Happy Birthday, Mummy!

My Mum dropped (not so) subtle hints about a Maggie Bunny after I made one for my Granny's Birthday. What could I do but oblige? Her Maggie hasn't got a wooly cape since it is (supposedly) the summer. But she does have a ric-rac collar. There's a story involving my very young mum, me as a baby and a new ric-rac trimmed dress and that particular trimming always reminds me of her!

She also flat out told me she had NO mugrugs a few weeks ago. I thought I'd do a wee bit of embroidery from the Doodle Stitches book. I do like a little embroidery but I always forget how long it takes me. I'm always aaages getting it neat, for some reason I am a naturally wonky embroiderer. There's a weenie bit of hand quilting on the mug plonking area, too.

The backing is a scrap of Fox Hollow from the cushionI made a few weeks ago for my work colleague - it went perfectly with the wood theme!

We had a lovely tea with chocolate birthday cake and I even had some time later on to finish the quilting on Tiffany's Strings! Of course, none of my potential bindings were any good so I've had to order something else. It's okay though, some other stuff may have jumped into my basket. Oops. So I'll just need to get back to my Marcella Medallion in the meantime. Yay!

bizzy bee-ing again

I made a dozen bee pin toppers at the weekend. They were mucho fiddly and took a whole 2 hours but are rather cute. Although I see Mickey Mouse in some of them! Certain people will totally know what they're all about but here's hoping Mr Postie is quick and they don't see this first.

Chookie was representing her school at the county athletics championships today in the high jump and the P6 4x100m relay. Her relay team were disqualified for not staying within their lanes (harsh!) but Chook was 5th in the high jump. Not bad considering there was a girl in her age group from every school in the county! She sees it as a massive failure, though (it was actually a girl from another school that came out of HER lane in the relay and it dominoed round the track - Chookie was running last and somehow feels like she got the brunt of the criticism) but I hope in days to come her crushing disappointment with the disqualification will ease and she'll see how well she did personally.

And I've started quilting the Tiffany Strings!  Kerry suggested a spiral and this madam dared me to do it. So I did. And, honestly, after about 3 rotations I was cursing them both. With BIG sweary words.

But it totally gets less fecking painful on the shoulders easier and I have done the best part of it in about 2 hours tonight! And it's a big (80ish inches square) fella. I've the corners to do but the bulk is finit. And it looks awesome. AND. I may have changed my mind about Aurifil thread. I've not used it since quilting my brother's Christmas quilt and it was a nightmare. But that was my old machine. I was a bit worried by how fine the thread is but it has held up beautifully. And I only needed ONE bobbin for almost the whole top. Result!!

Back tomorrow with more sewing - it's me Mammy's birthday and I've been bizzy. Buzz buzz.

another flying visit.

A hurried visit from me - just keeping the archives! Chook's sports day was on Thursday and they made it at first attempt! Woot! They were thwarted on both dates last year so there wasn't a sports day at all. *sad face* So they've held it early this year so that they can have three attempts at it and the first one was the one! The sun even shone although it was absolutely Baltic cold - Chook tells me a whole 6 degrees! It had a different layout as well. Instead of just lots of races, they had stations with different sports (cricket, rugby, basketball, football, tennis) and 3 minutes at each station to get as many points as possible for their house. It seemed to work really well, the kids weren't standing about waiting for races to start and lots of sports were represented, not just track. Although it wasn't as much fun for the spectators.

 

They DID have an obstacle race (which Chook won again ) and an 800m (in which she was second) and a tug of war so there was still some cheering. And the same house won for the ninth year in a row. Which is a bit of a bummer for all the other kids. But them's the breaks!

We're off to see "Oz: the Great and Powerful" at the Vue for £1.75 each. Gotta love the Kids AM weekend special! Have a lovely Sunday!

some sunny sewing!

A quick one from me - the sun is shining and it's too rare to miss! I've been doing some sewing this week since the loo got finished. Yay! First up was my test block for me being Miss June in the Hipbees virtual quilting bee. I'm sending out some strips of solids (inspired by the scarey cat) and asking for something along the Denyse Schmidt "drunk love in a log cabin" block. I'm also asking for a wee piece of patterned fabric from my bee mates stash and for a 14 and a half inch block. But apart from that, anything goes. *g*

 

I've been doing a little embroidery from the Doodle Stitches book. Embroidery is really not my thing but I do like these wee quirky animals. There's a plan for them - I'll share once I can.

And I have a date with this wee pile later today. Again, sharing once I can!

I do hope it's sunny where you are! I appear to have caught a bit of burn in the half an hour I was out before lunch. Such a fragile flower in the sun! Damn Scottish blue skin...

the wee loo

Woo-hoo, all done in the wee cludgie! Thank the baby dolphins, we were both losing the will to live with it.

 

Here's a half dismantled before shot. That dirty rectangle on the left is where the toilet cistern used to be and the one on the right was where the smallest radiator in Scotland hung.

 

And here it is today. I was really worried about it looking like an 80's bachelor pad with the black sink vanity (photo further down this post) and the grey walls. Hence the brown accessories! It looks so much bigger and is so much easier to use because we've rehung the door so it opens out the way instead of into that tiny space.

Stinky, awkward sink with impossible-to-disguise pipes underneath. Uuug-lee.

 

Pretty little black vanity with mosaic tiling. Pipes all hidden! Although it is so tiny there's no room for the soap dispenser. *g* That's it on the window ledge. No, not the big Jones shaped thing.  I may hang another photo (similar to the Chook-at-the-beach-one but of Harry Snotter the Anglia) on that facing wall above the sink and there's still a mirror to be bought and hung on the right hand wall. But that's fun detailing, not work.

And the ridiculously poshly titled "utility room" back lobby. The door to the loo is opposite the tumble dryer there. Those blue and white floor tiles did marvellously well, y'know. We fitted them 14 years ago when we moved in. They were dead cheap (coz we'd been married 6 months and were skint!) and were only just starting to really show signs of wear. Bearing in mind the traffic they get since the door facing you is into the garage! Of course, the white was impossible to keep clean. Well, impossible if you clean like I do and don't bleach them every day! That's painting paraphernalia on the worktop, it's usually got recycling bins on it.

And here it's all painted. With the painting paraphernalia still in residence. *g* It's all tidied away now but since this room isn't finished I wasn't worried about a pretty shot. There's still something to be concocted for my ironing board to hang on, hooks for cat jackets, new recycling boxes to be bought and a big text decal to be fitted to the door. But the paint needs to cure first else it will all peel off. But, again, that's all fun stuff and not paint or silicone or just plain messy work.

I think it was so rubbish to work on because it's such a small space we were falling over one another. And the Spouse's work has been very busy and stressful the last few weeks so that's not been helping. We're looking forward to playing with cars and fabric for the next few weeks!

Who wouldn't want to be a Chookie?

She's had a great last 7 days, that kid. Last Tuesday we were at the dental hospital in Glasgow but she didn't need anything done (yay!) and we had poundage to spend in Hamleys, Forbidden Planet and the Disney Store and an awesome hotdog for lunch. Thursday she was at an all-day cricket festival. Now, she detests cricket but it was dry and meant she got a day off of algebra. Result! And Friday was spent having her "buddy training" at school.

 

The buddy system pairs up willing P7's (that's last year of primary school - 11 year olds - for those of you not in the Scots school system) with new P1's who have just started school in August. It means there's a familiar face in the playground and someone other than a scary teacher or classroom assistant to ask things of. The training (no, I am none the wiser what it actually consisted of, before anyone asks!) was in a local church hall and for comfort was designated a no-uniform day. Suddenly my wee girl looks not-so-wee though, eh? It doesn't feel like so long since her own Big Buddy, Tara, was visiting her in the nursery (pre-school) class getting her ready for her transition to "the big school."  She gets her Wee Buddy in a few weeks. They visit a few times and the little ones get a photo to keep over the summer holidays. I think it's a great scheme and it really helped Chook herself settle at school.

And then today after school she was at an athletics taster session at a local high school.  This is a triple jump. She's in the orange.

And this is the (not-so) long walk to retrieve the foam javelin. The muscley field sports weren't my forte, either!

But this photo makes me laugh and laugh. It's hurdle practising but I think it looks like the wee lass in front is squealing "help! Save me from the crazy bounding girls!!" My Chook's got some size of stride! I was a good hurdler myself.

 

I was quietly hoping she might take the taster and run with it. The local athletics club is after young members and I was her age when I joined. But, no, she only wanted to go tonight because it looked like fun - the rascal had no intention of joining up! She's sticking to ponies, she tells me. A pair of spikes are infinitely cheaper than a pony! Harumph.

And one last Chook thing. My new favourite part of the wee loo!

This photo was taken just after her second birthday at St Andrews beach. It hung as part of my living room wall art for years but I haven't the room for all the frames now. This one goes beautifully in the new decor - it was supposed to be hung on the wall but I rather like it sitting on the shelf. We're finished the DIY, too. Whoop!! There's a few hooks and things to go up but I can't find what I'm after so they can get done in a few weeks. I'll do photos another day but I totally love it!

beeing bizzy

June is my month in the Hipbees quilting bee. Now, it's a long time since I was in a regular bee where you send out fabric and ask for a particular block. I've mentioned this before but I always think it's a shame to just ask for this block in this fabric. I think it sort of misses an opportunity for getting some personality in your blocks. Unless, of course, you've chosen a complicated block. In that case you are a genius. And yes, I'm looking at you, Wee Dude! (I also know I'm fairly alone in my thinking here - most people don't seem to have a problem with traditional style bees, I am just an annoying freak!) I've really enjoyed bees where you either sew from your stash (so you get the same blocks but with lots of different fabrics) or send out fabrics with a loose idea of what you would like. Which is how I am planning to operate in my month of June.

 

I hadn't a clue where to start and since I knew I was going to have to buy fabric the world was my *oaxter. I did know I wanted predominantly solids. So off I trotted to Design Seeds for a wee perusal. I wanted something different colour-wise from what I have in my (many) quilts at home. I even looked at *gasps* brights!  But in the end I kept returning to this pallette. And, no, not just because the colours are taken from a cat photo. Although he is kinda cute in a mean lookin' way.

 

Then, of course, I had to try and match colours on a computer screen!! I was round and round various places but finally thought I'd got it about right with a pile from the Village Haberdashery. I think I did not too bad!

(l-r Kona white, butter, brick, melon, dusky peach and ash)

So now I'm having a cutting frenzy and getting ready to post late next week. My gallery of ideas is made on Flickr and I'm ready to go! Exciting!

 

And I was doing some of my own sewing for the Hipbees. May is Sarah's month and she sent out beautiful red and white fabrics and asked for any block we fancied. She's aiming for a (very striking and cool, methinks) sampler. So I had a flick through an ancient book I inherited and spied this, the Weathervane. I am a huge fan of HST's and I thought it might work well with only 3 fabrics.

And I had quite a lot of fabric leftover and managed to squeeze a Churn Dash out of it, too. Heh.

 

So hopefully I'll maybe get back to my sewing machine this weekend. The wee loo is pretty much finished. Just wee bits of paint to touch up and a mirror to fit. This is my favourite bit so far.

Love that splashback! But the back lobby (utility room) is only half painted and there's a bunch of stuff to hang. Hooks, my ironing board, a decal, a door. Yikes. So we've a ways to go yet. I am sick of painting!!

* Scots for armpit!

the weekend

I pretty much didn't see the world beyond my wee loo this weekend. We are right at the "looking like stuff is actually happening" stage and were taken with a just get it done attitude. I don't have any proper before photos. Once spouse decides it's time to do something then it's all hands to battle stations and the old loo and radiator were out before I knew what he was up to! But you can see where the cistern was in that funny wee alcove and the paint around what was probably the smallest radiator in Scotland.

 He's boxed in that alcove for a close coupled loo - it is much tidier!

I always hated these pipes showing under the sink. So messy looking and impossible to keep clean.

We've solved that by using a vanity unit. I was a bit worried the black would look like a 1980's bachelor pad. But I think we might pull it off.

And while sanding the old skirting boards we found the original paint colour. It's hard to photograph but was lime green. The whole room. It's not a large space - it glowed when you opened the door! Yuk.

We're further on than that now. Emulsioning is all done (not the glossing - rats) and towel rail and sink are fitted. Splashback is tiled. So all the major construction is there - but we've a week of little things, I reckon. Including rehanging the door so it doesn't open into that tiny space. Who designed it I do not know!

And the rest of the family this weekend? Chook was riding on Saturday as usual (she's jumping up to 2ft3 now) and playing with her best friend yesterday. She's got a busy week ahead so it was nice for her to get some chillout time. And the cats got more time outside. Temple took a good 15 minutes to get out the door but spent about 20 minutes gingerly exploring. He's still not sure - you can tell by his body language!



Jones has no such troubles. In fact, getting a photo in focus proved impossible, he's constantly on the move.

 So today I'm working (must get in the shower) and touching up some painting when I get home. Then I think the dreaded glossing while spouse sorts out the shelving above the loo. We're nearly there, though. The back lobby (really the utility room/laundry room but it's really not big enough for such a grand name) just needs a coat of paint and new flooring so is much easier and quicker!

I'll leave you with my hooligans having an unusual cuddly sleep. Have a great week wherever you are!

what a cracking day, Grommit!

Today is my middle niece's birthday (it's my father-in-law's too but since he didn't get anything pretty - just boozy - I'm concentrating on her gift!) and if you remember her elder sister was given Bumble mouse and a matching picture for her birthday in March. Now since the girls are only 14 months apart in age, I like to give them things that are the same but different. And plus, Lucyfer (her family nickname) isn't really a mouse girl. But I wanted something for her new bedroom, too. And, I think I mentioned before, we had a week coz I forgot. Folksy to the rescue with a sock dragon and a pyrography trinket box!

Fab, right? The dragon is a really good size, about 9 inches high and bought from Starcross Crafts. I do love his wee bum button. The box is really cute and felt lined, big enough for one or two treasures and was from Burning Desire. Both had brilliant shipping times and were very reasonable. I do love dragons, though.....she has others.....

It's been a beautiful day here weather wise, too. So much so that my back garden finally got itself some TLC. Poor thing was looking very neglected. It still is - but at least it's weed free! We have plans for it later in the year once the wee loo is finished (that needs a post of its own - why are things never easy in this house?!?) I picked up a washing line to let the cats out, too. So I could be weeding and they could be free roaming. Jones LOVED it and was out for an hour and a half. Rolling, tangling himself around things, chasing bees.

 
Wee Temple is much more timid. But he was happy sniffing around until something spooked him. I think it was the foot pump for Chook's paddling pool (yes, it really was that warm!) and when he plucked up the courage to come back out he didn't like the toddler next door's squeaky voice. So he is a work-in-progress with the great outdoors. Funny, since he was the one who kept trying to escape - he actually succeeded on Sunday and we had a few frantic minutes scouring the garden for him! He was hiding between the wheelie bins. Bearing in mind he'd jumped out our bedroom window. Lunatic cat. This photo is yesterday - pre grass cutting and with his smart lead on.

I found these photos while looking for something else, too. My brother's Liberty pocket squares! The pattern is in the Liberty Love book. Pattern? For a hemmed square?

Well, yeah. Coz the corners are mitred! Fiddly but worth it.

One last shot of our lovely warm evening, my weeded garden and my upside down Chook.

It's to rain tomorrow. Back to the wee loo then! If Spouse isn't in Northern Ireland (like he's supposed to be) and if we can find the leak!

stuff in and stuff out.

On Monday evening I had the sudden and terrifying realisation that it's my niece's birthday next Tuesday and we haven't got her anything yet. Yikes! When I say "we"? I obviously mean "I." You know how that is, eh? We gave her big sister Bumble Mouse and his picture and I wanted to do something the same but different. A bit of a search round Folksy garnered the cutest dragon sock toy and a wee wooden trinket box (I'll share when they both arrive) but I also stumbled across a potter who makes the sweetest stuff.

 

Needless to say I succumbed and this morning at 8.20 - right in the middle of the panic to get out the door to school and work - the post lady brought me this. Cute packaging, right?

 

And inside was this wee beauty. That's melted glass in the bottom making it look like a rock pool. It's only about 10cm across but perfect for keeping my good pins in.

Here it is on my sewing shelf. No bad for a fiver methinks.

And going out in tomorrow's post? My two flags for Boston. I couldn't resist making another and tried really hard to go with bright, cheery colours. That yellow is the best I could manage - I'm just not a brights girl.

And here ya go. My dodgy embroidery preserved for posterity.

I also got an awesome package of fabric from the Village Haberdashery this morning. My Mum's Trip Around the World quilt has shrunk twice in the wash now and is considerably smaller than when first made. I reckon about 10 inches. *blinks* I don't know if it's all the small pieces or what - I've never had one shrink so badly but haven't pieced one so small either. My own strings quilt is about to be quilted and I'm worried all those bitty strings shrink madly, too. We sleep under patchwork - too small is no good. So it's getting borders and I have everything crossed that I can make the backing fit! But first I have a bee block to decide upon. A favourite block using 3 fabrics? What to choose...

Fresh Sewing Day.

Is it just me or was that a very quick month?

I appear to have not taken a phot of my Hipbees block for this month (in fact, I knew I hadn't as soon as I sealed the envelope!) so just imagine it's in here.

 

There's a couple of quilt tops in there needing quilted - looks like that'll be May's target then, eh?