Hey all, long time no "see". So much has been happening around here, but more about that later........first, onto the new pattern.
I've barely picked up a pencil for over a month and once I got back to my desk this week I had a whole heap of scribbles to work my way through. I didn't get very far into it when I found a piece of paper where I had experimented with the tangle pattern Swells by Jennifer Hohensteiner - it started me thinking about how the aura-ing technique would work with the Heartstrings framework to create a kind of inside out version of it. By the way - I have no idea what it is with me and heart shapes but I just love, love them :)
This pattern starts off much like Heartstrings, see below for some tips:
- Drawing tips
- Leave enough distance between the lines to draw hearts with space around them - unlike Heartstrings you do not want the hearts to touch
- Starting lines will give you a framework to work within
- Change up the size of the hearts and auras
- Try wonky lines (box 5) or with no lines at all (box 6) to really make the heart shapes stand out
Using wonky lines
No lines
So, what else have I been up to? Well, we have been experiencing an AMAZING warm spring here in Hoddles Creek - I think September was the warmest on record. Not so great for our hay, but brilliant for working outside. I have loved it! John had a few weeks off and as we had a Permaculture group tour coming through the property we took the opportunity to do a stack of work outside - particularly in my bee garden.
The first big job was the amazing little greenhouse that John built for me out of recycled french doors. I am absolutely in love with it! Except for a couple of pieces of timber and the glass we had cut for the end side panels everything on this is recycled. The pavers and clear sheeting came from a house demo, most of the timber is stuff we've been hoarding for over 10 years left-over from the verandah build. There's still some finishing off to do including door handles and inside shelves. Even though painting around all those little windows just about did me in, I could not be happier with it!
Once this was done it meant we could finally move forward with the garden bed/s at this end of the garden down to the potting shed. I've just begun planting that out - I've done some of the permanent plantings, but also put in quite a lot of annuals just to have something in there until I am ready to move ahead with the final plan.
The little potager garden had a makeover a while ago when we did the retaining wall - it's coming along well - it's a sun trap and will be a wonderful place to sit in Winter. The plantings I've done around it with Russian Sage will also screen it in over Summer creating a bit of a private space. This garden section has a Mediterranean theme with blood oranges, woody herbs, bay tree, etc. I can't wait until it is truly established.
The garden bed just below the one pictured above was planted out early spring and is really coming along too. The aim for this garden is to be bee friendly and also supply the kitchen, which is opposite, with fresh herbs and some vegetables and fruit (I've planted ones that look good mixed in with the flowers such as artichokes, chives, strawberries, etc, etc. I still have a few gaps to fill and have 14 white coneflowers sitting in front of the greenhouse waiting to be planted tomorrow! Very excited!
The total bee garden area is approx. 140 square metres and we still have the fernery, frog pond/lizard habitat, pond-less water feature, chamomile/thyme/lawn daisy lawn as well as finishing up planting out the final bed to do. I can't wait. It's going to be an amazing area once it is done.
Hope whatever season it is wherever you are you are making the most of it!
hx