PUTTING YOURSELF UNDER PRESSURE...........

Why do we do it?  Constantly putting ourselves under pressure to achieve something. I like so many had so much pressure when I worked that eventually my hair started coming out! Yet here I am retired, well, not too poor and possibly the envy of a lot if today's workers and I am still giving myself time schedules as if it really mattered to anyone but me. Daft I know, but how to cure myself I have no clue.
At the moment I am cross with myself because my decorating mojo seems to have left the building. Whether its the combination of short dark days, freezing temperatures and the occasional snow blizzard,

(A pain but oh so beautiful)

or just a case of too much in a short space of time before Christmas. Whatever the reason I cannot motivate myself and so I have decided to stop beating myself up about it and to concentrate on those things that have to be done, customers orders and decorations for our grandson's birthday party at the end of the month and then to just do whatever takes my fancy!

At the moment this means dressmaking and alterations.
My wardrobe cull is going well, several coats and dresses sold on EBay and more ready to go, and a fair pile for the local charity shop. All good stuff I hasten to add, having watched that Mary Portas programme on the tat that is offloaded to many of the shops, and I am trying to stick to my new mantra one in one out!
So during the cull I came across several items I really liked, but no longer fitted. Some were colours which I have had to really search for and I was loathe to get rid of. So what do you do but become your own alterations shop and I am very pleased with the items I have done so far. One pair of dark brown bootleg cords now straight leg, one pair of rather wide legged tweed trousers which not only fit but are a much better width for my small frame (and height! being decidedly vertically challenged),  and the chartreuse skirt which I made a while ago now several inches smaller. So three more items I don't have to replace.

And then  I came across this Vogue pattern from several years ago, which I never made up.

 Vogue 2659 

 So I rummaged through my boxes of fabric and found some fairly firm brown jersey and in a couple of hours had this......

 So I don't quite look like the model, but I love it and am so taken with the fit have found this rather super piece of stretch denim fabric to make up the skirt and am trying to decide what colour tee and jacket to make.

 Not too sure about the crops though I suppose I could again use stretch denim or something similar to make them a bit more classic for this old bird.

So you see although I am a bit sorry not to be reporting on my brand new bedroom, my hands will never be idle, nor I suspect will my wardrobe be empty!!

Off to track down some lovely gabardine, and perhaps some striped jersey.............

TTFN

Jenny xx