Brittle Elastic

So, I haven't posted in quite a while.

It feels like we are sinking in this house at the moment... too many big, time consuming and disruptive tasks all on at the same time. There has been no crafting, unless you count taking up a new pair of jeans?! The builders have gone, which is a relief, but we are left with a stack of DIY and it seems no time in which to complete it. We have to keep remembering that it will be finished soon and it will be worth it!

Now, I normally take pictures specifically to blog, but as it appears I am not blogging I thought I might just bung up some randoms...

If you are still reading, then thanks, and I shall endeavour to share a bit more often.

Some biscuits for a Christmas thank you card.

Our landing as it looks at the moment... up those stairs is where we will be sleeping, and through that door is where we will have our office and sewing room... Hang on in there!

Dads, sons, uncles and cousins out walking at the weekend.

Head above water

It has been busy around here. One thing after another. Firstly, I've been trickling along with the Christmas crafting: some napkins for gifts...

with applique vegetables.

And than we had a bit of chicken pox

which meant that M wasn't allowed to come to B's brothers wedding and wear this...

and for which I had been tearing my hair out making this...

The result was passable (although the pictures barely are),

And, we still have scaffolding all over the house, and builders tramping in and out,

But yesterday after driving back from the London wedding, we got our tree, and now the place feels much jollier!

Three Christmas Cooks

Not that you would know it on here, but I have been pretty busy of late. I am frustrated with myself for not keeping the blog up to date, but I think I have to relax and realise that it is going to slip a bit until we have finished this run of building work - the house and our lives are chaos.

The beauty of it is that when this run of building work is finished, I will have a dedicated sewing space... I will be able to spread out and leave it spread out... I can't wait.

Back to the now though...

I have started and finished three little cooks sets, for three little people for Christmas.

They each get an apron with their initials,

a rolling pin and a couple of cutters,

and a matching bag to keep it all in.

Lovely.

She's back!

I went and picked up my sewing machine on Saturday... Hoorah! I was so pleased to see it, I gave it a little kiss!


I got cracking with some sewing. Firstly a bit of housework... a pillowcase for M, and another round of flags for the never-ending-bunting project, taking the current count to 100 exactly - just 50 to go.



And then I got going on my Christmas list. I'm lucky in that I can share my Christmas sewing on here as I go along as most of my family are unaware of the blog at the moment.





One of my little sisters is getting quite into sewing, and so I thought a pin cushion and needle case set would be the thing. I can't tell you how much pleasure I got from sewing these little pieces. It has been long overdue.

The other thing that happened over the weekend was Carnival. Here in the West Country there is carnival season where floats are paraded around many of the towns. Each float represents a carnival club who spend all year making their float in top secret.

It is a serious business! The photos don't do it justice and should be seen to be believed.

The members of each carnival club dress up on their themed floats. Either in a tableau, like the Mozart one above, or dancing to the (very) loud music, like on the devil themed float below.

And as we live on the carnival route, we can watch all this from the comfort of our living room!

Kitchen Poetry: Sunday (on Tuesday - whoops)

I have really enjoyed taking part in kitchen poetry, so a big thanks to simple sparrow for suggesting it. I am afraid I lost it with the regular posting at the end there. Oh dear, never mind, just as well there is no blog police!

I rang about my sewing machine today and the shop who are servicing it for me still have it (ready to come back to me) but are waiting for more than one reason to come and deliver it back. They have had it for 3 weeks now and I am going a little potty. M and I might have endure the 2 hour round trip to collect it or no body will be getting any Christmas pressies at this rate!

Kitchen Poetry: Saturday (a bit late)

So yesterday was the big mezze cook off. We had a lovely day cooking in the kitchen. The fruits of our labour shown below.

Naturally, I was too full to post this last night.

Flatbreads, olives, falafel, tzatziki, tomato and aubergine dip, broad bean salad, houmous, filo and spinach triangles, kofte kebabs, grilled halloumi, tabbouleh. We didn't make the houmous or olives, but everything else. phew!

Kitchen Poetry: Friday

Sorry about yesterdays post! Perhaps a little bit cranky? This daily blogging business is new to me, and I guess it shows your true emotions.

So, for Fridays entry. I did have something else in mind, but Mr Elastic was insistent about show and telling his collection of tinned fish...

How could I resist?