a shopper in a pocket

I pinned this pin a while ago ...

Source: via Anne on Pinterest

... and last week I made it.

Needless to say I didn't follow the instructions to the letter - do I ever?? - but I decided I didn't need the zipped pocket in the wallet part. I couldn't think of anything I'd want to keep in it so I left it out. Here it is inside its pocket:

Opened up ... (yes, it does look a wee bit like a welly boot! LOL)

Here it is standing up ...

And here it is with me holding it ...

Next time I make one - and I've no doubt I'll make a few more - I'll tack (baste) the zip in so I know exactly where to sew. I had to unpick a few spots where the needle had gone so close to the zip's teeth that the zip wouldn't close. Tacking exactly where I have to sew would stop that happening.

That's another couple of pieces of my stash used up. Much more of that and I'll just need to buy more! :oD

last week ~ this week

Last week we had some glorious weather. Sunny and warm and just generally lovely. Especially nice because it was still March and this kind of weather rarely happens in March in Scotland. So, what's a girl to do but go outside and sit in it and make the most of it?

I took out a new cookery book to look at along with my Kindle and some magazines.

The cookery book was full of great recipes. Doesn't that just look fab?

I admired the primulas (primulae?) in their pot and the pulmonaria behind.

I zoomed in on the pulmonaria to see the big bumblebee.

I admired the daffies by the side of the grass - ignoring all the mess in the background!

I saw the inside of the new shed built by Jason and assisted by Douglas.

The bird feeders were empty of birds - hardly surprising when I was sitting so close, I suppose - and the rest of the garden looked good in the sun - as long as you ignore the patchy bits of the grass and the untidy mess down by the dining room doors! (I'm good at ignoring messes! :oD)

Ahhh, the joys of summer in the spring!

And then we woke up this morning to this!

Not much snow to speak of but we've only had 3 showers of snow this winter/spring before today and none of it stayed. It all melted away within minutes. It's not lying now but it's still bitterly cold and there's an east wind blowing which is making it feel even colder. Blech!

Ahhh, the joys of living in Scotland! :o)

sunrise ~ sunset 2 April

Today's figures are:

dawn to dusk = 14 hours and 32 minutes (34 minutes more than last week)

sunrise to sunset = 13 hours and 16 minutes (33 minutes more than last week)

getting back to "normal"

It's been a strange day today. We were up before the crack of dawn (3.45am - yawn!!) to get Deb and Jay off to the airport for the long journey home. Douglas got back at about 6am and I was already on the second load of washing by then. (There was no way I could have gone back to bed until he was back so I just got on with things.) We just spoke to Debs on the iChat and they've arrived home safe and well and all the stuff they took with them seems to have arrived safely too. No breakages which is amazing considering all the breakables they took home with them!

Anyway, we've got the house back to ourselves again. Diana, my dressmaking dummy, has moved back into the spare room along with the ironing board and all sorts of other stuff that I'd moved out to allow them to have some room in there. I did a humoungous ironing and got into the sewing room and cut out a shopping bag which will zip into its own pocket. More about that when I get it finished.

In the meantime, I'm going to show you some photos of a cake Jo made a few weeks ago which I didn't blog about. It was for her work so we didn't actually get any of the cake other than a few trimmings. Probably just as well, actually, when you see how many Kit Kats and Smarties there are on it! But, oh, doesn't it look good??

the shed

Whilst Debbie and Jason have been here, Jason has helped Douglas to build a new shed. Actually, it would be far more truthful to say that Douglas was helping Jason!

I took photos throughout the whole process. The first one is actually from last year at this time as I completely forgot to take a before photo! Anyway, here they are in order.

It's not quite finished but Douglas is being entrusted to do the finishing off ... and I've to nag him to make sure he does it. I can do that! :oD

Debbie and Jason head back to Canada tomorrow. I'm trying not to think too much about that as I'm bound to get upset. I'm trying to think, instead, of getting my sewing room back to myself again. And to not having piles of stuff lying all around the house! Now that I am definitely looking forward to! :oD

featured!

I am so excited to be featured on the Totally Tutorials blog today. It's for my flirty frilly pinny tutorial!

How exciting! :o)

sunrise ~ sunset 26 March

Today's figures are:

dawn to dusk = 13 hours and 58 minutes (33 minutes more than last week)

sunrise to sunset = 12 hours and 43 minutes (33 minutes more than last week)

Our clocks went forward yesterday so that's why the times look like they've slipped back since last week!

engaging

Whilst on holiday here with us, Jason got down on one knee and proposed to Debbie and she said "yes". :o)

We're all so happy for them both. :o)

sunrise ~ sunset 19 March

Today's figures are:

dawn to dusk = 13 hours and 25 minutes (34 minutes more than last week)

sunrise to sunset = 12 hours and 10 minutes (33 minutes more than last week)

fabrics!

Well, as I said in my last post, I've been busy with the entertaining of Debbie and Jason who are over from Canada for a visit. I thought I'd just show my face on here long enough to show off the fabrics - and pattern - they brought me. They went to the same shop that we'd gone to when we were over there last year.

Without further ado, here they all are.

Spots, flowers, cupcakes, stripes, welly boots, checks, animals and a gorgeous flannel baby panel. All wonderful stuff! :o)