I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

If I could get back all the time in my life that I've spent looking for stuff, and that I know I've  put in a safe place,  I reckon I'd only be 28.  Today, it's those little iron-on diamante things.  I bought a Tshirt in Oxford Street on Saturday, it's got black shoes with red bows printed on it, and I decided I wanted to make the bows sparkly.  Simple job, you'd think.  Well, it would be if I knew what I'd done with them.  I've looked through all my bead stuff (a cupboard and a drawer) my Roses tin of 'embellishments' , a biscuit tin full of sequins, and two plastic boxes of stuff with things that don't really fit into any category.  I thought I'd struck lucky when I found my Bedazzler  (Oh, come on - don't make out you that you're not conversant with the Bedazzler!  I can't be the only one that bought one from that certifiably-enthusiastic saleswoman who used to demonstrate at the early Knit and Stitch shows? )  But no, that box only contained the diamantes that fit into the little gadget,  but no iron-on ones.  I'm only telling you this, because I thought it may concentrate my mind and I might remember.  I'll not only let you know when and where I find them - but I'll show you the  finished Tshirt.  It's a matter of principle now, I'm not wearing it until it's got sparkles on.   Feel free to suggest the sort of things that  you'd file iron-on diamantes with, if you had any, in case I've done the same.

I've had a bit of a making week.  I made a net petticoat -

to go under under a dress I made, to wear to a 50's themed party. 

The dress isn't vintage, obviously - I only made it last year - but the belt buckle is, if that counts.
Oh, and I made a courgette cake. Who says I don't eat vegetables?

It was so absolutely lovely, (even if I do say so myself), that half of it was eaten before I remembered to take a picture as evidence.  

I've been making some jewellery, but I've not quite perfected the design, so pictures will have to wait, and I've also done a bit of work in my sketchbook, in the would-be style of Fan My Flame but the sketches are still a bit rubbish, and without a proper theme, so I'm not showing those either.  However, what I WILL show you, is my sister's beautiful new puppy Bentley, who I met for the first time yesterday.  I stopped at a petrol station, and you know there's always some tacky gadget or toy that you can buy for a couple of quid as long as you spend the equivalent of a month's wages on petrol, well I've always wondered who bought them,  and yesterday I found out - it was me.  The magnificent offer was for a stuffed Meerkat dog toy, and he loved it.

Sorry, I couldn't limit myself to one photo. He's so gorgeous and bouncy.  I want one.

(I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - U2)
I toyed with the idea of  Puppy Love by the Osmonds, but that's definitely not very Rock'n'Roll.

Everyday Should Be A Holiday

Saw the Dandy Warhols last night at Koko in Camden with my friend Jane, of janeslondon.  Really good gig - it was the last night of their European tour which usually means the band is up for a good time.   I think that happened  the last time I saw them too - they must always finish up the tour in London.  And why not?  Apparently they've been supporting the Specials on tour, which seems to be a bit of a weird musical combo, but if it suits them....

So, as it was the last night they got the horn section of the  Specials on stage to play with them on a couple of songs.

Sorry, the pictures are a bit ropey, but anyway .........

I think that's one of the Specials in the wings, together with the ex-Adam and the Ants flute player (who knew AATA had a flute player??) who also came on for one track.  

On a more rural note - the tomatoes are now coming thick and fast -

How many tomatoes equals a glut.  Don't say I'm gonna have to start making chutney!
And it's not just tomatoes - I have blueberries too -

I think I may have to get a couple of sheep and a goat, and then I could save a fortune on milk, cheese and yarn.
Right, I'd better turn in, us farmers have an early start.

(Everyday Should Be a Holiday - by the Dandy Warhols)

The Girls in Their Summer Dresses

I had a trip to London with  Fan My Flame on Wednesday to an exhibition of 1950's  Horrockses frocks at the Fashion and Textile Museum in Bermondsey.

Horrockses made off-the-peg women's fashions in the 1940's and 50's.  Mostly cotton dresses, housecoats and beachwear.  (Housecoats!)

Sorry about the standard of the pictures - I couldn't use flash in the exhibition, so they were very dark, and I've lightenened them a bit in Photoshop. Not brilliant, but you'll get the idea.

Love the dresses - not sure about the playsuit thingy in the back though.  The fabrics were really beautiful, and the designs came from a number of sources including in-house staff, commercial design studios, freelancers and also from well-known artists such as Graham Sutherland.

 This next one depicted plates of food ..........

Gina and I both picked the same one as our favourite ...

I love the black gingham overprinted with blue roses.  I might have to try the same thing with applique.  I'll just add that to the list of intended projects.

As well as the dresses, there was some of the original artwork for the fabric, and it was interesting to see a bit of the design process.  

It's a lovely exhibition - and if you are interested in vintage fashion, I'd urge you to go. It's on until 24th October.

I have become more or less self-sufficient in the garden.  Well, ok maybe that's a tiny exaggeration.  I have nine tomato plants, five in the ground and four in pots.  I planted them in good quality compost, I've staked and tied them (several times, as they've got bigger)  I have watered them everyday, and fed them every week with Tomorite (other tomato fertilisers are available). Oh, and I used an organic method of slug control. 

Surprisingly enough it worked.  No poisonous blue pellets, no egg shells, no coffee grounds, just a little notice informing them that they weren't welcome.  Organic, or what?

And today, finally I have reaped the benefits.  I had two (yes, two!) of my very own tomatoes.  

True, they were on the small side, but they were delicious.  And there's plenty more green ones, so as long as the sun shines again in the next few weeks, I'll maybe get some more.

(Blog Title - The Girls in Their Summer Dresses by Airborne Toxic Event)

To Cut A Long Story Short

Rock At The Castle (or RATCastle) went off very well.  After listening to the weather predictions the day before, and looking out of the window before I left, I was just a bit concerned it was going to be a wet one.  Now, obviously, having been to Glastonbury a couple of times I am used to standing in the pouring rain, with mud covered wellies,  listening to bands who choose to  ignore the fact that they run the risk of imminent electrocution, all for the greater good.  However, on Sunday, while the sun didn't exactly shine, at least it didn't rain. There was some great music, and everyone seemed to have a really good time.

I thought I'd make a photo collage of the bands, predominantly Sweet Sister, obviously, but I've included some of the other bands  too, not wishing to appear biased.   

It was a really good day, and hopefully the organisers will have collected a nice lot of money.  

On an entirely different subject, I don't know if it's just me, but if ever I go off to do any arty-crafty weekends or courses, the blokes at work always say "how did your crochet class go?"  It's a particular source of annoyance to me - as I'm sure they are only too well aware -  because although I have always painted, knitted, and stitched - I couldn't actually crochet.  I wasn't really too worried about this, until I started reading Lucy's blog and saw the wonderful things she creates with yarn, and a crochet hook.  So, last week I went to Jolie at Walkern, the beautiful shop that sells knitting pattern books and wonderful yarns and pretties and lots more besides.  There were only two of us students - so we had constant individual attention from Linda, who taught us all the basic stitches. Dany kept us constantly fed, with coffee and biscuits, and then a lovely lunch, and then tea and cake.  Oh, and I did finally learn to crochet.  Not only did I make a Granny square on the day - I came home and made some more ....

I do love pink and orange together.  And, as I've been up to London again today, I've nearly finished another one on the train.  I think they're going to be a cushion when they grow up.  

I nearly forgot, whilst we were busy learning to crochet, a man put his head through the window (no injuries sustained, thankfully, the window was open),  and said "Hello Girls"  I thought, "Blimey, that bloke looks just like Tony (Spandeau Ballet) Hadley.  Then Linda said "Hello Tony"  and it was him!  I didn't get a photo, so you'll just have to take my word for it.  So, if you're a potential Tony Hadley stalker, best you get yourself down to Jolie and book a few courses, and maybe he'll turn up again.  And, if he doesn't, at least you'll have learnt some new skills and had a delicious lunch.

I had thought I might make my squares into a blanket, but I recently inherited a large quantity of knitted oblongs (it's a long story) so I might sew those up into a blanket instead. 

 

They are in different widths and lengths, so it's going to take a bit of working out, but it will certainly be colourful when it's finished.

Rock Around Clock (or even The Castle)

I wouldn't be doing my job as a band manager properly, if I didn't  tell the world about this forthcoming event:-

THIS SUNDAY 1ST AUGUST, IN THE GROUNDS OF HERTFORD CASTLE

12.30pm – 7.30pm
Admission £2 voluntary donation supporting the MATT SCALES MUSIC FUND
Hertford Town Council with the help of GRAPHIC NATURE STUDIOS and Kev Saunders present

 

 

 

ROCK AT THE

 

CASTLE 2010

Get there early and make sure you don’t miss a single crotchet or quaver of 19 terrific acts on two stages
plus our shy and retiring MC, Jim Distortion!

MAIN STAGE

INSOMNIA MUSIC LIVE ACOUSTIC STAGE

HERTFORD ALLSTARS
DAN SPALDING
DISTORTED BREED
JAMIE FALLON BAND
AHEAD OF TIME CREW
ADAM BROWN

WIDEBOY GENERATION
JUAN ZELADA (set 2)
CRIMZEN
JUAN ZELADA (set 1)
DREGS OF SOCIETY
JIM RALPHS (set 2)
TOM DIBB
JIM RALPHS (set 1)

THE CHAMBERS
CHLOE TURNER
THE DOCTORS
NUALA

JOAN OV ARC

SIMONE ALEXANDER

                     SWEET SISTER  (That's my band!)

Sweet Sister are on first, at 12.45, so get there early if you don't want to miss them.

Diamonds Are Forever

Firstly please allow me to boast a bit - on Saturday I entered two of my City and Guilds pieces in the local horticultural show, in the handicraft sections.  And look what happened..........................

  

Ok, so it's not a massive show with hundreds of entries - but I was still really pleased.

Then on Sunday we had a party for my parent's Diamond wedding anniversary.   There has been lots of hectic preparation.  Why hectic? - because, as you know,  I leave everything until the last minute.  Obviously, some things HAVE to be left until the last minute - you can't really make sandwiches weeks beforehand, can you (unless you work for one of the budget airlines, I suppose)

So,  all day on Saturday, and again on Sunday morning there was lots of activity:-  from my friend Jill,

from my sister Linda.................

and from my niece Sarah (who incidentally, has just become a newly qualified nurse - Congrats to her!)

 

 

I did a few things too, honest, it's just that I had the camera so there's no photographic evidence.  I was, in fact, responsible for a number of things.  Unfortunately this included leaving the lemonade in the boot of my car at home.  Oh, and for forgetting the mint for the Pimms.  But I did produce my signature dish - White Choc and Raspberry muffins. 

Then, finally the food was prepared, the flowers were arranged, the bunting was hung, we got out of our pinnies and into our frocks - and the guests of honour arrived...

Don't our Mum and Dad look fabulous - they certainly don't look old enough to have been married sixty years!  It was a lovely day, everything turned out well, even the weather was good. 

And the beautiful cake made by Steph says it all ....

Tiers for Souvenirs - and All That Jazz.

Apologies for the short absence (like you even noticed I'd been away) but I've been  away in Norfolk staying with my parents.  It's been an action-packed week - starting with the premiere of The Guilty, an independent  film directed by Brendan Sheppard.  (it's not what you know ......)

That was followed by a picnic at Grafham Water to celebrate my niece's 21st birthday.  For her proper pressie, I'm going to treat her to a trip while we're off travelling together later in the year, but on the day , I gave her a pile of magazines that I bought for her on the day she was born.  See - all you who think I leave everything until the last minute - I AM capable of forward planning sometimes.  Of course, I had to have a little flick through the pages before I wrapped them up, and do you know, back in an interview in July 1989, George Michael was hoping to meet a nice girl, settle down and have a family.  Mmmm, best laid plans, eh George? 

Later in the week, it was  my nephew 's Prom night, with much enthusiastic dancing,  and on Wednesday a trip to Holt, one of my favourite places in Norfolk, for even more enthusiastic  shopping  and lunch with my sis. And yes, of course there was cake.  We browsed in  "Past Caring", a great vintage clothes shop, where I tried on two 1940's jackets, but managed (with great difficulty) to resist both of them, thus saving myself a total of £100.  So, with that £100 burning a hole in my pocket, we had a fruitful tour of the charity shops,

and we also discovered a lovely shop that we hadn't been to before, called Great to Be Green.  It was full of goodies, some vintage, and some made from recycled materials, so we did a bit of ethical shopping.

And then some more.

I suppose, if you're going to be a shopaholic, it's better to be an ethical shopaholic.  (Unless you have a lisp)

And finally to the Pied Piper Shop. I've no excuse for this at all,  - I don't even DO patchwork ...

On Friday night we all went to Oxburgh Hall in Norfolk to see DixieMix, a Trad Jazz band.  Yeah, I know, I know, it's not exactly Glasto,  and it's definitely not my usual sort of music, but my family kidnapped me and there was nothing I could do about it.  The setting was fabulous, with fantastic views and beautiful gardens, which Linda and I explored before the music started.

It was a lovely evening, and the band were really good (high praise, coming from a non-Jazz fan) and very entertaining.  I don't think it can have been proper Jazz, because you could tell what song they were playing, and I suppose it's not their fault that they never learned to play rock  music - I guess it  takes all sorts.  My Mum and Dad (who ARE trad Jazz fans) loved it and I believe they are going to try and see them again soon, so that's a recommendation from them.  

And, they did have a guitarist with long hair, so at least I had something to look at.

It ended up being a typically British evening though (my sister wasn't fed up, I caught her at a bad moment!)

In amongst all that social whirl, with much advice, and a little assistance from my Dad, I've been drilling holes in plates. It was far more successful than I thought, I've not broken any so far - and I've made this, a three tiered cake plate with vintage plates......

Do you think they would sell?  Maybe I could become tiered cake stand supplier to the stars.  (I'll not give up my day job until I hear from you).
I also recovered a couple of chairs, and knitted the back of a jumper.  Can I go back to work now please?