What’s on your Workdesk today ….. knickers and compost

Morning campers, I’m doing a round up of my week so far

before I get to what’s on my workdesk.

Monday morning I dashed down to Chantilly in Rochdale

to pick up my order of new underwear.

Marjorie who owns the shop was in the same year at school as me

and it’s nice to catch up with her every few years when I go in.

It’s nice to see her daughter Jocelyn too who will

keep the family business going if /when Marjorie retires.

In the afternoon we took delivery of seven massive bags of compost

for our next garden project.  Don’t be expecting me to move this lot

with my dicky back, I told the wandering welder.

Tuesday afternoon and off I popped for an eye test.

Look at this lot. They are normally scattered all over the house.

I’ve one proper pair and the rest are from the poundshop.

I’m happy to say my eyesight has stayed the same so no need for

new specs.  More money for new knickers haha.

Now to the desk, well wall.

I’ve started work on the new prompt over at the textile group

I’m a member of.  Our first task is weaving with paper.

I’ve used an old song sheet and the back of an old gallery programme.

The cork wall will over the next month will display all things Weave

related.

Above this is a bit of old packaging and some cut up papers.

Here’s a bowl made using dissolvable fabric I made as an experiment.

and a bit of stitching just cos I felt like it.

That’s it from me. Sorry to have gone on a bit.

I think I’m caught up now.

Take care and have a hug on me on Monday desk hoppers.

Lynn

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LINKING UP WITH WHATS ON YOUR WORKDESK WEDNESDAY

ZOOMING THROUGH MAY

On Saturday I got ready for the zoom meeting with the 

No Rules Textile Society

We spent a couple of hours chatting, exchanging ideas, doing a show

and tell on what we’d been creating, recommending books and talking about

different textile techniques.

I love these meetings, it’s so fabulous to be with like minded folk.

You feel as if you’ve found your tribe.

Once a month we are given a new prompt by Jayne who facilitates the group.

She doesn’t even know what the prompt is herself until it’s pulled out of

the bowl.

So the new prompt is WEAVE.  Hence the basket, hat and blanket

photo at the top of the page.  You start to see weaves everywhere.

While I was busy zooming my new book arrived. 

THE ART OF REPAIR

Sunday I took Mum to a craft fair she fancied. It was good that

we had to register our details and sanitise our hands on entry but

although most people wore a mask there was no social distancing

despite signs on the wall.  Mum enjoyed it and bought some

handmade cushions and a gift for her friend. After a quick look round I

waited outside as I wasn’t comfortable being shoulder to shoulder with folk.

Don’t get me wrong, I know we need to get back to some form of

normality, but it just wasn’t for me.

On the way home I spotted a lovely vintage tearoom serving

afternoon teas outside.  I’d definitely go back again. The interior

was delightful.

The dress I wore is from British designer/maker

The Well Worn, who only make one of each size and use recycled fabrics.

I like support small British makers.

LINK TO THE WELL WORN

The bag is from Vicky at The Linen Garden and I’ve had it a few years now.

LINK TO THE LINEN GARDEN

Our rug is a charity shop find and has a price tag on the back of £175.

We paid £25 a couple of years ago from Age UK at Milnthorpe, Cumbria.

I’m a bit behind with my blogging so I’ll be back tomorrow with an update 

Lynn

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It may be winter outside

It’s easy to wear summer frocks all year round.

Add thermals or a full length vintage petticoat, thick tights,

a pair of boots and a cardigan

It was just a coincidence that my outfit matched the magazine

that arrived yesterday 

The dress is made by British maker Alfie who trades as Scarlet Sometimes.

I have a few of her creations and wear them a lot.

Like this gypsy skirt.

Pinafore

Crotchet jumper

Gingham dress and I have one in red

Skirt

If you’re an Instagram fan you’ll find Alfie and her creations here

SCARLET SOMETIMES

She doesn’t even know I’ve done this little post but I felt we could

all do with a bit of colour on this miserable wet weekend.

Stay dry, keep colourful, summers on its way

Lynn 

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Lockdown Diary …. There’s plan afoot

Do you know the song .. WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES,

24 little HOURS

Well on Wednesday we were able to put all the garden stuff straight

that had blown over and got smashed.  It was even sunny enough to

sit out, albeit with my woolly cardie and tights on.

(Charity shop frock and handmade cardigan from Stockport vintage market)

This week saw the 22nd birthday of Sofia my beautiful goddaughter.

He she is a few years ago ready for her school prom.

Back in the craftroom I’ve been experimenting with threads and dissolvable

fabric on the sewing machine. This is my second attempt, the first bowl

I made was a bit floppy because I washed out too much of the adhesive.

If you fancy a go, here’s a link to a You Tube how to video

HOW TO MAKE A BOWL VIDEO

We are getting quite excited now about the forthcoming visit of

my sister Jill from Oxford.  We haven’t seen her since October.

Normally she would have been home for Christmas and mum

would have been to stay with her several times during the year.

So I’m making plans and getting things booked.  We will be having

a meal at our favourite restaurant which is due to reopen on the 17th.

Then there’ll be a girlie meet up with a friend at our go to place, 

Park Farm Tearoom.

On the Saturday we have a tickets for Grayson Perry’s Art Club exhibition

at Manchester Art Gallery. Our slot is 2pm. It’s very well organised.

We watched both series during lockdown and loved it.

Speaking of art did you watch this weeks Sewing Bee on BBC 1,

they had to make an outfit based around the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.

I thought they could have been more flamboyant. Not that I could do any better.

 I enjoyed watching it though.

link to you tube video of exhibition

It seems strange booking trips out.  Exciting but with a touch of nervousness

thrown in.

We've even got tickets to see one of our favourite bands in June.

Because we know the layout of the theatre and it’s table seating I

somehow feel quite comfortable with that one.  

MY DARLING CLEMENTINE LINK

Look at us two, proper groupies in 2017.

How are you feeling about going out into the world again.

Have you anything booked yet.

Take care.  Have a lovely weekend.

Lynn

x

Linking to 

ANNIE’S FRIDAY SMILES

WOYWW …….. well here we are again

Well would you look at that mess.

This was our garden on Tuesday morning after a right

Hoolie blew in overnight.

I thought well if that’s what May has in store for us I’ll be

in isolation a bit longer.

Monday afternoon I took to my desk while Philip cleaned the

bathrooms as all his outside jobs were cancelled due to bad weather.

 I bribed him with the promise of cake and a cuppa later.

Over the weekend I’d been playing about putting scraps of fabric

together on my cork wall.  Then I made a crazy paving ribbon with

more bits of the same materials.

Back to Monday afternoon….. keeping on with the lace theme

for the No Rules Textile Society project, I’ve stitched a little

patchwork piece and added cut up pieces of an antique trim

and machined stitched them down in a grid pattern.

Other members have dyed lace, some have made bowls with

threads and dissolvable fabric.  The effects are lovely.

Images by permission of Jayne Emerson

JAYNE EMERSON TEXTILE ARTIST

What I like about the group is you can do whatever takes your fancy,

there’s no rules.  I enjoy the zoom meetings.  There’s lots of giggling,

chat and exchanges of ideas.

I do miss being in the company of folk, don’t you.

We are getting a bit nearer to resolving that now thankfully.

Enjoy your week deskhoppers

Lynn 

x

Linking upto 

WHAT’S ON YOUR WORKDESK WEDNESDAY

One day at a time

Crikey the blog posts are coming thick and fast this week.

Don’t worry it won’t last.

What’s that you say “thank goodness for that”.

Before setting off to have lunch with a friend on Saturday and help

her set up her astrology business on Facebook, I decided to give the dresser

in the kitchen a wipe down and get rid of the plates and cups that

were either chipped or had lost their pattern.

SUE PILKINGTON ASTROLOGY CONSULTANT

Most of our crockery is bought from charity shops

or vintage trader friends and is generally mismatched or plain white.

Since we changed the office and spare bedroom round, got rid of loads of clutter

and started the garden renovations I’ve become a bit obsessed with keeping things tidy.

Not sure how long that will last. It’s nice to be able to move round freely though.

We watched a super new series on Saturday night

Channel 4, 8pm

THE GREAT GARDEN REVOLUTION

Loved scouser Joel Bird, garden designer and presenter.

He won the Best Shed Competition a few years ago and has appeared

on programmes like Gardeners World since.

ABOUT JOEL BIRD

A little round up of April in our garden
Well we’ve all day Sunday to go at now and I’m bracing

myself for an outdoor lunch with my bestie.

It’ll be thermals, woolly tights and a big coat.

Have a lovely day whatever you get upto.

I bet I know what most folk will be watching tonight.

Line Of Duty finale.

Lynn

x

Hello May

Here we are on the last day of April.where on earth did that month go. Someone put the brakes on time please.

On Friday morning after catching up on blog posts and comments, a morning cuppa and berries and porridge for breakfast, we split up to do our own thing for a few hours.  

The wandering welder’s task was to relocate the ugly bins. I hate looking at them they are an eyesore. Before Philip turned our garage into his man cave we used to keep them in there. The new site will be up the side of the garage out of view from me.  

I’m not convinced the new pitch is much better as they will be visible from the lane.

I’ll post pics of the end result when it’s done.

The full skip is now ready to go back.

It was the best £120 we’ve spent, we certainly couldn’t have managed without it.

Just before it goes though I raided it and retrieved a piece of privet branch to

display the textile piece I’d made in the afternoon after my zoom meeting with

the No Rules Textile Society.

We are still working on a lace prompt so I weaved strips of a modern cotton and a wool thread

into this pretty antique mat then finished it off on the sewing machine

by stitching a grid of running stitch over the centre.

I'll have to rejig the cork wall again now to accommodate my lace creations.

And so we jump into May

Saturday mornings always start off with a cuppa in bed and listening to

Sounds of the Sixties with Tony Blackburn on Radio 2.  The sun has got

his hat on, even though it’s cold outside and I’ve got a new book to start.

Anyone who is a fan of the book Eleanor Oliphant or of author

Ruth Hogan and The Keeper Of Lost Things will like this

debut novel about Amy Ashton the hoarder. 

There’s some planting to be done in the garden this morning before visiting

a friend for lunch and helping her set up her astrology website.

I hope May is kind to everyone and we keep moving

forward in a positive way.

Lynn

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