Saturday, May 18, 2013

Bluebells and Buttons (or cuckoos and clocks!)

The bluebells are late this year but definitely worth waiting for.  Earlier this week I was working from home and needed to get out, clear my head, and get away from the computer screen for a while so I took myself off to our local bluebell wood, Arger Fen.  This was what greeted me - a sea of blue!


They are so dainty as they hang their heads.


I sat and wallowed in them, listening to chiffchaffs and my first cuckoo.  The video clip below has the cuckoo singing (although if you're reading this on an iPad you sadly won't be able to see it).


Today though I've been creating with buttons. Ever since I saw this button clock on pinterest I've wanted to make one.  Initially I planned to go and buy a rainbow assortment of buttons to make one like that one but I changed my mind, deciding that a: I'm not really a plastic button, rainbow type of girl, and b: I have hundreds of buttons here!


So after some sorting, some careful measuring and some sewing I made this more muted one.


I had some problems stopping the mechanism from pulling the fabric back which made the hands catch the buttons, but a bit of ribbon and some drawing pins did the trick!


I'm really pleased I opted for the more muted colours, using a mixture of old and new buttons, as it looks just perfect on my dining room mantlepiece.


(Although I have just realised that one of the buttons I've used is the spare one from the coat I bought last November so I'll just have to hope I don't lose one from it!)

9 comments:

Julie said...

I love the clock and thank you for the video, I always love to hear the cuckoo. What a gorgeous bluebell wood too.

Anonymous said...

I think your clock looks more suited to your décor.

I watched the video, but I am on a computer that comes with the house I am staying in on Loch Fyne and it has, apparently, no sound...

Plain Jane said...

That clip is magical - I really felt as though I was in the woods! Love the clock x Jane

Anonymous said...

I've been looking into making a wall clock from an old plate I picked up which features garden tools... it will go in the newly designed summerhouse, which is now a potting shed cum gardener's rest. And whilst I don't always want to be clock watching or even reminded of the time, nor do I always need to, it might be useful if I nod orff!

Annie Cholewa said...

Oh I do like this ... the more muted look suits the idea better in my humble opinion. Love it!

Miriam Weaver said...

Loving the clock, brilliant idea.

Jo said...

Bluebells are one flower which look stunning en masse, such a shame that the season for them is so short. I loved the clip, so peacful sounding. I've never seen a cuckoo, though I've often heard them. The clock is wonderful, very clever.

flowerlady said...

Very creative,just goes to show that everything has a use even if not for it's original use.We also sat in a bluebell wood listening to a cuckoo this weekend,it must be catching

Anna said...

Love the clock :)