On the hunt for some fabric

Two weeks ago I bought the Handmade Living magazine for some inspiration for starting a sewing project and inside spotted a fabric hanging heart made with some gorgeous fabric which was patterned with some writing and roses. Well - I wanted that fabric come what may to make my own hearts.

I e-mailed the magazine who told me that it was designed by their editor but not available. I was now on a mission to find it or something similar. I looked on the internet at absolutely loads of sites, all to no avail. Then I remembered a shop that I had been to many years ago in Tiptree called The Cheap Shop - sounds like one of those cheap market shops that are around but it's a Pandora's box full of every kind of craft material you can think of.

Anyway as it was Mr M's day off we took ourselves off for a ride out in the vicinity of Tiptree, enjoying a lovely ride in the countryside. Suffice it to say they had nothing like the fabric I wanted. However I did buy a few haberdashery bits and some fat quarters and the day wasn't wasted as we had a lovely pub lunch before returning home.

We stopped off at a lovely farm shop where they had all manner of fresh fruits and vegetables

and of course I could not go home without the obligatory jar of Wilkinson's Orange Marmalade!

On Saturday I saw an advert for a 'taster session' in patchwork quilting at a small fabric shop in Leigh on Sea not far away. I went along on Monday afternoon and yes you can guess, I found what I was looking for, more by accident than design. They're not quite the same but very similar. They didn't have much so I bought 1.50 metres! way too much for what I want but hey you never know when you might need it again. And as I am beginning to learn, you should save all your scraps for future projects.

As far as the taster session went, I was shown lots of different sewing techniques which will all come in handy one day, BUT was disappointed because the tutor only believes in hand stitching all the patches together as well as hand quilting, hand applique etc. When I asked if one could use a machine I realised straight away by the disapproving look on her face that it was not the thing to do/ask. I'm sure this is the right and proper thing to do, but I'm so impatient and at that rate I would never get anything done. I came away quite disillusioned and a bit put off by the whole thing.

So it's back to the drawing board so to speak and any advice would be more than welcome. I must get on with those hearts though and will post when they are complete.

January Scavenger Hunt

This is my first time Scavenger Hunting and here are my pictures:

1.Soft

I love clouds in all shapes and sizes and they're so fluffy

2. 2

Two newly acquired ducks for the garden awaiting a coat of varnish to keep them from the elements

3. Blur

I was struggling with this one but when taking a photo of a some boats on the water (just above the rooftops) they seemed to get lost in the photo whereas through the naked eye all was fine.

4. In Season

This was taken at a farm shop on a trip out last weekend near Tiptree in Essex

5.In my bathroom

Made these Roman blinds with some lovely Cath Kidston fabric and consequently the recently decorated bathroom had to be planned around this colour scheme

6. Mess

In my garage - enough said!

7. Information

This was taken on a recent trip to Notting Hill in a wonderful French Bakery/coffee shop. My French grandparents owned their own Boulanger shop in Valenciennes in 1889 and so I simply had to take this.

8. Company

This is a bit cheeky I know, but my daughter has just set up her own online shop called Heartfelt Company where she sells shabby chic and vintage pieces http://www.heartfeltcompany.co.uk

9. Warning
Couldn't resist this one at a restaurant recently

10. Odd

This old signpost seems to have lost its sense of direction!

11. In the distance
Hadleigh Castle on the Benfleet Downs, Essex 

12. Entrance

This restaurant was a conversion of an old building which housed some public toilets along Southend seafront - hence its name. Have eaten there and it's divine.

Have enjoyed doing this Scavenger Hunt and look forward to February's list.

Inspired to make something..

Inspired by some of the beautiful creations people have made I decided that I would like to make something myself.  I headed into town on Saturday and bought a couple of magazines, both of which you probably know about already.

The Mollie Makes mag found me pouring over all the lovely vintage and shabby chic articles giving me lots of ideas for home decor as much as anything, whereas the Handmade Living has a selection of all kinds of things including crafts, recipes, gardening, art etc. I've been into lots of  fabric websites and am absolutely amazed at just how much is out there. Can't wait to get going now.

In a previous post I mentioned that I had completed a two year City & Guilds course called Family Heirlooms which not only covered history of my favourite Victorian era including social history, gardening history, music halls, photography to name but a few, but also taught us the art of making Victorian crafts.  Here are two of the many projects learnt.

This Suffolk Puff doll was a cutie and one of my favourite projects although not an easy task making all those Suffolk puffs (54 in all) for her arms, torso and legs, but I found it particularly absorbing and very satisfying.

Then I had a go at something called Somerset patchwork and used my small sample to top a textured box which was made from handmade paper and which I painted with emulsion. I lined the box and lid with wadding covered with Toile de Jouy fabric and then glued my patchwork onto the top of the lid. I then made a cord from embroidery silk and glued this around the patchwork. Using some scraps of fabric I made a lavender bag scissor keeper and a needle case.

Looking at my portfolio of work has now given me an extra incentive to make a start. So, with a bit of luck I may attempt something soon, although I have to get a rather nasty essay out of the way first, but......watch this space.

An unplanned walk around Palm trees

First of all a welcome to my new follower Jan


This weekend found us walking around Priory Park in Southend more by accident than design. We had ordered something from John Lewis to be delivered to our local Waitrose store and had to pass the park on the way. The day was beautiful and too good an opportunity to miss out on a walk. You could almost be fooled into thinking that this photo was taken abroad somewhere instead of a chilly January afternoon in England!

The park has many features including a fishing lake where several lads were braving the weather in the hope of catching something - hope it was worth it!

There are many wooded areas for nature-watching or picnics in the summer 

The formal gardens surround the old Priory which dates back to around 1100

The gardens were beginning to look like Spring maybe coming. Buds were appearing

bulbs arising and the wallflowers waiting for warmer days. Many flowering shrubs were starting to flower already. Have no idea what this shrub is. From a distance it looks like a Christmas rose? but pretty all the same.

After our walk we picked up our order and made for home and as it was 4pm it was obvious that there was going to be lovely sunset, so headed for our favourite haunt,  Leigh on Sea, just making it before the sun went down.

It was so worth the detour with such spectacular views as this

A bit further along, and only just capturing the last of the sun I decided to take one last picture which was of Hadleigh Castle which you can just about see the outline of in the distance.

What started out as an uneventful trip to the shops turned into an pleasant couple of hours in the fresh air.

A really good read

This book, The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory was one of those books you just couldn't put down until you'd finished it kind of books. If you enjoy history, as I do then you should enjoy this one.  It is set in 1453 and tells the story of Margaret Beaufort, Heiress to the red rose of Lancaster and her life and bitter struggles during the War of the Roses. As a child she has a fierce and unwavering sense of destiny. If not a nun then she'll be Queen of England.

As a young girl Margaret is sent to a loveless marriage to Edmund Tudor in remote Wales, where she gives birth to a son whom she names Henry after her cousin Henry V1 of England who was on the verge of madness. She was determined that her son would become King one day, regardless of the overwhelming power of the York dynasty. She sends Henry into exile and pledges him in marriage to the daughter of her enemy Elizabeth Woodville.


I was given my book as a gift and was unaware that it was the second book of a trilogy, The Cousins War. However this did not spoil the book for me and I now intend  to read the first book The White Queen and thereafter The Other Queen which I'm sure will be equally as stunning.

 www.amazon.co.uk/

Cutting back and throwing out!

Hubby has elected to start working a four day week ahead of his eventual retirement in a year or two, so I decided I would start the year by budgeting my weekly food shop and cutting back on unnecessary items, having seen one or two of your pages on frugal living. I planned all my meals for the next two weeks and made a note what was in the freezer and went to my local supermarket armed with a strict list of what was required. So far so good. I stuck to my list for the first few aisles (fruit and veg) after which things started to go downhill. I could be tempted with that over there, and I really do need this here etc etc. I think we've all been there! Anyway, at the checkout I was quite heartened with my efforts and managed to save a good £20 on my shop, even though there were a few 'extras' that I didn't really need.

On returning home, and in the middle of putting the shopping away, I don't know why but I decided to give my food cupboards a bit of a spring clean and throw out anything redundant or nearly at the bottom of the jar etc. Well, if you could have seen the stuff that I cleared out - I am embarrassed to say I filled a black bin bag comprising almost empty packets of pasta; ketchup and sauces with just a squirt left,  not to mention the out of date jars of Chinese sauce mixes and bottles of wine vinegar that were only used for one particular recipe. I couldn't believe what was lurking at the back of the cupboards. Tins and jars that were well past their sell by date - it just goes on.

This exercise has certainly confirmed my need to start economising and buying exactly what I want. Now I'm beginning to feel guilty and perhaps I will save up all those nearly empty pasta packs albeit different shapes and sizes,  or even retrieve the ones just thrown out!

We "trained" for the Olympics

We took a train this weekend to Bromley-by-Bow in the east end of London, a journey of about 1 hour and started our walk towards the Olympic park at Stratford along the towpaths lining the network of waterways and canals. Our walk took us along to the Greenway, a designated walking route to the Olympic Park (formerly known as the ‘sewer bank’).

This path follows the line of Sir Joseph Bazalgette’s Northern Outfall Sewer still flowing today and which ended the practice of discharging untreated sewage into the Thames back in the mid 1800s and an end to what was called ‘The Great Stink’ in London.  Further along we saw the Grade ll listed Abbey Mills Pumping Station designed by Bazalgette, an elaborate Byzantine styled building, with two Moorish styled chimneys and often referred to as the Cathedral of Sewage!

Next we came to the Three Mills an early 19^th century Custom House; Clock Mill with its 18^th century clock-tower and oast house chimneys; and House Mill. This Grade l listed building was used for (at different periods) grinding corn, making gunpowder and distilling gin! The Mill now shares the site with the Three Mills film studios.

There is an abundance of disused 19^th century factories and warehouses along the route, some of which have been turned into artists studios and others converted into apartments. The canals and waterways were full of narrow boats,former working boats of the 18^th century which carried large loads or used for towing barges, which are now used for leisure or quite often accommodation.

This 19^th century lock-keeper's cottage was a delight to see.

At the end of the Greenway we arrived at our destination and found the bright green Viewtube and temporary outdoor Olympic exhibition area. This is where we stopped for a well earned coffee, giving us excellent views of the Olympic site, including the Stadium, Aquatic Centre and Velodrome. Next to the Stadium is the red steel- framed ‘sculpture’ The Orbit Tower  which is thought to be Britains biggest and tallest piece of public art and which will eventually house a viewing platform to give visitors spectacular views across London.

A lovely day out,  and as we were not lucky enough to get any tickets for the events, a chance to see it for ourselves. The bonus being that we were able to take in parts of east London that we'd never experienced before. A return journey is a definite!