Some pictures from the Carnival

Another carnival has come and gone, but here are some photos to prove that it happened:-

Warning: Dr Who reference ahead

"I'm the bloody Queen, and basically I rule"

The Queen with her attendants

and on the float waiting for the parade to begin

Let the Carnival begin!

Its official! Carnival week has started. Since this is the 10th Carnival since it restarted in 2001 they kicked off with a birthday party, and what birthday party is complete without a birthday cake?

As I may have droned on about interminably mentioned, Naomi is Queen this year, and to our surprise here she is immortalised in cake!!! You have no idea how hard it was to stop her from eating this entire slab of icing (and slipping into a sugar induced coma) before I got this photo

now she has taken the photo I'm eating it mwahahaha haha   ha Naomi :)

Prom!

Here is Eloise all dressed up for her prom in Newquay on Friday night

A close up of her headgear (no tiaras for my fashion victim princess of cool)

and finally her high class transport ;D

Prom dress finished, carnival dresses to go. No rest for the wicked...

Funky footwear

Inspired by this tutorial I found online I decided to have a go at jazzing up a pair of very cheap, plain flip flops. This is what they looked like before:-

I cut up lots of old fabric scraps and machined them together as described in the tutorial, (I found it very traumatic when the instructions called for "messy stitching" as every fibre of my being screamed at me to stitch in nice straight lines, but I persevered!), and used the resultant material to cover the plastic straps and hey presto:-

The whole process took less than 2 hours start to finish and now I think they look like an expensive designer surf brand. I'm so pleased with them I'm thinking of making another pair in a different colour.

A Gift, a challenge, a frog and a Queen

I got the most amazing gift in the post last week. Barb had posted about a book, Jane Austen's Sewing Box:-

I was curious about it, and asked what it was like, and the next thing I know Amazon had delivered me my very own copy as a gift from Barb.
It makes fascinating reading, with loads of history about Regency women and the sort of sewing they would have done, lots of sumptuous photos and some intriguing projects based on sewn items, such as huswifes and letter cases, mentioned in Austen's novels. Thank you so much Barb. I'm thrilled with it.

In other news, yesterday was reveal day for the monthly challenge at Stitch and Stash. This time we did this free design from Les Chroniques de Frimousse. I loosely translated the original French text and finished mine as a weighted bookend.
Look how lovely my Apothecary's Rose is in the background. It has gone mad this year with too many blossoms to count.
The album is here, though there aren't many finishes this month, I think everyone has been too busy enjoying the sunshine.
The sunshine has obviously been too much for one poor little frog in my garden though. Last night we were watching a movie (Die Hard 4 as it happens), and he appeared, hopping across the lounge floor, and hid under the tv before we could catch up with him! Must be a Bruce Willis fan! Anyway today we have a big bowl of water in the middle of the carpet in the hopes of tempting him out....
Finally, check out this picture of my "Queen elect". So grown up looking!

A Tale of two Pincushions

One cute and one subversive

First the cute one, a teeny little crown, which I made using the cap of a 2l cola bottle as the base. The top decoration is a flower bead threaded onto a pearl headed pin.

Now the subversive one (read no further if you are of a nervous or easily offended disposition). You might recall a few weeks back I posted a picture of a long pincushion I made for the Monthly Challenge. In true Victorian Style I lovingly spelled out the word "PINS" in pins . Last week I came to use it and I found this:-

I think I have a poltergeist (or a teenager)

A gift, my garden, and a new release

I had a lovely package in amongst all the bills in the post last week. Heidi had run a surprise giveaway on her blog and I won this gorgeous scissor fob. Look at the little tape measure charm, isn't it adorable?

The lovely warm weather we've been having has had quite an effect on my garden, which is now chock full of weeds, or a haven for wildflowers depending on your point of view. Here are some campion, buttercups and foxgloves which I have cunningly prevented from seeding all over the place, by bringing them into the kitchen (and my Jamie Oliver jug).

And finally ...

(wait for it)...

My new release. Presenting "Adventures" a sampler and matching needlework accessories based on a quote from Jane Austen "If adventures will not befall a young lady in her own village she must seek them abroad".


Sampler and Accessories












Inside of sewing pocket

















Back of sewing pocket and fob
















(list of stockists available on website)