Ding Dong Sewalong!

For those of you who might be wondering what on earth I'm on about (and not for the first time) I am, of course, referring to the very talented Miss Daisy Jones who is hosting a tip top sewalong for a 'simple' skirt. Now let me just clarify - 'tis not I who have coined the phrase 'simple' here.No in my case it's more of a tip top skirt for a simple person. Hmm. 

(I've just been distracted by a duck sitting on the roof right outside the window - maybe he too would like to join in - no?)

Anyhow, if you're still there, I thought you might like to see the fabric I've selected. Please bear in mind that in true 'me' fashion I have waited until the time in the evening where it is impossible to get a good picture - the colours aren't quite as lurid as they might seem.

Contender number one

Yes you are correct in thinking that this is an old curtain. I love the colours and the loose weave but I'm currently using it for bag making.

Contender number two

Another curtain. This time with more of a glazed finish but I think more suited to a dress I've got in mind. (Hahahahahahahahahahaha - oh yes it's amazing the dreams we can dream!)

So the final contender, and to be honest the one I've plumped for, is this one.

A very fine needlecord which is far prettier in real life than this picture shows. It was a roll end from a charity shop and cost the grand total of £2.49. I've been waiting for the right thing to do with it so hopefully fate has called and I will soon be parading around proudly in it.

So that's my choice. 

Do I have a zip? No.

Do I have the pattern yet? Errr - no! (but hopefully popping onto the doormat any day now)

But do I have the enthusiasm? Heck yes!!

This is going to be good fun. If you haven't joined up yet pop over to see Daisy or use the button in my sidebar.

Simple - that's my kind of sewing!

Off to watch 'The Great British Sewing Bee' now for my weekly fix.

Jane

xxx

A Query

Just wondering if anyone else has this problem. Every now and then one of the blogs I am following will disappear off my radar. The blog is still live but I receive no notifications of new posts and find that I have disappeared from the followers list. Is it just me?

And by way of a pretty picture -

here's a not very good one taken from my bathroom window during quite a heavy rainstorm this afternoon. It's amazing what a bit of warmth has done for the new growth. I love Spring!

Jane

xxx

A Winner!

Well now there are two things here. Number one is I am amazed at how few odd socks there are out there - am I the only one who has at least fifty in a bag under the bed (oh dear - maybe I've said too much)? And number two is that there has been one very excited raccoon around these parts over the last few days. Ronnie has been carefully reading each and every comment and imagining life in all far flung corners of the globe. He was beside himself when the clock struck six this evening. We had to have a few words and calm him down with his beloved pineapple.

Sadly his lack of digits made it impossible to select a piece of paper himself, so he enlisted the help of Little Sis.

And the winner is ......

Well done Jacqui! If you could email me with contact details I'll get Ronnie packed and off on his travels before the week is out!

Thanks to all of you who left a comment - it seems like Ronnie has built up quite a fan base out there - he'll be on the cover of Vogue before you know it (keep hold of those odd socks - they could soon be 'de rigueur'!)

Bye for now,

Jane

xxx

Boxes, brooches, buttons and bunnies

A short while ago Jo from Three Stories High (go over and pay her a visit - this lady does some serious making!) organised a brooch swap. Now I have never entered anything like this before and, knowing the wealth of talent out there, felt a little hesitant about joining in. But with a sudden gust of confidence (and probably a glass of something cold and white) I sent my details. In no time I had been matched up with Sandra from over at Jessie's Needle. Of course I immediately hopped on over there and started to panic. This lady makes all sorts of gorgeous things - just take a look at her folksy shop! But with a little bit of time and some middle of the night ideas I came up with a plan. Remember the Anchor pearl from my previous post? I took a teeny tiny crochet hook to it and with the help of my reading glasses, a magnifying doodah that you put around your neck, and a lot of squinting, had soon crocheted enough flowers to put together like this. I was quite pleased with how it turned out and just hoped that Sandra wasn't a pastel loving gal.

It was really exciting sending it off on it's way - but then even more exciting to return from work yesterday and find my own little parcel. Inside was a lovely card

some gorgeous pink lace and buttons 

and a box!

I stared at the box for a little while, shook it, and then rather tentatively opened it. 

Look what it was. 

Isn't it the most beautiful brooch?

 A beautifully delicate flower on a felt backing - all topped off with a pink opalescent bead. What's more it sits perfectly on my new (to me) cord coat - perfect for brightening up my day. Thank you so much to Sandra, and to Jo for organising this swap. If, like me, you feel a little nervous about joining in something like this, don't be - it's great fun and lovely to know how generous people can be with their thoughts, their talent and their time.

As for those bunnies - I caught Miss Mildred snaffling those buttons in her little bag. What a commotion that caused. Naughty rabbit!

P.S . There's still time to enter my giveaway  - will draw on Monday at 6pm UK time.

Have a lovely weekend!

Jane 

x 

100 posts - a giveaway - and a racoon???

That can only mean one thing.

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere's

Ronnie!

But fortunately that's where the homage to Jack Nicholson's scary axe wielding character in 'The Shining' ends. Phew!

Oh no this little sweetie is more at home

firkling around in the sock drawer

(with the occasional embarrassing consequence)

and hugging the odd pineapple

(who doesn't?)

What's more little Ronnie could be yours!!! As a nod to this being my one hundredth post I thought it would be fun to have a little giveaway. All you need to do is follow this blog and tell me how many odd socks you have! 

I'll select a winner at random next Monday at 6pm and one lucky peeps could have Ronnie rambling over to them at top speed.

Could you provide a caring home (and the occasional pineapple) for Ronnie? 

Get counting!

Jane xxx

and Ronnie!

Secret Squirrels

Things seem to be waking up this week. We've had a few days of warmth - not quite t shirt and shorts weather - but that gentle warmth that tells us that the seasons are changing. There's something so magical about the first flowers - still few and far between but presenting us with colours that seem to have been absent  for an age.

And as for the daffy down dillies - not enough to admire in the garden as yet but plenty of shop bought ones to fill vases around the house. The gentle wafts of fragrance immediately transport me to warmer days.

But what's that got to do with secret squirrels? Well the answer to that is - I CAN'T TELL YOU !

I've been busying myself this week with a couple of projects that can not be revealed as yet.

The first involves this beautiful box of pearl cotton - gifted to me by a friend who knows exactly what makes me tick!

Want to see inside?

Jewel bright colours in the softest cotton.

Perfect for a little bit of this!

But - no more of that just yet - it's a secret!

And as for the other.

Well I can't quite believe it but I'm actually moseying on up to my 100th post. When I first pressed that publish button over a year ago I had no idea what a journey I was about to begin. The friendship and support has been wonderful and something that I would like to acknowledge formally. Oh yes - I'm going to have a GIVEAWAAAAAAAY!

Want a  little peek?

Woohoo - can't wait to reveal all!

Meanwhile I hope you are all able to enjoy a little bit of Spring this weekend - wherever you are.

Jane

x

Please Miss Mildred

Please Miss Mildred

Can  you see

I need help

With my 1,2,3?

Yes little glove mouse

I can show

You which way the numbers go.

Wow Miss Mildred

That's much better!

Now can you help me 

With my letters?

Introducing Miss Mildred - teacher of bunnies (now retired) and font of much wisdom. Made from what was once a perfectly nice woollen skirt with coordinating shawl and bag - now hopping over to Etsy. 

Glove mouse in detention.

Oh Miss Mildred.

Jane

x