Making Good Use

Third Time Lucky

I was going to call this post 'Busy as a Bee' but as this is the third time I've tried to publish it on Typepad, I thought I'd try calling it something else in the hopes that this time it would work.

I've spent an enjoyable couple of hours today designing and sewing a tiny embroidered bee to cover a very small hole in a gorgeous vintage tablecloth.  The tablecloth belongs to my lovely next-door neighbour and was sewn by her mother when she was a young girl - probably sometime in the 1930s.

It's a square cloth with a lovely circular pattern of cottage-garden flowers hanging over a garden wall

Interspersed with sweet little garden gates.  It has been beautifully embroidered and must have taken hours and hours of work to do.  I was a tad nervous about adding my own (very tiny) portion of it.

I really had no idea how to embroider a bee, but a quick Google for 'embroidered bees' gave me plenty of ideas.

I did a couple of quick sketches (don't laugh, I know my drawing skills are rubbish.)

 

Did a couple of trial runs on a spare bit of fabric.

And then, deep breath, had a go at the 'real thing.'  I'm quite pleased with how it turned out - it's not perfect by any means - but is a much prettier way of covering the hole than darning would have been.  I can't take any credit for the idea of a bee - that was all my neighbour's clever thinking.  I hope she'll be pleased with how it turned out.

Nearly

It's been the most beautiful weather today - so very nearly spring - if only the daffodils would get a move on and open their buds.

A couple more days of this glorious sunshine and I hope they'll start flowering.  I made the most of the sun and dry weather and went out and cut the grass.  As I haven't cut it since the middle of August I feared it would be terribly hard going.  Amazingly, it was no problem at all - although the back grass was still a bit wet in places.  At least that's one good thing to have come from such a long, cold winter - the grass has hardly grown in about six months.

And the potted herbs on the kitchen windowsill - mint and basil - are positively luxuriating in this sun.  I swear I can see them growing.

Well, it's almost 5.00 pm and I'm sitting here in broad daylight with the sun shining in and the window open - something I couldn't have imagined ever doing again just a few short weeks ago.  There's even the smell of spring in the air.  Oh I do love this time of year.

Instead of Messing About

Checking out my house, my Mum's house (nope, Lily wasn't asleep in the window when the photo was taken), my Mum's cousin's address and the seafront in Broadstairs on Google Street View, I should be trying to work out a way of turning 28 of these

 

into a patchwork skirt for my sister.  I have to say the Kaffe Fassett pieces my Mum found are just the ticket for patchwork but, dear oh dear, it's making my head spin trying to work out how to get an elasticated waist A-line skirt out of them.  I have made a start by washing and ironing all the pieces, now it's just a case of what is the best way to put them all together.  And I don't have a pattern to work from either!!  Back to Google Street View for a bit whilst I think it over.

One Wheelie Bin Load Later

As the weather was so clement this morning - can you believe it, we've actually reached temperatures in double digits at long last - I decided to try and clear up the mess of leaves which have been an eyesore at the end of the garden for the entire winter.

In my defence, it was unbelievably wet all last autumn and then incredibly cold and snowy all through December, January and most of February.  The blessed relief of dry weather these past two weeks has meant I can finally walk on the grass without fearing I'm going to sink up to my knees in mud, and has also meant it was very high time that the dead leaves were removed.  I swept, I raked, I gathered handfuls and handfuls and, eventually, filled the green wheelie bin.

Although the view from the back windows has definitely improved, there's still a long way to go but, alas, no more room in the wheelie bin - which won't be emptied until Monday week.  So that's me scuppered to do any more gardening!!  All the trees could do with a severe pruning and we were going to get someone to do it a month or so ago but when the landlord began talking about putting this place on the market (and, no, we wouldn't want to buy it knowing just how many major things need putting right on it - and the valuation price was ludicrously high in our humble opinion!!) we decided not to bother. 

I'm still dreaming about moving into one of the houses we saw for sale last week.  It is in the next road from where we presently live, is in excellent condition (you know, has such outlandishly modern fitments as full double glazing, a combi boiler, a built-in fridge/freezer and - squeal - a built-in dishwasher - I really really want a dishwasher,) has a gorgeous garden and there is scope to extend the house to the side.  It's still on the market (and at a much more reasonable price than where we are was valued at,) and I'm just hoping it'll still be for sale by the time P eventually gets back from the Far East.  Then, perhaps, we'll have some time to discuss where we want to live.

The Ones That Got Away

In terms of re-selling opportunities, I think I've made a few grave faux-pas this past week - and a couple of them were this morning.

On Monday, whilst heavily laden down with a pretty full shopping trolley, I spied a couple of vintage candlewick bedspreads in the local charity shop.  They were both priced at £3.00 each and one of them definitely had signs of A LOT of wear near the centre - you know the sort of thing, totally smooth with all the candlewick having dropped off / worn off years ago.  The other one seemed, from what I could see of it all squished up on a hanger, to be in much better nick.  Knowing there was no way on earth that I could carry it home I left it there and went on my merry way.

Over the next day or so that candlewick bedspread kept calling to me - especially after I'd checked the prices they sell for on ebay.  So Wednesday morning I went back only to find, yes, you've guessed it, it had gone - as had the other one with a lot of missing tufts.  Dagnabbit, now I really really wished I'd bought it, irrespective of the condition because even if it had been worn smooth in places it would have made a wonderful backing for a patchwork picnic blanket.  I'd also been kicking myself for not buying the large red and navy leather clutch bag I'd come across in the other charity shop.  Nevermind, thought I, I'll go and console myself with buying that instead.  Hell and damnation, that had sold too.  I was not happy with myself and kept thinking about the adage of he who hesitates all the way home!

So, fast forward to this morning and a trip to Billericay.  I primarily went because I wanted a few tasty bits and bobs from Waitrose.   Did you know there was such a product as Marble Wax available?  No, neither did I, but Waitrose sell it.  I came across it whilst looking for neutral shoe polish (which they didn't have!!) Anyway, I digress a little - whilst in Billericay I naturally checked out the charity shops too.  I got a couple of things - mainly some rather snazzy T-shirts for my nephew and a couple of books that were totally useless for selling on Amazon - grrr! 

I also came across a gorgeous Liberty wool shawl in the Oxfam shop.  When I first read the price tag I thought it said £12.99 (sadly that price wouldn't entirely surprise me in Oxfam) but on closer inspection I saw it was only £2.99.  It was the classic Liberty peacock feather print in blues and greys and was really rather nice.  I thought I'd better fully inspect it before parting with my cash, only to find that it was peppered with tiny holes - as if it had been shot with buckshot.  I suspect the moths had been at it.  I put it back on the shelf.  When I came home and had a look on ebay I found that an identical shawl had sold for £43.00 or thereabouts - and that one had holes too and had lost it's Liberty label as well (the one I saw had the Liberty label firmly attached.)  B*gger!

Finally, in the last charity shop in the High Street, I came across a really vintage Cluedo game for £1.00.  It was in lovely condition for its age but sadly lacking the tiny revolver.  I'd never seen such an old version of the game and the box had c1949 on it.  Stupidly I decided not to bother to buy it because of the missing revolver and then discovered that even incomplete 1960s and 70s vintage Cluedo games sell well on ebay.  Double b*gger!!

I did find a rather nice pair of vintage frilled candy-striped pillowcases for £1.50 and at least had the sense to buy those.

Drawers

It never fails to amaze me just how much I can cram into a drawer and then totally forget about it.  We've only had the new double bed with storage drawers for just over a year and yet when I had a root around in one of them today I managed to find all sorts of 'stuff' that I had forgotten about.  Some of it was a welcome surprise to 'find' again

like these knitted corsages I made goodness knows how long ago.

They were all made using Noro Kureyon yarn, pure wool felt and a vintage button for the centre.

They were carefully stored away in a bag in the drawer and I'm glad they've resurfaced again as I'll list them on ebay in the next couple of days.

Someone might be in the mood for brightening up a late-winter / early-spring outfit with one of them - they are quite jolly and spring-like with their bright colours and flower shape.  (If anyone here is interested in one please get in touch - they're £4.95 plus P&P {£1.25 to UK, £2.00 to rest of the world} - they measure approx. 2.5 inches across - not including the leaves.)

Naturally, I also came across a whole load of cr*p that made me seriously wonder why a) I'd ever brought it into the house at all and b) why I'd then stored it away in a drawer.  A few more items were taken to the charity shop again this morning - I'm becoming a very regular donator at the moment.

Today I Have ....

Washed up an incredibly large amount of dirty dishes - how can one person create so much?!

Made pumpkin soup.  Well, actually I made butternut squash soup as they were on 49p special in Aldi last week but they seem to turn out much the same as pumpkin soup.  Recipe from the rather wonderful Covent Garden Soup Book.  Mine is a slightly older copy than the one shown on Amazon and it was 50p from a charity shop some years ago.  Lovely soup recipes, I can highly recommend it.

Roasted tomatoes and garlic and made a tomato sauce to have on pasta for my evening meal.  Hmm, perhaps it's all this cooking that is creating so many dirty dishes.

Hoovered the upstairs of the house, including removing swags of cobwebs from the ceilings.  I haven't actually seen a spider for months but those little varmint are obviously around judging by the amount of webs they're leaving behind them.

Finished off making a Mother's Day card for Mum.  Yes, Mother's Day is unbelievably early this year in the UK.

Stripped and changed the bed and have now got the washing maching going full blast, ready to hang it all out in the morning.  May I just say how lovely it is to have such a run of dry weather - even if it is still a tad chilly with that nagging NE wind.

And, finally, just remembered to check my Premium Bond numbers - I'd somehow forgotten we were actually now in a new month - and found I've won £25.00.  Yay!!  Gotta love National Savings and Investments at the moment when interest rates are so low for savers. 

Handbags at Dawn

I'm not a great one for handbags and I don't know what really propelled me towards the large pile of bags in the charity shop this morning but I'm glad I had a look as I came away with a rather spiffy looking shoulder bag for £2.00.

It's a dark tan leather bag with a lovely long strap which means I can wear it across my body (really the only way I feel comfortable wearing a handbag) and has lots of room inside.  I do have a lovely Radley shoulder bag (I love Radley things - I think it's the little Scottie dog logo which does it for me) which is great for going out for a meal or somewhere that doesn't necessitate me carrying all sorts of cr*p with me but for everyday use it's a tad on the small size. 

My new bag has a slight look of the old bus conductor's money bag, or the sort of bag I remember the milkman collecting his money in - but is saved from being totally utilitarian by some rather fancy brass studwork on the front flap.  There are lovely heavy brass-tagged zips all over the place and a really useful magnetic snap to the front.  I'm very pleased with it.

There was also a huge leather clutch bag in the same charity shop in really lovely bright red and navy blue. I was tempted but, seriously, my clutch bag carrying days are long in the past.  Anyway, as I handed over my £2.00 I heard another of the helpers say loudly in an aggrieved tone "I donated that bag and it was really expensive, it came from Holland."  I think I'll give that particular charity shop a miss for a day or two otherwise there might well be handbags at dawn!

Slattern*

There's nothing like some strong Spring sunshine and a few visits to immaculate houses for sale to make me realise that when it comes to keeping the house clean I am undoubtedly a slattern.  How did it happen that the place got in such a pickle? when did everything in the bathroom become covered in a fine miasma of talcum powder? how long had that piece of sweet wrapper been behind the settee? and when, exactly, did I last clean the windows?  

Now that the whirlwind that is P packing to go on his travels in the Far East has departed, I can (oh joy!) get down to the never-ending task that is housework.  I have to admit I find housework incredibly boring and tedious and although I love the end result the getting there is just dire.  However, having viewed two stunningly immaculate properties on Friday and with the sun showing up every teensy weensy little bit of dust around the place, I have - albeit reluctantly - decided that I really must get my act together and start cleaning this place with a vengeance.

Yesterday was the bathroom - including scrubbing the grout between the tiles with an old toothbrush (it still looks a bit yellowey to me) and scrubbing everything from the ceiling to the floor to within an inch of its life.  Today has been vacuuming all the floors downstairs (including behind the settee) and then washing the wood floors (and who knew that I'd apparently never moved the umbrella stand since we moved in here five years ago - you would not believe the dust and cobwebs behind it and the number of completely knackered umbrellas shoved into it.) This afternoon, amongst other more interesting things to do, I've cleaned the windows at the back both inside and out (the sun shining on them was showing up too much grime even for me!!)

Tomorrow I attack the floors upstairs - gah, that really is something to look forward to on a Monday. 

*Defined in the dictionary as 'a slovenly woman or girl' - why not a man or a boy I wonder?   Anyway, I love that word - makes me think I should be in a Hogarth painting clutching an opened bottle of gin.

Passing Ships and All That

We're just over half-way through mine and P's current 'ships that pass in the night' phase.  He went off on 13th February to Switzerland (part business, part family visit) and arrived back on the Monday evening before I went off to Bristol the next day for a week.  I arrived home on Tuesday afternoon and tomorrow P departs to the Far East for a little over two weeks (all business this time.)  I think I've correctly calculated that we will have spent a grand total of four nights together out of a total of 37! 

Add to this mix one birthday (P's, not mine,) a blocked kitchen drain (fabulously unblocked by the local handyman - yukity, yuk, yuk, yuk, what a vile task,) and appointments to view three houses tomorrow before P flies out and these past few days have been fairly manic. 

The washing machine has been on three or four times in the past 36 hours - luckily the weather has co-operated brilliantly and all the washing has dried / is drying fantastically well - and the ironing board has practically become a permanent feature in the kitchen.  I am quite looking forward to the weekend when I can actually stop worrying about what needs to be washed, dried and ironed before P packs his suitcase, and can finally put my feet up and relax.

In the midst of this frantic activity (and these days I'm not really used to being manically busy,) I still managed to find time yesterday morning to call into the charity shop.

I brought home these rather nice vintage sewing notions and four pairs of extra long knitting needles in large sizes (you don't come across those very often) as I am a very cack-handed knitter and have to be able to tuck one needle under my arm in order to knit.  I paid £2.00 for all the knitting needles and the notions.  The velvet covered buttons are really nice - and a good large size too.  There were loads more vintage fabric-covered buttons in the tin too but, sadly, most of them had rusted.