Coming up for Air!

Well all my lovelies it is so fabulous to be with you all again.  I have been absolutely submerged in academia since I last spoke with you all.  The amount of late work we have to mark and assess has been more than I have ever known in the past so unfortunately for me, I have had to miss out on all your news.  This week the Academic Board will be visiting and the present students will be signed off ready to fly off to universities across the country and I will be free.......yippee.....for a short while before it all starts again. 

 

I am so looking forward to catching up with everyone and visiting all your lovely blogs to see what you have all been up to. I hope that I never have to again leave my blogging for as long as I have over the past few months - it has been hard being without you all. However, I have been trying to keep going with my crafting here and there.  How are you all doing?  I hope the sun has been shining for you and you are all happy and well.

 

Last time we spoke I was having mega problems with my phone and camera.  Now my lovely friend Laurence has looked at it and worked his usual magic - he is such a clever man and we are so lucky to have him in our life Folks.  A huge thank you again Laurence, you are a star.

 

At present I am finishing off some last papers and have taken a picture from our dining room and, as you can see, my sewing machine is set up ready to leap into action once I have finished.  It is so sunny outside and a shame to be inside but then I don't like the sun anyway so I am more than happy to sit in the shade here.  I have some more bunting to put up and some outside lights to make it look nice and magical in the evening.

 

 

I will try and take a photograph this evening for you to see it when the lights are on. 

 

 

Now down to work - what have I been doing besides marking papers?  As you know I have made contact with a most lovely craftswoman called Bobbie who has been working magic for me on her machine.  She is the most patient and kind lady who has really pushed the boat out to help me with my big 'bag' job.  If you remember I am making some bags for some lovely ladies who are very important to me - some of them are leaving us this coming week so it was important to get their bags finished in time.  I have just one more of these to make but will show you my progress so far.  I have been sharing the photographs in previous blogs so you will remember them when you see them. 

 

Bobbie is such a treasure - you must visit her website and have a look - she is wonderful.  She has taken all the information I have given her and worked her magic.  Bobbie has been working on the linings of the bags for me as I wanted to personalise them with something special.  She came up with some really great ideas even going as far to put in the colours of my lovely granddaughter's university.  I am proud to say that Lauren has graduated from university with an Hons degree and I am so proud of her.  She wants a bag making for her so obviously it had to be special.  I haven't started on hers just yet - my finish date for her bag will be in July when I am doing a little retro party for her.  Apologies as I haven't pressed her lining yet so it will look even lovelier once I have prepared it properly.  This is one side of the lining.

 

This is the other side - so cute.

 

 

Now these bags below are three that I have now finished (actually there is another one done now but I didn't have time to include it).  I am hoping my friends will like them but I am aware that my taste is not the same as everyone else.

 

 

Bobbie came up with the brilliant idea of having their initials on one side of the lining - I thought this was a fab suggestion.

 

 

Now I have gone for this little poem on most of the bags as it is one I really like.  I felt that it wasn't too soppy but said what I really felt.  This one is for Maureen who has been a wonderful friend to me over the many years at college and I shall miss her so much. 

 

 

This is her bag with a potted plant on the back of it.

 

 

I had been doing quite a few bags with the same design and wanted to do something different.  I spied this pattern on Etsy and just loved the caravan shape, particularly with it being a summer bag.  I knew that my lovely friend Sarah would be delighted as caravans mean a lot to her.

 

 

Below is the front of the bag - I enjoyed making this one so much.  I don't know why but I love caravans, VWs and washing lines!  I wonder what Freud would make of all this?

 

 

The initial inside Sarah's bag.

 

 

The photograph below shows the finished bag - I must admit that this one is my favourite at the moment.  Do you like it?

 

 

This is the other side of the bag.

 

 

And the lining.

 

 

Now I have a little tale to tell you about my schoolhouse tunics.  I have made three up to now with another one cut out ready to sew.  I have loved making them and loved wearing them even more.  I never thought I would wear anything I had made - ever!

 

 

Now last week we went for tea to my gorgeous daughter-in-law and our youngest Son and our two grandchildren who are 15 and nearly 21.  The photograph below shows me in my Liberty tunic which I love but my Hubby said I looked like a set of curtains - I had mentioned this in the previous post and had some lovely reassuring comments back (thank you so much).  No said anything during the evening and I must admit that I didn't have the courage to say that I had made it.  However as we were going my granddaughter asked me where I had bought my top and couldn't believe that I had made it.  On the way home she sent me a text asking me if I had time could I make her some for her holidays as she loved mine so much!  To say I was pleased is the understatement of the year, I was over the moon to think that a young woman of 21 would want to wear anything I had made.  So I have bought the fabric and am going to cut it out in Rachel's class as I want to make sure that I do as professional job as I can for her.  Watch this space!  Anyway I hope you like my top too

 

 

 

Now my Lovelies I promise I will be catching up with everyone this coming week.  I am so sorry that I have not been visiting you and have missed all your news.  I also wanted to ask your advice.  Lauren my granddaughter has asked if I would do her a retro 1970s tea party for us (just a small gathering).  Have you any ideas with regards food, tableware, music etc?  I have ordered some CDs with 1970s hits and am rooting through my stash to see if I have anything I can use for a tablecloth which looks suitably 1970s cool.  Any ideas warmly welcomed.  Well Folks I must love you and leave your for a short while.  I cannot wait to get back into the swing of blogging once again as I have missed it terribly.  Have fabulous evening/day depending wherever you are in our fabulous world.  Love you all loads, big hugs.  Dorothyxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx