Little thoughts

Little thoughts: need more sleep! :)

Saturday, March 16, 2013

The bad the good and the fabulous

I owe you all an explanation.  I've been really quiet as this year hasn't started well, I've had two very close family members die.  It's been heartbreaking and quite frankly I couldn't cope with it.  The first was completely unexpected and the second, although expected was sooner than we'd all hoped.  Death comes to us all but sometimes it sucks big time and this time it had bells on and everything.  I know some of you have been concerned, thank you thank you thank you.  I really appreciate your thoughts and concerns.  I've tried to write this post a thousand times but found it too hard.

And so to move on as I don't want to bring any of you down with my worries.

The good things that have happened, and there have been good things thankfully, are I've now got back into making things, the only thing I could do at one point was knit so I knitted a blanket in a stupidly short period of time along with eight scarves...grief is weird.  I'm still knitting and I've been getting lessons from a very lovely lady at my sewing class but still need more help to be honest.

It's a multicolour circus but it got me through and it keeps my feet warm in bed!
I've been learning lots of things in sewing class lately, all those who quilt already will know these blocks but they were new to me.  I have to say I really loved hand sewing them, it's been a really relaxing process.  I'm working on an off centre block at the minute in shades of purple, when it's finished I'll share it with you all.

My opal fruits coloured log cabin block

Court house steps in shades of blue

Corner square block in blues and greens
Sorry these photos are a little dark, it was late when I took the picture and I'm just too comfy to get up and take better ones now!  You'll get a good light shot when I've finished the project I promise.

And drum roll please...

The fabulous things are that I'm getting MARRIED!  Eeeeek!  Excited and nervous and giddy and oh I don't know all together!  So I'm going to be showcasing all the little bits and bobs that I'm going to be making to make the wedding more me and J and to keep the costs down as we're on a tight budget.

My engagement ring with Welsh gold and peridots

The engagement cake my work mates surprised me with!  The young lady who made this has now given up work to make cakes full time, lucky thing!

Going back to school times making a lino block print to use on my wedding invitations
So I've bought my dress...I know I know I could have made it but I saw this dress and it was a good price in the style and colour I wanted and with my lack of sewing mojo and me wanting to keep the last scrap of sanity I have left I thought I'd buy it and be done with it.  All I'm letting on at the moment on here is that I have a chiffon underskirt to go with it!  Eeeee!  I love it so!  I have my shoes too and J has his suit, we just need to get him a shirt and me some underthings and our outfits are sorted.

I'm going to make a bouquet from brooches as although I love flowers it's cheaper this way as I have a large collection of brooches anyway.  It also means I can have relatives long gone come along for the festivities as I have brooches that were both of my grandmother's and have asked J's family if I can borrow a brooch of J's grandmother who is no longer with us too.

My next big project will be making masses of bunting and paper flowers to decorate the venue when we find one.  It's a bit of a hunt for hen's teeth at the minute as we just want a room to eat in as we're going to get married in a registry office and think we've found a caterer we like so just need somewhere where our families can sit and have high tea with us!  You'd think that would be easy wouldn't you?  Oh no, nothing is easy apparently as whenever you mention the W word the prices of places sky rocket and won't let you have outside caterers. *Sigh*

So I'll try not to bore you all with wedding stuff and will intersperse other pretty things like sewing class activities and my escapades in knitting just to keep everyone happy.  Thank you all for your patience and understanding.

22 comments:

  1. I send hugs, both in sympathy for your loss and in excited congratulation for your wedding. Grief is hard - I'm glad knitting helped you. Anyhow, lots more hugs! also several cups of tea and a tart or two

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you on both counts. Everything is a bit bittersweet at the minute. I am really looking forward to the wedding though. There has been copious amounts of tea and cake and there will be a yummy apple and raspberry tart tomorrow! :)

      Delete
  2. I'm so sorry for your loss, bereavement is so hard. I am also so happy though for your engagement and I LOVE your ring. It is very pretty. Sending you a hug or two as well as Allison :).

    PS:The pieceing looks good. xx

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh MM - I am so sorry for your losses. One is terrible, but two can feel truly horrendous. Take the time t grieve, and look after yourself. And if that means knitting and knitting and knitting, then do it!

    But secondly congratulations on your engagement! What a gorgeous ring, and I love the sound of all your plans! Please keep us updated - I love hearing about a good DIY wedding. They really are the best, and I think the most meaningful.

    Also your quilting! I LOVE IT!! You are so talented.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much! I appreciate your encouragement to keep quilting.

      I hope I won't bore you all with wedding details, I'll try and just do the highlights!

      I'm getting better at coping, the knitting is going down in frequency and amount thankfully

      Delete
  4. Nice to see you back - I had been wondering what had happened to you but thought maybe (as many seem to have done) you'd gone into hibernation mode for a bit - it's been such a lousy winter. Sorry to hear your news and glad things are turning out so wonderful for you now. Any help you want with the knitting, you just say, as I'm over half way through a knitting course now. By the way, I made one of my best dresses ever from the shirtdress pattern I won from you. I blogged about it towards the end of last year. Look forward to seeing what you come up with from now on!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So glad you've had good use from the pattern! Thank you for the knitting advice!

      Thank you

      Delete
  5. I'm so sorry that you and your family have had a rough time of it. Grief is such a hard thing to wrap your head/heart around. I'm glad you have exciting news too! Your ring is absolutely beautiful, and very "you". Have fun with the planning, although it sounds like you're already halfway there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you. That's what a lot of people said to me about the ring! hehe! I love it so!

      Ahh...I'm getting through it, it's just going to take the family a long time.

      Delete
  6. So so so happy for you and feeling sad for you too. Loves and hugs, and keep us upto date!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, of course I'll keep you all up to date!

      Delete
  7. Terribly sorry for your loss. I know nothing I say can make it better. (((Hugs)))

    And again, congratulations! Looking forward to more wedding related posts, I remember how excited I was!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh- and any help I can give over the net re knitting tips? Just ask

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Medha! I will probably annoy the hell out of you asking knitting questions! hehe!

      Delete
    2. No problem at all. Are you planning on knitting yourself anything for your wedding? a lot of knitters make a shawl. Or if that's more your speed, a knitted garter ;) Ravelry has so many patterns, many free.

      Delete
    3. Probably not going to knit a shawl, although I love the idea, in all honesty as I'd want something delicate and I can't knit delicate yet!! I do find the idea of a knitted garter highly amusing and tempting all at the same time! ;) I will take a peek at Ravelry later, thanks for the tip!

      Delete
    4. Here is a delicate looking but simple pattern. you could make it in blue and it could be your something blue too. wink, wink. http://knitty.com/ISSUEsummer08/KSPATTeloping.html

      Delete
  9. Sorry to hear you've had a hard time but delighted to hear of your engagement - congratulations! :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. so sorry to hear you've been grieving. big hug x and wow! wedding!!! many congrats :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Sarah for your sympathy and excitement!

      Delete

Thanks for stopping by and leaving me a comment!