Cocktails on the Patio

It's July, I've no money, so that must mean it's time for my annual 'Staycation'!!! 

To be fair, this year we've had spectacular weather for months now, so I'm feeling a little bit smug that I've not had to spend money I don't have to go find some consistent sun! In fact, if memory serves, I think the last bit of less than pleasant weather in these parts was on Fathers Day...

I had the whole family round to me - had delicious roast spring lamb from the local butcher - and when that was devoured, all the 'girls' strolled back to my sisters house (if you stroll slowly it takes about 1 minute the get there from my house!!!) as she was hosting Lily's baby shower (my nephews girlfriend).

I had spent the whole of my previous week off in May casting & making Lily's Baby Bump ready for signing at the baby shower:

Adding some strengthening and straightening bandages ...

Luckily the weather was so lovely at the end of May/beginning of June that I was able to add plaster layers & sand out in the garden!!! so much easier to let a gentle breeze blow the dust away!!!

Then a couple of days spent doing the paint job & drying!!!

I was especially pleased with how the bear turned out!!! (my family actually thought I'd bought a 'sticker' bear and added it!!!! - the cheek .... I'm a professional!!!)

I'd forgotten how much fun (for me) casting baby bumps was....
Lil did well too, even though Baby did keep moving - mostly away from where I was placing the plaster I'd forgotten how much fun (for me) casting baby bumps was....

Dad & Kieran's version of 'chopping up some lengths of wood and pulling up a few more lengths of decking' !!!

Now, its not that I wasn't grateful (it had taken me hours just to lift 5 little bits of decking, Dad & Kieran did the entire garden in the same amount of time!!!) but it was doing my head in looking at the state they had 'piled' it all up in!!! I actually had to re-stack it all the next evening! and that's when I realised that there was no way I could possibly 'burn' it all .... two trips to the local tip/recycling centre and job was done....one clear garden!

I've spent my spare time prepping the garden for its grand makeover....where once was decking that I kept slipping on, will eventually be lush deep boarders and a tiny bit of grass....if I can get it level....which is WAYYYYYYY more laborious than I thought!!!

 Inbetween adding and sanding plaster layers on the baby bump cast and hours of digging, racking and giving up on the garden, I'd also spent HOURS and HOURS hand sewing layers of fringing onto my old funeral dress to transform it into a 1920's flappers dress!!! and finally, on 30th June, some of the family went to London for The Candlelight Club Summer Ball.... brilliant night out!!!! even if it was meltingly hot!!!

 Lilly was under strict instructions not to go into labour that weekend - we'd spent so much money on it and all virtually all the family were going!!! lol - she was very obliging and although baby wasn't due until 9th, went into labour on 4th (while we were all round the house for my Brother in Laws birthday!!!....us in the garden and Lil wired up to a TENS machine in the upstairs room...she was almost joining in ?!?!?! ... and my new Great Nephew - Michael Alfred - was born just after midnight on 5th....

Michael Alfred - pencil on paper - A4 ....drawn by yours truely when he was about 15 hours old!!! and he's totally gorgeous! 

 And with all the excitement and business over I finally realised that although I'd bought 3 lengths of red fabric to make various 'summery' items, I hadn't actually got round to doing anything with them!!! I'd had this Geometric Boarder Print from Minerva Crafts, all cut out for weeks, but had only this week had found time to get round to sewing it up!!! (it's out of stock now, but they do still have other colourways ....)

 It is New Look 6372 view A .... and the only alteration I made was to shorten it by about 10 inches - its a floor length pattern and I only wanted a midi/maxi length....that and I'm only 5ft 3in...!!! I love dresses like this, no darts, no zips, no buttonholes, no shape - just like the wearer!!!! and easy as pie to sew up - except the neck facing - no matter how many times I read the instructions, I couldn't quite get it in my head! and... as lovely as this fabric is, it does fray quite a bit, and I'd 'lost' my notches in places.  Still, nothing that a bit of hand sewing and making it up as you go along couldn't fix :-D 

 I finished it on Monday, my first day of annual leave...and I LOVE IT !!! its so light and cool to wear, you'd practically have to press any creases into it and even then I doubt they'd stay!!! I love the neck line ... I just love it all !!! and it was perfect for sitting in my garden on another hot hot day drinking cocktails on the patio at 3pm :-D    Chin Chin darlings!!!