Alan meets The Secret Gardener

It’s not often that grumpy old Percy Grower lets the other Gardeners have a day off. So when Alan Pitchfork got the chance of a few hours to himself he took full advantage and arranged to meet his friend The Secret Gardener (TSG).

He’s ‘Secret’ from Percy. Percy would  most certainly be jealous of the garden that TSG tends. Plus TSG is rather an expert at rearing delicate hothouse plants, something Percy has never quite achieved.

Anyway, you can see what a lovely day they had together. Alan even managed to smuggle his pet HooterNinnie out for the day!

Alan & Hootie make a new friend

Hootie tucks in to a bunch of berries

Doing a spot of bird watching

Resting their weary stitches

TSG shows off his Aloe plant

TSG's favourite orchid

Just enough time for a cream tea!

Hop into the travel bag chaps and say Goodbye!

After Alan, Hootie and The Secret Gardener parted company, TSG made his way off to a new home. His new home is with the young boy who designed him. To find out a few more of his Secrets you can follow him on his own blog:

The Secret Gardener!

Oscar’s 5th (Secret) Gardener

Oscar’s instruction for the 5th Gardener was simply to make him in ‘Gardener colours’. I know he’s not quite as grubby looking as the other 3, but he is still shades of green. As he’s obviously a lot younger than the other Gardeners I think it’s OK for him to look a little trendier.

He’s already been out on a photo shoot – this is his favourite (he’s actually quite vain!)…

The Secret Gardener posing with a giant crocus

Oscar designs PowerSox

Well Oscar has been very busy designing again! Oscar is my 7 year old nephew and he’s been creating all kinds of new creatures during his summer holiday. This is just one of the design sheets he’s given to me!

Oscar’s picture shows a lovely array of very colourful PowerSox creatures. The leader, and biggest of them all, is Strength – the stripey one in the middle. Strength’s employees get powered up by pressing the green triangle in the middle of their tummy.

I’ve had a go at making Strength, Anger (the red one) and Stretch (the yellow one).

What do you think Oscar?

Strength PowerSox with Anger & Stretch

Oscar’s Alien Sock Creature

A few months ago I did my first craft fair. I was really nervous and didn’t know what to expect. I roped my little sis Lou into helping me and we had a brilliant day! My 7 year old nephew Oscar kept popping by with his Dad to see how much money was in the pot and helped encourage people to spend money by asking ‘is there anything on the stall you’d like to buy?’. Good lad!

Anyway, the day after the event Oscar decided he’d like to design his own sock creature. I told him I’d make it up for him. I feel a bit bad that it’s taken so long but I think the result is quite a good likeness! I hope Oscar thinks so.

I might ask him to do some more designs for me, it’s quite exciting trying to interpret someone elses idea for a change.

Here’s the pic of Oscar’s original design work showing ‘SockoMow’ the alien sock creature and his little pink eyed travelling companion.

And here’s the sewn up versions!

Well, I’d best wrap the pair of them up and get them off in the post to Oscar – I expect he’ll want to show his Grandma and Grandpa his design work!