Welcome to my blog.
A place to record and share my musings and my work.
'Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, won't you join the dance?'

Friday 28 November 2014

Almost There!

What dreary weather, we have been having, in our neck of the woods!
Mists and mellow fruitfulness taken to it's extremes.
Taking Daisy out has become a real trial ......
the ground is so gloopy.
One bright spot is that the 'Party Tree', on our Village Green


is alight again!
I have been absent from the air waves, due to a phone fault!
Took a while to get an engineer but it's all fixed now.
This week's post is to catch you up, with my progress on the baby bag.
To quote the lyrics from an old Andy Williams song ....
" Close your eyes, for we're almost there."


The bag is knitted, assembled and the zip inserted.
I crocheted around the edges of the zip and hood.
It is a stitch called Crab Stitch, which I had to look up on the web.
Gives the edges a 'bound look', which I liked.
Will give a small tutorial, on it, in a future post, for those of you
who would like to try it out. It's quite tricky, as you go from left to right
instead of the usual right to left!


My best friend , Sally, who has just been on a visit, made a
paper pattern and cut out the lining for me.
Sewing is not my forte and she is the baby's father's godmother, 
so it seemed appropriate, that she should have a hand in the construction.
Well, thats my excuse and I'm sticking to it!


I machine stitched the lining together and with a bit of 
'jiggery-pokery' (nothing quite goes to plan does it)!
and a lot of luck, assembled knitted bag and lining together.
Hand stitching the lining in at the moment.
Pleased with the results .... hope they will be too!
Can't wait to finish and then I can concentrate on Christmas.
Have a great weekend everyone!

Saturday 15 November 2014

"Poop-Poop"!

"Toad sat straight down in the middle of the dusty road, his legs stretched out before him, and stared fixedly in the direction of the disappearing motor-car. He breathed short, his face wore a placid satisfied expression, and at intervals he faintly murmured `Poop-poop!'"


I've started this post, with a quote from 
'Wind in the Willows', as it seemed appropriate!
Exciting times to be had, this week.
For a long time, Mr C. and I had been discussing a dream we both
share, of buying a Camper Van.
Thanks to the sale of my Mum's flat, that dream has become a reality.


Thank you Mum xx
We did lots of research and fell in love with one, in Pontypool, S. Wales,
half way across the country from here.
The journey, last Tuesday, was not without it's dramas!
Dreadful weather in the shape of wind and rain.
Traffic hold ups on the M1 and the dreaded M42.
Set off at 9am and didn't reach home until 10.30pm.
We were exhausted but exhilarated having bought


this beauty ..... A  Mazda Bongo!!
The name itself suggested it would be perfect for us.
Not come home with us yet. Mr C. is collecting it next week.
My youngest son, asked us if we were getting the 'A Team' back together.
Heh, heh!
Looking forward to lots of trips away next year, when Mr C has finished
putting in the cooker etc.
I think it will change our lives ..... so many possibilities.
The open road is beckoning!
The rest of the week, was a bit humdrum in comparison.
Did manage to do a bit of sewing.


Lined this little trug, with a vintage doily ...


Did it mainly, so that wool and threads would not catch on 
the rough edges. Really pleased with the result.
Found these items, which had to come home with me.


A box to add to my collection.



and this book, which was printed in the 1960's.
 I bought it because I loved the illustration, on the front.
It might prove useful, when our granddaughter arrives.
Mr C. has promised, that our first trip in the van will be to Brighton,
to see the baby, when she is born.
A happy prospect .....
Have a good weekend everyone!


Saturday 8 November 2014

You Couldn't Make it Up!

I want to start this week's post by thanking everyone 
for their good wishes, regarding the success of our Pop-Up Shop.


I have to report however, all did not go well!
In an unbelievable twist of fate we have had to CANCEL.
I went in on the first day of opening and was presented with two
engineers who said they had come to remove the asbestos from the building!
To cut a long story short, there had been a mix up in the line of communication.
A case of right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing.
Well as you can imagine, I was thrown in a flat spin ....
We had to pack up and leave by the end of that day!!
Not an easy task, as we live about 15 miles from the site
and there is no parking outside.
It was done, all under the cover of darkness, that evening.
I don't know how we did it but but we did!
This gave me an unexpected free week, after I got over the 
tiredness and stress of it all.
Managing to laugh about it now.
Could only happen to us!
Mr C, bought me this lovely cyclamen to thank me for all
my hard work.


It has pride of place in my work room.
Felt inspired to progress on, with my 'Spiral',textile.


I have been mulling over an idea, I found in tnis vintage sewing book.


It involves embroidering on net.


Having mounted my work, on section of net curtain


I thought this might be a good way to integrate the piece into the background.


Photocopied the design onto a sheet of A4 paper and tacked it into place.
Sorted out some crochet colours in similar tones to the Spiral.


and began!


A work in progress .....
A very satisfying end to a traumatic start of the week.
Have a great weekend everyone!





Saturday 1 November 2014

Baptism of Fire!

What a week it has been! 
 It's been non-stop, gettting ready for the Pop-up Shop.
We only have a small car, so have been going into Harrogate,
every day this week, in the early hours (so we can park outside), to
drop off all the things we need.


Snapped this 'rosey' sunrise, as we left on Monday morning.
The weather has been unseasonably warm and the Autumnal colours, glorious.



But, I digress!
We set off this morning at 6.15am and arrived to find all the alarms
in the shop, were ringing. Frantic keying in of code, ensued, to no effect.
What chaos, the noise was unbelievable!
To cut a long story short, many people were roused, at a very early hour.
Promises were made .....
The local police were informed and we abandoned the property.
Hopefully, it has been sorted! 
Definitely a 'baptism of fire'! 
We have learned a lot and now feel up to tackling any contingency.
A rash statement, if ever I heard one.
Tomorrow is set up day and we open,  Monday morning.
The rest of the week, has been spent ......
 framing my 'Grid' textiles, in perspex frames.

Handmade Britain


Woman to Woman

Perspex frames, are a new departure for me but I think
 they suit these pieces, perfectly.


Finished a collaged, Yorkshire Landscape.
Found this lovely frame in my usual store.


Washed the fabric buttons I found in Brighton.
They've come up well!
They are little landscapes on their own.
Meanwhile Mr C. has been tidying up the garden
and harvesting the last of the produce.


These are our Jerusalem Artichokes.
A bumper crop, this year.
Could be 'windy', in more ways than one, this week.
Heh, heh!