Went to the nursery again on Sunday

Peter and I went to the local nursery on Sunday, to look for some citronella plants.  They are good for keeping mossies away  - that's mosquitoes for those of you who don't speak Australian :)  It is really nice to go to a smaller family nursery instead of a huge nation-wide chain.  Yes, they have a smaller range of plants and they were more expensive.  But on the other hand they did have a different range and they offered really personal service, which was sooooo nice.  They didn't have any citronella plants in stock -  which surprised me because they do grow a super breed of mossies out here - but they have ordered some in for me.  


While I was there I also spotted just the plants that will fill a couple of spots in our garden at home.  Peter didn't want to buy them here, he has taken the name and wants to buy them at home.  One is part of the Dryspell range called Anisodonka 'Raspberry', which grows 1.5m x 1.5m.   

It is a tough and hardy plant that does well out here in the west so should cope with our equally tough conditions in the front garden at the corner of the house. Another nice feature is that it blooms most of the year. 


Another is the Ricinocarpus or Wedding bush which has star-shaped flowers in spring and grows  3mx2m and makes a great screen so it would be a great one to put in the back yard across our back fence.

Before we left home we planted out quite a number of plants that we had bought the previous Sunday.  We'd spent too much money on them to just let them die, and had to get them into the ground.  


We chose the garden along the front of the house.  It has needed attention for ages now - it has been difficult to get it looking the way I want it to.  At one end we have a sacred bamboo, which is a reliable anchor and source of green.  At the other end where the garden turns to go along the side of the house there are a couple of abelias.  


This garden has very poor soil, as all our gardens had to begin with.  When we bought the house   the developers had removed any topsoil that was there and we were presented with clay - red clay.  When you dug down through this red clay you came to - white clay.  So over the years we have put an enormous amount of effort and a considerable amount of money into improving the soil in the gardens by adding manure, blood and bone, compost, gypsum etc.  And we have mulched with mushroom compost and lately with sugar-cane mulch.  That's one thing that we have plenty of in Australia, and it is great to see good use made of something that used to be regarded as a waste product.  It's a terrific mulch too, and it breaks down and enriches the soil.


So - gardening lecture over lol!  I bought lots of plants to go in this garden and when I looked at them I realised - they were mostly pink and white.  We still need a couple of tall ones to go behind but I couldn't find just the right thing on Sunday 


Here is a photo of the length of the garden, looks rather odd because of the angle I held the camera. 

 It is still a bit of a mess because the rocks need to be fixed and we haven't cleared up the pots and things when I took this photo.  The bamboo is at the far left of the photo.  As you can see the plants are all quite small but hopefully they will grow quickly.  And it is a reasonably long garden - it goes right across our bedroom which is 14ft, then turns a corner and continues along the front of our son's bedroom and down the side of his bedroom too.  This section is just across our bedroom.   The row closest to the wall has the bamboo on the left, an Australian native with white flowers halfway along.  The small plant is a lavender that I put in the other day, Lavandula Avonview.  The tag says it's a compact (H80cm x W60cm), vigorous variety of Italian lavender that has deep purple flower spikes and aromatic foliage.  It sounded the perfect shrub to put under our bedroom window. 


Here in this second photo you can just catch a glimpse of one of the abelias at the corner of the garden, and peeking out from the corner of the wall is a large pot with a lilly-pilly planted in it.  

We have put that in a pot because nothing will grow in that corner.  We've tried all sorts of things over the years, without any success at all.  It is too sheltered by the eaves to receive any rain and it receives the full westerly sun in the afternoons.  Also the footings for the house extend right into the area. Being in a  self-watering pot we are having more success with this shrub.  In front of that corner of the wall is where I am considering putting the Anisodontica 'Raspberry' though I didn't really allow enough room for that when I planted the little plants out.  Hmmmm.

One of the  two kinds of plants in the middle row is this Madiera Pink Crested, botanical name Argyranthemum frutescens.  It is a daisy as you can see, and has semi-double flowers.  It reaches around 70cm so it's a good middle-row size

.The cosmos seedlings that are scattered around and between these are 'Purity', a dwarf variety also reaching 60-70cms.  I love the white of these flowers, adding a sparkle to the garden.

I've alternated the Madiera daisies with Amerias, planted slightly further forward because they only grow to 15cm with a spread of 40cm.  

They are in a range of pinks, and I like the textural contrast of the fine, grass-like foliage.  The ball-shaped flowers are also a change from my usual favourites which tend to be daisy-type or pea-shaped.  I'd like to add more of these later on to fill out the   space a bit more.

This is a little spreading white-flowering plant.  I've put it on one corner in front of the bamboo.  The pot didn't have a label or else I've left it at home but it is a rockery plant and spreads to around 40cm.  

As another bit of a contrast to the pink and white I've put in one of these Felicia amelloides, which flowers almost all year round.  It looks a bit sad in this photo, so I hope it brightens up while I'm away.  

Yes, it is another daisy-shaped flowers, quite bright blue petals surrounding the golden centres.  and there are some blue lobelia plants in as well, already flowering brightly.


When I laid out the pots, I wanted to follow the curve of the garden with these white border plants alternating with some white verbena.  However in the planting some of the curve seems to have been lost vbg.  But the rocks needs re-setting anyway so I will fill in the curves with more little annuals in white.  

I'd also like to get hold of a few Dianella 'Little Gem' which is an Aussie native.  It is blue and would go wherever we could find a space.  We fell in love with the Dianella variety in Western Australia but I don't know whether it would grow in our soils.  Hopefully this type will since it is in the nursery here.


There are a couple of these Ornithogalum, or Star of Bethlehem put right in the front of the curves in suitable spaces between the rock edges,  to be further white highlights.  They are supposed to bloom early adding an early splash of colour.

That space just along from  the corner is an option for the Anisodonka Raspberry that I showed you at the start of the post; the garden needs a bit of height there.  I'd even consider a climber on the wall.


In the backyard we've put two more pink daisies into pots to go on each side of the garden seat.  These ones are Federation Daisies, 'Summer Stars', main flowering time is spring and autumn but flower throughout the year.  Did I mention that I like daisies?


This area of the backyard has a jacaranda tree and around the base there are native violets.  A birdbath sits among the violets and so do two fairies with a sign 'There are fairies at the bottom of my garden'.  The garden bench is under the tree during summer when the leaves cover it to provide shade, and it gets the sun in winter.  It all sounds idyllic and pretty when I write about it but unfortunately our back yard needs lots of work still done on it and I am determined that it will look much prettier by this time next year.


We have left strict instructions with our nephew (he lives with us) that the gardens and pots must be watered thoroughly while we are away so they don't die.  He knows that I will not be happy if they don't survive and he doesn't enjoy life when his Auntie Sandie isn't happy so hopefully he will remember and water with the hose for a decent time instead of a token dribble with the watering can. 

Changes already.....still working on it

Well as you can see the blog has already changed.  Still not totally happy with it but I've changed the background from the spots to this one, called 'Vintage Spring', which is also a freebie, this time from Plumrose Lane.  The pinks aren't quite right and I can't use the font I like for the post titles but it's still a work in progress after all :)  

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Yes, you are on the right blog!

Still a work in progress

This spring cleaning has really gone to my head lol, it's even extended to the blog!  I felt like a complete change so I've been hunting around for a background that I really like.  I wanted spots on a blue background, with a lace edging down each side.  However, I found this wonderful header on www.PlumroseLane.com and bought it, along with a personalised signature and all her tutorials in PDF form..  Sharon is wonderful - so helpful and patient working out what font I wanted for the header and signature.  She sends samples and changes them if they are not quite what is wanted.  I am delighted with them both.

So - they obviously are not blue vbg, and I went on a hunt for a pink background instead of blue. I'm not totally happy with this one, I want smaller dots.  And I'd love to add some sort of edging down each side.

There are also matching tags for free on www.PlumroseLane.com - do go and have a look, there are heaps of free backgrounds and other bits to choose from, and Sharon is delightful to deal with if you want to have something custom made.

Not only that, but I asked in passing if Sharon happened to know why my avatar didn't show up on my blog when I posted comments now, and why it sometimes appeared on other people's blogs but not at other times.  Sharon didn't know off hand but worked it out for me.  How kind of her, when her schedule is very busy.

Do please have a look at her site, you will enjoy it.


I haven't mastered all the elements yet, obviously there are lots more bits to add and I'm not happy with the background.  But I'm pleased with the progress so far.

......visiting our daughter......
We ended being too late to leave on Thursday.  There was so much to do. But we were ready to leave at a reasonable time on Friday morning. The traffic was slow due to roadworks for quite a lot of the way over the Blue Mountains so it was quite a slow trip for the first few hours.  There have been bushfires in the mountains, but they are over now.


The first things I organised, as usual, were the minis I wanted to take with me.  Kylie suggested that I bring some with me for any time I had free to do them.  I chose a variety of things - after all, one wouldn't want to be limited for choice :).  And I don't know how long I will be there but it is likely to be an extended period at this stage, so I don't want to run out either.  I added some mini petitpoint, just for variety, as well as the materials for the swap I am working on and the birthday swap items


Then of course there are  the tools that go with all of the above, the glues, cutting mats, paints etc.  


Kylie and I want to do some scrapbooking together so that was the next thing I tackled: lots of scrapbooking supplies: papers, cardstock, stickers, cutter, cutting mat.......


There was something that I forgot.  Now what was it?  Hmmmmm.  Oh yes! Clothes!  So I chose a few basic things.  It is pretty hot in Sydney already - most days are reaching high 20's to 30 deg C, and it is the same here out west where my daughter lives.  So I packed mainly summer clothes and not many.  There is after all this wonderful invention called a washing machine :)  

Today is the day......

Giveaway results are......

It has been a busy couple of days.  In fact days and all night last night!  I had a phone call  yesterday morning from my darling daughter and will be leaving tomorrow to visit her for an indefinite period and wanted to get lots done before I leave tomorrow.  So, I spent yesterday and all night preparing.  I also had to get furniture clear so the electrician who was coming today could get behind cabinets for new wiring that he was putting in.  

Because of the time difference our time is ahead of most other areas of the world and I was softhearted and left the draw until lunchtime today instead of midnight last night.

The process was that I made two lists - a list of names for 1:48 scale and another for 1:12th scale.  Each list was cut into strips and the strips put into a container.  I interrupted my husband Peter's gardening to ask him to draw a name from each of the containers.  And the results are.......

For the quarter scale giveaway:

Ta-da....  drum roll please.......

        **** Sandie ****

Sandie - please email me your snail mail address so I can post your present to you.

For the 1:12th scale giveaway:

Ta-da....  another drum roll ......

        **** Drora ****

Drora - please email me your snail mail address as well and I will get your present posted too.

I wish I could send all of you a gift, because you have taken the time and trouble to become followers of my blog.  And because you leave comments that encourage me and share my pleasure in creating miniatures.  That means a lot to me and I thank you again!  Now I am starting to think about ideas for if I ever reach 200 Followers - but that might be a bit over ambitious!

One day to go.....and three more new followers

Welcome
A huge welcome to MelyMel, MiniLisa and RosaMaria.  As always I hope you enjoyed visiting my blog and that you will come again often and leave some feedback on what you see here.  I really appreciate comments and love to hear from you.  


MelyMel, your Victorian house is very elegant indeed.  I really like the way you have the different areas in the living room but the room is still a coherent whole. 


MiniLisa, the workshop you attended looks interesting.  Some kind of kitchen it appears, and it will be nice to see the finished result. 


RosaMaria, not only have you received some beautiful gifts lately but the Summer Swap items you made for Natalia are exquisite.  I'm sure she was delighted with them.


One day to go
It is 9pm, 19th September here in Sydney.  The giveaway closes midnight tomorrow night AEST (Australian Eastern Standard Time).  So there is just over a day to go - 27 hours in fact.  I have started to make the list of who wants to go in which draw.



New arrivals today
The Courier called today with a package from Petite Properties.  It weighed a reasonable amount too - because it contained three kits: Church Farm Cottages, Honeysuckle House and Cockleshell Cottage.  That is three more to add to the container of kits.  Or perhaps to the list of possibilities of the next thing to start on?



Dragons

The first of the dragons is painted.  It's Violet. You can't tell, but there are three shades of violet to purple paint on her, the final one being violet metallic.  Then I've used pure silver metallic over the top - some parts are painted on, some parts I've just rubbed it on lightly.  Her eyes are blue to give a little contrast  but they might need to be a bit darker I think.


 I wanted to have the scale markings still showing in white but that didn't look nice, so I tried it with the darkest purple worked into the grooves instead.  


 I have painted Rosie too but am not happy with the result - the colour looks quite different when it's put on the air drying clay.  And I suppose it will look different again once it is varnished.  But Violet is rather sweet, I think.  If I was a doll-maker I would give her long curly eyelashes but I'm not, so I'll have to leave well enough alone vbg.


She's not all that big, but bigger than I planned at first.   Rosie, the second dragon, was an attempt to make a smaller model but she has actually come out longer.  I still need to try again. 


Here is Violet curled up on my hand, to show her size a bit better.  


So - until tomorrow......

New followers…..Two days to go…. Sunday update…and dragons in the house!

New Followers

Welcome Rosamaria and MiniLisa.  It was really nice to open the blog today and see that you had signed on as followers and joined the giveaway.  I have visited both your blogs and am impressed by the work you have on there.  I hope you enjoyed your visit here and that you will keep returning to share my mini adventures and leave comments with feedback.  Not all my work is quarter scale – I do 1:12^th scale as well but who know, you might enjoy my quarter scale too vbg.

Countdown

It is Sunday 18^th September here in Sydney, so it is only two days to go until the giveaway closes.  When I started this blog I had no idea that there would ever be more than a little handful of people who would be interested in my mini doings, and once again I want to express my appreciation of all the encouragement and enthusiastic 

comments that you have left.  I am amazed at the number of people who visit both

here and my picture trail, and I am embarrassed that the picture trail is so out of date – must spend some time putting new photos in there.

There are dragons in the house

Yes there are – two of them!  1:12^th scale, babies at the moment.  I made them last night from air drying clay so they are still white need a lot of finishing off  – but when they are dry I will sand them off a bit, paint them and add photos.  I’m really, really happy with them.  It’s the first time I have tried to model anything other than fruit or done walls, floors and landscaping  for the Petite Properties and other cottages from ADC, and I am pleasantly surprised by how well they have turned out and the amount of detail I was able to get into them just using the slanted end of a paintbrush, a craft knife, a plastic spatula, some toothpicks and the point of a wood-carving tool to mark the scales.  I’ve got both of them up on some lego blocks today to let the air circulate all around and allow them to dry underneath and I’m moving them around a bit.  It is quite warm, 24.4 degC which is 81 degF so they are drying quickly.

Here is Violet.  She is the first one I made. 

And here is Rosie – she is slightly larger than Violet but has a thinner head.  They need to be females because of something I need to do with them – they are part of a scene – but I can’t tell you too much about it yet.  Soon though……

 

I will probably make another one tonight, to see whether I can improve on these two. There’s no way you can get really fine bits on them, but some of it is fairly fine.  I was concerned that keeping the clay damp enough to be able to work with it for long enough to get all the bits shaped might have resulted in lots of cracks as it dried but it hasn’t. 

Sunday update

Update about what?  Well might you ask lol!  There’s not much to update at the moment – I’ve just started.  There’s a bit of a story attached.  Every Sunday morning my husband Peter and son Nathan play in a ten-pin bowling league run by a wonderful local lady, Margaret.  It is for people with disabilities and their carers.  Margaret runs several leagues, drives bus routes for students with special needs (that’s how we met her – she was Nathan’s bus driver for 6 years) and is a real friend now.  I don’t play because of my back though I do enjoy the game.  I have taken a break from going to watch for over a year now because the noise of the bowling alley often triggers a bad headache, if not a migraine.  But today was Presentation Day and Nathan really wanted me to come so I did. 

Margaret is so devoted to her leagues.  She arranges gifts and trophies for the members.  Today Peter and Nathan received a trophy each as members of the team with the fourth highest overall score for the year; Nathan was one of the people who were awarded a medal for ‘most improved’; and they both had a certificate stating their highest score and thanking them for their participation.  Margaret had lined up our local Member of Parliament to do the presentations.  It's a pretty awful photo of Nathan - my camera is playing up and it kept turning off so I couldn't try again, but here he is with his medal and trophy.

Nathan was so happy about me being there to watch them bowl that I have decided to start going again each week – headache or not.  I take something along to do while I am watching and cheering them on.  Today I took the bits for a puff quilt in 1:12^th scale.  It is something that can be done in the lighting in the bowling alley, easy to transport etc.  And I thought that if I keep it packed and ready to go each week it will eventually get done, whereas I’ve had it sitting here at home for three years now and haven’t even got started on it.

So – I will give an update each Sunday and that will keep me accountable lol!  Today I traced a pile of circles using an Aussie 5cent coin.  Since people are always showing things against coins here it is.   I’m sure a lot of you have no more idea how big an Aussie 5 cent coin is than I have how big the coins are that you show, so here it is with a ruler as well vbg.

I cut out lots of circles of fabric, several layers for every paper circle I cut out and got a couple of puffs made.  So I have barely started.  But now I have committed to a weekly update – well, I hope there will be progress next week!

Well that was quite a lot to tell you today!  Now I'd better get on with some more organising of my mini things.  Peter has finishing painting the hallway where the shelves go, so I have been putting the quarter scale containers back onto the shelves.  There are a lot of containers!  I don't like the fact that having the shelves there takes 15 inches or so space in the hallway but there is nowhere else to put them at the moment.  When it is a bit cooler I hope to get some of our new plants into the ground.

Only 4 days to go......

....and Wow! lots of new followers!

Friends, it is just 4 days until the 20th and the draw for the giveaway.  I sincerely appreciate the lovely compliments you have given me about the gifts – they are so very encouraging.  And I thank those of you who put a link on your blog about it – it wasn't a condition of entry  but again was appreciated.  And it has certainly resulted in heaps of new followers!

Welcome to all those new followers  –

My dear friend Jan from Bundy, who has been faithfully following both my blogs right from the beginning but has now formalised the relationship lol!

Marlene H who has also followed from the beginning

Clare

Lara

Ana Camara

Patrizia

Rosella

Craftland

Ludmilla

Britt

Fabiola

Allia

Lydia

Malu 2

Miniaturista

Ana

El bichillo 

Virginia Isabel

Pity

Valeria

Maria Ireland

Marian

Caterina

I hope you have all enjoyed what you have seen on the blog so far and that you will visit often and keep sharing feedback with me.

I have visited all the blogs of people who have links on their profile and I am just blown away by the beautiful blogs and the lovely minis that you make.   It makes me so happy to be able to be a part of this wonderful world of mini bloggers.  Thank you again for your feedback, your kindness and for the inspiration I get from seeing your work.  Most of all, thank you for your encouragement  - it makes me want to keep on even when I feel I have no mini energy so I can share with you how things turn out!

And so – in a couple of weeks at the most (once I finish this second swap piece I am working on) I hope to be back into full-on minis: what will it be:

-        -  finishing Birchwood?

-       -   finishing the Orchard House/scullery/etc combo?

-        -  Barnacle Cottage?

-         - starting on one of the new Petite Properties kits that are winging their way to me right now? Or one of those in my stash?

-         - Debbie Young’s John F Craig mansion?

-        - Pickett Hill?

-       -  or maybe The Black Swan Guesthouse, made from scratch based on an historic inn in rural New South Wales that I love to look at each time we pass? I have already made a card mock-up of my ambitious plans for this project.

At the moment I have no idea which it will be or even if it will be something totally different so as usual – stay tuned :)

And now the countdown continues.......

I'm sure we all remember

....just where we were when we heard the shattering news on 11th September 2001, that such horrible events were taking place in America.  I was still asleep on that morning Australian time when our son Nathan came rushing in with the phone in his hand saying 'turn the television on, turn the television on!'.  It was our eldest daughter on the phone, saying in disbelief that America had been invaded.  Throughout the morning we stayed glued to the television as the terrible story unfolded live before our eyes.  Back then, before the days of digital television here, we had only 5 or 6 tv stations here and every one of them had 24/7 coverage of the ongoing tragedy.  If there was nothing new to show, they replayed the most 'newsworthy' parts. It broke my heart yet I couldn't stop watching.  Because I was at home and couldn't concentrate on reading I watched even more.  In the end I was so emotionally affected by it that I was totally drained emotionally, as I am sure everyone else was. I could not believe the suffering.  But for so many it left more than memories of shock and horror.  It left a gap in their lives that can never be filled.


And now it is 10 years and so many more lives have been lost in so many places.  I think the events of 9/11 have had an impact on everyone, even those of us who did not know personally those who lost loved ones.  My thoughts are with the people in the United States today, especially those who were bereaved on that day or know someone who was.  It will be a day that touches all people who believe in freedom throughout the world, and my sincere prayer is that while we pause to remember, we won't forget those who suffer and continue to suffer in so many ways right across the world.  Whatever we can do, in however small a way - even if it is a smile or a friendly word or act of kindness or acceptance - let's all do our part to help others feel accepted and cared about. 

Giveaway is open

Giveaway is now open!

Well friends, here are the promised photos at last, and the giveaway to celebrate 100 Followers is now officially open.  The items have a decided spring bent to them since it is now officially spring in the southern hemisphere and also since I thought that floral items would be handy for anyone no matter what their projects were.

For quarter scale (1:48th)

Side one of flower barrow and arbor

I have assembled a small arbor which would make a lovely

Top view of arbor.

 feature in a corner of a garden, or look really nice over a narrow pathway or stepping stones leading from one part of the garden to another.  I have covered it with a clematis vine blooming with a profusion of purple flowers.   I love this arbor, and even though it took forever to make the clematis vine, I think it is lovely to have a climber over it.

Reverse side of flower barrow and arbor

The second part of the giveaway for this scale is a wheelbarrow filled to overflowing with a mini-garden to add a floral feature to your quarter scale terrace, conservatory or garden.  The white daisies and flowers sparkle against the bright and cheerful poppies and daffodils.  Ivy and the vine tumble over the sides of the wheelbarrow.

For one inch (1:12th) scale

Again, I have made a floral display.  This time I attempted to give a wooden container a shabby-chic finish (my first attempt at this).  Inside is a lovely arrangement of roses, dark pink with burgundy striations, similar to a real-life rose I love.  Tiny flowers in pink and white along

1:12th scale give-away

Rear view of flower arrangement in container

with fern leaves are scattered throughout the arrangement and more fern leaves soften the edges of the container.   


The box is lined with paper so if desired, the arrangement could possibly be removed and the box used for another purpose if so desired, though I'm not sure how the flowers would fare.  The box is wooden and could be repainted if you wished.

Petitpoint cushion

The second part of the giveaway for 1:12th scale is a hand-stitched cushion.  I used one strand of DMC floss on 40hpi silk gauze for the petitpoint front of this cushion. The rose design is in tent stitch and the background is in basketweave.  The cushion is backed in 100% pure cotton, and the cording is DMC.  It measures approximately 1 1/4" square.  


Conditions of Entry:
 1. Only Followers are eligible to enter.  You may enter either of the draws or both.
2. To enter, please leave a comment after this post, stating which draw you'd like to enter: 1:48, 1:12 or both.
3. Entries will close 12 midnight Tuesday 20th September AEST (Australian Eastern Standard Time).
4. There will be two draws - one for each scale. If you have entered for both scales your name will be entered for both scales so you have a chance to win either giveaway.
5.Results will be posted on Wednesday, 21st September AEST.


I hope you like the giveaways!  Everything except the metal quarterscale wheelbarrow and the one inch scale box were made by me, a lot from kits some, including the cushion,  from scratch.  They were all - including the cushion, done to express my deep appreciation to you, my dear Followers, for your interest, encouragement and support!


Good luck!

It's Spring! - and welcome Kathi

Hello Kathi from 'Beautiful Mini Blessings'!  It is lovely to see that you have signed on as a follower here.  I love your blog and hope you enjoy my mini adventures as much as I enjoy sharing your mini world. Perhaps you will have fun sharing my quarter scale journey as you embark on your first quarter scale house :)

Update on the giveaway!
The 1:12th items are completed, the 1:48th ones nearly so.  I really hope you will like them!  I have been promising photos for a while now, I know.  But now the sermon is prepared and presented (whew!), the other home obligations are under control if not completed, and life is more manageable even if my mini world isn't (vbg) I have been able to get more time on them.  So not long now.........


Spring has sprung
Yes, I know it seems odd to those of you in the northern hemisphere but today is the 1st September so for us 'down under'  it is the first day of spring.  Mother Nature however doesn't wait for the calendar, and signs of spring have been bursting out everywhere for a while now.  The doona has been off the bed, the lighter blankets have been on instead and the doors and windows open wider during the day.  Peter has been wearing shorts and short-sleeved shirts during the middle of the day, and yesterday even I wore a t-shirt and summer pants, with a cardigan just in the late afternoon.  


I enjoy this weather - there's still a chill at night and in the mornings and it's not too hot during the day, only reaching around 20deg or so.  And I'm spring cleaning too, sort of!  Still organising my workroom (out of necessity) but working slowly through the rest of the house too bit by bit.  And my mini mojo is poking its head up too - not really making an appearance yet but definitely peeking around the corner to see what's going on.  Once I catch up on the things  I need to do, perhaps it will overcome its shyness and really come out into the open!