I love your pinks. They can be very scented and graceful.

    Oscar Wilde used to always wear a pink carnation in his buttonhole and, in Pablo Neruda's poems, which I LOVE, carnations symbolize passion. So... you see? We should appreciate them more...

    ANNA

    A peaceful, quiet corner

    ANNA

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hi Linda. Those giveaways are really fantastic. Good luck to everyone! Your daughter's drawing is simply sweet. It looks like Hyacinths to me! If I am lucky enough, I would like the coffee cover please! I love that saying about the little things in life really being the big things! How very true! I shall go in and put your cosy giveaway photo on my sidebar right away! Hugs.

    ReplyDelete
  10. YAY! What a wonderful give away opportunity...thank you!

    Your daughter has used such soothing colours in her drawing. I was just thinking that if she made a series of those and laminated them, they'd make such lovely place mats!

    Please put my name in the hat for the Espresso cosy...it's so fab and so needed by our house...our glass tea pot doesn't stay warm long enough for a toasty second cuppa in this Wintery cold!

    I'm "holding thumbs" :-)

    ReplyDelete
  11. I love the espresso cosy. I drink coffee over tea the stronger the better. This cosy is so cute.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I am sure I entered this yesterday but my comment has not appeared :( I would love an entry if it works this time, I was actually calling by to tell you that in the lizard photos, there is a snake in the first one, climbing the tree. You need to enlarge on flckr.com to see it clearly.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oh Linda you are getting more and more creative every time I visit you!
    I just love these two cosies, they are so so pretty!
    I would be honoured to put your giveaway button on my sidebar, and would love to be entered in the giveaway please.
    As I only have a very dull plain blue coffee cosy I would love the chance to win this pretty one.
    Your daughter's oil pastel picture is beautiful too - taking after her Mum with her artistic creativity!
    Love all your creative collages - i can feel the artistic vibes from here, I think you are on a huge roll at the moment!
    Gill xx

    ReplyDelete
  14. Goodness these cosies are so lovely. Now that it's Winter here I have been considering buying a tea cosy. I wouldn't expect you to post things worldwide, but I do rather fancy the blue and white tea one...
    That's a pretty impressive oil pastel as well, I'm sure it will have pride of place somewhere in your home.
    x

    ReplyDelete
  15. Linda, you have been busy! The cosies are so cute and clever! Since I was born in Seattle...the home of Starbucks...it should be coffee, but believe it or not at work it's all about Earl Grey!
    Keep well!
    ~Lynne
    [w / l]
    P.S. We planted an Artichoke in your honor. I think it's success is going to be a challenge!

    ReplyDelete
  16. you are so creative and talended!!!! these are so nice !!! and the shortbread buttons love them!!!So nice visiting you here!!!a big kiss

    ReplyDelete
  17. Such a sweet giveaway! I would really love a coffee cosy as I haven't got one and yours is a very beautiful one! Your daughter's drawing is delightful - she is obviously creative and talented as you are. And the shortbread buttons..they look so gorgeous! Love the throughtful words at the end too...Have a very happy week. Helen x

    ReplyDelete
  18. Oh so glad I didn't miss this, been away from computer... what a lovely giveaway... they are both lovely but I love the tea cosy with the Minton blue and white china x

    ReplyDelete
  19. I miss your blog linda..sorry I was busy last week.. I love your provoking words and it sounds same that happiness comes in simple things:)


    Sunny

    ReplyDelete
  20. Those are adorable. I see you are having fun with your collages.

    ReplyDelete
  21. another irish blogger!! Im in belfast ^_^ Nice to 'meet' you!! I love your flowers. Wooould you be able to tell me... where it would be possible to buy peonies and ranunculus? The florists in the city are a bit... em.... basic!

    Claire

    http://www.hearthandmade.co.uk

    ReplyDelete

I love to hear your comments.....