London Two

Here is the next batch of photographs to document our two day trip to London.

A tradition market barrow - the owner said I could jump on board for a photo - I declined - I did ask if we could borrow it so K could drag me around London on it in a very stylish manner - he laughed and declined.

Outside Oxo Tower

New very swish apartments just outside Tate Modern

Across the river

A boat in a wall - around the back of Oxo Towers

More views

Oxo Tower

Then on to the South Bank - the day after the Vintage Fair.  The Beach Huts were fab. I didn't get a photo of the outside and these photos were taken through perspex so are not the best - hope you like them.

A spotty cossie  - lovely.

A rouched number

A close up of the spotty one 

A pair of ladies enjoying their holiday - wonder what bathing attire they wore?

Inside the traditional Beach Hut - I could have moved in straight away.  I was surprised how big it seamed inside - the photos were taken through chicken wire so they are a little blurred.

Look at the essential item - the Needlecraft Magazines - I have always taken a sewing/knitting/crochet project on holiday so this really appealed to me.

Well that's all folks.  

We had a super , super time just the two of us, very busy but relaxed, doing as we pleased, pottering and pondering.  

Thanks K it was faberoony.

Looking forward to Cornwall in two weeks time - we have only just booked it and we have persuaded The Nannie (Chipper Nellie - yes I stole that phrase from you I love it when you refer to your mum as 'The Granny - so I have unashamedly stolen it) to come along for the ride.  She initially said 'no thank you' she said it was our holiday for our family 'I think when I got a little tearful and said 'but you are my family too' that she had a rethink and has said 'yes'.  I am so pleased, Mum hasn't been to Cornwall since I was about 14/15 (yes that's a long time ago) so we can't wait to show her all our favourite places.  When she asked what she should pack my reply was 'your cheque book' followed by hoots of laughter and me saying about 500 times 'mum I am kidding, you do know i'm kidding don't you'.  My mum;s reply 'I am good now you know I know how to use my card and that's what I will do'.  

Have I told you how proud I am of my mum.  Since Dad died she has been fabulous.  Her moto is 'I can sit in and be miserable and tell people I am fed up or I can go out put a smile on my face and make the best of what I have got' - I don't think she knows just how much that means to us.  

Going now as I am getting a bit tearful - time for a smile.

TTFN.

London

K and I had a super time in London.  We crammed lots into our two day stay - so much walking - too many blisters.  Yuk - I forget that I get nasty blisters when its hot and I do lots of walking I wore my next to comfiest shoes - my most comfortable, scruffy shoes that are like wearing slippers were missing.  Well one was missing - thanks Dyl.  Anyhow I am going to let the pictures do the talking, so lots of pictures and not so many words.  Here goes.

Liberty - I bought some string!!

Greenwich

Painted hall - very impressive

For H - my nephew - Jack Sparrow's original costume from the lastest film

St Pauls

A view from Millenium Bridge

Art work in the Tate Modern

Old Books

One of K's favourites Lichenstein

The famous Ace Cafe adjacent to where we stayed

Nina's Hair Salon in Alfie's Vintage Market at Marylebone

It was lovely

Elvis

and Marilyn

Pretty Stuff

Phew we did a lot.  I will post the rest of the pictures tomorrow - get ready for the Beach on the South Bank complete with Beach Huts.

Yeah Baby

Good afternoon have you all had a good Sunday.  We have had a lazy Sunday.  Car boot this morning, Sunday roast made by his Lordship and a bit of internet/bloggy/ebay action.  The car boot was a good one.  Oh yeah baby.  Look at his retro beauty.

Can you tell what it is?  Its a Pac-a-Pic.  Oh yeah baby.  It was made in Syston, Leicester in the 60's/70's and its a beauty.  Would you like to look inside?

Integral compartmants for your picnic with snap on lids.  The original lids are all present and correct and fit, the plastic cups are original but the cutlery is replacements.  Its in super clean condition and I can't wait to use it when we go to Cornwal in a few weeks time. 

The trays stack on top of each other, think I will have an egg salad, with fresh fruit salad and maybe a bit of bunage.  How very retro.  Wish we had a camper van to go with it. 

My second twinkle star, I love this time of year as K tends to weed out his old shirts for charity, recycling etc and I get to use the ones I like best for my patchwork.  The stripe is his shirt not the spotty. 

The real reason for this post is I had a comment from Anne of andamentoblog.blogspot.com asking for a full picture of my hexie quilt and some information about how I made it.  So actually this post is for her really I just thought it would be fun to take some more arty shots in the garden - it was!

Hexies are approximately 7 cm across

The quilt measures 150 cm x 130 cm approx

There are 28 hexie rows x 20 hexie rows which according to K's new 'old' calculator makes

Strange the camera front is reflected in the photo.

It was made in 1970 in Japan and amongst the sales pitch it says small enough to fit into a lady's handbag.  Oh yeah wouldn't you have been the bees knees to have one of these in your bag.  Imagine works do, everyone trying to work out how much they each owe for the bill you could have said 'hey babes check out this new fangled machine, it adds up yeah, and takes away yeah, and divides yeah and oh yeah it even multiplies.  Then all the friends would be in awe of the super number machine and would want one too.  Well maybe they wouldn't - I would because I can't add or do any other maths for that matter to save my life - seriously I have a big hang up about numbers - something to do with a crazy maths teacher who threw the board rubber at you if you didn't get a sum right.  Really he was so scary I used to go into a blind panic and I still do. 

I found the best way to assemble the quilt was to join the hexies in lines and try my best to keep the quilt rectangular.  I say this because I started to make a granny garden quilt once from hexies and the quilt ended up such an irregular shape it put me off finishing it.  Also if you do it this way then you can stop when you get fed up and still have a regular shaped, decent sized quilt.  Hope that makes sense if it makes no sense at all its email me and I will try to explain it more fully. 

Well going now, got to rest, away to London town tomorrow for a few days with K. 

Enjoy your week.





Spotty

Today K and the two eldest Bones went into Sheffield to the Vintage Fair in the Town Hall.  As usual I forgot my camera so can't show you the splendid interior.  I have only been in the Town Hall twice and on the first occasion K and I were invited to a special presentation buffet type thing for people who had contributed to local charities.  (we both thought it was a spoof invite when we got it as it was very grand) K had taken part in a half marathon and raised money for RNLI (we think it was a long time ago).  When we got there I plonked myself next to Dave Bassett who was the current Sheffield United Manager K was a little jealous I got the prize position (well it wouldn't have been a prize if you are a Wednesdayite) but we are Blades so it was a prize to us.  Anyhow back to the fair - it was only small and we did have to queue for a while to get in.  I saw a few bits and pieces that I liked but I didn't buy anything.  I did say hello to a friend of Diane who had a stall there.  Diane if you are reading your friend said I am a little bit like you - maybe we are long lost twins.  I will now get on to the reason for my blog post.  Whilst in town K was looking for some new pumps/plimsols he didn't get any but I did.  Red spotty ones.  K had just given me a lesson on plimsol lines on boats and how they were named after Mr Pilmsol.  He then explained it was the water line on the side of the boat - do you want to know what I said.  Do you - well I am going to tell you - even though K said not to as it makes me look a bit silly.  I said 'well doesn't the level depend on how deep the water is!'.  I realised this was not correct when K looked at me shook his head, said a little rude word and then said 'I give in'.  He still loves me even though I am a numpty (I just asked him so it's true) then he said 'Ah  (that's a Yorkshire Ah not a Ahh thats lovely ahh) - that's what I love about you'.

Right shoes of the spotty variety.  Here they are.

I love these pumps you dont have to undo the laces - the side bits are elastic - i'm all for an easy life.

My first twinkle star patch

Arty farty shot of my shoes and patch on my step ladders with my cheap as chips geraniums.

Spotty shoes how I love you - they are shiny as well - oh yeah spots and shine.

Twinkle, twinkle

A little bit of my garden (I couldn't possibly show you more - too many weeds)

My rusty tools and twiggy bits

Oh yes did I tell you I have spotty, shiny red pumps.

This is a whisper - they were only six pounds and ninety nine pence - yep - good old TK Max - whisper even quieter - they pinch a bit - do you think that matters?