I have now missed two weekends of blogging, the first was due to a family bereavement and the second was being really busy with redecorating our front room. In fact in the past couple of months we have been busy doing the hall, 2 flights of stairs and 2 landings with the use of scaffolding. Unfortunately, with one flight of stairs with this being a Victorian house the stairs were too narrow compared to the top flight built on as a loft conversion, health and safety went out of the window and we ended up propping one leg with a pile of books.
 |
| The hallway, old mahogany stain, magnolia painted walls and horrible lampshade |
 |
| Stained floor with blue runners, yellow wallpaper and white paint instead of the old stain..... and light shade |
 |
| all floors were done together |
 |
| We also treated the house to a new front door after almost 14 years of living here |
 |
| Add caption |
 |
| Our front room before...... |
 |
| During.......after we lifted the carpet and sanded the floor........ |
 |
| ......and after |
 |
| Just waiting for the tv to go on the chimney breast |
Now the room is complete, and I even made up some cushions to match the curtains and a table runner for the coffee table and I can now return back to blogging again and even cross stitching :)
Even though decorating has taken up much of our time, I have also been working on Heavy Going Grizzly. I love seeing the stitching taking over on the blank aida and am getting used to the different shades of browns used. I am also spurring myself on to get it completed and do a bit more of the BIG project. For years I couldn't start a cross stitch before completing the current one but I have to admit having a change around is making me WANT to get back to it.
 |
| He's beginning to look like a bear |
I also bit the bullet this week and signed up for a Futures course at college and have started Introduction to Dress Making. There is so much more I want to learn on my sewing machine and feel apprehensive on doing. The first week was talking about different material and bout some of the signs used on the patterns and we ended up doing a basic skirt. When it came to inserting a zip on the garment, this was my worst nightmare. I have to admit when it comes to zips I usually pass the buck and get somebody else to do it, but I did it, albeit with a little bulge at the bottom which I am going to see if I can rectify. Next session will be starting our garments, and a fun time was spent shopping for the materials needed. I was lucky as most of the important materials needed such as dressmaking scissors, pins, tape measure, dressmakers chalk and seam ripper is already owned. All I needed was a pattern, fabric(s) thread etc. I finally decided on 2 patterns, one to start at college and one to do at home at the end of the course.
 |
| Our practice skirt |
 |
| and the dreaded zip.... it went well until the end when I gained a bulge at the bottom :( |
 |
2 patterns I couldn't resist but I am going to start on the one on the right and not one to take it totally easy I am going for the long sleeved top
All I can say is watch this space!!!!!
|
