car - update

Sigh....... I've looked at other cars - but nothing leaps out and says "pick me, pick me" (funny eh, how fabric always does though!?!) so I've asked the garage to fix up our old one. Nearly two grand is a lot of money to find, erm, I think I'll have to rob a bank.....

Ah. Hmmmmmm.I didn't think this one through did I?

Slight hitch with the transport - no blimmin' getaway car.

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

Oh well, I wouldn't thrive in jail - I can't see them letting me have my stash, rotary cutter sewing machine, gin etc..... So that idea was a non starter.

Brrrmmm, brrrrmmmm - or not...

Decision time. I do love our car, but I've been told it's just failed the MOT. On a couple of mechanic-ey unseen things, so nothing at all obvious to us mere mortals :-(

To put it right is going to cost a lot more than the car is actually worth..... My 'Eco' self says just pay the money and keep the thing on the road. My head says, it's just throwing away the cash, so scrap it and buy another.

Our savings are about to be spent on replacing all the failing and failed double glazing, it's all already on order too - so we cannot back out, without losing a large deposit. So we would have to take out a loan to buy a new car, which I am loath for us to do. Argghhh.

Sometimes I hate being an adult - way too many important decisions need to be made and I have to live with the consequences.

Am I being thrifty or just a cheapskate?

I found some goodies in Asda for just £1 each:
Mini hair bands: I thought these'll be good for putting round bobbins to stop 'em unravelling.

HUGE hair clips: (I've put some 'normal' size ones next to them for comparison). I think these might be good to use when folding binding down around quilts. I also found a calculator for 57p!!!!! No batteries needed either. Showing my age here, but when I think back to my school days - calculators cost a comparative fortune. I even had to save up pocket money to buy one.

What to do, what to do........

At the FOQ in August, I bought half a metre of pretty Japanese fabric printed with squares of 'Parisian' designs. The fabric was pre-cut and sadly some of the prints had the tops cut off, so I cannot use all of them.
Here are three possibilities of using the fabric - I can't decide between them yet.....1)
2) 3)
I took a photo of each square (5"), imported it into EQ6 (the fabric background looks rather grey, but is off white really). I then found some toning fabrics in my stash, half a metre of turquoise, and a fat quarter each of peach and tan. Obviously it's not going to be a big quilt! I may well need to play some more in EQ6. Any suggestions are welcome....

Talk, talk

I had a lovely day today with Pascale, who I met through BQL. Fortunately we live fairly near to each other. We chatted about quilting stuff and I was able to show off about some of my quilts, bags and calendar challenge quilts. She showed me some of her lovely work, including some beautiful batik blocks that are going to look so good when they are all put together. We played about on EQ6 and designed her quilt, I won't show it here, because it's her design not mine. But what I can show is this beautifully made zipped pouch that Pascale made for me using some Japanese fabric with cute owl's on, that she bought when we were at the FOQ last month. The day went very quickly and before we knew what was what, it was time for Pascale to go home and do the school run.

Hello Wembley......

Guess where Himself & I went on Saturday?First time we have seen the new stadium - it's huge.
Last November I bought us two tickets for Coldplay (if I'd bought four, I could have sold the spares to the numerous touts outside):
The support acts were: White Lies, Girls Aloud and JayZ - what a diverse bunch eh?The stadium filling up.
We have now seen JayZ twice in eighteen months! Though I have to say, he seemed more bearable this time.... Oh nooooooo - does this mean I'm actually getting to like his music?
Coldplay were amazing (my photos though, are not, sorry!)

Coldplay played:

'Life In Technicolor'
'Violet Hill'
'Clocks'
'In My Place'
'Yellow' (with hundreds of yellow balloons bubbling up through the audience.)
'Glass of Water'
'Cemeteries of London'
'42'
'Fix You'
'Strawberry Swing'
'God Put A Smile Upon Your Face'
'The Hardest Part'
'Postcards From Far Away'
'Viva La Vida'
'Lost+'
'Trouble' (With Simon Pegg joining them onstage to do the harmonica part)
'Death Will Never Conquer'
'Rhyming Song'
'Billie Jean'
'Viva La Vida (Remix)'
'Politik'
'Lovers In Japan' (with multi coloured confetti butterflies blowing through the audience.)
'Death And All His Friends'
'The Scientist'
'Life In Technicolor II'
'The Escapist'

We had fireworks for two tracks, but I cannot remember which ones. Coldplay finished just before 11pm, after telling us we would all be given a free CD to say thank you. It's a good cd too (nine, live tracks)This is part of the huge arc above the stadium:

We stayed with our lovely rellies in Ruislip, who completly pampered us for the weekend.
The following morning we went to Alperton High Street to wander around the Indian shops. We went past a new (Hindu?) temple nearing completion:

I think it looks very exotic and somewhat incongruous nestled amongst the rather tatty pre-war houses and scruffy looking shops nearby.
Lots of glittery and shiny polyester fabrics in this shop, but I did find some loose woven 100% cotton fabric (turban cloth) in both plain black and white which was just what I was looking for. The white fabric went into the washing machine last night and I'm going to iron it now and see how much it has shrunk by, I'm expecting the shrinkage to be considerable, which is why I bought plenty!

Birthday Boy

It was 'Himself's' birthday on Friday - so as the weather was gorgeous, we went to the Cotswolds for the day.
We had lunch at the Green Dragon, Cowley. Delicious.
This is part of the churchyard at Painswick: The churchyard had lots of beautifully manicured yew trees.

Then in the evening Chic Girl, The Whizz Kid and Lanky Boy came over and bought lots of different curries with them for our dinner, Chic Girl had also bought a bottle of champagne. Curry and champers is a bizarre combination, but tasted delicious nonetheless - we were all stuffed to the gills.

This time last Year......

Himself and I went to Bath to go pig huntin'.....






We bought a map listing where each pig was and had a great day seeking them out, with a few stops to take in refreshments.
Here are some of the pigs we found:

Bristol to Paris - day 5

They made it - just about. I'm not sure of the details, but I had a text from both of them that they had reached Paris, were in their hotel, had met up with Chic Girl and cleaning themselves up. This is Lanky Boy looking at the Moulin Rouge from their hotel doorway:EDIT. Turns out they were in the red light district - ha ha ha.
Chic Girl had thoughtfully bought 'decent' clothes for them both, so they were off to eat, drink and generally be merry. Well done to all, I'm proud of 'em.

Today they were going to be doing a spot of sighteseeing. Hmmm, am quite envious, Paris is a really lovely city and so much to see and do.

Bristol to Paris - day 4

This morning Lanky Boy and The Whizz Kid had their first breakfast of the day at a McDonalds (??!!) but only because it gave them free WiFi, something not on offer in the cheap hotels/hostels they are saying in.

Bristol to Paris - day 3

Lanky Boy and The Whizz Kid stopped for lunch at Etaples: They made it safely to Amiens at 9pm - local time.

Keeping everything crossed, but it looks like they're going to get to Paris. Hurrah. I have no idea how bad Lanky Boys knee is as I only got this info via two text messages.

Bristol to Paris - day 2

Lanky Boy, the Whizz Kid and their bikes are all safely on the ferry and now sailing to Calais - hurrah. Only two punctures today (both within the space of five minutes of each other.) The boys are enjoying a cold beer each and Lanky Boy is resting his right knee - which he tells me is very painful. I do hope this doesn't scupper their chances of cycling to Paris.
http://www.justgiving.com/bristol-to-paris/

Still, tomorrow is another day..............
EDIT: The Whizz Kid mending his second puncture: The white cliffs of Dover:Lanky Boy on the phone to me and enjoying a beer on the ferry:
Supper had to be in MacDonalds - the only place still open at 10pm on a Monday night:Here is the Whizz Kid eating a "Croque McDo"

Matryoshka

I embroidered some cute Matryoshka from the Rosalie Quinlan 'Gift' book.I did change the size somewhat though. I used some more of my vintage Irish linen

Decided to add some patchwork squares and make some A4 size 'Little Gems' these will make nice gifts I think. I know it's only September, but it's never too early to think of Christmas!!!!

Think I might have to design some of my own Matryoshka now.....

Bristol to Paris

Lanky Boy and The Whizz Kid left Bristol at 7.15 this morning to cycle to Brighton, the first leg of their charity bike ride to Paris. 150 miles - phew, that's some cycling. Heard from Chip Girl that the boys stopped for curry 'n' chips in Winchester (where we used to live)...... Then this evening heard that they arrived safely in Brighton at 10pm, but Lanky Boy's knee is hurting him:-( That's not good. I suspect they will not be trawling the fleshpots of Brighton tonight};-p
EDIT: Lanky boy came off his bike ten miles outside Bristol and fell into some nettles - ouch

This was the view from their dorm window at Brighton (Youth Hostel)
http://www.justgiving.com/bristol-to-paris/