No sheep for the wicked...

Today was the annual Findon Sheep Fayre. It rained. All day. We didn't go.

A shame as we have been for the last 3 or 4 years, and it is always sunny, fun and passes a few hours with sheep, hot dogs and ice cream. But no, not today.

Also no viewings, despite me rushing round like a mad thing to get everywhere clean and today before we went out for a rainy drive. We are going to have to come up with something radical to get a sale; I know the house has only really been on the market for 10 days, but as we have been thinking about it for so long, it feels like months!

We did end up at Harbour Lights for a lovely lunch though, so it wasn't all bad.

I have also quilted the Freebird! It is rather wonky and a little puckered, but aren't we all! I now need to try and trim it down into some semblance of a straight-edged rectangle; a job for tomorrow. I'll take some photos in the daylight too.

I hope it hasn't been such a wash-out day for everyone else.

A great big 'Thank You'

I needed something to make me smile today, and I got it, in the form of my prize from Annabelle Serendipdity.

How lucky am I?! All these beautiful things, all for me.


I have created a couple of little tangles in the name of 'crochet' already, and am already pondering what I am going to make with the fabrics.

If anyone knows of a good link to a 'crocheting for completely impatient and raring-to-go novices', please let me know.

Thank you Annabelle, you're the best!

Neighbours, everybody needs good neighbours..

Today I came home to one of those annoying cards from the postman telling me that my and my husband's parcels had been returned to the Post Office and we must wait a frustrating 24hours (for him to cycle back?) until we can collect!

Now is it just me, but when a delivery is left with a neighbour, those little catch-up chats are what make neighbours more 'neighbourly'? When you don't really know anyone in your street, these are the occasions that you actually get to speak to people.

I am probably very anti-social, and you are no doubt thinking I should (literally) get out more, but when I am usually herding kids into or out of the car, laden with bags, glitter-covered pictures, junk models falling apart everywhere, and it is invariably raining, I just want to get indoors, sit down and have a cup of tea! Making small-talk is the last thing on my mind! However, the prospect of getting a parcel in return for a quick chat, well that's different!

I am going to make a concerted effort when (oh when?) we move, to meet the neigbours, and make friends. You guys are fantastic, and are welcome for a cuppa anytime, but the logistics won't make it very spontaneous!

Daily post...

Not the post I am longing for - the postmen were all over the place today, delivering after 3pm, when they normally come at 11ish - typical, I hope they come up with Annabelle's goodies tomorrow!

However it's not all bad. I received a lovely selection of catalogues to furnish our imaginary house with!

I absolutely love everything from Designers Guild, and the Autumn brochure is crammed with totally gorgeous fabrics and accessories.

I had a bit of a retro moment the other evening ordered catalogues from ercol and Parker Knoll. The PK isn't as good as I'd hoped, but the ercol Originals are simply fantastic, I want, I want, I want!

The final surprise was a Cath Kidston Pocket Guide to Autumn, which arrived out of the blue.

I have tacked the Freebird ready to start machine quilting tomorrow evening; I am really looking forward to hand-stitching the binding already, I love that part.

Still on a winning high...

I have spent the evening, stitching, ironing and pinning the Freebird quilt together; in my mind we are already snuggled under it on the sofa!


I now have even more things I want to do, and lordy knows when I am going to have the time. I know from the blogs I follow that I am not the only one with lots of things on the go at any one time, but as I am an increasingly neat-freak (a place for everything, and everything in its place), I'm not sure I am going to be able to cope with piles of unfinished goodies!

Here's my 'To Do' list: please nag me if you do not see 'in progress' pictures right here soon!

• 2 x quilts for the girls
• Small quilt for cousin's baby-to-be
• Sock owls
• Union Jack patchwork cushion for Dad (Birthday December)
• Quilt for dear hubby (Birthday November)
• Quilt for Mum (Christmas)
• 60th birthday present for Aunt (December)
• Christmas 'something' for my sister and brother-in-law
  
• Make things to sell at the school Christmas Fayre
• Sell the house
• Buy a nicer house!
  

And to top it all, Prints to Polka Dots are offering a 15% discount until midnight next Monday - on top of their already bargain prices, that will mean more browsing and shopping for me, less time for making, uh-oh!!

I won something lovely!

Having come home from work with my grumpy face on, I logged on to find out I had won Annabelle's competition!!

How brilliant is that - I can't wait to have a go at crocheting - it may end up some new 'form' never before seen, may be mistaken for random knots or modern art, but I am going to give it a go!

Thank you again Annabelle, I am looking forward to receiving that beautiful looking parcel!

Summer's gone...

I went back to work today, and had to consciously force myself through the door; it's now raining too, so summer has definitely ended. I would be looking forward to cozy evenings quilting, but I am having a nervous breakdown every-time a see a bit of sock fluff on the carpet or a wonky cushion, so all those loose threads are not going to relax me - until we sell the house!

However I have spent the evening laying out and cutting the sections for the back of the Freebird quilt, I think it should turn out as planned...

Please excuse the terrible picture - the quilt is rather big, and I couldn't get it all in!

The girls and I stopped in at the library before school pick-up today, and I sadly handed back the Kaffe Fassett 'Quilts in the Sun' that I had already renewed, and had for the past 6 weeks. On the way out, it was sitting on the pile ready to go back on the shelf, so I grabbed it again and have another 3 weeks to look at the stunning pictures!

They're here!!!

All done and ready to be loved!! Eager children all around, now the monkeys have had their photo-call, they can be released!!



Quilting here we go again!

The big 50!!

50th blog post today - well I could have posted something a couple of days ago, so apologies for the radio-silence, but I wanted to make my 50th a good one and I needed some interesting stuff to show and tell - hope I have succeeded!

So what has been happening? Dear Son went back at school and is loving it, the sun has kept shining and I have been pretty busy with lots of lovely things.

The monkeys have come along a treat, I have just got their eyes to stitch now, then the whole family will be complete.


My Prints to Polka Dots package came, and I am loving the colours even more in 'real-life'. The Amy Butler 'August Fields Poppies' is lovely, and I am looking forward to using it as a backing as it is just too special to cut up! The smaller pieces will be used for a baby quilt (hopefully). The yard of Freebird is destined for the eponymous quilt.


Today saw a superb family trip to Hever Castle. I must admit I had an ulterior motive, The Quilters' Guild show. Having wandered the beautiful gardens, eaten a picnic surrounded by ducks and swans, and packed the children off with Daddy and Grandpa to the adventure playground, Mum and I enjoyed a look at all the amazing quilts and stalls.


Now I have to admit that most of the quilts on show were not to my taste at all, but I could appreciate the absolute skill and passion that the makers have. The intricate detailing and perfect hand-stitching were amazing, really awe-inspiring. I took a few photos, but not having sought permission from the ladies in person, I feel posting them would be a bit rude, so if you are free tomorrow (and not in the southern hemisphere!) you should pop along and see for yourselves! Click here...

I bought a trusty charm pack, and a small piece of Heather Bailey's Pop Daisy, and I NEVER come away from anywhere without a 'bag'!


Hever Castle is just so picturesque and the gardens are immaculate. After the Maize Maze fun we had in Cornwall, we gave both the yew and water mazes a miss! But I want a garden with herbs like this:


Whilst photographing my increasing stash, I think I am developing an unhealthy attraction to selvedges! Is it me, or are they just fascinating and crying out to be made into something special themselves? I remember seeing some pin-cushions once upon a time, so I will add this to my 'One day...' list!


So many wonderful projects and so little time (plus back to work on Monday, boo-hiss).

Saints & Pinners...

This morning's trip to town for school shoes was very successful in the shoe department and for fabric goodies!

We picked up my parcel from the Post Office, (missed whilst in Portsmouth), and found my lovely scrap rolls from Saints & Pinners. Beautifully packaged, I had to take a photograph before opening, and I am a very happy girl! Thank you Jo and Fran, I will definitely be back for more!



I also did an about-turn with my Freebird quilt and got some cream with mini white polka dot backing and some chocolate brown for the binding, and so solved the white quilting thread dilemma. I am planning to add some of the freebird fabric that I am awaiting, to give the back a bit of interest.

Last day of the school holidays tomorrow, and those name tags are not going to sew themselves! Oops!

Shine on, you crazy diamond...

Well the sun has kept shining and we spent a lovely day in Portsmouth, with a look round Gunwharf Quay and a long-awaited trip up the Spinnaker Tower.

It looked quite a long way up, and a long way down, but we are hardened tower 'climbers' and the children have happily crawled and walked the glass floors of the Auckland Sky Tower, so this was a breeze!

The dots at the bottom are the tables outside the cafe below. With clear blue skys we could see over to the Isle of Wight, along the coast and inland, and made promises of trips to HMS Victory below another day.

...and here's a treat for you ladies!!

I managed to find a super pack of 5 pairs of baby socks for £2 in the Next outlet store, so I am looking forward to trying to make some mini owls.

No sewing tonight, it was a very long day.

Monkey Business!

I decided to tackle the monkeys today! Rather than one at a time, I figured a mass monkey-make was going to be a little simpler.


I have all the ears, arms and tails all ready to go now, and I hope I might be able to get the ears on, and legs sewn tomorrow (but we are off to Portsmouth for the day, so I might just come home and relax!).

I did a bit searching online for other sock-based ideas, and found some really cute owls over on craft schmaft.

The amazing Claire had a baby on saturday and is still blogging! I found some similar patterns, so I think I might give some a go - I figure they will be really quick, and excellent as little gifts.

And the sun kept on shining!!

Jam - update!

I tried the jam on my Bank Holiday bagel this morning and I am pleased to report that the taste was wonderful, however the pips need to be approached with caution, and it does have the consistency of a wine gum! Not sure if that constitutes a success, but we will no doubt manage to work our way through both jars!

PYO!

We had a lovely morning picking our own! We have driven past the local PYO a million times, even been to numerous boot fairs in the adjoining field, but never ventured into the orchards and fields. So today was the day!

We spent a couple of hours gathering red currants, blackberries and Victoria plums. We even found the single large sweetcorn cob ready in the crop! The children loved it, and were on their best behaviour for a change. We then went into the lovely Tea Room for ice-cream, cake, tea and coffee, all delicious, and then popped into the Farm Shop to get a bag of preserving sugar for my first attempt ever at jam making.

I have since made 2 jars of red current jam - but I am not holding out much hope of them being more than jars of red glue, (I didn't read the bit about NOT STIRRING the boiling jam, until I had constantly stirred it for about 20 minutes!!). Oh well, I will report back.

Although I re-used the lids of the pasta jars, I have dressed them up in a couple of fabric scraps so that they look like a pair of pre-school nativity shepherds!

A good sunday for us, what have you been up to?

The sun has got his hat on!

Finally blue sky, t-shirts and tea in the garden again!

We took a trip out today to scope out some more areas where we would like to live, and added a few more villages to the 'list', so that was useful, especially as we are being very particular. I was getting a bit worried for a while that nowhere other than one teeny-tiny village we found (with an over-subscribed school, expensive houses and hardly any ever for sale!) would live up to expectations.

We then we stopped off in Arundel for lunch, as it is the annual festival at the moment, with street entertainers, musicians, art exhibitions and the like, and the tiny streets closed off to traffic, whilst everyone enjoyed the sunshine. It was like being on holiday in a town we love and got married in almost 7 years ago.

Most of the shops are tiny and often change hands, despite the tourists; it must be pretty bleak sometimes, and I am one of those all too guilty of browsing and not buying. Today I discovered 'fabric buttons & beads', full of lots of gorgeous things, including the book Annabelle has in her giveaway. So I had to have a flick through, and I can see why she has bought and given so many copies as gifts. The children were traumatizing the owner's kitten and touching everything in sight, although I would have loved to too, given half the chance (well not the kitten bit!), so I promised to return alone!

And my old favourite Sparks Yard came up trumps with their Sale outlet shop. Look at my beautiful Gisella Graham gardening gloves...


(Only £3.47, but don't tell anyone!)

Now the weather is potentially going to be lovely for the long weekend, but the bank holiday means no postman, and that means no parcels for me, particularly disappointing as my lovely package from Saints & Pinners, (I think I forgot to mention that I gave into temptation and ordered some Meter Scrap Rolls), along with my Prints to Polka Dots bundle were dispatched today.

Oh well, I should actually get on with some of those things I've started! 4 more sock monkeys remain in pure sock state, and I have reached a dilemma with the Freebird quilt. I was going to back it in a blackcurrent purple, but now I can't decide what colour to quilt in? Purple/dark thread will look a bit odd on the top as there is so much white, but white/light thread is going to show every wobble on the back (I'm not sure my sewing machine is up to the job of free-motion quilting, but I may do a practise run and see). Any ideas of a what may work? I may just re-think the backing!

Well let's hope the sun keeps shining... x

TFI Friday!

Well dear son and I did a few chores and dropped off our signed papers at the estate agents today; so after the bank holiday, it will be all systems go!

Another rainy day, so I had to have a spot of online retail therapy over at Prints to Polka Dots again! I have also spent too long lusting over the fabrics on Saints & Pinners and M is for Make.

Hope you all have a happy Long Weekend, especially all those who are having a 'weather/what-to-do' predicament; and to all those with just a regular 2-day break, enjoy anyway!

Giveaway... Annabelle Serendipity

Annabelle has a lovely giveaway over on her blog. I have never tried to crochet, but the book she is giving away looks lovely. Annabelle's blog is full of excellent pictures and inspiration, check it out.

Interior Design Projects.

As promised, some (rather blurry, and a bit wonky) photos of my design projects. (If I can get my dear hubby to take some clearer shots, I will post again).

A Home Office was completed first, with Bedroom & Ensuite room schemes taking up the final third of the course. You can just about make out the Clarissa Hulse fabrics and papers, and if we make an unexpected extra grand on the house sale, I want the Mr Bright chair!


I cannot recommend the course highly enough, I had such a lovely year - one evening a week, great people, fantastic tutor, and it really opened my eyes to all things bright and beautiful.

Water and electrics!

This morning I was meant to be taking dear son and his friend to an indoor play centre, so that they could run and climb themselves crazy whilst I looked through some of my magasines and generally relaxed, but no.

Having driven through the biggest puddles ever to get there, we got to the gate to find that again rain had got the better of us - the torrential downpours of yesterday had played havoc with the electrics rendering the unit unsafe, so to plan B!

At that point there was no plan B, but I remembered reading about a 'place' that looked kind of interesting, something to do with the sea, but I had no idea what it was called or where in Littlehampton it was! Fortunately we spotted a tourist sign for Look & Sea, and everything flooded back (forgive the pun)!

We arrived before opening (9.45am), so the poor boys had to settle for mega milkshakes with cream and sprinkles and a pot of tea for me in the adjoining cafe, whilst we waited.

We spent a happy hour looking at the exhibits, games and info boards, then climbed to the top of the 360 degree tower with rainy views to the sea and surrounds. It was actually good fun and quiet - we were the only ones there.

We then crossed the road and were given a tour of the lifeboat station, including sitting on the tow tractor with helmets and a look round the dressing/drying room. There is nothing more guaranteed to make a pair of 5 year olds silent than a strange man dressed in galoshes asking them questions!
We were introduced to Dead Fred (above) the training dummy.

We then had to go into the little RNLI shop next door for an obligatory fridge magnet and a couple of frisbees (for when we actually see the sun again and want to venture into the garden).

So that was my morning.

The girls are now home, demanding attention from said friend, and I am hiding in the kitchen!

OK, I got distracted!

Sometimes twitter and facebook have their uses! I subscribe to the Clarissa Hulse updates and this quilt is absolutely fantastic.
I selected Clarissa Hulse fabric, wallpaper and bedding, including the Klimt range for my final project of my C&G Interior Design, and I just love everything she creates. I made a mini duvet for my client board, and I think this is when I had my love of sewing, fabric and all things lovely re-kindled - than you Clarissa!

I promise I will take some pictures of both my project boards for your perusal - I have one uploaded from the course final show, but my hubby, kids, lecturer and I are all standing in front of them, and you really don't want to see us!