A week of disruptions

A funny week, the weather turned colder and with no heating spent some of the time wrapped in a quilt on the sofa. Still played catch up on a few box sets. 

Lee's Birthday on Tuesday, he turned 60 an is not happy, I did try to explain to him only a number and in 1 day he has not grown up from a 12 year old, by Wednesday he was back to normal.

Wednesday the gas man arrived, the boiler fitted and the house is now toasty. Got a lesson how to use the Hive, as the same as iCal and my iPhone quite easy.

Thursday I was in agony as had spent Wednesday making up a flat packed chest of drawers for my workroom. I ache in muscles I did not know I had and staggered around as if I was 80. Getting in and out of a chair was the worse.

Heard back from Haute Handbags and have sent 3 of my silk evening bags off to California for consideration into the fall issue. Chose these because very light for postal costs but do think they are different, I hope. Just keeping fingers and toes crossed now they select my bags, should hear I think by the end of May.

All packed up and ready for the off

Friday back to sewing and making up the mobile phone bags, these may be simple but hope my customers like them.

Even managed a couple of Kindle bags.

This is the distraction from my sewing room window, I just love the colour and can look at the blossom and dream...... back to sewing.

In all it's glory

Got to sit and plan for next week now, thinking cap on.

My big Sis suggested that as my website has themed rooms I should have a section for Summer Holidays, not a bad idea and have done the changes.

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See you next week

A week of highs and lows

Well this week has been good at times, bad and then better again. The first high finished my 'Event Overtop' in the sewing print, adding a shop sign with the company name on the left shoulder. Found these cute thread spool buttons to finish off.

Next a new handbag for myself, been meaning to make one for ages and just love this Paris rose print. Still to make a wallet purse hopefully next week, as every time I open my purse half the change falls out. Then I have to be undignified and scrabble on the floor searching for coinage.

A Low:

Our boiler has finally given up the ghost after 26 years, so in one way done us a good service. Deemed unsafe so currently the gas is off and what happens? the temperature drops. New one ordered and work starting on Wednesday. Could have been Monday but Lee's Birthday on Tuesday and as may overlap into 2 days he put his foot down.

Then more highs:

After being selected as one of the top pins in the Stampington National Craft Month got an email from the managing editor of Haute Handbags (one of the Stampington publications), to ask if I would like to submit an editorial and 2 of my clutch bags pinned, for consideration to appear in the Fall copy of the magazine. Well not going to refuse just waiting for what sort of information they require and types of photos etc.

Onto making, have got a few things done and the first are camera bags. Now these are not for those highfalutin' cameras with all the lenses etc reserved for the pro's. This is for the modest camera that most of use, my Panasonic fits nicely inside and easier to carry around. Padded for protection.

Not made a great deal this week, more in the planning stages but do have several new lines in the wings involving mobile phones, embroidery scissors and Amelia Rose addition.

Check out the other blogs with Lucy Blossom Crafts and Handmade Monday.

Have a good week and take care folks

A Violet Death

I love to read and love books, whilst I do read iBooks nothing like a proper book to open, something to hold onto and the anticipation on starting the first chapter. Talking to my sister she also has a love of books and think this must have come from our Mother and Grandmother alike. Any way the reason for this subject is a few weeks ago I bought the new Joanna Sheen and Julia Wherrell book 'A Violet Death'. Having read their first publication 'A Sticky End' love their style of writing. Very English, very country and very me.

Sat down in the shade in the pergola and opened the first page of A Violet Death, by the end of said page I was in stitches. Chortling aloud so that my husband thought I had lost the plot, the two paragraphs in question go like this:

Victoria shivered and quickly rinsing the conditioner from her hair, reached for the bath plug chain and pulled, nothing happened. Muttering, she hauled herself to a squatting position and tugged with all her might. The chain broke and it and the metal plug, shot out of the water and sailed over Victoria's head. As she fell backwards she heard a crash of shattered glass as the plug made its way through the window and down into the garden.

Her collapse back into the bath created a large tidal wave which rolled from the tap end towards her, slapping her full in the face before cascading impressively over the end of the bath and soaking the bathroom floor.

Now I know we have all been there and done things that sometimes beggar belief that we could be so clumsy, hence why I love the writing style of Joanna and Julia. Down to earth and coming up with ideas that we can all relate to.

Needless to say have finished the book as could hardly put it down and an excellent read if you want a light hearted mystery for the holidays.

I hope to add more book reviews as I plough through my extensive library giving you a taste of what lies between the covers.

Forgot to say I bought the signed editions as think this makes them more special

What a beautiful week

Plants appearing and that yellow blob in the sky did not fail to make me smile. Warm enough to walk after lunch without a jacket, bliss. Spent a lot of time in the garden and a lot of money at the garden centres. This time we have invested in plants that stay for a few years, as small atm will fill the spaces with bedding plants for this year, to give some summer colour. My new chair has proved very useful in giving DH directions and greatly admired by the neighbours, lol.

March was National Craft month, think slipped past a lot of us Brits but as you know I got invited by Stampington magazine to post an item each day to their Pinterest board. Imagine my surprise when the newsletter arrived and on the collage was my crazy patchwork 'By the Sea' door pillow, they had over 700 posts so chuffed that a design of mine was chosen. First photo on the bottom row.

I had a lovely lady contact me about my Dragon Victorian Opera Bag, this was a bag done years ago and long sold, however she wanted 2 if possible for her and her sister. Fabric ordered and that is what I have been working on. This is a photo of the original.

A lot of gathering of slippery embroidered satin but perfect when fully made. This time I will overlock the edges of the satin first which will make the gathering easy, as less fraying. As it also cuts will overlock the first uncut edge, then without cutting away from the main fabric overlock the width required, then repeat for the second bag. Loving my overlocker and can be used for so many things, wonder how I managed without it.

Vicky has invited me to be part of her next 'Meet The Maker', a big thank you to Vicky and it was fun to take part. Check out the other blogs on Handmade Monday, just click on the image below:

Until next week

Happy Easter

Where has this week gone? Got confused by days as Waitrose delivery Thursday normally Friday, Record Fair on Friday normally Sunday, had to stop and think what day it actually was  then panic as Sunday and Handmade Monday blogging day.

Still in the middle of my stock take, got so confused at one point have had to restart, grrrrr!!!!! so annoying but determined to finish today and clear the boxes out of my sewing room to the store room. I need my space.... plus bought some lovely sewing themed fabric to make myself an over top for craft events, along with some pale pink trousers. Plan to put the company name on the over top inside what looks like a shop sign, so swish and exciting. I know little things please me.

Well not much in the making front this week but have made 6 little chevron purses in the hoop, so pretty when done and the fact the machine even puts the zips in for me, even better.

Don't forget to check out the other wonderful blogs on Handmade Monday