Thursday, November 17

a bit of tartan, some good fortune, perhaps a smidgen of snow and a little thanks...


for the past two days i have been wearing my elf cap upon my bonce. alas and alack, i have not been wearing my Paddington Bear pyjamas despite the temptation of their flannelly goodness and the crappity crap dreary weather. they are not quite like the ones he wears, for if i recall (and we all know how iffy that can be) he wore pinstriped ones, or perhaps that was my own Paddington Bear, now i am thinking he wore ones with flowers on. well mine are tartan and i like to think if Paddington had gone across the border into Scotland he would have liked a pair of tartan pj's to remind him of his travels.
mine are made from Stewart tartan no less.


"how could you possibly know such a thing Tif?" i hear you inquire.
well dearest reader, first off may i congratulate you on your inquiry, i think it is always important to be inquisitive of such matters.
well as luck would have it, many many moons ago in my late teens i lived in Edinburgh for several years and worked a day job at a Barrow which stocked buttons and ribbons, and many of those ribbons were tartan. and being what my job was, i was often called upon by inquiring tourists to name a tartan or two. oh yes those  long ago days of cutting ribbon and counting out buttons all come flooding back when i stumble across a tartan or two.


'weather bug' has informed me that it is going to snow, he appears to be a little iffy as to the details and when i try to pin point him down he becomes quite vague. 'weather bug' is an app, he lives on my cell phone, i have reached the 21st century, i have a phone that does things other than dial a number. i am struggling with the other things it does but luckily for me, i live with teenage lads :)


so i have a handy dandy 'weather bug' who appears to change his mind hourly and now i have a 'fortune cookie' app too! never has life been so thrilling to get out of bed at 6:30am for the school run than when one has a fortune cookie waiting for you. i just tap its little shell and out pops my fortune for the day. two days ago when my phone rang causing me to panic as it rarely rings and being one of those smart phones you press things without wishing to, just trying to get it out of your bag. well all i was trying to do was answer my phone, a perfectly innocent thing to do, but instead i pressed the 'button tile' to my fortune cookie, which is okay normally because it would just show me my fortune again for that day, reminding me less i had forgotten. however in my need to get back to where i wished to be, i double tapped it. gosh, do you know, my fortune cookie got cross with me. it actually told me off. it said something along the lines of 
"do not be greedy, one fortune a day, come back tomorrow".
after which i was quite upset for there appeared no where on the screen i could tap out a message to my fortune cookie explaining the tres terrible mistake, telling him, i was not intentionally being greedy and to please forgive me so i could go about my day without feeling wretched. but no, nowhere and so i was left with that feeling of having done something wrong. the power of what appears to be a harmless little app...


but today is not the day for talking tartan pj's and fortune cookies, although can i just say, if 'weather bug' gets it right and snow comes a tumbling from the sky, i'll be donning my flannel pj's faster than my lads can shout "snow day, no school".

today is the perfect day for me to say "thank you kindly". it was so spiffy to see so many of you at my 'joyful' shop update, you kindly spent your hard earned pennies which resulted in not only me wearing an elf cap but also my peachy friend Laurie. she came by on tuesday to help me and i must say her 'elf cap' was far prettier than mine. i am thinking i need to 'dottie angel' mine up a bit.
also, before my shop update, so many many kind folks have been coming to my little shop and buying the book. you have taken time to write me fabby feedback upon your purchases and also to send me emails with how much you love the book. this is wonderful to know...
so with a week to go till thanksgiving, i truly am most thankful for your kindness, your custom and your lovely comments you continue to share with me. i've said it before and i will say it again, you are the bees knees for sure.


she notes, it is one month tomorrow and her girls are home for the holidays ~ Tif

14 comments:

Rachel at Stitched in Color said...

Thank-you so much for your sweet, rambling posts. I have yet to enter the 21st century and still have a very plain little phone. It's good to be comforted with the fact that little aps aren't judging me ;)

Zita - Mlle Magpie said...

SO glad and overjoyed that I was able to snatch up some perfectly peachy dottie angel goodness from your shop on Monday. Can't wait to receive my package - it will make me giddy for sure, which is a good thing as there has not been much giddiness around here lately. p.s. your book has been the secret pleasure I have been indulging in while I wait for my daughters to finish their ballet classes every week - it is totally yummy and brilliant, Tif!!!

greenrabbitdesigns said...

I remember a little barrow in the Waverly centre selling buttons and ribbons ~ was that you by any chance?
Your girls will be home soon. :)
Vivienne x

gram said...

.... tif.. throughly enjoyed your chatty wit... glad I stumbled across you!... we, too, have snow... Montana.. but that's what it does best here in the almost Winter... (smile)!

Carol said...

Hi Tif, hope you only get a few snowflakes on your nose. We have had such a lovely sunny day today, winter seems a long way away but I know it is really tap tap tapping on the door.
You lived in Edinburgh? Well so did I! I eloped.......... but that is a whole new story.
Carol xx

Donna -Little Tiny Stitches said...

Oh Tif, I have been wondering if they will be home, and I am so pleased they are!!

Stewart is my favourite:o)
I still have a tartan jacket and a pair of tartan hot pants from the 80's.....if only i could fit into them lol.

You are right my dear, Paddington did have stripey pj's. Can you not find a thrifted sheet/duvet cover with him on and make a paddington nightie?
I have tried to tussle my (now vintage!) Paddington duvet cover from my 12 year old for you, but alas my dear, for a 12 year old, she clings tightly LOL.. :o)

So pleased your shop update went well.
Have a great day my lovely, and take care,
love Donna xxOOxx

liss said...

Lovely piles of linens. I just wanted to comment that I had imagined you were talking about PJs with Paddington Bear on them the other day, and was a little sad to realise that you were talking about one's like he wears, silly really, but I thought I'd share it with you anyway ;)
All of this has reminded me that I have somewhere about the house my old Paddington Bear sheets (or at least one) that I rescued from my mother's throw out pile, maybe I could make lounge pants from them....off to search, thanks for the inspiration.

Simone said...

Hello Tif! Just wanted to say I bought your book for my husband to give to me for Christmas! I am so glad that it is wrapped in cellophane so I can't take a peek before the big day! My fortune cookie to you says 'since I found your blog, it has brightened my life'!

Jenelle said...

It has indeed been dreary around here! Not the best weather for taking photographs of sewing work either, I might add (although your pics always look great!). I also heard that it might snow.

Cele Schaffer said...

How beautiful these linens are!! I was wondering if you could give some laundering instructions for passed down old materials that are treasures like these? Do you soak them in bleach and water? What if there are yellowing spots etc... I am always afraid I will ruin quilts,tablecloths,linens,tea towels etc that have been passed down. Do they need to go to a dry cleaner? Thanks for any tips.

caro said...

Hello Tif, I lapped up all those linen close-up pics today. Truly a treat!

Michelle said...

Thank you Tif....
I am wearing my sticky gold star with pride...You are a true sweet dear friend...
and I think your tartan pj will be just dandy for snowy weather...

Jamie said...

I do love these photos of all the lace and linen goodness! Oh, my! So happy for you to have your girls home for the holidays. I am fortunate as well! I, too, love your book - so glad to get a copy! Jamie V in MT
http://rem-nants.blogspot.com
amzanioli@yahoo.com

dottie angel said...

yes yes! the waverly centre at the barrow, that was me :)

as for keeping linens clean. i actually tend to pick up the ones which do have stains on them and even tears, for i will be cutting in to them and therefore could not do so if they were in pristine condition.
all of them go in the washer and the dryer! eeek! i know some folks are probably squealing at hearing such a thing. but i need them to make it through to know they can become cushion covers and blankets etc.
also i applique, so that is grand for covering up spots if there are any...
i do not use bleach for i fear that would harm the fibers.

delighted the book is doing its job grandly, many thank yous for that

happy weekend to you all!

Tif x