Don’t look too closely

At the show yesterday I made my usual beeline for Fabrics Galore to replenish my stock of the heavyweight cotton/linen type fabrics I use for my “useful bags”.  They’ve usually got some eyecatchers there and yesterday was no exception – the London/Great Britain themed prints were selling like hot cakes and I immediately fell for the map print in the photo above.  OK, I thought, perhaps it would be a challenge to use for a bag because of the folded over top – that really needs a fabric which looks fine both ways up.  But hey, if just used the London print on the outside and lined it with a plain colour, then it’d be fine.  My mind was working overtime as I made choices, decisions there on the spot – the queue was building behind me and if I didn’t buy now, then all might be lost. 

They had two stands there yesterday – one selling mostly the Liberty prints which I love but seldom use.  So, I was merely passing by when I spotted a cushion made from the very same London print I’d just bought.  Aha!  That’s a better use of it – of course, that’s what I’ll do!  I’ll make a couple…no three or four.  I’ll whip them up in no time!

In the cold light of day, I was a little more sensible in setting my goals.  Maybe I’d make two – and rather than sew in a zip fastening, I’d keep it simple and just slipstitch the covers closed.  But I’d still pipe the edges – that takes no time, does it?  Makes for a far better finish though, I could hear the craft judge in my brain telling me.  whilst in John Lewis yesterday I bought cushion pad and piping cord and this morning, I set to work.

Well, it’s a while since I made a piped cushion cover, so I soon realised that I’d forgotten how very wide one needs to cut the bias strips for the piping.  (I cut the second lot much wider, I can tell you)  I’d forgotten how tricky it is to manage the corners (and one has only four attempts to get it right….) and finally, I’d completely forgotten how to manage the join in the piping (like remembering to join it anywhere but in the corner, where the join ended up on this cushion).

So you won’t look too closely at this cushion, will you?  It’s a decorative item you see, functional but not up to competition or assessment standard!

I’d say my construction standards broadly match that of the printed spelling, wouldn’t you?

Can it be Saturday already?

Where did that week go?

I went to a meeting at Denman College which took up one whole day.  Whilst I was there, I tried again to get some decent photographs of the wonderful smock collection, currently on display in the teaching centre.  I’ve tried so many times to photograph these smocks, thinking that I’d do a blog post about them for my WI Craft blog, but so far, first-class picture quality has eluded me.  Once again, I reviewed my photographs when I arrived home to find them less than ideal, but on this occasion, I think I’ll just have to go with what I’ve got!

Sometimes, done is better than perfect.

Whilst I was there,  I poked my head around the door of the craft workshop, to find a gorgeous scent of flowers and a Wedding Flower Day School taking place.  Anna Steven was teaching a group of brides to be, a couple of Mums and assorted friends and the room was filled with the most beautiful white arrangements – pew ends, bouquets,corsages.  Lovely!

I spent Thursday at home, catching up with one or two bits of work.  The day was overshadowed by bad news, however – my Auntie Jean, Mummy’s younger sister died that morning following a long stay in hospital with heart problems.  Not a complete shock because she had been very poorly for a while, but nevertheless, a huge preoccupation for the rest of the day.

I spent yesterday in the company of this gorgeous creature at the NEC, on the Denman College stand for the Fashion and Embroidery show.  I had a lovely day, just right for bringing me out of my gloom, meeting friends and talking twenty to the dozen for more or less the whole time I was there.

And if you hadn’t realised already, I do have some very talented friends!  Helen’s stand at the show was attracting a great deal of attention – quite rightly so, because the work on display is exquisite and beautifully exhibited too.  I nearly didn’t recognise her though, thanks to a new and rather gorgeous hairstyle!

Hazel Everett was demonstrating on our stand – Hazel is the most amazing embroiderer and has a new book out too.  Not only does she create the most wondrous goldwork and construct the most charming little bears, she is also one of the most delightful women you could wish to meet!  As a result, our happy little stand seemed to attract a happy bunch of visitors too – the day passed in the blink of an eye, accompanied by a chorus of laughter.

Because every time we looked over and saw Ray Slater’s beautiful dancer doll’s legs, we realised that our own cellulite isn’t quite that bad after all ;-) 

(Ray can be relied upon to capture the whole character in her dolls, which are so beautifully observed!)

Catching the sunshine again

In December 2010, the Parish Church in Cirencester Market Place was wrapped up in a plastic covering whilst it underwent some renovations.

It was actually a rather attractively designed wrapping, featuring some architectural drawings and a copy of a medieval painting.

During the last few months, in the bitter cold and horrible wet weather conditions, work has been going on behind that screen and people in the town have become used to seeing the screen and scaffolding rather than the beautiful church facade.

Yesterday morning, on my way to the hairdressers, I walked into the Market Place as usual and joined a collective gasp as the plastic wrappings were removed, the scaffolding taken down and the most exquisite restoration was revealed.

Beautiful.  There in the sunshine, after months of work, the end result was slowly appearing.  People really were standing to gaze up, smiling and commenting to one another about how wonderful it was to have the church back there again, looking so lovely.

It’s not often one witnesses such a collective pride here.  In fact, I think we tend to take such architectural treasures for granted.  English parish churches are part of our everyday landscape and most of us drive past them every day without giving them as much as a second thought.  Yet here in Cirencester, yesterday morning, there was a real sense of joy.  The sun was shining, Spring might be around the corner and the beauty of the Parish Church has been restored.

There was even a string or two of bunting.

It’s not Bali

Waking up to the sound of a very noisy blackbird this morning, somewhere around 4.30am, it was perfectly clear that I was no longer in Bali.

I was home.

How good did that feel? 

Having said that, in these few days before we adjust the clocks it does get light incredibly early and that, coupled with the slight remains of jetlag means that we’re up and about a bit sooner than we’d normally be.

 

We needed to do the car parking shimmy to make sure we weren’t blocked in by white vans and whilst I was outside, I took a few deep breaths and savoured the moment.

It’s a glorious morning here.  Clear blue sky overhead but cold, with a heavy dew which makes the grass sparkle.

When I’d opened the curtains earlier, I’d spotted a flash of colour – what are these little chaps doing, being out so early too?

We’ve got just the one daffodil out so far. the others still firmly in bud.

Not much else yet, except for a few of the bergenias, looking lovely in the early morning sunshine.

Looking over the valley and watching the mist rise as the village wakes up, there really is no place like home, is there?

Recovery

We are gradually getting ourselves back into reality.  In my case, not made easier by the development of a tooth abscess en route home, but in my usual Pollyanna way, I can only feel thankful that it waited until we were home to flare up.

This morning, a fair bit of sorting out is going on, in between the countless phone calls and the arrival of builders, painters, friends and colleagues.  I realise that I bring home all kinds of weird and wonderful things, some of which go straight in the bin, but perhaps others are worth sharing for no other reason than they amuse me!

Take the two labels above, taken from beverage bottles bought in Singapore.  One of the things I really love about being in Asia is the energy.  Going to the theatre, we were struck by the average age of the audience which was way younger than any London show we’ve been to.  The youthful vigour, the colourful and fashionable approach to life combined with a confidence and forward thinking attitude creates a pace which borders on the hyperactive at times.

I’m not sure I want it all the time, every day but for a short blast it’s rather invigorating and I think the text on these two labels sum it up rather well.

“get set for the big, bright, brilliant day ahead”.

Love it!

Anything further from my life is hard to imagine, but nevertheless, the tale on this bottle made me smile, too!

So yes, I carried home two labels, carefully cut from the bottles – but when I came across them this morning, they brought a smile to my face, so it was worthwhile!  I’ve not bought “Vitamin Water” here so can’t say if there’s similar content on the UK product.  I will have to look more closely next time I’m out shopping!