I could never successfully grow tulips until we moved to a cooler climate than Sydney’s. I followed all the tips about storing the bulbs in the fridge until planting but they never flowered. All I have to do here is plant them in the ground in May and they flourish. I’m thankful for that since […]
Welcome
Hello! I’m Erica Spinks and I’m so pleased you are here.
Welcome to readers who have followed me from my Creative Dabbling blog and to all of you who have just found me.
I write mostly about gardening, reading, writing, quilt making and creativity.
Visitor plants
Visitor plants often pop up in my garden. They are usually self-seeded and arrive unexpectedly. Some are generally regarded as ‘weeds’ because of this but I admire their will to live. Several of these Corydalis plants have popped up recently but I didn’t know what they were until I used the PictureThis app to identify […]
Weekend reading
Reading keeps me informed and entertained while our lives are still restricted by the plague. I read articles from many, many magazines each month, thanks to my public libraries. They subscribe to hundreds of titles through PressReader and Libby so members can read them for free. Does your library offer these services? It’s especially handy […]
Fragments of cloth
Playing with small pieces of cloth and simple stitches can be therapeutic. There are no expectations, no pattern to follow, and no purpose really – just to play with different techniques. I did that with these two small pieces, which I call Fragments. Each piece is approximately 14cm x 20cm Fragment 1 is two layers […]
In my garden column: September 2021
As is normal in September here, some days and nights are cold while others are warm. It’s noticeable that the season is changing, with blossoming trees in all the streets and gardens. The crab apple in my back yard is in all its blossoming glory (look at those colours!) yet the one in the front […]
Woven brooch tutorial
Over the years, I have used scraps of yarn to make woven brooches. It’s an easy process and could be applied to add texture to textile art and Artist Trading Cards. Give it a go if you are looking for something different to try. The technique involves weaving threads with interesting textures through warp threads […]
My book of the month: August 2021
I’m a fan of Louise Penny’s Chief Inspector Armand Gamache novels (this is the 17th in the series). I rate every book in this series highly. So when I say I consider The Madness of Crowds her best yet, you can tell it had a strong impact on me. I usually can’t wait to get […]
Fun with name badges
Making your own textile name badge, ready for gatherings, is so much better than using a felt pen to write your name on a sticky label. It’s fun to make and shows your individuality. I made this one some years ago, using several different techniques. I used a piece of my hand dyed orange/red fabric […]
In my garden column: August 2021
It’s a beautiful winter’s day here – sunny but with a cold breeze. Perfect for inspecting the garden and noting how much work needs to be done! Tackling one section at a time seems to be the only way to not be totally overwhelmed. Focus Erica, focus. 😀 This is one of my rhododendrons with […]
Weekend reading
The cold winds have kept me out of the garden over the past few weeks. I enjoy a cold day but not howling, freezing gales. The winds are predominantly from the west here and, at this time of the year, that means it’s best to stay indoors. It’s difficult to focus some days because of […]