I've Been Featured! and A Party Update (or Disney & Roses)

 A couple of weeks ago I was surprised to be contacted by Susan from Crafty Corners blog asking if she could feature my blog in her weekly round-up post.  I was flattered to be asked and, after browsing the site to see what it was all about, jumped at the chance.  If you'd like to see the post, follow the link above; take the chance to have a browse around while you're there too. I particularly like the DIY Toothbrush Bracelet in the Jewelry section. I submitted a short piece and a photo and in no time was emailed by Susan to say the post was up. 

All the arrangements for the party went well (almost) and the evening was a great success. The gorgeous cake came from My Beautiful Cake and was picked up by J the previous day.  Inside is a delicious two-layer zingy lemon sponge!!!

Here's the banner in situ with the cake, post box and a photo of the happy couple in the Rose Garden at Disney World, where they got engaged.

The balloons, which continued the Rose theme, were due to be picked up by J and fiance on their way to decorate the marquee.  Only trouble was, because of a removal lorry parked in their street, they had to park on the grass verge to load up the disco equipment (lent by fiance's dad) and managed to get stuck fast in the mud when they tried to set off.  So, DS was despatched to collect the balloons and OH to tow them out of the mud.  Being transported in a gardener's van and getting rained on in the process meant the balloons arrived wet with grass cuttings stuck to them, but that was soon sorted and all was ready.

Fiance's mum made a picture for J & A.  I laughed when I saw this photo because it looks like they are standing behind the picture with their faces looking through holes.

It was a shame that no-one noticed J and A had timed the music perfectly to play Be Our Guest from Beauty and the Beast just as the buffet was served (so I pointed it out to a few people).

After the buffet A thanked everyone for coming and made a toast to the happy couple, then (as a complete surprise) J presented me with some flowers (roses of course) and OH with chocolates as a thank you for putting on the party. 

Now all that's left to do is organise the wedding... Gulp!  Did I mention before, J wants to get married at Disney World?!!! (Not for a little while though).

Progress since last time:

All sashing and corner pieces cut for QAYG quilt.
Lots of TV time hand-sewing hexagons.

Bye for now
Teresa x

Congratulations!

 The banner was finished with almost a week to spare!  Perhaps I'm not so bad with deadlines after all, or maybe it didn't take as long as I expected.  Whatever the reason - here it is, and it's a bit larger than I expected!

 At least there's no fear of it not being legible from the far side of a dimly lit marquee. 

 Although it might be a little more difficult to read close to.

That's it now.  Nothing else can be done until the day.  I'm looking forward to it in a tentative kind of way.  It's lovely to have the families getting together for the first time (and it helps that the odd few have met already) but families often have issues, the undercurrent of which can threaten to rear it's head at such occasions.  It's a good thing our gang of friends is coming!  There are occsionally 'issues' amongst them too but somehow these are more easily brushed away and overcome than with family. Now, what's that well-known saying...........?

This gorgeous brooch arrived in the post the other day from Pat's Paraphernalia on Etsy.  I was browsing her shop for buttons after clicking across from a link (I wish I could remember who's blog it was from - was it YOU?) and thought of a friend who loves sunflowers as soon as I saw this. Consequently I snapped it up for a Chr...........s present! (I'm determined not to mention that word yet).  It was difficult not to buy any number of items from Pat's because she has such great things.  And look at the pretty pansy key-ring she included in the package!

As for progress - well (see banner above) I've been hexagoning like crazy but will get going on QAYG on the weekend.

Oh, and one more thing.  It's quite possible I will be made redundant in 3 weeks!  It's not unexpected and I'm looking forward to it!!

Bye for now

Teresa x

Preparations!

I haven't any finished items to show but there's been plenty of preparation going on. While waiting for the interfacing to be delivered for the Engagement Party Banner, I got on with a few other WIPs.   

  I dug out myTag Square Bee Quilt blocks and laid them out to decide how to go about putting them together.  I've said before that I wish I'd been more specific than asking for Autumn colours but I don't think I'd have received very different blocks if I'd asked for an orange/brown/green combination either. A couple of the blocks were a little on the small side (were supposed to be 12.5").

 It would have been fiddly to increase the smaller blocks so I trimmed them all down to 12".  Next job will be to cut all the sashing pieces and start putting it together.  It'll be the first time I've tackled a 'proper', traditionally sashed quilt and, from what I understand, I have to cut the pieces to the correct size and make the blocks fit the sashing otherwise it won't be 'square'.  But this has been put aside now the interfacing has arrived for the banner, which needs to be finished by the 25th.

I also managed to get a pile of hexagons ready to add to the long-term project hexie quilt while waiting. 

Banner preparations have begun.  Thirty 6" letters printed and cut out.  The banner fabric has been hemmed and the letters have been traced onto the interfacing.  Luckily I remembered after only the first letter that I should be tracing them upsidedown, so they will be correct on the finished banner.  Now, all that's left to do is iron the letters onto the fabric, cut them out and iron onto the banner.  I say 'all' but I think it's going to be quite time-consuming arranging the letters to get them lined up. 

Talking of preparations, rehearsals are continuing with my musical theatre group for Trial by Jury.  We've got 3 more songs to learn for the first-half prequel, written by one of our members (the prequel not the songs!).  The songs, chosen from other Glbert & Sullivan works to fit the story, are VERY high-pitched but I'm beginning to get the hang of them.  We'll be taking the show to 4 local villages/towns in October to promote our group and raise money for the main show next April.

The date of the local, annual raft race is fast approaching and OH met up with the OHs of the rest of our friends to sort out what they're doing.  I believe they're still calling themselves The Raglan Wrinklies but are going to have an Olympic Games themed raft.   

Bye for now
Teresa x

Spoiling Myself!

I enjoy going to the hairdressers.  I don't always like the way I look when I come out but I don't worry because I know I only have to wash it and it's back to 'normal'.  Although there are more staff there, the atmosphere at the salon is quite like Truvy's in Steel Magnolias (a film that I LOVE btw - despite it being very 80's).  Everyone is so helpful and friendly and makes me feel very relaxed.  I sit and drink coffee, read a magazine or chat knowing there's absolutely nothing else I can, or have, to do for the next 2 hours. 

 I'd like to say the best bit is having my hair washed but I have a sort of love/hate relationship with it in reality.  Having someone massage my head is heavenly but finding a comfortable position for my neck on the basin has always flummoxed me.  Only once have I been completely comfortable but I don't know what I did so I can't repeat it! 

 The top picture is what my hair looked like when I came out of the salon the time before last;  Smooth and shiny and nothing like I can ever manage myself.  Also, it's not 'me'.  The lower picture is the next day after washing it out and letting it dry mostly naturally.  It's less trouble like this and how I like it (messy)!



Two little purses lined in orange - all materials re-purposed

I was carrying my bag around the other day and after a while it felt very heavy and uncomfortable on my shoulder. The weight was mainly caused by my purse so I decided there and then that my next project would be a little zipped purse for myself.  As I had 2 zips handy I thought I may as well make another at the same time.  This scrap of fabric I had in my shed is so sweet as it is, it didn't need any further embellishment so they came together quite quickly.  I think I may have just enough left to make 2 more like them.  Now I can take just enough money with me when I go out instead of carrying around a load of bumf that I don't need.

In further progress, I have finished hand-quilting the last 2 of my quilt-as-you-go quilt blocks - Way hay!!  There'll be a bit of delay before the next stage, until I decide how I'm going to put it together but I'm quite pleased to have got this far.

As an interim project - plans are afoot for something for the engagement party!! 

Progress since last time - all of the above!!!

Bye for now
Teresa x