A Random List for Today

 Hello and a lovely day to you all, I am starting with something a little different today because as I was having a tidy through my blog I cam across a post from  October 2015 that made me laugh as a few things have changed but some are still the same.  It just goes to show how nice it is to get things down and out of your head so you can later come back and look at them, ideas and opinions change, we grow, our lives move on but some things are constant and that is reassuring too.  I got the idea from a post on another blog but that blog is now private so the link is nolonger working, the ideas expressed are my own however it was just the list idea I shared.  So with this in mind I have included the original list below with my updated thoughts below each item, if you recall this format doing the rounds or want to join in with a list of your own please link me in and let me know so I can see your lists too.  (For those of you here for sewing I will share more of that over the next few days!)

This list is inspired by Annie feel free to join in, I have read a few of these myself and they are great little snippets into peoples lives.  (I have amended to the current day in blue.)

• (2015) I don't believe in people always telling it like it is, sometimes we need to be kind. If is not essential and nobody's life is in danger if you don't say that mean thing, then maybe don't say it. 

This still holds true and I am pleased to have written this long before the whole be Kind movement onto t-shirts, badges and mugs!  We do need to censor our speech to protect the feelings of others because there is just no need to say things that will hurt people.  I recall the person also who I had in mind when I wrote this as she was fond of saying 'I tell it like it is' after some nasty comment.  In recent years I have noticed quite a lot of people posting on social media 'Be Kind' wearing the clothing with the slogan and then proceeding to do and say very unkind things to those around them who they work with, are friends with etc. It is not just a catchy slogan! So with this in mind I will amend the first of my list to...

• I think you should choose your words with care and compassion for others, cruel truths don't always need to be told. Also make your actions match your words (and your t-shirts, ha ha)

• (2015)I love cheese which is odd as I cannot tolerate milk, cream or yoghurt but God decided to let  me get away with cheese. I am very grateful for that.  

Well this one has changed for sure, I have been vegan for quite a few years now so no actual cheese for me but due to growing demand I do get to eat the vegan alternatives so I suppose I still love the idea of it as long as it is plant based. 

• I love following a plant based diet and I am grateful for the variety of options available and the growing awareness around this choice.

• (2015) I am a Christian, currently between churches and a confirmed Catholic. Experience over the years has made me question the need to attend a specific place of worship but I read my bible and have a deep faith.  I am just not sure having a specific leader (usually a man) and a set of social activities centred around a church building makes anyone  a better Christian.

This one remains the same however I would nolonger consider myself between churches, I have my faith and do not need a building or leader to tell me so. If being part of that community helps you that is wonderful but telling people they have to go or they are not believers is just not helpful to anyone. I think people find their own way and music, nature, silence, actions all bring us closer than just one way. 

• (2015) Pets are good for you (unless you are allergic) I've not met one person who  hasn't smiled on seeing our new puppy and not just puppies our other two dogs bring such a lot to our lives.

Such joy in the moment, we all need a bit of that!

Absolutely still agree with this, these guys look a bit younger here they are now 13 and the pup who is not pictured here is now 6.

• (2015)I cannot read just one book at a time I don't know why maybe I have a little ADD. I always have some non- fiction plus a fiction title on the go and sometimes I will be dipping in and out of a book I'm re-reading. (weird I know)

Yes this is still the same I have two on the go at the moment, one non fiction and one fiction.

• (2015) I long to be a morning person but I'm really not.  I have battled with this for years and it is a recurring new years resolution. I manage a week or two then it is back to hitting the snooze button. Anyone who has overcome this after years of failure please let me know.

I am there!  I am always awake early in the morning so it must eventually stick or is it just a getting older thing? So I will amend this...

• I am a morning person yay!, awake early, in fact I don't have an alarm anymore I leave my phone downstairs and just wake up and look at the clock on my bedside (it is just a regular clock) I do wonder if the leaving of the phone downstairs has improved my sleep quality as they do say it disturbs you without you knowing it. 

• (2015) Music makes me smile it always has, rock is my favourite, it has to have guitars, electric, acoustic, you have to hear them. I am learning to play myself with the help of Justin 

Still true, always, music when I sew, when I cook, when I read.  I came on very well with the guitar (well I think so!) but have not picked it up for a month so back to it.

• (2015)I don't know what I want to be when I grow up ( oh yes that already, happened well anyway!) I was a sewing machinist for many years, teaching assistant for the past nine years but only got into that as I wanted to teach, then talked myself out of that. I often look at University courses in textiles and design and wonder about if I'm too old?? Or maybe moving abroad and starting a holiday let?? You see I really do not know.

Yes while this is still somewhat true, some things have changed with time as they always do.  I remained a teaching assistant until December last year then I resigned.  I am currently  creating online sewing content, who knows how long this will be me but I am enjoying life and not worrying anymore that I never thought of a label that I wanted 'to be' . 

• I believe we can be many things in life and that only makes it more interesting, I don't want to know what I will be when I grow up😊

• I am an eternal beginner at Spanish! I know quite a bit now but not if a native speaker starts to quickly speak to me! I try and try but without conversational practice here I stick. 

I am  an eternal beginner at Spanish.

• There are so many things I am interested in I never know where to begin, I make lists, read motivational books, ( much to the amusement of my children ) but getting stuck in is a sticking point. I'm working on it! He, he! 

Yes this remains true, I have many interests, lists, and I love a motivational book I don't think any of these are  bad so I am not looking to change this. 

Well that was something different and it does just show what can change over time and what remains the same.  Please let me know your thoughts below I would love to hear if you have made a list too.

Take care, back soon.

A trip to Knaresborough

 Hello what a lovely week we have had here, this was clearly the week we should have booked to go away but doesn't it always work out that way? We made the most of it today by having a trip to Knaresborough, what a beautiful little place that is!  We will definitely be going back there as it not that far, I can't understand why we haven't been before but I suppose there are lots of places like that.  We sat outside and had a drink after walking for two hours and it really did feel like being on holiday, just give us a bit of blue sky here in the UK and we are happy. Here are a few images from my day trip...

There were people queueing to get into a riverside cafe, the queue was really long I would have just gine somewhere else but they clearly really wanted to sit by the water.  We had a gorgeous walk along the river and the properties  overlooking the water were very nice, maybe a bit nerve wracking in high water though.

We had a nice chat with a man whitewashing the sides of the building oppsite this one, he had a beautiful venue for doing his work.

So many people out enjoying the sunshine, we really have to make the most of it.  The temperature is set to drop next week so get it while you can.

Oh I did mean to get a photo of the train station it was so pretty and I have just realised I have not got one, we were sat looking at it too.  

Here are a few of my makes...

John Kaldor sateen in duck egg, pattern New Look 6567.

This handbag with leftover chambray, denim and new cotton fabric.

This jumpsuit, I have added a few stitches front and back to this as it crosses over but hangs loose, so to be secure it needed a few stitches. Viscose challis, grey pattern New Look 

Another bag from recycled bits, the pink denim is from the hem of a pair of jeans I altered for someone, the grey a skirt from the charity shop  £1 rail, the lining recyled cotton and the foxy print is just a quarter that I did buy new,

This one is a lovely summery dress new look again ,I don't have the details to hand.  I will try and collect them together for next post.  There are a few other things that I have not had chance to share, as I film with my phone I keep having to clear and move stuff over to storage regularly.  Quite a few images I took the other day on mannequin I cleared before moving doh!  This included a top for my mum so I will retake them for the next post.

Now I really enjoyed my last read The Pull of  the Stars by Emma Donoghue, I bought that one on my last trip out and I would really recommend it.  There are a few things you need to know it is about the 1918 pandemic set on a maternity contagion ward, very well researched and interesting. So if the  pandemic is something you want to avoid, now you know. I am currently reading The Betrayals but have yet to get into that one.

Despite having a wardrobe packed with handmade clothes I had that thing this morning where I thought what do I wear? The weather has been unseasonably warm so I didn't quite trust it and having been living in tights and layers for months I was  not quite ready to face bare legs!  So I wore the trousers in the image above with a tiny denim jacket that is more of a shrug.  My husband said you could wear that jumpsuit you made the other day ( it is bare shoulders) but it is March I replied.  Anyway as it turned out I could have worn it as there were people in full summer gear everywhere, shorts sandals, vests the lot. British weather though, I was just expecting it to blow a gale or send a down pour at any minute.

We have started watching a new drama Young Wallander, I am enjoying it and my husband thinks it is a  bit slow.  

There has been  a lot of sewing as usual, my overlocker realy gave up last week then after two sessions of faffing and isisting it wouldn't beat me I fixed it, yay. My husband said just buy another you have had it years, 23 years to be exact, I adjusted the needle bar after watching some you tube, tension, etc.  Then after a week it is complaining again while working on viscose challis, it really does  not like that fabric and I know this as I tried a few others and it works fine.  Go back to working on that and it starts playing up again. Anyone else find this?

Well that is a little glimpse of the last week or so, take care everyone and if you are in the UK enjoy that sunshine while it lasts. 

March...ing

 Hello another month moving quickly by, we were supposed to be having a few days away in the caravan but after viewing the forcast for where we were going we have cancelled and are having the time at home instead.  Here are a few things that we have been up to so far this month.

Visiting a few friends for a cup of tea and acatch up, it is important to make sure you see your friends I think as we have such busy lives it is easy to lose touch with people otherwise and I know I don't want that to happen.  There are some people of course who never return messages or only contact you if they want a favour, I have lost touch with a few people like that over the years.  

Reading a variety of things and not really enjoying any of them, very dissapointing!   I have just picked up a couple of books from the charity shop so I hope they will be better.  Every now and then I have a run of bad books, it is helpful if you have people passing on suggestions so please always feel free to let me know in the comments what you have been reading.  I enjoy all kinds of genres but maybe not the sort of slushy romances that my mum enjoys, they are not for me.  These are the ones I bought today...

Day tripping to Buxton, that was today in fact and the weather has been lovely. We were supposed to be in the lakes and the weather was set to be very rainy for days.  We have had a good walk around, a mooch in the charity shops and a drink in a pub. My husband has a few holiday days so we are making the most of them and will have our trip way when it is a little warmer.

Also had a look in this famous second hand book shop, very nice but I have to say I was a bit overwhelmed with the amount and also where to look.  Staring at rows and rows of books without a clear idea what I wanted left me stumped.  I had seen the two books earlier in the charity shop so I went and bought those!   My husband said you were in there all that time and came out empty handed. Oh dear, there were plenty of people in and out buying books so I am sure they do ok.

 

Sewing of course I am always sewing, here a re few things below...

This top was made from a selection of scraps using the Tilly stella pattern, a good way to use up odd bits.

A New Look 6106,  skirt in cotton poplin with pockets fabric and pattern from Minerva and that includes the makes below.

New Look 6602 sateen fabric, John Kaldor. I have actually added more shape and darts to this one as I am not for loose dresses but I know a lot of people like them like that.

This one is a really good fitting pattern New Look 6483, I like the way the shoulders are shaped in and it has a button at the back neck.

I like the pleated sleeves on this one, New Look 6145

Brooch making

I have made afew more but my photos are all over the place at the moment!

Watching The Last Kingdom and we  have watched the last one now so I am going to miss it, it has been going quite a qhile so when you watch something over a few seasons it is always a little sad when they do end. 

Well that is all for now, I will try and not leave such a big gap next time and I started the new year so well with my blogging!  Take care everyone.