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Friday, April 13, 2012

By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea!!

 WARNING - loads of photos :)

It is interesting that here in the UK Easter is promoted as a bank holiday weekend & the religion seems to have been removed from the event. Also there are not the massive rows of eggs & chocolate in the stores. Very different view of the event to Australia.

We headed off to Brighton to stay with friend JB & planned to go carbooting each day but the weather was against us & we only go to go out on the Sunday. We did however get some great finds & had fun together which is the main game really.

We had hired a van so we could bring home loads of treasure & just as well because Brighton didn't disappoint. We picked up a drinks table, lovely rustic pine chair (from Estonia no less!), wine table, baskets & a fantastic enamel bread barrel along with some depression glass bowls & a few tablecloths for not much cash.

Already rusticated with chips on the enamel.

I bought this jam pot filled....

With these!!! LOL I know, I have loads of buttons but they are in storage & I need some for some projects.

Nice little collection of depression glass & a willow platter. (weren't we restrained with eggs?? LOL)

My lovely G Plan drawers!! The stash has to FIT in here!! Yep, good luck with that.

The photo does not show it properly but there is a star pattern on the seat. This was previously a cane seat.

A little bit of basket-age!! The hamper needs a little TLC but should come up a treat.

Bonus little doll furniture in the basket.

My folly - only realised this was repro once I had it in the car :( 

This will become a telephone / knitting table

Edwardian towel rail that will be used for quilts.


 We got to go for a walk to the beach & saw something that does not often show itself - the sand!!
Mind you the getting back up the shingle was just like a gym workout but thankfully my Prince was there to lend a hand & give tips on technique ( small steps are best).

I saw some guys worming but have decided not to show the picture as it is a bit iccky. LOL. Just look at the lovely sand patterns. Could make a lovely quilting pattern I think.

Can you see I am standing on the sand & looking back to the shingle & road.

The latest fashion feature for any tourist centre - an Eye.




The Prince & friend S.

Could make a lovely quilt pattern.

Mussels on the Groin. The Prince leans in for perspective.


My friend L from Oz was asking if I had managed to get any sewing done & apart from a really boring pieced back for a charity quilt, this is the only finish for the week. I was given some suit samples & I am intending to make some charity quilts from this fabric but this was a great little sample to test the sewing needs of the fabric. I discovered that some of this fabric is as slippery as satin so good to know before I crack into a big project. I really love this little cushion cover & enjoyed using fabric that would have otherwise been rubbish. Really hard to get decent photos as the light has been a bit dull this week but you get the idea?

We have a weekend of cleaning & rearranging ahead & look what just turned up??

It may not look like it now but this is our orchard!! Bramley Apple, conference pear, plum, another apple I can't remember?? & 2 Strawberry apples. Whoo hoo!! Have I mentioned that we love the gardening here??

Loving what I do.

Lush x

Wednesday, April 04, 2012

Re-purposing workshop

I recently attended a workshop designed to get us thinking about re-purposing clothing & other items into quilts. It was not really what I expected but was interesting none the less, even if it felt a little "kindergarten collage".
Here are some of the resulting pieces. I guess I just can't think what to do with these pieces? Am I being pedestrian?? No appreciation for modern art? Or just a quilt snob?





Woven sleeve anyone??


Rag knitting - more what I thought this would be about.



I do love that this is the back of the piece & it feels better than the front.

Another piece made from the same holey jumper. I really liked this piece so maybe I am learning??
We were in absolute hysterics the other night watching Diego watch the computer. The Prince was watching videos on You Tube & Diego was so rapped. When the clip stopped he would reach out his paw & try to get it started again. He sat watching for a good 20 minutes before something else took his attention. Thankfully he seems to be totally over his dose of man cat flu. I don't know what we would have done without this little guy, he really is a very important part of our lives. Love you Dags.

Doing what I love.
Lush