zat you santa claus?

It's funny the way the muse works.
One little thing sparks off an idea which blossoms into this great big itch and before you know it you're in Fabric City drooling over bolts of fabric, spending all your hard-earned cash. Well, that's how it works for me anyway.

These little vintage ornaments I found on Etsy.

Plus this homey quilt by Posie.
And you've got the makings of the next quilt (and it's got your name on it, Mom).

And because we're having such a lovely cool and wet summer (what the hell are holidaymakers in the Cape doing with themselves?) I'm in the mood for endless measuring and cutting. My fave holiday movies are in a little stack in front of the DVD, a jazzy, retro Christmas playlist is on my hard drive (plus anything I can find from Treme) and I just have to find a way to get the kittehs out the flat.

Stay cool, don't fight over parking spaces and try not to panic buy.
Happy Holidays : )

Zat you Santa Claus?- Louis Armstrong 

 Santa's Second in Line- New Birth Brass Band

hey baby!

More little pics of the little man while I play around with this cool little photo app I bought. It turns out it's lotsa fun to cheapen photos from a R10 000 camera and lens.

He doesn't mind, really. As long as he's had his lunch, a good burp or two and a nice, juicy ...erm...number two a half an hour after that. He feeds, he sleeps, he poos and he's utterly gorgeous doing all three.

 And of course. The kittehs. Lest they begin to feel they're being neglected.

'Hope You Know'-by Megafaun

winter cats

 Winter sun. It's lovely. You can lie in it without frying.

But, we've had enough of it now. Bring on the rain and a good old Cape winter storm please!
Preferably not while I'm at the HOD meeting in Khayelitsha on Tuesday though, thanks.

Blitzen Trapper - American Goldwing


Metronomy- The Look

magpies of the world unite!

My lounge (and a part of the kitchen) is strewn with pieces of material.


Bits from my quilt, bits for monster toys and a crib quilt for baby Tester, bits from my scarf and other odds and ends that I might need...just in case. The magpie in me is in heaven (as are the cats) - the more responsible me is thinking about the mess some might call it...and the inevitability of having to clean it up at some stage.

 I'm very inspired by all things Denyse Schmidt at the moment. Her prints are pretty awesome and I lurve, lurve lurve her quilts. I love her colour combinations and the designs themselves are modern - nothing fussy and garish.

 I'm working on a quilt based on her Hope Valley range. I loved the greens and yellows and didn't want to mix them with the pinks and oranges so I tried a reversible effect.
Now I know why it's not done more often--in some places it's too bloody thick to sew teeny tiny stitches!  Doh.

The other Denyse Schmidt project I've been working on is the scarf from her book. Not using any of her fabrics- just bits of tweed and herringbone (surprisingly soft!) and silks and cottons pieced any which way. I'd love to try cushion covers like this.

 Oh lordy..this photoshoot was interesting.

Dolorean - Country Clutter


The Nu Page- A Heart is a House

meri gets a quilt

Well.....it's been a while. *blushes*

I've been busy sewing mostly. I have also read more ebooks than I'd care to admit and have spent other bits of my time watching two most excellent new TV series namely, The Killing and Game of Thrones ...with a bit of old Australian Master Chef thrown in.

Meri took delivery of her quilt today and I loved how it looks on her!Lol
I hope it gives plenty of warmth and good snuggle value for years to come.

Most of the material is from Moda's Pure range, imported via Etsy - love the way all the patterns and colours just work together! Pure grace, pure joy, pure happiness.....

And now I've been playing around with my new batch of material from Denyse Schmidt's Hope Valley range. Love love love it so much I've decided to design my own quilt this time. And seeing as it's for moi I feel I can afford to experiment a wee bit ;-P

Of course, this is not easy with two curious kitties hell bent on going under whatever is on the floor. What is it with these cats?

Till next time : )

Jack White - The Rose with a Broken Neck- Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi -my album of the year so far!!!

sock season

It's finally cooling down enough to wear the socks!

 Well.....at least the mornings and evenings are cool.

Cool enough to wear the gorgeous socks my mom knitted me for Christmas! Woot!

Check out the almost dead plants.

Even the succulents are looking haggard.

We've all had it up to here with the heat.

Get outta here now, Summer. Scram! Give us a chance to cuddle under quilts (and sew one or two), make lamb curry and bean soup and feel the weight of an actual blanket in bed at night.  

June Hymn - by The Decemberists

Summer Days- by Radio Citizen



Winter Moon- Hoagy Carmichael