It's a little bit blingy and bright and shiny....it's a little fun...
It's a coat hanger covered in cheap baubles and a big red bow to cover the badly made fastening. (Coat hangers are hard to bend, people, don't assume I tell ya)
But it's a happy coat hanger, don't you think?
Once upon a time
....I went to Italy and ate lots of ice cream...
... and there I had professional pastry chefs for neighbours...
End of story.
Aren't long weekend a wonderful thing? And they would be even better if your eldest son hadn't forgotten and barged into your room in his school uniform just after 7 saying "you don't have to get up, mum, I'm off to school"... WHAT? He was made aware of his error and son No 3 (who sometime during the night had sneaked into my bed) laughed so much the spell was broken.... Up we go, the dream of a leisure snooze shattered completely.
Sigh.
On the plus side I now know he can get himself up/washed/dressed and fed without external imput... and that can only be a good thing, right?
We had archery training and a competition, we had a cricket match too. I popped into the local museum for a quick 30 minute. Lilli and I went for a long long walk, we finished all the cookies and washed the car inside and out (well I did, she supervised!). We hang out. We missed Mr M and No 2 but were kept updated with lots of photos.
It was good.
Now...to make lasagne to welcome the monkey-suit-wearing heroes back from their tour!
(I spoke too soon... the dishwaser is leaking......)
I had gone into my study with the intention of cleaning it up a little.
Honest.
My intentions were instantly forgotten the moment I picket up the jar of big beads.
Easily distracted? Moi?
(Have you seen that t-shirt that says: "I suffer from attention deficit.... ohhh shiny!". Cracks me up everytime)
Anyway, the wooden beads are from Hobbycraft and I made the spotty green one whilst watching the boys blow their inheritance away in one of those overly priced 'paint a pottery' places.
It's not a 'light' necklace, and in case of emergency it could be used to break a window or knock an intruder unconcious... but I like it.
Now, dusting... I'm sure it was something to do with dusting...
Back home.
This necklace was waiting for me ... isn't it beautiful?
It's made by Anna Wiscombe and you can't find more here. Everything in her shop is lovely and I had a really hard time choosing only one thing!
The washing machine beckons... sigh.
oh dear where can I begin?
Let's start with the place: West Dean College.
Amazing. In 1964 Edward James donated the family 'home' to the Edward James Foundation, he loved art and he wanted to create a place and a community where arts and crafts where taught and preserved. (his passion was surrealism, which he introduced to England, he was a good friend of Dali and the house is full of great photos and artifacts. There are two lobster phones in a box frame, and the famous 'lips' sofa in the corridor!!)
I arrived late afternoon and immediately found refuge in my little room... a quiet and calm heaven with a huge window, an antique wardrobe, and the perfect knitting chair. Soft lights, no radio or tv. Peace. I unpacked and knitted for a while, drinking tea and listening to the silence around me (can you listen to silence? ... you know what I mean, I'm sure)
(I love this fabric...)
Before dinner I met up with Julie and the other 'students' in the bar, where we chatted and shared wine and stories.
After dinner we walked to our studio and the 'work' begin.
Julie is as delightful and lovely and quirky and fun as you'd imagine her to be:
She's full of stories about what inspires her and generous with her skills and instructions.
The work she brought with her was gorgeous
watches, big and small
lovely creatures
and wonderful broches
displayed on old, frayed clothes.
She gave all of us a little parcel with tiny squares of vintage fabric and with those we were to make a 'scrap charm bracelet'...
This is mine, under construction
This night session ended far too soon and I was completely buzzing when I got back to my room!
Day four.
I send the boys off to catch crabs off the pier
and I do some sightseeing across the river mouth
To each his own.
Day five.
Oh dear the weather is not on our side today
you know you're in trouble when the horizon disappears!
We jump in the car and head South to this amazing place
We walk in a tropical rainforest and stroll through mediterranean gardens, we eat delicious food and we even ice-skate!
Day six.
Our last day and finally the sun shows up
and the beach is like a magical mirror
And then we drive home.
The end.
Randomness 1
"Mamma, why is my chin all rough" - No 3, age 41/2
"Well, darling you keep biting your lips and the cold air irritates the skin, that's why it feels rough, but don't worry we'll put some cream on tonight and it'll be soft again" - me age... well never mind
"Oh... I thought I was growing a beard"
Did I mention he's 4???
Sometimes there's simply isn't a good enough reply.
Randomness 2
I was looking at the Mother's Day cards I received from the boys and all of them have made my portrait. The scary thing is that they're all quite far from the 'real' me, they've all portrayed somebody with flowing long hair, a long flowery dress, high heels and lots of jewellery...
Mmmhhh.
Is it a failure on my behalf that I don't match their vision of what motherhood is supposed to look like? Seriously though... where did they get that image? (note to self: screen their television programs more attentively. Do Power Rangers have glamorous yummy mummies?)
Randomness 3
These are in the shop right now
Randomness 4
The latest issue of Selvedge has just landed on my doorstep. It's fab, and how couldn't it be... it's the 'Quilt' issue....
It's got great articles, it's a great eye-candy number
and has the instructions to make the cutest Easter chick...
Get your copy, now!
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