Since Last Time...

• Three friends and I co-hosted a charity supper for over forty people on St. Patrick's Day . A lovely village event where we provided a three course supper for a nominal amount to cover costs and then people gave donations. We were raising money for CALM - a small charity that specifical works with young men to help prevent suicide, which happens to be the biggest killer of men under 45. It's a cause that feels close to home at the moment so I was delighted that we raised over £500. I made paper flowers to decorate the tables!

• I dressed up for the event... it would have been rude not to really! Anyone who knows me also knows I don't need much excuse to dress up... I've done it a previous incarnations of these charity suppers... There was the Scandi supper and the recent 1960s event too!

• I made several loaves of soda bread which we served with soup. There was a beef and Guinness stew which was served with colcannon and then we finished off with chocolate Guinness cake. I think I may have over catered... we're still eating the cake!

• There has been more dress making. I volunteered to make waistcoats for the groom and his six groomsmen (two of whom are actually women) for son no. 2's wedding. I have finished one... just six more to go! It's okay I have until July!

• I made cakes for my machine embroidery class as it was the last class this term. Of course there were several left over which means we are now eating left over cupcakes as well as Guinness cake.
• Today I've been trying on dresses for the forthcoming weddings (all three of them) but I was horrified by my pale and lumpy reflection in the changing room mirrors and thought that I looked awful in everything I tried on. Please don't mention all the cake I've eaten this week, I need you to be kind to me. It probably didn't help that I couldn't be bothered to take my Doc Marten style boots off and had my trousers round my ankles. Add to that mental picture if you will as the first dress I put on made my now very scruffy hair (having missed my hair cut due to the snow two weeks ago) go static and stick to my head and stick up in equal measures. I probably could have done with putting on some make up and shaving my legs too... but minor details. Needless to say I have come home without a dress although Jacob did remind me I have a very fetching "sheep" onesie that would cover me up.

• This afternoon I have been packing my bags for a couple of days away, teaching the ladies of Maidstone how to make little textured landscapes on Friday and Saturday. I might have also been drinking tea and eating cake in an attempt to cheer myself up after the abortive dress purchasing mission this morning. Like that's going to help!

Whatever your plans are for this weekend... I hope it's a good one!

The Mad Hatter

You know me from old... What do I do in probably the most stressful week I've had this year, the week when I am making my brother's three tiered wedding cake? I decide I need a hat to wear to the wedding of course, and if that wasn't last minute enough for me, I decide I need to make it too!

I armed myself with a glue gun, some cardboard and trims plus a £1 charity shop black skirt and set to work. I found a great youtube video (one of those occasions when you just love the internet!) and in no time at all I had the basics. But it needed more and required another outing to a well known hobby shop which was a welcome break from the endless icing sugar and fondant coating my kitchen. An hour and a half later I returned with glitter and feathers. Just what every girls needs (the burlesque dancing has obviously gone to my head!)

And ta-dah... I have a hat!

It is a themed wedding... Alice in Wonderland meets festival all in steam punk style. There will be a Mad Hatter's tea party and dress code is optional fancy dress.

I didn't want to go all out fancy dress but I am dressing up, with the queen of hearts lurking somewhere in the back of my mind. I actually finished my dress a couple of weeks ago (even I couldn't cope with last minute late night sewing). So my hat is a mini topper with sparkly hearts. I like to think it is subtle... but who am I to judge! I'm hoping once I've done my hair (and freshened up the colour with a lilac toner... I can't believe how quickly it has faded) and put on some slap it will look half decent!

I'll be back after tomorrow no doubt with more photos of the party and to show off my dress. And of course there will be the big reveal of the cake, which thankfully is also finished, with a whole day to spare... get me! Do you want a sneak preview...

There is steam punk edible lace and lilac roses... amongst other things.

Enjoy your weekend!

Miss Gina von Teese*

It probably would never have been on my bucket list but when my soon to be new sister-in-law announced that we would be having a burlesque dancing lesson as part of her hen night, it was another thing I'd never done before that I knew could be added to my sixty by sixty list.

We were told to bring high heels and a feather boa with us. You may be surprised to learn I don't have a feather boa, although I do possess a boa type scarf which I thought would do the trick. And high heels... Well I have them but do I wear them? Certainly not since the incident of the ditch in the night time! But entering the spirit of the event I brought them along anyway...

However, as you can see I was seriously overdressed (yes, I'm the old girl who is completely covered head to toe... actually not true, my toes are peeping)! I consoled myself with the fact that as well as a feather boa I don't own a basque either so my long sleeved top was probably as good as it was going to get and also more appropriate as I had a good twenty years or more on most of the women in the room.

Before long our instructors from MyBurlesque were taking us through the moves a step at a time until we had built up a whole routine.

Fortunately for you there don't seem to be any photos of me in action (well I did keep myself tucked behind a pillar at the back being a bit of a shrinking violet) but here are some of the others strutting their stuff.. bride to be taking centre stage of course.

And as for these little accessories that were in our goodie bags, I can't see them getting much of an outing round here. Even if I felt so inclined they are unlikely to do me much good. I could have pranced in stark naked in my high heels and feather boa last night and and the best response I could have hoped for would have been "Shouldn't you have a vest on... it's chilly out there you know!" And they say romance is dead!

All joking aside it was actually great fun, very tongue in cheek and lots of laughs.

* Wondering how many hits that title is going to get!

And then there were more

The next installment of my dressing up box give away - leave a comment if a small member of your family (or even a large member of your family) might like one of these and it will be first come first served (and that includes my prettiest blog reader too). Again all made by me and all freshly washed!

1. Zorro Cape

This is a semi circular cape (very dashing!) with the Zorro logo appliqued on the back. Mask, hat and sword never stood the test of time - well the sword was probably confiscated! I did say they were all freshly laundered but I never mentioned ironing....

2. Dracula Cape

Like the Zorro cape (not quite semi circular but still quite sweeping) but without the logo and with a red lining. Fangs not included!

3. Bee

This is really an over sized jumper made from stripey fun fur. Once upon a time it had net wings and a balaclava with antennae but they are sadly long gone. But I'm sure this has potential! One size fits all!

This is a "Ben Bee" looking for flowers!

4.Wizard

There are two of these. The one above has stencilled moons and stars and the one modelled below has appliqued decorations which are starting to fall off and look a bit tired if I'm being honest. But in the right hands that could be fixed! Both come with battered wizard hats.

5. Daredevil

Had you fooled there...

Okay... I didn't quite manage the skin tight PVC effect modelled by Ben Affleck but Jacob rather liked his Daredevil costume!

And I was rather pleased with the mask which is now a bit tight on Jacob but he very gamely modelled!

This will probably fit a 7-8 year old or bigger but the arms and legs could be easily shortened.

And that's all folks... well it's not actually but it's the end of the giveaway because I can see this getting a bit tedious for all concerned!

Dressing up

After Joe's foray into the remains of our dressing up box to find pirate accessories I decided it was time to give it a thorough sort through and throw out. Then I had a bit of a brain wave...

But before I share my idea with you, first the results of some of my stitching into the felt. This was the piece I made as a background for a commissioned picture.


And this is the result after some free machining and applique.

I wasn't too sure about it at first but after the addition of the thistles I think I quite like it. I hope the recipient does too!

Anyway back to my brainwave... or really stupid idea depending on your viewpoint. After sorting through the dressing up clothes I realised that there were still about a dozen or so outfits that were still in relatively good condition despite their great age and it seemed a shame to throw them out. Then I thought of all you blogging friends out there who still have young children and it occured to me I could have a marathon giveaway... or off loading of my junk depending on your viewpoint!

So some rules...

1. I think I'm going to have to limit this to people in the UK only otherwise it will cost me an arm and leg in postage.

2. If you would like one of the outfits leave a comment stating which one (only one per person.)

3. First come first served because with so much stuff to giveaway I can't be doing with drawing names from hats.

4. If this proves popular I'll put some more up later in the week.

And now the outfits - all of which have been made by me and all have been laundered this weekend!:

1. The BFG
Okay, this first one is not really an outfit but just a big black cape with a hood and a snazzy waistcoat but Jacob wore it to book week as the BFG and was very happy with the way he looked! Will fit a 5-6 year old

2. Father Christmas

This comes without the beard but consists of jacket, hat, trousers and belt. Will probably fit a 7-8 year old

3. Aladdin

Hat, waistcoat and trousers (magic lamp not included) modelled by Joe. Another book week success! Will fit a 5-6 year old

4. Jack o' Lantern
There are two of these but due to their great age only one has survived intact, the slightly smaller of the two. Sam was only 2 here but I think it would fit a child up to about 5 -6. The black jumpers and trousers are not included. This was Ben and Sam about to go Trick or Treating in America about 22 years ago!

5. Frog
This consists of a very silly hat and green trousers and jumper (probably fit a 5-6 year old)

I couldn't find a picture of any of the boys wearing this so Joe very gamely demonstated how to wear the hat - also proving that the hat will fit a 19 year old!

6. Woody

This is Woody from Toy Story - again I couldn't find the photo but I think it will fit a 4-5 year old. It comes without a hat - our cowboy hats haven't stood the test of time. Just remembered it doesn't have a sherrif badge either because I made a large version of this a couple of years ago for Ben and he had the badge.

Leave a comment if you want one... or to tell me is was a silly idea!