pandora pocket

Houses

Seems the last couple of weeks have been all about houses. Liberty print houses, V&A print houses, and toy houses for Merlin in the post from Josie.

 

A fantastic hand built playhouse from Miko design.

 

Really cute dolls house (trolls house) at Fine Little Day.

 

And of course the week before we are due to give birth is the ideal time to sell our house and choose somewhere new to live.

Those houses won't build themselves you know, Julie.

Weekend Sewing - part ii

A weekend of sewing turned into a whole week of sewing. Curtains, 3 quilts, a duvet set for Joseph, a matching birthday set for brother and sister and a black and white soft book for Merlin...

 

I am on fire (or maybe I just need to get out more).

 

Although despite having made a sizeable dent in the pile of things to do, there are still some big piles of stuff in the kitchen which need to disappear.

If you are inspired by other people's houses Design Sponge is doing a whole week of sneak peeks, although this one from a month ago is still one of my favourites.

Energy: High

 

This morning was all about knitting, waxing and snack preparation: Delia's energy bars, Nigella's rainy day biscuits, Josie's granola and Donna Hay's spinach and feta parcels (I was hungry after all that knitting and waxing).

  

This afternoon was all about storage solutions (and a sugar rush). Drawers and changing table painted, shelves in Merlin's room painted, a necessary treat from Muji online and the shelves in the living room stacked - with favourite old books and a couple of brand new birthday books. I might post about those another day as the sugar has worn off and I need a lie down.

 

To Do List

 

Sewing was not on my to do list for today, although these three inherited unfinished dresses, very elasticated skirt for me and new quilt were all in the general pile of sewing projects that I managed to unearth in the number one to do for today - clear out the craft room. Sewing in the sunshine is much more fun than moving stacks of fabric, painting the last wall of the living room or going to Sainsburys. It's far too late in the day to start any of those now; I might do some more sewing instead...

I can't decide between Coolicon, Battersea or Cafe lightshades.

DIY

 

A lovely long weekend which involved a birthday celebration at a masked ball, a chocolate overdose at the Redshaws and a good dose of DIY. Although now that I have painted the shelves, I feel the need to repaint the whole room. David agrees wholeheartedly (from the sofa).

Inspiration for a new quilt from The Small Object: triangles.

Rob Ryan's pop-up shop in New York, posted by Lena Corwen: Ryantown USA

Spring clean

A recent trip to Buffalo to visit Josie and her family proved both craftily inspirational and tough when it came to closing my suitcase. I was remarkably restrained when it came to fabrics (only 22 yards), thrifted children's clothes (only the most comedy) and Orla Kiely goods (I only bought an oven glove) from the new range at Target...

     

Whilst sheltering indoors from temperatures of around -9, Josie and I learned how to make blocks for a spiderweb quilt (Spiderpig quilt) and I have returned to the UK with grand ambitions for all kinds of crafting projects. I have started by dusting off the badge maker for Astrid and Chantal...

    

To follow, a touch of spring cleaning. I want to dust everything, throw everything away (nearly everything) and find a home for any item which I decide is necessary or beautiful enough to remain in the house. I need shelves, boxes, labels and numerous trips to charity shops. There is one room in particular which needs a little spring attention...

 

Or maybe I'll just go back to work.

Snow

Today was magical. Instead of joining the moaning old whingers blabbing on about how useless we are in the UK, I would like to say well done those of you who made the most of the snow today. Of course the entire bus network in London shut down completely for the first time ever, along with all of the overground trains and most of the underground. Over 3000 schools were closed and neither the milkman, the postman nor the dustmen made it to our house. David said central London was deserted.

It was most uplifting though, watching grown ups skip past our house and hearing so much laughter throughout the day. My friend Emma phoned up her kids' school to tell them her children would not be attending today because they were going sledging - wouldn't we all love a mum so dedicated to the pursuit of joy? (The school told her they would be closed anyway).

I pulled on my moon boots and took a walk to Tooting common because I supposed there would be a parade of snowmen. I was not disappointed. With 8 inches of snow already settled and an ongoing flurry, there were not just snowmen, but snowmen with moustaches and entire families making them. People were smiling and talking to each other and taking photographs of strangers without stealing their cameras. I spoke to a lady who was filming her children climbing over a giant penis and we laughed as they asked her what it was - maybe something from the sea?

      

Makes me think if I like snow so much maybe I should go to Buffalo? 

Remember Remember

Already this morning I have journeyed to the local shops to find the watch shop - where I needed to ask if they could mend my watch - was closed; the bank - where I needed to cash some cheques - was also closed; the episode of Friends I excitedly sat down to watch because it must be the only episode left that I hadn't already seen didn't even make me laugh once; a man came to disconnect our gas fire and charged a gazillion pounds for five minutes work and too late we realise you're not allowed open fires in London; and now it's raining and we're meant to be going to Battersea to see the bonfire and firework display which will be miserable if its cold and rainy.

I have taken a moment to compose myself and remind myself of more fortunate times...

(Josie taught me to love the humble scratch card).

In order to turn the day around I am going to cash my winnings, stay indoors out of the rain (not next to a glowing fire) and think positively about sewing stuff for Christmas, sorting out Tim's ticket, beating my high score at weaning myself off booty juggler (found through grain edit) and Lewis Hamilton winning pole position.

We were in the audience for the recording of Clive Anderson's Chat Room this week and it is just about to air on the radio. If I listen carefully, I might hear myself laughing from two days ago.

At home

If I don't get a call from the standby desk within the next nine hours, I will be remaining on solid ground from today until 2009. Staring up at the sky, where I usually am but will no longer be. Strangely, I already miss it.

     

Neighbourhood fabric from Purl Soho. 

Big City sky prints by Camilla Engman, available from port2port press.

Happy Diwali.

Stitch and Bitch

Our third stitch and bitch and this time we made cushions, which meant each person could take their own handiwork home with them. And rather than my having to spend the next few weeks finishing a mammoth quilt, my only job was to tidy away the fabric strewn around the living room and the empty wine bottles strewn around the kitchen - of course the day had degenerated into an alcohol induced singing fest as seems to happen every time.

I didn't manage to get pictures of the cushions but they were all brilliant.

       

This week I am planning a trip to Somerset House for the Origin Craft Fair and a trip to Cranleigh Village Hall where some of my alphabet pictures will be on display at the Cranleigh Art Club Fair.