I WANT I WANT I WANT!

I wanted a maternity pillow.

Nah, don't be daft. I'm not expecting! (Never!) But I wanted a maternity pillow. Fancied one for ages but just never got around to getting one. They cost a few quid!

I have been doing some tidying, decorating and trowing out recently and I had a load of pillows and cushions that I no longer needed. SO I washed them, took them all apart and made my my massive pillow with a dress lining fabric remnant, and I made 2 covers for it with my favourite print cotton remnant.

Et voila! A lovely maternity pillow for those with a bit of a sore back and a love of comfort! That's me. Especially happy as it cost no money. I like that!

And I want curtains! Since we moved into this house 2 1/4 years ago we've never had curtains on the back window. When we decorated the dining room though, I decided I might like to put some up there. But me being me, I'm not just going to go out and buy some curtains. Where's the fun in that?!

I was in Ikea when I saw the fabric and LOVED it. I love the bright colours and European graphic design. I then noticed it was reduced to just £1 per metre - so I bought 4 metres. I could have easily bought more, but I reasoned with myself and just came away with the 4.

I already had some curtain tape from some old curtains, so I didn't have to buy that either.

My beloved machine has recently been serviced by Pontypool Sewing Machines - and it's now like a flying machine!

SO again, a bit of measuring, a bit of creative thought and I have the funkiest most colourful dining room curtains for £3 - I had a metre left over! Now what to do with that?!

I just love these - the happiest curtains in the world! 

Creativeness up the yin-yang

Rain, once again, stopped play on the mountainside and I didn't even get chance to take photos. When it comes down, it REALLY comes down. But I raked over some topsoil, so the tree, rhubarb an vines can go out shortly. Hubby has recently connected up my water butt down there too and in less than a week, it's completely full. Just from the water coming off the goat shed. At least we know it can take a second one anyway, to make sure we can get through the summer.

I'm feeling SO creative at the moment it's almost irritating. I've hurt my crochet finger, so crochet is painful but I'm carrying on regardless as my Nana got me some wool from a charity shop the other day and it's lovely. It's getting turned into a Larkrise style shawl and it'll be well comfy and warm so I'm plodding on, in pain. Sniff. I've put in many hours over the last couple of days ion the heartagram beading. It's taking FAR longer than I thought, but I am getting there slowly. I'm really taking my time with it too as I've discovered that there's no such thing as an easy or quick way to do it, the more time you take, the better it looks and sits, so patience very much required.

I've also made two nappy dispensers. Not using them for nappies though, tea towels instead. I'm really pleased with them as they look really pretty. I just need to get hubby now to put me up a hook or two...

I really want to start on my super special dress now too. The teenager has now tried on said dress and it's rather good indeed. Dying to get on with mine but I'm craving making a weekend bag with my favorite fabric for some reason, also craving covering one of my little going out bags with buttons, and generally doing all sorts of crafty stuff. I'm pleased that I've a - managed to work out how to properly wind bobbins and b - sew stretchy fabric on my sewing machine. I've spent ages on line over the last few days trying to locate a user manual for my machine, so far, to no avail. My machine was bought from my step mother who doesn't see the point in wasting gadget using time reading manuals! Ha ha ha ha

SO, not got so much work on this week so I'll have a bit of time for creativeness. I anticipate getting a bit done this week. I have a massive pile of things that need alterations and amendments, so I'd like to bang out a few of those too.

In addition to my home made oat based moisturiser I'm fancying having a crack at making my own cheese too. And growing sour dough mixture. Been watching River Cottage again.

My Facebook friends laughed at my status yesterday that read " Bethan James-Brunell just got Meg out of bed when she was just dropping off to try on a dress I'm making her. The sense of justice in getting her up now hasn't yet balanced out from the baby years and I still enjoy it every time".

This is, in fact, very true. But I was excited about the dress - I still am.

My reasons for making it are several. I found a pattern on line that looked really good if it worked. It does. So now I can make one for myself. I also had a piece of lovely fabric that was not big enough to make something for me really, but just the perfect size for skinny minny. Also, even though I've always said that my anti-consumerism won't be forced down the throat of said teenager, the thought of paying high street prices for things is even more out of the question now. I also like a challenge. To make for nothing something beautiful and adaptable out of a fairly small piece of otherwise redundant fabric, that is totally unique, bespoke and specially for her.

I introduced the teenager to the joys of charity shop shopping the other day. With their social lives being even more fruitful than us oldies, they, I'm told, require a plethora of garments for every occasion. She's not quite as resourceful naturally as me, so I'm trying to teach her what I can. She's been eyeing up a particular dress for ages in New Look. It's £25, which, admittedly isn't a great deal of money for a dress, but it's very straight forward, fairly high fashion so won't be wearable for ever really and simply not worth it. Exploring the theme of "value" and "worth" in an earlier blog made me even more reluctant to part my hard earned cash. For £15 in the charity shops she had a lovely classic dress, a brand new going out top with the labels still on and a skirt that she'd been looking for everywhere. A few simple alterations and it's all made to measure.

I wish I had me for a mother when I was a teenager, I tell you. And you wanna see this dress ...if I do say so myself, it's rather good.