* Lazylol *

Summer Holidays 2014 #1

 

The best part of working in a school is the 6 week break for summer :)  This year I intend to enjoy every single day of it.  I have recently had a health scare which thankfully is over but it really did make me stop and think.  I need to slow down and enjoy the little things.  Spending time with family, at the coast and plenty of me time, doing the things I love.  Listening to music, reading, sewing, baking and walking are at the top of my list.

I've been getting out of my comfort zone a little bit too, I tend to be a bit nervous when driving to places I haven't been before or into the city.  I made a New Years Resolution to push myself to just do it and this year I have driven all over the place.  Yes, I've been nervous but I have felt so proud of myself afterwards.  I will drive anywhere now.......... almost :)

 

 

I have joined a sewing club and am loving having those few hours on a Tuesday evening to socialise and actually get some stitching done. The first project I did was this simple little picture, made from wallpaper and fabric scraps.

 

 

The picture is for my new little grand daughter, Heidi Marie, who was born 5 weeks ago. Heidi is my first grand child and I love being a Grandma, although it does make me feel really old :)

 

 

 

My Weight  Watchers journey is going well.  Slowly the weight is coming off and I am feeling so much better.  I've gone down two dress sizes.  I know I will be having some treats over the 6 week holiday but hopefully all the walking and swimming will help.  If I can reach the first of September without gaining any of the weight back I will be more than happy.  Then phase two can begin :) 

 

 

 

Sewing Bee Final

I am really looking forward to the final of the Great British Sewing Bee.  I could watch this show forever, what a shame it is over in four episodes.  I really do hope they make another series.....and soon.

 

Sew-A-Long Update

You will not be surprised to hear that I missed the deadline for finishing my skirt in  Kitschy Coo's Sew along.  Sometimes I wonder how or why I even bother to join in these things.  My life is overflowing with stuff.  I have so many ideas and absolutely no time to spare for them.

Full time job + caravan weekends + endless washing/ironing/cleaning + natural laziness = nothing done :(

However, I have been trying my best to make something. I've been pinching 10 minutes here and half an hour there and I DID draft the skirt pattern and make the muslin.  Unfortunately it was too big and I need to start over.  But I have learned a lot. One of the hurdles I need to get over is the fact that I am a plus size and fitting is difficult.  I have been sewing since five years old and have made piles of successful garments.  I worked in a fabric shop when I left school for a few years and sewed like a mad woman. It was a dream job for the fabric addict in me! Once I had my family and steady put on weight over the years, I lost all  confidence in sewing  something that would actually fit. I have lost some weight during the past year and gone down a few sizes so I am feeling the urge to sew again.  Being able to draft some simple patterns that fit well is my aim.

I can not tell you how much I love this book. I've read it twice. Already. I have taken all my measurements (shudder) and jotted them down in my little notebook.  I made the muslin out of an old duvet cover, much to my families amusement (!) I practiced french seams for the first time and am now addicted, I love how they look.  I also bought a concealed zip foot and plan to practise my zip fitting.  I feel like a beginner but I am loving learning all over again.

Sew ~ Along

I am joining. I  signed up here. I've bought the book. All I need to do now is get my Flickr Account sorted (it won't let me sign  in for some reason) and I am ready! Come and join too - you know you want to!

Fresh Spring Air

I've had a hectic but enjoyable week and weekend.  I just got back home after attending my little 5 month old neice's Christening.  I must be getting old because all I could think about in the car on the way home was changing into comfy clothes and having a big mug of tea or two.

It is a lovely sunny spring day and I don't know about you but these first days of spring really lift my spirits.  I was so fed up of dark nights and dark mornings.  It is so nice to get outside in the fresh air and I am in the mood for some spring cleaning this week.  Opening the windows and letting some fresh air in. I am giddy to peg out the washing, sad I know but it I love the smell of line dried clothes.

   I did manage a trip to the fabric shop this week and found just the fabrics I was looking for and all very reasonably priced.  My Ottobre Woman magazine arrived too so now I have patterns and fabric, I might even make something(!)  I have been sewing this week but only to do some alterations.

Saturday Fabric Shopping

I thought I'd do my bit to support the high street yesterday and so off I went shopping.  I visited my favourite fabric shop (sorry about the rubbish photo) looking for some fabric for PJ bottoms.  Although they do have a half decent selection and it is reasonably priced, they never seen to have quite what I am looking for.  It was wools, linens and tweed coat fabric. The only cottons they had were ginghams (which I love but I didn't want gingham this time) and some dodgy strawberry print stuff that they have sold since I worked there myself when I was 16! They didn't have a single printed jersey or t-shirting. It's annoying when you see all the gorgeous fabrics used to make ready to wear clothing. I wish some of it was available to buy.

Does anyone know anywhere online I could try?  In the past I've shopped online from the US but with the £/$ thing at the moment it is too expensive. I read somewhere that late in 2009/10 there is  going to be a home sewing  boom - oh I do hope so!

Closing Down for Winter

Yesterday we had a ride to the coast for a nice long walk and to shut up the caravan for the six weeks the site is closed down for the season.  We will not go now until the February half term break when it opens back up again.  I will miss it but it will give me a chance to do some of the jobs that I can never manage with spending lots of weekends away.  I need to paint a few ceilings, gloss some doors and redecorate my hall stairs and landing. I would also like to make some new Roman blinds.

It also means that I can spend my Saturday mornings shopping at Ikea and visiting local markets and towns that I haven't seen for a while.

So yesterday, after we'd closed down the caravan we called into Beverley shopping.  What a pretty little town it is. I was giddy when I managed to find not only this (my favourite magazine of all time and believe me I LOVE magazines)

but also this little magazine (one of my new favourites). I had been meaning to subscribe but haven't got around to it. Just snagged it in the nick of time because issue three is due any day (goodie) 

Lots of ideas, patterns and inspiration.  First on my list of things to make for 2009 is this lovely Flirty Florence apron.  I need a new apron badly so I am going to raid my stash for fabrics.

 

Sew Hip

If you haven't seen it already, get over to the very talented Manda's Blog and read all about her super exciting new project.

It's it amazing what can come from writing a blog.  I am going to subscribe.  I am glad to support anything that promotes crafting and especially sewing here in the UK.  Hopefully this will lead to more and more people requiring fabric and supplies and help keep the few remaining shops here in the UK in business.

Good Luck Manda - I can't wait to get the first issue!

Rubbish.

Thank you to the person/people who thought it would be funny to steal half a dozen wheelie bins from our street.  Now I have to sit and wait for the bin men to come and go out and plead with them to take the bags of rubbish away (they're a bit jobsworth & aren't allowed to take bags only bins.  Bins yes, extra bags.... no.) so let's hope they are in good spirits this fine and sunny morning.

While I wait, I am going to peruse the Heather Bailey website.  Have you seen it.  I nearly fainted with delight when I saw her new fabrics and scrapbooking supplies. OMG. And she delivers to the UK at a reasonable cost . I must surely be in heaven.

I have my eye on these two fabrics so far....

Blogs...so many to read, so little time!

I was up early this morning. I made myself my usual huge mug of tea and instead of jumping straight on the computer, I decided to get all my jobs done and out of the way. So I've been grocery shopping, to the post office to mail some ebay parcels, to the garage for air in tyres and petrol (wow - that stuff is getting expensive!), washed the car, cleaned the whole downstairs, and done three loads of washing - phew! It's all pegged outside drying too because for once it isn't actually raining and we are some slightly spring-like weather.  Actually I am keeping one eye on the washing line while typing because it suddenly became cloudy.

I've been thinking lately that I spend too much time on the internet.  It seems to suck my whole day in and only leave me with only a few hours to do everything else.  No wonder all my craft and diy projects are left unfinished.  I need to do more but I'm addicted to the internet.  Does anyone have any tips?  Maybe I will only allow myself a set amount of time online or only log on certain days? I am interested to how much time everyone else spends online.  I love reading blogs and my blogline feeds are growing by the day.  (I have over 250 - is that ridiculous?) There are so many fabulous blogs about.

If only  i could drag myself away for a while I maybe could make this apron  I've been drooling over...

isn't it fantastic? - I have to go here and have another look!

Now I am logging off for a bit. I'm going to do some sewing and make Chargrilled Chicken Pasta for dinner. yum.

Have a lovely weekend x