Is its Christmas yet??

It’s my last afternoon at work until the New Year and im going to celebrate this fact by wasting some time on the internet.

Im starting to get that anticipatory feeling! It’s all cold and icy today and almost looked like snow this morning - look at the neighbour’s tree isn’t it prettyI’ve got the day off tomorrow to go shopping for all those last bits and for the awkward brother-in-laws who are impossible to buy for, Oh and to eat Sushi (very festive I know).

Really looking forward to a break from work I feel like I have been killing time for the last week and its definitely time for a holiday. AND - I finally managed to make something last night that wasn’t a disaster.

Wanted to bring in something to work as I have an aversion to Christmas cards. Especially work ones which involve more office politics than any other sentiment - just what I need - 20 pieces of card with people’s names written on them!

Christmas cards are a strange tradition and I do think it’s very nice when you don’t see people or want to keep in touch but bringing in a stack to work and expecting a stack to take back seems like a horrible waste of time and paper. I know im a horrible ungrateful girl but I hate all traditions that people follow without thinking about why and generally end up ruining them in the process.

So I made a batch of Nigellas Chocolate pistachio fudge and it’s gone down really well. Think I might be whipping up some more after Christmas to put in those stockings. Almost feel a bit of a cheat because its sooo easy to make.... but I won’t be telling anyone if you don't. Recipe is here if anyone wants to know and I highly recommend it as both an easy gift or just to indulge in over Christmas.

Holiday grump

Along the lines of "If you can’t say anything nice don’t say anything at all" I have been avoiding this blog for a little while. Seems that there is some kind of conspiracy to keep me from completing the few simple Christmas crafts that I set myself. Mostly because I have been poorly for the last week, my job insists on having away days at random hotels and my boyfriend thinks that I would want to spend an evening going out to dinner with his horrible boss and family and lastly but most annoying the piles of ginger bread and coconut ice I made came out hard and unappealing.

So the only thing I have to show for myself is a gaggle of mini stockings that I was intending to make for my friends Christmassy get together in January but somehow managed to get roped into making them all for someone else’s friends Christmas party. Not sure how that happened as it was supposed to be a joint effort and I seemed to have pulled the short straw.

Anyway before they go I wanted to show off my little stockings which if I get some time I will be making another 20 of to give to all those friends I don’t buy presents for. They will eventually be filled with (edible) coconut ice and gingerbread and any other small and inexpensive Christmas goodies that I can think off. They are made from corduroy trousers that I had in the attic and ribbons and buttons from my stash so at least im doing my bit for recycling

Sorry about the state of the photos did I mention that my boyfriend was mugged two weeks ago and the nice camera was stolen - can I add that to the conspiracy theory.

So hopefully next time I blog things will be looking up and in the mean time im going to do my best to cheer up, get over this annoying cold and think about all the wonderful things I have to look forward to!!

Back to Life.

Well I managed to get through my exam!! and although im not really sure how I did, all that matters is that it’s over. I have felt like a martyr to marketing for the last few weeks which is my own fault as if I could make myself work over the whole term I wouldn’t have to spend so much time cramming before the exam.

But there we are, I don’t think I will ever learn from my own mistakes and I don’t get the result till February so I can sink back into my comfy denial until then. I hid my sewing machine away so that I wouldn’t be tempted so I haven’t made anything in ages but I still have lots of plans and as I don’t celebrate Christmas with my friends until the middle of January im not going to panic yet.

Bit in the midst of all this self sacrifice and studying I did manage to take a little holiday in Prague and go to see my most favourite comedian Bill Bailey on his Tinselworm tour so I really do have it hard :)




and a little clip from a old Bill Bailey show as all the ones from Tinselworm so far are terrible phone recordings. Enjoy.

60's, 70's, 80's

Wandered past the Children in Need sale at my work today and thought i might have a look and this is what i came accross!

A Jem Annual from 1988: Real blast from the past I used to love jem and flicking through the pictures it fightening to see her hair and clothes and think what a fashion nightmare the 1980s was - so fun and over the top.

Fuzzy Felt - looked it up and it was made in 1966 which probably accounts for the Gay costumes.

Not really sure what to do with either of these finds- I could make them into cards... but I would rather put them on something less disposable - maybe notebooks or something (Any ideas??)

And lastly a 1970s toy making book which has some really cute patterns in for me to have a go at.

Yea!!

Tutu to you

Been trying to think of something to make for a very pink little girl (another niece I seem to have quite a few) - when I say pink her bedroom has recently been redecorated with pink walls, carpet, curtains, bed covers and all other accessories - It looks like a fairy exploded!

So before she gets all grown up and changes her tastes to black with pictures of grungy boys I thought a tutu might be appropriate.

I got the idea from someone on flicker (if anyone is interested in making one) and as it was really easy im sure to make ill be knotting up a few more. Only problem is the netting I used is quite scratchy so I might put a bit of lining at least around the top but it’s only to play about in so not to worried. So ill be on the hunt this week for some pink tights and pink sparkly shoes to finish off the outfit.

Lagging behind

Well last night I finally got something done towards my Christmas presents.

Im feeling a bit stressed at the moment as im busy at work and I im also attending a professional qualification one night a week that I need to be studying for regularly and I just cant seem to muster the energy. I have an exam at the beginning of December that ends the first term and all I seem to know is how much I don’t know! The main problem is that I want to fill my spare time with things that I actually enjoy doing like sewing but I have committed to this horrid course and generally im feeling hard done by.

So last night instead of studying I spent my guilty time running up a little apron and dolls picnic blanket for my little niece. I found this little tea set in a local shop which I thought was really cute - I love anything that comes in some kind of basket. Since it was already lined with red gingham I thought that a little apron in the same fabric would be useful for a little person serving tea.

I found a couple of patterns online but neither were exactly what I wanted so I took bits from each (mostly just the measurements) and the rest I made up... but im seem to have created something that looks reasonably apronish! Its red fabric on the back as im not confidant enough to try bias binding yet. Cant really see it very well from the pictures but im lacking in a little person to try it on and the cats wouldnt sit still.

Anyway as im dreading this exam I probably won’t get much sewing done the rest of this month so is it possible to push Christmas back a bit.

Did have a fab charity shop find on my lunch break yesterday when I stumbled upon loads of vintage sheets - so that will keep me happy for a bit and add to my growing stock pile!

Findings and Finishings

After my recent discoveries and the fact that I am drawn most days on a hunt round the local charity shops - I was starting to think that I would have to move cities to find shops that I haven’t turned upside down a few times to find material or some recyclable crafty things. But I should never underestimate the fact that people are getting rid of wonderful junk everyday and sometimes my obsession pays off.

Sooo yesterday a found a whole box of funky vintage buttons!

I don’t think I have been this excited about buying something for a long while. I know im sad but my mum used to have a huge jar of buttons that I could spend hours playing with. So much fun to sort through them for ages putting them into categories, colours and favourites. So now I have the start of my own collection.

Now I have to find something to do with them (so possibly everything I make from now on will feature a few buttons) but think I may just end up hording them and admiring them in secret.

And finally: I have finished my baby bonnets and partnered up with matching bunnies they are ready to go in the Christmas box.

Really pleased with how they turned out and hoping they go down well - they are the kind of babies who want for nothing which is obviously good but know you’re in trouble when a child turns one and you can’t think of anything it doesn’t already have. Well at least these are certainly unique!