Veuve Taylor

I am reading the most wonderful book for the second time. It is the story of Henrietta Taylor. As I have mentioned before I love to read the stories of people who move to France to start new lives. Henrietta's would have to be THE most compelling I have read.

Henrietta was living the great Australian dream in Sydney when she suddenly became widowed with two young children to care for.

In a state of grief and despair she packed up the kids and went to Europe to try and make sense of it all. LAVENDER AND LINEN is the SECOND part of the story.

Part ONE of the story is VEUVE TAYLOR meaning Widow Taylor but is now renamed ESCAPING. This is Henrietta's story of crippling grief through a haze caused by copious amounts of alcohol daily to get by. All the while in Europe trying to take care of her children. Sometimes even losing them. I waited 2 years for LAVENDER AND LINEN to be published so the story could continue, but you could read one after the other now. I am sure you will. It is a story of such courage and strength, but always entertaining with humour.
Henrietta now has a lifestyle most of us only dream about. It was such a journey for her and her family. I felt compelled to tell you about the books as they are such incredible reading.

mighty mitts

I am pleased to say I have finished one waay overdue project. I made these for my sister for a xmas present!! Yes a very late one, or indeed my sister said maybe a very early one! Which is a great way of looking at it. I did give her two small handmade gifts and a fun, silly store bought one on the day which kinda makes up for my tardiness, doesn't it?

I love making these and the fabric combos are endless. It's the kind of gift you could make someone every couple of years because, lets face it oven mitts don't really stay nice for long. I throw mine in the machine for a wash but they do get to a point where they are pretty horrible.
The insulation is this stuff I bought at Spotlight. It is pretty expensive and I have enough left for a few more pairs but if anyone has any alternative they use I would love to hear what it is.

Onto the next overdue project now...

sweethearts

we have 2 new little girls in the family.....meet Coco and Poppy. Friends of friends had a couple of litters and I have been resisting for weeks but could resist no longer. They are sooo tiny and cute.

here is Coco in Bel's hands

they are almost 7 weeks old now....

work...

in progress...

Despite the heat I have been sewing. I must be crazy but the fan is next to me at all times and is my bestie....

duchess

I played around with ideas in my journal before xmas while watching The Duchess with Keira Knightley. I was so amazed at the ridiculous wigs, make-up and dresses the women wore in that period and thought they would be fun to draw. How did they even hold their heads up? The things women have endured over the centuries for the sake of looking good..corsets spring to mind...

I finally did a full size piece, this is A3. I had some fun drawing her, there are probably more ridiculously wigged woman with beauty spots the size of choc chips to come. This means the mojo is pretty much back, at long last. I thought it was gone forever. I think a cool change in the weather had a lot to do with it.

So now I can get onto some sewing. I have two items to sew that are to be gifted and they are way waaaaaay over due so I MUST get onto them now. I have them cut out and ready to go. I just hope the weather stays in my favour....and the mojo sticks around

the two Js

You are probably thinking this has turned into a film and book review blog, because here is another film I have to recommend. I watched this yesterday and loved it. I haven't read the book of the film but I did read Julia Child's My Life In France last year and couldn't put it down. I love to read about peeps moving to France and starting a new life.

The movie is about 2 true stories and the Julie side of the story is not just about her love of cooking, but something else close to all our hearts.........blogging. Yes she started a blog waaaaay back in another lifetime of 2002! check out the movie I'm sure you'll love it too

The mojo is slowly returning. I have done some drawing and I will share that soon if I am happy with the end result. I have done some sewing but nothing thrilling. Altering a school dress and putting in a new zip for The Youngest. Being given items The Eldest has bought from the op shop and being asked to "take this up, take this in, cut this off".

School started today in Tassie and it feels so weird the girls have gone back.

ps I really want to cut down the use of resources and help save the planet, really I do....but what I wouldn't give right now to have wall to wall air conditioning and to be running it flat out day and night......bring on Autumn

pretty in pink

I had this most gorgeous book arrive in the mail this week. I bought it to put away for Bel's birthday in April. I had been dying to buy it for myself really, but Bel's upcoming birthday was the perfect excuse. It is a wonderful DK book for children and the photos in it are as sweet as the cover. It is the perfect present for any girl wanting to knit and stitch, and for big girls too who can't resist a beautiful crafty book!