A Natural Pair - Ultra Blue Star Petunia/Tahiti

Happy Saturday, Sewists!

I love petunias because they bloom their little hearts out

in the heat of summer or the cool of spring and fall.

I can always count on my petunias to greet me with glorious color.

This one is the blue star petunia.

I've paired it with the By Annie Handbag zipper in Tahiti.

This picture is not re-touched.

I took it midday in the bright sunshine.

From the Wasatch Shadows Nursery here in Utah:

Ultra Blue Star Petunia will grow to be about 12 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 12 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 10 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. This fast-growing annual will normally live for one full growing season, needing replacement the following year.

This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by cuttings; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Ultra Blue Star Petunia is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor containers and hanging baskets. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers against which the thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.

The By Annie handbag zipper in Tahiti is a popular color in my shop and you can see why.  It is a vibrant, beautiful purple color.

Thanks so much for stopping by.  Have a terrific weekend.

A Natural Pair - Butterfly Bush/Ivory

Happy Saturday sewists!

This week's natural pair is the white butterfly bush and

the ivory By Annie handbag zipper.

Although the butterfly bush is called white,

it leans more toward the ivory side,

as you can see in the photo above.

The butterfly bush (generic name Buddeleia Davidii) comes in

several colors:  pink, purple, red, white, yellow

I have the pink, purple, and white growing in my backyard.

True to their name, the butterflies love them — and so do the hummingbirds and bees!

Butterfly Bush is a deciduous shrub here in zone 5,

but it can be an evergreen in warmer zones.

Be careful in those warm zones, though, it could become invasive.

That's not the case here in colder zones.

I just cut mine back almost to the ground every winter and it grows to be about 10 feet tall

the next summer; and it is a prolific bloomer from late July through frost.

My pink and white butterfly bushes are side by side and they make a massive statement!

I used a By Annie ivory handbag zipper on my Ultimate Travel Bag.

If you don't need a true, stark white zipper, the ivory is a nice neutral choice.

Thank you for visiting.

A Natural Pair - Pastel Pink Snapdragon/Pale Pink

Happy Thursday, sewers!

Today's blog post is brought to you by the

By Annie handbag zipper color:  Pale Pink.

I've paired it with a lovely pastel pink snapdragon.

I'm a pink kind of girl - any shade, any tone, I love pink!

Snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus) are a tender perennial that are

available in a variety of shades and colors.

They are also available in varying heights,

so shop around for the best match for your location.

They prefer cool, damp weather for the best blooms.

Mine re-appear in full beautiful color every spring here in Utah.

I do still have snapdragons blooming in the almost 100 degree heat of July,

but they are the most robust in spring and fall.

As you can see from the seed packet pictured below,

there are two different pink snapdragons.

One is a bolder, deeper pink color than the other.

The By Annie handbag zipper in pale pink matches up nicely with the lighter, pastel pink snapdragon.

Thank you so much for reading my blog.

Have a terrific afternoon and remember to stop and admire the flowers:

 “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these."  (Luke 12:27, New International Version)

Next week's zipper color is Ivory.

A Natural Pair - Stock/Wild Plum

Photo has not been altered.  Picture was taken at Noon on a bright, sunny day.

Hello Sewists!

I'm starting a weekly blog post aimed at giving you a better idea

of what color the By Annie handbag zippers are in real life.

I know it is difficult to be certain of what color to order when you can't

see the zipper in person.

Since God placed a plethora of color in nature,

I will be using natural items to pair with a matching zipper.

First up, we have the Stock plant and the Wild Plum zipper.

Stock (botanical name is Matthiola incana)

flowers have a lovely clove-like fragrance.

Stock is available in a variety of colors.

This one is more pink than purple.

For a good comparison of the pinks and purples,

take a look at this photo from Burpee seeds:

Next week's featured zipper color is Papaya.

If you have a zipper color purchase that you are pondering,

and you would like a better idea of the true color,

post a comment below and I will hunt down something in nature

with which to pair the zipper.

Happy sewing, my friends!

Coneflower Season

Coneflowers are one of my most favorite of summer's floral beauties

They're reliable, they return to visit me every summer

and they always produce colorful blooms

no matter the environment - wet - dry- cool - hot

it doesn't matter

they return.

And now, I can enjoy the beauty of the coneflower year round.

This quick, wool applique candle mat helps me get my coneflower fix

even when the cold winter winds are blowing and the snow is swirling

I added hot fix crystals for a little bling on the "cone"

From bhg.com "Purple coneflower is one of the toughest, most reliable perennials on the market"

As you can see, my coneflower is indeed purple

But, it has some added burnt orange coloring

A very similar coloring to the coneflowers growing in my garden

Disclaimer:

I pressed the wool with my iron and held it in place too long,

thus scorching the purple wool!!!

*sigh*

Instead of hand stitching, I used my sewing machine for the applique

My #BabyLock #Sashiko did an outstanding job on those leaf veins . . .

and on the coneflower stem

The back of the mat is finished off with a simple, cotton fabric

This little mat is a lovely addition to my late summer décor

Enjoy the late season beauty of this great earth God has created, my friends.

Welcome Spring

Apple Butter

Apples from my apple tree + sugar, cinnamon, & cloves = sweet Fall flavors all winter long.

Equally good on pork, english muffins or toast, or straight out of the jar!  Ya' gotta love this time of year.