A Shoe Story

Once upon a time I saw a picture of a colourful leather bag with a toggle fastening in a magazine and I took down the details because it looked interesting. That led to a catalogue being sent to me with leather kits to make a bag or a pair of shoes or boots , or other leather items.
Now soft comfy navy leather shoes are not always so easy to find, so I sent for a shoe kit as an advance birthday present- remember last year I got to go on the silver chain maille bracelet course? Well I thought I'd start a tradition: a creative project each birthday where I learn a new skill.
Here's the first shoe I made with the SIMPLE WAY shoe kit: it took just under 4 hours of stitching in a York Ibis hotel room as I happened to be there on Tuesday night. ( 7 pm to 11 pm)

I'm pretty thrilled with the stitching but alas it wasn't comfortable on my odd shaped feet so I had to take it back today. I had bought a ticket to the embroidery and fashion and sewing show at the NEC in Birmingham as I wanted to see the bags for myself and see all the colours of leather etc, as I really fancy at least 3 if not 4-5 of the bags also. So this kit led me to take a day off to visit the show.
Before this it was a sunny day on Miss Y's birthday and I saw the first green leaves on this tree at Cuttlebrook. It was also the first day for walking without a coat and for driving with the top down into Aylesbury to take Miss E to physiotherapy .
Miss Y chose a WW pork lasagna recipe for her birthday meal and I had to learn to do it, luckily it went well and it got 9.5 out of 10 as an average vote...
Proper birthday coverage for Miss E and Y to follow with piccies of cakes etc etc.

Now for the SHOW!
I was impressed by the postcard exhibition, all from hobby sewers, rather fun.


Costumes from Downton Abbey:

Mnay textile artists were featured, more than I had been expecting in fact. I usually go to the Ally Paly Knitting and Stitching show instead of this one...
There was a fashion show at 13:00 hrs of which this is a peep.
Big skirts from the 50's, circle cut or gathered over big nett petticoats were featured as back ''in''.

And there was a competition for school pupils age 14-17 : 14 models on different themes, some Audrey Hepburn, some 60's icons...
Although there was some knitting going on, there was very little yarn and no crochet nor any book stands but I DID spy a lady making THIS: in rooster almerino from laughing hens we think...
Lovely colours, no? All SEWN together. I was making a new scarf on the train- I had an hour wait in Banbury- which I will show soon..
This was a booth on ''connections'' and I loved these ZIPPER people...
Some amaaaazing machine- but automated- embroidery....
And truly beautiful sewing: There's a course on CHANEL jackets like this one that I'd like to go on! Includes braid making and jewel neck fitted jackets..
Then I found an artist from Oxfordshire with the most lovely pieces including THIS one, which I was hoping to BUY for our redecorated, re incarnated living room but JJ is a bit lukewarm about it?
I watched many demo's : including bust dart changing, fimo cane and flower bead making, monoprinting with thickened manutex textile dye in a squeezee bottle, needle felting, soklusheet puckering, etc etc But I really LOVED THIS ONE: Making RESIN jewellery pieces...!!!
Maybe THIS is the workshop I should claim for my birthday as there's one just 2 days after my real b'day..?
And then all too soon- especially as I arrived at 12 noon due to trains etc- it was 17:30 and the show closed..BYE BYE!

Christmas pudding time again

It's that time of year again: time to make the Christmas pudding: such a lovely rythm to the year; I'm pretty sure I made it at a similar time last year? This year though I'm making 3/4 of the mixture for 3 of us and 1/4 Gluten free for Miss Y: ie a 900ml pudding AND a 300ml pudding.

Here's the fruit a -soaking: now I know it doesn't look like much but OOOH THE SMELL!!! DIVINE. Just as if Christmas is already here. The kids have already made a few lists and also decided what they're giving us apparently. The 6 Bells in town has a decorated X-mas tree in the entrance. Bit early I think. Then again X-mas cards and toys etc went on sale in September in some supermarkets. Try to catch the sales while people think they still have jobs? Comprehensive Spending Review will likely make millions redundant.

This year it was this stout that JJ kindly bought while I was walking the dogs at Moreton. Not sure it'd be gluten free but what the H. Only for soaking the fruit?

Talking of fruit, did you know Dachshunds like sloes? I managed to pick only these measley few,but Pips andLucy managed to eat lots of large squashy ripe ones they found on the path.

Oh I hope I can go back with a ladder as I do so love Sloe gin and Christmas. Mum used to make it every year and give me a bottle but now I'll have to make it and take her some. JJ has the recipe on his i-phone. ( glad to find it CAN be useful, but mostly it's a nuisance)

Frost and blue skies again today and such glorious berries on the trees; we'll have another hard winter?! Remember last year, all the berries, JJ's prediction and then ALL THAT SNOW in January?

My aubretia is still flourishing in happy harmonious blues even if all my astors have died in the frost.

Red Kites were screeching and circling the house, causing much barking from the dogs.

Lucy.

And Pippa, wonderful eyebrows aren't they?

Did you see the article in Country Life recently? Why dachshunds are TOP dogs! Bought it in Petersfield in September as that COULD be Pips and Lucy on the cover- before /after grooming respectively.

This was the other shot of them. At a school. The article said what characters they were: well:

Lucy looking oh so sorry for herself. I have only these 2 blankets on such a cold hard floor....

That's because minutes earlier SHE had pulled her basket to the other side of the kitchen and pulled the cushion- well chewed of course- and the blanket OUT of the basket. She does like re-arranging things.

Favourite place: SOFA! Favourite activity: CHEWING something.


PS Also note new sweater dress in first piccie? Am so very pleased with this. Long and warm and very cost effective as it was from my beloved TKMAXX. I do love browsing and hunting for designer bits and bargains there.