How To Be Attractive To A Man

Now as we all know, men are mysterious creatures and there is no guessing what goes on in their teeny tiny minds, I mean their formidable brains.  I am pleased to report though that after extensive and exhausting research (i.e., after finding a list left in a library book), I have discovered the key attributes one particular man is after in a mate.  Now there is no proof that a man wrote this list, in theory it could be anybody, but look at this and I think you too will suspect it is the work of a man. 

It was inside Mr Shoestring’s library book too, a murder mystery, which may add a little weight to the supposition that it was the thoughts of a man.  I have to admit that I could never be a successful candidate for this gentleman – although I am fortunate enough to possess my own teeth I am a useless baker and pikelets (or piklets as they are charmingly called in the list) were never my specialty.  Even when I tried many years ago to bake some scones for a visitor they came out more like cheese straws, so I gave up at the first hurdle and never attempted them again.  As for being “loaded”, I presume this means being wealthy (but Mr Shoestring thought it meant something else so we have to agree to differ there), and since I am not loaded, and use any cash I lay my hands on buying threads, fabrics and cottons I would definitely not be a contender. 

The Squire and his good lady wife came over for lunch in the weekend and regaled us with tales of their new hobby, sailing.  Not only are they not expert sailors, they had no experience of sailing until they suddenly bought a trimaran, which they learned to rig and sail by studying tutorials on the internet!  I have to admit this didn’t inspire me to plead with them to take me out, especially after the Squire informed me that when he had only been out four times a member of the local yacht club spied him and recommended that he start racing.  (He had performed some very unusual and daredevil manoeuvres without even being aware of the fact, apparently).  Good on him for being so adventurous but I think dry land is a more appealing proposition for me!  Needless to say, the Squire’s good lady wife is a very amenable and docile lady who will happily support her valiant Squire in all he does. 

I am very relieved to report that the needlepoint project so long in the making has finally been completed, now it needs to be blocked and then made into a cushion.  (One can never have too many needlepoint pillows, I think that will have to be my motto.)  

I know I said last week that I was going to move onto the primrose/polyanthus one which was already started, but this canvas was calling to me.  

I bought it years ago when there were a whole group of them on sale at ridiculously low prices, too low not to buy a few, and it has languished in various cupboards, wardrobes and boxes since then.  I will use up the wools my mum gave me after she finished her crewel curtains on this project and it has opened up an opportunity to have fun with colour because in using three strands of crewel wool to cover the canvas there is the chance to mix the colours up and get a lot of very interesting effects. They don't show up very well in the photo but I will take a better one soon, the speckled look is quite realistic for flowers and stems.  

This has been great fun and it is working up very quickly.  The fact that it is a printed canvas makes it much less challenging for the old brain cells than if I was following a chart and having to count each stitch. 

We went on a good walk to the top of a waterfall in the weekend and saw lots of tui on the way up. 

 The outlook from the top was great but we were rather aggrieved to find lots of other people had the same idea and as we came down hordes were making their way up.  How rude!  Luckily we set off early so were down again before the heat of the day. 

Mr Shoestring is very cross at present.  He decided that it would be good to raise our bed up higher so that there was more storage underneath, but somehow he miscalculated with the result that I almost needed a stepladder to climb into bed last night, and the poor cats could barely leap up onto bed to wake us in the middle of the night as is their usual habit.  Also, it may be my imagination but I think the bed was swaying a little on the tall frame and I think I might have been a bit seasick (or perhaps I was just thinking of The Squire and his adventures on the ocean waves).  

This weekend I finally had a go at making some eye makeup remover after a friend told me about it. If you are frugal it is very vexing to spend money on this product, it isn't pretty and it isn't useful for embroidery so why would you want it?  (Apart from not wanting to look like a member of Kiss when you wake up in the mornings, and scare your partner senseless of course.)  The version I was told about goes like this.  Boil the kettle and pour one cup of water into a measuring jug.  Then add one and a half teaspoons of baby shampoo or baby wash, and half a teaspoon of baby oil.  When it has cooled decant it into a pretty glass bottle (or whatever you like to use) and hey presto, you have an excellent eye makeup remover.  If you love mascara as much as I do it will be a boon to you.  I have been using it for a few days now and still have my eyesight and no irritation, so I'm pretty pleased with it.  

The Big Dry

We have heard that January 2015 is likely to be the driest and sunniest on record in our part of the world and perhaps that's why the little pond in the back garden at Shoestring Cottage is doubly alluring this year.  Apart from peering fretfully into its waters to see if the fish babies have survived and not been gobbled up by their parent,s I was looking this weekend at a water lily bud which had formed under the surface of the water.  It seemed doomed to fail because it wouldn't open under the water surely?  The next morning when I looked it had grown overnight and the bud was clear of the water

then a couple of hours later it had unfurled its petals and was in bloom.  

It's almost like living in the tropics, everything seems to be living at an accelerated pace - as long as it has enough water to survive the dry spell, that is.

The pond is beginning to look a bit overcrowded; apart from miscellaneous aquatic grasses and the water lily we now have this gorgeous and exotic looking "zebra grass" (Miscantus Sinensis Zebrina) which apparently will grow to 2 metres and have pink/copper flowers from time to time.  Well, we will see if that comes to pass but it looks very handsome next to the solitary water lily blossom at present.  And its stems make a good place for the fish babies to hide from their terrifying parents too.

Down at the wetland under the overcast skies (which refuse to part with their rain) the convulvulus were glowing ethereally and the wild fennel having a bumper year and reaching for the clouds.

It wasn't all gardening, there was stitching to be done and I amrelieved to report that I have nearly completed the dratted needlepoint which I promised myself I would get done before doing any more exciting and interesting projects.  

It's still on the frame so you can only see the centre section but once it's finished (and surely next weekend will be the last big push because I am up to the last bit of border now), I will back it with the very useful green velvet from some cushions found in an op shop, then I can leave it alone and press on with the next opus.  This polyanthus will look very pretty in the sewing room if and when I finish it, and by cunningly recreating the pot but with a slightly different coloured blossom (pink perhaps) it will make a nice bolster cushion as a change.  

It's almost time to get ready for art deco weekend in Napier again and I unearthed this hat in a local second hand shop.  It will be too hot to wear for summer deco maybe, but in winter time will be just the thing with a tweedy jacket and skirt.  You can see the face of the fox and it is wrapped around the edge of the hat in a very cunning way, quite a triumph!  Maude kindly agreed to model it for me, she can never give up her haughty expression and attempt a smile but she does her best.  

Next weekend it will be time to start airing the furs and auditioning various costumes, excellent!

To Infinity And Beyond

Hoorah!  I can finally report that what became known as "The Infinity Quilt" because it seemed to on forever and I despaired of ever coming to the end of it, has been completed.  In fact it was completed on the first weekend I returned from my travels abroad - I decided that too much was enough and that come hell or high water, its time had come.  Needless to say there was a lot of stitching and a teeny tiny bit of swearing and cursing involved, but we got there in the end.  I am ashamed to say that it feels something like what I imagine not loving a baby would feel like - after that long gestation, all the blood sweat and tears which went into The Infinity Quilt, when it was finally completed I put it on a bed and secretly thought to myself that I wouldn't care if I never saw it again.  I do go and visit from time to time and I think gradually a glimmer of affection is developing, but it isn't my very favourite thing in all the world, which is usually the case with every new quilt I complete.  So onwards and upwards, I should have listened to a more experienced and expert quilter (Madame La Poste) when she recommended to me that if I really wanted to get on with other things, I should just square off Infinity and have done with it.  Oh no no no, I knew better and was determined to be all tricksy and have intricate finishing techniques (never before tried by me) and be so clever!  Sometimes it is better not to out-clever oneself it turns out.

The best part about having completed Infinity is that it has freed me up to turn my attention to completing other much neglected projects.  The current favourite (don't tell Infinity) is this one, which I work on in the week days in town.  For a long time she was innominate, but she has recently been known as Big Red because my enthusiasm was such that I cut far more hexies than will ever be needed and she is shaping up to be one substantial quilt.  Much better a too big quilt than a skimpy one though, I always think.

Big Red is a buxom creature who grows by the day

And then there is this woefully neglected piece of needlepoint which I estimate must have been lingering around for a good 25 years - fortunately no moths have attacked it and this weekend I hauled it out of exile and stitched away furiously on it.  I can't help but try to estimate how long it might take me to complete, because there are several others waiting in the wings for their turn and my fingers are itching to get onto them - several of them are far more beguiling and interesting to stitch.  It's funny how your tastes change over time, but since I am on this big using up old wools and materials project it's sensible to use everything up on these half done projects. 

Getting back from our holiday I was thrilled to find not all the bargains had been snapped up in our absence.  My collection of priceless landscape paintings is ever-growing and this beauty only set me back $8 at the local annual church fair.  Mind you, I did have to go in a silent auction which was a bit nerve wracking as I was convinced I would be pipped at the post by another art lover.  

 Here is a close view and you can see the Turner-esque clouds, most attractive

Here is the whole scene, the colours are a bit brighter than in "real life" but you can get the general impression.  

At the local markets Mr Shoestring found this adorable little Hose Mending Pack (probably never to be used, but very picturesque) and odd but colourful little floral picture

I was very pleased to get back to the garden and surprisingly things had taken good care of themselves in my absence.  I think the secret is to pack in as many things as you possibly can, so that there is less space for weeds to get a toehold.  That's my philosophy anyway, and it is more fun than trying to plan too carefully because when you see something new which you MUST have, in it goes.  The fuchsias which I bought as tiny babies last year from Le Maison Rouge for $2.50 each have rewarded me by not only surviving, but thriving.  They were unexpected stand out successes, though I need to learn how to prune them as they are tending to have their ideas about shapeliness and height.  

I can only show you a few of them because that wretched Mr Shoestring had a new toy to play with this weekend, a powerful water blaster, which he used on pretty much everything in the confines of our garden as far as I can tell.  The end result is that most things in the garden are befurred with a fine layer of black sludge which gives them a spotty appearance which is less than satisfactory.  But don't tell him I am complaining or he may withdraw his labour and favours.  

Even along the front by the path things have thrived while I was away (it almost makes a poor gardener feel surplus to requirements) and the pinks have put on a wonderful display this year.  Also the rose which used to sulk by the front gate has finally decided it's time to prove itself and covered itself in pale pink blossoms.  (But I can't show you any of those because they too are affected by water blasting detritus.)  

Happy gardening/stitching/whatever warms the cockles of your heart.  Next time I will steel myself to take a photo of the completed Infinity Quilt, just to be fair.  Also the way it is finished around the edges is rather interesting, if a little tedious to do.  

Barcelona, Paris and Rome via Brixton, Bermondsey, Bath and Brighton (Part One)

Greetings friends one and all, once again I must apologise for my long absence.  Mr Shoestring and I have been to London to visit our two wicked daughters who refuse to return to our fair shores and from thence travelled to parts unknown (or at least unknown to these colonials).

I know you will be interested to hear about all things pertaining to stitching experiences, so I will start off with the visit to the Kaffe Fassett 50 years retrospective exhibition at the American Museum in Bath.  When we planned our trip I was unaware of this exceptional event, but it came to my attention via that wonderful publication, Patchwork Mania, where I spied an advertisement one day.  What a wonderful experience that was!  All stitchers who remember the 1980s will recall how Kaffe burst onto the scene with his inspirational depictions of everyday objects such as cabbages and cauliflowers, and how that revolutionised the needlepoint genre at that time.  He has  also worked his magic upon knitting and patchwork and his use of colour, especially intense saturated colour, has inspired people the world over.  When we arrived at the American Museum the trees were festooned with knitted ornamentation and that was just a taste of things to come.

Another wonderful experience in England was the Burlington Arcade which was jam packed to the gunnels with vintage and antique jewellery, including one shop which displayed only old timepieces year by year.  Of special interest to me was all the art deco jewellery in this arcade.  Whatever your fancy, there was something to tempt you here.

In Brighton we looked at the pier, where even the toilets still have the original Victorian tiles and the stained glass windows are still in perfect condition,

but that faded into insignificance once we saw the Royal Pavilion.  What a magnificent treasure and how gratifying that so many treasures in England are still in the easy grasp of ordinary people.

When we visited many museums and art galleries there was no charge, for instance the National Portrait Gallery, which must make things a lot more accessible and encourage people to take advantage of the resources at their disposal.

One place we had badly wanted to see though was Eltham Palace which is an unusual amalgam of medieaval palace and art deco grand house (what more could one want), and is within an easy train trip of London.  On the day we visited the weather was beautiful, clear and sunny and we were impressed by the way the house and garden were presented.  When the family bought an restored the neglected property and added their own stamp on it with modern architecture and interior decoration the great Hall was about to collapse and had been used as a barn for housing farm animals and the sheer vision they displayed in melding ancient and modern was quite awe inspiring.

More to follow, I just wanted to let you know I'm alive and kicking!

Springtime Capers

This weekend Los Valentinos came to stay overnight at Shoestring Cottage and they were very tolerant of the overstuffed rooms and the fact that every flat surface was covered in the sorts of things which warm the cockles of my heart (oh, and Mr Shoestring's too of course).  Senora Valentino is a magpie, so could understand our malady, but Senor Valentino is not - he told me in all seriousness that his idea of a collection is having one of something - and where is the fun in that?  Although to be fair, the thing he is searching out presently is an ocean going yacht and I suppose one of those would be enough for most people - cold wet and uncomfortable, give me a cosy room with a few needles, some fabrics and lots of luxurious threads to play with any day!

On Sunday the weather was heavenly and Mr Shoestring and I ventured forth like a couple of moles emerging from a period underground, enjoying ourselves very much even though we were only engaged in mundane gardening chores.  The flowers had the saturated acid colourations of early spring and it was worth having a good close look at them emerging and promising a beautiful summer to come.

 Even the discarded hyacinths from last year consented to put on a bit of a show - in fact I think the sparser blossoms in the second season are more appealing and dainty.

  

 And the same for the tulips too.  

The fig is already showing its fruits, which seemed a bit odd considering they burst forth fully formed but in miniature from the bare winter stems until I remembered that the "fruit" of a fig is actually its flower.

The birds on the birdhouse roof were giving Mr Shoestring a few concerns because he thought they were attacking the wood, until he realised that they were in fact trying to clean the residue off their beaks after consuming the left over "birdforte" from last week which had become rather sticky and must have been like candy floss or toffee for them.  (Isn't it lucky that they have no teeth and therefore don't need to worry about cavities?)

All this abundance and fruitfulness made me want to go indoors and unearth favourite pieces of fabric which I have saved for a long time, waiting for inspiration to strike.  (I only have a very small amount of the fabric to use so will have to be very careful how I cut it and put it together again but I can't wait to get started.  Shame I have that self-imposed ban on starting any more quilts until the 15 or so which are awaiting completion are dealt with.)

I also dragged out a barely started piece of canvaswork which was brought to mind by the polyanthus in the garden.  It is an Elizabeth Bradley design and it will make a beautiful long bolster for in the sewing room when it is complete, having two potted polyanthus beside one another.

But the embroidery which seemed to best suit the mood in the garden was this scruffy old object which was put away ages ago, but which makes an excellent portable project and is good for using up odds and ends of embroidery cottons, especially if you have been given leftovers after some major project.  

It's great fun to do because you can put all sorts of unexpected colours together, the more the better, for an eye wateringly bright effect.  

Here you can see the string stitching which is the base for the overstitching, it is so simple to do but really satisfying.

And now it's time to go and rest the poor tired back and dream of projects to come.  Happy stitching, gardening or whatever happens to keep you awake at night planning and scheming!