Slipping off the radar...

Oh dear...I seem to have lost my blogging mojo! Worse than not posting, I haven't even been finding time to visit all the great blogs I usually read - and I feel bad about not keeping up with what everyone's up to, and commenting.  Sorry.  I hope to get back into my stride very soon!

So, a whistle stop tour of the camera reveals that over the past week and a bit I have been:

a) using some of the faded fabric from the car boot sale...

..as the basis for some different-to-my-usual rag dolls...

There's actually a second one, with blond hair, but I failed to take her photo. (Actually, she's not turned out quite right either - that's probably why.)

These are meant to be toddler friendly, as they don't have yarn for hair, and the features are all embroidered on.

I am rather keen on the skinny arms and legs, and discovered this wonderful tool...

sewessential.co.uk

...which made them possible - I'd never have had the patience for stuffing such thin extremities otherwise!

Mainly, Mr U-t-B and I have been doing our very own version of 'Ground Force'.

He's been starring as Alan Titchmarsh and Tommy Walsh rolled into one, but with less horticultural knowledge and not so much hair, and I have been doing a Charlie Dimmock, but with the benefit of a bit of support in the chest area, and, again, less hair.

We have been trying to turn the garden-across-the-road (that of the eldest Miss U-t-B, her beloved and their soon-to-be-born 'bump') into somewhere nice to be.  This is it before we got started.

A small and scabby patio, peeling paintwork, a sage plant, some mint, two olive trees, a conifer and a compost bin. 

A soon-to-be ex-shed (given the current blowy conditions, it's not likely to last long!) at the end of the garden.

Broken down fencing (not really belonging to us, but with all the flats next door let out and landlords who won't maintain their properties, we decided to get on and replace it).

Anyway, now it looks more like this...

A good sized deck (paintwork to be embarked upon soon!) and new fence panels.

Compost bin, olive trees and conifer re-sited down the garden.

Some more herbs, hebes, heuchera, bergenia and daffodils to create a border.

It's a work in progress, mostly done in between the torrential downpours and hail, but we're pleased so far!  The tumbling-down shed at the end needs sorting too, but that will be once the weather settles, as it is full of 'stuff' which wouldn't appreciate being left out whilst we try to create something a bit more attractive.

We'd like to do 'Mark II' of our own...

...but we'll see!

And we've also done a little bit of baby-sitting, with a now-walking Sophia.

Oh, and I finished the 40s style dress for the Vintage Fair next weekend.  I even put it on and got Mr U-t-B to take a photo...

Shame he missed my head!

(Actually, I cropped it out!  I was talking, as I always do when I have my photo taken.  Well, either that or eating. And neither are a good look!)

 Tomorrow we are off to Yorkshire for a wedding!

And we're staying in a nice-looking hotel, so expect photos next time I get round to posting.