Flossie Teacakes: Lined, zippered pouch / make up bag tutorial

Flossie Teacakes: Lined, zippered pouch / make up bag tutorial: I'm so making these as presents!

New Years Resolution

Well...here we are in 2015, a whole new year to mess up enjoy! Although I've had this blog for 6 months I've done very little sewing, mainly due to also planning my wedding but now it is a new year and I've got lots more time to spare and have a brand spanking new sewing machine to try out. In fact sewing more is one of my new year's resolutions. I have plans to make some pjamas and a skirt and dress for myself before I go on honeymoon in May and on annual leave in June, as well as having promised my husband that I would sew him a shirt being inspired by Fiona from Diary of a Chainstitcher and her lovely shirt and also Peter from Male Pattern Boldness with his sewalong of a Negroni shirt.

Usually my resolutions are always the same: lose weight; save more money; get a new job but this year I'm trying something a bit different. I read a post in internet land (http://offbeathome.com/2012/12/a-year-of-resolutions) about making monthly resolutions instead of yearly ones as people are much more likely to stick to them. So twelve one-month challenges here I come:

·       Alcohol-free month – this is currently being done in January, not only is better for my liver after it’s Christmas beating but I'm also cutting down calories to help with weight-loss so it will help with this. For a while Chris and I didn't drink in the week and only had a glass or two at the weekend which worked really well. I think that after our dry January we might need to get back to that.

·       Take a photo everyday – last Christmas (2013) husband bought me a snazzy DSLR camera so I've had it a year now but I don’t use it nearly as much as I should so that’s where this goal comes in. Not only will I get more use out of it but I think using the camera everyday will help my techniques and skills improve. This might be a February challenge as I'm going on a photo course at the end of January so will give me opportunities to practise what I learn.

·       No takeaway month – I enjoy cooking a lot but living opposite a Waitrose and round the corner from a Dominos/Chinese/Indian I do get lazy with my food and am swayed by all the tasty treats. This will be a really hard one for me and the husband but it has to be done to prove we can do it, better for bank balance and better for our waistlines & health as well. I have an awful habit of buying food, planning out our menus for the week but never cooking what I planned meaning the food gets wasted, I spend more money and it’s on crap that doesn't fill me up meaning I eat more! It’s a vicious circle…

·       Exercise every day month – in my day job I sit at a desk all day maybe only getting up once or twice to go to kitchen or printer. I know this is bad for me so I'm going to try and combat this by doing more exercise. I already do a little bit but doing some every day for a month would be a challenge. And just to clarify I'm not talking about running marathons every day here, I'm thinking going for a nice walk at lunch or a run in the evening after work. I think the offbeat home post had something about running a mile a day; not sure I could handle that but it’s something to work up to I guess! I might have to try this in the summer when I can be outside more.

So there we go… my resolutions for the first third of the year made, just have to think up another 8! Has anyone else made any resolutions? Are you still sticking to them? Good luck with all of your own ones if you've made them!

                                                 

I actually sewed something!!!

Well after having this blog for nearly 6 months I have sewn my first item and shockingly it wasn't for me! Just before christmas I made a stocking for my husband (oh yeah, I got married btw!) We do proper presents but the last few years we've done each other a little stocking £10 limit max and I decided to make his stocking this year instead of using the shop bought ones we've had previously. After much research I went with the EASIEST pattern I found which was from sew scrumptious (  http://sewscrumptious.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/christmas-stocking-tutorial-and-pattern.html?m=1) plus it had a free pattern so a definite winner! And I also bought my lovely christmas fabric from Duttons for Buttons in York, christmas fat quarters with lovely reindeer on them. 

Now considering I made the stocking on the first day of having the flu I'm quite impressed with myself. I had to go and use the mothership's sewing machine as I didn't have one (...yet...more on that later!) here's some photos as I'm very proud of it 

And now to my new sewing machine!! I treated myself in the sale to a little try out machine. It was only £25 (half price!) and does all the basics and is light enough to carry easily. I figure it's enough to keep me going while I learn and then I can get a proper one if I want. I now feel a lot more excited about sewing again, sort of lost interest with the wedding going on but now I'm looking forward to the summer and have plans of at least a few made by me items and possibly shirt for my husband. Anyway that's all folks...I'm off to the land of nod now! 

a pretty cool life.: Rainbow Bunting Baby Quilt Tutorial

How gorgeous is this quilt and really easy instructions too: a pretty cool life.: Rainbow Bunting Baby Quilt Tutorial:

I think this might be the one that I make for my best friend's little girl once she is born...

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Autumn days when the grass is jewelled...

Can I just say...I love autumn! Come on...who doesn't love crunching those autumn leaves! 

I think as I'm getting older I appreciate the seasons a lot more, especially now that I'm not at school/university with a  timetable which defines when things happen. I think as a child, winter just meant Christmas and the summer meant school holidays and I didn't really notice what happened in-between those times, spring and autumn didn't feature at all. But now I'm a grown up (in name if not in spirit!) I do feel these things more. 

I first noticed the lovely first shoots of spring a few years back after a horrific winter which just seemed to be freezing and snowing for most of it which is unusual for England especially way down in the midlands where I live. The green poking out of the muddy dark ground really lifted my spirits and when the flowers started showing up, well I was a happy lady! 

And now we have a gorgeous and warm autumn (seriously England, sort out your weather!) which has left all the trees with amazing colours. I live in a small town in the middle of countryside and driving to work with all of the reds, oranges and yellows, it really makes the journey a bit less tedious. And there's the added bonus of pumpkin spiced latte these days! I am finding that since husband-to-be bought me my camera last Christmas I look at scenery differently and I'm longing to be able to capture the leaves with some skill. I just wish I had time to go and out take photos but at the moment every spare minute seems to be doing wedding stuff which I know I can't complain about as I want it to be a day full of gorgeous loveliness that everyone enjoys...I just wish I had a bit more spare time! 

Especially I am wanting time to do get on with my sewing, I bought patterns in the summer aiming to make pretty dresses, now with the weather turning I'm not sure if they are really appropriate any more. I guess I'll just have to try and find some autumn/winter patterns to check out. In the meantime I have a little project that I want to start which is a blanket for my best friend's soon to be born baby, the doctors are 99% sure that she's having a little girl so I'm thinking about a nice purple/pink blankie for her. I do like the idea of being able to make something for my friends as it makes a present all the more personal and if it's not done by the time she is born then it will be a great Christmas present for her.

Anyway, I'd better head off as I have wedding glueing and sticking to be doing, I'll leave you with some lovely autumn fun...

Sew Good by Deborah Good: Make a Christmas Stocking

I'm thinking that this might be a nice small Christmas project to do after the wedding, I've even got all excited looking for fur for the cuff and iron on letters to decorate it!

Sew Good by Deborah Good: Make a Christmas Stocking