Monday, April 12

high hopes...



there is the usual level of high hopes in the shed this morning,
laundry that needs to be done,
groceries that need to be bought,
emails that need to be answered,
a used dog that needs to be cared for
and
a nest that needs to be nested in,
for it is a very 'nesty nest'
made at the weekend
and it keeps on calling my name...


i removed the back cushions from our granny sofa and in their place i put some dottie angel throw pillows,
i awaited the cries of protest but strangely so far, no one appears to have noticed i am thinking this is because the whole of the shed is so 'dottie angeled' and things change around at such an alarming rate that my clan can no longer keep up and it is all a blur to them.

yesterday whilst out and about 'flea-ing' with our #1 in Freemont i came across the most beautiful cross stitch tablecloth,
not at the actual flea market but a thrift store close by.
it is large in size and had the sum of $6 upon it.
i could not leave it behind for i knew the hours of work that went into its beauty...
on returning to the shed i noted how perfect it was for finishing off my nest.


but today i have upped the level of high hopes,
for today is the day i am making a dress!
and not just any old dress i might tell you,
but a dress made from scratch

(did i hear someone gasp?
that's perfectly alright for i too gasped for i know when aged 12 i swore never to attempt such a thing again after donning my 'pitched tent' of a skirt made at school)

but this time
i am armed
with several yards of fabric from my stash,
a roll of paper left over from the days my children loved to 'color in' with great gusto,
and
my imagination.
for if i have that, then i have faith in myself...
i am aiming for a summer frock with a hint of dottie angel,
that's right,
a summer frock that makes me look like an eclectic bohemian crafty woman of an uncertain age
and not as i fear,
a woman of a very obvious age, wearing a floral potato sack.

she is thinking anything is possible when you have 'high hopes', then again she is thinking 'high hopes' haven't always been enough in the past ~ Tif

26 comments:

Rubyred said...

I fear that skirts made at school may haunt us forever! Mine was a horrid circle,cream with blue flowers. I never finished it, deliberately I think, for fear I may have to wear the thing!!
I'm sure your dress will be gorgeous as you are so talented in the stitching department, the styling department, the photography department......
Rachel x

Donna -Little Tiny Stitches said...

I know that your dress will turn out absolutely perfect -simply because it is made by you ! :)
I love your table cloth/nest cover, that must have taken hours for someone to stitch, and it's good that it's gone to a home that appreciates all the time it took to make :)
Have a good week Tif..
Kind regards,
Donna

Penny said...

The table cloth is lovely, and could well be incorporated in that frock you are making, don't you think? Penny x

Madelief said...

The tablecloth you found looks lovely on your couch. The pillows you made look very sweet! Good luck with the dress. I hope you will show it to us!

Lieve groet, madelief

Allison said...

good luck with your dress-making! even if you end up with a dotty-angeled potato sack, it will look so lovely.

the couch pillows are fabulous and i'm so glad you scooped up that cross-stitched tablecloth because all the work that went into it deserves to be appreciated. it's beautiful!

Francesca said...

can't wait to see. how long will it take you? i'm excited! x

journeyseeds.typepad.com said...

so so pretty....

Tonia said...

You gotta have high hopes!

Sam said...

My dear Dottie Angel, I love it when you post in the morning, for you always make me laugh, you make my day, I'm glad you're alive and sharing your personal dottieness! A floral potato sack, indeed. Sam

tami said...

i laughed a lot! thanx! tami

Dajda said...

Good luck with the dress!

RiversideGrump said...

Well Tif - I made H a dress (with lining even) 40 years ago, on a hand powered Singer, so am sure you will triumph. Mind you, my buttonholes were a bit dodgy.

deb did it said...

oh I can't wait to see your dress....i love to visit you here, like a breath of fresh Spring air and sunshine on my face!

dottie angel said...

i am still clinging to those high hopes dearest readers... after three hours i have to tell you it is a matter of holding on to my last bit of hope. but i do believe i have come a long way since sewing classes aged 12, so that in its self is an acheivement worthy of a gold sticky star :)

Princess and the Pea said...

I've been sewing my own clothes since I was 11 coz I'm so teeny it's the only way they'll fit! My mum taught me how. If it looks like crap, just stand in front of your mirror, look at the mess and think "how can I make this better?" and then do whatever needs to be done. It's never beyond redemption. And anyway, you're Dottie Angel! Of course you can do it!

Heidi said...

Love the room, and your picture grouping on the wall...Don't you love granny couches...

folk city said...

Dear Tif,
Best of luck with your new frock! I have yet to find many used/vintage items of clothing for myself whilst thrifting since I signed up for the Challenge. I'm drawn to clothes that have interesting fabrics— I bring them home and cut them up for other projects. Just today, I found a groovy hippie chic dress with Indian printed fabric that is probably something I would wear only after drinking too many Pimm's cocktails. On the bright side, I have purchased a couple of handmade items that I wear as my daily uniform...after I added a touch of my own vibe to them first. I intend (one of these days) to make reproductions, for they are fairly simple, smock/tunic like garments that would be relatively easy to duplicate.
I look forward to seeing photos of the Dottie Angel dress!
-Heidi

Ruth said...

I am new to your blog and have really enjoyed it. You have so many lovely things and are so talented. I look forward to returning and seeing this beautiful summer frock you are creating.

When in school I did not make a dress but an apron of the most horrible fabric I have ever laid eyes on and much to my dismay, while visiting my mom recently she was wearing it. Scary.

Ruth

dottie angel said...

hurrah, welcome ruth, the more the merrier :)

Leah said...

Good luck with the dress making Im sure it will turn out just peachy.
Love the Table cloth looks great with all your cushions.

Christine said...

Love the table cloth - and it looks perfect on the sofa!

Enjoy your dress making - looking forward to seeing it.

Romero said...

love the blog!!!...so, so so lovely!!!!..The pillows are very beautiful...xox

A Casa da VĂ¡ said...

That is just SO pretty!

^_^

Emmy Kim said...

High-i-i hopes
She's got High-i-i hopes
She's got, high in the sky with some warm apply pie-i-i hopes!

DaShannon said...

sometimes i feel it is my duty to purchase and appreciate the homemade, crocheted, sewn and stitched...

chloebrie said...

Good on you for having a crack at the dressmaking! I do it for a living, it's rewarding but often tedious and painful - push on!! Look forward to seeing it finished :) noice find with the tablecloth!!