I had some left over yarn from my wrap I made last year (funnily enough it was the night Downton Abbey started last year that I'd started that!) and because I bought the wool when I was away on holiday I bought an awful lot more than I needed. I had no idea what to do with it, it wasn't quite enough to make a jumper and I didn't know what to do with it.
A little while ago when I made my regency dress I made a shawl to go with it. Remember that? Well it's dead useful, if you're a bit chilly it just sits on your shoulders enough without being too heavy or bulk, so I thought I'd make another. The teal wool is my favourite colour, so I knocked up this baby and I'm really in love with it.
My beautiful (borrowed from gorgeous Roo) vintage mannequin Anna is modelling it. Isn't she gorgeous I'm not keen on giving her back ever, but one day soon I'll have to. :(
Can you see my little Cath Kidston pin on it too It has a mini sewing machine, scissors and cotton reel on it too.
So, generations.
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| Meg's first seams! All tidier than mine, I should add! |
For years I've been trying to get Meg interested in crafts and making things and creating clothes. Gradually it's happened with modifying and personalising garments, charity shop shopping and car booting, so imaging my DELIGHT when she comes home from a college "what to do" crisis (her original course choice didn't work out) to tell me that she's on a full time Fashion and Design course and can I teach her how to thread my sewing machine!?!? I can barely contain my excitement.
Things are great for us at the moment. I originally thought that going on my media make up course would be for recreational purposes but having spoken to some people, done some research and thinking, I'm going to go for it. I want to set up a freelance business doing everything from kids face painting and bridal stuff to full on media T.V. work etc. With my arty abilities and drive, Meg's contacts - we'll be fine. Looks like we both have new careers to look forward to.
Meg's currently in London having catwalk modelled for the first time today for a hair competition. Sadly the team didn't win, but she did because she looks bloody smashing.
Oh and this weekend I did something I said I would NEVER DO.
For years, I have had recurring nightmares about being in school. I despised every second of it you see. I was very "good" but the teachers had no time for me because I was easily capable of being a straight A student but I have just never been interested in academia, and being a "stinking sweaty" (local term for a fan of rock music) my tiny group of friends were regularly abused, spat on, pushed kicked all that. SO I hated it. I said I would NEVER go to a reunion and that I was still in contact with the only people I was interested in from school. But Sarah really wanted to go, and she encouraged me to go with her, so I thought "to hell with it". And my goodness did we have a good time. Not had a nightmare since either ...
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| Me and Sarah - friends for over 30 years! (Before we were born :D) |
I had a bit of a dodgy emotional day yesterday due to lack of planning, but I feel so much better today. I must dash, got stuff to put in my diary. Whether I'll make it to all of it I don't know because I'm very excitedly going back to work!
So anyway, Downton. My friend Becky asked me for a "brief history of Downton" as she'd not yet seen it. I facebooked her this précis and it went down quite well so I thought I'd share... GOD BLESS DOWNTON!!!!
Old money family gets skint so Lord Grantham marries rich beautiful, kind but savvy american socialite and has 3 daughters, Edith, Mary and Sybil. Edith is bitter but romantic, mega jealous of her prettier sisters, Mary is beautiful but heartless. She shags a Turkish bloke that comes to stay in the house (Downton Abbey) who very sadly had a heart attack in her bed so her, the 2 sisters and the Mother have to move his body back to his room where he can be "discovered", This is hidden from Lord Grantham to protect Mary's reputation. Lady Sybil is a bit of a suffragette and loves politics, despises inequality. She has run of with her beau (the former chauffeur) to marry him and live in Ireland much to Lord and Lady Grantham's digust.Because the Granthams had no sons, the fortune has to be left to the upper working class cousin Matthew who is lovely but doesn't want it, eventually he learns to live with the responsibility and as he's feisty and different he and Mary fall in love despite his being engaged to another bird (luckily she died of Spanish flu so he didn't have to marry her). The Dowager Countess is Maggie Smith and Lord Grantham's Mother and she disasproves of everything and everyone generally unless she has something to personally gain from it but underneath is actually a bit of a softie but she loves a fight and "keeping up appearances", Below stairs, Bates and Anna managed to get married but Bates is now in jail as the crown thinks he murdered his lunatic wife who tried to blackmail everybody, Daisy married her sweetheart on his deathbed despite not loving him so refuses to claim her war widow's pension and she's being trained up by Mrs. Passmore the cook to help her more in the kitchen. Mrs Passmore got cataracts and because Lord Grantham is such a top bloke instead of sacking her he paid for them to be removed. Lady Grantham got pregnant and it was a boy but miserable maid (can't remember her name) deliberately put soap under her bath so she would fall and hurt herself and she did and she lost the baby. This season we should see Mary and Cousin Matthew finally get married after she got shot of her newspaper owning horrible beau, Bates SHOULD get out of jail and the 1st world war has just finished. During the war the Granthams turned their house into a recovery centre for injured officers where they THINK they found the other heir to the fortune who was thought to have drowned on the Titanic. This hasn't been pursued but if it DOES prove to be him with amnesia then cousin Matthew is off the hook but it means Lady Mary will marry a humble solicitor and not keep the aristocracy profile.
