Sunday 24 August 2008

This is ...A bit of a catch up!!

Now I sat down with loads to say, but two hours of surfing later, and it's still all a jumble of nonsense in my head with no real discernable shape or form. So no change there then.
The summer has almost gone, in a flurry of camping and giggles. In a week they'll all be back at school in new shiny shoes and slightly too big polo shirts ("Room for growth/shrinking in the tumble dryer" I'll say), the house will be so quiet. Normal service will be resumed. No more sharing the computer or the chocolate -Yippee!!
I've managed to miss a few of the 'This is ...' topics over the summer, so I'm going to shove 'em all in one post.
Are you sitting comfortably? Good, this could go on a bit!


First up: This is my... trade secret.
Now I should cover something to do with pattern cutting or sewing, but no it relates to camping! Because I'm obviously such an expert after three trips.....
Top Tip No.1: Take an umbrella, it WILL rain.
Top Tip No.2: When you pack away your tent, DON'T pack your handbag INSIDE the tent. Proves to be inconvenient. Especially if that's where you keep your front door keys. Oh how we laughed and laughed.....

Next up: This is...a Work in Progress ( or Operation Tea Cosy)


1. Wait to the last available day to begin Tea Cosy ( the day before it's needed is my preference, even though I had a special request last March for one after this one appeared at my house...) and then trash house (even more) to find every loved scrap of print, trim and fabric....

2. Drive self potty (ha!ha! geddit?!!) picking and arranging said fabrics. Ask Kids for input for Aunty Helens Tea Cosy. Ignore kids, what do they know anyway..
3. STOP! Hang out washing and feed people.
4. Make very professional pattern out of wadding ;) Realize taking picture of white wadding against white wall is never going to have a happy ending, DOH!

5. Chop and stitch merrily away creating a front and back.
6. STOP! Go get in washing because it's bloody raining again..

7. Try to take 'arty' creative shots of WiP. Give up and just take bad photos.

8. Go to work and leave kitchen looking like a health and safety accident....

9. Come back 4 hours later and embroider bits and pieces of text (Tea...a drink with Jam and Bread.....) , applique some spoons while talking to recipient on phone and tumble drying wet clothes. Forget to take any more photos.
10. Stitch front and back together, add wadding and lining.

11. Ta Da! Finished!
12. Go and dye hair, after all it's only 10 o'clock...Remember to wrap present!


Well just time to say This is...How I Like to Spend my Weekend.


Helen (the-cat-hater), moi and Rachel (Iris)

The tea cosy was made for Helen-the-cat-haters 40th birthday, and to celebrate she organized a girls weekend in Brighton! Now this doesn't happen every weekend, but we shopped, ate, found lovely tea shops, visited the Pavillion, shopped a bit more, went on The Pier, paddled in the sea and went to a very glamorous club with banquette seating (bonkette seating my Mum called them innocently once, wondering why I looked horrified..) and a live Salsa band! We salsa-d till 2am!! 'Twas the most fabulous time, great to make new friends (hello ladies!) and great just to be with two friends that I've known for more than 20 years, you see we three were at college together, and I have a suspicion in 40 years time if you're on Brighton Seafront you might spot some 80 year-old-babes laughing their heads off. We'll be the ones with the handcrafted Zimmer frames....











9 comments:

Bec said...

He he, it's nice to know I'm not the only one doing catch-up posts in Blogland :)

The tea cosy looks sensational. I must say I have NEVER felt the slightest interest in owning a tea cosy....until now!!! Totally worth all the pain and suffering I say :)

And your weekend sounds lovely. Lucky you getting to listen to live salsa music while sitting in a bonkette seat :O Although I can't imagine staying up until 2am any more. I thought I was living on the edge this weekend when I stayed up 'til 10.30pm watching a DVD...

Cheers, Bec

Cass said...

Your post had me giggling away at my desk. Love the tea cosy too

Danielle said...

That tea cosy is gorgeous!! As is the teapot! Sounds like a great girls weekend.

Tanya said...

Oh how I laughed and laughed, packed your handbag in your tent ! like i'd ever do that ! hahaha.. Mums huh, my mum used to call Jurassic park, Jacuzzi park, quite inocently, however she was quite inocently bonkers! Nice to see you back and in person also xx
ps... carry on camping xx

Daisie said...

What a brilliant post, I have missed you!
Your description of making the tea cosy sounds much like every project I have ever undertaken! Haha!
Handcrafted zimmer frames, can they be knitted one wonders......
XXX

Anonymous said...

can hardly wait for the 80th birthday post (well actually, I can, luckily)But that's my kind of weekend! Just in case you can squeeze us in, inbetween trying on tiaras, sorry working your fingers to the bone in bridal shop: we are free tuesday and wednesday next week (if yours aren't back to school)

kitty stitch said...

love this post especially the fab tea cosy... and stop to make food! Know that one well!...oh, and thanks for lowering the tone on my blog!! Any comments are welcome...always!

Anonymous said...

I love my lovely tea cosy its lovely ... I'm off to have tea a drink with jam ( mums homemade) & bread!!!!
Ta for making:
A) the tea cosy
B) the most fantastical birthday ever ... am still thinking of the bongo players pert buttocks ... he he he xx

Griffin said...

...bongo players pert buttocks?!! Oooh, you bad, bad bunny, you!

Hope Helen had a fab 40th - it certainly sounds like it. She's but a girl next to me. I'll be...ulp! 45 in November...at which point I will lie brazenly about my age.

I do envy you being in Brighton too... sigh. I used to live in Burgess Hill (clearly something I did in a past life) and now in Loughborough, I REALLY miss Brighton.

Fab tea cosy too... if you will hang your washing out, then it's going to rain... it does with me.