There goes that woman with the bear behind ...

The joy of recycling/ reusing fabrics is that you can run yourself a little something up that you can be sure no-one else will be wearing (or even want to be seen dead in!). At the start of the summer I realised all my clothes had shrunk apart from two drab skirts and a pair of even drabber trousers.
I set about remedying the situation with an empty purse, this book












that I discovered at a charity shop for 35p - with the original master pattern still inside! and the sort of fevered need to sew that hits now and then.




I made five skirts in two days and all from my stash. Only one was material actually purchased from a fabric shop (ages ago), another was made from a pre-loved cotton sheet, one from a pair of charity shop curtains, one from a remnant and this little baby from a Rupert the Bear duvet cover (£1). Children love it, Mums tend to do a double-take and then decide I'm obviously a bit strange and I just think it's a bit of fun. I love wearing when F-I-L is about as he hates this sort of thing and likes to make his opinions known - which only serves to make me do it all the more ;)

It nearly opened a whole can of worms as I then looked at the novelty bedding every time I went into a charity shop and found myself considering Thunderbirds, Beatrix Potter and Bob the Builder amongst others ;) - I did resist as I thought that might be pushing it.

I've been a busy bee today and would like to introduce you to Millie (seated left)

As predicted the Minx did fall for her - even before she had a face or hair. Last night I sat with a glass of red and my embroidery box and out came Millie. Her little friend in the photo is Suzie who she bumped into whilst on the sewing table waiting for her clothes. Suzie was in for running repairs on her skirt. I can't wait for Minxie to come home and see them!

Sausage Monster has not been left out as his bear's mouth has been restitched and into a smile rather than the somewhat grumpy one he had before.

I'm so glad the weekend is nearly here. My babies are shattered after their first week back at school and we need a 'long and lazy get-up'.

Couple of funnies from my Monster:

He read Horrid Henry's Wedding to me last night in which he is going to be pageboy at cousin Prissy Polly's wedding. He read this bit:

'Prissy Polly was always squeaking and squealing:

'Eeek, it's a speck of dust.'

'Eeek, it's a puddle.'

'Eeek, my hair is a mess.'

and then looked at me with a smile and said "Ha ha, you don't do that do you Mum?" and he meant it as a compliment :0

Eavesdropping this morning I caught this little beauty that he was sharing with the Minx:

'I was being a nosey parker yesterday and you'll never guess what I saw in someone's car'

'It was a newspaper and there was a picture of a lady and her boobs were like totally naked. I couldn't believe it.'

This brought forth one of the Minx's filthiest giggles and several minutes sniggering about boobies. Don't you just love 'em?

I have to start the ironing at some point today as the top of the pile is winking at me from behind the sofa. Must get it done before the weekend so that I look like I'm doing my 'job' for DH's folks. Not being of a creative bent I think it baffles them how I can spend all this time at home and still not have a pristine palace to show for it.

As my darling mum used to say 'There's more to life than housework!'.

Before I go I spoke to my lovely Aunt this morning (Mum's sister) and she and I are running away here:

http://www.necgroup.co.uk/visitor/whatson/DisplayWhatsOn.asp?i=5588&m=9&p=1

next Sunday. I've never been to one of these before (very sheltered life) and rarely have any time out on my own at weekends. DH never thinks twice about going off and doing things he wants but I have the old wife/mother guilt thing about doing anything for me in 'family time'.

I guarantee tho' I will not be feeling guilty next weekend - must set a budget before I go (yeh, right) :0)