loom.

For R, and Zoe, who has now joined the rallying call (ahem - bullying - ahem ;)) of people who want to see my loom. I'm afraid you may all be dreadfully disappointed, as its not a massive machine which fills a room, but a small tabletop loom which is collapsable so I can take it wherever I like. You're also going to be disappointed as I'm only going to show you a close up of it in action because at the moment its surrounded by mess, and the photos I took the other week in an attempt to get this post written look like I live and work in squalour. so you'll just have to wait.

Workspace wonders.

With everything thats been happening recently I've been thinking more than normal about my ideal workspace, and theres a lot of inspiration out there once you start looking. I thought I'd do this post as an occasional feature on here, whenever something inspires me.

this one comes from Design*Sponge :

I've wanted to paint a wall with chalkboard paint for ages, and its such a good way of forcing yourself to organise your time!

frocks.

I realised I never showed you the bridesmaids dresses. I think I had some sort of Idon'twantoshowyousoyoucan'tgoandbuythem paranoia about them last year, and then I never got around to taking photos of them after. yes, I got them from work. staff discounts can be useful. The colours and fabric are lovely though, they were the first 'sane' decision I made for the wedding, way back last summer. now I just need to find shoes, wraps, bags and jewellery for them all!

moggies.

For Celia, who just posted adorable pictures of her cat being, well, adorable. Her are some appalling photos of my boys, who are indeed, idiots.

Benny:

and Louis:

and a couple of nicer photos with the new camera:

(sorry about the quality, I ain't no professional)

Hopes and dreams.

notebook doodles

I came home to this on one of my favourite blogs, which expresses the way I feel after today better than I could with words. I spent today back in education on the first of a three day business course. I'm exhausted, but I havn't thought about anything except my own future all day, and its been wonderful. Exhausting but wonderful.

whirlwind.

I've not been here, for many reasons. I almost became so busy that i didn't have time to read your blogs, and comment on them. ALMOST. I have lots of things to put up here, but I'm not sure what to say. I've started this post about 4 times, and deleted it every time so far. lets hope this time is different.

1. First off, and to start on a good note, we booked the suits. James went for a charcoal grey prince edward 3 piece, which is the one where the jackets sit just below the normal length for a suit jacket. He is very tall, as is my dad, and James brother in law, so anything longer would have looked stupid, plus within the realms of wedding attire, we didn't want any of them to feel too trussed up. We found a waistcoat that (colour wise) matches the ties we bought ages ago, and that looks ok with the suits, so that's done.5 men, 2 boys, and somehow we saved a buttload on the figure we budgeted months ago. I think a combination of going down a package with Greenwoods, James dad not wanting a suit, groom goes free if you have more than 5 men, and if you pay in full on the day of booking you get an extra 10% off meant that we spent about half our original figure.
   
2. 
   
   I've had my hair cut short. its no pixie crop, but its short for me, and I love it. I'd been thinking about it for a while, and everyone that I talked to about it said 'what about your wedding hair?'. I don't understand why having short hair poses a problem for my wedding? If I have short hair, and it suits me, that's my wedding hair! So hairbands are my new obsession, I still want to use the lace flowers if I can, so my best friend and I are looking for fabrics in appropriate colours to see if we can fashion one ourselves. the current inspirations/backup plans are :
   
   
   

   brydferth
   

   
   

   and

   
   

   bpoetic
   

3. 
   
   My friends shop opened, and I sold a scarf! I'm so chuffed, I can't believe that someone out there owns something I made! scary stuff. I have a real sense of understanding the idea of one door closing, another opening at the moment. While all this wonderful stuff has been happening, at work we've been told that our shop is closing down. Just ours, not the whole brand, but its very strange. I'm trying hard to find all the good in this, and a lot of the time I can see it (I'm well aware my situation at work is fortunate, although I can't really talk about it yet, this isn't a plea for sympathy post) but I've found the last week incredibly stressful and upsetting too. However, this week I go on a 3 day business course, I'm getting all these ideas for weaving, and places to sell said work, I find its like a path being slowly illuminated in front of me.


4. I'm trying to have some sort of wedding project in mind at all times. I know that might sound crazy, but I have so many projects that I'd love to complete that I can see not happening (did I mention its 8 months today?! argh!) that I want to try and keep on top of them all. This week its been hairband/dylon dyes/music mainly, but darling best friend/bridesmaid wrote me a comprehensive list, complete with tick boxes which made me feel a little bit more in control again.
   
5. I'm sure there was something else I was going to tell you all, but I can't for the life of me remember what it is, so I'll leave it there. Soon, hopefully, I should have some more time to spend with you, and my wedding, and I'm looking forward to it already!

just a little question.

Have any of you ever used this website? giftlistcompany.com

I've been looking for an independent wedding gift list to use so that we can choose things from different shops amd this one seems quite good. They have a shopping emporium with tons of shops you can choose from, there seems to be everything you could want in there! I'm just wondering if any of you lovely people have bought from a list on here, or set up a list on here at all, and what your experiences were? thank you! x

woven work.

I also took some decent photos of my old weaving work one morning when there was some nice light.

Catching up.

I'm not going to apologise again for not being here, it is after all, my prerogative. I've been busy, when I'm not working selling a shocking amount of wallpaper to customers, I've been making various things to sell. My friend is opening a shop in just over a week, and I'm putting some bits in to try and sell. So here is the last few weeks in work and pictures:

Pinnys made from linen, and recycled fabrics from charity shops. in the above case an embroidered lace edged traycloth, below, a mans shirt!

Mini production lines to make more of those sewing kits, here needle books...

and here cupcakes:

(Its amazing how much quicker it is to make things if you do it in a production line. I don't understand why, the cupcakes do proportionally take hours, but it must be something to do with getting into a rhythm or something)

this sewing machine foot has saved my life the last few weeks - I love rolled hems.

Winding shuttles full of wool with a battery drill, ready to weave on my loom. (Ill post a picture soon R!)

So there we have it. That's my last 3 weeks in pictures, and now I'm giving myself some time off work to hoover and iron and sleep and eat.