Friday 28 February 2014

Play Time!

My friend owns a lovely fabric shop locally (Timeless Fabrics in Milford On Sea, Hampshire) and she has just received a new order of some truly wonderful 100% organic cotton from Birch Fabrics (www.birchfabrics.com).
I was in the shop yesterday, when Claire asked me if I'd mind making a sample quilt, using the fabric, for the store. WOULD I MIND????????
Just look at what she gave me to play with......


Aren't they pretty? The idea is to use the "cheat panel" in the centre, with the floral as a border, so without further ado........


I was going to hand quilt it, but as it's supposed to show Mrs. General Public (or indeed "Mr") how easy it is just to buy a length of fabric, and whip up a quick quilt over a weekend, hand quilting is probably a big no-no. Hmmmmm........think this calls for some straight line quilting....watch this space....
In other news, I made another Bento Box mat....


I really enjoy this nifty little block. I adapted it a little from Tikki Patchwork's original pattern, to use needleturn applique for the accent squares, as I love the method and think it gives a neater finish. But that's about it from my little corner of the world....it's been a little quiet in these here parts.
Thanks for popping by. xx

Sunday 16 February 2014

I'm Just A Girl Who Can't Say No.........

.....but I'm NOT in a terrible fix; I always say come on, let's sew, and I would not want to say "nix"! A bit of poetic license there, with words from "Oklahoma!"....but what's a girl to do, when yet ANOTHER Saturday is dominated by football?
Training for The Son, in the morning, was followed by a trip to Sports Direct, for new football boots (I'm seriously thinking of binding The Son's feet, to stop them growing so fast) and for those of you who've not ventured into a Sports Direct shop yet....DON'T! It makes very little difference which branch you visit, They are all crowded with shelves, to the point that circulation within is nigh on impossible, and filled with staff, all of whom are busy with OTHER clients.....nightmare!
However, the branch that we were due to visit, just HAPPENS to find itself sitting next door to a Fabricland. Yay. It would have been rude not to pop in, just for a browse, while The Husband and The Son were bonding over studs. So browse I did.
Now, my family is full of little sayings....I was brought up on them, and can probably think of one for most situations. One of those sayings was "don't look, because looking leads to touching". It should probably have gone on to say "and then you'll end up buying, as you have NO willpower in a fabric shop"........


I rest my case. In my defence, there are not many places where you can buy quality, 100% cotton fabric, for just £3.69 a metre. Six lots of 25cms, WOF pieces for just £11....with a bit more thrown in, as it was the end of the bolt......As I said, "I'm just a girl who can't say no".....
In other news, how is this for inventiveness? As you'll probably be aware, the south coast of England has been well and truly hit by some real hoolies recently...yet The Dog still needs to go for walks......


.....so this is me....all kitted out in waterproof coat, wellies...and bin-liners. Certainly a look, not destined for the catwalks of the world.....just wet dog walks. Ha. Ha.
I shall love you and leave you, as for once it's not raining, and I can walk said dog without my latest fashion statements. Thanks for popping by. xx

Sunday 9 February 2014

A Lady What Teas........

As opposed to A Lady What Lunches. And I've had such a lovely day! It started with plenty of waffles, thanks to The Husband and my new Happy Birthday Waffle Maker. When I say "thanks to The Husband" I mean that he bought me said Waffle Maker for my Happy Birthday....not that he made said waffles for breakfast, this morning. Let's not get TOO carried away.
A lazy (rather overstuffed) breakfast, was followed by the Obligatory Sunday Standing On Soggy Sidelines, while The Son played his part in the Semi-Finals of the Dorset Cup for Under 10's football match. He scored a great goal and his team won, so now it's on to the finals. To be honest, I'm not sure The Nerves will cope with a Finals match.....think I'll have to invest heavily in a large box of Tena Ladys; all that jumping up and down, yelling encouragement.......
Then we whizzed back home, threw The Son and Daughter No.1 out of the car, changed out of our football garb, and went off, just The Husband and me, for A Champagne Afternoon Tea, at a beautifully luxurious hotel, nearby in The Forest. Heaven.


Friends (The Lovely Kym and Sarah and their lovely families) had bought this for us, as a wedding present, back in August, but because of Flippin Football dominating our every step, this was truly the first opportunity we'd had to partake of a moment of refinement! It was glorious.....and in case you were wondering, yes, there are two more scones hiding behind the cups on the second tier (which, incidentally are brim full with jam and clotted cream)....and, yes, the two pink creamy fruit things on the top tier, are also hiding a couple more delicacies. Just saying.
And we had the window seat, with this view.....


.......looking out over the ornamental pond. With fountains.
The day finished with a sunny, leisurely walk (too weighted down to be able to achieve "brisk") out onto The Forest, with The Dog. She was SSSSOOOOO happy to be outside, in the DRY, she did enough dashing hither and thither, to burn enough calories for all three of us!
I'm going to love you and leave you now, in order to get some sewing time in, for fear you start thinking I've forgotten how to sew altogether. Just for good measure, I'll throw in a photo of yesterday's, much brisker, blustery-er dog walk........


Enjoy the rest of your weekend. xx

Sunday 2 February 2014

Such A Lucky Me!

Tomorrow, I shall be 48! Happy Birthday to me, happy birthday to me....But as normality will get in the way of any real celebrations (work, housework, first aid courses) Daughter No. 2 came home from Uni, as a surprise, and all 3 of my beloved offspring worked hard on a delicious Celebratory Pre-Birthday meal for me. Yum.Yum. Yum.


There was even a very pretty table. And co-ordinating hand-made paper chains. Lucky, lucky me. Thank you, my darlings. xx