Outside the comfort zone

Lula is studying Japanese and has is showing an increasing interest in Japanese food.  She is a typical tweenager when it comes to vegetables and as we don't eat meat she has to embrace them or eat cheese but the influence of East Asian cookery is certainly helping as did some bento style Christmas gifts from here and here. We all ate Omrigiri- moulded rice cakes.

She made herself a bento lunch.

 She is cooking us a Wagamama recipe tonight- think buckwheat noodles, soup, vegetables and salmon.   This is my favourite kind of food, clean, fresh and an antidote to roasted roast veggies.  And we have mochi to finish with a nod to Japanese new year traditions.

Embracing new things is important in life.  Nobody wants to stagnate, we have to leave the safety of our comfort zone. From a textile point of view I have little to no purple.  I have always found it a difficult colour although some combinations- orange/purple, yellow/purple delight me so I have been buying the odd purple FQ where I see one I like.  The left kitchen print and the Heather Ross mice are from Frances at Miss Matabi, she has a sale on at the moment too.  The Bo Peep print is a 30s repro from Country Threads, Bath.

New Year, a good time to try new things.  I have some bad stuff going on but also some incredible, exciting and happy stuff to counteract and exceed the bad.   There is always something good somewhere, always important to remember that.   Happy new year x

Wishing you happiness...

It is not all doom and gloom here.  Thankyou for all your kind thoughts and for being there when life gets tough, it does help.  We are all at home now, eating and sitting around- not me- I am sewing obviously- and generally messing about.  Lottie underwent a brief metamorphosis... to a rein-dog

Hard Times

I had some very difficult news last week, a bereavement that I can only describe as extremely challenging.  To be honest, I have been holding off posting because it has been so hard.  I should add, we are all still here, Damian, Lula, our pets, me, safe and sound and all together but life for me has been been eventful and deeply upsetting.

I will still be around online, reading and looking, posting erratically.  I will not be commenting, responding to post or emailing very much just at the moment.  I am having to spend a huge amount of time having conversations  that I would rather not have and time disappears in great big chunks so I have to save what remains for self protection.

We are wrapped up warm in our little house.  Work is nearly finished for us all and I will be having a quiet Christmas with D & L, my mum, brother, sister and nephew.

L has been busy stitching and baking with D. I am so proud of her Frosted Pumpkin Dessert of the month, all finished.

Wishing you happy times x

Here's to friendship

It is always an utter treat to meet online sewing buddies in person and on Saturday I did just that.  I met Amanda  (right in picture) last year at Fat Quarterly Retreat and hit it off, plus she is based in Bath which is only 1 1/2 hours from me.  Danielle (left) is on a round the world trip with her husband and three children and Bath is on of the places she has been able to fit in on the UK leg of their journey.  We know each other from blogs, flickr, instagram and twitter and online friendships seem to accelerate more quickly so that meeting up in person is never difficult, there is always common ground and a warmth and understanding.

We spent a long time in Country Threads which is a wonderful quilting shop with a great selection, and  incredibly helpful staff.  Amanda brought a bee quilt to show, considering she is 6 months pregnant and Bath was busy with Christmas shoppers this was a brave decision but so worth it.  She met Danielle through this bee and many others and it was a beautiful piece of work from the bee members, topped off by Amanda's hand quilting.

And we did a little gifting, Danielle gave us tea towels screen printed by Cat and Vee, gorgeous!

 A truly lovely day.  Much love all round xxx

If...gifts

Gift ideas if...

I was feeling patriotic...

http://www.eternalmaker.com/london-scenic-stamp-set-yellow-owl-workshop

If I had bigger boobs

http://www.eternalmaker.com/the-ashland-dress-sewing-pattern-by-sew-liberated

if I had a small child to sew for...

http://www.eternalmaker.com/music-class-blouse-skirt-pattern-oliver-s

If I could still sew tapestries...

http://www.saintsandpinners.co.uk/product/nancy_nicholson_cat_stitch_kit_/

If I wanted some colour...

http://www.saintsandpinners.co.uk/product/spots_/

If the fabric fairies are listening...

http://www.thevillagehaberdashery.co.uk/sewing-patchwork/fabric-stacks/build-a-bundle-chicopee

If i needed to prod somebody ;)...

http://www.thevillagehaberdashery.co.uk/sewing-patchwork/notions-tools/misc/straight-tailor-s-awl

xxx

Living the Dream: Village Haberdashery

I am sure there is a little part of every fabric lover that dreams of a bricks and mortar shop, it is going to remain as fantasy for me but for Annie of Village Haberdashery she is living the dream as she expands her business bricks and mortar as well as online.  Time to drool for fabric, yarn and embroidery fans...

I swear I would explode if this shop was near me: Anna Maria Horner and Denyse Schmidt are in the building- please Annie, think of opening a Southwest branch!

Next weekend there is a special open weekend before the business opens in the new year.  The London Modern Quilt Guild will be on hand and have your pennies at the ready- there is a generous sale shelf including the newly added Nursery Versery.

Something for everyone...

I would be there but I have a prior date with Amanda and Danielle which I am looking forward to hugely.  Wishing my best to Annie in this new venture and have a great time to those that go!

You will find The Village Haberdashery at 47 Mill Lane, West Hampstead, London

Wordless Wednesday Winter Quilt

xxx