You Can't Judge A Book By The Cover

A few weeks ago I met up with friends Lynne and Libby for one of our 'rambles' - that's a walk, not an incoherent conversation - although if I'm honest we probably had some of those too.  Anyway we met at Libby's and I was impressed with some folded book structures that she'd made.  Then on Saturday, I was helping out at a local bazaar on a book and bricabrac stall.  We didn't have many visitors, and were clearly going to be left with quite a few books, so I thought I'd have a go at folding.  I chose a paperback - When God Was A Rabbit (although until I just went and checked, I'd misread the title as When God Was A Rabbi) by  Sarah Winman.  I'd not read it, although now I wish I had.  Maybe I'll unfold the pages one at a time and read it.  I chose it because I liked the colour and texture of the paper, it had an interesting typeface, and there were little illustrations of trees at the start of every chapter (that accounts for the little blocks you can see half way up the book)  This is the end result - 

Apparently you can tuck postcards in between the pages - maybe it would be a good way to keep my Christmas cards tidy?

A couple of days later I was clearing out some catalogues that had come in the post, and the Cath Kidston one was made of nice paper, so I experimented with that.  It didn't have enough pages to stand up like the one above, so I folded the corners up and down,

 added some beads and metallic yarn and it finished up like this -

I didn't get where I am today without knowing how to waste time.

Still, better than just chucking it the recycling bin. Now, if I can just find an innovative way of using all those pizza fliers that drop through the letterbox, I'm onto a winner.

Talking of letterboxes, the postman just delivered a parcel - and he was wearing shorts!  I know the weather has been really mild, but blimey.

To prove how mild the weather has been though - yesterday I picked a rosebud from my garden

and it prompted me to see what else was still blooming, even though it is November -  - all of these were photographed in my garden yesterday .....

You Can't Judge a Book By The Cover - The Yardbirds 

(And goodness knows how many others, but this version just happened to be playing on 6Music as I started typing this)

Don't Know What I Was Thinking

I wasn't sure I was going to post again - I seem to have been struck by a temporary blogging boredom  - I think the problem is that I now tend to read blogs on my ipad, and I haven't figured out how to post from it yet.  I'm sure it's possible but maybe it's just a bit beyond my technical abilities, and I don't seem to get around to logging on to the computer and posting.

This morning though, I happened to be on the computer for something else and read Gina's post about our trip to the Fashion and Textile Museum yesterday for the "Knitwear - Chanel to Westwood" Exhibition.

It was another fantastically inspiring exhibition - I wanted to dash home immediately and start knitting - I was very envious of Gina on the way home - she'd had the foresight to take some knitting with her on the train.

Anyway, back to Gina's post - I feel that as she was brave enough to post a picture of her 24 year old self, wearing a knitted suit, the least I could do was show a bit of sisterly solidarity and post a picture of me in a knitted suit that I made (and wore!) many years ago.  

I had a knitted machine and as a result two coloured patterning was a breeze - so, hey, why not knit a leopardskin sweater?

Obviously, a matching leopardskin skirt would be overkill, so you see me wearing a co-ordinating black knitted skirt with allover pleats.  Oh my! What a flattering two piece, complete with massive shoulder pads - and with the added benefit of being very warm and itchy too.  

I'm not sure exactly how old I was - late 20's or early thirties.  Believe it or not, I was quite slim then - but thanks to the big boxy top no-one would ever know.  And all topped off by an exceptionally hideous curly perm.  I'm off to see my hairdresser this afternoon - do you think I should go for it?

PS - I've just had another look at this - why am I standing there with my arms just ... dangling?
I can understand the facial expression - if you looked like this you wouldn't have much to smile about either.

Don't Know What I Was Thinking - Teddy Thompson