WOYWW 121

AT FIRST I WAS AFRAID, I WAS PETRIFIED......

Those disco divas amongst you will recognise that famous opening line!  I HAVE survived the departure of the Big O - thank you for all the support and lovely comments left last week, it really helped!  It is very quiet without him, but on the positive side, milk, bread and cereals are lasting an awful lot longer!!  *grin*

Thanks also for the suggestions as to what to make with the blue teapot fabric.  I decided to make a tote bag.......


Pieces cut out, ready to go.....

an apron...likewise...


And also some pieces to make a doorstop - but I forgot to take a picture of those!!  I'll post the finished result next week instead :D There's still enough material left for a pegbag, or a table runner - I do cut the fabric very carefully to get maximum usage out of a square metre or two.  I hate wastage!

In the best Blue Peter tradition, here's one I made earlier!!  This is the apron that was in pieces on last week's blog.  I think I should market it as a LBD (or Little Black Dress) Apron - if you need a pinny but don't want to wear your everyday scuzzy one (oops, TMI, there, methinks!)


It was suggested that it should be called a Hostess Apron - but that sounds like a whole new area of fabric goods!!!  And one which I'm not prepared to explore, quite frankly....furry handcuffs anyone..?  Anyway, I like the ra-ra type frill, it's my homage to the 80's *snigger*

I've got a parsley problem (bet you didn't think you'd be reading that..!).  You see, I was told that parsley is a so and so to germinate, so I sowed lots of seeds and they all came up.  I have an inability to throw seedlings away, just can't do it, so planted them all.  I now have a parsley hedge which threatens to overtake everything in my veggy beds - does anyone want any?? LOL!  A neighbour, whose dad was head gardener for a private estate, told me that prolific parsley was the sign of a woman's garden - I'd never heard that old tale before.  But, it seems to be true :)


And finally..any guesses as to why I've got a pile of yellow split peas on my work table??  Lots of Chana Dhal may be? All will be revealed next week!!


I've got 7 days to think up a good song for the title of the next post - 'Let there be Peas on Earth' maybe? Or even 'Give Peas a Chance' ??

Whatever you get up to this week, may it be joyous! xx



WOYWW 120

ANOTHER SUITCASE IN ANOTHER HALL.....


Normally this bed in our spare/work room is covered with my fabrics but this is a picture that raises some very mixed emotions for me... The Big O is leaving home on Friday, bound for Cardiff University and a new chapter of his life.  DH and I are so happy and excited for him and yet are disbelieving at how quickly the time has sped by since we first held the new arrival in our arms....



We are going to miss him so much.........

But I'm a glass half full sorta gal and would rather laugh than wallow in misery so....

Here's the finished introvert/extrovert bag, I think it's quite chic.  Smart lime green on the outside with just a little tantalising hint of naughtiness concealed within! Reminds me of Julia...*grin*

 

     I liked this material so much, I just had to 
    make something else.




I found another fabric in my stash that toned with it and am going to make a half apron with a ruffle at the top.  You can just see the book that I got the idea from, it's called  '101 Great Ways to sew a Metre' by Rebecca Yaker and Patricia Hoskins, published by David and Charles.  Think I got it from Amazon.  There are some fab ideas inside, I really liked this apron and it hardly takes any fabric!  All cut out, ready to sew.


I was killing some time in Marlborough and found myself in Dible and Roy.  This is the furnishing fabric equivalent of Dr Who's Tardis.  There are loads of rooms, higgledy piggledy staircases and rolls of fabric EVERYWHERE! It's also a time warp because I only meant to pop in for 10 mins and emerged, blinking into the daylight..mumble.. 1 hour later.. and had to run to the car to see if one of Marlborough's notoriously vicious traffic wardens had given me a ticket!!  Thankfully the Parking Angel was looking out for me that day and I escaped by the skin of my teeth - phew :)

Anyway, I digress..what did I find in this lovely shop but the blue version of the gorgeous green material I featured last week - AND - it was on sale!!!! Wahhoooo. I bought a couple of metres and some new gingham. The blue/white spotty was part of a fab birthday present from a friend. She gave me a bag filled with sewing goodies which was so thoughtful.  Anyhow, I liked the combination of the three, just have to decide what to make.  Any ideas??


Table runners maybe? Or hows about place mats or cushions? All suggestions gratefully received!!

Have a great crafty week - think of me on Friday.  I'm going to try to be brave but will be taking an extra large box of tissues... xxxx



WOYWW 119

I'M FOREVER BLOWING BUBBLES, PRETTY BUBBLES IN THE AIR....
        THEY FLY SO HIGH, NEARLY REACH THE SKY...

No, really, I haven't lost it...well maybe a little bit.. but this bright material just makes me think of bubbles or balloons floating away into the blue beyond.  It makes me very happy!!

Here's my desk at the moment - I'm making an introvert-extrovert bag.  It's going to be all shy, demure, no-fuss green on the outside but when you open it up - that loud material will leap out atcha.  Not earth shattering but it pleases me tremendously!!


Here's a closer shot of the fabrics though the colours haven't come out as true as they are in reality.  The tones are just pleasing, they fit together really well.


Do you remember the teacups/gingham apron from last time?  I liked the combination so much that I thought I'd make a bag for the craft fairs coming up.  If it doesn't sell, then I'll be happy to keep this one :D  You keep learning all the time in this game, don't you?  I used the same reinforcing outside edge seams that helped Julia's oilcloth bag have more rigidity - it certainly gives the totes more definition and helps them stand up a bit better too.

      

I love this fabric - it reminds me of summer days and cream teas with scones and jam..mmmmmm!!

I had also cut out the pieces for Laura's tablecloth last time - here is the finished article.  I'm really pleased with this and am going to use the same fabric combination to make table runners and place mats for the Christmas fairs as not everyone wants holly or Santas.  You could use this all year round!


OK..confession time now.

My name is Lunch Lady Jan and...I'm a tuba player....

Now I know the tuba, or Bass in brass banding. hasn't got the rockstar quality of a screaming lead guitar or magnificence of a piano concerto - but I love it. I've been a musician all my life, playing piano and cello to a reasonable standard, but I found my true love six years ago when Son No 2 started in the training band of Phoenix Brass.  After a couple of weeks of sitting on the sidelines, I got invited to try the cornet.  After a week of my head nearly exploding while I tried to get a sound out, the Musical Director told me that I had enough puff to blow the cornet straight!! Now I know I'm full of hot air but really....!!  So I was put onto the E flat Bass and fell in love.  It's not got the glamour of the cornets or euphonium but a band can't function without its bass section - we're the underpinnings!  I joined the senior band 2 months later and Son No 2 joined soon after.  We play for a lot of fetes/concerts, helping folk to raise money for various concerns.  We also march down Marlborough High Street for the Remembrance Sunday Parade.  There's a real family feel to the band which you don't get in many other musical groups and we both like that very much.

Here we are playing to help raise money for the Wiltshire Air Ambulance - we look like the Blues Brothers with our shades on - but it was a very bright day!!


And below was a joint concert with the Cricklade Brass Band.  You don't often get seven basses in a row like that - I think the vibrations could be felt in London!!!  When you hit a 'sweet' note, it just gets you 'right there'.  Fantastic!!


I simply can't imagine my life without the band - forget money, it's music that makes the world go round :D xx

Have a great week!






WOYWW 118 (I Think...??)

A CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION!!

(Or...Reasons to be Cheerful... 1, 2, 3!!)


REASON NO. 1
Good friends of ours had a little boy (yet to be named) in the early hours of Sunday, so I've been making some more bunting as a little present.  As he's their third child, I'm hesitant to add more plastic/soft toys etc to the large pile that inevitably collects around small children.  So I thought our mates might like something slightly different - hence the little flags.  I'll pop in a pair of the baby trousers I made a few weeks back too.  Hope that'll be acceptable for the new nipper :D

REASON NO. 2
Whilst rummaging through some boxes on top of the wardrobe in my sewing room, I found these packs of Christmas Bunting made last year.  Yahoo, that'll save me some time preparing for the festive craft fairs that are fast approaching.  The mini version sold well, so I'm hoping for the same this year.  That discovery was a little ray of sunshine in an otherwise dark and dreary day!!  The red and white spot/gingham combo is going to be a tablecloth for Laura (of Airing Cupboard Stamping fame!)


Also cut out, ready for sewing, is this pretty teapot and cups material - it makes me smile when I look at it.  I'm not sure about those gingham straps though, I think it's too strong a contrast.  I'll use them for another project and find a material with softer tones.  After all, I have quite a selection.....!!


REASON NO. 3
My DH and the Big O went for a Boy's Day Out to the Great Dorset Steam Fair last Thursday.  This is an amazing event where steam enthusiasts/anoraks/geeks (delete as applicable) go to admire ancient examples of engineering.  I have attended in the past and thoroughly enjoyed it - the sight of so many men happily getting covered in oil, soot and muck tickled me.  There are a few women joining in the fun as well, but it really, truly, is a male bonding experience - except they wouldn't call it that, would they?!
Our friend, Martin, has an old steamroller, which he brings along most years; the Big O was thrilled to find out that, now he's 18, he's allowed to drive it.  Oh boy, was he pleased........


Martin let Owen take control and drive around the show arena.  I tell you, all the X-boxes, i-phones and techy wizardry could not have given greater pleasure to my boy.  He ended the day oily, greasy and covered in soot.....fantastic!!!


And THAT is what he'll remember when he's old and grey......

Have a great week!!


WOYWW 769

 WE'LL MEET AGAIN.... I'm going to take a break from blogging for a while - please don't worry, all is ok! - think I just need a...