Just Five Minutes, Then I'm Going to Bed for A Very Long Time.....

I just wanted to share a couple of things I've made recently and tell you about what's going on!

Said leopard print fabric, generously donated by "Cass the Collie's Mum" made itself into three bags - I originally made one, for Meg, rather liked it, made one for me. As you can see the leopard print fabric is on the outside, the bottoms (and sides on the little square one) are made from the cut off bottoms of some of Meg's old red jeans. Denim is marvelous. I then lined them with red shiny lining to give them a gorgeous luxurious feel, a genuine vintage gold nautical button, and I've got commissions to make two more for other people. I'm feeling a zebra print one for us next. Maybe with purple.

I thought it would be rude of me to not make one for "Cass's Mum! to keep her lead in - or beer money, fags, phone, whatever she chooses to do with it ha ha ha!

When making the prom dress, I faced the old "matching bag quandary. Given the style of the dress colour etc it would have been impossible to match a bought one and I didn't want to make a pouch style bag, it needed to be a clutch. So I covered the black one you see in the pictures. I must take a better photo of it, I thought I had, but you can see Meg holding it in the picture of her with the umbrella. I was really rather pleased with that.

I made the leopard skin dress for her too long, so I shortened it, made the classic mistake of making it too short, so now I have a little work to do. I have also cut out my favorite dress pattern for my teacup print frock, which I hope to wear out on Friday.

In amongst all this, half the house is packed to move (except sewing machine - can't live without that!) Husband's back in hospital, and I'm trying even harder than usual to do things for myself and keep my independence and sense of self. I don't think I'd have such a great perspective on things without many of my friends but in this particular instance Jenny has been the most insightful, sadly able to draw on personal experience. I am even more grateful than usual for you kind and sensible words Jen.

Oh, and I went on BBC Radio Wales again this morning. What was that...? You want a link? Oh, go on then :) I must be honest I LOVED the idea of being one of the "Seven Deadly Sins"! How glamorous!

The Jamie and Louise Show

Day Tripper

Well, as usual, I've not managed to fulfill my promise of a blog. I will tell you about my free window dressings, just as soon as I get five minutes! Yesterday, we had some friends come visit all day so I had no chance, I went straight to work in the evening, straight to bed when I got home and now I'm on a coach on the way to Salisbury for a day trip with a different W.I. That's the thing about being a President, you have obligations. I'd really rather not be on this particular trip given my extreme deadlines, but I said I would before hand so here I am. On the plus side, I'm now a third of the way through my "God" daughter's blanket. I'm dreading having to keep it for Christmas, once it's finished I'll want her to have it immediately. It's so pretty. I'm thinking about making it a double layer one, that'll make it SO warm and comfy. I feel a bit rude getting my crochet out on the bus, but hey, needs must. I need a cup of tea. I can't wait to stop at the services already - we're only on the Severn bridge!

Some people think I'm barking - I prefer to call it "creative"

I don't drink or smoke so, I can't get snobbish about a good bottle of wine or cigar (although I actively encourage a certain amount of snobbery over such things) but I seem to have gotten a bit snobbish over tea and coffee. Well everyone has to have their vice, don't they?

I don't know if this is because of my non-boozing/puffing lifestyle that my taste buds are a little more sensitive but I can't stand cheap coffee or tea. I never used to be this much of a snob about it. The reaction of pleasure on my face was both unhealthy and surprising, even to me, when I discovered an individually wrapped Twinning's Every Day tea bag, stolen from my last stay in a hotel.

I've recently donated 2 bags of coffee (I'm not giving up my jars) because I couldn't bear them and seem to have been through every single brand known to man. I can find only 3 or 4 instant coffees that I can drink, the rest of them taste of bloomin' chicory.I detest chicory.Yuk.

As a result, I have been drinking rather a lot of filter coffee (sometimes, I don't fancy even the ones I can drink) and I have noticed a distinct drop in temperature during the steeping period. I got my crochet hooks out and knocked up a little cafetiere warmer. Well, I figured, if you're going to need something as kitsch as a cafetiere warmer it should be fabulous, and seeing as my tea cosy is the most wonderful thing ever known to man, it had some competition. I found my tea cosy behind my Step Mother's drawers (ooo er) in her kitchen, left there accidentally by the previous (elderly) occupants. It's a crocheted Owl, with space for the spout and handle and he's gorgeous. I'm going to make a crochet toilet roll dolly next. Everyone needs one of them in their life, don't they?

Speaking of snobbery, which I do like to talk about, I must tell you this anecdote:

A good friend was telling me about a very fancy event she goes to every year. She has two very good friends who, for the benefit of the exercise, will be called Emma and Dawn. Emma and Dawn are also good friends, Emma being totally loaded and Emma not so, but trying very hard to create the impression that she is equally as blessed.

Everyone arrived at the event last year and Dawn says to Emma "You look amazing, that dress is fabulous?" then loudly whispers "where did you get it?". Emma replies "ooo yes. very much so! It's from a little known designer called Miss Evie!" Dawn thinks and says "yes, I've heard of her, she's very well thought of, isn't she? I think Victoria Beckham wears some of hers."