white christmas...

after seven days of snow, late on christmas eve i have regained my internet connection. (but alas not my sanity)

just in time to wish you all, whatever your celebrations might be...a very happy and jolly time with 'nearests and dearests'

she will see you in the new year ~ Tif

no school and no snow...

the 'weather warning' is bad and so it would seem the schools are not taking a risk and the kids are staying home.

there is no 'glee' in my shed today.

having a day off school is all well and good if there is snow on the ground to mess around in...but no school and no snow makes for 'unhappy' folk. i have tried to maintain an air of 'joyfulness' around the place...whilst all the time inside my head thinking "oh no Tif, one week to go...this will teach you to live by the 'seat of your pants' when it comes to christmas and the birthdays"...

so to calm my thoughts i have taken up a 'spot' of knitting...in my favorite corner.

now dearest readers i have to confess it has been a wee while since the 'clickity clack' of knitting needles has been heard around here...since i started my love affair with a 'hook' my 'needles' have lain idle.

but i have had a 'must do' in the back of my head since September when my lovely friend Debbie came to visit from the UK...she found the most prettiest of 'knitted/crocheted' collars and i was 'green' with envy...not being able to find a pattern that i liked (and quite honestly we all know that when i follow a pattern it always goes hay wire) i decided to take some measurements and make my own 'version', using a lovely soft organic chunky cotton (lion brand) i had in my stash waiting for such an occasion to 'shine'...

i have managed several rows and now my wrists are complaining...but i am quite confident that this little 'scarflett' will come out a treat. it is doing the perfect job at keeping me 'contented' and 'sane' today...just what 'knitting' is best at.

she's hoping the snow stays away and school is back in tomorrow ~ Tif

Gladys and the cold...

it's been a bit 'brass monkeys' around here...not a lot of snow to show for it yet, but i've been informed by my lovely 'dears' that more is forecast and this time it's gonna be big.

they are keeping fingers and toes crossed there will be no school...what they haven't fully comprehended, is their mother has not done the best part of her christmas shopping, therefore requiring the few remaining days of school to complete her task. without those days, it isn't looking good...

but let that not distract from Gladys looking a treat at the weekend...

however something was missing...

as i don't do well in cold climates and must remain indoors at all times swathed in knitted attire and crocheted blankets, it became apparent there was only one person for the job...

the mistake i made was not to supervise the job, by the time i looked it was too late...i desperately wanted to correct the non evenness (why didn't i just put unevenness? what is with the 'non' business) of the lights but alas my

'snow and cold' allergy did not allow me the comfort...

shouting from a window

"but it's just not quite how i imagined" did not go down too well.

i quickly retreated so as not to catch the barrage of abuse that was hurled in my direction.

i have decided that it is good for me to 'suffer' this way, after all i have had full control over mantelpiece decorating (i caved at 10 trees and just shifted the whole display along) and must allow my man his 'uneven' lighting of Gladys...

she's out and about tomorrow, snow willing ~ Tif

FOOTNOTE: having just taken a second look, i see now that my man was only 'mimicking' my uneven garland hanging... thinking that's how i like it...sigh

christmas 'crafty' part two...

the corner of my studio is fast becoming a 'little' grotto and some might say a 'little' grotto with 'little' taste...the 'jaunty' trees have multiplied to a count of eight.

they have been joined by some 'pesky' little wood cutters from here, who do not appear to treat 'furry woodland' creatures as one should...(can you tell when a 10 year old boy has helped...i have corrected most of the massacre, to save your delicate dispositions...)

the 'garlands of joy' were created ever so easily...when the idea came to me a few weeks back i had dreams of vintage wallpaper etc but alas i do not have stacks of vintage wallpaper in my possession and even if i did, i doubt i would be able to cut it up for this purpose...

so the next best thing i feel is 'scrap booking' paper, i live in a land of 'scrap bookers'...it really is 'big' here, thus our local craft shop is just full of beautiful printed card stock ready to be transformed into a paper garland for my little 'grotto'...

this is where i shall mention a few items that are needed.

1. several yard lengths of lace and ribbon

2. 'die cut machine' or 'patience and a stencil'

3. parent to operate 'die cut machine' in craft store

4. preferable a parent with lots of technical ability and 'calmness'

5. parent who is willing to spend the best part of his first day of 'visiting' in a craft store surrounded by females cutting out tons of snowflakes and deer

i am actually pausing here, while i am thinking...is it really necessary for me to even tell you how i have made my little paper garlands, it really is a 'no brainer' for you crafty lot and let's be honest, it's really a little late for it as well.

but on second thoughts, i shall go on, just in case somewhere in a far corner of our globe, a little person like myself is wishing to make a 'little' grotto and for the life of them can't think where to get started...

continuing on, take home your 'cut outs' and parent...congratulate him on a job well done, give him a cup of tea and then set him to work on yarn 'snowball' making whilst you continue with the garland...

now it's all a little 'hodge podge' from now on, but all one does is stitch with the machine the said piece of 'cut out' (for example, a snowflake) leaving threads to dangle and moving on along your chosen 'strand' of lace or ribbon, stitching 'cut outs' in place. i made various differing lengths of garlands to add to the 'i just threw it up there' look i was aiming for...("we don't believe you Tif"...i shall ignore that)

i have only the trees left to work on and then my 'decor' for this christmas is complete...and just before i go, i have decided if it's good enough for the great british broadcasting corporation then it's good enough for my little blog...here's a repeat of my door wreath and door hanger for anyone who likes 're-runs'

she's off to 'batten down the hatches' as snow is forecast ~ Tif

FOOTNOTE: the circle garlands were not made by moi, i picked them up a few years back at a craft show...they are just perfect with my 'little' garlands, in fact quite honestly they make the whole thing have a 'wow' factor that it was missing before, would you not agree :)

FOOTNOTE #2: i do believe i have found the 'crafty' person behind the 'dot' garland on etsy...

kate greiner

i was just doing a little trawl around and 'hey presto'...

christmas 'crafty' part one...

i'm not quite sure why i feel the need to create a 'winter wonderland' on the mantelpiece of my studio with only two weeks to go...and more to the point why i feel the need to 'crochet' this winter delight. however i am determined just like i was with the 'snowball' scene to 'see it through'...

i spent most of yesterday in between answering the door to 'pesky gnomes', thinking...yes that's right dear readers i had my 'thinking cap' on, i haven't worn it for a while so it felt a little 'odd' but never the less i kept it on and continued for the best part of the day to 'think'...

and then after all that 'thinking' i took up my 'yarn and hook' and started to crochet...to be honest i really didn't know quite what i was doing and where it would go but if i'll be darned, i actually managed to make three little cone shapes that i do believe could pass as winter wonderland trees. they get their 'jaunty' shape from the fact that i 'made it up as i went along' and not because of some 'preplanning' on my behalf...

i only have another twenty or more to go. ("are you insane, Tif?" i hear you cry) but that's where you do not need to fear for my sanity dear readers...you see, i am looking for an excuse every minute of the day to sit down in my 'where have you been all my life' 1950's George Mulhauser chair that i found whilst out and about with my folks last week...

all dusty and unloved, way up high in the eaves of an antique mall...the price was a steal and now he sits in the corner of my studio by the window all polished (thanks to my mum) and loved (thanks to my bottom)...the most perfect 'crafting' spot to sit and spend some time with a ball of yarn, a hook and a lovely cup of tea...

so i am now going to give you the low down on how to make a 'jaunty' crocheted tree for yourself, a loved one, a passing stranger, a pesky gnome or perhaps a squirrel in your back yard...and once again if you can follow my instructions and actually produce an item that resembles a tree, i think we will all believe in miracles at christmas time...

(deep breaths and here we go)

INSTRUCTIONS FOR A 'JAUNTY' TREE

*you will need a mix of green colors if you wish to make a 'collection' of trees (of course you can use any color you wish but i used green), i used a medium weight yarn that called for a 6mm hook, which i changed out for a 3.5mm hook so i got a really tight solid material at the end, thus helping the tree to stand on it's own...without help from cardboard, stuffing or perhaps a passing rock...

the trees are made from the bottom up, just so you know.

*make a 'chain ring' of say around 30 (this doesn't really matter, the longer the chain, the bigger your tree will be...it's nice to make them all different sizes)

*row 1: chain one, sc around the ring, sl st to complete first row

*row 2: chain one, 1 sc, skip one, sc until you are a third way around the ring, skip one, sc until you are two thirds of the way around the ring, skip one, sc until end and sl st to complete second row

(are you still with me...)

*repeat rows 1 and 2 making sure you decrease three stitches every time on row 2, evenly around the ring...this makes the twisty spiral shape as the tree gets narrower

*once you have reached the top, with say about 6 sc left, you just keep spiralling and decreasing and 'making it' look right until you are happy with your pointy bit on the top of your tree. (that's the beauty of crochet, if in doubt just make it up)

*finish off and thread in ends.

here's a close up for you to see of how the end result should look

*"voila" should be the words you say, then with a bit of luck you will have a 'jaunty' coned tree shape, just add or subtract the number of chains at the beginning to make your tree larger or smaller...but continue the pattern just the same repeating row 1 and row 2.

right ho, she's thinking that she has made a complete pig's ear of relaying a very simple idea...and thinking she needs a 'pattern' writer to aid her ~ Tif

knock, knock...

if you are sitting comfortably, then i shall begin...

Tif was looking through her stash of yarn, hoping to find some 'warmth'...the shed was cold and lonely since her folks had left. she was also looking for 'inspiration'...

the snowballs had been completed and now she was turning her attention to 'christmas trees'...minatue ones made from yarn, a little something for the wee pesky gnomes to make them feel 'more loved' as it was becoming quite clear they were not going to 'get over' eleven months in a box quite as quickly as she had hoped...

knock, knock...

"oh" said Tif to used dog, "who can that be, shall we go and see?"

(she opened the door)

"hello, are you Miss Tif and is this Mossy Shed?" asked the visitor

"what if i said it wasn't?" Tif was quick to answer.

from behind her a roar of "hurrahs" somewhere in the direction of the mantelpiece were to be heard...

"Ceril, Ceril...is that really you, did you get our postcard about needing to brighten the place up a bit...come on in and make yourself at home"...

next thing Tif knew...Ceril, a rather dubious pesky gnome pushed through her feet and marched on into the shed...she noted with some 'horror' that he bought a pot of yellow paint with him and worse still he had mislaid the lid...

Tif returned to her 'yarn stash' and empty corner of the shed where her folks had sat just the day before to knit and read...

a few minutes later...

knock, knock...

"oh no" whispered Tif to used dog "let's hope it's UPS or FedEx and not who i think it could be"

(she opened the door again)

"hello" said a rather jolly looking christmas gnome (quite obviously pesky and well fed)..."is this where wee 'pesky gnome in charge' and his cronies live?"

"what if i said it wasn't?" asked Tif

too late...another cheery welcome was called from the mantelpiece...
"uncle Bert, is that really you, did you get our postcard with the S.O.S on it...and more importantly did you bring your sack of 'christmas cheer' with you...quite honestly Tif is a 'crap' host and we haven't had a drop to drink since last christmas when we found her 'wee supply' for light weights"

"i, that i did my wee pesky gnome nephews" uncle Bert replied, whilst pushing past Tif and into Mossy Shed "i knew it was a matter of most importance and so i came a running, never one to miss out on a 'wee party' with my family"

Tif and used dog returned to yarn hunting...

knock, knock...

"i can't face it used dog, you will have to go alone this time"

used dog answered the door and looked around, nothing there...just as she was about to close the door and report back to Tif, a little voice squeaked...

"down here"

and sure enough used dog counted eight little pesky ladies on the door mat...

"we're here to spend christmas with wee 'pesky gnome in charge' and all his cronies...we come from sweden and we like to party..."

and the roar of appreciation from the mantelpiece inside the shed was heard from several blocks away...

"oh yes, boys" cried 'pesky gnome in charge', tears of joy on his cheeks..."all our christmases have come at once"...

she's thinking those wee pesky gnomes aren't going to need crocheted trees to keep them warm and cozy this christmas ~ Tif

christmas countdown...(oh yes! it's nearly here)

i have not been completely idle for the past week, no, no...quite the opposite, i have been quite the 'hostess', showing my lovely folks the 'sights and sounds' of 'post thanksgiving' nutty sales shopping and also the inside of some craft shops...

inbetween such exciting adventures i have put them to work in my little 'santa sweatshop' rolling ball after ball of 'woolly snowballs' for my mantelpiece...

here's a little sneaky peak...my folks still have much work ahead of them...i am seeing 'an avalanche of snowballs' in my head and my vision needs to realized...

some of you more 'observant' readers (or ones with 'eagle eyes') may note that in the picture there lurks a pesky gnome or two...it was just typical, there i was getting out my 'crocheted popcorn' garland from the christmas box when they escaped...

"blimey Tif" said 'pesky gnome in charge' ("how do you know he was the one in charge?" i hear you ask...well, with my vast experience of pesky gnomes it has become most apparent there is a hierarchy in 'gnome world', all based on 'noses'...he was in charge 'cause his nose is slightly bigger than the others, therefore he has an air of 'in chargeness' about him).

and so 'pesky gnome in charge' with the slightly larger nose continued to speak "i don't remember when you suggested a game of 'hide and seek' last january anything in the rules about us 'hiding' and you not 'finding' for eleven months"...

so that's that, they are now staging a 'sit in' on my mantelpiece, apparently chatting up the pretty girls who quite honestly aren't impressed with their 'uncouth' ways...

and frankly neither is she ~ Tif

taking it easy...

my mistress, Miss Tif says she's been a little 'snowed under' the past few days...

she is happy to report her 'tees' were well received at the 'holiday craft' show on sunday and since then she has been 'scrubbing and cleaning' mossy shed in preparation for her folks arrival (which was last night)...

it will come as no surprise to you, dear readers to learn that 'cleaning' has been the last thing on her mind as she clocked up eight straight days with Miss Ethel...she now has new 'slips' and some 'tees' waiting for their moment to shine in her little store, but to be frank she is a little 'pooped'...

she's taking it easy just like me, for the next few days...spending quality time with the family.

in the meantime...rest assured she will be back next week with her

'christmas-crafty-how-to' (oh yes, i can feel the excitement growing already)

and with a bit of luck some 'new wares' in the shop window.

Tif's wishing you a happy thanksgiving and so am i ~ India Rose

let me count the ways i love thee...

last week i shed 'tears of sorrow', this week i have shed 'tears of joy'...

if you are sitting comfortably, then i shall begin...

wednesday night is my favorite night of the school week, having a large brood most school nights are packed with activities and such like. wednesday night is no different, however the activity that is needed to be 'got to' is only five minutes away from my thrift store.

("how convenient is that" i hear you cry..."i know" says i)

our #2 is required to be at dance lessons by 7pm, so i leave the shed behind with 'fed' children (ha ha ha) and head down the hill, tip out our #2 and then head onto my destination.

just little old me, all by myself, just the way i like it...

as i get nearer my heart starts to beat a little faster...what treasure has been discarded by another and now sits waiting for me to find it. i have a path that i take once inside the store, first stop is 'coat hangers' just in case a lovely crocheted one is waiting to be given a home...then i peruse the 'china' aisles, moving on to 'pots and pans', quickly glancing at 'glassware' as i round the corner to 'bric a brac'...next i head to 'bedding & linens' before checking the furniture dept, finishing up in the ladies 'undies' aisle to browse the slips.

it is a great way to spend an hour or so, usually by 'bric a brac' my allergies have set in and i need to do everything in my willpower not to scratch my eyes out...but it is a 'cross' i am willing to bear to get my 'thrifty' fix.

so the scene is set dear readers ("blimey Tif, is there more?"..."oh yes, it's quite a ramble today")

this wednesday just past, i had finished in the bedding aisle, snapping up a delightful pair of pillowcases that i have no use for but as one day i may have to run a 'bed & breakfast', it seemed foolish not to think ahead and plan accordingly.

i rounded the corner and pushed my little cart past the 'granny blanket' section, spying a perfect one for ''used dog'...(and let me tell you it was most appreciated by her). and that was the moment dear readers, the moment that happens maybe once or twice in a lifetime when inside a thrift store...

yes, a chorus of angels appeared, yes, glory shone all around and yes, a lone tear of joy slid down my cheek (what was that you say? no, dear readers that was not my allergies, i swear it was an emotional reaction and not the dust mites coming from used dog's blanket)...how could it be that only little old me could see this treasure and everyone around seemed oblivious to it's magnetic powers...

when i bought my 'how could you have ever been cast aside' treasure home, my man was quick to notice that something in my studio was 'attacking' him as he walked by (a term he uses frequently when 'doilified' items and the 'likes' get too close for comfort)...

"oh god, you've been to the thrift store again...why Tif, oh why do you have to go through the door? and what have you bought home this time...oh, let me see, another stool...i imagine you were thinking the abundance of stools we have already just isn't enough"

"don't say a bad word about this little stool, it's not just any ordinary stool, it is special...and before you say it...no, it is not a commode" i replied on the defense.

"well 'special' is certainly the word for it" he mocked back

"i have never in all my forty years come across a stool like this, therefore i am thinking it will be another forty years (god willing) before i see another in my travels. that alone tells me this was a once in a lifetime opportunity, one that i could not pass up..."

yes dear readers, i may have my 'rose colored' specs on but i do not care, a stool like this is a 'find of the century' (at least mine that is)...now safely in my studio, living out it's remaining days by my side...

she will see you on monday, after the 'holiday shop' ~ Tif

hanging around...

my latest thrifty obsession is clothes hangers...especially the crocheted kind.

but as with crocheted granny blankets, actually finding one in 'non garish' colors is pretty rare, at least in my neck of the woods. i have had a bit of luck on occasion but to be honest it is always hit or miss.

my need for such a multitude of 'said' item became apparent when i started to plan my skirt party way back when in september. the half a dozen or so hangers i possessed for 'photo taking' purposes, suddenly appeared way too little for displaying the slips at an 'event'...

i mentioned this issue to my man, "we have plenty of plastic hangers you can use or wire ones, why do you need to go and find more?"...at that point i made a mental note not to discuss such finer details with my man again...when i mentioned the suggestion to our #1 later that day, she looked aghast and said "does he not have a clue, surely he sees it's about the whole picture here, the 'look' you are creating?" which made me feel alot better...especially knowing i had bought at least 'one being' into this world with some 'visual' integrity.

and so my little 'hanger' collection has been growing slowly and steadily. now i have t-shirts to add to the 'rack' for my 'holiday craft shop', i have decided as good crocheted ones are thin on the ground, i will set about making my own...it is 'my treat' that i reward myself with, after 3 or more t-shirts have been done, i allow myself a cup of tea and to crochet one hanger...

it is very simple, they are made from a strip of double crochet the length of the hanger and wide enough to wrap around...when finished i just fold it around the hanger and stitch it along the bottom. i am quite sure this is a 'no brainer' for any crocheter but it gives me a 'yarn fix', uses up odd bits from my 'yarn stash' and best of all, relieves the monotony of doing lots of t-shirts in a short space of time...i am up to 21 'tees' and i think that's where i am stopping. i plan to start tomorrow on 'black slips', trying to get a few made in time for the holiday season which is fast approaching...

she's hoping the weather brightens so she can take a pic of her 'find of the century' at the thrift store, to show tomorrow ~ Tif

next up...

for your perusal,

some corsages i have been working on...inbetween my little 't-shirt run'...

i've always liked dabbling in 'corsages', there is such a multitude of uses for them...they are perfect at making the ordinary become extraordinary, any shop bought item becomes a little more unique with a corsage's magic touch...

i have never had much luck in selling such items, but that doesn't stop me from making a little batch from time to time...this latest 'batch' is crafted from scraps of vintage lace, knitted pieces, old bark cloth and some rather natty stitching by old Miss Ethel...

i fully expect to bring all of them home from my little holiday show...

("what will become of your little batch, Tif?" i hear you ask)...do not fret for my 'sweet corsages' dear readers...i see a christmas tree in the 'not too distant' future needing a little 'corsaging' ...(oh, please let that grand word mean what i think it means)

she's thanking you for the lovely t-shirt comments ~ Tif

'beavering' away...

i am pleased to report, my arse has been in gear for several days now...

every now and then my 'thoughts' drift to 'found dog' but then i pull myself together and focus again. i am no nearer to adding a new 'hound' into our lives, in fact i have taken several steps back, i fear...but one thing i have learnt in my 'life lesson' of last week, at some point in the future we will find a 'doggie' and add her to the fold...who knows when, but sooner rather than later, i hope.

in the meantime i have a week of 'beavering' ahead of me...this coming sunday i am involved in a 'holiday craft sale' and as i spent last week 'occupied' with my first 'break down' of my forties, i have left myself very little time to 'whip up' some goods for the festive occasion.
at my skirt party (which of course feels like a lifetime ago) i wore my t-shirt that had been 'dottie angeled'...this received many an admiring comment ("how many would 'many' be then Tif?")...oh alright then, i received 'three' admiring comments...('three' being more than 'two' therefore i feel it acceptable in the circumstances of my delicate heart, to use the word 'many' to help me feel better).

and so i have decided to give it a go with some t-shirts for the 'holiday sale' and whatever doesn't sell (which quite honestly could be hit or miss, who knows until i dip my toes into the water) i will put in my little store for my final update before Christmas...

there we have it...i am mending my broken heart with lace, buttons and stitching...which quite honestly is a very nice way to patch things up.

'used dog' is once again by my side, whilst Miss Ethel does her thing and all is quiet at 'the shed'...

she's thanking you so very much for your kind words about 'found dog' ~ Tif

'found dog'...

the past four days have felt more like forty...i have opened my door and my heart to 'found dog' who comes with so much 'baggage' that i can not keep her...she tried so hard and because of that i tried hard, but in the end i couldn't give her what she needs.

she broke me...i haven't cried so much in a long time, i cried for her and the fact that i could not help her...she has been gone from mossy shed over one hour, there is a strange calm and 'used dog' (who has aged 'one year' in 'one week') is looking at me as if to say "has it all gone away, really tell me, has it all gone away now?"

thankfully there is another 'soft hearted fool' like myself waiting on the horizon, willing to give her what i could not...i am so hopeful that 'found dog' has got her 'forever home'.

and me? well little old me just needs to wipe her tear stained cheeks, pick up the pieces, mend a few broken hearts around the shed, refocus and get her arse into gear...

she will see you on Monday ~ Tif

footnote: no pictures, let's not make this any harder than it already is...

the straw that broke the camel's back...

i will be gone for a few days...not anywhere special, just at the shed spending time with our new 'visitor', i do not use the word 'addition' just yet...

a 'furry friend' that needs to learn some manners before she is welcome to stay long term...so far in the space of a few hours we have found the cat litter box, sat on the couch uninvited, tossed our water bowl contents around and ...yes wait for it, located my yarn stash.

at some point later this week i hope to show you pictures of our new 'visitor'...they said she was a lab/greyhound mix but quite honestly from where i am sitting, i see the lab but no greyhound just great dane...

she's fearing for her 'doilies' lives ~ Tif

'doily' issues...

realizing from a very young age she was attracted to doilies, the young Tif set about crafting a card for her dear family members...

Tif's mother noticed her youngest child's talent in the 'doily department' and took great care in treasuring the card for many a year...

several moons later ("and some..." i hear you cry) an older Tif recieves the card back from her dear folks...and it all becomes clear.

if only she had noticed the 'nipple' situation at an earlier age, she may have avoided her 'doily abuse' a few weeks back...

she's wondering what other 'delights' lurk in the archives of her childhood ~ Tif

monday monday...

i am hosting a 'skirt' party this friday night with the lovely 'marmalade originals' gals...it seemed a great idea at the time...all those weeks ago and it still seems a great idea with just a few days to go. that's if i don't think about all the things i need to get done in the short space of time left...

i think the biggest disadvantage i have going for me right now is i'm a procrastinator...i am quite sure i am not alone in this.

so i must be spurred into action by making a list...

tuesday ("why not today Tif, what's wrong with monday?") well i have used my monday up on 'thinking' about my list, only a few minutes left and the door will be opened by our #3 and i will use him as an excuse to 'ponder' further instead of just 'doing'...

so let's start that over again,

tuesday: dye some 'slips' silver/gray for the 'holidays' (these are my favorites, i have to admit)...whilst Mrs W. Machine does her thing, concentrate on making 'teal' colored slips on Miss Ethel

wednesday: hope old wood 'hangers' purchased from etsy arrive in time for a little 'slip covering' magic...and 'blog'

thursday: make more slips...hopefully with lovely looking silver/gray color...wash and dry

friday: clean and shove piles of things upstairs, 'blog'...then make space ready for the 'skirt' party...this all seems very do able until we get to the bit about the party where i put on the invite 'food' and 'wine'...no problem with the 'wine' bit, still have plenty left over from turning 40 (excuse me here, i just need to compose myself...i forget i am 40 and then when i remind myself it just takes a little 'mo' to focus again...) it's the bit about 'food' that is bothering me...

i have yet to discover the aisle in the grocery stores that sell prepared fresh party food...i see frozen but not fresh...so i think i am back to the cheese cube on sticks fiasco...

in the meantime i'm rustling up help from anyone in the house that is willing to pitch in...so far i have had very little response...

according to her list, she will see you wednesday ~ Tif

happy halloween...

from mossy shed

pay attention...

now dear readers i must ask you to try and stay fully alert and awake, for after my usual 'ramble' i will be asking a question...not just any old question but a 'technical' question...(pause)...i have given you time to go off and arm yourself with a coffee, or your favorite tipple to keep you going and your 'brain engaged' for the whole duration of this post...

but first, the rambly bit...my man has been absent for quite a few days, before he left he kindly put into the fridge 10 cadbury's flakes...i think this was due to guilt, choosing not to hear my cries of

"ooh, this would be the last jar of chocolate spread that i am opening" and

"this jar is going mighty quick, i swear i don't eat it all" to

"some one has been dipping where they shouldn't be dipping"

and eventually the faithful day when my last jar was found 'lacking' it's contents altogether...

so there we have it, on Sunday 10 lovely flakes in the fridge with a word to the kids

"now the flakes are for your mother, you each have a 'curly wurly' in the cupboard...whatever you do, do not touch the flakes".

it is now Thursday morning and the flakes are all gone, with my quick mathematical skills i deduce that i have consumed an average of 2 flakes a day (i think that shows great restraint)...however 'consumed' is probably not the right word.

as our #3 said yesterday, "blimey mum", (he's nearly 13 so i have allowed him 'blimey' but not 'crud' or 'crap' in his vocabulary)..."you didn't just eat that flake, you literally inhaled the thing, if we are talking world records for how fast a flake can be eaten...you would win hands down"...

of course the problem i am now facing today is, no chocolate spread and no chocolate flakes...

now the point of me being here today was to ask you a 'v.i.p.' question and also to say i am 'enroute' to my little shop where i will be placing some new 'wares' in the window...i did add a few yesterday and then got 'fed up'...am i allowed to admit that? well i've said it out loud now so it's too late...i think 'listing' is one of those things that obviously has to be done ("dah! Tif") but actually is not my favorite thing to do...i wish the 'elves' would magically do it over night...i tried this with five loads of clean laundry last night...left it in a huge 'dump' on the sofa and went to bed, hoping and praying the 'elves' would visit and i would come down in the morning to find it all folded neatly in piles. it didn't work...it has never worked but there's nothing wrong with trying...

so let's just get a move on here and ask the question...

"does any one of you lovely, bright, smart, clever, talented ("enough of the sweet talk, Tif") dearest readers have a bright idea for photographing 'curtains' for putting on Etsy?"

these pics are my latest attempts but the thing is about Etsy pictures is they are very little and square in the listings...i like the light coming through but it makes for a dark photo that really isn't very eye catching...then i was thinking maybe listing 'a close up' picture first...anyhow i just know you 'lovely lot' will have a few words of wisdom to 'off load' on such a matter...if not then i will have to resort to leaving them out over night, with camera close by and hope a passing 'elf' pays me a visit...

she's off to do her 'listing' and will try to stay 'unfed up' ~ Tif

good for nothing...

please excuse my little 'leave of absence'...i have been struggling with my 'creative' juices.

i believe this is all down to my lacking a daily dietary intake of chocolate spread...it has been five days since the 'horror' of the empty jar discovery.

five days of no 'hearty start' to the day...five days of going to the cupboard to grab the white bread (yes white, none of this healthy brown grainy stuff) only to feel my heart sink when the realization of my cadbury's chocolate spread 'morning moment' was not to be...

day 1 : toast with dark chocolate sauce on top...just so wrong it's not funny, managed two mouthfuls and couple of choking sobs...

day 2 : organic toasted rice flakes (belonging to our #1 and #2)...managed to eat half a bowl but only when covered in two heaped spoons of sugar.

(after 48 hours i am starting to get withdrawal symptoms...my hands are shaking)

day 3 : defrosted croissant (found lurking near the mouse in the freezer)...probably edible if i hadn't caused it 'trauma' with the microwave.

(by now the 'sweating' is setting in)

day 4 : organic oat bran flakes (belonging to my man)...little pieces of cardboard...once again made digestible with several large helpings of sugar.

(by now i have starting 'babbling' to myself and 'twitching' on occasion)

day 5 : a banana, not a nice one, but the last one in the fruit bowl that no one wants and is destined for the compost heap but out of desperation i eat it...covered in milk with plenty of sugar and trying not to look at the bruises...

(and yes dear readers, some strange 'hair pulling' movements)

so there you have it...apparently my man informs me it will take two weeks for my shipment to come...i have 9 days left.

it is quite obvious i am 'good for nothing' without my cadbury's chocolate spread (stop suggesting "nutella" cause it ain't the same)...my ability to ramble on my blog is near on impossible ("technically Tif that isn't true...you have managed quite a good ramble today"...i shall ignore you saying that).

my ability 'to craft' has been jeopardized by my weakening state...my usual 'slips per day' ratio has been greatly diminished...and i am fearing for my 'photographing' skills tomorrow when i start day 6 on a 'rivita crispbread'...

she is hoping the calvary (fedex) arrives sooner than expected ~ Tif

footnote : thank goodness my Dad has had a 'hearty' breakfast across the pond...he is 'on the ball' and kindly pointed out to me that it is not 'calvary' that i need but 'cavalry',

you see what happens without my 'daily dose'...the 'madness' is setting in :)

open for business...

we are all wearing days old underpants,

there's enough of used dog's hair on the floor to craft a small toupee,

noodle and doodle's stink has now permeated through the closed bedroom door to cause distress to unsuspecting passers by,

four children have not gone hungry, although i have not heard squeals of delight when presenting my 'offerings at the dinner table' more like groans of despair and yes, one evening a tear was shed...

my graying roots have been fixed but for the past few days i have been sporting a lovely 'unwashed' quite possibly 'deranged' look

("enough Tif"..."we get it"...oh alright then, i was just doing a bit of scene setting,)

and so the point which i need to hurry up and make before i collapse in a little heap on the sofa with a cup of tea and yarn in hand...("hang on a minute...don't you have toilets to clean and undies to wash?"...) choosing to ignore such outcries, as i was saying, the point is...

i did it, i bloody did it!

it's been over a year since my little head was turned by a certain yellow house and then a certain mossy shed...over a year since i put a new 'slip' up for sale...

you have been the most patient of friends, keeping me going, tolerating my need to feather my new nest and for that i must thank you kindly...

my little shop is open again, with plenty of 'wares' on display and let's hope it stays that way...

she had forgotten how comfy dottie angel's shoes were ~ Tif

footnote: don't want to put a 'damper' on things, but disaster has struck, someone in my little household has been 'dipping' into my chocolate spread jar and not just any old jar, the 'last' jar in my cupboard...heads will roll

ways to wear a 'dottie angel' slip...

might i be so bold as to suggest a few ways to wear a 'customized' slip...

suggestion #1 : AROUND THE HOUSE

(my favorite place to be, my nest)

a half slip paired with your favorite 'T' (i'm seeing an appliqued design here, possibly one you've done yourself) and jeans, skinny (if you dare) or boot cut (my style)...clogs on feet or maybe 'birkies' and a lovely chunky hand knitted aran cardigan to keep the chills away, allowing one to drop the thermostat...energy conscious and looking good, doesn't get better than that...

suggestion #2 : SATURDAY MORNING MARKET SHOPPING

(my favorite thing to 'do' and yet i hardly ever 'do', due to soccer commitments)

a half or full slip will fit the bill here, teamed with a tank and leggings, sheepskin boots or flip flops depending on the time of year...last week's pretty fitted cardie found at the thrift store and if the chills need to be kept at bay, an army jacket. it's saturday morning, no one has time for washing hair on a saturday morning so let's just cover up the 'unwashed' look with last year's knitted beret bought up to date with grandma's vintage brooch found lurking in a drawer...

and finally a french market sac for all that fruit and veg...

suggestion #3 : GIRLS NIGHT OUT

(can't remember having one of these in many a year but if suddenly i was asked, then this is the way to go i feel)

full slip layered over a plain black one...lovely funky woolly tights teamed with mary jane wedges or a favorite pair of winter boots (no sheepskin here, please)...to keep the cold out before the alcohol has set in, a knitted shawl giving the outfit just the perfect touch of 'boho chic'...("that's an exciting fashion term 'boho chic'...getting a bit 'fancy' here aren't we, Tif?")

and don't forget an Edna bucket bag for carrying your 'bits and bobs'...

suggestion #4 : NIGHT IN WATCHING MOVIES AND PAINTING TOENAILS

(not sure what world i live in at times...i can't remember the last time i painted my toenails or watched a movie...)

just a good old full slip, below the knee for sure, any color will do...if chills are once again a problem, pair it up with thermal undies...soft hand knitted socks, striped of course or maybe scandinavian, i'll leave it up to you. and the 'make it perfect' accessory, a vintage kimono picked up from the flea market at a 'steal' of a price ( i wish...)

so there we have it dear readers, i've been living and breathing slips for the past few weeks and my little brain's cogs have been turning as i 'stitch'...i am quite sure you could come up with a few more...

in the meantime i am off to finish up my 'photographing' and 'cataloguing' ("what are you on about Tif, all that 'cataloguing' nonsense?"... you are quite right i have no idea what i am talking about, it just makes me feel like i know what i am talking about, and there's nothing wrong with that)

the funny thing is i feel strangely in control...this is most disconcerting, i am never in control, i am usually running around like a headless chicken at such times...let's hope it's because i am a 'grown up' now and not a 'sign'...

she will see you tomorrow, cool, calm and collected (hah!)~ Tif

footnote: it's just dawned on me, i watched a movie a few weeks back with my old pal Debbie from the UK...we watched 'Flashdance'...what a moment that was, particularly when later our #3 (12 year old boy) asks "what movie were you watching?"

"oh, Flashdance...you wouldn't know it" says i

"oh yes i do, it's a good movie, i've seen 'bits' of it..."

and there is a moment where a mother is left not knowing quite what to say...i do not wish to know how he saw 'bits' of it and also which 'bits' (appropriate words here) made it a good movie...let's just say somethings are better left unsaid :)

three days and counting...

there's no doubting it...my house is going to 'pot'...'noodle and doodle' aren't helping either, keeping our #4's bedroom door shut to protect their little souls from a feline visit is causing a awful lot of 'stinky' build up inside his four walls...

but i don't have time to worry about such things...i have no time for cleaning toilets, sweeping up dog hair, wiping kitchen sides, washing underpants, feeding hungry mouths, standing on soccer sidelines, deodorizing stinky 'mieces' and all those other 'delights' that fill my waking hours...no, i only have time for focusing on my shop update...

i managed one slip over the weekend and to update the banner in my little shop...

not quite the 'amount of tasks' i was hoping to accomplish.

that means i need to pull off nothing short of a miracle over the next three days.

my list goes as so...

1: 'swat up' on Etsy's latest rules and regulations (there's been a lot of changes since i was last there)

2: make 'last but not least' cushion cover

3. finish off two full slips

4. try and pull 'out of the hat' four half slips

5. wash and dry customized slips

6. photograph and catalogue 'slips' and 'cushions' ready for thursday

(this bit makes me want to weep...my camera doesn't like close ups...and now i'm actually prepared to read the manual, i can't find it...sod's law)

7. start listing items on Etsy at 10:00am pacific time knowing i will be as slow as a snail and hoping with a bit of luck by dinner time, something will have appeared...

i'm not popping by again until wednesday, i need to get some stitching done and of course i happen to have a 'hair appointment' booked for tomorrow, which if i cancel will be another month before i can be fitted in...and quite frankly my 'gray' roots can not be left a minute longer...what's a girl to do...

she thinks we can all see where Tif's priorities are ~ Tif

footnote: "get a grip, Tif" i hear you shout "it's only a little shop update"...thank you dear readers for your sensible words of wisdom...

six days and counting...

yesterday Miss Ethel did not get any action...i am quite sure there are a few of us that feel like that these days...("what's that you say?"...) good question dear readers...i shall tell you why Miss Ethel lay idle, after all i have three minutes and twenty seconds left before my tea break is officially over. of course saying that i have never managed to post on my little blog in three minutes and twenty seconds, so it looks like i will be eating into my 'lunch break' minutes and let's be honest here, my afternoon tea break minutes as well...but i think it worth it just to spend a little 'quality' time with you.

and so the story i must tell goes back beyond yesterday (for anyone confused who's on what day, we are talking 'thursday' for 'yesterday').

yes dear readers, we must turn the clock way back to 'tuesday'...(i understand if this causes distress for some, trying to remember a full two, ney possibly three days prior is a tough one).

tuesday evening saw me and our #4 standing in the pet store peering into a tank of around 30 'mieces'...all looking happy and contented totally unaware that they were destined for a tragic end with a hungry snake...

we had the chance to mess with fate and change the life of one little mousey...but how to choose which one to save...

after a lot of 'umming' and 'ahhing', 'Noodle' came home with us...this is the time to shout out loud "are you insane Tif...how much did it cost to send Samuel Whiskers and his posse on their way?" and "haven't you noticed the three cats living in mossy shed?" and yes, you are quite right as usual.

but having loved and lost a little mouse a wee while ago (who is still in the freezer awaiting a decent burial) it seemed to be the right time to make friends with a new mouse...

wednesday morning (some god awful early hour) found 'Noodle' settling in and our #4 mentioning how lonely 'Noodle' looked.

"he's just fine, nothing greater than one boy and one mouse...haven't you heard 'two's company, three's a crowd'..." i quipped

wednesday evening (after some god awful dinner) found 'Noodle' looking like he had landed the jackpot and our #4 once again mentioning how lonely 'Noodle' looked.

"why don't we just get 'Snoopy' out of the deep freeze and practise some taxidermy...then place him in with 'Noodle' as a companion?" (let's just say the 'horrors' of cooking dinner can sometimes lead me to say 'unforgivable' things)

thursday morning (another god awful early hour) found 'Noodle' happy on her wheel with a carefully crafted nest made from shredded newspaper and a ten year old saying "i think..."

and me cutting in with "don't even go there"...

and the rest of Thursday found me sitting in a traffic jam due to every road in the near and far vicinity requiring 'digging up' but do not worry, i had company in the shape of a little box on my lap containing 'Doodle'...

"oh" said the young girl at the pet store "it's so nice to see a mouse being bought as a pet and not food, that's our second this week"...

"aah, yes" said i "that would be me...saving one mouse at a time"...

of course 'the day away from my machine' was all worth it when our #4 came home from school to find 'Noodle' was no longer 'lonely'...

whilst 'Noodle' and 'Doodle' settle into their new life at the shed, (and the kitties are driven nuts by the waft of 'mousey' in the air) i am off to take a spin on Miss Ethel...

she's wishing you a weekend of 'happy events' and 'good things' ~ Tif

count down...

the 'planned' power outage never happened...all day yesterday i was thinking "any minute now" but the minute never came.

i am left wondering if today will now be the day, or maybe tomorrow. it is now an 'unknown' that bothers me greatly, i know it's just a matter of time...whilst there is still power, i will continue my renewed friendship with trusty Miss Ethel...

the slips have gone through the dye bath and out the other side...

ladies undergarments are hanging from various different locations around the house.

and i have started 'customizing' them...

when i'm done i always look at the slip and think "ummm, not sure about that" but once 'said' little slip goes back in the washer, it's like the 'ugly duckling' all over again...from nowhere a 'swan' seems to appear, slightly tatty and a bit loved but none the less it is a 'swan'...

so i have set a date for my shop 're-opening'...i think it is important for me to 'commit' or i will just 'dilly dally' around mossy shed procrastinating, when i really just need to get on and face my fear...

after all i made it to the airport and back, i know i can open my little shop up again...i really have no idea why it makes me so nervous just to think about it.

armed with my camera, no manual...("fool" i hear you cry) and a 'day light' bulb, i will get some photos come rain or shine, thus proceeding to update my shop on

Thursday 23rd October

that being said i have counted my days left...it makes me nervous that four children, nine pets and one man will require my attention in the next seven days when all i really have time for is 'stitching like i've never stitched' before...

she's thinking it might be time to read the panini manual ~ Tif

FOOTNOTE: i can't believe i didn't think of it before...my trusty crock pot has been waiting in the wings for this 'save the day' moment :)

first day back...

i am having a lunch break, thus giving me time to stop by and let you know two miracles have happened.

sadly, neither of them in the kitchen... just when i thought my cremated grilled cheese sandwich was the lowest i could manage, i surpassed myself on Saturday lunchtime...this time the grilled cheese sandwich i was serving up to our #4 looked just about near perfect, i beamed with pride...

until it became apparent it was missing vital ingredients. unfortunately, this happened in front of our #2, giving her more proof that her mother is a 'waste of space' these days...(ah, those heady days of being 15...)

dear readers...the first miracle took place in my studio...yes, i have been reacquainted with Miss Ethel and we have 'sweated' together like we've never 'sweated' before, all for the grand 'update' in my little shop...

and the second miracle to occur (you might have to sit down here) Miss W. Machine and i have been 'dying' together (doesn't matter how i phase it, i sound barking mad)...

there are half a dozen slips, as i type, doing a whirl with Miss W. Machine.

it is a 'trial and error' session for several reasons, first it has been over a year since i have meddled in 'dying' and with the current state of my aging brain i can't remember what 'tricks of the trade' i mastered (not surprising, considering i can't even remember if i put a cheese sandwich on the grill just a few mins ago)...and another reason, i wish to have certain colors for the winter season and of course the 'dyes' that i use do not come in the exact colors i wish for, so i am experimenting by mixing them all up and seeing what happens.

i can tell you are quite fearful at that little bit of info...you are not alone, it is quite possible that every slip i own (and trust me there are rather a lot) will end up one mass of 'sludge' and then everything will be up the creek and i don't have a paddle...

instead of dwelling on the negative i am thinking of the positive...my grilled cheese sandwich may not have achieved a 'rosette' if entered into a W.I. contest but i think my little scarf might have faired better...(not 'first place' better, but more like 'it functions' better)

i found the most lovely teal silk blend yarn at the thrift store a few weeks back and knew instantly it was destined for a scarf...i think this has been the first yarn project in a long time that hasn't been tossed out the window and little old me left defeated and frustrated...

it's just a very simple crocheted shell pattern, not terribly long (due to my ability to get bored quickly) and no surprise here, i added a little detail...

considering Mabel was born in the 1950's her neck (amongst other things) has faired much better than mine, so she is 'model for the day'...

i shall be without power tomorrow, so Miss Ethel and Miss W. Machine will sit idle. hopefully we will have recovered by wednesday to get cracking again...the cobwebs have been blown off and i don't want my little creative brain cells to gather dust a moment longer...

she's off to see what 'color disaster' or 'color delight' is waiting for her in the laundry room ~ Tif

FOOTNOTE: well, it's not a disaster, competely...more a "well, mmm, it's not what i was going for, but i think it's okay" delight...back to the drawing board :)