JYC day 7 - a musical interlude.

Rubbish! I missed another day yesterday, didn't I? Well tonight we were at our Chookie's band Christmas concert. It's always great and very festive - the kids range from beginners to super accomplished over 5 bands (Chook is Intermediate) and the music is consequently charmingly wonky to goosebumps inducing.

(Chook dead centre - her fairy lights on her euphonium broke right before they took the stage. Bummer!)

The Intermediate band did the Jurassic Park theme, a piece from the Prehistoric Suite and one from the Polar Express. I tried taking some video but the bloke in front was a real fidget and I got fed up of his head always being in the way. Have a snippet of Jurassic Park.


So, tomorrow is after work eye test for Chook, visiting my brother for his birthday and a late brass/piano lesson, Friday is late night shopping, Saturday painting our kitchen (yes, really!) But I have a date with my sewing machine on Sunday!

JYC day 5 - the tree

Oops. Missed yesterday didn't I? But we are almostalmostalmost finished with the decorating. One more coat of paint on the bannister and we are good! And I got my tree up yesterday, yays!



It's actually a new tree (for the first time in 14 years!) and I love it to bits. It's not white, just a very snowy 6ft larch. We'll be ready for Santa yet! 

JYC day 3 - still decorating!

Although we really are almost there now. Honest. We've been hunting for a wee bookcase or unit for this awkward spot for weeks and we finally came up trumps today with this little Georgian fella. Cute, eh?

I thought all it needed was a wipe down with soapy water until we found one shelf was covered in 1950's frosted sticky back plastic. It had to go. And despite the evidence presented by this photo it was MY job to get off all the stick left behind when we peeled it. An hour of elbow grease and a bottle of white spirits sorted it but it was hard going!

It was worth it, though,  as it really is perfect.

Spouse hid the telly cables and rerouted the aerial lead under the house while I was stuck in Sticksville (population : me) so all that's really left is hanging some shelves above the new bookcase (which we don't have so can't do. Shame *g*) and painting the bannister.  Which Spouse has promised he'll do so I may get my tree up tomorrow!  

JYC day 2 - the beginning

We still have a bit of living room decorating  to finish (tidying cables, painting the bannister, buying some furniture!) but I couldn't wait to do a little festive enhancement. Just the kitchen dresser, really, but I couldn't resist hanging my favourite glass and fragile baubles from my light.

They were mostly gifts from my Mum (and her friend my Aunt Dotto) but there used to be two more. One beautiful green one with glittery different language salutations on that come from the Cologne Christmas markets. The kittens broke that one their first year here. And one other green one made to look like it was covered in red and gold buttons - I may have dropped that one hanging it this evening. *facepalm* So I have room for a few more, I may yet add to the display! 

Journal Your Christmas day 1 - first signs

Since I was missing from here so long there I think I'll have a bash at blogging every day til Christmas. I did it last year and it's been so lovely to look back on. So.

Early signs? You can't get a much more significant indications December first than an advent calendar,  can you? My Mum spoiled me this year with a beautiful (and very expensive 25 quid!) Yankee Candle one. It is full of Christmas tealights!!

And usually on this day my tree goes up. Although not the last 2 years! And not today, either. This is as close as I got.

We've been decorating the living room (with paint, not tinsel!) and aren't quite finished yet. Hopefully the next few days will clear the last bits up and then the fun stuff will start to happen!

Mole removal

Warning! Slightly graphic medical photos follow. Nothing awkward (just my neck) and nothing bloody but not totally nice looking. Feel free to skip.

I am very moley.  I am covered in the blighters and had one removed from the top of my leg a few years ago that rubbed on my jeans but the ones on my neck have really started to bug me. That great big one almost in my hairline in particular catches on combs and brushes and is just fugly. So I asked my GP about removal to find out they could do it there. Result! So a few weeks later up I rocked up.

And 15 minutes later here I was!!! He took off 7 including the huge one and I have no stitches! How did they do that? With a fab machine called a hyfrecator which basically cauterises as he slices. I obviously had a local anaesthetic!

This is my neck 5 days later.

And after 13 days.

And today which is 4 weeks to the day since having them removed.

I have one tiny bit of scab left on the super huge wound but the rest are long since healed and should fade nicely to little shiny scars. Result! Now I just need to sort a haircut...

Last of the summer sewing

A last couple of summery clothing makes were needed before we went to the Canaries last month. First up was a Deer and Doe Bruyere shirt. This fits like a wee glove right out of the packet and is so flattering. I have plans for a black one to wear with jeans.  I also figured out how to use snaps so I didn't have to make a dozen button holes! *g*

And then we had a Grainline alder dress. I bought this fabric with a voucher won in the finish along in the spring but (as you can tell from my expression) I wasn't feeling the shape at all. It feels nice - it's Cotton and Steel double gauze - but I just didn't think it looked that great.

But I belted it on holiday and changed my mind, it's not bad for holidays being looser. 

And that one on the left is a Kielo wrap dress which I DO NOT LIKE. The fabric and the pattern and everything is just not right for me. You win some and you lose some, right? 

Miss Frankie Mouse

There's a lovely German lady on Instagram who goes by the name Bettis_stitches who makes the most wonderful little creatures from felt. I watched and wished and one day in about August I bit the bullet and asked her to make me one. And last month she arrived. 

This is Miss Frankie (Spouse named her, it's short for Frankenfurter *rollseyes*) in her cosy parka with her paw muff since she had to journey Alltwen way from Germany to chilly Scotland. Isn't she adorable?

She wasn't long getting her outer clothes off and setting about exploring. She arrived at my work.

And here she is trying on some specs. The monkey. 

I absolutely love her - she has little frilly knickers with a teeny heart button on them and is fully jointed! Betti is a clever, clever lady. And there may be a little friend joining her around Christmas. *g*

Bags

So Chook's baritone playing has been changing lately. Changing as in, she's not enjoying it. Well, she wasn't enjoying her lessons - she was still quite keen on attending her band. So what we ended up doing was changing her teacher from the council run guy she sees at school to a private chap - it's been like night and day. We asked for 5 months for music for her to play for fun from the school guy - the week before the schools broke up for the summer holidays she was handed music from West Side Story. *blinks* She is not a stage musical girl. You'd think after 18 months he may have clocked this. In her first lesson with our new guy she was playing her favourite Panic! at the Disco tunes. Like I said, night and day. Anyhoo the upshot of this was we had to surrender her instrument to the council and lovely Tony (the new guy) lets her borrow his antique euphonium. But it had no case - mum to the rescue!

Black - obvs - with red piping. Her colours!

A pocket for mouthpieces and gubbins.

And a spotty lining. 

It's great for carrying but will also pop on her shoulder.

And her lessons? Well we've been with Tony since July and her baritone playing (even though technically she's playing a euphonium) has become even more distasteful to her. So she now gets a little horn playing and a LOT of piano! Which is coming along great guns. There's always a solution!

Also in the bag making stakes I had a request from Spouse for a holdall for when he's working away.  He never asks for anything, how could I refuse? His old faithful had about fallen to pieces so I took a pattern from it and ran with it.

Alright, eh?  Just simple but perfect for what he needed.

And hopefully that's the end of my utility bag creating for the considerable future!

Fuerteventura

We also had a holiday in my bloggy absense. Back to Fuerteventura bacuse we loved it so much last year. The hotel had only been finished 6 weeks and was absolutely beautiful!!

Ubiquitous cartwheels on the beach shot! A bad one since these are phone snaps - if I wait to get the decent ones off my big camera then I'll never do this!

A day spent dune buggying. Or as Spouse put it, spinal realignment.*g*

Really what we spent most time doing was this. Happy, happy days.

Chookie did do a little drawing.

She does make me laugh. 

I made a quilt!

Shocking, I know. But first a cushion! I've been doing a very gentle Christmas cushion-along with Helen when we found out we both lack festive pillows. Now this one isn't a Christmas one but it's the same style as one I am doing. This is Chook's, it's her favourite song quote and her colours.

My label and some skulls on the back.

More (sweary) song lyrics *g*

And the actual quilt. My boss of almost 23 years became a Grandad in October and his daughter likes textiles. I couldn't not, could I?

It wasn't easy, it's my first quilt in a year and I was very rusty. And I just didn't enjoy it. But I may still have one or two quilts in me before all my fat quarters get launched. Watch this space - just not too closely. *g*

Knitting

I finally bought a skein from Skein Queen back in the summer after a lot of flinging stuff in the basket, running to the checkout and not being quick enough to actually buy it. Her shop updates are frantic! *g* I ended up with this rather lovely Magnolia Days entwine 4 ply.

And it knitted up beautifully into this Asbury Park shawl. It did become a little tedious (all that garter stitch!) but it's lovely and I'm glad it's finished.

And with that finished I started another Pebble Beach shawl with this beautiful hand dyed yarn from Etsy.  It's finished but I can't show you any more as it's a Christmas present! And it's not blocked yet - must get on that. 

And now I'm on to a pair of socks! I'm keeping these ones, they're a 4 ply cable design and taking aaaaages!

Yikes! Disappearing Lynz...

Oops! No posts since August?! Well that won't do at all so for my record keeping there may be daily posts for the next week to catch up! Let's do garment sewing today.

This is my first Renfrew top with the cowl. I love it to bits (I'm wearing it right now at work!) and it washes like a wee hanky. And is cosy! I have 5 full work outfits now - haven't had RTW on for weeks!

Another work wardrobe item - a Briar in a pretty stripe. It's a very slinky viscose knit and actually a bit TOO slinky, it clings and rucks up a bit. But it's good enough to wear and is great under a long boyfriend cardy. And my space invaders Arielle skirt gets lots of wear to work now! 

And lastly a groovy Linden sweatshirt for my Chook. Dontcha love it when they ask you to make them stuff? This ponte roma print is so her and she was complaining the other night that it's gone bobbly so I'll need to shave it. Shows it's getting worn though, eh? *g*

I will in all probability be back tomorrow with more sewing. or maybe knitting. I've been busy just not online much!

Blue Monday

When I started making clothes last summer  I kinda wasn't expecting it to take off for me like it has. And now I have so many clothes I can't possibly wear them all at the weekend. So what else to do but start wearing the appropriate ones to work, eh? So with that in mind I sewed my first for-work outfit.

It's a copy of my favourite Brumby skirt and Ondee top pairing. I love the high waist/crop top style.

The Ondee top is a lovely destashed pinstripe I bought from an Instagram friend.

And the flowery chambray came from the same lady. I had just enough to squeeze out the pockets and the orange zip already. Chook picked that!

Tah dah! So I need a couple of tops and I have 6 outfits for the autumn for work. Awesome!!

Garment deets:

Skirt 

Pattern: Megan Nielsen Brumby

Fabric: flowered chambray 

Size and changes made: small, as the pattern

Top

Pattern: Deer and Doe Ondee

Fabric: cotton blend (viscose?) knit

Size and changes made: 40, as the pattern

Skool sux

The Chookie started 3rd year on Tuesday. Yikes! Here she is ready to leave. Yes, the uniform is of the relaxed variety. *g*

I took a photo of her kit. That's it on the right here. On the left? Same night, same stuff before she started primary 3 in 2009. It's all High School Musical!

Her bag this year? Well, she asked me to make it! And after everything but the brown canvas for the outer shell arrived we used the leftover denim from my jeans the wrong way round. Coz the reverse is red! 

I'm really pleased with it! No pattern, I've made enough zippy pouches and the odd messenger bag to know how to wing it. More importantly,  she loves it. Something has to soften the blow after 8 weeks off!!

Black and white

As soon as I saw this Lecien canvas at The Village Haberdashery (in the sale section no less) I knew I was having it for a new Grainline Moss. The pocket linings and facings are a green hedgehog fabric that were a gift from my aunt in Australia,  the button is a vintage one out of my Grandma's button box.

And after the success of my last two Linden sweatshirts I channelled my inner Where's Wally into this fleecebacked affair.

And both together.

I'm not as convinced about this combo as the other two. The sweatshirt fleece doesn't drape like the Ponte but it is very cosy. I think once we're into winter with a pair of boots and a scarf I'll feel it more.

Garment deets

Skirt

Pattern: Grainline Moss

Fabric: Lecien First of Infinity canvas,  1m

Size and changes made: size 6 out the packet

Jumper

Pattern: Grainline Linden

Fabric: fleecebacked sweatshirt from EBay. Maybe half a metre of each?

Size and changes made: size 8 out the packet apart from the neckband which I cut 1 inch longer since the sweatshirt fabric isn't so stretchy.

Shopping and sewing

A couple of weeks ago an Instagram friend was having a big destash after having a clear out. She had lots of jersey knits and useful bits and bobs so I had to help her get rid of some, right? Right.

First up was a much needed pair of jammie bottoms.  My first pair for years that are long enough!! The white cotton with yellow and blue stripes are a great match for my favourite snuggly top and I accidentally have yarn for matching cosy socks!

And second up was a comfy pair of yoga pants in a navy Ponte roma. 

The other two lengths are a pretty flowered chambray and a striped cotton for a skirt and top combo. Bargain clothes! *g*

Garment deets:

Jammies

Pattern: Kwik Sew k3602

Fabric: cotton knit, maybe 2m

Size and changes made: I started with a size small but they were HUGE at the crotch. Like Hammer trousers round my knees.  (The pattern is for woven fabrics so thats maybe why) So I adapted them to match a favourite RTW pair I have.

Yoga pants

Pattern: the "if only they would nap" free pattern 

Fabric: navy Ponte roma

Size and changes made: as the pattern - perfect!