A little bit of springtime in the home

Thanks for everyone’s lovely comments and love.  I’m still suffering from the lovely BB but I am feeling a little better, and hopefully on my way to recovery.  Thankfully I don’t have to be back at work for another week, so I plan on being healthy and having some new home made goodies by then.

I have been using my time wisely and sewing my granny squares together to make two lovely cuddly cushions.  They aren’t finished yet so I have no pics to share.

I have, however been busy making some new lovey cushion covers for my sofa.  After watching Mamma Mia whilst on holiday in Scotland last year, I discovered and fell in love with Josef Frank textiles.  After a quick internet search I realised his fabric was too far out of my budget and too hard to find. 

I realise this fabric is nothing like Josef Franks, but it is lovely and bright, and fit my budget and urgent time frame.  I really wanted to get rid of the fluffy faux fur covers I inherited from my lovely friend Ness when she left me here in the UK to move home and find her dream man (in 6 months!!). 

I have not used the most perfect sewing techniques to make these, and for that I am a little ashamed, but I am an impatient stitcher (I am also my mother’s daughter).  This I am trying to rectify, but when I want something NOW my 'slow sewing' goes out the window. 

Bali Belly

Hey there folks.  I am back from my amazing trip to Bali, but I have brought back with me a delightful case of Bali Belly and am in my second week off work.  I have spent many hours watching old movies and catching up on my favourite TV programmes.  I am trying to build up the strength to get some sewing done, but with the cramps and continuous trips to the loo.... the sofa is a much more preferable place.

So until I get my butt into gear (in more ways than one) and do some sewing I am going to share with you my sick purchases.  Today I was very naughty and feeling sorry for myself, bought myself some lovely new shoes and a pair of gorgeous earrings from Irregular Choice.  These are my absolute favourite shoe brand so I thought I'd share them with you in hope that you tell me how lovely they are and lucky I am to have made such beautiful choices in shoes. 

I can't wait to wear these with all of my retro dresses

These are the most beautiful shoes

Perfect for spring and summer wear



and these..... they will look good with EVERYTHING!!!!



I've been coveting these boots for a very long time

New Year, New Me!

So it’s a new year and a long time between blogs.  Unfortunately I begin this new year (I’m starting with the Chinese New Year) alone.  Yes it’s just me and the Nameless Cat and one  hero sized hole. 



My little helper



So although I find myself alone for 2011,  I begin this year with my beautiful sewing machine (fixed by the lovely Brother people)  and considerable stash of patterns, fabrics and notions that would not have come to be without Hero Boy. My plan for 2011 is to spend as much time hooking and sewing lots and lots of lovely pretty things with the help of the Nameless Cat . 

During some of my recent un-blogging time, I watched  United States of Tara and Being Erica and have many Alice frocks and wrap dresses planned.  and who knows maybe it's time to move back home to Australia, so lots of pretty dresses will be perfect.

Toni Collette as Alice in United States of Tara

Gorgeous Alice dress with chording and pockets

Fabric for the first Alice dress

I do have some things to show you, it hasn’t all been sad love songs, chick flicks and wine…..

Lately I’ve progressed on a few hooky projects like my granny squares.

Basic plain granny squares

Grannys with flower centres

 and a baby blanket for the not yet born Hugo.

 

And I’ve sewn a few things too....

........a cute blue and white dress.

.....“Porridge Bear” for baby Jessica

..... an apron for my sister (a really late Birthday present)

.....a  tea cosy of my own design inspired by my lovely friend Shakira during a very girlie, very crafty weekend here in Devon. With some other little patchwork thingies waiting to be sewn up.

And, yesterday I finally made a maxi dress out of some fabulous fabric my mum 'The Fairy Godmother' sent me for Christmas.  I am off to Bali for two weeks next week, so I wanted to get it done by then.  I have one more dress to do, and one day to do it in…. I’m not holding out too much hope.  I have been spending my sewing hours doing other not so happy things of late.

the fabric



the dress

On a Happy note
Three work days and six sleeps to go until Bali.  I plan on gaining many freckles, reading a book or two, spending a lot of time on the beach, and coming back with some lovely fabric to add to the ever growing stash. 

Oh and as 2011 sees two of my beautiful girlfriends head down the scary road of IVF, and another friend with baby Hugo due in March, so hopefully there will be many lovely cute baby things made by me too.

So a Happy Chinese New Year to you all, and may 2011 be creatively prosperous.

Cyd

Guilty

Hey everyone.  I just wanted to say sorry for the lack of blogs.  I have actually been doing some sewing and crochet but I feel guilty for not doing the other.  Does anyone else feel this way?  I still have some christmas sewing to do, but everytime i think of doing it i just want to make more stuff for me.  Too many things on the to do list.  That is my problem.  After all the Christmas stuff is done, I am going to try to do one project at a time. This of course will not happen, as I love making stuff for other people.  But less stuff for them and more for me..... that's the plan.  And more blogs. 

My first granny square

Look!!! I've made what I hope is to be the first of many granny squares.

I should have been sewing my christmas presents, but I was so tired I didn't trust myself with a machine that has a sharp object going at a very fast speed, so wook and a wooden hook did it, and I must say I'm quite pleased with my first attempt.

For more crochet inspiration check out Lucy's blog.  She has really beautiful hooked lovelies.

The borrowed beauty

Hi folks.  Bert is still in the ICU for sewing machines, but a colleague of mine kindly lent me her mother's 1973 Singer.

 
Isn’t she lovely?  And she sews like a dream.  I just might have to get myself a little work horse like her. 

To test her out I made my very first applique t-shirt. 

I think I’m in love with this fantastic process.  What can I applique next?

Waiting for Bert

Well it’s official.  Bert’s broken!  I have tried all the things in the manual to fix him and all the things on the internet.  He’s still poorly. Proper poorly as they would say here in Devon.
Yesterday I packed him up and sent him off to the hospital for poorly sewing machines – Brother UK.  It was a sad day.

So I have to apologise for the little hiatus in blogging.  I have been wallowing in the despair of the demise of Bert.  Stupid I know, but he made me so happy, and then in one day…. all that happiness was taken away from me.  Who knew a sewing machine could give such joy?

In my mild depression I turned my lounge into a cutting room for a few days and cut all of my Christmas presents out.  Now I just have to get Bert back to get them all sewn up in time for the Big day (or the Big Send-off).

To keep me happy, I’ve been watching The Nameless Cat play in her new box house.  She has a little thing for boxes,

.......................so I cut some holes in my Lady Valet box and made her a play house.  She loves it!!.

I hope to be back blogging almost daily (my ultimate goal is a blog a day) soon.  I might do an interim post on The Fairy Godmother’s quilts if anyone is interested. 
See you soon, Cyd.