Brondanw Gardens, Snowdonia North Wales

We visited this lovely garden last week, just over the valley from us! 

The Brondanw Estate lies within the Snowdonia National Park, between Snowdon and the sea. Plas Brondanw is the principal house on the estate.

The gardens at Plas Brondanw are not as famous as his village of Portmeirion, but many people consider them to be Clough's most marvellous creation.

Today the gardens are open to the public, see theAdmission page for details of opening times and costs. There is a cafe at the gardens which serves Welsh produce at its very best.The cafe also offers a catering service for special occasions, christenings, private parties and weddings, see our Weddings page for more.

Breathtaking views from the tower

Yes thats the sea!

Bluebells in the woods

http://www.brondanw.org/english/index.html

Some more decoupaged clocks and other things!!

So this is a collection of unloveds waiting for a makover!  The one on the right turned into my round the world clock as seen in an earlier post.  I am currently deciding what to do with the  tall one on the right- just waiting to find the right book/paper/ 

So this one I forgot to photograph before I took the ugly finials off it and replaced the face but gives you an idea of starting condition- the finished result is a bit further on in this post....

This large china cheese cover has been hanging around for ages waiting for the right paper to come along- I often find this actually.  I have an idea how I would like it to look and eventually it all works out!  So this lovely is very chipped and has lots of crazing and hairline cracks- I used the paper napkin technique to cover these blemishes and then lashings of varnish to cover and protect.  I really love it!

This was my first paper napkin decoupage project- an old sewing machine drawer.  I really love peacock design and this was so handy on the coffee table.  I painted the inside of the drawer with Annie Sloan and distressed it.

Here is my peacock beauty!  Such a change from the black one earlier.  

I added a lovely vintage style image to the inside.

I used Distress Ink to add an aged effect which I think really enhances this clock.

This little lovely is so rich and vintage looking  Again using paper napkin technique.  I really love using paper napkins, it is a challenge but there are so many lovely napkins to choose from and I love the texture they give.

And then there was this one!  I love this one again in peacock- I had to replace the movement and really overhaul this clock.  So far the sewing machine drawer, the large peacock clock the one above have sold on my Folksy shop- Houseofffion!  I do hope that the new owners are happy with their purchases as I love all my clocks.  What do you think?  Also I am always on the look out for vintage/old lovely new papers/images to use on my clocks, and always on the look out for clocks wanting a makeover! 

Spring Time at Pratts Patch!

Coal bunker and log store designed and made by Gary - they are brilliant and I am so pleased with them!

Spring flowers

Well spring seems to have sprung and April is here!  We have been starting on the veggie patch once more rotating crops and planting more of what we like and were successful with last year.  Also protecting our valuable crops from our wild neighbours such as birds, mice, butterflies and others!

Tomatoes, cherry and ordinary planted.

Lettuce and salad leaves planted.

Celeriac ready to pull, rhubarb at the back with blueberries in raised trough.

Raspberry canes, gooseberry bushes, shallots in bed.

We have also extended the plot to include a trough on the  outer edge where we will plant carrots.  We are going with the plant as much as you can - do not follow spacing rules just go for it!!  Also co-planting, that is if there is a space put something in it!
Gary is also constructing the defence cages, so will post pics of these when finished.  Our poor gooseberries are always attacked by caterpillars a bit later in the year making them look so awful so we intent trying to protect them this year.  Mice have competed with me to eat our strawberries so will see if our defence strategy works this year.

We are planning on planting courgette again this year, potatoes in sacks, mange tout, dwarf beans , salad, parsnip and anything else we can fit in!

Decoupage Clock Tutorial

Well as part of the British Sellers on Etsy team I have taken part in the Team Swap- I have received an absolutely lovely brooch made by Shalotte and in return  I recycled one of my little clocks with designs that I thought she may like.  I used this as an opportunity to provide a bit of a story of the little clocks journey.

There once was a little clock that didn't work and had a dirty face.......

 

It's top and bottom were removed.... these clocks are assembled in much the same way- removing the feet and nuts at the top releases the top and bottom.

This allows the door and glass to be removed

Often the faces are held in place with sticky pads.  This clock didn't work so I removed the hands

and the paper face- removing the clock movement is a bit of a challenge but eventually comes away.....

the clock in pieces ready for a new life!

I added a brand new quartz movement...

I used an image from Graphics Fairy ( the front of a photo album) and placed a clock face within the image- I photocopied this .....

and added it to the clock.  I fitted the new hands....

Now it was time to start covering the clock... I used pages from books and printed images to decorate the frame.

removing the handle helps to give a clean finish to the top....

Remember to keep all the small bits safe in a little pot.....

Top, bottom and door...

Top bottom and door after revamp.....

I like to add a small detail to the handle.

Reassembled and ready for more embellishment 

The theme for this was 'Spring'- as the receiver of this gift likes Pre- Raphaelites I used pictures in this style to depict the Spring theme

I like to add detail to the base...

I added some lovely pictures to the sides and top- I used a boarder from an old book to decorate the front of the clock.

I then added a good few coats of varnish to protect the whole thing..

I added a cutting from an old dictionary to the inside of the door...

The finished item

This little metal embellishment I think adds to this little clock- I had it in a box of items  of spares for repairs - the Mucha design for 'Spring' 'Pritemps' reminds us of the Spring theme.

I hope my swap partner likes this as much as I do?????