Some Thoughts on Denim and Other Things

We went into Leeds on Saturday morning* with a list of things to buy. One of the items on the list was new jeans for me. I hate buying new jeans. They are never long enough. They never have my size. The ones I like cost £180. The cheap ones always seem to be super tight when you try them on but loose and baggy after one wearing. I live in my jeans and need them to be right. Also, I really hate they way shops display them in neatly folded piles. Yes, it looks tidy and it's very convenient for the staff, but when you're a customer with a three year old in tow and you're already holding a shopping bag and another item on a hanger that you might want to buy, how are you supposed to check the size of the pair of jeans at the bottom of the pile? Should you headbutt them and then pick them up with your teeth? I like to mess those piles up on purpose. I was actually scrabbling around on the floor in The Gap yesterday, searching the bottom shelf hoping that they would have my size in ANYTHING with a straight leg (they didn't) and I thought, this is ridiculous. I came home very grumpy indeed. And, in a sulk, I ruthlessly went through every pair of jeans in my wardrobe, hoping there would be one magical long-forgotten pair hiding at the back, but of course there was not. And so I threw out seven pairs that are too short/too old/too boot cut/too worn out including one very expensive pair I bought in Bloomingdales 8 years ago when our suitcases were delayed in New York.

I had to do some crochet just to calm down. 

In other news, I have been sewing like crazy to make things to sell on stalls in November and December. More on that another day. The weather has been glorious this weekend, blue-skied autumn perfection. We went to Kirkstall Abbey this morning. It's one of my favourite places in Leeds as it feels so peaceful and like you could be in the countryside, and the kids love climbing over the ruins. They rode their bikes and scooters around while John and I regretted not wearing coats and stamped our feet to keep warm. I went for a run this afternoon then watched Strictly Come Dancing with the kids on the sofa. I LOVE this programme. Bella loves the pretty dresses and Angus does some hilarious free-style dancing in front of the television while watching it. Then John cooked a steak and Stliton pie for tea. It was incredible. I will post the recipe later in the week. So, a better Sunday than Saturday.

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Do you remember that Cath Kidston room in a shoe box competition Bella And I entered? Well, we didn't win, but you can see the two winning entries on their website here - honestly, they are so wonderful! And if you follow that link and go to their facebook page you will see our little kitchen in their collection of favourite shoe boxes (we are number 38 - how exciting!) Plans are now under way for a shoe box bedroom...

Thanks for reading everyone and hello to new visitors, you are very welcome! I hope you all had happy weekends whatever you were up to.

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* Oh, when will we ever learn?? Leeds city centre is no place to shop with children. Each time we all come home, grumpy, tired and dissatisfied, but then (like childbirth) we forget how awful it was and, a few weeks later, one of us innocently says "Shall we go into town on Saturday? Maybe have lunch out?" NOOO! It's just not possible.

A Felt Ball Garland

Hello there! I hope you're all having a good week. I'm feeling very crafty at the moment (Autumn always does this to me) and have been busy on various makes all week. Operation Add Colour To The Living Room continues, with a cheap* and cheerful decoration for the mantle piece. And so easy! I could make these all day long. A few weeks ago I ordered some felt balls from Etsy. I picked a seller which let me choose the individual colours rather than a random selection, aiming for colours which would sort of go with the the grey in our living room, without being too matchy-matchy. 

These little balls are so tactile - they feel light but dense at the same time. I couldn't stop touching them and weighing them in my hand. The kids and I had lots of fun rolling them around. I did leave them in this bowl on the coffee table for a week or so and just admired them.

I like the way the balls pick out the colours and tones in my crochet cushion.

To make the garland, I simply threaded a needle with some pale cotton thread and pushed the needle through the middle of the felt ball from one side to the other. You do need to make sure your needle is longer than the ball before you start though, in case it gets lost in the middle.

Keep threading the balls onto the thread in your chosen order, then tie a little knot very close to the first and last ball, to stop them sliding around everywhere.

Then hang from where ever your heart desires; mantle piece, bed, wall, shelf. Just think of the colour combinations you could choose! Oranges, browns and black to tie in with Halloween, red and white and green for Christmas, a pastel Spring garland...so much fun to be had. I'm excited just thinking about it! They remind me of my Cable and Cotton lights, except the bulbs wont go in my felt ball garland.

Wouldn't an all white and grey garland made from the smallest balls make the most gorgeous Christmas tree decoration?  A modern take on tinsel. In fact, once October (or Broke-tober as we are calling it in this house) ends and John gets paid, I may have to order some more...

Cheap, colourful and easy-peasy, you can't say fairer than that! Have a lovely weekend everyone. x


* Total cost (including postage) was £9.68 or $15.

I Knitted A Hat!

But first things first, thanks for all your very kind comments on my last post, and hello to new followers and commenters, it's lovely to meet you! The Christmas cake...let me explain. My Dad and I have for some years now had a little tradition where he and I make my Christmas cake together (this being his sole Christmas Cooking Duty and so of course he is an expert). Since my parents live 250 miles away we have to grab the baking opportunities when we can, and so we made it at the weekend. Actually, we started it together then Dad went out for a ride on John's bike and left me to it, so maybe I have passed some kind of test.

I am not one of those scary, organised people who declares that all their Christmas shopping is done by the end of October, making the rest of us feel inadequate. But I do love Christmas and, for me, the planning and list writing and making and shopping and wrapping and baking, the whole build up, is where the joy lies. So yes I have made my cake, there is one less job to do in December. And I always buy my Christmas pudding.

Anyway, the hat. It's not for Bella, it is for me, but she is a much prettier model.

Yes indeedy, it is true, I actually knitted a thing that was not a blanket or scarf or cushion!! I made a hat shaped piece of fabric (I decreased stitches!) and I knitted the very attractive stocking stitch (I purled!) and then I sewed it up and ta-da! a hat was made (I followed a pattern!!). This is big deal for me, and I am happy. I feel as though I have overcome a knitting mental block and I feel much more confident about the other knitting possibilities there are out there.

I used the pattern, needles and yarn we were given on the knitting course I attended at Baa Ram Ewe in Leeds a couple of weeks ago. It's a simple unisex hat with a garter stitch border and stocking stitch main section, knitted on UK size 10 needles with chunky Freedom Wool. It knits up really quickly, I made it in an evening, and while I didn't like working with the yarn (too fluffy) it does make a rather cosy hat.

However, I did find the hat a little plain, a little dull, with it's football stripes and lack of detailing, so I put my thinking cap on and made a felt flower.

But this was no good. The flower was too big, too childish. I looked like a cross between Robin Hood and a flapper from the 1920's. John took one look at it and just said "No". I was cross with him at first (I mean, after nine years of marriage, you need to learn when to lie) but he does have an pretty good eye for all things clothes related so I gave it some more thought.

And then I plucked up the courage to overcome another crafting mental block and I crocheted a flower. I used the May Rose pattern from the Attic24 blog. The step by step tutorial was so good, I understand now why so many people use her blog for patterns and advice, it really is brilliant.

Yes, I am aware that it is an easy flower, but up until this point I have only made granny squares, and I still find crocheting into a stitch tricky, but it is getting easier.

I am so pleased with the flower, and the hat, and the pink, green and cream colour combination and, well, all of it really. I have been wearing it every day and I've been very glad of it as the last few days have been really cold.

Have you ever overcome a crafty hurdle and found a world of possibilites opened itself up to you?

Autumn Weekending

Knitting a hat (more of that later in the week)...

Tidying the garden ready for Winter...

Enjoying the last bursts of colour...

Making the most of the fine, sunny weather.

Picking the last of the sweet peas...

Baking jam tarts...

Baking a Christmas cake...

Patching my favourite jeans...

Admiring the soft, golden sunlight...

Enjoying the weather and our local parks...

Crunching leaves underfoot...

Glueing some leaf art...

Admiring the leaf art...

Bringing some of the outside inside...and loving the early morning light in this picture...

If you'd asked me earlier how my weekend was I would have thought of the poorly children, the endless doses of Calpol, the broken sleep and the almost constant whining and monkey-clinging from Angus and thought...my weekend was hard work.

But now, as I look back through these photos I realise that, actually, it was a rather lovely, cosy Autumn weekend, despite the illness and tiredness. My parents came to stay and so Bella and Angus enjoyed many cuddles, stories and undivided, patient grandparent attention.  They helped an awful lot in the garden, and I enjoyed some precious knitting/crocheting and chatting time with my Mum, something we don't get to do together very often. And it appears we achieved rather a lot over the weekend. No wonder I'm tired today! I hope you all had a great weekend too, and hello new followers, it's very nice to have you here. I'm now going to make a cup of tea and catch up on my blog reading. That's if Angus will let me.

Harvest

Last weekend, Bella, Angus and I snipped the heads off every single lavender bush we have so that l can make lavender bags. I don't think they could quite believe their luck; they had totally free reign to snip away in the garden without me shouting "don't cut that!", and were a very happy and cooperative duo of child labourers. I spent half an hour shedding each stem of it's flower head and leaves, then scattered them all over an old sheet. I've put this on the top shelf of the airing cupboard in the bathroom where, hopefully, they will dry out.

In a flash of "know your limits" inspiration, I decided to keep the sachets simple. I love hand sewing. I do not love machine sewing. So, I will keep these very quick and easy, just a very little muslin bag embroidered with a lavender stem, tied with purple ribbon. 

While we're on the subject of purple, Bella had to dress up as a character from a Roald Dahl book last Friday. Bella is not a fan of dressing up, and Willy Wonka, Oompa Loompas, Fantastic Mr Fox and witches were all rejected by Madam as potential ideas ("They're for boooys"). We compromised on Violet Beauregarde from Charlie and The Chocolate Factory (if you can imagine what Violet might wear if she were going to a birthday party...) Purple dress, tights, bow and shoes. I love the shoes. And Bella has a new party dress for her hectic social life. Double win.

Aren't those shoes perfect? I want a pair.

Have a good weekend everyone, and thanks for stopping by and reading. I'm sorry I haven't been replying to comments so much lately - it's a time thing. I can either reply to comments, or visit your blogs, and while I'd like to do both I can't. I love visiting your blogs and saying hello and seeing what you've been up to. x

From my kitchen this week...

This colder weather makes me want to cook and cook and cook. Here are some of the highlights...

A surprisingly wonderful loaf of bread, made with half white and half wholemeal bread flour. It kept so well, and was still good for sandwiches two days after baking.

Minestrone soup, warming and nourishing and delicious.

Beef and ale stew, the stuff of cold autumn evenings, with a glass of wine.

Weekday breakfast - a smoothie made from banana, milk, espresso powder and chocolate powder. Breakfast should not taste this good.

Red velvet cupcakes, one of my favourite kinds. A moist, mildly chocolately cake with cream cheese frosting - heaven.

I can't claim that I grew these pears myself, or even that I bought them from my local, organic farm shop, but these supermarket bargains were sweet and so juicy that they had to be eaten standing over the kitchen sink.

Not photographed but eaten regularly in this house...endless platefulls of fish fingers, pasta pesto, cheese on toast, jacket potatoes, beans on toast...comfort food. What are you cooking and eating lately?

All this cooking means lots of eating, so all I will say is it's a good thing I've been running more. I've entered a race in November and suddenly it seems that there aren't many weeks to go, so I need to do more "training" (ahem). Last night it was the monthly 5 kilometre time trials in my running club. Everyone just turns up and runs against themselves. It's hard work. But the worst bit was the long walk home, through absolutely torrential rain. When I got home I could wring water out of my running clothes and my fingers were so cold that I could barely get undressed. A hot shower never felt so good.

Bella's Bedroom (Thank You Charmaine!)

All of a sudden it's October. Where did September go? I am still adjusting to the pace of life here with Angus at nursery. I thought this new phase would bring me hours more time to myself, time to read and craft and blog and make...how foolish of me! I have two hours to myself on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, during which time I go to the supermarket, run errands, do housework, cooking, ironing, basically all the jobs which ensure the smooth running of a happy house.* On Tuesdays and Thursdays, after helping at Bella's school, I have an hour before I have to set off to collect Angus at 11.15am. I wonder if it's worth even going home? But I do, because it's amazing what you can achieve in one hour when there are no small people around. I have less time, not more, and it's taking some re-adjustment on my part. And, once again, I am full of admiration and respect for parents who juggle jobs with childcare and running a house.

I hope you all had a nice weekend. Ours was a good balance of pottering quietly at home on Saturday and seeing friends, fresh air, visiting a castle and a huge roast dinner on Sunday.

Anyway, to Monday's business. Last week I was extremely fortunate to win a giveaway by Charmaine at little nest box, and I chose the felt rainbow garland. I should confess that I am already a fan (and a customer) of Charmaine's shop; she creates simple, modern and very beautiful decorations for children's bedrooms. I was very, very happy to win her giveaway! As soon as the package arrived, Bella claimed it for her own and, credit to her, I knew the garland would work in her bedroom.

Have I ever shown you Bella's room? I'm not sure if I have. Here are some glimpses of tidy corners. She has a simple wooden bed made by my father in law. It is unbelievably heavy. I made the cushions from curtain off cuts with some easy applique. The canopy hanging over her bed is from Ikea. Bella doesn't go in for overly-princessy decoration (thank goodness) but we both like the mosquito net look of it.

The Eames coat rack used to hang in our hall but it never looked right there, so we moved it to Bella's room. The snooker ball colours work so well against the white wall and it is a handy place for tutus, ear muffs, skipping ropes and other essentials for life as a five year old girl. The shelf holds some framed bits and bobs and my mum (ever the primary school teacher) created Bella a "reading corner" with a chair, hamper full of books, and a rug. 

Anyway, back to the garland.

We tried it here, strung over some framed Eric Carle prints:

Then here, on the wardrobe door handles:

but Bella finally settled on here, looped across the head board of her bed:

The rainbow circles echo the pattern in the canopy, and we can easily move it around. A string of rainbow circles - so simple, yet so utterly beautiful. Thank you Charmaine.

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*said with irony