Attic24

Number 24 :: One Year Today

I am having such a bright and gorgeous day today, there is blue sky and sunshine yet again in my patch and I am glad. I am full of the joys, full of those little fluttery bubbles of happiness that make me want to skip down the street like a big kid. Today is a happy, bubbly day and I am so glad you have popped in to say hello and share it with me, you are so very welcome. H e l l o !!

As you may know, today happens to be a special day for me and my little family, because today is the day that we are celebrating one year living here at number 24. This exact day last year, we were arriving in this new town, this new street, this new house with all our possessions in the back of the removal lorry, accompanied by all the excitement and apprehension that a change of location/house/school/nursery brings to ones life. It was an exciting, scary time. And I still remember that day so well. Still remember that amongst the chaos and the upheaval, the boxes and the mess, there was an overwhelming feeling that we had finally arrived H O M E. That this house was the right house for us, and that our new life here would be good. 

And oh it is!! Good that is. Life is good. And I am celebrating today, celebrating the warmth and happiness and comfort and security and belonging that I have found in this house. I don't think I've ever felt so attached to a place before (and I have lived at 15 different addresses in my life so far, in seven different city's/towns/villages). Like I say, life is good.

So. Do you recall that on Wednesday, when I was rambling away about Parcels and Lovely Things, I promised a little G I V E A W A Y ?? In celebration of my first housey-versary?

Well I spent a fantabulous time yesterday up in the Attic, getting reacquainted with my sewing things. I had to crawl into the cupboards under the attic eaves on my hands and knees to get at some of it, had to re-arrange furniture to set up a little working space, but it was all good fun.

I have not accomplished a great deal of sewing this year, and it has been an age since I had to think about designing something. So it was exciting and challenging to do this little project. I knew I wanted it to be something housey, and so this little textile picture was imagined, drawn, cut, pieced and stitched.

I am nervous, can you tell?

Can you tell how much I am hoping you like this little housey picture?

Can you just imagine my fingers crossed behind my back, imagine my wishful thinking??

There is a lot of love and happiness in this picture. I had such FUN making it!! I had forgotten how hugely exciting it is to create with colour and fabric and thread in this way, yes, I truly enjoyed every second.

My little cotton fabric scraps were snippety snipped (fifty two individual pieces cut for this picture), and stitched with love by machine and hand.

I designed and made it a bit like a fabric postcard. It has the same dimensions as a  postcard :: it measure 15cm x 10cm, and fits nicely into this Ikea Ribba frame (it's the 18x24cm one).

And there's more. After the picture, I could not stop. I could not drag myself away from the fabric, threads, ribbons and beads in the Attic. So after the Little People were tucked up in bed, I sneaked back into the Attic to stitch this little cotton and wool felt house. Such fun!!

 

I've made it as a keyring, as I had made one for myself once before and love being able to use something small and handmade every day.
 

So :: this is what i am thinking :: if you would like to receive these handmade housey goodies as a gift from me to you, all you have to do is leave a comment at the end of today's post.

I'd like you to tell me a bit about the house where you live, maybe what it looks like, your home style, what's your favourite thing about living there. 

And I'll draw the winner in one weeks time, on Friday 5th December.

I can't wait to hear all about your houses and homes :: nothing pleases me more than talking House-and-Home (well possibly eating cake comes a close second).

And for the record, one of my favourite things about my home is, as you would expect, the Attic. That little room up two flights of stairs which has given me so very much. A room to create it in, a room that inspired me to start my blog, and that view across the town to the hills. Love it today, in the hazy winter sunshine, more than ever. You can read a little more about Number 24 here.

And just before I go, a view of my hyacinths, which seem to have reached their peak. They look and smell  just beautiful.

Have a wonderful weekend, whatever you are up to :: we are away tomorrow, on a little jolly to the Lake District. I love weekends away (we are Youth Hosteling again), and will no doubt be telling you all about it....
....see you next week
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A Tale of Two Parcels

As the title of todays post suggests, this is indeed a Tale of Two Parcels. It's a simple tale and by no means extraordinary, yet as I sit down with a cup of coffee to write it, I am almost overwhelmed by the emotion of it all. I do tend to come over all emotional when presented with brown paper parcels, I get all sort of jittery and fluttery and heart-beaty. You may remember me recounting a very similar tale not so long ago, when the postman delivered a surprise package containing one of Vanessa's paintings? I am absolutely delighted to say that since that time, Vanessa has opened her very own Etsy shop and her gorgeous water colours are now for sale. And if you decide to purchase one of her paintings, it will arrive on your doorstep wrapped to perfection :: there's something about receiving a beautifully wrapped parcel that totally makes my heart flip. I mean, really and truly, the paper and string and tags and notes should not matter, yet of course they do. A great deal. They make one feel special. And appreciated. And that's quite something, don't you think?

But anyways, on with the Two Tales.....

Parcel # One :: The Surprise Gift

When I sit at my computer to write my blog each day, I do not have any great expectations about gaining anything much. I am not attempting to boost sales, to fish for compliments, to gain recognition. But all the same it is very very nice to feel appreciated, and to know that by some miracle, my words and pictures do reach out into the world and generate little ripples of inspiration, happiness, brightness. And in turn, each and every one of your comments sends it's own ripple of happiness and brightness back through my window, like a ray of sunshine. That's truly how I see it, and how I feel about blogging. I absolutely love the rippling connections that take place back and forth between me and you, the giving and receiving that occurs in both directions between blog-writer and blog-reader. I think it's absolutely fantastical.

And occasionally, these ripples decide to make themselves more tangible, become more than words, and I get a request for my address in order that a "little something" might be sent my way through the post. If you had any idea what this does to me, you would laugh your socks off. I get so ridiculously excited at the prospect of mail arriving, I drive myself loopy. Really. And if aforementioned parcel is going to be coming all the way from the United States, so taking Extra Days to arrive, well it's bonkers. I start to stalk the postman, start to watch the front door around about 11am or there abouts.

This surprise gift took four days to arrive. Posted on a Friday, it arrived to me the following Tuesday.

I knew it was coming, knew who it was from. But the contents were a mystery.

I admit I was very unrestrained with this poor parcel, in fact, the brown paper packet got ripped to shreds. No careful unsealing at all, just good old Excitable Uncontrolled Ripping.

Inside, a gift from the very lovely Cathleen, who writes the most beautiful blog herself, called My Sewing Serenity. Do you know this blog? Have you seen the Lovliness that goes on there? Well it's an absolute delight. In fact you could say that Cathleen and I fill our respective little worlds with very similar heartfelt passions, and the ripples that pass back and forth between our blogs are colourful and inspirational in both directions. There's crochet and quilting and buttons and baking and flowers.

And there's hand made soap too. Oh this is the soap of my dreams! It smells beautiful, and is wonderful to use :: soft and suddy and fragrant.

And did I mention the fabric? Cathleen has a fabric stash made in heaven :: take a looky here and you will see what I mean. And now I have the delightful responsibility of owning eight new colourful fat quarters and wondering what I shall make with them. I added them to my recent Kaffe Fassett purchases and I think I might have the beginnings of my very own fabric stash (oooooo how I love that word!)
This gift made me cry with gratitude. The way it was sent to me just because I Brighten The Day, made me feel so special.

Cathleen :: xxx (( A heart full of thanks )) xxx

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Parcel # Two :: The Special Order

This parcel arrived yesterday, and I am still head over heels about it. This parcel I had been waiting for :: waiting patiently for it to make it's way to Attic24 from across the pond. And unlike the first parcel, I pretty much knew the contents of this one, yet it made it no less exciting, especially because the spotty packing tape had me in raptures before I had even opened the paper. I mean, colourful, SPOTTY packing tape, how utterly delightful!

Inside the box, a purple bag.

Inside the purple bag, a brown paper parcel tied with spotty ribbon.

My heart is banging, and I feel all fluttery and jumpety-jumpy, I am almost beside myself with the thrill of it all.

Inside the brown paper parcel tied with spotty ribbon is a mound of bubble wrap, and a cutesome little envelope sealed with a spotty sticker. A Little card, thanking me for purchasing this Special Order.

Want to know details?

Want to know what my "Special Order" is?

Really?

Really-really??

Wanna see?

Right now?

Ok.

If you insist.

Here it is...

::

::

::

::

::

Ta dah!!!!!!!!!

Its my very own, beautiful, wonderful, colourful Attic24 House. And I am totally in love with it.

This is the work of an exceptionally talented US artist named Sarah Ahearn. I cannot for the life of me remember how I first came across Sarah's work, but it was love at first sight. I love everything about it. I am a big fan of Mixed Media work, and I love the use of text in artwork, although not sure why exactly, but it really appeals to me. I love Sarah's use of colour and the recurring themes that feature in her work :: flowers, fruit, birds, houses.

Sarahs art work is most usually sold as prints or original paintings, but sometimes she makes these little decorated wooden houses. And as soon as I saw them on her blog in the Summer, I knew I had to have one.

And there followed some emails and discussions about what I would like on my very own house, but truthfully I left it mostly to Sarah to do her thing. And Oh!!!!!!! Didn't she do me proud?!

You can see that she has gotten to know me very well through reading my blog. She has included some  wonderful details that make this house truly, uniquely mine. There are my my tall summer flowers, the blue sky with the two birds that can often be seen sitting on my rooftop (they are a pair of jackdaws, who regularly caw-caw down my chimney pot), the view of the hills, my name and the words "Home Sweet Home" and of course my little Attic24 window up under the eaves.

Since it arrived yesterday, I've been moving this little house of mine all around the place, looking at it this way and that, wondering where it should come to rest. Right now it's on the mantel in front of my Moroccan mirror (I like the way the mirror allows you to see front and back at the same time). It already feels like it's been here forever, like it belongs in this house.

Sarah :: xxx (( A heart full of thanks )) xxx

This house, this house that has given me my Attic24, we will be celebrating together on Friday.

It'll be exactly one year since we moved in and I will be giving a "heart full of thanks" for that fact. For the fact that I am so happy living here.

Maybe a little Attic24 housey giveaway?

Oh yes, lets do a giveaway, how exciting!!!

Day after tomorrow? Yes the 28th, you and me in the Attic, for something colourful and Housey?

Can't wait, see you then...

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Cottony-cushiony goodness

It's been a whole fortnight since I talked crochet on my blog :: I do like to chatter about other aspects of my life in between times but sooner or later you know there's gonna be some hooky goodness coming from the  Attic24 household. It's inevitable really. 

But before I begin, please if you don't mind can I just mention one or two itsy bitsy blogging-related things? I've been checking in on my stats the past week or so, just to see how things are ticking over, and I was astounded to see just how many people are now regularly hopping to the Attic each day. Its getting quite busy through here! Over the weekend my page-view counter miraculously went past the 100,000 mark. Now to little ol' me, this is hugely incredible. Really :: I am thrilled and excited and loving my little corner of Blogland more than I ever thought possible. So can I just say, to all of you who take the time and trouble to drop in each day, that I love having you visit. You make my day shine.

And also I would like to say, in my bestest french accent,  "Bonjour et Bienvenue" to all the new French visitors that have found their way to me via this blog, as well as what I assume is the french equivalent of the Granny-Along blog. I did love the way that Cecile described my blog as being somewhere to "Flaner dans la couleur" which babelfish translated as "to stroll in the colour". Love that.

So, what's all this today? Cottony-cushiony goodness that's what. I don't suppose you remember way-back in the Spring when I started on this cushion cover? It was a small sort of in-between-afghans project, bridging the gap between the Granny and the Ripple. The pattern is a simple no-seams granny square, and I found it here (scroll down to the bottom of the page). I actually finished the crochet side many months ago, but had been pondering what to do at the back. I didn't fancy crocheting another square (it's quite big, 18inches across), yet I didn't think a fabric back would look right either. And then I had this idea :: I could use an old jumper, preferably one knitted in cotton as opposed to wool, which would match the cotton yarn used on the crochet side (my lovely Rowan handknit DK cotton). So I've been keeping my eyes open during my sporadic visits to charity/thrift shops, and last week I found the perfect candidate. Its a beautifully well worn, soft cotton jumper made by the Edinburgh Wool Mill, and in the perfect colour too.

I used one sleeve and the front of the jumper to make up an envelope-style back, cut slightly larger than the crochet front. I went round the edge with a zig-zag stitch on the sewing machine to stop it unraveling, then pinned the two right sides together and stitched them by hand with cotton yarn. It was a bit rough and ready, but it worked out just fine.

When I cut the front of the jumper, I thought it would be a nice touch to use the bottom ribbed edge, which would save me having to think about the unraveling tendencies of cut knitting here. I then used a contrasting shocking pink cotton yarn and a 3mm hook to crochet directly into the jumper edge :: two rows of single crochet, the second row having little chain loops added in at regular intervals. Button-hole loops see?

 

And where there are button-hole loops, there are brightly coloured buttons. My new button stash to be precise, purchased on Sunday when I visited the northern Knitting and Stitching show in Harrogate. Aren't they delicious??? I spent rather a long time gathering these buttons out of big Pick n Mix bowls of different sized buttons. I meticulously picked out as many 18mm buttons as would fit in my little pick n mix bag (133 when I counted later). I was probably the worst possible type of customer, and I am sorry Mrs ButtonCompany to have taken so much time at your stand being so jolly picky and needy. But I love these buttons very much, thank you.

So I finally stitched this cushion together last night, and am rather pleased with how it turned out.

I especially like the buttony back. And I like the fact (very much) that this cushion is already an immediate hit with the family, that Little Man spotted it as soon as he walked in to the room this morning and came to tell me how much he liked it.

The cushion is made from the same coloured cotton yarn as my hex blanket, which incidentally is coming on a treat. I have not much more to do, maybe 20 or so more hex's and it's done.

And lastly, here we have the view from the Attic24 window :: 11:53am this morning.  See how shiny-happy the weather is here today? It's joyful, it really is, and although it has nothing whatsoever to do with cottony-cushiony things, I just had to share it with you.

Hope you have a joyful, colourful, sunshiney day today too. Got some more colourful goodness to share with you tomorrow, see you then...

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Orange and Raisin cookies

Hello, how are you today? Good I hope, I really do.
All well here I'm pleased to report, I am feeling so very much better than I was on Friday, and I thank you for all your get well wishes. Little Man is no longer hot and limp (woohoo) and is happily back at school today, and although I am still sniffly with a funny deaf-in-one-ear thing going on, I think I am over the worst. And I am glad.
Its been a lovely morning here today, we have been blessed with such a lot of sunshine in my little corner of the world recently and oh I am so happy about that! I love this late Autumn sunshine very much, it makes daily life shine. And I do like Shiny Happy, especially on a Monday morning.

As soon as I came home from the school run this morning I decided to bake cookies. Aside from  wanting something nice to eat, I had an urge to fill the Attic24 house with the smell of baking and this recipe does just that. I can smell it now as I type, and it's quite wonderful.

I've been meaning to share this recipe with you for a week or two now, but have been slightly nervous. You see its my first ever "own" baking recipe and I needed to make sure it really was good enough to pass on. So this is the fourth batch I've made and yes, if I say so myself, I think they are scrumptious. They are sort of a cross between a rock bun and a cookie, they are soft and moist and really (what word to use??) well they are really mmmmmm. Yeah, thats just it, mmmmmm.

As well as being mmmmmm, these cookies are also lovely and orangey, and I am having a slight crush on all things orangey at the moment. Lemons have been left behind with the summer months and I am enjoying feasting on zesty clementines and big juicy orangey oranges which we always have in the fruit bowl.

So, into a bowl (red and spotty) put the following ::

• 100g plain flour

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 50g soft brown sugar
• 50g soft butter/margarine
• finely grated rind of half a small orange
• a little freshly grated nutmeg

Rub together with your fingers until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Usually when I make cakes or biscuits, I tend to employ the mechanical whizzy method with a blender or processor or electric whisk. I had kind of forgotten the simple pleasure of using my fingers, of getting right in to the cookie mixture. It's great!

When the bowl is full of beautifully zesty crumbs, mix in 80g raisins, or dried fruit of your choice (I thought dried cranberries would work well here actually).

Then add 1 tablespoon (15ml) of freshly squeezed orange juice and mix quickly with a fork until the mixture starts to come together.

The mixture will be quite sticky, but don't worry, it will work out.

Heat the oven to 180 / 350 / gas 4, and line a  baking tray with baking parchment.

Then using your fingers or a spoon, dollop lumps of the cookie mixture onto the baking sheet, spreading well apart :: I manage to make 12 cookies in total. Do not squish the dough together, they should look rough and lumpy and should not be handled too much.

In my oven I bake for 15 mins maximum, but often check after 13 mins or so. You want the cookies to still be soft to the touch on top and only very lightly golden. Do not overcook or they will be hard and dry once they cool. And hard and dry is not nearly so enjoyable as soft and moist.

I think these are best eaten on the day they are made, and bestest still when they are warm from the oven. But be warned they are exceeeeedingly moreish. And are very likely to be snaffled by any Little People in residence. I do really feel appreciated in my house when I make these, I love to witness a good, satisfying post-baking Snaffle.

Sniffly-sneezy

We aren't well here today. I've got the beginnings of a sniffly-sneezy head cold and Little Man is home with me too, sitting on the sofa under the granny blanket in his pj's, looking decidedly limp. You know that particular way that Little People look when their Little Bodies are dealing with a temperature :: downturn of mouth, furrowing of brow, drooping of eyelids and limpness of body. We were both up for a considerable amount of time in the night, him with a body almost too hot to touch, and me struggling not to panic about it. Things do tend to get slightly dramatic at 3am.

We have baked some buns together this afternoon. I find I always have an urge to bake when the children are ill, a sort of stress reliever for me and a mild diversion for them. It works to a point.

But because I am not feeling great myself today, I find myself in the most unusual position of actually Not Fancying my own baking. I know, an exceedingly rare experience it has to be said. I have instead eaten a handful of mixed nuts, a banana and two satsumas. Hot water with lemon and honey to drink. Oh how very healthy and sensible, not like me at all, I must surely be under the weather.

I wanted to quickly show you my hyacinths again today :: they continue to provide a huge dollop of cheerfulness around here, which is most welcome on sniffly-sneezy days.

The flowers have begun to open, although sadly I cannot actually smell them yet. I don't know if its because they don't have a scent, or because my nose is stuffed.

They are beautiful in their freshness and simplicity.
And quite simply I am loving them.

And on a completely un-related note, with no relevance what-so-ever, please can I show you my latest bit of household kit?
Yes, it's my new feather duster. I've never owned one if these before and I am wondering how I ever managed to do Housekeeping without one?
Oh, we are great buddies already, it's amazing how much pizazz an implement such as this can put into the tedious chore of dusting and de-cobwebbing. Its enormous fun swirling this thing around the coving.

I also wish to say ((t h a n k  y o u)) so much for all your wonderful comments about my cosy homely home post yesterday. It was lovely to hear your voices echo what I do honestly feel myself :: that my home is turning out to be a rather warm, friendly, relaxed, cosy, colourful place to hang out.

Have a wonderful weekend my friends, stay warm and happy and don't forget to make some time to snuggle with your loved ones. Thats what I'm about to go and do. Right now :: the sofa, my Little droopy Man and my blankets are calling me.
See's you all next week.
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Cosy Homeliness

Question :: what does one do do if ones home ends up in such a mess that one does not know where to start with putting it right?

Answer :: ones goes about inviting a friend to come and visit, so prompting an essential remedial clean and tidy mission.

This particular invited friend cannot just be any old friend :: it has to be someone who's own house one knows to be the most beautiful, desirable, inspirational, clean and tidy abode. Naturally, it's the obvious solution. Invite someone to your house who's style you admire enormously and who's opinion means a great deal, and there you have it :: Instant Motivation. Doesn't everyone do this? No? Surely you do? (cummon, own up, pleease?)

Well now, it damn well worked, this plan of mine. Knowing myself so well, I was certain that my friend's imminent arrival on the Attic24 doorstep would give me the motivation I needed, and I was right. I have had many Complaints from the Management about the state of the house in recent weeks, but quite frankly, complaints from the management do NOT tend to motivate me, they just make me smolder quietly.
So yesterday saw me spend a considerable amount of the day and evening attending to the forgotten business of Keeping House. And it was erm....fun. Yes, it was, I surprised myself to be honest.

Now I don't want to bore you with the ins and outs of how sporadic my housework regime is, don't want this post to become a Housework post, but more a Homely one. In fact, once I got down to business, it didn't take an awful lot to put the place to rights.
And I am certainly enjoying the sense of peace and tranquility and Cosy Homeliness that has descended on  Attic24 today, it's been a pleasure to be here. Really.

I dug out my red gingham table runner that I made last year for Christmas. Tidied the table and the bookshelves which were both hiding under a mountain of paperwork. Tidied the Little People's art and craft corner which was beginning to invading the entire room. Tidied/chucked away magazines, letters, papers, brochures, toys, yarn, letters, tools, stationary, shells, leaflets etc etc etc.

So. Much. STUFF.

And I am so happy now that all is tidy(ish) and my little fairy lights are twinkling and the dusty bits have been dusted and the bitty bits have been hoovered. I even feather dustered some cobwebs, which was quite something. It has made me feel so happy! yaaaayyyyy!!!!

My friend Sarah is a delightful, funny, bubbly, creative soul and we do love a good natter about all things crafty and homey. We went to Knit and Natter together this morning, which was great fun. In fact, you can thank Sarah cos she's the one responsible for teaching me the joys of crochet. It was she who last summer, frogmarched me to the shop to buy a hook and a ball of yarn so that she could teach me to crochet, because she had just learnt herself and knew instinctively that I would love it. And how right was she? Love it? You bet.

You can tell what sort of a lovely friend she is, because the above gifts were dug out of her bag upon her arrival. A beautiful heart that she had made, and a wonderful bundle of biscotti biscuits tied with gingham ribbon. Gosh, I was close to tears. Yet again, for the umpteenth time in recent weeks, I was made so happy by the kindness and generosity of friends.

Thank you Sarah, today was such a pleasure. Hows about we make your visits regular, maybe say once once a month, you know, to keep my house in check? See you soon then, don't be gone too long.

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London Shopping :: Part II

Hello, good morning, and welcome to the Attic24 Lovely-Things Show n Tell!

I can't tell you how much fun I had yesterday, unpacking my bags and styling  a little photo shoot  so's that I can share all my recently purchased goodies with you. I love taking photographs, love playing with pretty things and it's so nice to be able to show you everything I bought, to share it with you. Nobody else around here is remotely interested in the contents of my bags, well hang on, not strictly true, because these first two items have generated a lot of excitement amongst the two Littlest members of the Attic24 house. The above little wooden Christmas tree came from Paperchase, and it is already out of it's box and on our table. A bit premature for Christmas, but honestly, the pester-power was ginormous. And what fun the Little People had decorating their very own tree, it was delightful to watch.

But even  more popular than the little wooden tree is this Christmas Tin (from John Lewis). Awww it's so cute, I think I bought it as much for me as for the Littl'n's. What you can't see from the photograph is that the tin contains a little music box inside :: when you wind it up, it plays a wonderfully tinny, nostalgic, beautiful rendition of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town". Oh how we love it! And as well as containing musical loveliness, there are also brightly wrapped chocolates inside :: the Little People have begun a routine which involves an immediate post-breakfast dash for the tin, followed by eating a  chocolate each to the sounds of the Christmassy music. I'm sure they shouldn't be eating chocolate for breakfast, but hey-ho, it's so much fun I haven't the heart to stop it now. I have a feeling this tin will be around for many, many more Christmases to come, and I love that thought. Love it very much.

Next up, a couple of the cards I bought in Paperchase. I love to buy cards for myself, little snippets of inspiration which for the price of a few pounds give me a lot of pleasure. I have a box full (and I mean full) of cards which I have collected over the past twenty years, and one day, when my Attic Studio is up and running, I intend to create a large Inspiration Wall to display cards such as these. I have a surprising number of cards which feature patchwork quilts/blankets, I just love them so much.

Now you can see we are at the Haberdashery :: red christmas ribbon (Paperchase), East of India Ribbon (Liberty), a much desired CK button tin (John Lewis),  beautiful glass beads (John Lewis) and pretty mother of pearl buttons (Liberty). Ahh I do so love a good Haberdashery Haul!

These glass beads from JL just had me from the start. I simply HAD to have them, no question. I have no use for them (yet), but the very bobbly, colourful, frivolousness of them nearly had me in tears. Only I could get so emotional over haberdashery, honestly, I am quite a headcase sometimes.

Similar emotions with these Liberty buttons :: serious heart-flipping desire, followed closely by wanting to cry, then a fidgety sort of jumping from foot to foot when I decided I HAD to have them, then nearly peeing my pants when I realised how much I had actually paid for them.

And if you think beads and buttons had me bad, imagine the state I was in over this gorgeously tissue-wrapped bundle. Oh boy, I was really in a lather here.

I think I mentioned briefly yesterday how much I love Kaffe Fassett fabrics. And coming face to face with a whole wall of them in Liberty's was seriously exciting for me. I have only a very modest fabric stash, I have never really had available cash to buy fabric for the sake of it. But this is exactly what I did on Saturday :: I decided on a complete impulse that I would not only stroke this fabric and photograph this fabric, but I would actually treat myself to this fabric. Just Because. And I am So glad I did. It is beautiful, colourful and inspiring. I look at this fabric and I am inspired to sew, to make some sort of happy, colourful patchworky something or the other. Not sure what yet, but of course you will be the first to know when I do decide.

Aren't the colours just fabulous? I bought 30cm lengths of each, so not a huge amount really, but enough to cause me to get hot when the amount ker-ching-ed on the till. Incidentally, the top two fabrics in this pile are actually Amy Butler designs (also for Rowan).

Some Country Living goodness now :: I treated myself to two more mugs by Susie Watson, as they were a special price for two at the fair. Her stand at the fair is always huge, and always very popular, deservedly so. I do love her designs, both the patterns, and the shape of the things too. It's a pleasure drinking coffee out of these, really it is. Paper napkins were also bought, and cute paper cake cases too. My paper napkin stash is coming on a treat, the pile is almost at teetering stage.

Ah yes :: Greengate. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Greengate! There was a stand at the CL fair selling just Greengate products, and I spent a long time here. I picked up various items and put them back again (honestly, I was close to broke by now), settling in the end for three lovely tea towels, which the kind lady discounted for me because I purchased three instead of one. These are being added to the in-the-attic-not-to-be-sullied pile of tea towels, as they are intended for my tea-towel quilt. I'll try and remember to photograph this little stash pile next week to show you how it's coming on, because it is absolutely delicious (see here for a reminder of what I'm on about)

When I go to the CL fair, what I like more than anything is to come across the work of talented crafts people. There are not that many there these days, you have to search them out, spot them scattered in between the mass-produced made-in-the-far-east type products, But I love to see and buy British Handmade, love it very much.

This gorgeous boat was made by glass designer Ann Wood. And what a lovely young lady she was! We chatted about a love for the sea (she lives on the coast of West Sussex) and she told me how she beach combs locally for the driftwood and shells used in her work. As well as these charming little boats, she also made the most fabulous glass and wire chandeliers, oh they were so quirky and wonderful. A bit out of my price range, but I really did admire her style and talent.

So. Thats all folks. That's me officially spent out and satisfied until March 2009, when I shall do it all again. Although Lovely C and I are pondering a January trip to London which will be mainly centred around the delights of Marylebone High Street, aren't we Lovely C?

Thank you so much for your generous enthusiasm and sharing, its been an absolute pleasure. Right, I'm off to reacquaint myself with long forgotten cleaning products and my dusty old Dyson :: I've a friend coming to visit tomorrow (we will be going to Knit and Natter together, what joy) and my house is looking...well, words can't describe really. As husband of mine keeps quipping "too much Blogging and not enough Housework".

Yada-yada-yada.

xxxxxxxxx

London Shopping :: Part I

In my everyday life, living as I do in a small, rural market town, retail shopping is small scale, local and very modest. And in truth I am not a spendy sort of a person. I don't really indulge myself very much, live week by week on a modest cash budget, don't use credit cards and save up for bigger purchases. I buy 98% of my clothes from charity/thrift shops, and I wear those same few clothes week in week out, year in, year out. And I'm happy with that.

But twice a year, in March and November, I make the trip down to London by myself on a totally self-indulgent, inspirational shopping trip. I don't pretend it's anything else :: don't try and do Christmas shopping, don't do clothes, don't do food, don't shop for anyone else but me. On these trips, it's all about me, me, me. And boy does it feel good.

Well to be more accurate, it feels fan-bloody-tastic!

If you could've seen me sitting on the train during the three hours it took me to get to London on Saturday, you would've seen me fidgeting and squirming in my seat unable to sit still. I was SOoosoosososooo excited, it was almost unbearable. I had already purchased my Travelcard in advance, had my Shopping Route all planned out, knew exactly where I wanted to go, which shops would delight me the most. And I really, badly, desperately hoped to be delighted, hoped to be thrilled and amazed by the Big City shops I planned to visit.

Seven hours is what I had at my disposal, and if you'd like to come along with me, I'll give you a taste of my day.

First stop was the big flagship Paperchase store on Tottenham Court Road. Oh how I love this shop, fondly remembered from childhood visits. I love the stationary, the walls filled with coloured writing papers and envelopes, the beautifully designed notebooks, the cards, wrapping papers, ribbons, pens and (at this time of year) the Christmas decorations. Sadly I didn't think to take any photographs in this shop as I was too busy oohing and aahing, but it was a great start to my day.

After Paperchase, I walk very fast back down Tottenham Court Road, turning right onto Oxford Street and along to John Lewis. I love department stores, I love them very much. I browse my way through many lovely departments (including stationary, gifts and Christmas) before riding the escalators up to the 4th floor for haberdashery. I adore escalators, love the thrill of them every time, but especially at Christmas when the decorations are hung in abundance. It's glitzy and over the top and I am delighted by it all.

And Oh! Can you imagine me in the haberdashery department? Can you just picture me trying not to hyperventilate with excitement, giddily rushing around back and forth between the fabrics, the trimmings, the ribbons, the threads, the crafts, the beads, the yarns?!

I try to absorb everything, take it all in :: the colours, the textures, the complete desirability of everything the haberdashery department has to offer. Mind you, despite the total, near-to-yelping excitement factor, I was very restrained here. I bought glass beads, one solitary ball of yarn, a button tin. Some stick-on wiggly eyes and Hama beads for the Little People. But I love all I bought and am already excited for the next shop....

....onwards I go, down Regent Street to visit one of my all time favourite shops :: Liberty of London.

Stop to admire the flowers for sale at the front of Liberty's before rushing on in through the big heavy wooden doors to see inside.....

.....and I am not disappointed. It's just as i remember it to be (quite a few years since I was last here). It is dressed to the nines for Christmas and quite spectacular.

I do some idle browsing first, enjoy wandering aimlessly through the many wood paneled rooms, admiring the very shop itself as much as the contents within. Its so grand! So very utterly, extravagantly divine and expensive and grand!

But as much as I enjoy the oriental rugs, the expensive chocolates, the beautiful stationary, the luxurious bathing products, the silk scarves, the gorgeous tableware, the out-of-this-world furniture, I am really just saving myself for the fourth floor. The Floor of Temptation. The Floor of Liberty fabrics and the Rowan Department.

I am totally overwhelmed in the Rowan room. I have a major crush on Kaffe Fassett's/Rowan fabric and quilt designs and it's a long while since I've seen them in real life. In here, jostling for my attention are some real life, totally gorgeous quilts made up in Kaffe Fassett fabrics, a huge range of the fabrics themselves, books, threads, tapestry kits and a large selection of Rowan yarns. It is heaven. I had not intended to buy fabrics, but I am totally overcome with desire here and unable to stop myself. Before I can think too hard or do the maths, I yank eight bolts of fabric off the shelves and stand back to  witness the fabric being expertly cut, folded, wraped and then the  k-e-r-c-h-i-ng of the till. I manage to blow a quarter of my spending money in about ten and a half minutes flat. And it's so exciting that I nearly pee my pants. I can report that the Liberty Ladies Loos are very easy to find and conveniently also on the fourth floor.

After the excitement of Liberty, I make my way to my final destination which is the Country Living Fair in Islington. I have already had so much fun, and find I am beginning to wilt slightly, but I do my best and enter with spirit. It is humongously busy, absolutely heaving with shoppers here. And I am hot and tired and weary. But nevertheless I spend a good two or three hours visiting practically every stand in the show. Its very inspirational, very festive. Lots and lots of decorations. Lots and lots of Shabby Chic. Some nice individual stands amongst the usual suspects. All in all, yes I love it and find some nice things to buy.

And when I'm done with it all, I get myself a cup of tea and go in search of Kathy, to introduce myself and say hello. Kathy, it was LOveLy to meet you, it's wonderful when someones blog comes to life and the person behind the words and pictures becomes real. I'm sorry if I was a bit vacant and wilty, I was so desperately tired and totally shopped out!

My train left London at 5.30pm, and although it left on time, it was delayed by one hour en route. So it was 9.30pm by the time I staggered through my front door, and I was pooped. All the way home on the train I had been thinking of my bed. Had been looking through my purchases, thinking of bed, reading a bit, thinking of bed, dozing a bit and waking with a stiff neck, thinking of bed.

I could not get to my cosy, feathery, ripply, rosy, snuggly bed fast enough. I was asleep within minutes, dreaming of fabric and buttons and yarn and ribbons and decorations.

Yes, I had a wonderful day, and tomorrow I promise, I'll show you what I bought. Show you what came home in my stiffy, cordy-handled bags.

Hope you'll join me for a Lovely-Things Fest :: its gonna be so much fun sharing it with you!

xxxx

Edited to add :: oh I meant to say that if you haven't already done so, please do go and read Hen's blog, she did a similar shopping trip last week and her photo's/descriptions of the Country Living fair and Liberty are super.

The Day after the Trip Before

Morning! I am in recovery. Yesterday's trip to London was Exhausting, Exciting, Exhilerating, Energising. And did I mention Exhausting?? I was dead on my feet when I finally dropped in through my front door last night at 9.20pm. And as I went out the door at 6.25am, it's what you would call a Long Day. This morning I am drinking coffee and getting ready for a trip to the park in the fresh November sunshine. Followed by someone else cooking me lunch, a spot of crochet and a glossy magazine on the sofa. Nothing more strenuous than that.

You know you've had a good shopping trip when you come home swinging several weighty bags. Not just your average plastic carrier bags, but stiffy cardboard bags with corded handles. And when you are too afraid to look at the receipts and work out how much money was spent.

I had such a wonderful time. I totally indulged my personal passions :: mugs, teatowels, napkins, buttons, ribbon, christmas decorations, wool, fabric, pretty things. Liberty and Greengate. Rowan and Kaffe Fassett. Scrumptiousness all round.

Wanna see what I got?

Stop by tomorrow and I'll unpack my bags for you to see.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

T-i-r-e-d

Tired today, oh so tired. I cannot shake off this blanket of sleepiness that has wrapped itself around me.
I confess I don't feel like my normal jolly self today.
I feel worn out and achy and moochy and a little bit bleugh.
I am sorry to come to my little jolly happy bloglett and be all moochy on you, but that's the way it is today I'm afraid.

We are approaching our first anniversary living in the Attic24 house, and oh my, I love this house more than ever. But we are approaching a time of change and upheaval on the home front and there is lots of stuff that needs my attention right now, quite a lot I am trying to make happen in this tired old house of ours.
And as much as I am looking forward to giving our home a much deserved new lease of life,  the thought of having builders and plumbers and electricians and decorators piling in through my door makes me shudder. But it's one of those things that has to be endured, and I will have to grin and bare it.
True, I am reacting a little prematurely as work won't actually begin till after Christmas. But I can feel the weight of it all on my shoulders, the dealing with Tradesmen, the waiting for quotes, the arrival of quotes, the money issues, the endless decisions and choices. And I'm tired. And I don't feel like speaking to the electrician, the plumber, the joiner.

I am going to London tomorrow, very early, my train leaves at 6:50 for it's three hour journey down the spine of the country. I am excited, yes I am. Just need to shake of the t-i-r-e-d blanket and find where my joie-de-vivre blanket went and hid itself.

Right-o, I'm off to make myself a cup of coffee, off to raid the rather large box of Thorntons chocolates at my disposal.

See you sometime next week, a bit chirpier then I hope

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Edited to add :: 2:15pm, I have spent the day so far reading through countless blogs (including a lot of my own archives, which were oddly comforting), drinking coffee/tea, eating an unspeakable amount of chocolate, followed by peanut butter and squashed banana sandwiches for lunch (yeah really),  and baking some cookies (second batch in oven as I type). The latter activity has me REALLY  excited because it's my very own recipe that i just made up and they have turned out super, a sort of hybrid rock bun-cookie recipe, oh I am SO THRiLled with myself!!! Hahahahahahaha!!!! Will share recipe with you next week.

Feeling very much brighter and perkier now. I contemplated deleting earlier bit of todays post, but decided no, this is me, this is real, this is my life. Downs as well as ups. Have a fabulous weekend you lovely people.

xxx