All about the dress

Yes indeed at the moment, and indeed for the foreseeable future it is really all about the dress. Last night was my violin lesson (during which my violin tutor stated that the piece I'm attempting for my next grade 'should at least be grade 6', well you know I like a challenge as much as the next person but its taking quite a bit of doing). I invited Robin to our mince pie & sherry party but alas he & Margaret cannot come as he teaches till 10.30 on a Wednesday night. After violin it was round to Trish's for some more work on the dress. I told her about the chaise Lounge & she confirmed that the fabric I've got is indeed intended for upholstery, but its far too pretty for that! It has been agreed that the corset is probably surplus to requirements and that we may well just line it & add straps. The current debate now is what colour to line it with (red or purple, both colours are in the fabric, ditto with the straps) and whether we actually need to line it at all (I didn't line last years dress as the fabric was so heavy and draped so beautifully we thought lining it might ruin the lines).

I've got to tack all of it together tonight before morris (we did the darts last night but realised thanks to the presence of wine, one of those was wrong, so I have to re-do that). The next dress session round at Trish's is scheduled for Friday and I'm getting prawn Tagliatelle into the bargain (they are really too good to me round there). Before that however I have to miss knitting, (I feel really bad about this so have done the first page on our new hi tech google groups site to make myself feel a little better) and survive the rest of the week (interview for promotion tomorrow, eekkk). To add to the stress its deadline day today for the paper I write for, I've just rescued one of our other writers by doing one of the assignments he forgot he was scheduled to do, and with some luck we may be able to send Decembers issue to press today! I love the fact that even when I supposed to be doing out of work stuff deadlines still feature rather heavily in my life!

Wednesday catch up

Posh Bens do
Originally uploaded by victoriaros56

I can't believe its Wednesday already. I spent most of the weekend at Zoe's (in the photo wearing the green top) down in Tooting in London. I went down on Friday night and we spent 4 entire hours catching up with added cheese and wine (most excellent). On the Saturday we hit Oxford Street (although we didn't get as far as either of us envisaged). I did get some really cool things including sparkly earings from Topshop (that actually seem to go really well with a necklace that I inherited), a dress pattern (more on this later), some icicle shaped beads, a copy of Vogue (I allow myself one copy a year so I saved it for home and leafed through it whilst eating choc & drinking coffee) and some really nice sock yarn to knit into socks for my dad (I was missing knitting for men so I'm making both my brother & my dad stuff for Christmas).

This photo was taken on the Saturday night when we all went out to celibrate Posh Ben's 28th Birthday at a pub called the Jagged Hare in London. I should also point out that at this point Zoe's boyfriend Steve (grey shirt), expert gardener (& throughtly nice chap joined us). The Sunday morning was spent having a well earned lie in and then waking up just in time for Countryfile with a full fry up very generously cooked by Zoe & Steve (after that I felt ready to take on the washing up from the entire weekend).

This week has also been a bit of a blur. As soon as I got back Mel & I finalised a date for the Sherry & Mince pie Christmas party which is now a tradtion of ours. I issued the invitations yesterday but it falls on the day before my work Christmas party, meaning quite a few days of 'Christmas cheer' in a row for the work gang (I'm sure they can handle it).

As I mentioned earlier I managed to find a pattern in John Lewis in London. Trish & I (she is THE woman for sorting out hems as I found last year) cut out the fabric for the outside on Monday night, we are going to try & get it tacked & tried on tonight as what I didn't realise is as well as having a lining you are supposed to make a corset to go underneath (its strapless). This at first horrified me but I do admit being more & more curious about how its going to work. If we do need it then obviously we will do it, but the current thinking is to remove it completely and just add straps. We'll see. The material is just beautiful and I think the shape will accomodate it quite well. (Having said that, we saw a chaise Lounge in the same material in John Lewis, I do not want to be mistaken for a sofa!)

Right should go, I've got loads of work to do so the blogging may be a bit sparse for the next few weeks, I will update as often as I can though & put pictures up of the dress as & when it exists. In other news I'm out on a pub crawl round the pubs of Oxford with my friend Sam tonight, she has organised it for all of her department (I know quite a few of them and have been invited along for moral support) and am staying over at hers. I'm sure it will be a brilliant sucess.

Winter cleaning

So here we are Thursday, my favourite day of the week, this may be because my knitting group meet today but I have a feeling it was my favourite day before that, hence why we knit on Thursday's. Anyway I digress. I had a rare Wednesday night off last night so I did quite blitz of the housework (we have no hoover at the mo so all the carpets were hand swept) and we'd run out of pledge for the rather large amount of wood our house contains. This morning I googled some natural alterantives and found the following: Furniture Polish: For varnished wood, add a few drops of lemon oil into a 1/2 cup warm water. Mix well and spray onto a soft cotton cloth. Cloth should only be slightly damp. Wipe furniture with the cloth, and finish by wiping once more using a dry soft cotton cloth.For unvarnished wood, mix two tsps each of olive oil and lemon juice and apply a small amount to a soft cotton cloth. Wring the cloth to spread the mixture further into the material and apply to the furniture using wide strokes. This helps distribute the oil evenly. Interesting thought I. I will hopefully be testing the theory when I return from Zoe's. I also found this for the number 1 enemy Moths: Mothballs: The common mothball is made of paradichlorobenzene, which is harmful to liver and kidneys. Cedar chips in a cheesecloth square, or cedar oil in an absorbant cloth will repel moths. The cedar should be 'aromatic cedar', also referred to as juniper in some areas. Cedar chips are available at many craft supply stores, or make your own using a plane and a block of cedar from the lumberyard. Homemade moth-repelling sachets can also be made with lavender, rosemary, vetiver and rose petals.Dried lemon peels are also a natural moth deterrent - simply toss into clothes chest, or tie in cheesecloth and hang in the closet. I had previously been told they weren't that bothered by cedar but I suppose its worth a try...

All around me people are gearing up for Christmas but already at work we are past that and into January. My to do list before then is very very long including finalising a chicken run design, bleeding all the radators, fixing the bench in the back garden, attacking the garden, all of it, properly (including the rather large conifer I have been trying to ignore all winter) and actually finding some Arucanas to put into said chicken run (this actually could be the hardest part). Knitting/spinning wise I would like to have spun something of quit epic propotions by January, maybe half a fleece? And at least started one of the jumpers I'm planning for me (I've noticed that as soon as people hear you knit they expect you to be dressed in your own work all the time. The reality is somewhat different in that what actually happens is these same non knitters ask you to knit things for them and you being nice, do it). Well new year and slightly new rules I must pattern bust and clear my room of stashyness, which may also help with the decorating, and so it goes on, Happy Thursday everyone :-)

All change please...

I'm having a wobble, it has to be said, the fact that Christmas is approaching and work is getting stressy is seriously worrying me (plus the fact that next year I know its going to get worse, my page count increases by 3000 pages and I get three new journals, eekkk!). The hardest part of all this however is trying to work out whether this is just a seasonal wobble or whether this might be time for a change. I have follewed advice and listed the pro's & cons and the list is pretty even, so I think the best way is to carry on until Jan & then review everything then in a kind of new year, new stuff kind of way. Until then I've got Christmas to worry about. Last weekend I started the Christmas shopping (Although this weekend I will be going down to London to Christmas Shop proper & celibrate my friend, Posh Ben's birthday), it will be nice to be back in London again but I'm glad I'm only visiting :-). Before going away I have been trying to get on with stuff at home (this is also vaguely connected with workee stuff in that I'm hoping if I get the house life sorted out the work life will follow). First off I was very virtuous and transformed almost all of my pressed Orchids into cards, they will be appearing in my folksy shop as soon as I get a minuite to get that sorted. The first prototype (and one of my favourites) was a pink Orchid which when pressed lost most of its colour to the blotting paper and turned into white with purple paint marks. This has been mounted onto plain card to show off the dapples and one of these has been put in the post to my Nanna (I hope she likes it, she is mostly my harshest critic).

Last night was supposed to be my first night back dancing at rapper practice. I got home & got changed despite not feeling very in the mood for going, I waited & waited & waited but no Lizzy came to collect me so instead I made a cup of tea, played with Witchcat (who has developed a habit of waking up at 6am at the moment, honestly) and watched a very interesting documentary about the whale shark (they are massive & very very interesting). I also started re- reading one of my favourite books, Dodie Smith's I capture the castle, (if you haven't read it I hightly recommend it, don't be put off by 101 dalmations this is completely different). Every year one of my new years resolutions is to start writing again properly, but with the house to get sorted (not to mention Castle Industries to set up) I never seem to have the time (I can hear my ex-creative writing tutor in my head saying 'well you should make the time', as usual he is right). No violin tonight, this week it has been moved to Thursday which means it will be Violin follwed very quickly by Morris but then the end of the week & London is very nearly here. Rght back to it...

My knitting group

My knitting group
Originally uploaded by victoriaros56

So here they are at last, making their very long overdue debut, my knitters! I realised yesterday that I'd promised my friend Elizabeth (who incidentally now has the best job in the world, she works for a knitting magazine) that I'd get together some photo's and thoughts from the gang on their knitting activites. So a couple of weeks ago Scarlett brought her camera in and predictablty everyone hid (I know that feeling, I didn't want this taken either, but I guess its for the greater good). Not wanting to repeat a failed attempt at photo's I asked my friend Olie B (who incidentally also owns the copyright on this) if he would mind coming along & photographing us. Olie has done quite a bit of photography before and by goodness did it show, we were put into positions asked to say strange words and this is one of the final group shots. I think all the knitters look lovely & it really captures the essence of the group.

Olie's side of the bargain is well & truely done now its up to me to fulfill mine. Olie's wife has just become pregnant with their second child (its a boy). I was going to knit it some booties anyway but Olie specifically asked for a hat for it to wear, so I shall be casting that on this weekend. They also already have a 4 year old little girl, & Olie asked if I could do something for her too, so she doesn't feel left out. Which I think is where the challange will lie. She is quite a big 4 year old and I can't seem to find any knitting/crotchet projects for that age group, they all seem to be 1-3 or 5-7. Anyway the challage to find a pattern will continue this weekend...

Also this weekend I will be: Knitting (lots), seeing Louise for coffee and doing quite a bit or work overtime to help pay for Mabel's vets bills, today however is print file Friday (otherwise known as deadline day) and my first lot have just come in. Gotta go. Have good weekends everyone.

The annual AGM

kirtlington_breastplate
Originally uploaded by victoriaros56

So last night was the annual Mabel Gubbins AGM. We all went to our new local pub The Red Lion in lovely local village Brightwell cum Sotwell (yes I'm sure it really is called that). The pub it appears has just made it into the the CAMERA good beer guide, and whilst I can't recommend the beer (I was a traitor & had red wine) the food was really really nice, anyone local should really check it out at http://www.redlion.biz/

Anyway I digress Mabel AGM, It has been sorted out that I should have the yellow sash as modelled by the tall blonde women in this very photo. Nice isn't it? As well as getting aforementioned sash and being allowed to dance out I have also taken on the massive responsibility of being side scrapbooker. Apprently two people from the side have already had this honour but no one has yet suceeded in keeping it up to date. Will it be 3rd time lucky? Not even I know but I was happy to take it on as its at least its a bit creative (plus I really didn't want to be put in charge of stepping practice or anything hardcore like that :-)

The other event of note of last night was my parents return on the QE2. They had always wanted to sail on her so my mum cashed in quite a few savings and booked them a place on the last but 1 voyage. I think the feeling from both of them was that although they enjoyed it very much (I have seen the menus, the food looks amazing) they like having longer to explore places and quite like taking their own time. But a good time was had by all nevertheless.

This morning has been a bit of a workee blur but I managed to get out for a short jog with Beth L at the start of lunch. We are going to make this a regular thing so that when the race for life comes up I will be able to enter. Having a goal s a good thing but I have to admit being a bit puffed (having had a broken toe and four weeks of no sport doing anything active was I think the problem, but the jogs are going to get longer...) Violin tonight & I have a suprise (a nice one I hope) for the knitters tomorrow :-)

Poor poor Vernon

Vernon
Originally uploaded by victoriaros56

May I introduce my very lovely carnivourse plant Vernon, Vernon is about a year old now and lives on the window sill in my room. Vernon, and indeed the rest of the house, got a rather nasty shock last night when the window blew in & knocked him & the rest of the junk on my windowsill to the floor (we've been having really nasty winds & stuff here of late). Fortunately the window has now been fixed, the rain mopped up and the junk replaced. Back, almost, to normal.

The two other big events of last night were Mabel's trip to the new vet, and the making of pumkin pie. First off the vets, they did a skin scrape which they analysed then & there, they found nothing on that so some of her fur has been sent off to the lab for anaylsis, if that comes back clear she has to go under general anesthetic & they will do a biopsy. Really don't want them cutting bits off my cat! But first things first we've got to wait 10 days for the results and then we'll decide what to do next. All of this is a bit frustrating as Mabel is her usual mischevious self but her head is a complete mess and it just seems that no one knows what is causing it. Plus all these repeat visits to the vets aren't doing my bank balance any favours, but it all falls into nothingness when you consider the uttermost pricelessness of my baby girl, she is awesome.

The other thing I finally got round to doing last night was making pumpkin pie. This hit a slight technical hitch whe I ran out of pastry for the second pie (as I get to know more & more people on my floor at work, so the baking efforts must be scaled up) but I carried on regardless leading to one, with crust, & one without. Both seem to have gone down very well (I marketed the one without pastry as 'experimental') and the rest of the pumpkin is now sitting in the freezer waiting to damage anyone silly enought to open one of the drawers. What it doesn't know its that I will be making soup and possibly more cakes out of it as and when I have the time.

Today really doesn't feel like a Tuesday, mostly I think due to the fact hat my boss is having a day off and that Lindsay, Scarlett, Amy and myself went out for lunch (usually an activity saved for Frday's). I've got tea out tonight AND my mum & dad are coming on their way back from the cruise. How exciting!

Catching up

Apples in a bucket
Originally uploaded by victoriaros56

So this weekend I made up for my illness and then some. Saturday Nicola came over and I showed her around Abingdon. Quote of the day has to be from Mason's wool shop, "whoa there is so much wool, its almost like like there is too much... this could be very dangerous" its what we all think Nicola :-). I managed to avoid the Debbie Bliss yarn in the bargain bin but it was a close call for a while there. In Oxfam I managed to pick up a few complete bargains, more buttons from their now legendary button bin and 2 books, one called Mauve the battle of the colour (all about the guy who discovered how to make purple) and a really cool book about customising clothes. I bought some more beads in the other Mason's and the wool for the hat I'm knitting my Middle brother for Christmas (I can safely mention that, as he is not currently a reader of this blog). Yesterday I made apple sauce from the golden delicious apples from Trish (as seen in the photo) AND finished David's hat (it looks awesome & I really want a photo of him wearing it, it will look so good, the colour is just perfect). I also got round to doing some serious violin practice and some more jewelry (I've decided I really need to start whittling down my 'to be made' stash, both wool & beads) but tragically I didn't get round to pumpkin pie, that is tonight's task once I've taken Mabel to the vets (all the fur on her forehead has fallen out & its all scabby, I'm hoping the vets can sort her out).

Saturday night was my friend Rachel's bonfire night with a Halloween theme (I reused my football costume & went as a black cat, but with a sensible black dress replacing my shorts and t shirt combo). We went round to Megan's first & watched the fireworks in South park from outside the gates. The best bit was definitely the sparklers that Ryan & Hedda brought to share, its not really festive till you write your name in sparkle. Bonfire night this year didn't seem quite as magical as it has in years gone by, I blame this on the absence of 2 things, Catherine wheels (you just can't get them anymore) and treacle toffee (I looked for some in the old fashioned sweet shop that has just opened, but alas there was none to be found) I tried to make some last year but it went a bit too hard... Right better get to it, I've got a massive pile of revises to do today. Next weekend it looks like I might have to hit Oxford (most of my presents this year are stuff I've made but a few pesky people have requested shop bought goods) but the upside of this is that I get to have coffee with Louise to catch up & talk serious gardening :-) Ohh I nearly forgot 'good luck & don't be scared its fine' to young Alex's (and indeed mummy Fi) who today goes in to have the bobble on his ear taken off, awww.

Halloween howlers

Vikki & Andy on Halloween
Originally uploaded by victoriaros56

And so here we are last weekend at Captain Andy's hotly anticipated halloween bash. As you can plainly see the man himself came as Edward Scissorhands, whilst lurking in the background is me as Daphne (I did have a Scooby (Hartley), but his costume got too hot, honestly some people just won't suffer for their art :-). What this picture doesn't show is that later on that very same night I got violently ill and subsequently got signed off work for three very boring days (I felt so ill I couldn't even knit). It was not good.

On Friday we drew at football, I think my teams hopes of the title have pretty much hit the wall, as we would have needed the points from both matches to stay with a chance of the title. Sad, but I'm not too upset, we had a round of really bad injuries last week and we were lucky to still be able to field a team. The fancy dress was continued on the pitchI came as Mabel (cause I was the cat-tain, see what I did there? Oh nevermind), Hartley came as Scooby and still scored loads of goals, SarahJayne came as a tiger, Katie P as an angel, the warlock, oddly came not as himself but as a zombie and Captain Andy as a ghost. Unfortunately no photographic evidence exists of the match, but I made my ears and gloves with pads on myself so I expect the cat outfit will have a further outing at some point :-)

This weekend Nicola returns from her holiday so we are planning a joint attack on the wool shop (I have agreed to a knitalong with Scarlett who is a way more focused knitter than me so I think I may have to get the rest of the balls of wool for that project). Also our local Oxfam is having a craft themed window at the moment and I have found loads of really ace buttons in their button bin, so a trip there might also be called for. Plus Christmas is scarily close so I really should find a pattern for my beautiful fabric for my Christmas ball dress. Finally I really need to make Pumpkin pie to take into work, it was supposed to happen last weekend but had to be postponed due to illness, plus the garden could do with a good dig over, honestly it never stops! Have a good weekend everyone in blog land :-)