Chinwag with Cissie

Times They Are A' Changing.

I have just finished the final touches to the last garment made under the Cissie's Vintage Knitwear banner.

It was the type of pattern that looked sooo easy on first glance, but actually turned into a bit of a pig.

Firstly I had to find a compatible yarn, then change the needle sizes to get the correct tension, that took about three large tension squares, after all that the pattern was wrong. Only on the armhole shaping, but it took three goes to get it right. A lot of hours. I made it for a really nice customer who has since become a friend, but then we found the sleeves were a bit too long for him.

It has now gone off to him, but it reminds me why it only seemed to be me in the whole wide world making garments for people from vintage patterns. Duh, it's bloody difficult.

 Well I have finished with all of that now and so I have made a decision to return to my roots and will develop my vintage interests into a new business. One that will give me pleasure and hopefully some revenue. Because we haven't managed to sell our house, it will need to earn it's keep too and bring in some funds. A perfect opportunity for some creative thinking.

I will keep you all posted.

 

A Colourful Outlook, 10 great years.

  We had the most amazing party last Saturday to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary. The theme was a colourful outlook, and we asked our guests to wear something colourful to reflect the positive mood.

With all of our close friends and family with us to celebrate it had a little bit of our wedding day vibe, how nice is that? Just about perfect.

To try and make it a bit special for our guests we hired a jukebox.

And boy did people love it.

And me? well I was in love.

We created an area in our garden for the children to play by putting up a little gazebo and decorating it with very colourful bunting. We had garden games for them and plates of food adorned with little coloured flags. It was so sweet to see the children (about 15 of them), charging around the garden chasing each other, the boys pretending to be monsters, and the girls 'collecting' all the little flags as though they were treasure.

For once I threw frugality to the wind and instead of making food for days before the party, I simply ordered canapes from Waitrose and cakes from our local tea room 'The Wishing Well'. I still seemed to be running around all day serving our guests but I really did enjoy it. My husband had made a huge pot of chilli the day before the party, and just as the sun was setting we sat around in our garden with our dear friends enjoying some supper together. The perfect end to a great day.

Some of my flowers, or floral tributes as I like to call them, are still going strong a week on.

Some days everything feels right.

 

Good advice for the modern Miss.

I was having supper with some friends on Friday and as we were talking one of them said that she had been given  some sound advice from her grand parents. "Never wear a hat that has more personality than you".

It did make me laugh.

Belgian Chocolates

Dang, how could I forget? they also popped a box of belgian chocolates in the Bon Voyage bag.

mmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Bon Voyage Treats

Oh my, this post should have been done weeks ago. But where does the time go?

Just before Mr.C and I went on our little Devon trip, two very thoughtful friends gave us a Bon Voyage present. What is this I hear you cry, well...................

in this instance, a very sweet red
jolly paper bag full of holiday essentials.

We had water, one still, one sparkling. Bag of travel sweeties. Tissues & wet wipes for those spills and thrills. Bubbles whodaguessed? Love hearts. Change for the pesky parking meters, and of course stamps for the post cards we most certainly sent. The only thing we did not use but will one day is the magic expanding 'LOVE' flannel. We did wash on holiday, promise. 

 

 

 

Fruity Metcalfe

One day when I no longer have to work full time I will buy a darling dog and his name will be Fruity Metcalfe.

Holiday Views

Agatha Christie Country.

  Here she is, and smiling too. I love Agatha and I don't really know why. I love her stories, although truth be told I've only read one. I think possibly my love for Agatha stems from David Suchet and his scrummy interpretation of Hercule Poirot. Or maybe it is because my Mum was such a fan.

It's the era too of course. Lots of lovely comfortable knitwear, great tweedy suits, good manners and a slow pace of life. And lashings of tea.

This was Agatha's holiday home in Devon, part open to the public and now in the capable hands of the National Trust. Ah me, how I would love to live here. I visited last week and with the greatest of luck had lunch in the house kitchen. It was a very modern affair, crab tartlet with a chilli dipping sauce, but I found it quite thrilling.

And these little beauties were purchased from the shop. I'm especially pleased because they have been grown from the plants surrounding the tennis court at Greenway.

The lunch was very reasonably priced and the plants were an absolute bargain at only £4.00 a pot. They will soon be growing outside the front of my house and reminding me of my lovely trip every time I look at them. Kettle on.

 

The Surprising Life of Constance Spry

I finished this book a little while ago and have been meaning to post about it because it is a truly inspirational book. You know how it is sometimes when you have a bit of self doubt, do you? It's always good to read about others who have made a good life despite their trials and tribulations.

The book describes her as rising from a poverty-striken childhood to the heights of London society. I think that is a touch exaggerated. As her parents were both quite driven people in their own way, and helped her establish herself in young adult life.

She did have a surprising life though.

For instance the older gent' in this picture is Mr.Spry, who incidentally she never married, and the lady on the right was her lover for several years, now isn't that surprising?

Most of her life was spent throwing out convention, which is quite extraordinary when you think of the era and times of her life.

She advises us " Do what you please, follow your own star; be original if you want to be and don't if you don't want to be. Just be natural and gay and light-hearted and pretty and simple and overflowing and general and baroque and bare and austere and stylized and wild and daring and conservative, and learn and learn and learn. Open your minds to every form of beauty."

Come on let's do it.

Happy Weekend

Busy weekend ahead, hope you all have a good one, enjoy the sunshine.