Another week.

There hasn't been much going on this week to write about. I have finished the Izzy as pictured below.

And had a root canal which was a first, but much less painful than expected.

We have had no snow but a flurry of hail earlier.

It really has been a bit of a nothing week!

How about you?

Fabric, Sewing and Cake - Not necessarily in that order.

My camera battery has died and I can't for the life of me remember where I put the charger. Isn't that always the way. But before it died I managed to snap a couple of pics.

I recently bought a lucky dip fabric bundle and I was getting to the point I was dreading what I would receive and worrying about wasting money. Then this arrived.

It's not all to my taste but it's not a bad lot. I can envisage some happy sewing in this pile. And for now it's adding nicely to my sewing stash.

In fact I started using my off cut stash up today. Just another basic Izzy top but the pattern is so easy and so easy to wear that I find it great sewing.

That's my new pincushion in the picture too. The top part of Izzy is an of cut left from a very cute dress I made small girl when she was still a baby. I have been waiting for something to hit me, I have paired it up with an off cut sent to me by my Aunt in a big box of fabric she gifted me a while back. I only got this far as I was called away by Number 1 son. I was told I had to sit in the living room so I duly went and sat. I was greeted by this.

What a creative husband I have. :) He had ideas to do more detail but the bread sticks holding together cracked and he didn't want to risk it collapsing. I think it's pretty awesome.

It is the climax of cake we have had for my birthday yesterday, mini cupcakes, almond slices, country slices, gorgeous cup cakes as a gift, a banoffee pie and a cheese cake as gifts and this.

Cake anyone?

Like Mother, Like Son.

You must excuse the mess, someone was two and had a birthday tea. But that is not the reason for this post. The reason for this post is the skirt the little madam is wearing, and hasn't taken off since it was given to her by my 6 year old son who made it himself with a bit of help lining up seams and with the casing for the elastic, he sewed it but couldn't get the elastic through it, the pin kept going backwards so I took over.

He did some of it on his own machine which was a gift from Granny and Grandfather and some of it on my machine as it has more guidelines than his for lining up the sewing against.

He has all sorts of wonderful ideas for his next projects. We will see where they take us.

Selfish Sewing 2014

I thought I would have a look at my efforts for 2014 and realised I had more than I thought. It has certainly been a productive year and I have learnt a lot.

Sorbetto made in 2013 but altered in 2014.

Sorbetto number 2

No stripe Sorbetto number 3

Anna slash neck 

Anna V neck

Anna V neck 2 my favourite Anna so far

Serendipity Bebe dress - love this one and I see more in the future

New Look pattern

Simplicity - I didn't sew this but aided the sewer

Home made pattern - I think this may have been 2013

New Look Pattern

New Look Pattern

I have loved sewing them all and I mostly love wearing them. I prefer some to others but that's always the way with clothes I think homemade or bought. And the bonus is they all fit.

How was your 2014?

101 revisited

Way way back in blog land I created a 101 in 1001 list but didn't set an official time scale as some goals were more achievable than others. I decided to revisit that list today and see where things had happened or perhaps taken a completely different turn and to update it accordingly. I was pleased to be able to turn a lot more of it red and I also changed a couple of the original goals as I know that they are just not going to ever happen. It has been a while since I wrote the original list and our lives have changed since then so some of our goals have changed too. You can see the revised list below. I wonder how well I will get on with it this year. There are some things I know will get done. Others I am not so sure. Do you have a 'List'?

1. Make a draft excluder for front door
2. Read top 200 BBC books (not including those already read) - I have started this
3. Craft an item a month (different crafts) x 12
4. Use my rolling machine
5. Take a silver clay course
6. Use ultrasonic cleaner
7. Attend 6 table sales/craft fairs
8. Finish nieces cross stitch
9. Make a Thomas cross stitch for No 1 son
10. Make Xmas baubles for boys - my mother bought me a kit to make beaded baubles
11. Make soap
12. Make No 1 son baby album
13. Finish patchwork quilt
14. Grow own veg
15. Organise all beads and findings 
16. Produce cost list for beads and findings
17. Use the Champney's spa treatments book I was given
18. Learn to use sewing machine
19. Return to pre-baby size
20. Make cheese and butter
21. Go to America and meet in-laws
22. Scrap a wedding page
23. Finish Father Christmas
24. Finish 5 WIP's.
25. Blog once a week for 10 weeks
26. Commit a random act of kindness every month x 10 
27. Make No 2 son baby album
28. Use knotting tool to make necklace/bracelet
29. Make a candle - I rolled a beeswax candle would still like to mould a candle
30. Use leaf whacking technique from garden programme
31. Raise money for YCT 
32. Save each month x 12, pay off any cards
33. Hand make cards x 10
34. Make items using techniques from each book
35. Refresh silver smithing techniques
36. Go to a ballet
37. Go to a musical
38. Make 10 presents in 2011 - this has rolled into 2012 - and a lot more since.
39. Do more home baking with No 1 son
40. Go on a family trip once a mth x 12 
41. Take boys camping
42. Spend a weekend away with hubby
43. Document Bad Taste bear collection
44. Document Tatty Teddy collection
45. Document DVD collection
46. Bring boxes from parents and unpack - we started this then we moved abroad and took boxes back to parents for storage
47. See family at least once every 2 mth (x6)
48. Take 30 mins exercise a week - Not counting running round after children and doing housework this is not proving something I am keeping up with 6 specific episodes! Opps
49. Cook 5 new recipes
50. Try 5 new foods
51. Have a night out with hubby once a mth when he is home - turns out regular babysitters are harder to source this happens now and again.
52. Write menu plans for a month
53. Use Ipod for more then FB - now we use it for games and music too!
54. Upload CD collection to Ipod - started
55. Make a herb pot 
56. Write a proper will
57. Send hubby a care package a week when away
58. Make a list of places to visit and visit them
59. Make sure to have a relaxing bath once a mth x 6
60. Use slow cooker more
61. Clean out kitchen cupboards and reorganise 
62. Go out for walk once a wk with boys 
63. Take boys swimming
64. Return library books on time x3
65. Pay off sofa - we have a new one now! 
66. Niece cross stitch (a different niece)
67. Make nephew cross stitch - this is a WIP
68. Make nephew cross stitch - this is also a WIP
69. Make nephew cross stitch
70. Choose No 2 son cross stitch
71. Try lace making with Mum
72. Attend car event with Dad (not pub lunch)
73. Shop from grocery list no extras 3 mth
74. Read thrift book, try 10 things suggested - 2 out of 10
75. Go on a residential jewellery course
76. Sell an item a month x5
77. Go to bed at 10 every night for a week
78. Sell in a shop
79. Have a facial every month - once
80. Have fresh flowers in house x5 mth
81. Clean out car and wash x 3 
82. Have hair cut every 2 mth x3
83. Sew an item of clothing
84. Customise an item of clothing
85. Buy a home we can call our own
86. Make a housework schedule
87. Try quilling
88. Try encaustic art
89. Plant a garden with No 1 son
90. Scan in old pictures and save to external hard drive - Started
91. Make a paper chain with No 1 son a link a day while Daddy is away
92. Make a jewellery item every week x  10
93. Reorganise bedrooms clean and tidy
94. Get No  1 son his own bookcase
95. Make a welcome home Daddy banner/flag for No 2 son
96. Clear out clutter ebay/buy and sell etc
97. Live frugally for a month
98. Refurbish a piece of furniture - We have started this with a bedside table.
99. Make a soft toy
100. Bake bread once a week x 5
101. Have a night in with friends once a mth x5