Back From Our Capital City

Well I arrived back from the capital city (London) just before midnight last night after having spent a couple of days there with my BFF Jilly on a girly getaway.  We had an absolute BLAST!  I am still completely shattered but blissfully happy :-)

I'm on a week's annual leave this week and after a couple of days at home so workmen could do some repair work in and around the house I was finally able to get away on Wednesday for a couple of days.  Hubby took off for Soul Survivor Christian Camp at the Royal Bath Showgrounds in Somerset on Tuesday this week so, rather than stay home alone I booked an adventure with Jilly.  Over the next few posts I will be sharing some of the things we experienced (which may or may not appeal so apologies) but it's my blog and I'm sharing anyway. 

I want to begin with just a few of some of my favourite pictures of our great city of London, some of which are views I haven't before seen - well not so close up anyhow.

I have travelled in and around London on many occasions and even have childhood memories of living there - I was born and raised in London until the age of 8 years old.  Jilly was seeing much of the things on our trip for the first time ever and I was repeating much of it but even so we still found things we could both experience for the first time which was thrilling.

On Thursday we found ourselves taking a 'spur of the moment' Thameside walk to the Tower Bridge winding through an array of beautifully converted industrial buildings.  We'd noticed a sign post that said 'Tower Bridge 1 1/4 miles' so we thought 'why not?'.  Isn't this first building amazing?

We were surprised by the many warehouses converted into apartment buildings along the Thames route, each with their own colour of painted iron work, each with many of the original features and architectural interest still intact - you simply couldn't help but stop and admire them!

Then every so often we were presented with something different like this suspension bridge, enabling us to continue our journey - beautiful to look at but you felt every single step on the wooden decking - something I wasn't so keen on I'm afraid but we had to cross it.

I'd love to see what the apartments look like inside, especially the ones at the top with the interesting shaped windows and maybe take in the views while I'm there.  How cool would that be and how fab must it be to live in a building like this?

It was amazing being in such an industrial area that looked so attractive and yet colourful.  There were of course lots of little tell tale signs of the history of the place to look out for as well as the more obvious ones - all of which just added to the whole character and charm of the area.  While others around us were busy walking, jogging or cycling this route into work Jilly and I were fortunate enough that we could take our time and enjoy it. We were even able to stop and sit a while at one of the many green rest areas that were dotted here and there - all of which had benches to sit and admire a different aspect of the Thames river - and all the while with Tower Bridge in our sights and getting closer by the minute.

And then just when you were getting used to the industrial surroundings you ran across something unexpected like this old pub nestled between tall industrial buildings looking very small and very out of place - or so you would think until you discovered the date of the building and it's history, realising it had been there all along. 

I always did like History lessons at school - soooo many interesting things to learn about.

Later that afternoon when we were deep in the city centre Jilly and I were treated to even more stunning architecture and newer, more modern 'business' buildings.  Perhaps not quite so attractive as those we found on our morning walk but equally stunning, each making it's very own statement.  Imagine walking along these from one building to the other?  Even the pavements had a sheen to reflect back images just like the buildings themselves thanks to the sudden rain showers - which we got caught in twice in one day!

I wonder - will these last as long as the others or have similar stories to tell?  Who knows?  My instincts tell me they probably won't be saved or beautifully preserved when the time comes - just simply raised to the ground to make way for new and better designs.  Thank goodness there are still buildings out there - and the history that accompanies them that ARE being preserved.  Jilly and I felt very privileged to have experienced even a part of it and it added even more of a sense of adventure and discovery to our trip to London.

If you haven't been to London lately - why not go, especially if you can find a part of London that you've never visited before.  Hubby and I are booked to go to an event at Alexandra Palace in September and I'm seriously considering staying over an extra day JUST so we can go exploring!

Oh and to any of you out there that thought the capital was an unsafe place to be right now - we didn't see a single sign of riots or trouble.  In fact there may have been a few more police around than usual but it's never uncommon to see bobby's on the beat in the city.  Sad then that some people cancelled their visits to Buckingham Palace because of it.  I don't mean to 'downplay' the recent trouble but the media 'hype' has a lot to answer for.

When we stopped to rest in one of the many tucked away green areas that you discover as you walk around we were even treated to the sight of several on horseback, giving their horses a break from the traffic and city noise - all  very friendly and chatty with us 'tourists' who grabbed for our cameras LOL!

While I am glad to live well away from the city - I find it all noisy and dirty after a while - it was good to re-visit it and I felt extremely proud to be a part of it, however long removed.  It felt good to experience that after the recent trouble which I know has made many of us feel shame as a nation.  Hopefully there will be even more arrests when the police have had time to view video footage and these hooligans with no thought about others and society will get a chance to think long and hard about their actions.

And thank God for all the brave men and women everywhere that put their lives on the line to keep us safe in our beds.

Oh and before I go.  To several of you out there - watch for post in the next few days.  Jilly and I wrote a ton of postcards just so we could say hi from London - all part of the fun don't ya know. LOL!  And isn't this a beautiful example of a victorian letterbox?  It was at the foot of the stairs to the Tower Bridge which was our destination - another stunning example of architecture and engineering!

We didn't venture across it - we were on a mission to find a tube station to get to Spitalfields Market.  Besides we have to save something for the next trip huh?  we both agreed we HAD to repeat this adventure!

Let me know if your postcard arrives!

Blessings

Suezie

More Cute Grocery Bags

Yesterday I managed to get a couple more fabric grocery bags made up and since I decided these were for me I used - yep - you guessed it!  Some of that pretty CK fabric.  I plan to make myself a couple more of these as I have about 3 or 4 more CK designs and I like working with them as much as I like looking at them LOL.  Although I wouldn't say no to a bit of Amy Butler either.  Wouldn't they be equally fab in AB?

These are the bags all neatly tucked up into the pockets that are sewn on the front.  I have a handy little bag I usually use but the pocket is seperate and I can't tell you how many times I've had one bit but not the other - seriously frustrating!!

Anyhow this is the red polka dot one once it's out of the pocket - looks like a flat, crisp grocery bag just how they are on the rack doesn't it - right before the assistant pulls them off kinda thing.

Here's a shot of the pocket on the front which is where it all gets tucked in nice and neat.  I chose to put the 'Cath Kidston' label on this side of the pocket because that's the side that's on display when using the bag.  It means you can't see this label once it's all tucked into the pocket which is fine cos it'll most likely be in my handbag then anyways.

These next couple of shots (above & below) hopefully show the sides which bulge out when needed to fit all your shopping inside just like the regular grocery bags do.

I just love these made out of fabric and forgive me if I say it but I am really proud of the fact that there isn't a single raw edge in the entire project!  The only potential raw edge was the bottom of the bag but because I used a 'french' seam process this is not only neat and tidy but is double stitched for added strength too.

I'm also well chuffed with how this fabric worked out - I was genuinely struggling to make it work for much because of the stripey pattern but it's perfect for this project!

I took my red polka dot bag to work with me today, packed full of my lunch and umbrella and a few bits and pieces and also took the blue floral one to show everyone.  They got several rave reviews and it's nice to know that if I ever find myself with a free day to do a bit of sewing there are plenty of gals at work who'd be happy to take these off my hands.  For now I am lovin them and couldn't possibly part with these but I think I pretty much have this years Christmas gift giving list 'all sewn up'!

And at the end of next week some good friends have invited me along to the quilting show at Birmingham's NEC.  Now if I can just hang on to some dosh and not spend it all in London next week (can't wait for the trip Jilly and I have planned) I just might get my hands on some scrummy fabric.  I SURE DO HOPE SOOOOOOOOO!  I can't wait!

I have packing to do and a whole bunch of other things to get ready this weekend as well as workmen scheduled again Monday and Tuesday next week (so a ton of stuff to shift around) but now all I wanna do is sew!

Maybe I can still sneak a bit in here and there this weekend.  Hope so :-)

Enjoy

Suezie

A Very Busy Few Days

I am still very much here - I have just had a very busy few days recently.  On Saturday we had a small family BBQ to celebrate Kaleb's 9th birthday - although technically it wasn't until Tuesday this week.

My mother managed to come along and I love when she gets a chance to visit with her great-grandkids.  And my sister who happens to be 'great aunty Sherilee' made Kaleb a cake to help us celebrate.

Besides frosting she had decorated it with those yummy sherbert filled flying saucers which were a big hit.

The rest of the weekend was spent working on the allotment and catching up on a few things, then I had a couple days off work to get a few more things done here at home.  Workmen were here to take roof tiles off our house yesterday and since I was in baking mode the lucky workmen got treated to banana bran muffins with their tea - hot from the oven too!

I had a couple of banana's that needed using up and before I knew it I had made up 3 batches of these yummy muffins to stockpile in the freezer.  Don't they look pretty in this big glass domed dish? I love this dish.  I sometimes put it on another stand I have to raise it up and it really looks fab.

Then my sister Gillian stopped by unexpectedly to loan me several butterfly punches that I needed and she stopped for tea and a muffin too!  I think she was as surprised to find me at home as I was to see her stop by - she was expecting me to be at work and since I'd taken time off for the work to be done on the house I didn't think anyone knew I was home.

She had taken mother into town earlier that morning and bless them - they went halves on getting me a set of pastry forks in the sale at Palmers.  I had mum and the girls over for cakes, pastries, little sandwiches and tea last week and had happened to mention I had all manner of pretty china and cake stands but still didn't have any little forks so they'd picked me some up - how very sweet of them!   You can guarantee they'll be coming out next time LOL

And then today in-between the plumber coming and Sherilee stopping by I finally got around to making a fully lined fabric grocery bag (carrier bag) for a gift basket that we're putting together at work for someone.  It has the expanding sides and everything!

I even made it with a little pocket in front to fold and tuck it all into.  This first one was made using a pretty pillowcase would you believe?  I often keep my eyes out for things like this cos once it's unpicked and opened out it's surprising just how many things can be made from a single pillowcase!

Sadly I made a major error in cutting one out for me out of the most scrummy bright pink bold floral pillowcase by placing the wrong edge on the fold and then cutting it out.  I only realised my mistake when I came to start sewing it.  And I had a plain bright pink lining fabric (which I cut out right) that would've been stunning too.  Needless to say I was absolutely gutted!!!

See even I screw up big time every once in a while.  This project did have a few tricky elements to master and there isn't a raw edge in sight to prove it but I will make a couple of changes to the next one.  Speaking of which - I think I will go cut out a couple more and get them made up this afternoon so I can get the process fixed firmly in my head.  I have several polka dot fabrics - maybe I'll make myself one out of that?  Whatever I do I'd best get to it as I have a 'new home' card to make today for the basket as well.

Blessings

Suezie