a good day for fabrics

Today has been a fine day for fabric. A delicious selection for a new post baby wardrobe for £48.

 

So

some delicious green velvet with a spotty lining for a coat

pink velvet for something dreamy for Lily Rose

brown lace & linen for a skirt that I intend to copy from a Avoca Anthology design (£75....fabric cost £6 bargin)

pink & brown wool tweed for another coat with a fab liberty lining

dusty pink for a shirt

a nice brown herringbone tweed for some trousers & a skirt

red wool for a jacket.......

and delivered by postie this morning 2 packets of Vogue & Mcall's patterns that I ordered in the 2 day sale last week, £3 per vogue pattern saved me a fortune even with shipping from US.

Plus I have finished and been wearing with pride the coat I mentioned here sometime ago....(quite sometime ago) pics tomorrow.

I really hope that in these tough times ahead that more people take the opportunity to learn to sew, revamp old clothes, mend things and with fab new magazines like this, a night class in dress making or even just buying a pattern and having a go you will find a sudden but rewarding addiction may grow & save you a packet of cash!

mai tai.....the photos

Now my camera has made its way back from NYC I can finally post some of the projects I've been working on. I've been feeling pretty good the last week or so and other than the growing bump which makes fitting behind my sewing machine a bit of a challenge, I've been pretty productive!

I used a ring sling when both the boys were born but since then I have come across the mai tai design which i really liked the look of. So I researched loads of sites on the web and finally decided on the following design.

 

With my current fad for foral union jacks this had to be the design for me but although Keith is pretty easy going about my design choices I thought it would be a bit mean to insist that he wore florals....so he got his own camo variety

 

and on his trip to NYC Keith even bought this wonderful little 'floral' dress just to prove that he's not totally against the flowery look....

 

I also finished this cute little nappy bag with a matching changing mat in one of my favourite red cath k cotton duck fabrics.

 

artist of the week.....

Angie Lewin

  

I have been a fan of Angie's work for sometime now and particularly enjoy the influence of the skeletal & graphic designs in her work . Combined with the subtle colour schemes reminisant of the fiftes but that look comfortable in both traditional & modern homes.

   

Sadly I still haven't managed to add one of her limited edition prints to my collection and have only managed to collect a selection of cards & small prints....

There is also a great article in Country Living May 2007 showing us a glimpse into Angie's home & studio and with her partner avidly collecting furniture, ceramics & artwork have some fantastic examples of pieces from all eras old & new. 

If you would like to check out more of Angie's work including a wonderful printed textile range try these links...

St Jude's Gallery

Angie Lewin

All things considered - Angie's blog

Art Angels - selection of cards & prints

  

hippy birthday to ME!!!

I decided to start this blog to keep some sort of record of the bits & pieces of my life so I thought I ought to make a birthday post. 37 yrs young today and feeling quite ropey! But seen as Keith is in Berlin and the boys were at school (getting up late and forgetting my cards) I tried to treat myself and overcome my 3rd trimester sickness!

So I started the day with a pile of yummy banana & syrup pancakes....once the boys had gone to school so that I could eat in peace and quiet!

 

Ate a few bites and gave up!

Laid on the sofa feeling a bit glum & hoped the sick feeling would go. Watched the latest episode of the Tudors that I had been saving for a quiet time & then some rubbish film that didn't take too much concentration...

Had my lunch, fish pie & the treated myself to a coke float. These were such a favourite treat when we were young. Our beloved Nan used to take us to a little cafe that made its own ice cream just round the corner from Canterbury Cathederal (a weekly trip that we insisted she take us on) and we had ice cream sodas made with lemonade no coke(she didn't approve of that american stuff!) The only time we got to indulge in a real coke float was a little cafe in Birchington and they were few and far between..(plus note the cool card from my Dad..guess is that my sister had a hand in choosing!)

 

After a lovely phone call from my MIL, with a blink of an eye it was time to collect Tom from school so the day was almost over. Luckily I had my special birthday treat on Sat with a trip to Harrogate, Wagamamas for lunch and these yummy presents along with some new winter birkenstock clogs winging their way from Berlin

 

 

On Sunday I set to and finished the nursery, there are a few more bits to do but nothing too strenuous!

 

 

 

I was really pleased with the 'little greene paint co' colours on the walls, eau de nil & lt peachblossom & mirage for the cot, a step away from my beloved Farrow & Ball but they didn't have the shades I wanted.

The wonderful postcards from belle & boo look great in their frames and my next task is to trawl through etsy to find some more prints...oh what a hard job!

I am also really pleased with my handmade or second hand clothes collection. I have only bought the nightgowns new as I wanted something special for Lily Rose when she arrives and they were so delicious I couldn' resist and I seem to have an obsession for buying for tights at the moment and the collection is growing weekly.

And to round the day off I had promised the boys a cake and candles, obviously the last thing I felt like doing was baking a cake so my 10 minute brownie recipe saved the day and they both got to light the candles, sing happy birthday, scoff chocolate cake and everyone was happy!

 

Now I shall slink off to bed heartburn pending and hope that I can get comfy enough to sleep! 

vintage cadbury's

I picked these up from ebay a few weeks ago and haven't got round to sharing them with you all.

 

 

I haven't found any frames I like yet so they are just sitting on the dresser waiting patiently to find pride of place.

I also made headway on the nursery this morning so I promise pics soon.

bag & cat

I've had a flurry of cutting, stitching & finishing projects this week. I took various photos but the house is so dark that they were awful and as it hasn't stopped raining today so no chance of natural daylight. 

 

I made this bag from a burda pattern using some of my Jane Churchill florals that I purchased from my favourite fent shop last week. It was quick and easy to make, really comfy to wear so I can highly recommend it esp for beginners. The only adjustment I made was to lengthen the strap a little so it fitted over my shoulder so I will be able to wear it when I'm carrying Lily Rose without it slipping from my shoulder.

I have also finished 2 mai tai baby carriers, a dusty pink union jack one for me and a camo one for dad as he wasn't too keen on the floral look....I have been looking at loads of styles/patterns/instructions on the web and decided to draught my own pattern and it has turned out really well. Although we have been trying them on with teddies as a baby model so can't comment on how comfy they are but I will post some pics when Lily Rose arrives.

Other finished projects are

3 pairs jim jam trousers for boys

finished floral quilt/changing mat

cath k floral print nappy bag

blind for nursery (which still isn't finished!!)

curtains for nursery

all of which I will post pics for on a later date

and last but not least a picture of my ridiculous cat 'william' who has an amazing way of getting himself in the most ridiculous positions and laying like it for hours, not moving until he is well and truely shifted!