So excited!

My dear friend A. gave us the most wonderful going away gift - a new cook book!! 

This one looks really good, can't wait to get unpacked in our new red kitchen and start cooking!!! The author is half Finish, half Greek Cypriot and married to an Italian. She grew up in South Africa and brings all these aspects of her life together- pretty interesting mix huh.... 

Not to mention the photo of Tessa Kiros the author, who looks like a glamorous Bollywood actress.  Falling Cloudberries.

Boden

I really do more than window shop.. it's just that I am in that 'witching hour time' waiting for my partner to come back from work... dinner more or less ready and all three children are sitting near me- some watching t.v. and the other serving me some pretend tea.  Just happened to see this- think the sales are everywhere here because summer didn't exactly happen and it's nearly August! Check out Boden now. 

Wednesday's dress

Amid packing up the kitchen pots and pans I called a time out and made Stella another summer dress.  At last it's warm here and it's been a few days since I touched my sewing machine... my days are numbered with my ole clunky Singer machine (too heavy to cart with us) . I call it the summer tomato dress. By the way Stella is starting to stand!!

books

Love this man's art work. 

Cardamom plum torta

Although we have quite the collection of Mediterranean focused cook books I think this guys site will be one I will be visiting quite often Figs Bay Wine- . We walked under a fully loaded plum tree on our way back from the park today and I pondered what to do with lots of plums and this seems worth trying. I do love cardamom. 

*Side note- our reason for needing to leave the park in a  rush was my four year old son scraped his toe (ohhh the drama!!) but this led to a lengthy discussion as regards blood... why do people bleed... what is blood and why do we have it... where does it come from, who makes it...why does it come out...  ohh the questions never end! I was grateful for the distraction of the squashed plums that we passed --  fruit trees...the start of a new discussion. Thus my mind on plums as we reached home. 

 

It's all in the name

Calm Olive branch - need I say more. Thinking a summer dress could be nice made of this (for myself this time). 

Longing north

In the midst of selling off nearly everything in the house (worried about the children going into panic mode) as coffee tables, bookshelves, desks and beds go walking out the door (to be 'looked after' by someone else) I sit during that mid day pause (nap time) and catch myself getting drawn to Danish products online.  Think I will forever have a longing for Scandinavia. Here is a book I am very tempted by.

Perhaps after four years in Malta I can convince A to move to ... say Bergen. 

For the love of Radio

Another very wet day here in Winchester. While Stella napped and the bigger kids were at nursery I skipped spending the morning folding laundry, running errands and organizing dinner to just sit and sew. While doing this I listened to some interesting programs on the radio,  sipped tea and wondered if not sewing from a pattern is such a good idea. 

I was impressed with how supportive (of Obama) and clear John Edwards was in the interview on talk of the nation on Tuesday (NPR) and was in awe of just how slimy Jack Gerard, the new head of oil in the U.S. seemed, to me it sounded like he was basically saying - we need to drill in protected areas  but in a very hpney coated way.  He very much reminded me of the main character from the film Thank You for Smoking. Caught as well the program on Fresh Air with the interview of Don Bachardy am now kind of tempted to see the film. Although it wouldn't appear from the outset the relationship between Christopher Isherwood and Don Bachardy was one of true romance ( the thirty year but in the end it did seem to be a real story of love. I for one was moved by the frankness and admiration Don had about the whole relationship.  Did also listen to BBC Radio Four woman's hour program talking about the woman who is trying to save tigers.. a little  fluffy but was entertaining and all in all it was a very nice morning. Feel like I have a lot to ponder over. Ohh do I love radio!  

Here is the fruit of my morning- a little summer dress for Stella. 

Great resource

Ok so I am a bit behind in some things - can't believe I hadn't heard of this before now- to my morning coffee state of mind this seems like such a brilliant idea! Check it out- Whip up. 

Undecided piece of sewing

Another product of today's sewing time -at the moment it's a pillow cover but am thinking I could make it into something else.... folded over as a wallet perhaps.... open to suggestions.  Do think I would like to make a bigger version (and take my time a bit more) perhaps a set of place mats.  

The race

Or so it sometimes feels, an hour and half before all three children finish their naps isn't long. The clock is ticking away... managed to make this little dress for Stella- it's a trial run really. Not so sure about the neckline.. I used some left over ribbon type fabric from the apron I made Carolina a few weeks ago.  Another made up one - pattern to be drawn (needs some tweaking). 

Dreaming

Again window shopping- when I really don't have time.  I do so like this retro shop- H is for home  again just looking. Being as we are soon to be setting up a new 'home'  I am very drawn to these sorts of things lately. 

Air planes

A second try, here is that same table cloth - different variation. Really starting to feel guilty that I have been making (apart from one pajama bottom) girls things.. need to start on something for Tano. 

LOVED and LOST

This cool little train conductor style hat that was given to Gaetano (my son) by his grandma was so loved and then very sadly within the week lost. Blame the out of town zoo- the thrill of seeing that baby giraffe just eclipsed all else and somehow it must have been taken off and laid down somewhere along the way. Unfortunately we don't have a car and thus can't get back there to get it back. Sad. Winchester doesn't have the best options for finding another summer sun hat- it's Monsoon which is lovely but costs an arm and a leg or BHS which is well not worth the effort. Not that we are getting a whole heck of sun here. Come Malta though it would be handy to have a hat.  

Dangerous

Etsy is just plain dangerous - you go just to have a wee look around and end up getting totally hooked on something that you suddenly feel you MUST have or better yet- must try to recreate. 

This is my latest - ohh niiiccceee find. Clever woman check out her store here . 

Inspiration

Tempting very tempting, wall stencils what a good idea! 

 This weekend is the Winchester hat fair (or what I would call a local summer festival) full of street performers, music and face painting stalls carried on in true British style regardless of the wind and rain. Apparently Winchester's Hat Fair is the country's longest running street theatre festival, it's named after the tradition of throwing money into a performers hat. 

The local parks and area surrounding the cathedral were full of people (us included) having picnics, making fairy wings, trying out circus equipment, watching performances and the smalls riding on the carousel ( very cool and old). More rain is looming overhead today so we may opt for a inside project sort of day and skip the third day of festivities. So much for summer sun.   

Lord I love naptime

Two shirts made while quiet time was in session yesterday, very gratifying. 

We are nearly settled on which ice cream machine to buy- oh boy!! Summer sun around the corner and some fun recipes to try- am eager to do something with figs... maybe figs and orange rind ... hmmm. endless possibilities really. Still a few busy weeks lie ahead - packing, selling off all the furniture, working on my Maltese and  goodbyes etc. 

New Supplies!

Made my way to the local charity shop on my way to pick up the children from nursery school, and spotted a few old sheets and a table cloth that had some potential. Little harm in sewing misadventures when the fabric costs all of one pound!

Musings on The Edge of Love

Admittedly I was largely looking for an evening out (childless) and to 'escape' a bit. 

Am also a Dylan Thomas fan so it all lined up and seemed like a splendid thing to do. WARNING if you like Dylan Thomas at all I would recommend NOT seeing this film. Having seen it,  I now feel like I will not be able to hear his poetry or stories quite in the same way. 

I thought the cinematography was superb but am good and tired of Kiera Knightly (surely there must be some other talented English actresses out there that could have done as good a job). 

Surprisingly I thought Sienna Miller gave a very believable picture of Caitlin, his wife... to be honest I didn't really believe that she could act before this. A little over the top in terms of women 'running around in their knickers' as Adrian put it... all in all I would give it 7 out of 10 stars. The Edge of Love.

Last week's sewing moments

Was a busy week but I did manage to make a few things amid the daily picnics to the park (four days of good weather). Experiments with making a shirt came out ok- sleeves though -dear oh dear need to sauce out a good way to make them. Also some deliveries! New Fabric from the Fabric Attic (they have some great vintage prints) ... and two Persephone books for my grandmother .