Stripping and Stitching

This morning we had a great talk by Jennie Rayment.  She did her hilarious routine in a rather warm hall which, as she ended up almost clothe-less, was probably quite fortunate!

With some of her lovely nipped and tucked pieces.

And down to her cozzie and thigh boots demonstrating a bra handbag.

And realising the groundsman was outside having a good laugh.  He even came in the room allegedly to go through to the loos.

When I came home I put this quilt top together having cut half of it yesterday.  It's from the Marti Mitchell Kaleidoscopes book with Jinny Beyer border fabrics.  I just have to add the borders. 

.

A Busy Day at Brooklands

Stuttgart had sent over to Mercedes-Benz World 15 of its most innovative models and we had an exclusive talk and unveiling on the Saturday night.  

From this huge 1900, 35hp, wooden wheeled version which set the benchmark for the motorcar from then on.

To the 1955,  196R Streamliner.  This one lovingly rebuilt with hand beaten aluminium. Sir Stirling Moss became the first English man to win the British Grand Prix in a 196R.

Not too sure about the concept car with a joystick rather than a wheel though.

This is an exploded and suspended Mercedes Petronas Formula 1 car.  3200 precision engineered parts created by Dutch artist Paul Veroude. Beautiful in its execution!

And whatever I said on Facebook about being fed up with seeing the SLS AMG on the Canadian Grand Prix, I could quite easily change my mind again if this was heading my way for Christmas!

However I did manage to have a play on the track with this most beautiful SLS. I have been in quite a few powerful cars but this one just sucked the road and had the best handling.  And I was assured that there was a boot big enough for a fair amount of shopping.

But if I were offered the chance to slip one in my handbag to take home, it would probably be this 1954, 300SL complete with suitcase strapped on the parcel shelf.

We didn’t make it over to the hill climb but there were plenty of other things going on all day, my feet hurt by the end of it.  John took both cars around the track several times and there was a Smart car football match and Silver Arrow display teams involving lots of squealing tyres and smoke.  I’m sure Pirelli were delighted. 

I was very glad to make it back to our two lovely old girls, Winnie and Gwen, and drive home in our own mini convoy though. 

Brooklands Mercs and the Double Twelve

We've just arrived at Brooklands for the Mercedes-Benz World 125 year Celebration day tomorrow. It was an interesting drive up, I was in the 107 350SL and John in the 108 280 SE. It's amazing how vulnerable you can feel in an old car. No airbags, impact bars or ABS and we won't mention the lack of sat nav! At least the rain held off.

It's also the Double Twelve Motorsport Festival and things are just starting. We have a fabulous view of the track and as you can see, I've come prepared!

Meet the Neighbours

We've had a week of frenzied feeding but today, in the pouring rain, we have viewings of our late babies just outside the window of the Eyrie.  They are quite noisy too.  The blurred bits are raindrops on the glass.

All the other nests seem to have flown without us seeing.  We did have a tree full of very insistent little Gold Finches on Friday and it was Green Finches galore last week.  I just hope they are all doing fine in this rather damp weather.

Friday I dyed fabrics and threads and yesterday I ironed.

Most of these are still quite pale.  I was after earthy and crystalline, well I had the crystalline ok, just missing a bit of the depth.  It is only the second time I've used Procion MX though so I'm still learning.  Next time I will be trying stronger baths for more even colour.  It's not as though you can ever have too many colours even if they're not quite what you expected!!

.

SAHR a Year On

June is the last month of the Stay at Home Robin and Kate's instruction was to bind and label.  I finally reached the point of being at peace with this.  I had no idea from the start where I was going and had to wait for things to happen at their own pace, as things often will.

Basically, don't ask in-depth questions because I have no answers as to why!  Perhaps whatever is flying the little gyrocopters would have the answers.  (click to enlarge)

Thank you so much Kate for hosting, It's been quite fun!!


.

Blazin' Bob

Bob the Bernina and I had a great day yesterday.  It seems ages since I put some fabric through at such a rate.

We turned a quick sketch and some calico...

and a selection of scrap fabrics...

into a couple of new fabric panels... (picasa refuses to open properly to rotate this.  I hate picasa!)

added some extra stitching...

trimmed them up...

and stitched them together.

It's a very tall (22 inches) doorstop for a door that is always slamming but the old doorstop was just too small to use.  This one is large, in your face and reachable so hopefully the door will be kept open and not slam so much any more!  There was also the pretence of using up the scraps I've saved allegedly for the embellisher etc.  I was strict enough to throw away any pieces I cut off the new panels.  These bits had had their second chance.  Phew, I feel liberated!!!

Yesterday at dusk when the wind had dropped John lit a bonfire to clear some of the larger garden waste and we then sat in the G&T hut (with wine) listening to the cuckoo's, robins and blackbirds and watching the house martins and bats catching all sorts of other flying things.  Our little bit of the planet was a very nice place to be.

Thank you for all the positive comments about the neck piece.  Maybe I will wear it sometime, but it would have to be the right sometime.  I'm a real jeans and t-shirt girl and I'm not sure that much bling, even in black and grey tones, would go lol!


.

And Create I Did

This morning I wanted to make things..  I know I'm always making things but today had an urge.  I even declared my intention on Facebook.

I went into the Eyrie (John still calls it the Eyrie even though I'm downstairs now.  It's still a more comfortable word than studio!) and worked a little on some C&G samples and then decided to finish the other half of this neck piece.

It's a nice size and feels good on too.  Not sure if I'd wear it but I may display it as an art piece. The main thing is I enjoyed making it.  The cabochon and drops are hematite.

We did also manage to plant out the tomatoes and have a quick visit to the garden centre.  I think the rest of the afternoon deserves the smell of the barbecue and a glass of wine.


.