Diversion

Well, I had such a treat for myself lined up this week. A trip to the Norwich Castle Museum to view their two new galleries of textiles and decorative arts and, even more exciting, their latest major exhibition 'A gentle nest of artists in the 1930's' - the works of three of my favourites; Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore and Ben Nicholson...... sadly, I was greeted instead by this....
They were in the midst of evacuating visitors when I arrived and 7 fire engines were in attendance. Thankfully it seems to have been a small fire which was quickly extinguished. I am hopeful of a visit later this week to enjoy the art in peace before the mayhem of the half-term holiday visitors - I know, call me a grouch!
Did I show you these? I made them as Christmas gifts for the beautiful boy's much missed American friends....
just to be sure they think of us often! And also one of my button necklaces for my lovely friend; she looks so very pretty in these colours.
Of course having made gifts for friends I am always beholden to make a duplicate for our boy which I have only just finished doing.... Bad Mummy!
It fits very well with all the Union Flags in his bedroom.
Of course you'll have noticed I've smudged his name a bit - I hope you don't mind.
So, what else have I been up to. Well, do you remember these?
It took me a while to get used to my sorted buttons but now, well, I wouldn't have them any other way. So I decided in a moment of exasperation to do the same with my silks!
Shameful! I know. In my defence some of these are silks and cottons I inherited from my gran and they are in their original tangles too, so it's an hereditary muddle!
Thankfully mumsie popped in unexpectedly so we spent a pleasant afternoon winding bobbins and chatting together on the sofa and ....... TaDa!
Oh my - do I really have so much thread? Well at least they are now mostly more orderly....
Mostly. This colourful nest escaped me!
And speaking of nests - here's a little w.i.p. .... more later - because it was waiting for me to find the thread colours I needed!
If you fancy a change, pop and see the lovely Lisa over at Pink Friday - a colourful blog for which some of you will need a translator. I use an automated one which gives me frequents giggles as it makes some very funny mistakes - for instance at the moment it is saying that I am called Kitsch Pink - well, that will do me nicely! If you visit her other posts you will find features on some of the most inspiring homes I have seen in blogland! Enjoy! t.xx

Comments

Pixiedust said…
I'm drooling over your button collection its fab. Love the cushions you made too. off to have a look at Pink Friday blog now. xxxxx
As a naturally untidy "muddler" when working, I also tidied my silks recently - and I agree it really does make life easier. I hadn't realised just how many I have accumulated, and once you start touching them and putting colours together, they just inspire, don't they?

Cathy x
myminimocs said…
excellent post - i'm sorry you didn't get a chance to visit the museum as planned but that will just make the anticipation that much greater for your next visit - besides it looks like you've accomplished some wonderful things and even had a chance for a visit in between sorting buttons & winding bobbins ~~~
gulle hexan said…
wonderful things you do:)
Shannon said…
I hope that your next trip to the museum is more rewarding - but at least you weren't inside, being evacuated!
Your button necklace is absolutely adorable; reminds me of cupcake icing.
The sewing room said…
Sorry your day out was spoiled better luck next time. Great cushions you do such lovely work.Have a great week best wishes Pat
bibbitybob said…
Oh, I love organisation - thanks for sharing! I love that necklace too...oh, and hello! :)
Teena Vallerine said…
PD - hope you had fun over at Lisa's and managed not to drool on her textiles! :-) t.x

MM - you're so wise - what should I do next? Maybe the fabric heaps? They have me defeated - shelves methinks! t.x

MMM - next visit planned soon - not least to be thankful that some of my favourite china displays are all safe - the Twinings Teapot collection!!! t.x

GH - thank-you and welcome! t.x

Shannon - you are SO right. Families who had locked their coats and changing bags in the cloakroom were completely stuck for nearly 2 hours! t.x

Pat - thank-you t.x

BB - thank-you, welcome and hello to you too! t.x
MelMel said…
Such lovely cushions and the necklace is wonderful.....very pretty!

The visit looked very interesting alsoxxx
I don't know T.. haven't you got anything better to do???
Only teasing..
Just take a trip to down town Bath please and come and sort out my endless clutter would you.. please!

I'm backing Britain with those beautiful cushions!

Mx
Hen said…
Hi T,
Your makes look great, I'm sure all the recipients were thrilled. There are some lovely buttons in that necklace, I am very partial to vintage flower-shaped ones, I'm always on the look-out for them. You're looking very organised at the Kitschen Pink, how wonderful! Hope you get to the exhibitions this week.
Hen x
I have button jar envy! And your tangle of silks made me laugh - that's exactly how my grandmother left hers. Have a lovely week. Cat x
P. said…
Threads and buttons. Two of my favorite things.

Alfazema
Anonymous said…
I love Pink Friday blog. I agree we need to see more pics of your house!

Love Emma xxxxx

PS is that bright light I can see your halo - winding all that silk. I am sooooo impressed.
Lovely cushions & I'm very impressed with your sorting!
thesnailgarden said…
Love your cushions. I am making a UJ flag cushion for Jay's room using a pair of much loved, but out-grown, pair of his jeans. Hope you enjoy your visit to the castle - I can remember school visits there and picnicing in the Castle Gardens with my Mum feeding the sparrows. Pj
Your cushions are fabulous!

Victoria x
Teena Vallerine said…
MM - not the sort of interesting I had been looking forward to! HA! t.x

CC - Such insight! Yup! Avoidance, that's what it was! t.x

HH - me too! t.x

DN - such sloppy grandmothers we have! t.x

AZ - hard to resist either! I'm sure it's not possible to have too many - there's always that shade or shape you just must have.....t.x

E - I think mumsie did more than me! t.x

CCC - I haven't got past the 'looking in awe' - I'm going to have to mess them up soon! t.x

Pj - that's such a nice idea! Like a memory quilt. t.x

VT- thank-you. what's the date on Saturday - anyone know?.....t.xx
A Thrifty Mrs said…
Tad scary re: the fire! Eeep. Glad it was only a small one though.
Greedy Nan said…
Your silks are I think, my silks and it doesn't matter how many times I untangle them, they just like to be together.
Great pictures.
I'm VERY impressed with the de-knotting of your silks..................... if there's one thing I find frustrating, it's de-knotting, so your mountain of knotted silks makes me feel tired just looking at them............... I'm so glad you showed the photo of them all neat and tidy in their box -phew!
Lovely colourful blog post, thanks for the cheering up!
Clare Carter said…
That is one AMAZING collection of thread!! And buttons.Don't things look beautiful all orderly : )Very impressed with the 'memory' cushions and now want to see fab union jack bedroom in full!Were there at least some gorgeous firemen to wittle away the time?xxx
Teena Vallerine said…
TMRs - me too! oh such things would have been lost! t.x

Nan - yep! I'm expecting mine to be in a tangle again fairly soon! t.x

V - trick is to sit on a sofa and talk whilst de-tangling - if you talk enough the other person does all the work! HA! t.x

TH - welcome and thank-you t.x

CC- hi honey! Nope. Firemen in short supply, sadly. the thing is, as with all the views of our home, I take the tidy angle! I really don't think the other parts are for public consumption but one day I might manage it! Actually his room faces South East and it's a bugger to get in the right light!! Honest! :-) t.x
A time to dance said…
oooooh T...your sorted silks makes me squeel with delight...I am incredibly anal and I just love organisation in an arty fart way of course...where did you get the little cards to hold the silk???I also love the cushions I must have a go when I have time...love and hugs H
Niki Fretwell said…
Hi T,
Your union flag pillows are the best in blogland! You can't beat a bit of gingham for kiddies, in my view...and with the names carefully appliqued, you've really made them special.

Glad to see that you've had some time in your workroom - your spring nest full of love collage is going to be so pretty with your skillful embroidery stitches and embellishments...and you've made selecting the thread colours so much easier - Well done you and Mum!

Hope you find the time to enjoy the art exhibition - BEFORE half term! Can you believe they break-up again on Friday? E's missed a lot of school with the snow, so perhaps I should send her in next week! ;-))

Take care,
Niki x
Teena Vallerine said…
C&B The thread bobbins are sold at most sewing shops - they come in card or plastic. I just use the card ones as it's easy to write the thread colour (no that I often have any clue what colour it is after I've lost the little collars!). They can be as little as £1 per 50. Have fun with the flag! t.x

Niki - thank-you sweetie. You're too kind. there are a lot of lovely flaggy things out there at the mo - not least your luscious little dolls! I am enjoying working that little nest! Especially now I can find my threads! t.xxx (NO! school will be locked! :-))
MelMel said…
The bag begins the week neat and tidy, by Friday its crying with pain at all the stuff packed in...tis only tues and its groaning already!LOL!

Oh i know the C.shops you mean....the ones where you wipe your feet on the way out!hahahahaha!xxxx
Anonymous said…
Hi there, well i am very sorry that i put my cheesecake on to temp you hehehe!!!

Your blog is fab im still new to all this so i just blog about very random things :-)

I love your button jars i am VERY jeleous and your toys are so nice my daughter would love them your clearly very talented

Ive added you hope thats ok so will be popping back

Kelly xx
Teena Vallerine said…
MM - OH you made me laugh! That's exactly the charity shops i mean! t.x

K - I'm still craving cheesecake- Trying to distract myself. Welcome and see you again soon! t.x
Selfsewn said…
Hello thanks for your comments, it brightened my day a bit as I have a stinker of a migraine, yet I'm still here blogging!

I look forward to reading your blog, but later when I am not so argh!

Clare
Anonymous said…
Its so easy have a go ive put the receipe on there it take 15 mins to make and granted about 15 seconds to eat hehe! xx
~ Phyllis ~ said…
Love your blog. Thanks so much for the crazy patch tutorial. Always wanted to learn how to do crazy patch.
Floss said…
You are motivating me to get sorting! I have three suitcases, a chest and a small set of drawers full of 'stuff', and I know that if only I sort it out I will a) know what's there and b)reduce the whole lot to one chest and the drawers. If I get it done I'll make sure I give you all the credit on my blog!
Miss Prudence said…
Oh delish! Those cushions! How do you make those necklaces? I have seen ones similar...soooo gorgeous!
I feel cheered up completely!
xx
Anonymous said…
All those beautiful colors and nicely organized thread bobbins -- made me happy!