Neat bag

I'm catching up with one or two things today and keep coming across things which I have been meaning to post about for a while. One of them is this delightful bag, given to me by Kathy, Swiss friend and supporter of Arbeit statt Almosen , a Fair Trade organisation working in developing countries.
My bag is beautifully made and a good deal of work and skill has gone into its manufacture. I love it - thank you Kathy!

Using my studio

This morning I have been working in my studio for the first time and I think it'll take some getting used to! Don't get me wrong, it's great and I am enjoying having so much room to work. But until I get everything settled in, know where stuff is and, perhaps most important, have the things I use most frequently to hand, it means a lot of walking around!

I made a couple of small books for friends. I can't show you them now, but in due course, I'll post pictures.

In the grand clearout which preceded the arrival of the builders, I came across this Xyron 500 adhesive "machine" - a bit like an old fashioned mangle. I'd forgotten about it and like so many gadgets, it had been relegated to the back of a cupboard. I remembered it to be a good way of achieving a good even coverage of glue and decided to use it for my books yesterday. Trouble is, I had to fit a refill - and the photograph above shows the empty cartridge which needs to be disposed of.

My conscience won't let me use something which creates such a huge amount of (?unrecyclable?) waste to stick two pieces of paper together. Bring back the Pritt stick!!

Incidentally, have you registered for the WI Carbon Challenge yet?

Done and not quite dusted

This is the first posting from the studio - we've spent the day moving stuff down from our old study and Mark has successfully installed a new wireless network which works beautifully, unlike previous wi-fi attempts in this concrete and stone house. I still need to devise some paper-control system and get used to a different workspace, but I have to say that I feel very much at home!

He remarked that I'd probably spend ages "staging it all" for my blog, but you know me better than that and what you see is what you get....for now. There are a few tweaks to be done, some boxes still to empty (we are awaiting some more suspension files to get all that paper away once and for all) and I have another table to come in, for my sewing machine to sit on. But right now, it's covered with most of Mark's CD collection (3000+) and I can't hurry him with that - they will eventually find their new home upstairs in the new music room which will be created in the now almost-empty study.

I had a little wobble when I thought that my machines might not quite fit in those cupboards I'd planned for them...but they fit perfectly, as if IKEA had intended them for that very purpose!
Mark fitted another hook rail on the end of the cupboard run for the rulers and quilting squares. We keep coming up with new ideas to resolve problems we didn't know we had until now. I like WyeSue's idea of the vacuum bags for the wadding and will be putting my Lakeland order in soon! Thanks Sue!

Finally, on one of the hooks underneath the steel shelf hangs my indulgence from last night. I spotted this scrummy felt bag made by friend Anne in the sales tent at last night's show and as it matched the shirt I was wearing perfectly, I snapped it up before anyone else did. I shall now enjoy looking at it for a while in between outings and am pleased to have the perfect place to put it!

At home. At last!

But not for long. The finished studio remains empty because we simply don't have time to begin the major sort out/put back. I'm really pleased with the way it's turned out though and especially with the two large Varde worktables. Not only do these provide a great place to stand and work but they also have plenty of paper storage on shelves underneath, for it's the large sheets of paper which have been my biggest challenge!

(Remember this??)

I seem to have picked up a chest/throat bug from somewhere and am suffering today. Peff.....peff...... I called in sick for the first time in years today.

But in spite of that, it's a good day. We were thrilled to get a phone call yesterday with the news that Edward's got the job he was interviewed for last week. In August, he'll start work as researcher for Nick Gibb, MP for Bognor and Littlehampton, Shadow Minister for Schools which possibly means that financial independence is almost achieved!

(He's worth every penny ;-)

...and when I got home,

look what I found!

Someone has been busy building furniture and "my" wall is almost done. I am delighted!

Thank you, sweetie xx