Macrame

Hello again, 

A few years ago I tried macrame, did a few snowflakes, feathers and stars, after which I set it aside, just long enough to pick it up again during lockdown. 

I wouldn't create big projects, but I like the small ornaments and the bags are so cool. Macrame is slowly getting back in fashion and if I can help this craft to be more fashionable, why not? 

There's a little similarity between macrame and tatting when it comes of knots. In tatting the guide cord will be either the thread (if shuttles are used) or a needle (when needle is used) and the Lark"s Head Knots are worked on those. Also the picots are done the similar way. 

I rarely buy tutorials, my go-to is YouTube, there's a vast range of tutorials for everything in there, that helped me alot. Also helps if one joins groups on Facebook for similar crafts. 

Beads

My love for beads I enherited from my mother, I think. She always had to have beads since she was a child. In fairness, I don't think there is someone out there who doesn't like beads.

For my projects I mainly use the best beads on the market, which will never fade, or loose their luster. Beads can vary in size and color, l mostly use the same (among other) seed, miyuki, toho, glass, beads. But there is a bead that makes every woman smile...the mighty pearl. Some of my projects can also contain tiny fresh water pearls.

Some of these beady, pearly goodies will be displayed at the my local Christmas Fair, visit me there or pop in my Etsy shop..... link here to view all my products...

Patterns of this collage belong to:  Linda Jeanne Smith, Deborah Robert, Olga Vinnere Petterson etc. 

Nature In My Garden

Hello,

Since early spring wildlife have been visiting my garden. Now it's July and  birds, insects, butterflies, bees are still  enjoying what my garden can offer. They are so so essential and beneficial in the garden for pollinating fruit, feeding on pests. Even the pesky cabbage fly is welcomed in my garden because I know there's a parasitic wasp that will use its caterpillar to feed the growing wasp larvae.

This little chap is a solitary mason wasp, it took up residence under one of my trays. (hence the label) it feeds on small caterpillar that are paralized by its sting. It would lay an egg on top of a few caterpillars in the chamber that are made of clay. Then she seals it and starts building a new cell. The larvae would hatch and feed on the paralized caterpillars then pupate, then hatch into this very useful lil wasp. 

There's another little parasitic wasp that catches spiders to feed its brood. 

Another wonder of nature was when I eyewitnesed almost the whole transformation of a butterfly, just missing the last chapter. Was gutted, so I was😩😥

This peacock butterfly early spring visited my nettle patch and deposited its eggs on the back of the still young nettle leaves. Once they hatched, the tiny, dark, hairy caterpillars turned into eating machines and just ate and ate until they were ready to pupate. For the life of me I can't guess how did a caterpillar end up in my greenhouse, but I'm glad it did because I could see the most wonderful thing nature can offer. The pupae stayed like that for almost for 2 weeks. At that time I didn't know which butterfly would this caterpillar belong to, I could only guess as many use the nettle patch as nursery. So I turned to Google and found out that it belong to a peacock butterfly. Boy, oh boy, I was excited to see the butterfly emerge. Unfortunately I've missed it but I'm hoping next year I'll be luckier 😊🦋and see the whole process. 

Here are a few other residents and visitors : ladybug, red soldier beetle

Other butterflies like Tortoiseshell and Comma often fluttered by resting on a flower, feeding on another.

While I was harvesting my garlic, from the corner of my eye I saw on the wall of the house a butterfly, dropping  everything, grabbing my phone, tiptoeing closer only to discover it's a Comma butterfly. And if you look at the picture I've posted, you'll see too why it's called a Comma butterfly. Bumblebees loving my cosmos, ragwort flowers and sunflower, cinnebar butterfly caterpillars gorging themselves on the ragwort pollen. 

It's amazing how many insects a so hated wildflower like the ragwort can attract, I'm amazed to see that every day as I walk by the big tall flowers in my orchard. Ragwort that can't exist without cinnabar moth and vice versa. 

Honeybees, butterflies, hover flies, and other pollen loving insects depend on this wildflower. 

And of course all I sects in a way or another end up as food for other creatures just to complete the circle of life. 

August 27th

The visit of wildlife continues in my garden all through this month too. As flowers burst into bloom the fluttering, buzzing wildlife flock, pour into the garden. 

Not only beneficial insects but some feared pesky pests too, but that's ok because they are always food for other visitors like birds, parasitic insects and small mammals. 

Here is every gardeners nightmare pest, the small cabbage butterfly resting on a sacrificial plant. Here, a nasturtium that's planted to attract this pesky pest away from my brassicas. 😜😂. Of course even so some brassicas got nibbled but that's ok, my brassicas have survived the attack due to netting and other companion plants that hid the smell of brassicas from them. 

My Garden

It's July

The garden is thriving, in spite of all the rain we have gotten. No, I'm not complaining, in fairness, the garden needed the rain after the dry and hot weather we had. Not complaining about the heat either.

These are the cracks in the ground, which now slowly disappearing with all this rain we are getting. 

Fruit, veg, herbs are ripening, harvested and frozen to be used later. 

Flowers are gorgeous in places, the rain kind of bent and battered them a bit, but they'll be fine. Warm weather coming, the weather man said. I live in hope!

Things looking awesome in the greenhouses too, aubergines to be harvested, chilies, cucumbers, melons getting fatter by the minute and tomatoes are blushing like mad.

Stuff in the raised beds are getting ready to be harvested, the beans and peas and brassicas, garlic needs to be lifted and big beetroots among many other things. 

I'm grateful for everything that grows in my garden, because that means I can cook yummy dishes for my family. Lately I made summer veg curry with chicken, pasta bolognese, and yesterday I whipped up a delicious ratatouille.

Today had to feed my tomatoes, chilis, aubergines and cucumbers with my own home made comfrey feed. I kid you not, it smells horrible, but my plants in the greenhouse love it. I feed them every fortnight.

Also harvested my elephant and purple skinned winter garlic. I mean 3 cloves can make a big head like my fist if not bigger. I also have a grape wine in the greenhouse, I'm hoping to have some grapes on it next year.

I went out this morning to open my greenhouses, like I always do every morning, and I saw a few veg that needed to be picked. Just enough for the tea....

As July slowly comes to an end my garden still produces goodies that I just love harvesting and preparing nourishing delights with them for my family. 

I juiced the beetroot with apples and carrots and we drink that every day. It's amazing how healthy and good it is. With the kohlrabi I made a soup with meatballs, also very yummy. 

New crafts

Hello again, 

For a crafter it's always an exciting challenge to try/learn a new craft. Over the last few years opportunity arose  to learn/perfect new crafts. Due to events, we all very well know about, time I had loads. As we all tried to occupy our days with something to avoid the madness of lockdown and all that, I've been lucky to have my garden and crafts. 

And this is how I've learnt a lot about tatting, beading and macrame. On the way I've met a few wonderful ppl who gave me tips and support during these challenging times. I'm always grateful for any help. 

The pattern that  I'm working from are not mine, they are bought or from books/magazines I've purchased online. There are many designers to be named, but I'll try to give credit to each and all as I work along. 

These 3 new crafts I've learnt kind of pushed in the background the other crafts, but they aren't forgotten 😜

So on this happy note my blog posts will concentrate on these crafts and new creations. 

Welcome

Hello everyone, 

my name is Annamaria. By birth I am Hungarian, I live in Ireland with my loving husband for many years now. I like all sorts of things to do, like gardening , cooking, reading , walkies, music and of course crafts. My love for crafts started as a lifetime hobby, which slowly turned into a business. 

 I'm the owner of "Anna's Crafty Corner", you can check it out here, Facebook Business Page link and Etsy shop link here. Message me both sites if you fancy anything and you'd like to purchase. 

I also started a group for fellow tatters, whom like to learn this craft, or already know about Tatting and like to share the or patterns (free or selling) and experience. The name of the group is "I Love Tatting" it's a small, but growing in number group. I'd like to think, that my group has a friendly environment that provides a chance to everyone who'd like to dwell into this lovely craft. 

My business provides a vast range of handmade products like tatted jewellery and ornaments, macrame, or beaded jewellery and ornaments for now, but I also crochet, knit, play with clay and resin. 

As mentioned above my products are handmade, unique personalized gifts using the best materials available on local Irish markets and websites.

My blog will not only feature posts about my business but also about my other hobbies and interesting things. 

Please feel free pop in, leave a comment, and if you see the perfect gift for your loved ones or a friend, please feel free leave a private message for me on my business facebook page or etsy shop (see links above) 

Thank you for your time and patience :)