There's a mouse loose about this hooouse...!

I had intended to undertake the great mouse challenge on Friday...to make the four mice in a day I need to be able to make to earn sufficient profit for making them to be viable when I start trying to make a living from all this malarkey. There were two obstacles to this:

1) insufficient stuffing for more than one mouse (I have ordered some more now); and

2) Hannah and Jamie came for dinner on Thursday evening and the meal...bruschetta followed by roast lamb with mediterranean roast veg, olives and feta cheese, rounded off with a vanilla and rosewater panna cotta, a raspberry and rose coulis and my favourite chokladkolakakor (Swedish chocolate biscuits)...was washed down with rather more (very delicious) red wine than I am used to. I was n't hungover, but I was, you could say, a little concentrationally challenged.

However, I did cut out the pieces for all four mice and made one completely, making copious notes about the best tension to set on the sewing machine, seam allowances, order of sewing together and stuffing, etc.

I am very organised and have put the pattern pieces for each item in a clear plastic envelope in a box file marked "craft patterns and ideas". The only problem was the pattern piece envelope was not in the box file. I went through all my fabric piles and craft drawers, but nothing. So I had to make new pattern pieces. The result is, I think, a slimmer Ellen Mouse, but I like her.

Cutting multiple pieces was easy with a rotary cutter and cutting mat and speeds things up no end (and makes me feel more professional):

I need to make three brushed cotton mice and one calico, so decided to make the one calico one. I started with the ears and then sewed together the pieces of the head.

I find a chop-stick is very useful for pushing stuffing in to nooks and crannies and for pushing fiddly pieces the right way out again (they are always sewn right sides together so the seams end up on the inside - apologies if I am teaching my granny to suck eggs (where did that phrase come from!!), but I am not sure whether people reading this are sewers...that's people familiar with sewing, not drainage pipes). This particular chop-stick was once a wand at a particularly good Harry Potter Halloween party, and still works its magic from time to time.

 Ta daaa! A mouse head!

Next I made arms and legs (these are probably the fiddliest parts of a mouse). I then sewed a dart in to the front of the body, to make a tummy shape, and tacked the limbs in place before sewing the front body to each of the two back parts, inserting the tail in the seam down the back of the body, before sewing it up and stuffing it.

Sewing the head to the  body is fiddly, but results in an Ellen Mouse, missing only eyes, nose and whiskers.

I found this pink fabric in a little fabric shop in Bath - it is soooooooo soft and feels like velvet. I cut a very basic top from it and sewed velcro on the back fastening...what kid does n't want to dress and undress their toys! I then cut an equally basic pinafore from some of my favourite grey fabric with an Alice in Wonderland print.

I had first one brainwave - to line the pinafore rather than faff about neatening seams - and then another - to use a patterned fabric and press studs to make the pinafore reversible! So Ellen can have grey on weekdays and purple stripes at the weekend. See, I said I was n't hungover!

I woke early on Saturday morning with one thought loud in my head..."PANTS!". What was I thinking sending Ellen Mouse out in to the world without a nice pair of knickers??!! I went downstairs in my nightie and made her a nice purple pair with a pink frill. Mark has suggested I consider a range of clothing and accessories for Ellen Mouse. I can't get out of my head the idea of angel wings on elastic and a halo head-band for Christmas...!

Here you can see her showing off both sides of her pinafore and her lovely purple pants:

I have learnt some important things from Friday's sewing day:

1) don't waste time unpicking seams if it is quicker just to cut a new piece;

2) back pattern pieces with card so they don't fall apart when using a rotary cutter (and don't lose them either!);

3) pinning rather than tacking does not save time in the long run - you only have to re-sew seams;

4) finding the right fabric takes time, so set it up the evening before so you're ready to go when you start work in the morning;

5) don't get cross with yourself if things don't work out perfectly straight away; you are are allowed to need practice...it is what this time leading up to redundancy is for; and

6) don't arrange to have dinner with Hannah the evening before a work day if you want get a lot done. I had such a nice time, but next time I will plan to make something simple like lavender hearts and catnip fish the next day!

In other other news (please imagine my best news reader's voice), I have been singing this weekend - in the Bath Minerva Choir Bach St John Passion weekend workshop. It was a lot of singing (about 11 hours over two days) but I really enjoyed it. I don't have a great deal of knowledge about music theory or classical music in general, and it's fun to learn. The soloists who came in just for the weekend were all young new music graduates with stunning voices. I had only heard counter tenors singing Elizabethan madrigals, but we had a counter tenor sing the alto arias...wow! I actually shed a tear or two! These guys (and girl) were hugely talented, but did n't have a hint of diva about them; they were good humoured and felt like part of the choir - I think they have very bright futures ahead of them. That's the end of choir for the Summer - no more until September. I love it, but a few Saturday morning lie-ins will make a welcome change.

And finally, we have been looking after Mark's parents' 100 year old tortoise while they were in Cornwall. I just have a mental block about little Tommy-Fred. I get the cats in of an evening, lock the door and block the cat-flap, everyday forgetting to bring in the tortoise - the same in the mornings when I forget to put him in the pen in the garden. I walk right past without him registering with me in the slightest. He has gone home now, but I think Max will miss him...

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside...!

Four years ago my godmother, Muriel, decided that she would give me her tiny seaside flat in West Bay near Bridport. She doesn't have kids and always said she wanted to leave the flat to me in her will, but the flat had been used less and less over the years so she decided to let me have it straight away so she could see it being used and loved...and it is. So on Thursday I hopped in my little Aygo and headed South (and a little bit West).

My intention was to do a little bit of maintenance in the flat. That actually did n't take very long, so I popped in to see my very lovely friends, David and Ruby, and their parrot Poppy, treated myself to the dvd of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (which I watched curled up on the sofa with a mug of tea) and then sorted my photos for another book. This one is shorter and is not intended to be a guide book or a gift for someone in particular, so I have left it textless and included some of the artier still life sort of photos as well as flora and fauna (you can see it here and, as before, the stuff about buying a copy is from Photobox, not me! http://www.photobox.co.uk/creation/1331260009). After that I annoyed the neighbours by putting on my choral-line practice MP3 thingy and singing all the way through St John's Passion...twice. After all this it had turned in to a rather lovely evening, so I went for a walk with my camera:

The esplanade at West Bay

View towards Golden Cap

I don't often go to West Bay without Mark, and it did feel a little odd...I certainly could n't let myself have fish and chips without him; it would have been like being unfaithful! (well ok, not quite like being unfaithful, but you know what I mean).

I had intended to get up early on Friday and take some dawn shots but, to be honest, waking up to the sound of heavy rain and wind was a bit of a relief, as it meant I could justify rolling over and going back to sleep until 7 - making the most of a cat-free morning, with nobody climbing all over me, miaowing and batting my nose with his paw.

By the time I had got dressed and had a cup of coffee, the sun was out. I love the seaside on a windy day; you really know you're alive. The sea was quite choppy, but not as wild as I have seen it in the past:

A walk around the harbour is always lovely, but particularly when there are not many people around.

I went down to the beach to get closer to the waves, and almost got wet feet.

Me and my shadow

You can just see Golden Cap between the rocks

Wandering around I was struck by the number of union jacks there were - the diamond jubilee and olympics in the same Summer (I use the term 'Summer' loosely) has brought out a plethora of patriotic flags and bunting (which reminds me; I must add bunting to my to sew list):

The boat hire hut, deserves a close-up;  the chalk board notices on it need to be read!

A cup of coffee at the Ellipse cafe and then back to the flat..to find the sea spray had added a soft-focus to my photos!

I am now back in Bath and this morning (Sunday) Mark and I are going to Hampshire to take Muriel (the generous godmother) on a picnic. Naturally it's raining.

West Country Madness...

Days on end of rain and gales and tonight Mark and I are going to don wellies and waterproofs and head to Westonbirt Arboretum to see Madness in concert (should anyone not have heard of them, their website might jog some memories: http://blog.madness.co.uk/). Every time we go to an outdoor concert you can guarantee flooding in the UK. At least we are used to these gigs and know to take blankets and waterproofs and forego any idea of a dainty picnic for sausage and chips from one of the stalls to try to warm up. It's not actually raining at the moment, but I am not holding my breath.

I have spent a fair amount of time sewing this week, but it's a gift so I cannot share details here until it has reached the USA and been opened. So, as the present (in both senses of the word) is off the menu this week, I thought I would focus on the past and the future. Some of the things I have made in the past and some of the things on my making wish list. It's probably rather sad, but I do love to make lists - particularly of future craft projects!

I am going to wander through crafting projects of my past by medium, starting with paper. Here I have to confess that a lot of my ideas appear while I'm asleep. When I was 12 or 13 years old I dreamed that I made a Victorian maid out of paper, and when I woke up I made what I dreamed. After most of a household of Victorian maids, I moved on to other paper figures.

Left: I even made a model of the boy I had a crush on at school (and never even once stuck a pin in it!)

Right: ooh la la so Parisien.










When I was 16 my oldest sister got married and I made her wedding cake, including a paper bride and groom on the top:

Over the years there have been a great many paper brides and grooms:

These pieces are very time-consuming, but really good fun to make. As far as possible, I replicate the style of the wedding dress. I usually make the cakes too, so the icing can also tie in with the fabric patterns used - the piping on the one above matched the groom's waistcoat.

This geisha was one of my favourite pieces. It was a gift for a friend abroad and I was so relieved when it reached her ok.

 

I have n't made any paper models in a little while and really want to make some more. I wonder about making a paper carousel, but maybe that's pushing it...I also have an ambition to make a carousel from gingerbread, and I think that might be more achievable.

Another thing I do not do enough of these days is plain old drawing and painting. It seems like all my artistic efforts are done with food colouring and it would be nice to make something people don't eat. Here are some drawings/sketches I have done in the past:

Murphy - Mark's parents' old cat, in pastels, chalk and charcoal.

An otter for a friend who's a fan of these cute critters, in pastels.

 Viggo Mortensen in pencil (I actually gave him a copy of this at a poetry reading in Odense...poor chap!)

 This is a pastel sketch of Dylan thomas' boat house in Wales.

I'm not sure I have mentioned my Russell Crowe lust (Mark is very understanding) - this chalk sketch is tucked away in my larder, next to the herb rack!

















I am keeping an eye on the clock to make sure I don't run out of time to dig out gloves and scarf for the concert - yes it is June, but this is England! - and I think I have time to add a few fabric projects of the past:

 Cat tea cosy

The same cat on an apron

In Eithne Farry's excellent book 'Yeah, I Made It Myself' (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Yeah-Made-Myself-Fashion-Domestic/dp/0297851179/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1340552742&sr=1-2 ) she has a list of projects she would like to make and included the idea of a cloud bag with a silver lining. Well I loved the concept and had to give it a go. It's still on my to make list, as I want to have another go, perhaps with raindrop fringing!

Rag dolls are always on my making wish list. I want to make lots of them - including a Star Wars stormtrooper (I have had the fabric in my stash for years now and just need to get around to it).

I also have a love of  aprons - I want to make some of those frilly 1950s domestic goddess type ones, in really kitsch fabric.

Right then, if I am going to make it to the concert, I am going to have to stop now (somewhat abruptly) and add my wish list and the quilt and bag photos next time. I'm not sure it counts as leaving the entry on a cliff-edge, but tune in next week for more!

Excuses, excuses...

The trouble with deciding to keep a blog and to update it once a week is that there is no hiding any lack of sewing! So this week's excuses are:

1) outside drain blocked; had to stay in Bath on Thursday rather than run off to Dorset with my fabric and sewing machine for a couple of days;

2) Mark was home from work early on Friday so whisked me off to Midsomer Quilting http://www.midsomerq.com/ (yes, the man is a treasure - I could have driven myself, but he offered, and also bought me a late lunch);

3) today is Fathers' Day (it gets to me a bit actually, even though it's 10 years since my dad died). Anyway, somehow Mark's gift to his dad this year turned out to be Sunday lunch (that I cooked) and chocolate tiffin (that I cooked) - combined with cleaning and tidying and choir practice, there really was n't very much sewing time; and

4) my first photobook arrived and I am chuffed to bits with it (you can see it here,
http://www.photobox.co.uk/creation/1299064905 but please don't consider buying it, despite the blurb on the page the link takes you to, full price is more than I would pay for any book - I only did this at all because I had an offer that worked out at almost 75% off). So when they then offered me a 40% discount on a subsequent purchase I put together a shorter version for my godmother's birthday, and when they sent me a 50% off voucher to be used by midnight tonight, I decided to make another short version for my mum's birthday (it's not until November so I hope I don't forget about it by then). It's really time-consuming choosing photos and putting them in the order you want them to appear; but very satisfying when you hit the 'create book' button.

However, I am trying to focus on the positive - I did finish stripping wall paper off the dining room wall where I want to hang the brilliant painting by my friend and talented up and coming artist, Helen Campbell. If you see that her work is being exhibited anywhere...go and see it! On a good day I am not bad at painting or drawing what I see, but Helen is much much more - she can paint what she feels, and that is simply awesome!

I did manage one small bit of sewing and finished a quilt square. I am a bit addicted to printable fabric. I used to use printable iron-on transfers, but they make the fabric feel hard and inflexible, whereas this stuff still feels like fabric:

The photo itself was a bit of an accident. It was the first time I took Mark to West Bay and I tried to record the moment with one of those arm's length shots and forgot that my (pre digital SLR) camera was on zoom! I rather like it. I am not 100% sure about the square though... not sure whether the additional flowers make it just that bit too sickly sweet. What do you think?

Before I go I have a gardening fact to share: I have always been told that it is slugs and snails that eat hostas...it's not true!!

It's raining, it's pouring...

Well this week did n't really go to plan. I always plan to do more than is possible in any given time, but this week I achieved almost none of it! The wallpaper in the dining room is still on the walls and no painting in the dining room has been done and the wood work in the hallway remains as dingy as it ever was...and there has been very little sewing.

I recall studying Jane Eyre at school and being told that the storms reflected the emotions of the character(s) in the book and that this is called 'pathetic fallacy'. It's been like that for me this week (although google advises that pathetic fallacy is actually inanimate objects or nature actually having human emotions, which is a very inconvenient truth). Anyway the point is I have had a really grotty cold and cough all week while the weather has been throwing rain and gale force winds at us. I was too ill to go to my singing lesson - I cancel so many lessons for throat and chest infections, it amazes me Kelly is still prepared to teach me (I confess to shamelessly bribing her with homemade marmalade in addition to the cost of the lesson). I did n't get over to Chepstow to visit my sister while my niece was staying with her, and I missed an all day rehearsal for Bach's St John's Passion. I am a self-taught musician and my sight-reading and timing leave something to be desired and this piece is quite putting me off Bach! The point is I really need the practice. I used to sing soprano, but I am really more of a mezzo so now sing alto, and it's very hard not having the tune.

At least I did manage to enjoy our street party in honour of the Queen's diamond jubilee. I live in a lovely quiet cul-de-sac of 1930s houses. There is quite a good community spirit and we have a Christmas street party every year, where we take sausages for the barbecue and sing carols around a brazier and someone dresses up as Santa to hand out presents to the kids. One year it even snowed as we were singing. This was the first Summer street party I have been to and it was nice to have a get together when it was daylight - it was amazing how many people said they did n't know people's names as it was always dark when they were introduced at the Christmas do. Personally I have such a bad memory for names, it makes little difference. My cake went down a treat and we all ate and drank and chatted happily all afternoon. So very English I think.

It was after the street party that I succumbed to the cold and cough. The only thing I managed to do all week was to put together a photo-book. An online digital imaging company (can I say it was Photobox?) celebrated it's 12th birthday, I think, by offering a huge discount to buy a credit for a 100 page book, so I took advantage of the offer. We are fortunate to have a tiny holiday flat in Dorset and I wanted to put together a book of photos of my favourite places to go. We let friends and family use the flat, and I thought it would be nice to leave the book in the flat to give people ideas of places to visit. it took hours and hours to choose the photos and arrange the pages, but I think I've done it - just one more proof-read and I will order it.

I have been feeling better today - just as well as the 'holiday' is over and I am back at work tomorrow - so I put some more work in to the quilted butterfly idea. My first attempt, besides being a bit too tight a fit in the box frame, felt a bit too glitzy:

I thought I would try something softer and more obviously fabric:

I think it works better, but still needs some tweaking (a different quilting stitch and wing shape perhaps). It's a work in progress; I have to keep reminding myself that my days off 'proper' work is meant to be a time is for fine tuning my products, and I can't expect them to be perfect straight off. I think the butterflies would look better in a longer frame with a number of different butterflies together. Perhaps I need to be brave and have a go at making my own frames. I don't usually work with hard media like wood - the hardest material I have used is gingerbread when I left out the baking powder!

It's still raining, but at least the cold is on the mend...

Jubilee weekend

I have been resisting the diamond jubilee fever that has been sweeping the country, but last week I came back from lunch to find a union jack flag stuck in my desk, and I guess some of Rob's enthusiasm has rubbed off on me (Rob bought the flags). I was up early today baking bbq chicken and a sponge cake for our street party tomorrow. I got a bit carried away decorating it (must add red edible glitter to my shopping list!)

It's a basic vanilla sponge with cherry jam and buttercream in the middle, covered in fondant icing and painted with food colourings...and edible glitter. I really LOVE edible glitter; surely everything is improved with a bit of sparkle!

I have managed some sewing this week, between gardening, housework and choir. I used to think I liked Bach, but after Saturday's rehearsal I'm not so sure. We are working towards a workshop weekend singing St John's Passion and it's really hard work. I play the guitar and recorder and can read music, but I taught myself so my sight-reading is a bit iffy and my music theory is...um...limited. Add to that a distinct lack of natural rhythm and timing, and it's amazing they let me sing at all! But I digress, as I said I have done a little sewing. I have finished Ellen Mouse version 2 - I want to change the shape of her ears (more round, less like elephant's ears) and move the position of her legs a little, but I think she is just about ready to go in to production:

I want to try some other clothes combinations. If I can make sure the mice are all the same size, I could make changes of clothes for them, which would be fun to do...and once the mice are on course, i think I may try making a rabbit too.


Max was very interested in the little mouse, but luckily Ellen Mouse escaped unscathed!

 My other project this week has been butterflies. I had it in mind it would dead easy to quilt a little butterfly to display in a small box frame, but it has been really fiddly to make something so small remain delicate. I think I have worked it out, and have been staining frames today, but you'll have to wait until next week for the finished piece! Who knows I may even have another quilt square too.