I may be gone a while….

Finally reactivated my Pinterest account. LOL

Be back soon.

Loving what everyone does!!

Lush x

Just like a bus!

Well a country bus maybe. No posts for ages, then along come 2 in a week LOL

So I have finally been getting some sewing done & have had a range of companions. The cats LOVE my sewing room especially at the moment when the sun is stretched all the way across the floor. So much more space to stretch out in!!

 Diego loves to get in real close to see inspect the latest project.

 REAL close!! LOL
Yes I am wearing sunglasses in my sewing room. Here's why.

They also love watching Bird TV from up this high, it looks like they could be in the room with you!! LOL.

This little guy spent hours tapping on the window with his beak trying to get my attention. Drove the cats batty!! They so wanted me to let him in to play. Was I mean to leave him outside?? I don't think so.

I have had a baby quilt project on the machine for some weeks now & it is so close to completion which is just as well since the baby in question is 8 weeks old already. However I think this quilt will last him a fair while as it has ended up around 54 inches square!! Not sure how that happened exactly but that is the size it wanted to be, so it is. Just need to decide if I am going to quilt it or send it out?

This little chipmunk cheeks is the nephew of The Prince. Dad is an Aussie, Mum is Swedish & the little guy was born here in the UK. I tried to reflect his heritage in his quilt so there is a Swedish fabric in the border, an English print in the centres & the border, yellow border to reflect the Aussie sun, fabric to reflect the time of year he was born into (harvest pears) as well as crowns for the label to remind him of "that other birth" that happened around the same time.
Hope he gets from it years of comfort & warmth. Also that he feels the loving embrace with which we welcome him into our family.

Loving what I do & for whom I do it.

Lush x

Wow look at me, I'm suddenly popular!!

My stats tell me that in 2 days my reads have gone from zero to 48! In 2 days. Last week they were at an all time high of 83. Wow!!

Of course the fact that most of the reads come from sites called "our meets", "vampire stat" , "7 secret search" & something that looks like a cat walked across the keyboard, I don't think I should be getting ahead of myself with thoughts of a book offer or TV show anytime soon huh?

How does one stop this crap?? Seriously, anyone have any ideas?? This is why I had to put the whole type a scrambled word & number back on. Mind you they still leave the most ridiculous comments. "Your blog is best blog in world, other blog not come close. Visit my site, leave credit card number". Yeah right!

Clearly these people don't read my blog or they would know I am dead broke!!

NOT loving what they do!!

Lush x

PS: I am declaring this weeks haircut, THE. WORST. EVER! As I am 51 & was a teen in the 70's, that is truly a big call but there you have it. 
I am just really glad that it is the season of hats. One will be firmly planted on my scone for the duration of the "grow back" phase.
There will be no photos.

PPS: The Prince had a hair cut the same night, looks amazing! WTF?? Did he get worn out?? I have no clue & clearly neither did he!!

Feeling the cool

I absolutely love this time of year. I know I am probably alone in enjoying the early dark & the cold but they feel like such a soft embrace to me. I am happy to come inside early & settle down to some sewing, knitting, baking or even just snuggle with a good book.

We are still enjoying being so close to the sea. I love it in all it's moods but really enjoy seeing the awesome surging power at this time of year. 
The sunsets have been a riot of colour & light. Spectacular!!

Mind you it would not be fun to have to be out in this weather overnight & I have been doing loads of knitting to donate to the homeless shelter here in Worthing. My knitting has never progressed beyond the basic purl & plain but it is enough for a warming scarf.

 So far I have handed over 17, have another 2 ready to be dropped off & have another on the needles. It's what I do while waiting. Waiting for anything is perfect knitting time.

Loving what I do.

Lush x

Be careful of whom you ask opinions

We were up in London recently & had a scrummy lunch in an "upmarket" new hamburger joint. Being that I am not usually a fan of the burger, it's high praise indeed. LOL
I was amused to read the comment card on our table. Seems some people will make a game of ever situation. Had to admit it made us laugh out loud!!

Yes, that does say what you think it does. LOL

Found some fabulous fabric shops that are definitely worth another look, even if the staff seemed a tad snooty.
Lovely to visit, lovely to come home.

Loving what I do

Lush x

Last of the Summer Whine

So alright, I have been going through the photos & not ALL of the Summer was a wash out.
Here are some of the better things that happened.

 The Prince's brother & his girlfriend came for the weekend & we wandered into the village & had dinner while watching the fun fair. Wandered back along the seafront home again. Nice.

 I remember the part of Harry Potter that described a tinder dry countryside & hosepipe bans etc & thought "well she seems to have lost it there". Turns out she was right. The "Green & Pleasant Land" does indeed dry out to an alarming extent. Who knew??

 Loads of lovely walks along the beautiful seafront. Have I mentioned how much I LOVE where we live??

 Turning one room in the house into a B&B & 2 into accommodation for student leaders turned out to be a great idea. We met some lovely people & I supplemented my income.

 I did some events. This is a Sunday morning on the hills behind Brighton, 10km run. My fave was the guy who turned up last, took off running, finished, jumped back in his car & left. All in under an hour!! Sicko!! LOL

 Morning visits from this little guy. Hard to see but in the middle on the garage roof. Diego is convinced he can catch him. Helped along by the little guy waggling his tail in a "come & get me" motion before scampering off in hysterics. Poor cat has no chance even if he has become an aficionado at catching mice in the neigbours shed.

Discovered an excellent local restaurant. Chef has worked in "hatted" restaurants & now has his own restaurant. Best pork belly I have ever tasted & The Prince said the fish was damn fine. Crescent Road Restaurant in Downtown Worthing. YUMMO!!

The Prince. Not drowning. Waving.

Had loads of swims with the Prince. People think we were a bit weird swimming but the water was warm & definitely inviting. I would rush home, change & off we would go. Lovely. If we had this kind of location in Australia it would be packed! Not that everyone stays out of the water, there are tons of these every week.

Weird fungal growth on tree in the park. Hope the tree survives.

Things to do when you are left with 6 pints of double cream? Make caramel sauce! Recommend you only keep one jar. Thankfully the Prince needed some gift bags for some project participants. Lush Home Made to the rescue. I even made the patriotic bunting.

 Now I need to go finish this baby quilt. Said brother, girlfriend & new baby are arriving at 5pm. So far it is still in rows. Can I give a top then take it back for finishing?? I am sure it's been done before. Right??

 One final tip. Don't quilt tired!! LOL
Loving what I do

Lush x

I know what I did this Summer

OR Farewell my big toenail!! LOL

I will try to put this in chronological order but make no promises.

The Little Red Money Pit should have been working like crazy & making us a mint but first off the brakes failed as I mentioned in this post. Then when I went to get it through the MOT inspection it failed in spectacular fashion due to; wait for it; damaged beyond repair bearing, arm & hub, likely caused by the brake repairers!!! Add the replacement bill to the batteries & that my friends is another £1000!! Boo yah!!

Do you know how much FABRIC that could buy???? Sobbing hysterically!! Actually it could quilt all the outstanding tops & then some!!

So while I was sitting on my duff, tearing my hair out & getting a sun tan (yeah, that was what I was doing)

Weird tan bought to you by Great British Summer & Birkenstocks! LOL

I decided to price up all the stuff lying around here that I could give to friend JB to flog in her new shop "Grand Attic" (it's in Lancing - you should go look, they have great stuff). I have also been sewing stuff to sell. I know, s.e.w.i.n.g. Actual sewing. I was thinking I may have forgotten how but just like riding a bike it all came back to me.

Sewing room is sooooo bright I have to wear sunglasses if sewing around the middle of the day!

Why yes, that is my geriatric second hand Pfaff I am sewing on! We don't talk about the heart attack inducing expensive POC that can't sew a seam without making me want to throw it out the window!!

As an aside, you do not always remember how to ride a bike. After more years than I care to admit 30 odd, I had a go at bike riding this Summer & it was not so much a success, as it was a terror filled few minutes in the back lane that felt like damned HOURS. I like to think that if I had a different bike, like one that was closer to the ground, it might end better. That is my delusion & I am clinging to it for dear life. I really want to be able to ride around this flat town of ours. Thinking of getting training wheels again. :)
Actually, reviewing the photos in your camera is a good exercise. We did do some events & learnt a hell of a lot!! 
Questions to ask when told the footfall will be 5000 & before you go buy 240 litres of milk. "How much advertising have you done?" If the answer is none then you should rapidly adjust your sales forecast & therefore your milk requirements. Either that or buy a bigger freezer. Way bigger. Way.
When told the price of a pitch, "HOW MUCH??? can we negotiate that down to less than the annual debt of a small South American nation please??".  Remember, sometimes it's OK to say no.
When asked why your coffee is not 60p per cup, it's OK to grit your teeth & hold your grounds. No need to explain the complicated business of insurance & other petty business expenses.
When asked "do you have a business plan that I could borrow, it could help my wife/partner/husband/whatever, they are interested in doing this as it seems a really easy way to make a fortune". Just step away from the jug of scalding water. Now!!

We prefer to work in sunshine!

It may not be going quite as well as we planned (seriously, what drugs were we on that day?? LOL) BUT I am still having fun most days, not yet quite bankrupt & am happy with my choices so it's all good. Besides, I have decided I could always get a job in Waitrose.

Loving what I do

Lush x

PS: sewing photos in another post soon.

Choices

Some of the time they can really suck big ones!! I am having a revelation day.

I am no longer going to let the choices control me. I may not be able to control the choices BUT I am going to endeavour to control my REACTION to the choices. I am also going to choose better when I can & if I don't, realise & acknowledge I am choosing not to.

Wish me luck. I'm gunna need it!!

Loving what I do & the opportunity of the choices life throws my way.

Lush xox

PS: Photos of actual sewing when I can figure out how to connect my phone thang to my computer thang :)

Oh I do love to be beside the Seaside!!!

Or Why Brits get into so much trouble when they swim at Bondi (or any other Aussie beach).

So the other day in the continuing saga of "the brakes for the little red truck", I had to go to Hove to pick up the 4 measly missing bolts (how they got to Hove is another story! but I digress) Here was the beach advisory.

 Check that air & water temperature people, this is Summer Brit style!! The sea mist? Just another common feature of a day at the beach here.

Somewhere there is the rusted hulk of the old or west pier. Yup, somewhere in the middle. Trust me, it's there OK?

This is how folks here enjoy the beach. Up on the promenade. Away from the water. Way away. Where they can be surreptitiously photographed by Australians.

Then they have random news reporters from Saudi Arabia come along and film them. 
I shit you not! I would love to have one of these huts. If I didn't live 2 streets back from the beach! LOL I just like the idea of decorating the space & pretending to be far away on a holiday.

The view from the most scenic loo in the world (or maybe just West Sussex??) Marks & Spencer's Worthing. Can you imagine what that view would be worth in Australia? I can assure you it would be too expensive for a loo!

See I really do love what I am doing.

Lush x