WHAT I DID ON MY HOLIDAYS....(apologies Haven for pinching your lines)

It was the end of April and a spell of very unsettled weather when we set off on our journey to Lymington for the ferry to the Isle of Wight. A first for me and DH.

 It wasn't any better when we arrived but we weren't going to let a little thing like the weather spoil it for us.

And our super accommodation meant that at least we returned each day to comfort and warmth...

We were based near Brighstone and the scenery and walks were out of this world....

We had a couple of beautiful days and spent one walking about 20 miles!!...I know talk about doing things by halves...and the other visiting beautiful Osbourne House....

 As this is still a Royal household we were unable to take photographs inside, but it was amazing. Far too crowded for my taste, but the view from her sitting room window across the Solent, with all the boats was breathtaking. No wonder it was Queen Victoria's favourite retreat.

On the days when the weather was less kind we found all manner of things to amuse us, you would have thought we were in our second childhood....

Stunning displays in the butterfly park.........

...zooming down country lanes on bikes...trying to avoid the puddles....

...finding the prettiest places for a bit of lunch and retail therapy....... and even a ride on a steam train

.......with a falconry and owl display at the end of our journey

It was a shame we only got to walk on some of the pretty beaches....

....the only place we didn't visit was Black Gang Chine, as it I am sorry to say is a bit commercial now, but we did visit Shanklin Chine and was not disappointed

I bet you are totally underwhelmed by my photo of it....that's because my camera battery failed just as I was about to turn and take one of the waterfall, still there's a reason for you to go and see it for yourself....

It was a fabulous break and over far too quickly, and I am sure if we went again we would still find lots of things to keep us occupied. I would highly recommend it for  couples and families alike. The complex at 'The Needles' with restaurant, sweet factory, glass blowing and of course the chairlift has something for everyone. Again a bit commercial, but you couldn't come to the Isle of Wight without a trip here...now could you!!

Right well I don't know about you but having just read this through I am now gasping for a drink, and no not the alcoholic type.... I am being good at the moment and following the 'MyspecialK' plan to try to shift some of this extra padding I have acquired. I am pretty impressed so far and will let you know how I get on......

I hope you all have a good week, and that sometime soon we will  see an improvement in this unpredictable weather. Take care

TTFN

Jenny xx

DRESSMAKING...... and other bits and bobs

Or perhaps that should be vintage lover no longer vintage shape!!.......

Goodness I have actually got out my patterns and cut out the fabric to make some clothes!...... I can hardly believe it, it seems so long ago that I did this.
 There was a good reason though, buying a top and a skirt in the sales for which I could find nothing to match. The skirt is a beige linen with dusky pink and brown large flowers scattered across it and the top a cotton knit in block stripes of beige, chartreuse and navy. OK the pink in the skirt is a muddy pink and much harder than I thought to match, but you wouldn't think finding a brown T shirt or top would be so difficult! Anyhow, in my fabric stash (for this read mountain) I found some chartreuse linen furnishing fabric (yes you heard right) furnishing fabric, just the right weight and moreover washable, so decided to give it a go. I remembered a pattern I used to make over and over again and dug it out. I think it was a New Look but as you can see it has suffered somewhat from many sewing sessions.

Well what size to do...... When I last made it I made a 10-12 ummmmm....but for once I checked the sizing on the packet.......and horror of horrors I am now apparently a size 18!!!!! Funny all my skirts are still only 12s or 14s and I know I have put on a stone since leaving work, but this was a shock. Still at least if when I pin it it is too big I can always take it in, whereas if I cut it too small that will be that. So I swallowed my pride and cut out the larger size..... And guess what it fitted...perfectly. When it was done I laid it on the top of a new Per Una skirt I bought for my holidays...size 12... funny that they were both exactly the same size!!

Its an awful picture!!

Then I did some digging to see how old the pattern was....about 1985....so be warned if you love vintage patterns and want to make them up, you really do have to be incredibly honest with that tape measure!

My next little project was to make a top to go with the flowery skirt. I found a pattern, a bit newer this time and with a few adjustments made it up in a different fabric to check the fit.

 I was quite pleased once I had lengthened it by about 4 inches, made the V neck a bit deeper (more flattering) and shortened the sleeves.
 I abandoned the neck facing and instead created a ruched band on the right side, an idea nicked from a recent Boden purchase.

 Not sure if I will use the same treatment on the brown one I am about to make, might be too fussy with the skirt fabric being so patterned. I will let you know what I decide. I've really enjoyed the challenge after such a long break from dressmaking, perhaps I will continue now and use the skills I have instead of keep buying things which never really fit properly!


But once it starts to get dark and I have to put on the lights, I do struggle a bit. We are in the middle of  revamping my sewing room and good lighting is one thing we're really tackling. One of the things to look forward to as you get a bit older, learning to sew with your nose ever nearer the sewing machine lol!!  So I have taken to doing a bit of hand sewing to use up some of my increasing pile of scraps...

I have  been inspired by the free download hexi templates by moxyideas to start making some hexies. Whether they will ever become the patchwork quilt I have in my mind we'll have to see, but I am enjoying doing something by hand that I can pick up any time and do as much or as little as I want. I am checking out lots of sites for inspiration on how to arrange them.

 Talk about running before you can walk. I think I have an awful lot of hexies to make before I get to that point!! I might also need to install a generator or solar panels to make up for all the energy used by my super duper powerful light which I need to work by!!
So my pile of things which may get finished one day grows yet again.........

Have you finished anything lately that has been on the go a bit too long. I would love to hear about it ( It will make me feel so much better)

Have a good week

TTFN

Jenny xx

PS after I had used the dressmaking patterns again, I remembered a tip from I think Sandra Betzina. Namely to iron on lightweight interfacing to the back of any pattern pieces you use over and over again. It really does prolong its life and with patterns being so expensive you want them to last as long as possible (perhaps not 27 years though!!)

THE CHARMS OF CHELSEA....

OK, so I know that many of you have been writing about your jubilee experiences and despite being a true royalist it seems to have passed me by, but that's not the real truth.
Indeed I have celebrated like many of you, decked out my garden with union flags and really enjoyed what television coverage I managed to see.
On the actual day June 2nd it was our darling grandsons 1st birthday so we had a super joint celebration BBQ at his home Giddy Kipper towers, and then on the Monday my BIL bravely held another BBQ in remembrance of my darling sister who we lost earlier this year and who had planned on having a right royal gathering. So we have joined in with a mixture of joy and a little sadness.
 I hope you were all able to enjoy the holiday in your own personal way, such a shame that the previous glorious weather decided to dessert us.

...however we were not at all upset that the sun really did shine for us the day we went to Chelsea. Our first time and a brilliant Christmas present from DD and her family.  Well I wont apologise for this extremely photo heavy post as I really do think that the pictures do tell the story.  I will just add however that I was most impressed with the flower marquee, whilst some of the 'designer gardens' didn't quite do it for me. To be honest it was difficult to get near enough to really see them, the crowds were immense. I was glad that I had watched some of the previews on television earlier in the week, so didn't really think I had missed too much!

A couple of the Artisan gardens...love the shepherds hut...

Some stunning floral art outside one of the summerhouses which were styled by various companies, this one by Kaffe Fasset

 and my favourite..... love the colour of those mini foxgloves.......

 Some of the larger exhibits in the Pavilion......

....and some of my own favourite blooms.......

 

 

 some really stunning bonsai.....just look at the colour of this.....

.....the quirky....what else would you use fake grass for....

and finally a couple of those designer gardens....

 

...bet its not hard to guess which was my favourite......

and which was definitely not........

...mind it didn't look bad covered in Chelsea pensioners!!........

.......but despite sweltering in temperatures hitting 30 degrees, walking what seemed miles, paying the price of half a bottle of Pimms for one small glass a good time was had by all...........Thank you Heidi, Steve and the boys for such a perfect present.


Well I am sure you are all nodding off by now so I had better go.
We have been preparing the alcoves for the new shelves in my sewing room today and have started decorating so I hope to have some piccies soon of my little den, until then....

Have a great week,

TTFN

Jenny xx