tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49220461739555403792024-03-13T13:01:00.810+00:00Used-to-BeesUsed-to-Beeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11865449943356287351noreply@blogger.comBlogger543125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922046173955540379.post-83976051507120246372016-03-14T10:39:00.001+00:002016-03-14T10:39:08.588+00:00In which we get a proper look<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Where were we?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Oh yes...We'd go to the auction, where we'd sit amongst the hundreds of eager would-be property buyers and soak up the 'Homes Under the Hammer' atmosphere and see what the little, unloved cottage in the pretty town went for. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It'd be a nice day out - we'd never been to Stroud and, lover of 'Cider with Rosie' that I am, we'd try and find nearby Slad and have a look around. We'd have a pub lunch - in fact, we'd invite our friend Jane and make a bit of a jolly of it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">At the auction, we'd garner useful ideas on the best approach to adopt if, <b>in the future</b>, we decided to buy our next home at auction. We'd sit with our hands firmly tucked away under our thighs or inside our jackets to avoid gestures that might be misinterpreted by the auctioneer, with whom we would also avoid all eye contact.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But of course the outcome was quite different!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We never did find Slad, nor did we learn how buying at an auction is done. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In a room 'jam-packed' with about fifteen people (at least five of whom were the auction house staff, four the sellers of the cottage and three me, Mr U-t-B and Jane) only three properties were to be sold, two having been withdrawn that day. And the one we'd looked at was first! So absolutely no chance to see how it was done...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mr U-t-B forgot all about keeping his hands inside his jacket and put in the first bid on the cottage, maybe because the auctioneer's first, second and third 'What am I bid?s' were met with no response.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This prompted someone else to join in. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After a brief bidding skirmish (you couldn't call it a war - too short and fairly half-hearted on the other guy's part) the hammer was about to come down. Mr U-t-B, though he had been raising his hand quite emphatically, had convinced himself that there was a third bidder, directly behind him, and it was <b>him</b> that was about to get the property. Although the bidding hadn't reached Mr U-t-B's limit, he'd decided not to bid any further and was happy to let the third bidder have the property. When the auctioneer said 'Your bid. Man in the checked shirt,' Mr U-t-B looked down and found that he was, in fact, wearing a checked shirt . (This should not have been a surprise as he rarely wears any shirt other than a checked one!) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And the hammer fell!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Gulp!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">When you buy at auction, you complete a mere twenty working days later, so very soon, we found ourselves with the keys and going to take a closer look at <strike>what we'd lumbered ourselves with</strike> the sweet little cottage.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Let's take a look around.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You enter straight into the kitchen/dining room.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's rather dark in there as there are just three small windows two of which are high in the wall, so you can't look out...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Plenty of kitchen cupboards though, even if not to my taste..</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Windows - 80s replacements, totally out of keeping with the age of the property.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Off the kitchen is a lobby, the back door and a cramped and impractical utility room </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yellow so bright it may be easier to knock it down than cover it up!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The sitting room is dominated by a not-too-authentic fireplace, red carpet and the stairs...</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6AXcFdWkG5g/VtgGJZos8YI/AAAAAAAAwJU/vQJ7dmK6eXsBrcF5-sOsASDdxq2NBowgQ/s1600/01d7d6caf4d552cf77e515e8bf3aa6d2f6cce338aa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6AXcFdWkG5g/VtgGJZos8YI/AAAAAAAAwJU/vQJ7dmK6eXsBrcF5-sOsASDdxq2NBowgQ/s400/01d7d6caf4d552cf77e515e8bf3aa6d2f6cce338aa.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The staircase oozes 60s/70s new-housing vibe. Not keen. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Upstairs is a very long corridor with three changes in level and three bedrooms and a bathroom leading off...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is the second bedroom with its door leading up to the attic. I like this quirky door...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">...and we discovered there was some sort of wood panelling beneath the layer of woodchip. Possibly exciting!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We scraped a bit of paper away. Stripped back this could be a nice feature. Perhaps?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The colour schemes need re-thinking. I'm not a fan of the deep pink, eau-de-nil, magnolia and purples, though that little cupboard is kind of sweet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The bathroom is upstairs. That is its only redeeming feature. The 'mushroom pink' suite, yellow walls, red carpet (carpet!!!) and gold-glitter loo seat, plus the mirror tiles above the bath and brown woodwork won't be staying. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was going to be a challenge, but that's what we wanted, right?</span> </div>
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Used-to-Beeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11865449943356287351noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922046173955540379.post-72651077997484413832016-03-03T09:58:00.000+00:002016-03-14T09:55:23.193+00:00In which we attend a Saturday viewing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So, we'd stuck a toe in the housing market by putting my flat on the market and after one viewing it had sold! </span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wF68E-EYhOM/VtM-K5bk0II/AAAAAAAAuVs/OOk9M5YPyU0/s1600/014c49147e333349d0423e6e6c49ff2a9ac3d7085e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wF68E-EYhOM/VtM-K5bk0II/AAAAAAAAuVs/OOk9M5YPyU0/s320/014c49147e333349d0423e6e6c49ff2a9ac3d7085e.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">With this fresh in our minds we headed back to Wiltshire to have a look at the cottage that was up for auction. It was a beautiful sunny day.</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v5GS-1vEMsI/VtM-K_fJwfI/AAAAAAAAuVs/-086hmrcNFI/s1600/015ee9c36b815f0e57579af83756da8a8d019d49d1_00001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v5GS-1vEMsI/VtM-K_fJwfI/AAAAAAAAuVs/-086hmrcNFI/s400/015ee9c36b815f0e57579af83756da8a8d019d49d1_00001.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">No - that's not it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Although a town, the centre of Cricklade is quite small. There are lots of attractive, mostly Georgian, houses and a peaceful atmosphere.</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_CqW7Qq75pg/VtM-K7Dln6I/AAAAAAAAuVs/dct_w4bWbfQ/s1600/013bce65ecb93a251c329e8ef0e0fef23c314d448c_00001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_CqW7Qq75pg/VtM-K7Dln6I/AAAAAAAAuVs/dct_w4bWbfQ/s400/013bce65ecb93a251c329e8ef0e0fef23c314d448c_00001.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">That's not it either!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This one was for sale, but not up for auction, and not within our budget...</span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JM0Z4X9GWPw/Vtf-6jwIx4I/AAAAAAAAv8I/O-lcLWgEPEA/s1600/016fa5ab8c014f606af7f643f08f0a024e82076cb8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JM0Z4X9GWPw/Vtf-6jwIx4I/AAAAAAAAv8I/O-lcLWgEPEA/s400/016fa5ab8c014f606af7f643f08f0a024e82076cb8.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Although part of the plan was to downsize, the aptly-named 'Little Cottage' would be a step too far, methinks. My fabric alone would fill this place!</span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ID3BoVELEac/Vtf-6vqgHEI/AAAAAAAAv8I/aIiAV7vjVhM/s1600/013a45653a833900b948450fb4d1d62cab4c3c1d8c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ID3BoVELEac/Vtf-6vqgHEI/AAAAAAAAv8I/aIiAV7vjVhM/s400/013a45653a833900b948450fb4d1d62cab4c3c1d8c.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yeah - it's not this one either!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We had a coffee in a friendly, independent grocery/tea room and a wander around. We chatted to a couple of locals at some length, about gardens and model aeroplane flying. This does not happen in Aldershot, where mostly people avoid eye contact in case you might dare to say hello to them...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This made me giggle!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We went to the 'Open House' for the cottage. We chatted with the agent and the owner and had a look around. It wasn't a 'love at first sight' moment, more a 'poor little house, it needs taking under someone's wing' type of thing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The cottage is approached from the High Street, down a passageway leading past the house that fronts onto the High Street. From the High Street you see four large windows and a door to the side, but the door is not the front door to any house, it's a door to the passage leading to the front house and then beyond, to the cottage. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is the passageway, and that door, just before the gate, is the door to our cottage. The white and stone part is ours, the cream part is the house on the High Street. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">There is a rather unattractive rear extension that was added in the 60s. And a falling apart shed. But at least it has net curtains...You need a bit of privacy in your shed!</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rLa72C7dIV4/VtgDzrElyGI/AAAAAAAAwE8/mZNLjdzAEQk/s1600/016ece0cfbef62a89acf3dcdbcb29463a99279b1f2_00001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rLa72C7dIV4/VtgDzrElyGI/AAAAAAAAwE8/mZNLjdzAEQk/s400/016ece0cfbef62a89acf3dcdbcb29463a99279b1f2_00001.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The garden, though small, is larger than we have here, and it has a lovely old brick wall.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">There's also a large, paved area beside the extension.</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u5l3pygIpwo/VtM--kZ0RxI/AAAAAAAAuWk/3Pkkzc9uVXU/s1600/012a70dec6dbb3bdfde374fcfab54d4b1c6cd25eb8_00001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u5l3pygIpwo/VtM--kZ0RxI/AAAAAAAAuWk/3Pkkzc9uVXU/s400/012a70dec6dbb3bdfde374fcfab54d4b1c6cd25eb8_00001.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Inside, the kitchen/diner is well-supplied with cupboards and worksurfaces. There's an enormous range style cooker, but if I was churning out the quantities of food this beast could produce, we'd be hard pressed to fit in all the guests required to eat it. It's also rather dark...</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YqMiPrUGah4/VtM-K9lOy6I/AAAAAAAAuVs/DcOt7Wm-_-4/s1600/01858a7359075a4c033a244404cb942b7df6124820.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YqMiPrUGah4/VtM-K9lOy6I/AAAAAAAAuVs/DcOt7Wm-_-4/s400/01858a7359075a4c033a244404cb942b7df6124820.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H6inVlImw30/VtM-K-qbHqI/AAAAAAAAuVs/eJCvUQAqiB8/s1600/0135785362eeff8d80388d3f58604f5c414ed90b5d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H6inVlImw30/VtM-K-qbHqI/AAAAAAAAuVs/eJCvUQAqiB8/s400/0135785362eeff8d80388d3f58604f5c414ed90b5d.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">There's a cloakroom/utility room, but the washing machine door bangs into the loo. Loading the washing machine over the loo doesn't seem like the greatest idea!</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-21bN4V_1_Y8/VtM-KzfiK7I/AAAAAAAAuVs/f9lx8qGgtV8/s1600/01e4aada4465cb3c5ea0f2235894113a96b1de6585_00001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-21bN4V_1_Y8/VtM-KzfiK7I/AAAAAAAAuVs/f9lx8qGgtV8/s400/01e4aada4465cb3c5ea0f2235894113a96b1de6585_00001.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the sitting room there's a not too authentic looking fireplace with a condemned gas fire.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Oh and swirly deep pink carpet.</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6AXcFdWkG5g/VtgGJZos8YI/AAAAAAAAwJM/j74P34LW8tY/s1600/01d7d6caf4d552cf77e515e8bf3aa6d2f6cce338aa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6AXcFdWkG5g/VtgGJZos8YI/AAAAAAAAwJM/j74P34LW8tY/s400/01d7d6caf4d552cf77e515e8bf3aa6d2f6cce338aa.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But there is a beautiful, genuinely old door. The first real bit of history we found in the place.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Upstairs, there are three fairly good-sized bedrooms. All are challenged in the decorating department!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">That's an old cupboard with a nice old door. A keeper. Not like the wallpaper!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The master bedroom has almost bearable wallpaper, but it also has a useful ridge to trip over in the middle of the carpet...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Leading from the bedroom with the cute cupboard is a narrow staircase to two further attic rooms. No windows here, but 'potential'. Even if they are disguised as a giant billiard table at the moment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So, not exactly your dream cottage! But it was just crying out 'Love me!'</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We repaired to the local hostelry, which you may have seen in a recent episode of Jamie and Jimmy's Friday Night Feast'. Lunch was so good that the pros of the place seemed to far outweigh the cons. We'd go to the auction. I mean, we probably wouldn't get it - we've watched enough 'Homes Under the Hammer' to know these events are always packed with people desperately fighting it out and paying way over the guide price...</span></div>
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Used-to-Beeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11865449943356287351noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922046173955540379.post-35055373567704054362016-02-28T18:04:00.001+00:002016-02-28T18:04:14.550+00:00Climbing back aboard for a new adventure<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So... What's the best approach to adopt when you inadvertently fail to update your blog for nearly two years? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I think maybe the best bet is to just get on with it pretty much as if nothing happened. I mean, nothing really <b>did</b> happen - no <b>really</b> big life changes, just maybe not having enough that I was interested in enough to spend time <strike>boring</strike> telling my readers about it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Things have, of course, moved on a bit. Miss U-t-B did that thing that children will, and grew up enough to head off to the North in search of a university education. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mr U-t-B retired for about the third time, this time properly. No more lessons, no more financial managing and no more board meetings. Freedom! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And then a series of things happened, none of them major, which has resulted in the adventure that we are just embarking on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">First I decided that enough was enough and the woodchip wallpaper on the stairs and landing would have to go... </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This involved peeling two extremely stubborn layers of paper off an awful lot of wall. My brain has mostly erased the pain and boredom of this, but I seem to remember it took about six weeks!</span></div>
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<a href="https://ci6.googleusercontent.com/proxy/ZRkGVataH2dAdw0mqdJEdnNHOKkO0Oj4Eh5pnhHwA6Stz0SxvQcfAJcThTwFdEjjhihIIxIsJIQv9vylcl-m9GBsoL-Ll3W5mV7tSIOpBu7cZiUVUyYuT6vjlqoZU_BQCJVOLoDK3ufybYOfOMuUxAILY3eH9a8EW-R5xNI75xY=s0-d-e1-ft#http://scontent-lhr3-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/s150x150/e15/11380900_860681524006210_1417993554_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://ci6.googleusercontent.com/proxy/ZRkGVataH2dAdw0mqdJEdnNHOKkO0Oj4Eh5pnhHwA6Stz0SxvQcfAJcThTwFdEjjhihIIxIsJIQv9vylcl-m9GBsoL-Ll3W5mV7tSIOpBu7cZiUVUyYuT6vjlqoZU_BQCJVOLoDK3ufybYOfOMuUxAILY3eH9a8EW-R5xNI75xY=s0-d-e1-ft#http://scontent-lhr3-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/s150x150/e15/11380900_860681524006210_1417993554_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We then plastered and painted and re-carpeted, ending up rather pleased with the results...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Walking into town one day, a wave of something risky overcame both Mr U-t-B and I. We decided to go into an estate agent and get them to come and give us a valuation, what with the house finally having that 'walk-through-the-door' appeal. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">(We'd only a year before upped the kerb appeal by replacing the old front door of every 'first day back at school photo' ever taken...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">...with one we rescued from along the terrace...</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Last day at school!)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then a pane of Edwardian decorative glass above the front door became broken. </span></div>
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We didn't want the estate agent to base his valuation on a house with a broken window, but replacing the glass in time meant we had to drive to Cheltenham to collect it. And that's when fate decided to lead us a merry dance...</div>
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Zipping along the A419, Mr U-t-B saw a sign saying </div>
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Cricklade</div>
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A Saxon Town</div>
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'Let's have a look at that,' he says.</div>
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So we do, and it's rather lovely. We have a wander and some fish and chips. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First town on the Thames. </td></tr>
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And there's this place up for auction.<br />
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Long story short, as they say. We are now the somewhat surprised owners of a Grade II listed cottage in desperate need of updating. And we sold our house, so I guess, in the words of The Village People, it's time to 'Go West'.<br />
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(Actually - and this is <b>very</b> strange and makes me think this move is fate - on the afternoon we were waiting to hear from the estate agent that it was all okay and we could collect the keys (there had been some doubt as to whether the sale would fall through) I was listening to Radio 2 and this song was played. And about ten minutes later, the phone call came!)</div>
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Tune in next time for the photos that will show we may need our heads examining!</div>
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Used-to-Beeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11865449943356287351noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922046173955540379.post-3108363643273921322014-03-23T13:31:00.000+00:002014-03-23T13:31:20.331+00:00Learning to let go and other adventures<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have been brave!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I've been thinking about it for ages, but never quite plucked up the courage...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But finally, after a bit of research in a self-help manual, I managed to relax and let go...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I dropped those feed dogs and had a go at free-motion machine embroidery!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The self-help manual was this one...</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">...which, needless to say can be found on <a href="http://amazon.co.uk/">Amazon.co.uk</a>, amongst other places</span></td></tr>
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I need to read it properly - I tend to look at the pretty, inspirational pictures and read a few key points before succumbing to the temptation to get stuck into a bit of stitch-y action. It really would be sooo much better to be more attentive to the text, but hey!</div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">I had had these frames sitting around for years, waiting for something to be created to replace the rather lacklustre prints. I liked the washed-out, rough wooden frame and thought they would be perfect for what I wanted to do.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Some Liberty scraps were Bonda-webbed, cut and ironed on before the machine was set a-whirring. Needless to say I was much too impatient to take step-by-step pictures of how I built this up, but at the end of session one, I had two pieces similar to this. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I had discovered <a href="http://www.sulky-international.de/scripts/clsAIWeb.php?seite_id=179">Sulky</a> threads (I know I'm a bit late to the party there!) and bought a few to play around with - here see the varied shades in the sea and sky and the grassy tufts. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">On the Sulky website there are some<a href="http://www.sulky-international.de/images/anleitung/E_FST_R_Dosenkleid_Fruehlingswiese.pdf"> great looking tutorials</a> which I may well have to dive into to improve my machine embroidery skills. Having stuck to up and down and wavy lines, I'm tempted to try this one out...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Oh for a row of life-size Liberty covered beach huts!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Bunting, either stitched or from impossibly small scraps of lawn, were added later, and a few hand-embroidered flowers...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I don't think I will be stopping at three of those threads and two pictures!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">On Saturday I held another workshop. Ginger biscuits and Cappuccino Cake were made and I waited for my five students. This time I remembered my camera - I even took photos of my lovely participants,but forgot to ask if they would be okay to feature on my blog! So instead, here is their fabulous work. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Lastly, I took part in Very Berry Handmade's third ATC swap. The theme was either Books or Spring . My secret partner (now out of the bag as she has received her card) was Sue of <a href="http://deereyme.co.uk/">Deerey Me!</a> (pop over and have a look at her lovely blog, especially the 'Secret Garden' card she made for her partner). Sue lives near Bath and as one of my favourite books is 'Pride and Prejudice'...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">{Small pause for Mr Darcy dreaming</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Er, sorry, no.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">That's more like it!}</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">...I thought I'd try something related to that. I found a very small scrap of very old fabric that I thought was a near a bit Regency-looking and then cut silhouettes from felt. I printed off a P & P quote 'Her heart did whisper that he had done it for her' and combined them on the tiny piece of backing (buckram is what I used). Normally I'd do more stitching, but somehow I didn't feel this would benefit from any more.</span></div>
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Used-to-Beeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11865449943356287351noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922046173955540379.post-46349886326104140642014-03-12T20:15:00.000+00:002014-03-12T20:15:00.948+00:00It's not JUST about sewing...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have had a bit of a one track mind, blog-wise, of late. But I do occasionally stray from the sewing room, and have a few other things to record from time to time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">First off though - thank you for all the kind comments about the Family Reunion dress and the sympathetic and supportive ones about THAT blouse. A suitably disappointed email has been fired off in the direction of Butterick and Co and I will let you know if I get back a suitable response!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And thank you for the suggestions re: The Sewing Bee, but - NOT Flippin' Likely!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">(I'd have a heart attack trying to do even the simplest task under time pressure, and as for the middle challenge, my ideas would not be near imaginative enough!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Meanwhile, these cheery chappies greet me each morning when I open the kitchen blind. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is the same clump, snapped last year. Nice to see how they've multiplied!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Elsewhere in the garden, the hellebores are blooming away. It's just a shame they don't hold their heads up for us to admire them more!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Miss U-t-B and I headed off to the cinema somewhat apprehensively last Thursday, to see 'The Book Thief'. It's always a risk going to see the film of a book you've loved, and it's also a risk going to see a film you know will make you blub! I was worried the pair of us might cause localized flooding, just when the rain finally seems to have abated!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Fortunately, we both loved the film. Tears were shed and there were a few not-quite-stifled sobs from beside me (I had read the book so was able to steel myself for the hardest bits) but we did enjoy it. I thought the two young actors (Sophie Nelisse and Nico Liersch) were perfect for the roles, as were both Emily Watson and Geoffrey Rush. I know it hasn't had fabulous reviews, but I have seen far worse.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Remember I mentioned there was some good music on Graham Norton's show on Saturday? Here's one I think we'll be hearing lots over the next weeks...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Take a look at this fab book I bought myself last week...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's oozing with cute and quirky idea - I want to make soooo many of them...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">How wonderful would that be as a wedding present?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the same package came this, which I'm liking so far...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hope life is full of good things for you too!</span></div>
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Used-to-Beeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11865449943356287351noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922046173955540379.post-46027536540533643382014-03-11T16:27:00.000+00:002014-03-11T16:27:44.936+00:00Sunday Sewing AKA 'I Want to Drown in a Bucket of Gin'<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">(Quote from Heather on last week's 'Great British Sewing Bee'.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So on Saturday, it was all going swimmingly.</span></div>
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Pretty pattern, sweet fabric, uninterrupted time to stitch away, great instructions, resulting in a lovely dress.</span></div>
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On Sunday, just one of the ingredients changed and it all went pear shaped!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Pretty pattern - check</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sweet fabric - check</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">(Miss U-t-B, still being geographical, did not require transport to and from work.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Great instructions? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You'd think so, from a long-established pattern maker like Butterick.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But no - this pattern somehow must have slipped through the testing and proofreading net because it fell <b>far</b> short of my expectations. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />Some of the pattern pieces had too few markings on them to really be sure you were sewing the right bits together. In the case of the yoke at the top of the sleeve there was no way of telling which edge had to be attached to the front, and which to the back, so I decided I would have to use the diagram as a guide.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sorry for the fuzziness of the photo - I was near incandescent with rage when I took it. (Well, as close to that as I ever get, which is actually not very...) So the diagram showed the straighter edge attached to the front of the sleeve and the more slopey one attached to the back. So I did that, trimmed and finished the seams and then proceeded to attached the fronts and back of the blouse. Only to find that the sections did not fit correctly, one seam having to be stretched slightly and the other having a fairly large overlap. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Once I matched up the pattern piece to the mismatched garment, I realised the yoke pieces should have gone in the other way round! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So I tried the blouse on to see whether it was worth the hassle of unpicking pretty much every seam I'd put into it, only to find that the neckline was a wavy, ill-fitting mess, that stood proud of my decolletage in a most unruly way!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I could go on about other problems with the pattern (the instructions for the front facings, the fact that the markings for the pintucks meant the pintucks sit overlapping one another, rather than individually) but I won't bore you any further. I'm pretty fed up about it (and will be writing a letter of complaint pointing out the fact that I'd waited till pay day to buy this nice fabric and now it's RUINED!) but let's face it, no-one died. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The only good thing that came out of it was that I learnt to do shirring on my machine - a technique I had seen on the Sewing Bee last year but which I'd not been brave enough to try. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I will let you know what response my letter of complaint gets!</span></div>
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Used-to-Beeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11865449943356287351noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922046173955540379.post-40621497087222049382014-03-08T16:59:00.001+00:002014-03-08T16:59:11.104+00:00The Oliver + S 'Family Reunion Dress' ready for action <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Oooh it is nice having an uninterrupted block of time to spend on sewing! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Don't get me wrong, I <u>do</u> get to spend plenty of time sewing, but it's often punctuated with little bits of real life creeping in, like ironing to be done, meals to be prepared, dust to be chased round the house... </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well today I just concentrated on the one thing, and look - it is done!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I got started yesterday afternoon by being a good girl and tracing the pattern off the original, carefully. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I normally plough right on in to the pattern, cutting the size I wish to make, but with the pattern costing £13, I thought I'd make sure I can easily make every size, as and when gifts are required. It always seems a faff, but to be honest, the hardest thing about it was finding a felt pen that worked!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Next came some sneaky placing of the pattern to make sure I used as little as possible. With a child's dress, the whole width isn't required so folding a new straight grain line the length of the fabric means that what isn't used is one wider length rather than two narrower pieces.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Will you look at that sunshine!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Next came pinning...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">...and cutting...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">...and then a break for a nice bit of real life, dinner at a local hostelry with Mr U-t-B (we are daughter-less this weekend as Miss U-t-B is on a geography field trip).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Today a</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">s Graham Norton got started on the radio, I fired up the sewing machine and knuckled down. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">First came some pintucks - I do love a pintuck or two!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I found the instructions on the pattern <b>really</b> excellent. Certain techniques were suggested which I had not come across before, such a sewing a gathering thread close to the edge of the facing in order to achieve a good finish. I think that with instructions as detailed as they are, these would be good patterns for someone who is relatively inexperienced with dressmaking. In fact, and I'm not being paid to say this, I think that the quality of the instructions actually makes the price bearable.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The hem has a facing, a technique which I have used before and which I think is excellent on children's clothes as it makes the hem less likely to get caught and fall down. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> The instructions suggested extra lines of top-stitching near the hem-line, and I was happy to do this! I find that the key to neat top-stitching is to use the presser foot as your best friend - keep your eye on the presser foot edge going down the line, never on the needle.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I chose flower buttons to both embellish the centre front tab, and for the back closure...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you follow the instructions, you get a neat finish outside and in...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">By the time Graham had solved workplace and pet-related problems, chatted with Angus Deayton and Rupert Penry-Jones, and played some rather excellent music (notably Jack Savoretti, Gabby Young & Other Animals, George Wilding and London Grammar) and Tony Blackburn had played the best of 1974 and 1985 (did that REALLY include The Wombles? Seriously...) I was done!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Good thing I bought that extra length of cloth, eh?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Thanks again to <a href="http://www.thevillagehaberdashery.co.uk/">The Village Haberdashery</a>, for the excellent service which allowed me to while away my time so pleasurably! </span></div>
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Used-to-Beeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11865449943356287351noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922046173955540379.post-86480816163841802742014-03-07T13:27:00.000+00:002014-03-07T13:27:25.271+00:00I told you they were quick!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Look what we have here...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A lovely soft, squidgy, delight-filled package from </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">(trumpet fanfare please!)</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.thevillagehaberdashery.co.uk/"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">'The Village Haberdashery'</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ordered a little before 9am yesterday, after much dressmakey-dithering and dreaming from the comfort of my own chair, this arrived with Mr Postie this very morning!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Family Reunion dress can be made this weekend, as planned.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">(Ooops...You may have spotted that the red fabric and pattern for those are not all that I purchased. A certain little something slipped in the online basket for me, that lovely Palos Verde 'Miraleste' I've been hankering after. Well, it'd be silly to waste the £2.75 flat rate postage on just two items...)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So that's me sorted for the weekend!</span></div>
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Used-to-Beeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11865449943356287351noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922046173955540379.post-54698279311711383912014-03-06T12:42:00.000+00:002014-03-06T12:42:12.460+00:00Recent days and weekend plans<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Still struggling with those post titles...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Anyway, life has been doing that thing, rolling along merrily, so time for an update.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I had another go at my beach hut block, this time after purchasing a little stack of Liberty fat quarters specifically for that purpose.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I changed the block a bit as I was seeing 'shed' more than 'beach hut'. I am still seeing shed, and have realised that the steepness of my roof is at least partly to blame. Design number three required!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Clare and Emily for the sand<br />Rosy Blue for the sky<br />Betsy for the <strike>shed</strike> hut walls<br />Petal and bud for the door</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I started a new blog! I needed somewhere to put details of my workshops and suppliers that I use, maybe even a few tutorials. You can find it <a href="http://thehappylittlestitchery.blogspot.co.uk/">here</a> if you fancy a look!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Last Friday was a momentous day for Miss U-t-B, as she received her first 'proper' pay packet! She has actually been working since late November as a tutor in an 'Explore Learning' centre. She loves the work, almost always coming out from her shifts cheerful and full of what she enjoyed (even the ones that start straight after college and continue till 8pm). But due to some administrative problems, she hadn't yet received any pay... A few tears had been shed, mainly when the sales were on - she refused to borrow any money to allow herself to buy a few treats so missed out on the bargains.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">On Friday morning before college, there was a whoop of joy as she looked at her bank balance to find she had finally been paid! She said it was a fairly painless way of having saved up nearly £500, and later treated Mr U-t-B and I to a fish and chip supper to celebrate! Bless!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sunday was Mr U-t-B's birthday. I normally do a big family meal, but with all sorts going on on Saturday, decided to treat him (and me, in that I wouldn't be doing the cooking...) to a pub lunch. Instead of the lunch, we had a little tea party - I did some baking whilst Miss U-t-B took him to the cinema to see 'Non-Stop' which they both really enjoyed. He then had the company of his two eldest, their partners and his two grandchildren, with tea and sweet treats thrown in. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I made these ginger cookies to use up the stem ginger that was in the fridge. The recipe is <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChrisEvansBreakfastShow/posts/10150913583651648">Chris Evans' wife Tash's</a> and I can heartily recommend it. Just don't overcook them, because they are gorgeous when still a bit soft.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">(They're still very good when they've had a couple of minutes more in the oven, just watch out for your teeth!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I also made a nice Genoese-type sponge, which I filled with cream and some blueberries from the freezer. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This weekend I plan to be making this...</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Family Reunion Dress<br />Picture courtesy of <a href="http://oliverands.com/">Oliver and S</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have loved this pattern for a considerable while but have, it is true, always baulked at the price. But with certain little misses in the family at the age when this dress would be irresistibly cute, I could hold</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"> off no longer, and I also came up with a dressmaking challenge which I'd like to do once a month. My plan is to choose a pattern and fabric early on a Thursday morning, order it before nine from some unwitting online supplier and see if they can deliver in time for a weekend of stitching! Quite a tall order, but I know some suppliers turn orders round really quickly, and I want to know who they are!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is the fabric I have chosen for the Family Reunion dress...</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">'Pretty Floral' from the Yay Day collection by Emily Isabella<br />Picture courtesy of <a href="http://birchfabrics.blogspot.co.uk/">BirchFabrics</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have chosen a supplier who has given me fast delivery before, so my fingers are crossed, my pins are ready and the sewing machine is warming up! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hope you have something good planned for the weekend - I hear it might be time to crack out the barbecues on Sunday!</span></div>
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Used-to-Beeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11865449943356287351noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922046173955540379.post-74950989547798030272014-02-27T08:40:00.000+00:002014-02-27T08:40:07.134+00:00How to get other people to pay for your clothes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I did another bit of dressmaking last week, following on from the Valori Wells tunic I made a few weeks back.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This time, I bought some fabric on ebay from <a href="http://stores.ebay.co.uk/FAVOURITE-FABRICS?_trksid=p2047675.l2563">'Favourite Fabrics'</a>. I have used them several times before and have always received my fabrics quickly, which luckily was the case once again this time. I'd chosen this fabric...</span></div>
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<a href="http://i.ebayimg.com/t/LEAF-FLORAL-EMBROIDERED-WHITE-100-COTTON-voile-lawn-FABRIC-by-the-metre-/00/s/NDAwWDQwMA==/z/WDwAAOxyRhBSxpcp/$_12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="http://i.ebayimg.com/t/LEAF-FLORAL-EMBROIDERED-WHITE-100-COTTON-voile-lawn-FABRIC-by-the-metre-/00/s/NDAwWDQwMA==/z/WDwAAOxyRhBSxpcp/$_12.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">...which now seems to have sold out, maybe as it was only £5.99 a metre. I hadn't yet decided what pattern I was going to use, but ordered two metres knowing that would be about right.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the end I chose to use a different pattern to last time - New Look 6010.</span></div>
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I have quite a few blouses of this sort of style and find them comfortable and easy to wear, but recently have found it harder to track down ones I like in the shops, especially at anything like a sensible price. So making some myself seemed like a good option. I decided to make view D, but I intended customising the sleeves, which in this pattern have elasticated cuffs, where I wanted a button closure, like on the tunic I made previously.</div>
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I was surprised to find that once pinned the blouse out that I had LOADS of fabric left over. The pattern was a fairly easy one to make, certainly a little more straightforward than the tunic one I used previously, which was this one... </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture courtesy of SewingPatternReview.com</td></tr>
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I created a new sleeve pattern by combining the top part of the New Look sleeve with the bottom part of the Simplicity one. </div>
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And here's the finished article!</div>
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I had this idea that with 'The Great British Sewing Bee' back on our TVs, I'd try to do one of task from each episode. In the end though, I only managed the buttonloops from programme one! I'm tempted to make Mr U-t-B some dashing striped and piped pyjamas from programme 2, but I think I'm already running too far behind!</div>
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I found some sweet little flower buttons in my local haberdashery...</div>
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And it fits...</div>
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So what about the left over fabric?</div>
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There was enough to make another of my oh-so-frequently-made Japanese smock tops...</div>
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Now if I just sell this little smock for £12, I make that a free blouse for me!</div>
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I have one more blouse pattern to try out and with pay day tomorrow I am considering these fabrics...<br />
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Used-to-Beeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11865449943356287351noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922046173955540379.post-2329516500865457282014-02-20T13:30:00.001+00:002014-02-20T13:30:48.533+00:00A little bit of this and that...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Happy Little Stitchery had its first stitchers on Saturday, and they seemed to have a happy time!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the morning I got into the swing of things with a select group of two, one of whom I had met at The Maltings Market, along with her friend. I taught them a bit of simple embroidery so that they could either take home an embroidered hoop picture or a needlecase. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was good see which stitches different stitchers found easier and which they found harder, especially as I was having a group of six in the afternoon, and it allowed me to slightly alter the order in which I taught the stitches.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I did, of course, forget to get my camera out until the very end of the day, when two of my afternoon stitchers had already left, but at least I did remember in the end!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And here's some of the work produced! I have already had two of my friends pop by for a little help getting started on their next, independent projects - one to get a water-soluble line drawn on her fabric (the local shop had run out of pens) and one for a suggestion of what to do next! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Next came a bit of bunny making. The sleeves from a beautifully soft but somewhat shrunken cashmere jumper, four<a href="https://www.sarahmoorehome.co.uk/easter-bunnies/"> 'Sarah Moore Home' bunny</a> outlines, a bit of sewing, snipping and stuffing (plus a wee bit of embroidery, but that doesn't fit my alliterative theme)...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Et voila!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Next, I decided to have a go at designing my own simple patchwork block. I wanted something fairly straightforward that would be good for teaching to those who want to learn to use a sewing machine. I used some scrap-booking papers and fiddled around till I got what I wanted...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then selected some scraps of (mostly) vintage fabric and stitched away...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A bit of further embellishment and this is what I had...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Although it was originally intended as a cushion cover, I found an empty frame, not quite the right size, but rather like this framed! Another one for my somewhat over-burdened walls!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Today I had an exciting little package in the post. My Mum had this book when I was a child and I used to try hard to learn stitches from it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The one I could NEVER make work was the French Knot. Try as I might, it always disappeared! And so it would still be, were it not for the wonders of stitch demonstrations on YouTube! I think YouTube justifies its presence in the world simply on account of being the place where I finally found out how to get these little devils to work! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I am pleased to say that all my stitchers on Saturday mastered No. 21!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Last night, me, Miss U-t-B and her cousin (who is staying with us this half-term week) went to see 'Cuban Fury'. It was a great laugh and I came away with the salsa beat so firmly embedded in my head, feet and hips that I had to have a cocoa to calm down before bed! If you like a bit of fun (and don't mind a bit of fruity language!) do go and see it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Lastly, I just finished reading this...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A sweet book, I really enjoyed it!</span></div>
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Used-to-Beeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11865449943356287351noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922046173955540379.post-38862802601024828972014-02-18T11:32:00.002+00:002014-02-18T11:32:36.372+00:00Baby bootees grow large<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You may remember these from last year...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Made as part of <a href="http://used-to-bees.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/heres-one-i-made-earlier.html">my challeng</a>e to see how many items I could make from one shrunken jumper, they are based on Heather Bailey's Bitty Booties, which you can find out all about <a href="http://heatherbailey.typepad.com/heather_bailey/2006/06/bitty_booties.html">here</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, one of the girls in the charity shop wondered if it would be possible to make some to fit her. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'm always up for a challenge!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The perfect opportunity came when a whole heap of woollies came into the shop recently. They were well worn - picture threadbare elbows and grubby cuffs - as well as unwashed, and therefore most definitely not suitable for the shops. I couldn't bear to see them head into the rag bag (all 100% wool, mostly hand wash or dry-clean only) </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">so some came home with me and found themselves given the indignity of a hot wash tied into a pillowcase with a tennis ball or two! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I found a slipper pattern in a Tilda book I have and used the sole pattern as a guide, then scaled up the shape of the upper from Heather Bailey's pattern. I decided that one layer of the felt I had created would not have been warm enough, nor indeed hard-wearing enough, so used two different jumper backs to cut linings and outers for the slippers. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Some embroidery was required to jazz up the slippers. I was hoping the rain would give way to snow if I stitched enough snowflakes so off I went!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the end, not one flake of the pretty fluffy stuff has fallen on us here in Hampshire, but I did finish the slippers...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The sole and the uppers were stitched by machine first (on triple stretch stitch) then finished with blanket stitch.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I hope the recipient will like them when I take them in for her on Wednesday!</span></div>
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Used-to-Beeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11865449943356287351noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922046173955540379.post-17348050187573806032014-02-17T14:10:00.001+00:002014-02-17T14:10:33.070+00:00Tracks of my Years - 1978<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the news:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">A terrible storm ruins four piers - Herne Bay, Skegness, Hunstanton and Margate</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Anna Ford becomes first female TV newsreader</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy broadcast on radio</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Louise Brown, the first IVF baby, was born</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Evita opened on the London stage</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Government announced that O levels and CSEs were to be replaced by a single exam</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Bakers go on strike, leading to panic buying and rationing</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Average house price £13,650</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Gallon of petrol £0.79</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yearly inflation rate 8.3%</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Bank of England Year End Interest Rate 12.50%</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Herbie the skateboarding duck</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">'Butterflies'</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">'Top Gear' goes nationwide, after beginning as a locally produced slot on Pebble Mill</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">'All Creatures Great and Small'</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">On the radio (oh dear -the list really is getting longer, with each one pique-ing my memory the way only music can...)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was just so hard to choose one favourite amongst the last three, but in the end it had to be this...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I don't have many photos from these years, and those I have were mostly taken with a little Insta-matic camera so the quality is pretty bad. But this one proves that by 1978 I was making my own clothes. Tiered skirts were all the rage, so I made myself one though I didn't have enough pocket money to make the broderie anglaise petticoat I so wanted to go underneath!</span><br />
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Used-to-Beeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11865449943356287351noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922046173955540379.post-48332894846087495412014-02-13T17:40:00.000+00:002014-02-13T17:40:06.436+00:00Sanity Restored<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's amazing the difference twenty-four hours can make!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Almost everything is back in order in my sewing room, though Rudolph seems to have decided to jump from the wall and play Peek-a-Boo...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My wall of embroideries, cross-stitches and vintage fabric will get re-arranged better when I next re-paper the wall - up till now it has just been a case of bang-a-nail-in-the-wall-and-hope-it-looks-okay...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Far too many boxes to fit under the worktop. One day I will manage to reduce what I have, but it's not likely to happen any time soon!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I still love this sampler I made when I was expecting Miss U-t-B. Babies may not keep, but she's still mine, even at seventeen!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My scrapbooking paper and washi tape topped chest of drawers is still looking cheery...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Lots of little bits of vintage sewing paraphernalia on top of my button-filled mini chest of drawers...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">More hand-me-downs from Miss U-t-B - her changing table (made from an old, school, typewriter desk salvaged by Mr U-t-B about thirty years ago), her first dolls' house and a rag doll I made her...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And her little Russian Doll...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The blanket box, filled with fabric (I think you guessed), looks tidy...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And even the noticeboard has got an orderly look about it...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Shame the same can't be said for the burgeoning heap in the corner of the worktop...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And the pile behind the tea-trolley!</span></div>
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Used-to-Beeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11865449943356287351noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922046173955540379.post-72448611837841645692014-02-12T17:19:00.000+00:002014-02-12T17:19:38.867+00:00A Spot of Bother in the Stitchery...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">On Monday, some men came to blow gazillions of tiny grey polystyrene balls (and some glue, apparently) into our cavity walls.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This necessitated a bit of moving around of things in my sewing room, as they were going to pass some long pipe through the window, into the room and then up through the loft hatch to 'do' the end gable wall. In the end they didn't do the wall that way, so the effort might have been wasted, except...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Once we'd opened the loft up, we remembered that some long time ago we had bought an extending loft ladder to install there, as, with high ceilings, it was a devil of a job to get into, which meant that this very useful (and tidy!) storage space was pretty under-used. I foolishly suggested that whilst everything had been moved slightly out of the way, maybe it made sense to cover as much as possible up and get on with the installation job? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Of course, this was not so much a job for me - well, not at all a job for me, for whilst I like the odd dabble with powertools (see <a href="http://used-to-bees.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/every-cloud-has-silver-lining.html)">here</a>, where I constructed the most important bits of my workroom, Mr U-t-B being out of action with his slipped disc) major stuff such as this is best left to The Boss, especially when he's just back from his fun on the ski slopes!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">First the hatch had to be enlarged, which meant lath and plaster raining down. Needless to say, we soon realised a bit more covering up would have been wise!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ah, well. Nothing that a bit of dusting won't sort out...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So much stuff...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Rudolph looked upon the scene with an increasing sense of despair...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Aaargghh!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'm sure it will be worth it in the end!</span></div>
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Used-to-Beeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11865449943356287351noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922046173955540379.post-66505475789781227162014-02-10T14:40:00.001+00:002014-02-10T14:40:34.128+00:00Liberty Tana Lawn Patchwork Needlecase<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So here are a couple of the things I have made so far with some little pieces of that lovely Tana lawn.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">(Yes - I do struggle to cut into it, but I steel myself as otherwise I couldn't justify having bought it!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Some little, patchwork-y, ricrac-y needlecases.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I learnt a new technique for piecing small patchworks, courtesy of <a href="http://veryberryhandmade.co.uk/2013/09/01/tutorial-rainbow-coasters/">Very Berry Handmade's Rainbow Coaster tutorial</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's so much easier than the way I would have done it before and ends up so much neater, even though the pieces are so small and fiddly (only 1" square in the finished article).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here's how I made the needlecases...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Next on the list, a coordinating scissor case...</span></div>
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Used-to-Beeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11865449943356287351noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922046173955540379.post-23688955696715538152014-02-07T10:17:00.001+00:002014-02-07T10:17:23.847+00:00Fabric-alicious friday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Work being finished for the time being, I felt I could treat myself to a little bit of fabric indulgence. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Liberty Tana lawn indulgence!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Some patchwork is planned, so lots of little bits were required.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Pinks and turquoises...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And then LOTS of purple-y hues, to go with a suitcase I plan on doing out as a sewing basket.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I tried to be clever putting the names on the photos, but it was impossible to choose a colour that showed up for some. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This one is called Poppy and Daisy, Petal and Bud. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">It is the same print as Poppy and Daisy but on a smaller scale. I am very taken with this one, which I hadn't seen before, and feel a tunic might be required! Tana lawn may not be the cheapest of fabrics, but I know that it lasts and lasts, so it is worth the investment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is the Poppy and Daisy that is normally seen...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">'Pepper' is the first Liberty print I ever remember buying - from 'Galeries Lafayette' in Paris when I was eighteen! Ooh la-la! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Today I will be working with the one and a half inch squares I cut yesterday. Back with the results soon!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you like Liberty prints and want small pieces to work with, I can highly recommend the following two links, both of which have given me super fast service.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://beta.folksy.com/shops/veryberryfabrics">Very Berry Fabrics </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.alicecaroline.co.uk/">Alice Caroline</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And if you're after metres of the lovely stuff, it's worth visiting</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.shaukat.co.uk/"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Shaukat</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">for discounted prices (just remember the price on the website is without VAT).</span></div>
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Used-to-Beeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11865449943356287351noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922046173955540379.post-64037814489336088682014-02-05T20:49:00.001+00:002014-02-05T20:49:51.486+00:00What's-on-my-bookshelf Wednesday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ah! Bliss! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Today I finished at school for the time being, and though I actually had so much fun that I will be missing it, I am enormously looking forward to my days of freedom before my next stint!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There will, most likely, be a few more books notched up as the days pass. I haven't done too badly recently, as with Mr U-t-B away, I can read late into the night or early in the morning if I so choose. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So I managed to get through 'The Misbegotten'...</span></div>
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This was not at all the story I thought it would be from the atmospheric cover, and I was a bit disappointed with it. (Actually, quite a lot. Sorry!) Serves me right for being charmed by the cover, my constant failing.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Luckily I then went on to 'The Book Thief' which I absolutely loved!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Definitely one of those books I didn't want to end, and now I am looking forward to the film which I believe is released at the end of the month. I know some people think there are better books of this genre but I haven't yet read the ones that are mentioned in reviews as superior (on the list now though!) and I could not put this down.One very late night and one very long lie-in were needed once I'd fallen for these characters, but then I was bereft that it was over...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Next came another disappointment in the form of 'The Witch's Daughter' - just not my kind of tale, probably pretty good if you like that kind of thing. And so horribly long...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then came 'When God Was a Rabbit' which I really liked even if there were all sorts of things left unfinished at the end (I don't think intentionally). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And now I'm really enjoying 'The Secret Life of Bees' which I have seen recommended on blogs written by people whose opinions I value! Definitely a better reason for a choice that a front cover! Maybe I'm learning! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What book do you recommend I add to my increasingly long list of must reads?</span></div>
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Used-to-Beeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11865449943356287351noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922046173955540379.post-25529286529584995632014-02-02T12:38:00.001+00:002014-02-02T12:38:13.579+00:00The hardest thing in Blog-land...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">...is coming up with a suitable title!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And when I can't think of a title, I can't write a post! Hence the reason for the pause. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">(Call it excuse no. 42, if you like.)</span><br />
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Anyhow, life has been chugging along!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Leaving me trailing in its wake, it sometimes feels. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But next Wednesday I finish my stint at school, so I'm hoping to be able to catch up and then forge ahead. Well, I like to be optimistic!</span><br />
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I have managed to squ-eeeee-ze a bit of stitching in, and I also had my first grown-up, wannabe stitcher for a bit of private tuition. </span><br />
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After much deliberation, Miss U-t-B and I came up with a name for my new venture and here it is...</span><br />
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I had fun embroidering those letters, even if they do look a bit wonky now they are unevenly stretched in the hoop! The flower's petals are all tiny Liberty scraps and the bee is my special favourite to add onto things! </span><br />
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I even put together a Facebook page to start to advertise my classes. You can find it <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thehappylittlestitchery">here</a>. (I'm not ashamed to say that the 'likes' put a smile on my face!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Miss U-t-B was pretty impressed that I managed that all by myself - not so much because of the vaguely technical side, but because I'm not very brave and putting myself 'out there'. Once I've finished my school teaching, I hope to set some more dates!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I made a second cushion to fiddle with the proportions...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">...but prefer the first one, maybe because I love the red 'Claire-Aude' of the garden and the 'Tatum' of the windows so much...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I also had another go at making a patchwork, padded runner for under a sewing machine.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This time I put the little cut-thread bin at the front but kept the integrated pincushion (with its super-strong hidden magnet for keeping hold of stray pins and needles) right next to the machine. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I love the Riley Blake 'Little Red Riding Hood' fabrics by Tasha Noel. I think I might have to buy some more before stocks run out!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In a bold move back to my sewing roots, I did a bit of dressmaking too! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You see I love to wear smocky-tunicky type tops but hadn't seen any nice ones recently in the shops. I'd been looking on account of the fact that the linen blend ones I mostly have had worn through and were no longer wearable!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I bought some Valori Wells 'Wish' voile in the sale at <a href="http://www.guthrie-ghani.co.uk/">'Guthrie and Ghani'</a> (that's Lauren from 'The Great British Sewing Bee's shop). It's a lovely soft, fluid fabric and I thought it would be perfect for this Simplicity pattern...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I didn't take too long to knock this up, though I was glad I wasn't a complete beginner as some of the instructions were a bit vague. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And the most remarkable things are, it fits and I like it!</span><br />
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Used-to-Beeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11865449943356287351noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922046173955540379.post-49955402715889080702014-01-16T16:28:00.000+00:002014-01-16T16:28:45.017+00:00A certain amount of busy-ness...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">...has actually been going on around here!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hence the protracted silence on the blog front, of course.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But now, with Mr U-t-B away for quite a few days, he has said that he likes to see what I've been doing on my blog, so could I please?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So here we go again, with a bit of a catch-up. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">First, I was whisked away for a few days in the mountains. Lucky me! </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My camera has taken to imprinting an upside down smiley face on my pictures!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We met up with Mr U-t-B's niece and three of her friends, as well as his sister and brother-in-law and had a great time. (Miss U-t-B was, somewhat reluctantly, on a Spanish Exchange, so couldn't join us, sadly.) The weather was mostly sunny and there hadn't been enough snow for us to range very far, but it was perfect for the five days we had. It started snowing the day before we left which resulted in a somewhat hairy journey away from the mountains - I'll save you the details of the near miss!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Once back home it was a mad dash to be ready for the festivities. We were having a big family meal on Christmas Eve, as is our tradition. Miss U-t-B and I had fun with our annual Gingerbread House making and she came up with a brilliant idea - about which I am sworn to secrecy! If it ever comes to fruition it will be plastered all over here, don't worry!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We experienced all kinds of construction problems with this and quite lost our patience with it, so in the end only one photo was taken! There was meant to be a balcony and all sorts, but our biscuit was too soft, our icing too runny and everything kept falling over! Never mind - it tasted delicious once we got round to eating it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Our Christmas meal wasn't quite as we had hoped it would be as poor little Dylan (Mr U-t-B's grandson) was really unwell, so there were three empty places at the table. The food was good (if I do say so myself!) - the surprise star being the 'Salmon en Croute with Ginger and Currants' I had made as an alternative to the beef. So good was it, that I have made it again since Christmas - an unexpectedly good combination of ingredients. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">(I will share the recipe next time I make it.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">On Christmas day itself, we spent the day with my parents and their guests, enjoying a delicious meal and the company. Boxing Day was meant to consist of a dash up the M1 to Sheffield to spend the day with much of Mr U-t-B's side of the family, but about three-quarters of an hour into the journey our car started playing up, so instead of joining the M40 I did a huge U-turn and limped home with the car threatening to give up the ghost all the way. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">As we were unexpectedly home, we were invited to a friend's house for a drink in the evening. We climbed into our other car and drove off - only to have that making the most horrendous noise. We stopped and looked under the car to discover that the exhaust had broken into two parts - what luck!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So not quite the Christmas we had in mind. But in view of what so many others went through this year, nothing to be too upset about, once little Dylan was on the road to recovery.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Post-Christmas saw us in the mood for emptying out cupboards, de-cluttering and re-organising. Very therapeutic and a perfect springboard into a new year! These sort-outs seem to leave me in the right frame of mind to embark on things I have been procrastinating about which have absolutely NOTHING to do with how well-organised my larder or present-wrapping cupboard is... Strange how it does that!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So what have I been putting off that I am finally getting on with?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have recruited some guinea-pigs and am going to start teaching some sewing!!! No, not ACTUAL guinea-pigs!(They're renowned for their inability to thread a needle, and don't get me started on how dangerous they are with scissors in their paws!) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Real people, even some who aren't already my friends and colleagues. I say guinea-pigs because to start with I am doing a couple of freebies to see if I can actually <b>teach</b> sewing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here's what I'm planning to do.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Learn to doodle-embroider...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">...and make a hoop picture or a needlecase.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Or</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Get to know your sewing machine whilst making a cushion maybe a bit like this...</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This cushion is an enlarged version of one found in the lovely book 'Everything Patchwork' by Corinne Crasbercu which you can buy <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Made-France-Everything-Corinne-Crasbercu/dp/1741969700">here</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Or</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Make a sewing suitcase whilst learning a range of sewing techniques...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So my days have been filled with making the things I intend to teach the making of, looking for the pitfalls and working out exactly what is required. It's been fun, and I hope that that is just the beginning of it all! I will let you know how it progresses!</span></div>
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Used-to-Beeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11865449943356287351noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922046173955540379.post-16026793594215730802013-12-18T20:53:00.000+00:002013-12-18T20:53:06.076+00:00What's-on-my-bookshelf-Wednesday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">How do <b>you</b> choose a book to read, I wonder?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">I know that I am a sucker for an appealing front cover, a point that was brought home to me with one of my last two 'finishes', Tracy Chevalier's 'The Last Runaway'. As I am away from home at the moment and wanted to write a post, I googled images and found four different front covers. So would I have selected this book?</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">Probably not...</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Or this?</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">Perhaps - I like to be helped to imagine </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">main character, </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">though she looks a little cold.</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Or this?</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">Definitely - </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">I like this cover best of all!</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">The one I did choose had the cover below, but I have to say, it was bought when I was desperate for something to read and I wasn't overly taken with the cover. Luckily, I quite enjoyed the story about a Quaker girl who leaves 19th century Dorset for the United States of America, becoming involved in the Underground Railroad. Although I didn't feel the characters had enough depth, there was enough to keep me reading. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">On my way to my little holiday, I chose three titles to keep me busy (vastly overestimating, as usual, how much I would be able to get through in a shortish space of time). Once again, covers drew me in.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">Image courtesy of Hachette.com</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Funny that I never fancied reading The Book Thief when it had this cover...</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">Image courtesy of Woman and Home</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">So far I have only managed to finish reading Pomfret Towers which I thoroughly enjoyed. Set in 1930s Barsetshire, it has a host of likeable characters to root for and it made me laugh out loud on numerous occasions. I will be looking out for more of Angela Thirkell's books. Good to know I won't be choosing these based solely on the attractiveness of the covers!</span></div>
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Used-to-Beeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11865449943356287351noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922046173955540379.post-18987592473147681382013-12-10T20:13:00.000+00:002013-12-10T20:13:47.164+00:00Trawlback Tuesday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Me and my camera have fallen out with each other! I think maybe the gloom and the shortness of the days has got to the poor little thing... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Whatever it is, I just can't seem to get any decent photos out of it, so I decided to trawl back through my Picasa web albums and see if I could find something that hopefully I either never put on my blog, or that I posted so long ago that few people will have already seen it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So here we are! A useful reminder to me of a technique I haven't used for ages, and a nice thrifty one too, using as it does the tiniest scraps of leftover felt. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Inspired by this old tea cosy...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I tried my hand at a felt flower collage...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">See those tiny little felt discs?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A paper hole punch was used for those!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'm going to get going on a few of these again very soon!</span><br />
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Used-to-Beeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11865449943356287351noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922046173955540379.post-83722276820686184482013-12-08T18:16:00.000+00:002013-12-08T18:16:09.495+00:00Tracks of my Years - 1977<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Finally, back to this!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the news:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Queen's Silver Jubilee was celebrated in style all over the United Kingdom, and beyond</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Classic Album, 'Rumours' by Fleetwood Mac was released</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img height="640" src="http://static.nme.com/images/gallery/10fleetwoodMacRumours201010.jpg" width="640" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Red Rum won the Grand National for the third time</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img height="299" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39870000/jpg/_39870143_redrum_203.jpg" width="400" /></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4922046173955540379" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4922046173955540379" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Embassy Snooker World Championship moves The Crucible in Sheffield and was broadcast on television for the first time</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/10/08/article-1074188-04FAA86D0000044D-175_468x480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/10/08/article-1074188-04FAA86D0000044D-175_468x480.jpg" width="311" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My great-granny loved to watch 'snuker' as she called it, all on her black-and-white telly!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Marc Bolan died an untimely death in a car crash in Barnes</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img height="400" src="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01662/marc-bolan_1662871c.jpg" width="640" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The first budget airline, Freddie Laker's Skytrain, was launched</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img height="400" src="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01413/freddieLaker_1413118c.jpg" width="640" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Shirley Hughes' classic, 'Dogger'was released. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img height="640" src="http://kidsbookclub.tescomagazine.com/Media/images/DOGGER-1-9965a4dd-bc5f-4628-b079-7b288c31d4b7-0-400x500.jpg" width="512" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Elvis Presley died</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="ELVIS PRESLEY Dies Retro Vintage Newspaper King of Rock n Roll Pop Music Legend" height="400" src="http://thumbs4.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mwR8SqkvQvIq2oJN_TTsEYw.jpg" width="298" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">In the UK the average house price was £</span><span class="calender" style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;">13,650; a g</span><span style="background-color: white;">allon of Petrol cost £</span><span class="calender" style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;">0.79; </span><span style="background-color: white;">yearly inflation ran at </span><span style="background-color: white;">15.8%; and the Bank of England Interest Rate was</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">7.00 %</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">On TV:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It'll Be Alright on the Night</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img height="302" src="http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/ilove/years/1977/images/alrightonthenight173.jpg" width="400" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Citizen Smith</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img height="300" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/0f/Citizen_smith.jpg/200px-Citizen_smith.jpg" width="400" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Krypton Factor</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img src="http://hub.tv-ark.org.uk/images/itvnorthwest/itv_northwest_images/programmes/the_krypton_factor_1977a.jpg" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Professionals</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">(What a shame this is the only photo I seem able to find to remind people...)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img src="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01975/martin-shaw-2_1975131b.jpg" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Jesus of Nazareth</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/About/General/2012/5/4/1336121860754/Jesus-of-Nazareth-played--008.jpg" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">At the cinema:</span></div>
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/87/StarWarsMoviePoster1977.jpg/220px-StarWarsMoviePoster1977.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/87/StarWarsMoviePoster1977.jpg/220px-StarWarsMoviePoster1977.jpg" width="204" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d9/Close_Encounters_poster.jpg/215px-Close_Encounters_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d9/Close_Encounters_poster.jpg/215px-Close_Encounters_poster.jpg" width="199" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/45/Saturday_night_fever_movie_poster.jpg/220px-Saturday_night_fever_movie_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/45/Saturday_night_fever_movie_poster.jpg/220px-Saturday_night_fever_movie_poster.jpg" width="212" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d7/The_Spy_Who_Loved_Me_(UK_cinema_poster).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="220" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d7/The_Spy_Who_Loved_Me_(UK_cinema_poster).jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/1a/Petes_Dragon_movie_poster.jpg/220px-Petes_Dragon_movie_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/1a/Petes_Dragon_movie_poster.jpg/220px-Petes_Dragon_movie_poster.jpg" width="210" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">On the radio:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Don't Give Up On Us - David Soul</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Don't Cry for Me, Argentina - Julie Covington</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Chanson d'Amour - The Manhattan Transfer</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yes Sir, I Can Boogie - Baccara</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Black is Black - La Belle Epoque</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Rockin' All Over the World - Status Quo</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Boogie Nights - Heatwave</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sideshow - Barry Biggs</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">How Deep is Your Love The Bee Gees</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Shuffle - Van McCoy</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Torn Between Two Lovers - Mary MacGregor</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Oh Lori - Alessi</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Telephone Man - Meri Wilson</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4922046173955540379" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4922046173955540379" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">She's Not There - Santana</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(My radio was almost permanently at my side in those days, hence rather a long list!)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">ABBA Greatest Hits Album</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In our household, the most listened to album was this one, the cassette tape version of which was taken on our camping holiday to France and listened to relentlessly. Hearing 'SOS' or 'Ring, Ring' will always transport me back to that holiday!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/65/ABBA_-_Greatest_Hits_(UK).jpg/220px-ABBA_-_Greatest_Hits_(UK).jpg" width="320" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I can barely find a single snap from this era. This is the best I can offer, from that very holiday...</span></div>
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Used-to-Beeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11865449943356287351noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922046173955540379.post-8277929504425880492013-12-06T17:50:00.000+00:002013-12-06T17:50:23.038+00:00A bunch of fairies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">No, I'm not trading insults with some football team or other! I have been having fun revamping my fairy design. The year before last I had fun making fairies like these...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">...even if the sight in my workroom, as the task was in progress, was somewhat alarming...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This year, I decided to make a few more - they seem popular as presents - but I wanted to simplify the body design and use a bit of colour. All those upper and lower arms and legs were a lot fiddly, and though I liked the pose-ability, I wasn't quite convinced. So this time, arms and legs were one-piece and skinny. And instead of white-with-touches-of-pastel, I decided to use velvet ribbon and Liberty Tana lawns, or faded vintage prints. Oh, and I ditched the beaded wings and crowns in favour of salvaged lace.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So here are some of my new bunch...</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">This Paisly print feels like Tana lawn but I have no idea whether it is or not as it is a remnant that appeared in my workroom from I know not where!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I am rather pleased with how they turned out, but won't be having one on top of our tree, which is always crowned with the cardboard angel made by Miss U-t-B when she was just a tiny thing.</span></div>
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Used-to-Beeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11865449943356287351noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922046173955540379.post-40129995146739528992013-12-05T18:44:00.000+00:002013-12-05T18:44:47.026+00:00Scary breakfasts and desperate measures<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have not long returned from a super day out, a meet-up with people I would never have known if it were not for blogs! I met up with Penny of <a href="http://pennyshenhouse.blogspot.co.uk/">'The Hen House'</a> and Ann of <a href="http://wildpansies.blogspot.co.uk/">Johnny Jumps Up</a>, along with Penny's lovely daughter Jess. We travelled to Winchester for a visit to the Christmas Market, which I have to say was a little disappointing. Just as well that the company and conversation more than made up for it! Hopefully we will get together again soon!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">As I have to go out again shortly, this has to be a super-fast post. So I will share with you the tortured faces of my breakfast...</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">This was what I was met with every morning recently, from a particular batch of bananas! I'm glad to say that just as I was reaching the point where I could no longer face such gloom-laden visages, a new bunch of bananas landed in the fruit bowl, and my breakfast have since been guilt-free!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And the note recently left on our kitchen worktop by some house-elves...</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">PS The house-elves say you may copy this notice if it is of any use to you and you are not fortunate enough to have your own elves to put such a thing up.</span>..</span></td></tr>
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Used-to-Beeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11865449943356287351noreply@blogger.com10