Thursday 29 January 2015

Another week.

There hasn't been much going on this week to write about. I have finished the Izzy as pictured below.
And had a root canal which was a first, but much less painful than expected.
We have had no snow but a flurry of hail earlier.
It really has been a bit of a nothing week!

How about you?


Saturday 24 January 2015

Fabric, Sewing and Cake - Not necessarily in that order.

My camera battery has died and I can't for the life of me remember where I put the charger. Isn't that always the way. But before it died I managed to snap a couple of pics.
I recently bought a lucky dip fabric bundle and I was getting to the point I was dreading what I would receive and worrying about wasting money. Then this arrived.
It's not all to my taste but it's not a bad lot. I can envisage some happy sewing in this pile. And for now it's adding nicely to my sewing stash.
In fact I started using my off cut stash up today. Just another basic Izzy top but the pattern is so easy and so easy to wear that I find it great sewing.
That's my new pincushion in the picture too. The top part of Izzy is an of cut left from a very cute dress I made small girl when she was still a baby. I have been waiting for something to hit me, I have paired it up with an off cut sent to me by my Aunt in a big box of fabric she gifted me a while back. I only got this far as I was called away by Number 1 son. I was told I had to sit in the living room so I duly went and sat. I was greeted by this.

What a creative husband I have. :) He had ideas to do more detail but the bread sticks holding together cracked and he didn't want to risk it collapsing. I think it's pretty awesome.
It is the climax of cake we have had for my birthday yesterday, mini cupcakes, almond slices, country slices, gorgeous cup cakes as a gift, a banoffee pie and a cheese cake as gifts and this.
Cake anyone?



Sunday 11 January 2015

Like Mother, Like Son.


You must excuse the mess, someone was two and had a birthday tea. But that is not the reason for this post. The reason for this post is the skirt the little madam is wearing, and hasn't taken off since it was given to her by my 6 year old son who made it himself with a bit of help lining up seams and with the casing for the elastic, he sewed it but couldn't get the elastic through it, the pin kept going backwards so I took over.
He did some of it on his own machine which was a gift from Granny and Grandfather and some of it on my machine as it has more guidelines than his for lining up the sewing against.
He has all sorts of wonderful ideas for his next projects. We will see where they take us.

Sunday 4 January 2015

Selfish Sewing 2014

I thought I would have a look at my efforts for 2014 and realised I had more than I thought. It has certainly been a productive year and I have learnt a lot.

Sorbetto made in 2013 but altered in 2014.

Sorbetto number 2

No stripe Sorbetto number 3

Anna slash neck 

Anna V neck

Anna V neck 2 my favourite Anna so far

Serendipity Bebe dress - love this one and I see more in the future

New Look pattern

Simplicity - I didn't sew this but aided the sewer

Home made pattern - I think this may have been 2013

New Look Pattern

New Look Pattern

I have loved sewing them all and I mostly love wearing them. I prefer some to others but that's always the way with clothes I think homemade or bought. And the bonus is they all fit.

How was your 2014?

Saturday 3 January 2015

101 revisited

Way way back in blog land I created a 101 in 1001 list but didn't set an official time scale as some goals were more achievable than others. I decided to revisit that list today and see where things had happened or perhaps taken a completely different turn and to update it accordingly. I was pleased to be able to turn a lot more of it red and I also changed a couple of the original goals as I know that they are just not going to ever happen. It has been a while since I wrote the original list and our lives have changed since then so some of our goals have changed too. You can see the revised list below. I wonder how well I will get on with it this year. There are some things I know will get done. Others I am not so sure. Do you have a 'List'?
  1. Make a draft excluder for front door
  2. Read top 200 BBC books (not including those already read) - I have started this
  3. Craft an item a month (different crafts) x 12
  4. Use my rolling machine
  5. Take a silver clay course
  6. Use ultrasonic cleaner
  7. Attend 6 table sales/craft fairs
  8. Finish nieces cross stitch
  9. Make a Thomas cross stitch for No 1 son
  10. Make Xmas baubles for boys - my mother bought me a kit to make beaded baubles
  11. Make soap
  12. Make No 1 son baby album
  13. Finish patchwork quilt
  14. Grow own veg
  15. Organise all beads and findings 
  16. Produce cost list for beads and findings
  17. Use the Champney's spa treatments book I was given
  18. Learn to use sewing machine
  19. Return to pre-baby size
  20. Make cheese and butter
  21. Go to America and meet in-laws
  22. Scrap a wedding page
  23. Finish Father Christmas
  24. Finish 5 WIP's.
  25. Blog once a week for 10 weeks
  26. Commit a random act of kindness every month x 10 
  27. Make No 2 son baby album
  28. Use knotting tool to make necklace/bracelet
  29. Make a candle - I rolled a beeswax candle would still like to mould a candle
  30. Use leaf whacking technique from garden programme
  31. Raise money for YCT 
  32. Save each month x 12, pay off any cards
  33. Hand make cards x 10
  34. Make items using techniques from each book
  35. Refresh silver smithing techniques
  36. Go to a ballet
  37. Go to a musical
  38. Make 10 presents in 2011 - this has rolled into 2012 - and a lot more since.
  39. Do more home baking with No 1 son
  40. Go on a family trip once a mth x 12 
  41. Take boys camping
  42. Spend a weekend away with hubby
  43. Document Bad Taste bear collection
  44. Document Tatty Teddy collection
  45. Document DVD collection
  46. Bring boxes from parents and unpack - we started this then we moved abroad and took boxes back to parents for storage
  47. See family at least once every 2 mth (x6)
  48. Take 30 mins exercise a week - Not counting running round after children and doing housework this is not proving something I am keeping up with 6 specific episodes! Opps
  49. Cook 5 new recipes
  50. Try 5 new foods
  51. Have a night out with hubby once a mth when he is home - turns out regular babysitters are harder to source this happens now and again.
  52. Write menu plans for a month
  53. Use Ipod for more then FB - now we use it for games and music too!
  54. Upload CD collection to Ipod - started
  55. Make a herb pot 
  56. Write a proper will
  57. Send hubby a care package a week when away
  58. Make a list of places to visit and visit them
  59. Make sure to have a relaxing bath once a mth x 6
  60. Use slow cooker more
  61. Clean out kitchen cupboards and reorganise 
  62. Go out for walk once a wk with boys 
  63. Take boys swimming
  64. Return library books on time x3
  65. Pay off sofa - we have a new one now! 
  66. Niece cross stitch (a different niece)
  67. Make nephew cross stitch - this is a WIP
  68. Make nephew cross stitch - this is also a WIP
  69. Make nephew cross stitch
  70. Choose No 2 son cross stitch
  71. Try lace making with Mum
  72. Attend car event with Dad (not pub lunch)
  73. Shop from grocery list no extras 3 mth
  74. Read thrift book, try 10 things suggested - 2 out of 10
  75. Go on a residential jewellery course
  76. Sell an item a month x5
  77. Go to bed at 10 every night for a week
  78. Sell in a shop
  79. Have a facial every month - once
  80. Have fresh flowers in house x5 mth
  81. Clean out car and wash x 3 
  82. Have hair cut every 2 mth x3
  83. Sew an item of clothing
  84. Customise an item of clothing
  85. Buy a home we can call our own
  86. Make a housework schedule
  87. Try quilling
  88. Try encaustic art
  89. Plant a garden with No 1 son
  90. Scan in old pictures and save to external hard drive - Started
  91. Make a paper chain with No 1 son a link a day while Daddy is away
  92. Make a jewellery item every week x  10
  93. Reorganise bedrooms clean and tidy
  94. Get No  1 son his own bookcase
  95. Make a welcome home Daddy banner/flag for No 2 son
  96. Clear out clutter ebay/buy and sell etc
  97. Live frugally for a month
  98. Refurbish a piece of furniture - We have started this with a bedside table.
  99. Make a soft toy
  100. Bake bread once a week x 5
  101. Have a night in with friends once a mth x5