Couldn't Resist......!!!

This fabric for Ruby's new skirt.

I love the black combination on the pattern and it would definitely suit her but she doesn't like black. She is very fond of telling me that 'black is not a colour Ganma it's a negative'.
Unfortunately this was not out of the remnant bin on the dressmaking stall so a tad more expensive than I had anticipated.
The furnishing/workwear fabric stall was a total loss for bag remnants so I shall have to see what I have in that is suitable.
Didn't buy much else......some elastic, pink thread and a zip, a sewing book from The Works and two small green glass cake stands from Tiger for summer tea parties and then we moved on to food shopping and finishing up some holiday shopping for DD who is off to the Costa Brava with friends for a few days next weekend.

DD and I have eaten our main meal for today so I only have to cook for hubby tonight and I am not looking forward to it one little bit. He is having smoked haddock which I hate with a passion. My mother used to make me eat it when I was a child. What with that and the pilchard sandwiches........which I used to hide under the rug.....it's no surprise that I am not a fish lover. Then I go and marry a bloke who loves all those kind of things. He has to tackle his own pilchards though as they just make me gag.

Nothing on tv tonight so I think we will have a Downton session. Luckily hubby likes it to and won't mind watching it. We won't start that until later so first I might rewatch a fantastic programme I found on IPlayer about American Diners. I had it on while doing the binding on Ruby's quilt so didn't watch it properly. It's worth looking at again as I am totally fascinated with them.

We've had rain and by the look of those nasty black clouds there is lots more to come. I expect nothing less on Bank Holiday weekend.

Looking forward to picking Miss Doodle up after breakfast in the morning and having her over night. She will go home after breakfast on Monday ready to go out for the day with London Grandma and Grandad.

Thanks for stopping by.
Sheila-x-
 

Confused Dot Com!!!

The bright sunshine this morning doesn't make the scaffolding look any better.....lol.
Poor Smudge is totally confused by the fact that he can't go out of the back door for his wee. He can't squeeze his fat bottom through the six inch gap. Normally he isn't allowed in the front garden and here we are having to coax him out of the front door. By this time next week that will be his norm and it'll be time to use the back door again.

Miss Marlowe is bringing her Mummy for lunch today. Just a simple lunch of sandwiches and scones so that nothing can spoil if they get here and Marlowe needs feeding/changing/cuddling. Hopefully her cheeky, gorgeous little face will cheer her Ganma up. Not sure if we are having Ruby for a sleepover this weekend as DDIL's family are coming up to stay for a couple of days. Might have to change it to next weekend.

Managed to get both of the bag patterns cut out yesterday. One was a doddle with only three pieces but the other one seemed like hundreds. Not too bad though as they were mostly just rectangles and squares. I just need to decide on the fabric now but I don't think I'll get much time to do that today.

The weather was so foul last night that DD and I decided against going out and opted for lighting the fire and popping a pizza in the oven and then we slobbed on the sofa to watch Downton.

No major housework today as I really can't be bothered so just a quick tidy and a spin round with the hoover before my visitors arrive and that will have to do.

DD and I are off out to Derby tomorrow either with or without Ruby. I need to buy zips and I will most likely be looking at the remnant bins for bag fabrics. We will also have lunch out. If we are in Derby then noodles from our favourite place just has to be done.....lol.

I had best go and put some eggs on to boil for DDIL's favourite sandwiches and I suppose I ought to get myself some breakfast.
Hope the coming weekend is fab for you all.
Thanks for stopping by.
Sheila-x- 

Stocking Up For Future Projects!!!

Like most people I do like to take advantage of special offers if they are things that I would normally buy. Sewing patterns can be pretty pricey but I have found that there are regular offers on them. At the moment I have found half price offers on Simplicity and Vogue at Minerva Crafts so I got an order in and this is what has arrived at Tea Towel Towers.
Skirts, dresses and tops for Miss Doodle, two patterns for pyjama pants which I shall use to make loose cotton trousers for her for summer and some warmer heavier ones for winter, I love bags so added a couple of patterns in the hope that I can make some using the £1 remnants I get from Derby market. Lots of projects to keep me going and use up some fabric stash.

Today I am beyond annoyed and have used more bad language....albeit in my head......than I have ever used before.
The saga of the roofline work continues and the scaffolders arrived to do their bit this morning after us being told it would be this afternoon. I had to reschedule my blood tests to next week which was very annoying as I had fasted for them.
The scaffolding has been set up in such a way that I have no access or egress via the back door. I can't get into the shed where my second freezer is and to use the tumble dryer or hang out any washing I will have to go out of the front door, up the road, down a side road and back down the back of our row of houses. The same for fetching in coal and taking out the rubbish unless I get hubby to move the bins to the front garden for the duration.
Because we are now having two phases of the job done in one we have to wait for the surveyor to come out on Tuesday to do the measuring for the dormer and then work will start on Friday next week. How's that for bloody rubbish planning? I have told them what I think in no uncertain terms as I think that being left with the back access blocked off for so long is a safety issue as well as an inconvenience. I am stressed beyond belief and am hoping that they can come up with a solution to get the work done quicker..... I am not holding my breath.
I think DD and I will get away from it for an hour tonight and go out for tea. Extravagant I know but I don't give a Tinkers Cuss today.

Ah well not much can be done so I think I will sort out some fabric and see what I have for making bags, cut out the patterns and perhaps make a start on one today.
Thanks for dropping by to read my horrible moany post.
Sheila-x-

Ruby's Picnic Quilt!!!

It's finished at last........and I love it. I think Ruby will too. Even at just six years old she loves it when Ganma makes things especially for her.
This quilt was totally worked around the fabric with the large black and white checks and cherries as this was a dress that her Mummy and Daddy bought back from their first trip to New York together when Ruby was just a toddler. The ladybird and tiny hearts fabric were a purchase from the local patchwork shop and I already had the black and white gingham.
I just went with a simple five inch square to maximise what I could get out of the dress and I just scraped through.
Forty four inches square......big enough for snuggles and to use as a picnic blanket for Ruby and Marlowe.
I'm just going to give it a gentle wash now to remove all the fluffy bits and then it will be gifted to Ruby when she comes for tea this afternoon.

The quilt was a good job to choose yesterday. Snuggled up in the dining room watching the mad weather. After a sunny start we had lots of dark cloud for the rest of the day and then at about four thirty it started raining a bit, then thrashing it down along with some pretty scary claps of thunder. Next to come was the hail stones followed by snow. All this in less than an hour and then by the time we were having tea it was back to bright sunshine. Crazy.

Hubby and I are roundly cursing both the people who built this house and the people who lived in it before we did. The access problems have added a whopping nine hundred and odd pounds to the cost of the roofline work. I hope to God nothing else crops up as we are just about at our limit with that addition so bang go my new carpets for the moment. They are coming to put up the scaffolding tomorrow or Friday and then we have to wait until after the Bank Holiday for work to start.

Not sure what I am doing for tea tonight. We had planned on grilled basil flavoured Haloumi on a bed of salad with a Mediterannean Tomato Relish but we usually eat after dropping Ruby off and doing the top up shop which makes it quite late. I can't eat late today as I have to fast for my blood tests tomorrow. I think we'll have beans on toast or something and eat at the same time as Ruby and save the Haloumi for tomorrow.

Right......washing machine on then a cup of coffee before I do a bit of tidying ready for my little Doodle to visit. Hoping for a quick cuddle with Marlowe today too.

Thanks for stopping by.
Sheila-x-

 

All By Myself!!!

Poor old hubby has to do an extended shift today and tomorrow so he has already gone for the day. I don't like it when he has to do this as he doesn't get a cooked meal apart from his breakfast and then he'll get two short breaks to eat sandwiches. By the time he gets in at just after 9pm all he will want is a cup of Ovaltine and then he won't be long out of bed.
I'm just glad that it isn't usually more than two days on the trot.

In sympathy DD and I are having sandwiches tonight.....pastrami, swiss cheese,mild mustard and dill pickle slices served with a side of chunky chips. Oh gawd my mouth is watering already.

I'll be able to get all my jobs done before lunchtime and then I am going to work on the quilt binding.......a nice snuggly job as it's very cold here again.......and I might put something on either You Tube or catch up tv while I do the hand sewing.......bliss.

First though I need my breakfast and a cup of tea.
Have a lovely day....whatever you are doing.
Sheila-x-

Today I Am Thankful For.........!!!

.........the fact that I am not someone who has to work outside. The guys have turned up to do our roofline work this morning and the weather is not at all good. It is very wet and quite cold.
They have had their first cuppa so let's see how many teabags we get through today.

My back and hip are much better today. Good job as I have some laundry to do and the kitchen floor needs yet another mop although that can wait until hubby has gone to work and then it might stay clean for a few hours.

In between jobs I am hoping to finish the hand tying on the quilt then it will just be a matter of adding the binding and it will be another project finished. I hope Ruby likes it.

Poor old DD will likely have been out in this rain for at least some part of the day so our choice for tea isn't such a good one.....oven baked Greek style soft cheese with a tomato and paprika dip on a bed of salad. Maybe I will leave any prep I was going to do and see what she feels like when she comes in.

Oh OK....why am I not surprised? The workmen have discovered a problem with doing the work today.....an access problem that the surveyor should have spotted and didn't. We now have to wait for someone to get back to us regarding scaffolding.......and it's cost. Bloody hell.....nothing is ever straight forward. Hubby is going to be a bit miffed when he gets back from town.

I think I'll have a nice cup of coffee and a read of the paper while the washing is swishing around then.

Thanks for stopping by today.
Sheila-x-

So Quiet For A Sunday!!!

It is so quiet here today. None of the normal Sunday noises of children playing, lawns being mowed, motorbikes revved or neighbours chatting. All I can hear is a slight tinkle from my windchimes and the odd bird having a bit of a warble. It is bliss.

I am still hobbling although not quite as bad as yesterday. I did sit and make a start on the hand tying of the quilt and made sure to get up frequently to avoid getting too stiff. Mind you there is not much choice when you are sitting in the room by the back door and have a dog who wants to go out every time he thinks he hears a cat pass wind and we have a lot of cats around here...lol.
I can't wait to show you the quilt when it is finished. It's such a joy to work on being very bold bright colours. For some reason it reminds me of summer picnics so I am going to call it Ruby's Picnic Quilt.

Sunday lunch is cooking away and smelling delicious. Roast chicken with all the trimmings today.......lovely.

Hope you are all having a lovely peaceful day.
Thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

If I Was A Horse....!!!

If I was a horse running in a race today they would shoot me before I got to the starting line. I don't know what I have done at myself but when I got out of bed this morning something went with a crack in my hip and a bolt of pain shot down my leg. Now my right hip and up into my back is killing me and it hurts to walk. Everything I had planned for the weekend has gone by the board. No visit to the quilt show but I am not too worried about that as I have enough fabric to last me for projects for a good while after my stash buying trip last week. No visit to the makers market and I really wanted to take a photo of the flower stall and certainly no lugging the hoover up two flights of stairs for the deep clean I was going to start.
If I can stand long enough to do it I will cut the backing and wadding for one of the quilts I need to finish and then sit and do the hand tying getting up every half hour to have a hobble round to stop myself from seizing up altogether and hope it doesn't turn into a long bout of sciatica. I could swear I really could.

DD has gone to do a small top up shop for me this morning as we have decided on a simple tea today after going out for a meal yesterday. We are having BLT's (bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches on granary bread) one of my favourites.

There are some dark clouds starting to gather. I don't know if they hold any of the snow we have been told is due this weekend but it's flippin' cold enough to. As much as I love snow it's not quite the same when we are nearly in May is it?

Have a fab weekend y'all.
Sheila-x-
 

Another Sad Week & Other Things!!!

It's been another sad week with news of the death of Victoria Wood and now we hear that Prince has died too. He was only fifty three for goodness sake. I was never a fan of his music but you can't deny talent and he certainly had that.
Please, please no more.

The materials have been delivered this morning for work to start on the roofline on Monday. The local magpie has been to check if there is anything he can steal. Strutting up and down the lawn and garden path checking it out from every angle just to be sure. Cocky little devil.

Yesterday was a very productive day on the sewing front. The trousers got finished and my skirt got cut out. All the panels are sewn together and overlocked and I just have to turn the waistband and hem it and that is another piece of clothing for my summer wardrobe. There was loads of fabric left so that will be used for a light summer dress for Ruby so that will be a skirt and a dress made for just under £20. As I can't find skirts in this particular style in the shops I consider this to be a huge bargain.

Out for tea tonight and nothing major to do in the house until tomorrow so more sewing today........well right up until bedtime as hubby and DD will be watching the new Star Wars film when we get back from our meal out which I don't fancy at all.

Ruby will be so excited when she comes out of school today. She will be going straight off to London with Mummy, Daddy and Marlowe to DDIL's family and she will have a day by the sea in Brighton when they visit relatives there. She is not told beforehand as if she knows she will just keep going on and on and on about it until she nearly drives you crackers. Much better to keep it as a surprise.
We have nothing quite so exciting planned. DD is going to make a start on the front garden if the weather is OK. Not sure what hubby has planned but I will be starting a deep clean of the house as I haven't really done any proper spring cleaning yet.

Hope you all have a fab weekend.
Thanks for visiting today.
Sheila-x-

A Very Frugal Soup!!!

Six punnets of baby plum tomatoes (yellow sticker at 4p each), seven cloves of garlic, black pepper and sea salt roasted in the oven. A couple of small onions sauteed. This was all added to a pan of vegetable stock with a squeeze of tomato puree and simmered for a little while before being whizzed up into the smoothest, tastiest tomato soup.
As good as, if not better than anything you can get in a can.
It will be served with slices of toasted baguette topped with melted cheese.

It's not quite so sunny here today but at least it is dry. I managed to get some washing out on the line yesterday and couldn't get enough of the smell of it when it came in. I am almost tempted to go in search of enough to make up a load so I can hang some out today but nah........I'm not quite that mad....lol. I have quite enough to keep me occupied today.

We haven't had a fire lit for a couple of days so the dining room was a little too chilly for me to sit sewing last night. I just have to hem my trousers today and they will be finished and then I am going to make two more pattern pieces for the skirt I want to make. It is a six panel skirt and you only get one pattern piece which for an amateur like me makes it very difficult to lay the pattern out to get the most out of the fabric I am using. I want to have enough left of one of the five metre lengths to run up a dress for Ruby now that I have all of her measurements written down.

Tea today will be lamb with some new potatoes, veg, onion sauce and mint sauce and of course lashings of gravy for the hubby who I am sure would swim in the stuff if he could. DD is the same but I only like a little on my veg. Mint sauce on the other hand I could swim in....lol.

I can't use the hoover until hubby gets up but there are plenty of jobs to be getting on with. Tidying can be done and the kitchen floor can be mopped. The nice tidy corner of my kitchen has all sorts dumped there again so that will need to be sorted and I need to go and find some kind of sheet or tarpaulin to lay on the back lawn for delivery of all the materials ready for the roofline work to start on Monday next week.

OK......I feel the need for a coffee and then I shall get cracking.
Thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

 

A Monster Came!!!

After a wonderful morning with Marlowe and Mummy yesterday I thought I was done with visitors so I settled down to watch a couple of videos about inserting zips into clothes. I haven't done it for ages so I thought I'd refresh my memory. Just about to get started and all of a sudden I couldn't read anything on the screen. Everything was a blur and yes you've guessed it.....the migraine monster came to call. I ended up on the sofa wrapped in a blanket as I was so cold and the pain above the eye with the aura was awful. I came round at about 8pm. No constant headache but the left side of my head feels like it's exploding if I cough or sneeze.
Those wasted hours really annoy me so I set to on the sewing machine and did some more work on my trousers so that now all I have to do is add the elastic and hem them and I will have a nice pair of smart/casual trousers for Friday evening as hubby has invited me out for a meal.

It's a beautiful day out today but it still feels very cold and I am sat here in a big winter jumper. The back door being wide open isn't helping much but Smudge is having a 'I want to go out every five minutes' day and it saves me playing doorman all day.

There will be a bit of time spent in the kitchen today. Spaghetti and meatballs for our evening meal which is another of Ruby's favourites and then I have to roast some bargain (4p a punnet) baby plum tomatoes with some garlic to make a tomato soup which will go in the freezer. I roasted some of the tomatoes to have with the fish pie on Monday and they were delicious. I just halved them into a baking dish and sprinkled them with garlic oil and garlic and herb salt. Even DD liked them and she is not fond of cooked tomatoes.

What are you going to be doing today?
Thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

A Morning With Miss Marlowe!!!

Sorry......I'm a bit late blogging today. I have been quite distracted by the beautiful Marlowe who came with Mummy for breakfast at Ganma's house after dropping Miss Doodle off at school.
It's been a wonderful morning of cuddles with Marlowe and chatting with DDIL. We need to do it more often.

Lovely sunny day today but obviously I have not done a single job around the house......why would you bother when there is a tiny baby to cuddle...lol. Although I have just washed the breakfast pots and tidied the kitchen now my visitors have gone.

I managed to cut out another pair of trousers last night and will be sewing them up shortly. I will have to use the too big trousers to make a smaller pair for Ruby as I have discovered that they would be a little short for me as well as too big. The pattern has been altered to make them smaller and longer so with a bit of luck this new pair should turn out fine. Hopefully they will be finished today and tonight I will cut a skirt from one of the five metre lengths using my favourite pattern. It is the only skirt that suits me being fitted from the waist to just above the knee and then flaring out. With the right fabric it makes a beautiful swishy skirt for summer. I still have one I made over twenty years ago and it still gets worn every summer. Just last year I had to replace the elastic in the waist and I gave it a check over for split seams and wear but it was as good as new. I think it cost me £8 to make all that time ago.

DDIL took photos of Ruby in her Amelia Earheart outfit this morning....she looked awesome and I wish I could share a pic with you but due to the nature of her parents jobs I can't unfortunately.

Well I have a little while before I have to get the evening meal as DD has to go nto the big town to collect her new glasses and will be later home. I think I'll get the machine out and start sewing.
Thanks for visiting today.
Sheila-x-

 

A New Week!!!

Good morning.
It's a dull and dreary day here in Staffordshire. Quite breezy but rain is threatening so I am not going to risk pegging any washing out today.

DD has gone back to work so once hubby has gone for his afternoon sleep before his night shift I shall have a few hours to crack on with some jobs of which I have quite a list.

Ruby needs a white scarf to dress up for school tomorrow so I have to whip one up on the sewing machine. She is dressing up as Amelia Earheart. I did look for one in the fancy dress shop in Derby but couldn't find one. I did think I had until July but either I was told wrong or heard wrong. No matter....it won't take long once I find some fabric in my stash.

Fish pie is another job on the list. Two bags of frozen cod need using up so I'll make a pie for our tea and see if DS and DDIL can use one for theirs. If not it can go in the freezer for another night.

Laundry........always laundry to be done in this house. I don't know where it all comes from.

If there is any free time left for me I will be sewing as usual. The new patterns have arrived this morning but I won't start on anything for Ruby today as I need to re-measure her now that she has grown a bit. Also in my order was a ten metre lucky dip bag of summer fabrics. Not entirely what I expected them to be but there are a couple or so useful lengths.....one is actually quite stunning but looks like it might be a bit of a challenge to work with..

Depending on how tired she is when she finishes work DD and I may watch another couple of episodes of Downton.
We are still enjoying Home Fires but I have to say that after watching The Durrells last night I am not sure I will bother with any more. I spend the whole hour either wanting to clout the kids round the earhole or shake the mother until her teeth rattle......lol.

Right I'll go and sort out the load of laundry that has just finished and put another load in.
Thanks for your visit today.
Sheila-x-

New Fabric Stash!!!

Two five metre lengths of poly viscose. Light and floaty for summer clothing projects.

Two and a half metres to make a dress for Ruby with a contrast bodice.

Two metres of good solid cotton to make summer trousers for Ruby.

One metre of each from the Fabric Kingdom collection A Quiet Place. Maybe summer tops for Ruby.

Fat quarters for doll projects.

Beautiful fabric strips to make two lap quilts.

To say I have been thoroughly spoiled over the last few days would be a bit of an understatement. All of the above fabric has been purchased using birthday money. They are not daft my lot.....they know that this will keep me quiet for a good long while.....well apart from the rumbling of the sewing machine anyway.
I was also able to purchase some really good quality machine needles although the price made me cringe a bit and lots of other bits and bobs. I am so lucky to have such a wonderful family.
Thank you all too for the lovely birthday wishes in your comments.

Being a bit like a kid in a sweet shop with my new stash I really don't know where to start first. I am waiting for patterns to arrive for Ruby so I can't start there. I suppose I should really start on unpicking the trousers I made which despite careful measuring....or so I thought....have turned out way too big. I have recut the pattern and will recut the fabric once the trousers have been unpicked. What a boring job but I am not wasting the fabric and obviously being too big is much better than being too small.....lol.

My angel hubby is cooking dinner today.....roast pork and all the trimmings.....it smells wonderful.
DD has just been and purchased a few items for the garden. A nice large pot for the Hydrangea which is now sitting by the front door, a small half barrel planter for some Petunias and an obelisk for the Jasmine to twine itself around. There were also enough Petunias left to do a small hanging basket. It's going to look so pretty.

Well I had best go and make some white sauce for the cauliflower and then after lunch I'll start on the unpicking....no doubt accompanied by a swear word or two...lol.

Thanks for stopping by today.
Sheila-x-
 

Ooooh....He's In Trouble!!!

It was a brilliant day yesterday. Calm, peaceful and relaxing just as a birthday should be....for me anyway as I am not fond of lots of fuss and partying. Warnings are already in place for next year which will be my 60th that I want no party and certainly none of those 'experience' gifts that involve chucking your self down a hill in a big plastic ball, balloon flights or pamper days (my idea of a nightmare). We did the balloon flight for hubby for his 60th and he was just about to turn sixty one by the time we managed to get him on a flight that was not cancelled.
Anyway the one who's in trouble is my son. He popped round with Ruby to deliver cards and presents.....bless him. I opened one envelope and what was on the top of the contents but a leaflet for a balloon flight. I went straight into, heart attack, panic mode and he started laughing like a drain and saying look underneath it......to my relief it was vouchers for the local patchwork shop. He and DDIL had picked the leaflet up from the tourist info stand at the garden centre. Ooooooh I could have killed him on the spot but we had a good laugh about it and I let him have some of my birthday cake.

Today I am back in housewifey mode and about to prepare a chilli for our evening meal and then I may pop out to the fabric shop to use my vouchers as there is some fabric I need for a dress I will be making for Ruby when the pattern arrives.

Hope you are all having a good weekend.
Thanks for stopping by.
Sheila-x-

 

Smashing Day So Far!!!

Up later than usual and been out for my lovely lunch at The Cherry Tree. I had one of my favourite meals....the crispy chicken combo which is actually chicken parmegiana (with the addition of completely superfluous breaded garlic mushrooms) with a gorgeous napolitana sauce. I admit that I was torn between that and the carvery but chicken usually wins for me.
We are back home now after a quick trip into the big town to pick up a couple of bits we needed and DD has just made me a lovely cuppa. A walk somewhere would have been nice but it is so cold and wet out there that we decided against it.
Just waiting for a visit from my gorgeous girl and DS later on. I won't see Marlowe as she is being shown off to DDIL's work friends today.
Once the visitors have left I shall be finishing off the trousers I started yesterday which are working out really well and then while all the stuff is out for them I will make the other pair.

I do love a lazy day with my family at home.
Thanks for stopping by today.
Sheila-x-

Yooo Hooooooo!!!

Phew.....I am back from my shopping trip and I am absolutely crackered.
It was a good trip and I came home with bargains as I managed to hit the clothes shop just as they were having a 20% off sale price event. Everything that was half price in the sale was a further 20% off. I came back with two summer nightdresses....full price but two for £18, two beautiful pairs of leggings for best....in the sale, two grey asymetric hem t shirts....in the sale and one different style.....full price, a camisole top to wear under a lace top I already have.....full price and a bra....full price. The whole lot came to under £80 so I was very pleased indeed.
The market furnished me with two five metre lengths of fabric to be made up into either summer skirts, trousers or dresses and a two metre length of gorgeous pink fabric for a dress for Ruby Doodle with maybe a little left over for a dress for dolly.
I went into The Works in the hope of finding some bits and bobs but it was in such a mess that I couldn't be bothered to look so only came out with an A4 cutting mat that I needed.
So glad that we went to Derby instead of Stoke now.

It's gone quite chilly here now that the effects of the heating in the shopping centre have worn off so DD has lit the fire and she is having a reading session while I am about to start sewing the trousers I have cut out and pinned.
As we had lunch out we are just having a scone and a cuppa by the fire while we watch a bit more Downton.

I'll be out again tomorrow as hubby has booked the day off work for my birthday and he's taking us out for lunch. A whole day with two of my favourite people will be lovely and hopefully I will get to see Doodle at some point after school for a birthday kiss and cuddle.

Off to get on with my sewing.
Thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

Here We Go Again!!!

Hubby is testing my patience this week. Normal people have something like a bowl of soup at lunchtime and what did he want today............bloody haggis with chips and gravy.
It's been lurking in the freezer since January so I suppose it was time to use it up but now I have to get rid of the smell and get my stomach back down to where it should be instead of it hanging about around my throat. The sight and smell of it make me gag.
One more horrible meal to cook for him and he will be removed to the shed with a camping stove....lol.

Sorting him out for work seems to take up an awful lot of time in a morning so that's all I seem to have done so far today. There is still some laundry to be done and a tidy up before Ruby arrives for tea.
The top up shop will be quick tonight as there isn't much we need really. DD and I have been very gentle on the supplies this week so for the moment we only need milk and butter.
No cooking again tonight as we have decided that we fancy tuna sandwiches while we watch an episode of Downton and then the first episode of the new Scott and Bailey which we have been waiting so long for. I am also muchly excited about hearing of the start of filming soon for a new Broadchurch.

Plans have changed for tomorrow. We have decided that we will be going to Derby instead of Stoke and we'll go to the noodle bar for lunch. We don't really know Stoke very well for shopping and there are other things I need to pick up besides fabric so we thought it best to go where we know we can get them from.

Okey dokey.......off to do the tidying.
Thanks for your visit.
Sheila-x-

We Like Simples!!!

As you know DD and I like simple food. Salads and soups, casseroles, anything that can be made from leftovers from the fridge.
Hubby on the other hand is definitely in the camp of meat and two veg or anything he picks up on a leaflet from the supermarket or sees on a tv ad. His latest thing has been to nag me to make the Macaroni Cheese he has been seeing on the Sainsbury ad. Now I have never ever fancied either making it or eating it. I just know it is going to be revolting but being the good wife I am I made it for his lunch today and oh do I like to be proved right. It is absolutely disgusting. I did try a spoonful just to be sure and I think I can safely say I will never make it again.........and the worst thing....he didn't like it either......bloody nuisance.
Next time he starts on about something he's seen on tv I shall become instantly deaf and the next leaflet he brings home will be used to start the fire.
He has gone off to work with a flea in his ear and a very sheepish look on his face.....lol.

DD has gone off to the big town for her opticians appointment and I think she must have got lost. She has been gone for ages. Still at least I have got a few jobs done while she has been out from under my feet. The kitchen and lounge are tidy ready for tea and Downton later and when I switch off the computer shortly I will be getting out the fabric for my trousers to make a start on those.
We enjoyed our salad so much last night that we are having similar again tonight. Tomorrow we may treat ourselves to fish and chips but it just depends if we fancy them when it gets to meal time.

Right I shall go and have a ferret in the fabric box.
Bye for now and thanks for stopping by.
Sheila-x-
 

Duvet Day!!!

It is tradition that on the first day of any annual leave DD takes that we have a duvet day. Today is that day although it will be more of a duvet half day by the time hubby has gone to work at twelve thirty.
We settle down on the sofas with a quilt or a blanket and a pot of tea or a cold drink and off we go with a box set or a pile of films. Today we will be finishing off season one of Home Fires and then we will be starting on Downton again.
Tea will be a bowl of salad with cheese and pineapple.
Even though I enjoy the day I still feel incredibley guilty about sitting watching tv all day as usually there are jobs that need doing but nothing major needs doing today so maybe I won't put myself on the guilt trip for once.
Once the first day of her leave is over we will then just watch a couple of episodes while we have our evening meal each day.
Tomorrow she has an opticians appointment so I will get the laundry done while she is out.
Wednesday we have Ruby for tea after school and then a top up shop when we drop her home.
Thursday is our trip to Abakhan Fabrics in Stoke followed by an early birthday lunch at Trentham Gardens and then Friday my actual birthday....I don't know exactly what we are doing if anything. Hopefully there will be time for a bit of sewing as I sat last night and cut out the pattern to make myself a pair or two of casual trousers.

Well I had better go and see what hubby fancies for his lunch before he goes to work. He likes to eat at about eleven thirty.

Thanks for dropping by today.
Sheila-x-

Chuffed To Little Mintballs!!!

Thank you for the comments left yesterday....I did indeed have a very nice chilled and relaxing day. Not a stitch of sewing done in the end but hey ho there are lots more days to fill up yet so something will get done.

Lady Luck shone her light in the Grand National and one of the horses I chose came first giving me a lovely £51 return for my £1 bet. I was shocked as I never win anything......oh unless you count the knitted tea cosy I once won on a school tombola....lol!!!
I will be investing the money in some dressmaking fabric for myself when DD takes me to Abakhan Fabrics in Stoke sometime this week for my birthday treat. I never knew they had a branch there so I am chuffed to little mintballs all round.

Another easy day today. No roast dinner....much to hubby's disgust. We are having a home baked ham with salad and new potatoes at tea time instead of lunchtime as DD is at work for a few hours. Later we will have a piece of homemade chocolate cake with a nice cuppa while we watch The Durrells and Home Fires.....I do love a good Sunday.

After a foggy and frosty start this morning it is now looking gorgeous outside with sunshine and blue sky. It's a pity all my laundry is done. It would have been a fab drying day.

Hope you all have a happy and peaceful Sunday.
Thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

Taking A Chill Pill Today!!!

We've seemed to have had quite a few busy weekends so hubby has requested a quiet weekend with no visitors and no going out apart from him going out to put our bets on the Grand National. It's the only time we have a flutter on horse races unless hubby is given a day at the races for a gift. We'll never break the bookies but we love the excitement of sitting down to watch the race together.

All I have to do today is bake a cake to do us for the weekend and make a black pepper sauce for hubby who is having a steak for his tea. DD and I are having a stir fry.
For the rest of the day I may well work on one of the quilts that needs layering, quilting and binding. I shall see what I feel like.

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend.
Sheila-x-

The Pizza Challenge!!!

A tray full of surprises

Ready to go into the oven

DD's pizza

Ruby's pizza

Ruby had such a lot of fun doing the pizza challenge. DD was slightly disgusted by the thought of a sweet pizza but gamely played and then tasted the results with lots of face pulling. Ruby and I thought they tasted lovely.......especially the gooey, toasted marshmallows.....yum.
We used flatbreads instead of pizza bases as we couldn't find any naked ones. They were sooooo nice and crispy.
I think this would be a fabulous idea for a kids party at home.

Well that's my little Doodle gone off on a lunch date with some friends. She has only been gone ten minutes and I am missing her chatter and giggles already.

Another foul day of rain and cold so the fire has been lit. I only lit it in case DDIL decided to vist a while with Marlowe but she had a difficult morning with her which made her late arriving and so decided to get straight off.
So I guess I will catch up on some jobs now. The quilts are already washed and drying after being dragged all over the house and used as picnic blankets. Hubby's work clothes are washing so it's just tidying and hoovering to do now.

Thanks for visiting.
Sheila-x-

It's All Go!!!

With Miss Doodle in the house there is hardly time for a quiet minute. I am sneaking one now while she has some quiet time watching a film.
We are having such fun doing things together but the cleaning materials and the hoover are going to be earning their keep when she goes home tomorrow....lol. The floors in every room are covered in glitter from her Elsa costume, the dining room table is awash with colouring books, drawing paper, crayons and pencils and there are sticky fingerprints on every surface. Not important really when you consider that she has filled the house with singing and laughter ever since she arrived on Tuesday. I will miss that so much when she goes.
I chose the menu well for her visit. She has eaten everything that has been put in front of her with no trouble at all and is excited about having chicken wraps for tea tonight. She is even eating her fruit so she gets a gold star for that.
Last night we watched a film snuggled under the quilts. Halfway through she said 'ganma....I think I will take a little nap' she promptly fell fast asleep and I had to wake her up to go to bed. So cute.
Today I have had to do some chores and bad ganma that I am I resorted to letting her watch some of the childrens stuff on You Tube that she loves so much and this evening we will be recreating one of her favourite things......The Pizza Challenge. We are doing a sweet pizza challenge for desert where she and DD have to pick a number to get the toppings for their pizzas. They both start off with chocolate spread and then all of the toppings are different kinds of sweet things. No nasty surprises as on the ones on You Tube. I just think it's cruel.
So that has been us over the last couple of days. Busy, happy, laughing, hugging and kissing. No outdoor adventures because of the rain but hey ho we don't mind.

Thanks for your visit.
Sheila-x-

 

Sorry!!!

Sorry for the lack of a post today.
Computer has been down all day but DD has just mended it for me.
I'll be back tomorrow.

Sheila-x-

Brrrrrrrrrrr......It's Cold!!!

Two more cushions

Goodness me....it is cold this morning. It looks like it might brighten up later but I don't know if it will get warmer.

Yesterday I actually stuck to my plan and got the last two cushions made so the stash in the corner has got very slightly smaller....lol.
From cutting out to finishing the two took about an hour as they are only simple envelope backs. With these latest cushions I have started overcasting the inside seams so that there should be no fraying when they are washed. I have an overcasting foot in the set of thirty feet I got from Amazon and it makes the most fabulous job of neatening everything up.

Today my gorgeous Ruby arrives for her three night stay and I can't wait. With a lot of attention of the new arrival I think she is feeling a little left out so some crafting and snuggling with ganma should see her right.
Tonight she is going to the cinema with DD for a treat to see something called Zootropolis. I am passing on that one.....lol.

Teas for the next three nights are all planned with Ruby in mind as to what she will and won't eat so tonight it is fish and salad as she loves that. I went out last night to stock up on fruit, veg and salad as we had got through most of what I got last week. A few treats for Ruby also dropped into my trolley in the shape of colouring books and a new drawing book......and the obligatory popcorn which is a must for what she calls Ganma Club.

I have something exciting to look forward to in a couple of weeks.......hubby is taking me to the British Quilt & Stitch Village at Uttoxeter Racecourse. I'd asked him if he minded taking me and dropping me off but he said he would stay and find somewhere to sit and have a coffee just in case I needed anything.....wow. I did laugh though when I looked it up online. They have what's called a man's circle......sort of like a creche for husbands. How cool is that?

Well I have a bit of tidying and one more laundry load to do before the princess arrives and I must also prepare to turn into my alter ego.......Miss Honey......the teacher from the film Matilda. Ruby loves doing sums and spelling so we have to sit at the table and pretend to be at school. I suppose I should be glad she doesn't call me Miss Trunchbull.....lol.

Thanks for stopping by today.
Sheila-x-
 

Just Like Buses!!!

Since Downton Abbey finished there hasn't been anything much I wanted to watch on a Sunday evening and then last night along came two programmes one after the other and I spend two hours sitting on my aspidistra watching tv.
Loved the first episode of The Durrells.......those kids though....what a bunch.........and Home Fires is back at last.
DD has just ordered the first series on dvd and as she is on holiday next week I think a duvet day and a binge watch will be in order.

Thank you all for your lovely comments yesterday.
Jackie.......Marlowe definitely takes after grandad....lol.

I am feeling much better this morning as I got a really good night's sleep for a change. It's a good job as you should see the pile of laundry I have to tackle. I don't know where it all comes from.
Tea today.......I haven't the foggiest idea but we have plenty in the freezer and I think we have salad in the fridge. There are always part baked rolls or baguettes in the cupboard so we won't starve.
While the laundry is swishing around I think I will run up the other two cushion covers which will reduce the pile in the corner by two cushion pads and two pieces of fabric. Not sure what I will start on once they are done. I might finish the quilts if I feel like tackling them although one is a Christmas quilt and I may not feel like doing that one.
Laundry sorting and a coffee first though before I get the sewing machine out.
Have a lovely day and thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

 

Lovely Day!!!

Today has been lovely.
Once I had cooked and served dinner I was straight in for cuddles with Marlowe. She is such a good baby. Fast asleep when she got here and DDIL had to wake her for her feed and then straight back to sleep. Not a single cry or murmur but quite a lot of windy noises from her lower end.....cheeky monkey.
Ruby seemed a bit out of sorts......cheeky and bad tempered which is not like her. I expect she is just reacting to not getting all of everyone's attention all of the time as she is used to. She will be fine when she comes for her three day sleepover.
They have gone home now and I am off for a little veg on the sofa. I am quite exhasted now as I have developed another sore ear and throat on one side which I could do without.

Nothing doing on the crafty front tonight as there are two programmes I want to watch on tv.

Thanks for stopping by.
Sheila-x-

It's Still Tidy!!!

Apart from my handbag which has been dumped on the floor by the side of the grey rack......the dining room is still tidy. Shocking!!!
I had wanted to start on the other two cushion covers I need to make but by the time we had eaten tea, washed up and tidied the kitchen I didn't really feel like doing very much and I don't think much will get done in there until Monday now.

I have a busy day today. My first job which I am putting off for a few minutes while I type this is to clean the cooker. Oh joy....what a lovely way to spend a morning.....I don't think. Then I have baking to do and I want to get all the veg prepped for lunch tomorrow as we have DDIL, Ruby and Marlowe coming for lunch. DS is back at work after his paternity leave and DDIL doesn't want to be on her own so they are coming to us and they will take a plated up meal for DS to have when he gets home.

Monday should be a peaceful day to get the sewing done and then Tuesday my gorgeous Ruby will be back for a three day sleepover and some crafting if the weather is as bad as it is today. She will go home on Friday and then I think hubby is hoping for a peaceful weekend next weekend. It seems a long time since we had one.

Hope your weekend isn't as wet as it is here.
Thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

Some Kind Of Order!!!

Ooooooh.......smart!!!

It's not quite perfect yet. There is way too much stuff that isn't stored in the cupboard and drawers for my liking but my mission....should I choose to accept it.....is to start work on reducing the amount of fabric in the two clear boxes in the corner.
The bottom box is quilt stuff and has batting and backing plus two quilts tops waiting to be backed. If I get those done then that box will be empty and in future I will only buy the batting and backing for the project I am working on. The top box will take longer to work through as it contains all sorts of fabrics for dressmaking and doll crafts. Both of the large bottom drawers of the filing cabinets house my 100% cotton fabrics. Christmas in one drawer and everyday in the other.
My sewing threads are now all housed in one drawer instead of several as the drawers are nice and deep. I couldn't fit my large spools in though so they are on the Ikea cake stand on top of the cupboard.
I'm trying to keep clutter to a minimum on top of the units but I have to keep the box handy that holds all of my various sewing machine feet so that is what is in the box next to the tape dispenser.
The grey rack is a temporary fix to hold clutter which will be found a better home at some point.
I won't show you the other corner.......that is a whole other mess that needs sorting out....lol.
It's a very small room and still has to function as a dining room so the cupboard has casters and the filing cabinets will have casters when we can find some that don't require a second mortgage although I am sure that if I have a good root around hubby's shed there may be some in there that will do the job then it will just take a couple of minutes to wheel everything out when we have visitors for a meal.
I am one happy sewer now that everything is to hand and I don't have to go rooting around in other rooms for things.

While I have been finishing off the sorting there has been some minced beef in tomato, onion and garlic sauce bubbling away on the stove. That is just about to get layered into a lasagne to have with salad for tea so I'll go and sort that out shortly.
Thanks for popping by today.
Sheila-x-