Legs Eleven...

Eleven years as Mrs Gordon…

Thank you for every minute Mr Gordon xxx

Mr & Mrs Clooney, you have some catching up to do, just saying.

Away!

Dear husband and I managed only our second night away from the children, together, last weekend.  I would love to say that we cannot bear to be away from them, but truth is, we just can't bring ourselves to foist them on my parents en masse more frequently than every 3 years!

So having dropped them off, we were on the train to London at 10am and just after 11 hubby was installed in a man-seat whilst I was stroking selecting Liberty in Shaukat!

I was very restrained...

That's a 1/2m of the pinky-red needle-cord, 3 x quarter meter cuts and a couple of smaller pieces.  Probably going to make another bag from the needle-cord, but no real plans so far!

We then went to the V&A, nipped round the Club to Catwalk exhibition, and had a spot of lunch.  Then there was the shop; I love that shop!

I bought a full meter of the fabric that got me into this here game of quilting and hoarding in the first place!

When we last/first went away for the night sans kids, on my 40th birthday, I went round the Quilts at the V&A exhibition, and have never looked back.  I bought my first few FQs there and then, and have not been able to bring myself to use them; so when I saw the meter cut, it was in my basket quick as.

A little washi tape and a re-cycled bracelet had to come home too; they matched, what else could I do?

We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering the shops, trying to avoid American Football fans who had taken over Regent's Street, and not buying anything in Liberty!

After an early evening meal, we went to see The Book of Mormon.  Follow the link if you want to know more, but honestly, it will not be to a lot of peoples' taste; although Prince Harry went to see it last night, so it can't be as rude, crude, blasphemous and shocking as some may think, eh?  I thought it was fantastic, and a have a frog to prove it!

After a night in the fancy Radisson Edwardian Hampshire, we strolled around town, there was more shopping, and this winter I will be sporting these...

But most excitedly, I will be wearing this little beauty...

I have been holding out for the real thing for so long, and thanks to my wonderful husband I now have one.  I am a very happy lady!

All too soon it was back to reality though, home with the kids, school bags and lunch boxes; but you know I wouldn't have it any other way.

Uptown girl...

Via the magic of technology, whilst you are reading this, dear hubby and I will be gadding about that there London, as our anniversary treat!

So in honour of the big day, I made myself a For Pleat's Sake Tote.  I am not the only one to have fallen for this free pattern, and by all accounts not the only one to have fallen foul of the dreaded pleats!

A word to the wise... when you make the two marks for each pleat, do not fold and match the marks together; they indicate where the fabric folds.

So here's my bag...

Lush Uptown paired with some Random Pencil Check in linen (good brown!).  I got my handles from Bag Clasps - super fast, and added a magnetic snap for a bit of mental security.

I stitched the handles in matching dark brown thread, which may, or may not have looked better on the inside if I had gone lighter, but I prefer the thread-less look on the outside, so be it...

It's a great size; big enough for all my usual gubbins and a bit of extra rummage room; and so quick to make, after that first set of pleats!

So love you and leave you, I expect I have shopping to do!

10/10

Ten years, a whole decade, it has gone by in a flash!

Happy Anniversary, my love, my best friend, my husband, forever xxx

IT's finished!

With the aid of my super-magnifier, I was able to race on and finish dear husband's anniversary present.  I know it was a few days late, you don't have to tell me too, but I think it was worth the wait!

IT Crowd cross-stitch!!  I know!!  I bought the pattern from wee little stitches ages ago, but unfortunately it got a little sidelined during September. 

If you haven't visited this Etsy shop, you really should take a look, there's something there for every geek in your life! 

What to get next?  All the Doctors?  The Breakfast Club?  Or maybe I should go with my contemporaries, The Golden Girls!!

9 years ago...

xxx

Thank you all...

A big and heartfelt thank you for all your lovely messages and congratulations on our anniversary yesterday.

We deposited the kiddiwinks at school and headed off to Brighton.  Lots of wandering, a huge lunch in GBK again - we've been planning the trip back since my birthday, and I was completely restrained and only bought a Heals year book!  The sun shone, it was perfect.

I even got to finishing the last bit of quilting on my Across the Sea quilt last night; stitching 'perilously near to' the ditch along either side of the border.  We then settled in front of the TV and I sewed in a million ends; romance eh!

So this is how it looked first thing this morning before I attached the binding...

The binding now needs to be hand-stitched down on the back (my favourite bit!), and hopefully I will get this done over the next couple of evenings, and get a finish in before the end of the month.

Tomorrow I will link up with Sarah again and her Summer Sewing Plans finale, so I better get checking that list!

Blind Faith Giveaway Time!

This giveaway is now closed - thank you for looking x
*** Flying Blind is one today ***

Can you believe it - over 350 posts, more than 15,000 page views, and almost 100 followers!  Thank you, every single one of you, for making this past year so much fun!

My first Blog picture! Shocking!

So shall I do a traditional, obligatory giveaway and make you jump through hoops all for something that you probably don't want anyway?  (Sorry, there's no Go! here!).

Or I can make up a little 'je ne sais quoi' especially for the winner? 

OK then... this means you will be entering a giveaway for something that doesn't even exist yet, it could still turn out to be something that you probably don't want, but with faith and luck, it could be quite good!!  Trust me, go on!

So here's the thing, you can have 2 chances:

i) Be a Follower and leave a comment to tell me that you are; whether you are an old mate or a new opportunist, everyone is welcome here!
... and...
ii) Tell me your favourite colour or colour combo, in a separate comment, and that's what I'll base a little stitchery-makery on.

If you are one of those folks that Blogger is not happy with and it won't let you leave a comment, you can email me (via my Profile) and I'll add comments on your behalf.

That's it!  I, (well Mr RNG), will pick a winner next Saturday, the 23rd - the anniversary of my first comment!  Woo-hoo, it's only taken me a year to get my comments numbered!

Good luck lovely people x