WOYWW 230

TEA FOR TWO AND TWO FOR TEA.......

We have a phrase in LLJ Towers; it was first coined by Mr LLJ and it is TEA BAG SYNDROME.

It all started when he was making me a cuppa - good chap that he is - on opening the bin to deposit the used bag, he found it overflowing so decided to change it. When he took the bulging bag to the dustbin outside, THAT was overflowing too, so he had to change that too....and so Tea Bag Syndrome began - one simple action that descends into stages of madness...

Why am I telling you this?  Because Younger son decided to swap bedrooms and Tea Bag Syndrome was initiated...because before you can start decorating, everything has to be removed from the room etc etc.  And that is why my desk/craft room looks like this:






So, no desk crafting this week!


My son was sorting out 17 years worth of STUFF; the cat was supervising.....

So Teabag Syndrome was:  Clear room, sort stuff, dismantle furniture, go to the tip, prepare for decorating (Yuk), decorate, shift furniture and refill with teenage accoutrements. Love it :-)


But crocheting is still happening!  I can't watch telly without doing something so here is my downstairs crafting area (that sounds SO wrong.......)

There's a big bag of granny squares, I've almost finished them and then blanket creating will commence. But there's a whole load of yarn stuffed into that basket that are interlopers. Hopefully, inspiration will strike.

I had a wonderful load of Happy Mail from Kay (see previous post) which more than made up for the leak in the central heating system and flood in my dining area. See, it's been one of those weeks.
But some more happy mail arrived today from Brenda (Butlers Abroad)





Some really beautiful cards for the ladies in the Refuge and...




...some beady bling for me!! Yay, thank you soooo much Brenda..you know me so well. I shall put them to good use!!


So, this week has most definitely got better :-)

HAPPY MAIL!

It's been a testing week, the worst thing being a huge water leak from the central heating system...carpets up, gushing water etc etc but thank goodness for a husband who is brilliant at fixing things!

Anyhow, I grabbed a chance to chat with Julia this morning as she was en route on a task...that cheered me up to start with.

Then when I got home, this was waiting for me.
Even the postman was grinning as he handed this over!

From Kay in New Mexico..she insisted on sending something in return for a parcel from Di (Pixie) and myself. A couple of fat quarters is what I thought I was getting....instead, well, see for yourselves....

Gorgeously bright fabrics (I think Kay and I might be Aging Hippies together!), beautiful ribbons whose colours and patterns are fantastic. And I may never get to New Mexico in reality but the mug will brighten my tea drinking :-)

Thank you, Kay..I just feel so happy and thankful to have you as a crafting friend.

I'm joining in with Annie's Smiles on a Friday spot.

xx

WOYWW 229

I'M IN PIECES, BITS AND PIECES.....

Howdy! Hope you've had a great week.

The glorious weather burst with a vengeance this weekend...it was so dark on Sunday afternoon that we had the lights on at 3pm. However, I was quite happy to ignore the tempests raging outside...the beef casserole was simmering away in the oven and I was in the mood for getting scrappy :-)
Lawks, what a tip!  A long awaited grandson arrived for a friend of mine in band, so out came the bunting accoutrements again. I had fun making this...
the fat quarters got shoved to one side...



Julia, your ribbon jar has got some stiff competition. This would make a great jigsaw, don't you think? You know, for your sewing friends who have got everything....lol!


Oh boy, did I enjoy myself making these patchwork squares which I shall send to Wipso so she can give them to her friend who will make them up into quilts and sell them for charity.  The theme was All Things Bright and Beautiful...


Right, I thought...I can do Bright and Bold (in more than one aspect of my life!) so I gathered a few larger scraps and sewed squares that are all different but with the same fabrics in. Playing with colours made me very happy indeed.



Ok, so they're not the neatest, but I don't care - there was lots of love sewn into these and, amazingly, not a single thing went awry in the construction and THAT doesn't happen very often - well, in my craft room anyway!




More colour.....



You can almost smell the oranges and cinnamon!  I found the red velour in the wardrobe (honestly, it's getting to be like Narnia in there...) It was just the thing for some lining..




..for a little Christmas Stocking, only about 9" high...destined to be a surprise for someone.




So, although we didn't get out for a walk, quite a lot was achieved. The casserole was yum, the woodburner was lit and all the family was happily snuggled in. I really do think I might have Hibernation tendencies!

ZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

WOYWW 228

MEET ME ON THE CORNER WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE COMING ON
AND I'LL BE THERE, I PROMISE I'LL BE THERE..
(Lindisfarne)


First things first...The Bunting Winners!  Names were drawn randomly by Mr LLJ....
Traditional: Vonny and Eliza (I made a second string!)
Scandinavian: Maisie Moonshine
Please will you email me your snail mail addresses ladies - I'll get the bunting off to you forthwith :-)

Rightio Ho, the desk.....
I've laid out a load of fat quarters and scraps from my stash in order to put them into colour groups. I'm going to make some patchwork squares to send to Wipso. They will be sent on to be made up into quilts to be sold for charity. See Wipso's blog for more info. I'll start on another quilt for LillyBo as well as I haven't made one for a while.






Fat quarters old and new!





Softer tones...more contrast needed, I think.

A huge box of cards turned up from Lisa (Craft Garden). Thank you so much, Lisa - they will be put to good use and are much appreciated xxxx

I haven't actually done that much crafting this week. Mr LLJ took a few days off and so, as well as doing some boring house stuff, we took the opportunity to go out. We took our younger son G3 to Winchester...





The Grape Vine tunnel in Queen Eleanor's Garden outside the Great Hall...




And inside where there is King Arthur's Round Table hanging on the wall (a much later pretend one unfortunately!) and an art installation that read Look The Other Way, because you had to read it from right to left. I rather liked it!




Then we met our eldest son, The Big O, in Bath...




Well, I couldn't not stop at this lovely window, could I??




Or this...those meringues were about 9" across...made my teeth ache just looking at them (which IS all we did!)






Here's a variation on a doll's house..an elven tree house. It stood about 5 feet tall and was a masterpiece of little details. Isn't it beautiful?



This also caught our attention! We particularly liked the jaunty rope accessory!  It must have been there for some time as there was a slew of parking tickets on the front windscreen!!






The Gates of Mordor!! Lol....more like a lock gate on the Bath section of the Kennet and Avon canal. There was a whole ecosystem growing quite happily in the musky, moist atmosphere...



Aha, I thought, as we walked up the street...THAT shop looks interesting....



It was!  Some trendy clothes emporium, whose name completely passed me by as I was too interested in the wonderful old machines!



I'd never heard of this manufacturer before..but I won't forget it now, that's for sure!!!

I do so adore wacky objects ;-)   See you next week!!

WOYWW 227

LIKE THE COLOUR OF MY SKIN,
OR THE DAY THAT I GROW OLD,
MY LIFE IS MADE OF PATTERNS
THAT CAN SCARCELY BE CONTROLLED.
(Simon & Garfunkel)

Here's the desk in all its glory...
Blimey..what a tip! Piles of stuff for Karen (Furry Monkey) - she fundraises for animal charities. There's a whole stack of doggy bandannas and stockings for treats. There's bunting pennants waiting to be backed...



...and some waiting to be ironed. More on this lot later...

You know that fantastic feeling you get when you put your hand in an old coat and find a tenner in the pocket? Well, I did a happy dance when I found this Christmas fabric in the wardrobe yesterday :-)  I'd forgotten all about these - They'll be really handy with all the Christmas bits that are under construction at the moment...wahoo!!


Confession time, Folks. These gorgeous fat quarters just happened to slip into my mitts in Fabricland - they were very reasonable, honest!
After all the Crimbo stuff is finished, I think a quilt is calling.  Watch this space :-)



I never knew my grandparents; three had died by the time I was born and my maternal grandmother, Alice, died when I was four. She was a champion knitter and did amazing tatting (that's what my mum always called it), more of which I found in the house clearance...
I can see where my love of patterns comes from! Now I've learned to crochet, I've looked at these doilies and runners afresh. They are so complicated to make and the stitches so tiny....Alice's skill was truly amazing. I wish I'd known her better.

Right, enough melancholy.....back to these bad boys...
A Giveaway - woohoo! To say a little thank you for the comments and support every week. It still knocks my socks off and thrills me to know that my ramblings are read all over the world. So, no rules, you don't have to be a follower (OR become one...)  Just say whether you'd like a Scandinavian (top row) or Traditional (bottom row). I'll announce the winners next week :-)

That's all Folks xx




WOYWW 226

WE FADE TO GREY, FADE TO GREY......
(a bit of 80's nostalgia for you!)

I ran out of coloured yarn for the cowls...  Sacre bleu et quel domage....... so I had to go hunting in The Cupboard.  You know..The Cupboard that we all possess somewhere. It has been through various incarnations..stuffed with toys, schoolbooks, college files and which is now home to my paraphernalia. Anyway, I didn't have much chunky yarn, apart from this.....







It was weird not having multi coloured yarn in my hands but it's made quite an elegant cowl (even if it is bogey coloured!!)



Phew...saved by the Scandinavian colours of some Christmas bunting I dug out from last year's box in order to send off some charity stuff...




More Christmassy fabric...I'm using up me stash, girls, hope you're proud of me, lol!



And more fab-u-lous Christmas cards for the refuge from Mrs D (Left) and Twiglet (right). Thank you so much, ladies, I really appreciate your generosity.



At last...some desk action!  Here is the bright and beautiful Alaskan husky fabric that Sara J sent me (she was clearing out her stash and thought I could use it!)  I have been making doggy bandanna scarves - two sizes no less. 









Larger:
Beautifully modelled by my mate's gorgeous spaniel, Riley!
















Smaller:  Modelled by Rune, who also does Meerkat impressions. He's one talented pooch!


When my brother and I were clearing out Dad's house, we found some old textiles, crocheted doilies made by my grandmother and this.....
Made by my fair hands, aged 7. My mum must have kept it all those years, bless her.  That makes it 45 years old! Positively antique...sigh....pass me the fluffy slippers and embrocation....... 

WOYWW 769

 WE'LL MEET AGAIN.... I'm going to take a break from blogging for a while - please don't worry, all is ok! - think I just need a...