Flibbertygibbet

New frocks rock

I've been away. With the exception of Sleazyjet losing my bag for six days, it was muy bien.

Two of our favourite people are getting married this Saturday. Being faithful to the Wardrobe Refashion creed, I've made a frock. I'm quietly pleased with it, as in I pretty much followed the pattern, and it pretty much worked. Hurrah!

The Frock

Where I deviated:
I couldn't for the life of me get the fiddly little back ties to turn out, so I ditched them. Instead I'll be making a wider sash belt, using this vintage buckle, and also pictured is the hat that serendipitously matches quite well (the serendipity arises in that it's the only hat I have, and I can't quite see myself making headgear before Saturday). Actually, my DH may well tell me that they clash terribly - but for the moment I'm believing it works.

There are another couple of potential modifications to come - as the leggy model on the pattern envelope, New Look 6370 hasn't got my wonky knees. Another level of flounce may be required.

I'll also be making View A from lining as a slip to go underneath as it's a bit more seethrough than I'd like.

And as I'm a bit paranoid that the extra flounce won't work, I'm thinking of making a fall-back... also wondering if in fact it's a bit loud, hence the alternative needed. Lots to do before Friday, when we leave!

Vanilla days

It's almost quiet here. If you don't count the car alarm, the washing machine and the Duran Duran belting out of the radio. I've found the most fabulous kitsch radio station - mostly 80s and 90s music. Right now it's Flashdance! Ah, flashbacks... It's like a slightly less cool version of Guilty Pleasures, current stars of my iPod Hit Parade.

My bro has just left, it was lovely to see him although I had to work most of the time that he was here. Plus he brought us the world's best cheese - well, certainly Ireland's finest.

I have the house to myself for about an hour before I have to finish tidying, and packing for our holiday. We're going camping. I must have been deranged when I agreed to it, mind you where we're going in Spain will be marginally cooler than here tomorrow, but only because we're expecting 37 degrees in London. Of course there's news reports on how the roads are going to melt and the unions are asking employers to let staff wear their own clothes tomorrow 'so that they'll be cooler, and then the air-conditioning can be turned down which will help the environment' - oh puhlease. In Espana, it's going to be in the low 30s all week, and we're going to a music festival. I'm tremendously excited about seeing Scissor Sisters but the rest of the line up is a bit disappointing. (Can't I stay here and keep listening to Ace of Base? Wow, I'd completely forgottten them - probably just as well) But I've decided that the now low risk of musical overstimulation is actually dandy, as it will mean that rather than running about like loons from stage to stage, we'll take it at a slower pace, with our friends and are going to take a side-trip to Valencia. We'll be able to chill out and relax. Well, if they can convince any local restaurant to let me stay in their walk-in freezer, that is. Otherwise I'll be slathered in Factor 5000 and periodically dipped in the sea/pool as I try avoid migrating from my normally pale blue skin to any shade of lobster. But hey, it's sea, sun, sand and... singing? And then two nights in a posh spa hotel, hurray!

So it's vanilla ice cream, simple and lovely. Keep cool, no stress, no overplanning and a devil-may-care sensibility. And try to avoid melting. And eat ice cream! That's the general aim for the rest of the summer too, now that the majority of the social madness of hens and stags, weddings, christenings, is winding down. Lazy days ahead...

I finally almost finished* a dress for Sew Retro, but will probably redo some of the seams so that the zip (basted in but not sewn) fits better. Oh, and I'll obviously hem it. And sew in the straps - I'm so not finished this dress, mutter mutter... but I really like it. And it's really flattering, and it made me smile instinctively when I put it on. Can you really ask more than that? It's not perfect but eh, so what. It's got character. It's got potential. Just being motivated to press on is enough, really. Really.

Have fun in the sun (if it's your hemisphere's summertime). See you soon...

*me post something that actually ~is~ finished? Oh now, I think the heat is getting to you...

The Centre of Attention

I found a very effective way of meeting new people in the neighbourhood. It's astounding how many people come out of the woodwork when there's something to look at... and yesterday it was me, after a truck crashed into my car.

Everyone's ok, phew, but of course both drivers involved were extremely shook up and I know I'm still a little out of sorts. I was just pulling out of the parking space in front of our house, we live on a T-junction which can be very busy, what with our little corner shop accepting deliveries and mums on the school run etc. A HGV was pulled up blocking the junction, and I thought that he was probably dropping off goods - which he was, but actually to the community centre around the corner which he had overshot somewhat. There was a car behind beeping him to move on, and someone else trying to pass from the other side - apparently he was arguing with one of the drivers (which prompted the shopkeeper's wife to come out to see what was going on) and made a snap decision to move, to let at least one of the drivers out.

However, he didn't check his blind spot before moving (yes, that's where I was, in our little buggy) and just as I was checking mine for the second time before moving off - I suddenly saw a window full of truck as it slammed into me. Glass rained down as the driver window was decimated, and the door impacted towards me, rather a little too close for comfort. Next thing I know he's outside, frantically trying to make sure that I'm ok, and the audience starts to gather! The driver thought he had really hurt me as he heard screaming, but I think that was the shopkeeper's wife, not me - though perhaps in extreme need I could project that far...

That all led to a very shaky day, trying to sort out details and recovery vehicles and hire cars and tow trucks. The other driver completely admitted liability - and we reported it to the one of the local Mounted Police - they pass by our house six or eight times a day as I presume they are stabled nearby, I was very glad to see them yesterday. Very possibly the worst part of the day was when the @*&%$£$ at the insurance company misinformed me that in fact I wasn't insured on the car - at which point I very nearly threw up, the thought of driving around without insurance... anyway.

What was really reassuring about it all was that lots of people came to help, or came by during the day - one of our new neighbours, everyone from the shop, the manager of the centre that the driver was delivering to, and even the foreman of the site down the road - firstly he thought that it was one of his drivers - he was incensed, and said he'd effing kill them. I don't doubt he would have done it personally. God knows what or indeed who will end up in the foundations of those flats.

So much for collecting the new curtains (which was where I was headed). I think I'll get them posted to me.

In other developments, I may now have made the disaster dress a bit too small! Hah, is that the metallic tang of irony that I'm choking on.

My brother comes to visit tonight, for the first time in about seven years, which is very cool. He'll be off haunting the Imperial War Museum, he's such an anorak.

And to end, I think I found the perfect secret garden in Lewes this weekend. Can you imagine the girl with long brown hair, wearing the crinoline dress, peeping out from behind the roses?

Eyes almost open

This morning I had a lie-in as it was 7.00am when I woke. I'm taking advantage of the fact that I can get a few minutes of quiet time alone down here before the guests wake, and the electrician and carpet fitter arrive. Admittedly I normally wake about 6.30am anyway, but at the moment I'm sleeping in our 'new' [finally renovated and moved into after two-and-a-half years] bedroom - hurrah - which is south-facing and has had only one blind installed - boooooooooo. It's like being interrogated by nature from 4.30am every morning. The new room is also that much closer to our marvellous little corner shop, which sells almost everything known to man and housewife, even organic wine - hurrah - and reduces hugely the need for me to use Big Corp Supermarkets - double hurrah - but opens at 6.30am with deliveries starting from 6.00am, usually with a lot of associated banging and clamouring - boo boo boooo. Even with earplugs and a sleeping mask, I'm not getting a lot of shut-eye. I'm surprised the kids aren't frightened by me when I crawl out of the bedroom to do breakfast.

We've also hit on the idea of the kids using the eye masks from the airplane too, as the 5 year old, B, thinks that as soon as it's daylight it's time to get up and start playing Playstation. So he kicks his ever patient brother, I, until he drags himself downstairs to switch the machine on. It's daylight at 4.30am.

To recap a little, I did manage to get the biscotti done, the aroma of chocolatey vanillaness was permeating the whole house when the guests piled in on Saturday morning, plus we had the bread in the oven - mmmmmm. Of course to add to the atmosphere there was the carpet fitter banging on the stairs, doing a poor job of laying the last of the runner, and the plasterer was in the front bedroom with a jackhammer, smashing out the prounounced hearth with a view to re-laying it later. Welcome to the insanity that is our home!

The guests have come with their own agenda and plans, which has been great as I've been largely housebound. They've done the open top bus tour, Madame Tussauds, Covent Garden, Harrods, the Rainforest Cafe, the London Eye, the Tower of London and the Natural History Museum, and more. Thankfully, we've had glorious weather for the last week, with just the odd shower yesterday which has been perfect for sightseeing. Didn't even use all the 'weather-cover' options, so they have a few more places to go today if when it rains!

I'm still working on the gold Woo-hoo skirt, I did get some more sequins done yesterday but I'm still unsure. I hope I'll get to the dress today (have to be positive and stop calling it the Disaster Dress) to see if it can be salvaged but I don't think I'll be finished on it by tomorrow for the wedding, as doing the bodice the first time took me almost a day. I am a bit concerned that the embellishment on the skirt makes it look cheap. As someone else said (sorry, can't remember - was it the wonderful Miss Twiss?) it's less of the 'oh where did you get that skirt?', more of the 'you made that yourself, didn't you...'

I got my packages from Posy Gets Cozy, really love the fabrics.

Today the electrician comes to replace all the socket plates and light switch covers, and to install the new lights, and the fight about the carpet starts (I'm just predicting that one but I have a feeling it's going to be ugly). I call the blinds company to find out when the other one is arriving. Tomorrow the joiner finishes hanging the doors and puts the handles on. Next week the painters finish the gloss paint on the doors, I collect the curtains and get them hung. Then I try to get out of the house...

R u a D G?*

I wanted to use code. Because it almost seems like a dirty little secret.

Are you a Domestic Goddess? I'm not, I know that. But I think I rather aspire to be a Brocante Vintage Housekeeper.

Snippets in here made my heart sing - indeed they twanged my apron strings. After reading it, I finished tidying the kitchen in about seven minutes, and bolted out to the line to take in the washing and peg out another load. As I paired the socks as I went along (hitherto - a very Brocante word, I'm thinking - I would just throw it all in the basket and then try to sort it out later, which usually involves trying to match up sixteen pairs of navy and black socks, often in the dimmed bedroom lights in the evening, it's lucky I'm not blind by now) I made great progress, though I was cradling innumerable pairs of socks and clutching a handful of pegs as I whizzed through it, and then thought - it would be so useful if I had a pocket... and then realised that I did. I had unconsciously adopted the 'Wear a Pinny' commandment and was sporting my June Tie One On Apron.

Wow, that woman is good. She's subliminal....

I've been fretting a little about the upcoming visitors. (What, really? you gasp in astonishment, bracing yourselves for another onslaught of the wibbles) And now I've realised that yes, it's ok that I want to have a nicely dressed bed and a well-appointed room for them. And a bed, but I digress. But it's not vanity, it's just that I want them to feel welcome, and at home. Of course it's not the case that I have to do this - god knows, they are easy going and won't expect that there is a red carpet and a butler to hand. I'm also mindful of the fact that they took such good care of me when I arrived on their doorstep years ago, when they would pay no heed to my protestations that I'd find other lodgings and I want them to have a wonderful, restful, interesting, relaxing holiday here (on that note, if there are any Londoners reading, where would you suggest they visit? Bearing in mind they have two boys, eleven and six years old).

One of the highest compliments I've ever been paid was by a dear friend of my mother's. Joan is a fabulous hostess, the sort of person who has guest bathrobes and keeps a supply of spare toothbrushes, who makes her own scones - do you know what I mean? Most people our age seem to be doing well if they have a rolled up futon at the back of the 'office/spare room' and two extra bowls for cereal in the morning. After our wedding, I sent Joan a card to say thank you for their lovely gift, and she told my mother that she showed it to her own daughters as an example of how to write a thank you card. I was quite embarrassed. I was also deeply touched, and flattered. High praise indeed, as my grandmother would say.

So I've decided it's ok to:

- make biscotti and oat cookies for Saturday morning, to welcome the visitors
- put fresh flowers from the garden in their room
- put a lined basket with toiletries out for them
- possibly even tie up the guest towels with ribbon, to make them look pretty

Well, to be fair, I know I'll definitely do the first one.
The second - here's hoping there's something blossoming. The gerberas above look pretty, don't they - shame they are only four centimetres high, and the last ones.
It will depend on how I do with finding a basket.
I might need to graduate up to the ribbon.

Wish me luck.

*And are you someone who abhors 'txt-spk'? I'm not always trying to be a DG, but I think I'm always an SO - Spelling Obsessive.

I killed Kermit!

Or I thought I did.

Kermit is my iPod (seen above, modelling my iPod covers), but he doesn't get used so much now that I'm not commuting any more. He mostly comes to the gym with me (so really doesn't get used that much - I'd hang my head in shame but it makes it hard to type).

I kind of nudged him with a (rubber-edged!) barbell when I was doing bicep curls and he gave up the ghost. Happily, he seems to be charging now, but it was a scary moment there... Actually, he seems to have been charging for a really long time... eek... I hope he's ok because he was one of the last available iPod minis, and even though he's still in guarantee, I don't think there'd be any possibility of getting another mini in his place...

My god, I'm turning into the most material person on the planet.

"Anniyah amamaterial girrrrrl"

Since I went freelance and don't have a constant, recognisable income (well there's some cash coming in, but as I'm mostly wearing my Project Manager's Hat during our house redecoration, I don't have a lot of time for freelancing, plus there's lots of banging and clattering going on - which is odd, because how noisy should painting really be? Minimally so, I'd like to think - and I like it to be pretty quiet when I work, nothing but the sounds of me scratching correction marks on to the page, and Classic FM on my fantabulous girlie radio, which was my leaving present from my last job. Hell, getting out was enough of a gift, and then I got this too! Then after I finish working it gets tuned to XFM - it's my aural equivalent of leaving the office.)

[Flib shuffles back on track]
Since I went freelance I've been trying to limit my spending severely - no credit card usage at all, and Wardrobe Refashion 06 has helped with this - and luckily all the nice people there and on Sew Retro have helped me with my sewing misadventures - I keep the WR06 support board in business, let me tell you.

But today, after spending a lovely afternoon in the park with a friend and her two most gorgeous little girlies, I dashed into town, armed with various gift vouchers that have been burning a hole in my wallet. Actually, one of them was a wedding present, and though it had already furnished Flib Towers with two very lovely pressies (a frying pan and an ice bucket!), it had £15 left on it which just needed to be spent, plus a £20 vouchers for Selfridges. Niiiiiiiiice shop. It's great because it stocks a huge range of stuff, and the housewares are normal prices, basically.

For my £20 in Selfridges (oh, did I mention that it's Sale Season?), I scored:

- A cutting mat so I can try some patchwork with some of my stash fabrics, fat quarters that won't make anything else really, but I didn't actually know what fat quarters were when I bought them from eBay, many moons ago
- a metal edged cutting ruler (for the patchwork)
- a set of Denyse Schmidt stationey, 50% off! Stationery and patchwork in one - swooooon....
- a funky spotty box with o-o-f dots*
Okay, I confess. I overspent there by £1.70.

With the remainder of the wedding voucher, I came out with
- these cute pegs (to be used in gift-wrapping, and organising the office)
- 70% off candles, to fit the mini candle holders my mum put in my Christmas stocking a few years ago, never thought I'd find replacements
- and miscellaneous cards

As I was walking past Earthworks I realised they had gorgeous Sarah Bernhardt paeonies outside. I like this florist anyway, because they have a resident cat there, called Bonnie (who, incidentally, is poorly at the moment, as it turns out that she is allergic to protein - how rubbish is that for a cat? Please send good kat karma to Bonnie) and paeonies were the main component of my wedding bouquet. And at £4.55, they were a steal, let me tell you. No, of course I paid, I did...

Then on to John Lewis for a 22in zip, in the hope that buying the notions will lend me the mental strength to rip the disaster dress and resew it, thus necessitating the zip in the first place - the zip of encouragment. I was legging it through the place as it was almost closing time, but not so fast that I didn't see the 'Reduced' tag on some dusky rose taffeta! So that is the aspirational fabric now - I aspire to get the disaster dress sorted out, because when it works, I'll be remaking it in the taffeta for the August wedding. Hah, now I've said it on here, and it's bound to come back to haunt me!

Further to yesterday's post, I got up at 6.30am and tidied up, having mopped the floors etc yesterday. Yes, I do know that the guys will be back traipsing dust and muck through here again on Monday, but it had to be tidied for the weekend. Can't wait to get the hall stand back out there, the carpet fitted (I won't make the obvious joke about excitement at getting laid) and hang some of our gorgeous pictures, which have been languishing for almost two and a half years! Ah, nesting...

* The eagle-eyed amongst you may have noticed that I missed the spotty box out of the picture above. That neatly encapsulates the Selfridges sale slogan that's on all their advertising:

You want it
You buy it
You forget it

Hoarding...

I am a bad, bad, hoarder. I'm about to start on an apron for the June Tie One On (my first) and so ordered a metre of blue gingham, as the theme is Musicals (can you see where I'm going with that?)

Then last night when I was looking for some fabric for my effort for the Pincushion Challenge - yes, I'm quite the little joiner at the moment - I found that in fact I had a half a metre of blue gingham, which would have been enough, stashed. I just didn't think to look properly. I need to sort out my storage! Which is why there's an Ikea trip coming up on Friday evening, eek.

I also drove out to look at some new doors for the house. I know that isn't that thrilling - but the fact that I got there, got lost, found my way again and completed the journey without my head exploding, is. It's not the driving per se that gets to me - it's the thought of missing the turns and ending up in Scotland.

Bestest day

Our first wedding anniversary.
We exchanged paper gifts (I got him a poster which has some specific sentimental memories - we first saw it in New York but didn't buy it as thought it would get mushed on the plane home - and then I found it here. I'll be getting it framed but I felt it qualified for 1st anniversary.) I got a wonderful treat - a Jo Malone facial - swoon!! I feel wibbly thinking about it!
After yoga, we went to our local market and bought Brie de Meaux, Montbriac, tapenade, walnut bread and pears, and had a picnic in the park. We both fell asleep in the sunshine, then staggered home to get changed before going to Le Pigalle for dinner. It's a 40s-style supper club - the food was wonderful, the service impeccable (the staff were so smiley and energetic, I keep wondering if they were going to jump up on the bar 'Fame'-style and do their own number), the cabaret was brilliant and it was the best night I've had since our wedding last year - quite fitting really!

I'm trying to do some of the 'pays-the-bills' work today without getting too distracted - especialy with the sounds of neighbours' barbeques drifting in to taunt me, but I did get as far as putting the zip in my first Wardrobe Refashion skirt! V exciting! But it's still a WIP.
I had a 'helper' with it. Every time I clear space on the table to work on it, she helps herself to the space.

Who's a lucky girl?

Me!!! I just won Primal Scream tickets. This is especially cool as it's our first wedding anniversary tomorrow, and Movin on Up, the song which was the 'cue to call' on the radio, was the first dance at our wedding. I had a small gift for my husband, and now I also have a two CDs and tickets and lots of stuff! Oh, and also in a draw to win original artwork from Riot City Blues and Screamadelica... and I'm feeling lucky...

Plus I'm really chuffed that I got into WR06, as I was the second last person to get in... whoo-hoo!