Four days since I wrote anything but what a lovely four days. I was happy to have a visit from one of my stepdaughters, Kirsty (I do have a daughter called Kirsty too so a bit confusing sometimes) with her wee two year old, Mia. It was lovely to see them both and I made us some Lemon Muffins for morning tea. No, surprisingly not out of the Edmonds cookbook this time but from a muffin recipe boo. I was able to help Kirsty with her resume and job applications so hopefully it will help.
On Saturday, another of my stepdaughters, the lovely Renee, and two of her stepchildren and one of their friends, popped out in the afternoon. Aisling is due to sit her driving test tomorrow so this was a practice run for her to drive out to see us. I always love seeing Renee and I was doubly privileged because she and Aisling came out for the bag workshop yesterday afternoon along with one of my friends.
We had a lovely afternoon and the three girls went home with a bag they had made themselves quite proudly. I was really happy as this was my first workshop in my studio, using my own design (see the bag design on the My Designs page). I had cut all the fabric out for them and all they needed to do was sew it together. I have several packs made up for this design so if anyone would like one please contact me (email: ruthj01@iprimus.com.au). The packs (includes original design & instructions, fabric for outer bag & lining, and iron-on pellon) are $25.
My next workshop (June 26) will be a cushion, again of my own design.
Today I was very disciplined and very productive - finishing off a bag and four cushion covers and starting a table runner with some scraps left over from the bag. I am trying to be very, very good and not buy fabric for a while (unless I see something that I really have to have - fabric shops for patchworkers/sewers are like lolly shops for children) but use up my 'stash' which is quite substantial. I do try to keep as many leftovers or scraps as I can, cutting them into squares. I have small plastic drawers labelled with the size of the squares from 1 1/2" to 5", other drawers with bigger pieces of different hues, plastic containers with even bigger pieces for fat quarters, homespun, flannel or fleece, nursery fabric and larger pieces (metres, half metres).
And that's not all. There is more. That is just the fabric I have told you about. There is still my patterns, books, magazines, battings (wadding), threads and other craft items.
I am still trying to become more organised and every now and then I have a big "sort out" and reorganisation.
I just love my studio and am so grateful to WH (wonderful husband) for letting me use the garage as a studio. I have managed to furnish it with cupboards pulled out of a couple of houses we have renovated, old dressing tables and chests of drawers, bookcases and tables. Except for my cutting table and small desk for the laptop and, of course, my actual sewing equipment, nothing in the studio is new. We have plans to remove the roller doors and replace with sliding glass doors and we have a lovely chaise longue in the house that I will also put out there. I have drawn and redrawn plans for the layout of the studio and it is, at present, an ever evolving creation as I work out which works best where. I even have (and yes it is new) a TV on the wall on which I occasionally watch Sunrise and the Today Show but always, when I am home, Coronation Street and Emmerdale.
I can hear the protests out there but unfortunately (well I think fortunately myself) I am a self-confessed Anglophile and love anything British (of course I have British - Scottish and English - ancestry), devouring magazines, travel guides and books based on anything from that neck of the woods. WH and I travelled to UK in 2009, but only spent 10 days there before moving through France, Belgium, Luxemburg and Germany to Denmark (where WH was born and where he has a lot of relatives).
There is still so much of Britain (and indeed Europe and the rest of the world) that we want to see and are planning a journey next year.
Tonight I spoke to my beautiful sister, Frances, in NZ. Her eldest daughter, Tania, arrived in London last week and I am looking forward to hearing her updates and photos as she tackles the daunting task of settling down in a 'foreign' country so far from home, getting her bearings and finding a job. I wish her all the best but I am so envious of her opportunity.
The photos I have added today are of some of the creatures we see in our 'backyard'. Enjoy them and all that nature offers. I am so happy and grateful that I am able to see them and take pleasure in their freedom to just be.
I joyfully say thank you to all who contribute to my life.
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