Quiet Night In?!

Funny isn't it? The night you decide to have a quiet night in ends up being the most productive for some time.

I was due to go out last night to watch some friend's bands - you should check them out, they're called Whiskey and Lace , but due to transport problems, they could not make it. So I settled myself down in front of Comic Relief to have a nice quiet night in.

So I made a pair of earrings, two brooches, a crochet cake slice, cleaned the house and contributed to saving the lives of children. Not a bad night's work.

Earrings before ...

I had decided I was going to make some brooches out of the tiny scraps of remnants left from making Rebecc's tea dress last week, the earrings were inspired genius, if I do say so myself. Very shortly, they'll be winging themselves up to Sunderland to live with it's donor dress. I hope they'll be very happy together.

Earrings after ...

And making the earrings made me think about prom earrings to match the green dress...

I 'ave Been Mostly Making Bags

This week I made a grand total of 17 up-cycled bags.

One got pinched by my mate Jenna for her nephew (glad he could've had it as I anticipated it getting pinched by someone less deserving!) and the rest were presented to the fruit and veg co-op I help run.

But don't take my word for it - have a look here at the Twisted Sisters blog for a full run down, photos and all that.

Twisted Sisters 4am Bag Marathon

And while you're there, you couldn't click "follow" for me could you?!

Tea, Sweat Shops, Haberdasheries and Dresses

What a lovely weekend I have had!

Amongst other people we have had the pleasure of this weekend (my favourite of all being the actual most adorable 5 month old German Sheppard puppy in the universe, called Huntley - his human Mum's alright too!) we had my niece come to stay, Bexy Bizzle off ofcrownheartstarfame. We only had her for a couple of days sadly, being the end of her degree time, so we crammed a lot in!

On Wednesday, I unwisely decided I was going to make a dress to wear out on Friday night. I managed to pull it off, somehow, at the 11th hour and I don't think it looks too bad! I'm quite chuffed with it actually. My first pattern made dress - I rather like it. Especially as the pattern was free from Prima and the fabric was 1940's vintage stuff given to me ages ago, so it cost me nothing except the zip.

Must get a full length shot.

So, after a couple of days of dress making, I was hot to trot when the idea of fabric porn came up for our day out on Saturday.There's a gorgeous trendy haberdashery in Monmouth, so I thought it would only be right to take my Niece on a little trip to perv at the fabrics. And we accidentally bought nearly ten metres while were there! The actual most beautiful fabric ever seen by human eyes, I do believe. Photos to follow.
So, just when you'd think a day for two fabric nerds just couldn't get any better, the Cancer Research Foundation shop pulled a blinder and we went home with a selection of more than decent sized remnants in retro style prints for less than £2.50 each. At that point we couldn't bear the excitement, so we bought a couple of cakes, and went home to overdose on tea and a dressmaking masterclass for Rebecc, who had not touched a sewing machine since school.
So, by eye, nicking a bit from patterns I already have, and drawing around things, we, together made a rather spiffing 1940's inspired tea dress. And then we went out and got pissed.
I challenge you to have a better Saturday than we did :)

Oh and for exciting Twisted Sisters news, have a look at OUR BLOG, and please follow us, we look like Billy No Mates :)

Happy International Women's Day! (And pancake day!)

I'm really excited to be on the radio again this morning. The Jamie and Louise show have very kindly asked me to guest edit an hour of todays programme in praise of International Women's Day and I'm really chuffed to have been asked.

I shall be on around ten I believe - and will report back after :)

The Jamie and Louise Show

Wish me luck!

Prom Heaven

I'm lucky enough to have some jolly splendid friends and nothing makes me happier than having something to make for them. My good mate has asked me to write a few of my inner wisdoms (?!) down for her so I've decided to make her a nice book. This is how it has started it's life - an inexpensive hardback jotter. He's not going to look like that for long!

And it's coming up for that time that most parents dread - the school prom. I find it very alarming to hear about the friends of my pet teenagers from low and normal income families who are spending HUNDREDS on frocks for growing teenagers determined to out do the others. I'm very sorry (well actually I'm not at all sorry) but I cannot and will not subscribe to that mind set. Even if I had the money and the inclination to purchase said frock, I bloody well won't - that's no fun at all.

So, the story so far, 35 metres of delectable emerald green satin off of the lovely ebay, and a Butterick pattern for £8.15. Don't get me wrong, we had a bit of fun in Cardiff trying on all the dresses we had no intention of purchasing, all in the name of research. I'm also going to be making opera gloves....ooo - scary! Never done them before!

I actually anticipate having sufficient fabric to make myself a little frock for the wedding of the year in October - no, as much as I'm looking forward to the Royal wedding, the golf royalty wedding is actually the wedding of the year, eh Hels?!

And the beetle? Everyone knows I love the old insects in jewelery ( I am assured that these bugs are all from "sustainable sources". I have a couple already and I picked this one up the other day as he goes totally and brilliantly with the fabric (I know it doesn't look like on the pictures but they are the exact same colour) and while he's currently a keyring, he will very shortly be a necklace. Perhaps as soon as tomorrow - I might wear him out tomorrow night. He is the prom jewelery. Beat THAT for individuality in a prom outfit!

Speaking of Individuality - I should mention that my step-mother's shop is called that and it can be found in Pontypool market. My step mother has come to the rescue as far as a dressmaker's mannequin is concerned. I collect her tomorrow, so once I have her, the creativity can commence! Watch this space!