A head full of butterflies

Golly gosh - it's been over a week since my last post...

In order to have a decent excuse, I'd like to be able to say that the computer exploded, or that the internet came a-cropper or Blogger decided to be monumentally unco-operative (which I know it has been doing for a lot of people), but I can't.  

I simply haven't had the right level of patience and concentration for the last eight days to sit down at our rather slow and ponderous computer and put up a post!  My head has been full of all sorts and I have been flitting from one thing to another like a fly with a blue bottom.

Mr U-t-B has finally been getting much better - just before his surgery is due, and he will therefore be limited in what he can do again! 

He is able to wander around the house and make crumbs (my kitchen worktops have been amazingly crumb-free for the last several weeks!) He can even sit up for reasonable periods of time, so we even managed to go for three short jaunts in the car, each time treating ourselves to a bite of lunch whilst we were out.  

I did a bit of impromptu decorating, inspired by my sister's talk of painting her ceiling.  I found the old tins of sage-y green and pale yellow and gave a fresh coat to the hall and up the stairs, and the tongue-and-groove in the kitchen.  Then I bought a bit of white and did all the rest of the woodwork in those two areas, plus the utility room.  It only took Saturday evening and Sunday morning, and it has made such a difference!  Well worth the effort.  And all it cost was £11.99 for a pot of white paint.

This has now been declared a clutter-free zone - I created an umbrella stand from a vase and have placed a little dish on the window sill to stop everyone leaving 'stuff' there!

The 'comfy corner' in the kitchen

The spindles are still awaiting the Nitromors treatment...

I also tried (somewhat in vain) to get going on the sewing front, to make some new, more summery things for last Saturday's market.  I did manage a few new creations...

...using some beach huts that I cut out from vintage fabrics last year and bravely trying my hand at using the machine for some of the stitching, which needless to say you can't see as our camera does NOT do close-up.  Grrr!

Last Wednesday (my work-in-progress day) I nearly finished the two dressmaking projects...

This is finished except for a hook and eye.  But I had made adjustments to the pattern based on the pattern's measurements and mine and now it is too big!  All right if I want to wear it on my hips, but until I have a washboard stomach (which of course is likely to happen oh-so soon!) I don't think this is a great idea.  Seam-ripper, anyone?

This needs the armholes binding and the hem stitching.  It looks kind-of okay artistically arranged on the floor.  Sadly, arranged on me it looks pretty much like I am about seven months pregnant.  I am considering adding some ties to the side seam to draw it in.  I think this is a pattern for ladies less busty than me...

What else?  

I have the bad back to prove I have been down at the allotment, hoeing and planting.  

These are the left-over sweetcorn that I am planning to give to our neighbours and some gone-leggy runner beans that I might plant in the garden just to have something edible close by.

The garden is a delight to step into at the moment, with the beautiful aroma of roses and honeysuckle.  I'm dead-heading like mad to try an keep the roses going...

This is our neighbour's rose, which always creates a fantastic show on our side of the fence too!

I also had a couple of blogging firsts - I was 'tagged' by  

Penny of 'The Hen House' 

(and will try to do the necessaries really soon!) 

and was given a 'Versatile Blogger' award by 

Sophie of 'Fading Grace'. 

(Again, I will do the necessaries asap)

As these are two blogs I love to read, I was really chuffed!  

Thanks Penny and Sophie!

And it is probably down to these two that I have quite a few new followers! This is great, not just because it's nice to know there are people out there reading 'the ramblings', but also because it leads me to new blogs to read, admire and be inspired by!