Wrapped up in Autumn

There certainly is a feeling in the air that the seasons are once again changing. The days are dawning cool, pale and misty and the evenings are drawing in earlier and earlier. Autumn is well and truly here...

As much as I hate to say goodbye to Summer, I do have a special place in my heart for Autumn too. I love all the colours of it, all the warm hues of orange, purple and red that are everywhere around us. It always inspires me to grab my slightly neglected camera bag and head out on a woodland walk to snap as many pictures as I can.

All the trees and shrubs in our favourite forest seem to have exploded with fruits, berries and seeds over the past week and no matter where I pointed my camera, there was something waiting to be captured. I haven't had this much fun with with my camera lenses in a long time. It really was a rather wonderful afternoon.

Best of all, with the weather turning slightly cooler, I had the chance to use my gorgeous new wrap. I made this a good few months ago, but haven't brought it out until today. It's my version of this wrap from the talented Purl Bee and I must admit that I am completely in love with it.

For over a year I squirrelled away little balls of Debbie Bliss Bella yarn, buying some whenever I found them on offer and finally splurging out on a whole bag full when I heard that this range is being discontinued.

It is the most wonderfully soft, snugly, warm and luxurious yarn I have ever used and the colours are enough to make me smile no matter what the weather. Being wrapped up in this made my already amazing day just perfect :)

Mothers and other wonderful things

I love England and over the past ten years it has become my home, but my heart will never truly leave my beloved South Africa. I have been able to go and visit my parents nearly every year since I left home, but due to the changes in our circumstances this year, I will not be able to make the trip over there. Luckily there was a compromise to be had and my mum came to visit us!

My mum and I are very similar souls and it is from her that I got my love of colour and using my hands to create beautiful things. She is a quilter and a very talented one at that. My house is filled with her amazing creations and I am very privileged to own these colourful works of art. I was lucky enough to receive this newest addition to my collection on my mum's arrival.

We also share a love of good food and fresh fruit and we made sure to eat as many doughnut peaches as we possibly could while they were (briefly) in season.

Tomatoes is another one of our favourite things and we ate them in all shapes and sizes, fried, grilled or just simply cut into salads, we're not picky :)

The weather wasn't exactly on it's best behaviour over the two week visit and we had to spend a lot of time indoors. Luckily my mum is also a keen crocheter and we were more than happy to while away the hours with hooks and yarn, chatting and laughing and catching up with each others lives. Happy times :)

As is always the case when you are having fun, the time flew past us at a worrying pace and before we knew it, it was time for my mum to fly home again. It never gets any easier to say goodbye and I never manage to keep the tears from flowing when I walk the other way. At least this time I was able to give something of my own to my mum to take with her for those days when we miss each other so. A little bit of me and a little bit of South Africa all in one colourful blanket.

 
It was so lovely to make this blanket and I put a lot of love into the making of it and am happy to say that I loved the end result. The best part of all was to give it to someone I love dearly and that it now lives in the home where my heart lives too.