Mixed Media - I'm wearing a plastic apron so must be an artist!!

As usual, Wednesday morning saw Jean and I at Thrunscoe College for our Creative Textiles course.  Today would be the day when we actually saw fabric and sewing!  The first task was to dye some calico and let it dry - I wet mine first as I thought that it might take the dye better and I like the scrunched up look that you get when ringing the water out.  Since we used our new paints I went for a pallete test effect.  Once this is dry we will cut the 3 inch squares out and try different embroidery stitches to replicate some of the marks that we made on different surfaces in our sketch book.


 
 



But the main event involved synthetic felt and pelmet vilene - we dyed both pieces, ironed them dry, free machine embroidered them and used a soldering iron to burn eyelet holes.  We then ironed bondaweb on and finally ironed some transfer foil onto the top.  I have couched a matching piece of wool and added some French knots.  Truthfully this is now right up my street and I could have continued to work on this piece - however we are supposed to leave it at that, stick it into our sketch book and continue working on the small squares - darn it!  Suffice to say I loved it - right up my street!!









Whilst we were in the class I spotted this lovely pencil case - mmm - cue internet trawling to get one for myself!  I found it here!  I love really unusual things like this.

This afternoon was a little more mundane.  Having had the best nights sleep for a week I now had the energy to tackle the housework - just as well since the sewing group are coming around tonight!  Me thinks its time to light the fire!

Lost 70 pounds, gained a marriage proposal - what a day!

Sometimes its difficult to think of a title for a blog, sometimes they just write themselves .........

Today started well, if slowly.  I had slept, almost uninterrupted, for 9 hours.  We are not there yet and I am finding these heat packs useful, but things are definitely on the mend.  Its amazing how much better you feel with a good nights sleep!











So, first on the agenda, was TAST (Try a stitch Tuesday).  As you recall, every Tuesday we are encouraged to practise a different embroidery stitch and today it was satin stitch.  To further complicate matters I had decided that the stitches would eventually lead to a piece that could be displayed on the wall - so today I added this "stained glass window effect" chain to the project. I used stem stitch for the black outline, which is slightly cheating since it's next week's stitch but I will do something different then



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Next up was my "homework" for my Creative Textiles course tomorrow.  I needed to get my sketchbook sorted and mount all of those squares that I have talked about.  I had obsessed about getting the sketch book neat and tidy (which seems to go against the grain for artists) but I was also running out of time so just had to get it sorted and labelled - it hasn't turned out too bad.



Whilst I was sorting and mounting the work, I realised that two squares still had to be painted.  I had the paint - the tutor had recommended that we buy this small pack from Artvango - but no paint brush.  I was also running out of the heat pads and needed diesel for a "Girls adventure" on Friday - cue a trip to Grimsby (where I also treated the car to a handwash - how I love those washes!)  Whilst out and about (yes mother we are coming to the point of the title) I popped into an Oak furniture shop that is by the side of the A16 and which I pass on a regular basis but never pop into.  I was on the look out for a small side table to go next to the sofa in the lounge.  The one I fell in love with was £189 but there was a shop soiled one at £129 - there was a small dent towards the back.  Now I am a believer that "perfect" things soon get spoiled and if there's a £60 saving to be made then I am not being precious.  I happened to mention that there was a slightly different colour to the wood in the drawer front - at which point he knocked another £10 off .  The marriage proposal came later during some banter about hindsight making you much more intelligent - he clearly had the gift of the gab!  Sadly the table is a little high for the job but a rearrangement of the lounge will find a home for it.













The dogs have been walked (yes they almost didn't recognise a lead lol), the car has been packed with materials required for my sewing class tonight and tea is on cooking (lamb shank with veg - I am very proud that during this painful time I have not gorged out on food and cited self pity - I am hoping for kind scales this week!)  All that is left to do now is to start tidying the house ready for the sewing group tomorrow night - it's all go!

By the way - I noticed yesterday that this little old blog has just passed its 7000 views milestones - I wonder if we can get 10000 views by Christmas!!  Thank you to everyone all over the world - literally - who has taken the time to read my ramblings!

Jane Eyre

Sometimes I think the power of books to influence and inform is underestimated.  I know, in my case, that Jane Eyre was one of my favourite childhood books and have always wondered whether there was a link between this book - where Jane becomes a governess - and my choice to go into teaching. Whether that may be the case or not, today I am going to paraphrase one of the most famous lines from the book - Reader - I married him. In my case its:-

Reader - I slept

Not the most original I know but I fell straight asleep at 10pm, woke up around 3:30 with a stiff back, took a hot water bottle back to bed and slept for another hour or so, dozing then until 8am - in other words nearly 7 hours of sleep with 3 hours of dozing - what bliss! (who would have thought that this blog would turn into a description of my sleeping habits!!)

Sewing wise - the border of the present is nearly finished and an iron on label added.  I am bad about labelling my products so am trying to improve.  I like the idea that sometime in the future someone will find and identify my work. 






The two decorations have been finished and the third is ready to be made up.  I had drawn a template from template plastic - which seems to have gone on holiday (ahem!).  Rather than starting again and maybe coming up with a different size I want to look again for the template.

The fabric for the BGB has been cut out - which is no mean feat since every piece has to be labelled - although I haven't had time yet to quilt the front.  So - all in all - its been a good weekend (bad back not withstanding).




This afternoon was the craft group - over the next two weeks we are card making with Dorothy leading us.  It was nice to have someone else doing the leadership for a change although you could say that there was a range of skill levels amongst the group!!  We have also started to discuss the programme for next term (its reassuring that they want to continue) with skills such as crochet and quilt making being requested!  we are lucky to have a variety of skills within the group and can usually find someone to lead us in the activity.




My effort

Jean's effort

 

 

 

 

Today's card was a 3d affair with a little drawer for you to hide a small gift.  It might be a tad difficult to post though!

"Guess how much I love you?"

How I wish that I had cameras up to record the goings on last night.  I tried sleeping upstairs but couldn't get comfortable - the only time my back didn't hurt was when I sat up.  Cue lightbulb moment - the chair downstairs with the pull up foot rest!  So down the stairs I came - trailing my duvet like some form of Christopher Robin with his blanket - and sat in the chair.  again I tossed and turned - now I needed a hot water bottle - and so it went on.  The only truly surprising fact is that I woke up at 5am - giving me around 4 hours sleep so not too shabby.  However I did fall asleep when watching the sewing programme at 8am on Create and Craft that I like to tune into!  My plan for tonight?  I now have a supply of those stick on patches which dispenses some heat and comfort - we will try a bed (probably mine first) and see how it goes!  On the bright side - my head is still poorly but I don't notice it now!

Sewing wise you may recall that I gave myself until Monday afternoon at 1pm to finish three decorations,a Christmas present and some cutting out for a new project.  Well - I haven't started on the cutting out yet but the Christmas present has a little bit of hand sewing to go before the binding is added (oops - maybe a  hint there) and, as you can see two decorations just need a small slip stitch to finish them off.  I will do the hand sewing for the third tonight.  I am really pleased with the way that these have turned out - they could even be used for handmade cards - hmmm!




I did promise you a present for my great nephew however.  I had had this piece of fabric in my "stash" for some time and had treated myself to this new Jenni Rayment book.  In the book she had details of a baby changing mat which folds up into a small tote bag and has pockets for nappies and wipes - out of reach from the baby - it seemed like a plan!  The "straight" police would have a field day - the towelling was a new towel from Tesco and it moved all over the place - however I am really pleased with the finished article and will get it posted off this week.

When life throws you lemons .............

Now let's get this straight - I really have nothing to moan about or to feel sorry about - but waking up early (2am this time) is taking its toll!  I have taken the advice of Happymum and Sewing Buddy and have ordered a new mattress - so will try the bed in the spare room tonight.  Its hardly used and people do say what a nice nights sleep they get.  However I believe that there's a rogue spring which suddenly pings in the middle of the night - should be fun!

So, instead of a really active day, today has been one of mozying around the house.  My back has had a heat pad strapped to it for much of the day and so dog walking was out of order.  Instead I took the opportunity to focus on this weekend's sewing goals.  I have sewn the first Christmas ornament and have started the second one - I took a Gail Pan pattern that I have sewn before and reduced it to 75% of its original size.  I can't claim credit for the idea - I saw it on Pinterest.  If all goes to plan then I will make up all three tomorrow.






I also worked on the Christmas present that I referred to yesterday.  Clearly I can't give too many details here - I suspect that the recipient reads this blog - but as you can see from these snippets I am working with small 1 1/2 inch squares and it involves hand sewing.  However the front is now complete so I am on track to finish by tomorrow evening / Monday morning.



Lunch was another homemade soup - a sort of scotch broth which started with me browning some lamb mince.  The recipe did ask for two lamb stock cubes and I only had one so used a vegetable one as well.  I think that next time I would use two to increase the taste of lamb.








The high point of the day, however, came when my mobile burst into life - my glasses were ready for collection!  Yes my eye test was 11:30 on Thursday and the glasses - complete with additional treatments such as anti-glare - were delivered to Tesco today.  Of course I had to pop out and get them - if only because I could then buy a bath sheet for another gift idea.  On Thursday I received news that I was a Great Aunt for the second time - Daniel Nathan, just over 6lbs in weight - a plan is coming together in my head which I will try to start tomorrow and share with you then.

So tonight is sewing the Christmas ornaments and Strictly - oh and hopefully a lot of sleep!

A day of contrasts

Well - I slept a little better last night - only waking up at 5am!!  But let's start with news re Slimming World.  Hold on to your hats - I only went and lost a blooming four and a half pounds!!!  Oh - and that meant that I was slimmer of the week, oh and I also went and won the raffle - so came home with this huge load of fruit and veg - should stand me in good stead this week!



So - back to today.  Having woke up early I will confess to lying on the settee and catching up with Dr Foster - its good but black!  However by 8am (and after the now obligatory "Bring Me Sunshine" on Radio 2) I felt a deep-rooted need to tidy the house up.  Maybe it was because of what the day would hold that I needed something concrete to get myself stuck into.  Its also extremely pleasing to be in a tidy and clean house (get me!)

Clearly the main event today was Tanya's funeral.  It was held at Alford Crematorium and the wake was back at Tanya's house - her partner's thinking was that so many people had lived through Tanya's dreams for her house but had never seen it that he wanted to give them the opportunity to do so.  The service was a simple, understated one - with memories provided by her partner, her children and her uncle.  The wake gave us the opportunity to meet with Tanya's family - her granddaughter is the spitting image of Tanya and has all of her mannerisms!  Suffice it to say that I needed the quiet walk along the beach with the dogs just to reflect.

Once home it was time to both trawl the internet researching a new mattress and to plan the weekend.  As it is I have nothing to do until 1pm on Monday - what bliss!  Cue the post it notes!  On the grounds that if I commit to something here then you will hold me to task then I hereby promise to, at least:-

1. Complete a Christmas present - left over from a September post it note.
2. Complete three Christmas decorations - I have reduced a Gail Pan pattern but will explain more when they are completed.
3. Cut out the fabrics for a BGB and quilt the front
4. Take the dogs for a long walk on both Saturday and Sunday

In other words - I am having a sewing retreat +.  Enjoy the weekend and the good weather that we have been promised xx

Reflections ......

Well - its 1st October which can mean only one thing - I am now one third of the way through this retirement year - that's 4 months or 17 weeks.  So what have I achieved?

• 17 weekly challenges (phew - I thought that I had got behind on these!)
• Discovered Annie Sloan paint
• Redecorated and, I believe, revitalised the conservatory
• Had the outside of the property fixed and smartened
• Refurbished the lounge
• Decorated the hall and kitchen
• Lost nearly a stone
• Walked around 80 extra kilometres
• Completed a ton of sewing projects - with nearly half of the Christmas presents completed

but, more importantly,

• Had lots of fun with old and new friends
• Vastly improved my quality of life, and 
• Reduced my blood pressure from a regular 160+ / 100 to 130/90

I am sure that there are many more things that I have achieved but it is this tangible loss of stress that intrigues me the most.







Of course, along the way, there have been moments of sadness - not least the loss of Tanya, whose funeral we will go to tomorrow.  But I am so pleased that I made the decision that I did - it was right for me and I am loving it!  I don't even feel as if its some form of extended holiday anymore - this is my normality now (as I believe Happymum once said)!





On the headache front - I went and had my eyes tested today - they are healthy (TA can have a catastrophic effect on eyesight) but the eye sight has got worse and I now have to wear glasses for driving!!  My consultant also spoke to me and advised me to increase the steroids - not up to the 40mg that the nurse suggested (thank goodness that I didn't follow that advice) but up to 10mg.  I really hope that this works - last night was a difficult night which ended up with me sleeping on my back on the sofa - I don't know whether I simply need a new mattress or if I was over compensating for my painful head - I guess that time will tell!