heart shaped distractions

Hello

So I am posting mid-week but not quite the mid week bonus post I promised before - but as I have already pointed out - I'm a bit of a lame-ass.  However I have been busy away from the blogging world - although I have been flitting around between things (this is the problem with having a big backlog of projects I am too excited about doing them all and can't just sit down and finish one at a time! am I the only one who suffers from this?)

Valentine's day took over a big patch of the week, Pip cooked us steak with a baked potato for me at my request (I am trying to go for healthy options) and wedges for him.  I made the dessert - lemon mousse and home made orange flower water, cardamom and hazelnut biscotti.  I also rustled up a pre-dinner cocktail of pomegranate, mint and vodka - it would have looked better in a proper cocktail glass but wine glasses are all we have so it had to do.

valentines flowers from Pip :o) x

pomegranate cocktail - healthy!!!

Biscotti and lemon mousse - mmmmmmmmmmm

Last nigh we went out with friends to see Penguin Cafe supported by Portico Quartet who I love - I definately recommend you look them up!  Anyway this is relevant because I mentally included it in our valentines celebrations.

Over the weekend I cycled to the train station (as if I didn't get enough of it monday to friday) and caught the train to Bath.  It was a lovely sunny day and I had a little rummage around the charity shops and haberdasheries :o)  I got myself some lace trim and knicker elastic and I picked up some purple felt and bits to make my friend some Christmas decorations (I made some little white felt birds for my tree last christmas and she really wants me to make some for her tree too - the theme of which is purple and silver.)  Once I got my goodies home I couldn't just put it all away so I may have made a bird or two - I will post pics when they are finished.

I was also a bit naughty and ordered some more patterns - lovely lovely Collette patterns!  Well the nutmeg lingerie and cinnamon slip were in the SALE, the sale I tell you!  I know I don't have to explain that this meant that I had to buy them - in case you want to cash in on this bargain opportunity too it was on sewbox
I also got the Beignet skirt pattern just because I like it!  (and I don't think it will be too hard even though it is catagorised as intermediate.)  That is the end of my spending money for the month now so no more sneaky purchases.... :o)  (pay day next week though!!)

Nearly time for getting ready for bed now - I'm no good at weekday late nights, I've been half asleep all day!  I'll be back soon though - possibly having made a start on one of my new patterns!

Big smiles!

Natalia

I'm a lame-ass

Hello!  So last weekend I planned to make a little something on put it on here for you all to enjoy, then I went out for a cycling lesson and when I came back I had a KILLER headache.  Drugs didn't touch it and all I wanted to do was put it down on something soft, it kinda came and went through the rest of the week and overall stopped me from having anything nice to say - and as Thumper so rightly tells us "if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all."

But this weekend I was super organised to make up for it and as well as a bit of cycling (yes I am really still very excitied about the bike thing) I managed to make something quite special (well there are loads of them knocking around the blog world now, and they are all very lovely but this is the first piece of clothing I have ever sewn!!!) The Pendrell Blouse:

I couldn't wait to wear it so this is after a hard day in the office, pretty minimal crumpling considering (thanks to Pip for the pic)

this is my sorry attempt at a self portrait - another thing to work on, although I did think my use of the washing airer as a tripod was ingenious!

I wore it with this cardi to keep warm, it is pleasingly complimentary.

The bit I am most pleased with, the top stitching, so neat!

The fabric is a fine cotton that I got from flea-bay, I tried to get the pattern even and I don't think I have done too badly overall for a first try.

I have definately got the sewing bug and am itching to get going on something else, thank-you so (or should I say sew) much to Debi for the pendrell blouse givaway that I won!! and to clever Tasia for making such a simple and pretty pattern!

Because of last weeks rubbishness I am planning to squeeze in a little midweek bonus project.  I need a cover for my fancy touch screen mobile, I am permanently paranoid that it is going to get scratched.  I saw these pretty ones in the sale in Cath Kidston but when I went to treat myself I discovered that my phone didn't fit - so I had to buy tea towels instead.... :o)

However it occurred to me a couple of days ago that I didn't need to buy this as I have 2 types of oilcloth I can use to make my own!   I am hoping that I will be able to whip one up and then worry less about what is happening in my bag.

Hopefully I will be chatting to you again very shortly, but for now I am going to try and capture a bit of Pip's snoring to finally prove to him that he does snore :o) heeheeehee

Cheeoooh (this is "Cheerio" where I'm from.)