Book Club...Autumnal changes

Well its the time of year when I finally have to accept that Autumn is on its way, reluctantly yes, but never the less I am realising that I just can pretend no more, its time to pull on the long sleeves and feel almost claustrophobic with the layers of clothing after the freedom on light linen on my body.  Next week I will revisit the summer with a post of my favourite pictures and memories of the past few month, then I can really move on into the next season.Along with acknowledging the dark mornings and evenings, with the chill in the air that  brings with it the time to hunker down under quilts with a good read.  As you may be aware I am a bookie type of person, I adore books, old, new, story or factual...I do spend most of my spare pennies on books, ideally I like to buy them from small shops, the days of the book shop on the corner street are diminishing rather to quickly for my liking, a place were the shop keeper knows all names of the books they stock off the top of their head, when a cup of tea or coffee is placed into your hand as you parooze the shelves...yes sadly these shops are disappearing fast...instead we have the super bookshops and of course who can not be aware of the amazing savings through Amazon.

This pile of loveliness is my craft book purchases over the last month (I admit to having a pile of novels as well).  There are some great books here, I do sometimes get seduced into a book purely by its cover and when I get round to actually seriously reading the book I have been disappointed, not so with these books, full of inspiration for knitting and sewing alike, the Japanese sewing book is to be rated highly, full of all the projects we see in the adorable (yet pricey) magazines, but the best thing is the instructions and pattern sheets are in English. I gave up trying to work out the instructions from the magazines, sometimes life is just to short for that kind of thing.  It has some super projects in and I can assure you there will be some made here over the coming months.

I love dirt...its a good book, I feel its more aimed for the children to read, my older son loves it, it helps him to have more of a focus in his outdoor play but its nothing new. However its nice to have all the ideas in one place.

The Yarn Harlot need no explanation or description, just cool books that make you smile. 

I also guess most people who sew already own the beautiful Amy Butler Book, lots of adorable baby projects from cuddlies to nappy bags for the new Mommy.

So that's my inspiration pile for October and I am already looking up a few new craft books that are coming out this month...so much inspiration, my shelves are groaning under all of the weight.
Its been a big day today, I put on enclosed shoes and even pulled out my boots...I bought these pumps last week, whilst I do not really want to get back into 'proper' shoes, when they are this 'HAPPY' well maybe I can make the change with a smile on my face...
So with my weekly list of things to do...top of the list was my turn on the rota for church flowers...I thought I would do a pedestal arrangement to celebrate the fabulous colours of Autumn which are now all around us...
As if I needed to prove it anymore that the seasons have changed, this is a photograph of my little one at the weekend, without even knowing it I snuggled him up in a quilt of autumnal colours (backed in Boden Dalmatian baby soft cord)whilst he slept deeply after a day of playing on the beach...

Honey...

Madness...the last few days have been a bit of a 'making' frenzy...Usually I plan to make something and other things take over...housework, food shopping, cooking and even a little socialising...not this time...busy busy busy. So without further a do I will 'show and tell' First I would like to introduce you to the new member of the 'Suzie Sews family' this is Honey Bear. Yer!!!I made him! I know I am in shock myself...I went on a one day work shop taken by a member of my patchwork class. This is not something I have ever felt a need to make, but as I like the person doing the class and it was a good excuse to spend the day at my sewing machine I went along. The day did not disappoint. Now let me tell you...there is nothing cute about making bears...pins, washers, making holes and sticking in huge needles...not very cute at all...but look at the results...How cute is he!!! Of course the children all wanted a cuddle and to claim him for themselves, but as he is jointed and with glass eyes he is more of a Mommy kind of bear...The children named him, it was between Shmoo, Toffee and Honey and Honey won.
Now for a little late night crafting due to not being able to sleep I got round to making the cushion to match the quilt (see previous posts), it helps as the cushion pad is a very fluffy feather filled one and it makes the perfect little Autumnal set to snuggle under whilst doing a little hand sewing or knitting as the nights are now so dark and cold!!!
Its not just been me that has had the sewing bug...my two babes have taken to sitting on the sofa in my sewing room and as long as I provide them with their leap pad's or some books they tend to sit there quite happily. I noticed yesterday my older one eyeing up my machine and then he got upset 'Mommy have you got rid of my sewing machine???' In the clear out to make the play room in to a sewing room the children knew a lot of the toys they had grown out of got taken (with their OK) to the Hospice charity shop. Of course I have not got rid of it, its all packed away in the corner...'BUT!!!I want to sew now' What was a Mommy supposed to do...SO with a scrap of fabric he got busy making a bean bag, he filled it with split pee's (dried ones) and hand sewed the gap...now I know it does not look that much, but as my little one has had a hearing problem for many years his hand eye co ordination is not as good as he would like, so this is a major achievement for him, as for me I am one proud Mom!
Saturday was my patchwork class and I am now on to another quilt...yes I know the last one is not yet finished...Anyway after a rather sleepless night I found this class incredibly hard...I just could not get it...suddenly I had one of those light bulb moments and it all came together...I just have to sew the eight pieces together and my first block is done. That night I return home, put the children to bed and fell asleep with my youngest one (Oh the power of that child's cuddles) and I awoke the next morning after ten hours sleep...It is over eight years since I have slept like that...EIGHT YEARS!!!
Now I know not many people know this, but I am a qualified florist, this was the career I fell into (well actually...gently pushed) when it was felt that art college was a little to bohemian for a fragile daughter like myself. As with most careers when art is involved the pay was very low and I was unable to support myself so I sadly gave it up and worked in a travel and sales. I miss this profession and I am aware that even now if I went back to it I would not even be able to cover the childcare costs. So every now and again I get to make an arrangement for Church. This week was special as it was a wedding so I had three large pedestals to make. Armed with four buckets full of flowers and greenery cut fresh from my garden I got busy...sadly I did not get a picture of the three pedestals finished, but this one gives you an idea of what they looked liked, it was requested that lots of ivy and cream flowers be used with a touch of gold...

So busy busy busy...I am off to make a rabbit cushion now...projects not shown that has been worked on over the last few days... baby bibs, crochet squares, knitting and some lovely Reading...an amazon order arrived with some great books I have seen out there in blog land...

Half a stone

There is a good reason for not posting for the last couple of days...I will fill you in later. So on Friday after much running around I manged to get everything done. Even the flowers turned out OK, I had my little helper with me, this normally makes it a very long job but he was very good and quietly played in the corner whilst Mommy got busy with her scissors.
Our friends coach was late which sadly meant I was unable to meet him in the city as I had the school run to do , so I met a rather bedraggled friend from the local train station after a six hour trip. I managed to get the dinner cooked so that we could all eat together and we had a nice friendly supper with us all together catching up on things and some rather nice wine, well I had actually bought a rather expensive bottle which was sadly corked but the cheaper one went down well. The boys had been given some brilliant gifts from their God Father and they had played with them all evening and fell asleep quickly despite all the excitement.
On the Saturday we took a drive over the moors to a market town, had lunch in an 'average' pub then went for a walk, first around town, lots of great charity shops here but sadly did not get much thrifting done...well none actually. Then for a walk up to the woods. The weather was dull but it was dry. All the blue bells have started to leaf up, I guess spring really is on its way...yippee. I had planned another nice meal for Saturday evening, this time without the children. I was putting the boys to bed so I could get on with supper when I felt most odd. I carried on through it and eventually I had to throw in the towel... Oh boy...I do not need to give you the details all you need to know is within six hours I had lost half a stone. I was awakened at two in the morning by my older child feeling sick with tummy pains. After a cuddle and a bowl by his bed he eventually drifted off to sleep. He awoke fine, I on the other hand felt like I had been in a boxing ring. I wounder if our friend will ever come and see us again...
Today's Month of Moo picture.

Due to illness no crafting accomplished...

Roses and Moos

Well its a flowery sort of day today. I am a bit of a flower child, most of my clothes have flowers on or at least bright colours and I like to have a bunch of flowers in the house. But today's vase was a special treat. We have a guest for the weekend, an old friend from Oxford (UK). So in honour of his visit I bought an extra special bunch of roses for the kitchen table. I also have a HUGE bucket full of flowers by the back door awaiting to go in the car. Its my turn to do flowers in our Church, so I have gone for the same colouring, lots of yellow, orange, white and a touch of red. Spring is so on the mind, especially as I have some super smiley sunflowers to go in it. OK, a visitor for the weekend...HELP, I need to go and tidy up, all that fluff (see previous post) is taking over, I have a heap of cleaning to do so I shall go and get busy, I am looking forward to next week as it is not such a busy one and hopefully I can return to my knitting and other craft related goodness.
I leave you with today's MOO! This is actually my latest addition to my collection. I spotted it whilst out thrifting, its BLUE COW! Unless you watch the kids telly this will mean nothing, take it from me its a cute story character about a cow that does things that, well, cows just can not do...Have a VERY good weekend everyone.
P.S. Weird dream last night I dreamt I gave birth to my third babe, it was the easiest birth known to man-well woman actually, I think I am hearing my body clock ticking VERY loudly at the moment.