Creative packing & T-shirts

I've done my best, I really have! It's so difficult packing a teeny motorhome when there are going to be four adults and one child living in it for a week. I have decided the best thing to do is pack large plastic boxes and crates with the clothes and keep them in the awning. It's going to be very difficult to keep everything tidy and not like a jumble sale, especially with Livvie and Gary around!



I bought some new holiday T-shirts last week from M&S, only £3.50 each, what a bargain! The trouble is, as usual, the necklines were far too low and showed off my chicken fillets when I leaned forward. So I have sewed in neck inserts from an old white vest top and now they're perfick. :0) I dug out last years 3/4 length trousers that I thought would be way too small, but they still fit nicely so I am ready for a heat wave now.

How to Dye Silk Ribbons.

This tutorial will be of little interest to some of you, but my crafty matey Bry will be interested and hopefully a few more passing through will find it helpful. I couldn't find a tutorial when I was searching the other day so I had to make it up as I went along!

I used these Syn Tint dyes from http://www.bearycheap.com/ as they were the only dyes I have left. They were developed to dye synthetics but I thought I'd give them a try on silk. They did the job beautifully!

I wound the ribbon into big loops and then I wet the ribbon thoroughly with a water spray. In a dinner plate I mixed the dye powder with a little water. I used several different colours at once. I then laid the ribbon into the dye making sure that it was thoroughly saturated. As each colour bleeds into the wet silk it blends to create yet more colours.

I then covered with cling film and popped in the microwave for 40 seconds. When it came out I gave it a quick rinse in cold water and dabbed most of the moisture out with a towel. It's as simple as that! I had such fun experimenting. If you sprinkle the dye powder on the wet ribbon it gives a spotty star burst effect or if you dip the wet ribbon into one colour only and then rinse half of it before microwaving, it gives varying shades of the same colour.

If you look closely you can see the subtle colour variations within each ribbon length.

And after ironing and winding onto bobbins, here is the finished result. Of course these night time photos don't do the subtle colours justice, but you'll just have to trust me on that!

So there you are. You'll have to wait a while before you learn what I am going to do with them as I am going on holiday Sunday and it will have to wait til I come back. :0)

I'm a Terrible Liar!

Actually, now I have pulled all the plasters off I count seven holes. I wouldn't like to exaggerate. I must say I am a tad disappointed though. Although seven is most impressive (and beats my previous record of six) it still isn't as good a nine! It still hurted though and I still need chocolate. ;0)

Check back in a few hours and I shall tell-all re: silk ribbons. X X X X

Dartboard

Just got back from hospital, they have brutalised me! They made nine attempts to get the cannula in today. I have circled where they darted me. It was very ouchy and I hope that I bruise severely so that I get some sympathy and chocolate. :0)

I am feeling rather sick now (is that surprising?) so I shan't blog about my ribbons until later.

This is Lorna who finally poked me where it counts!

Hairspray Link

Take a look at the movie trailer and tell me you don't want to tap your feet! I actually think I may go and see it again it was so good. Look carefully and you'll see John Travolta as 'Mom'. There are loads of photos in the gallery so you'll be able to see it's him clearly there.

http://www.hairspraymovie.com/

Hairspray & silk ribbon

Me and the girls just got back from seeing the new Hairspray film at the cinema. It was FABULOUS! Livvie says it's best film she has ever seen. There are not many films that made me feel so happy, it was so totally feel-good. I remember feeling the same way when I saw Grease in 1978. :0)

I spent many happy hours today hand dying about 100m of silk ribbon. I say hand dying as I literally applied the dye by hand rather than block dying it in a big vat. It was great fun experimenting. The dye I used was actually a dye for synthetics from www.bearycheap.com but I was assured that it would also dye silk. I won't post about it now as I have to get up early tomorrow for treatment, but when I get home I shall put photos and a tutorial on. The results were so pretty!

I shall snuggle down now with my fat-boy Arthur under my arm. I can have him in bed now as he had his summer flea treatment today. :0)

Fountains Abbey in Ripon

Livvie and daddy enjoying the sunshine.


Look at that sun beaming through the window! It was SO hot.

Our beloved Chunky Bus. :0)

We had the most gorgeous weekend away in Ripon which is near York. The sun shone and although the air smelled of cow poo we had a great time! I have come back totally energised and am looking forward to our weeks holiday with Dawn and Glen next week in Northumberland. The slide show is of Fountains Abbey. It was spectacularly beautiful but unfortunately it was so hot that we couldn't walk it all. In fact it was my fault. With the addition of surgical stockings, over which I was wearing jeans and hiking socks and a pair of silicon boobs tucked into a double skinned bra I was near melting point and couldn't manage the distance. I did stop at one point and dip my feet in the cool lake but that didn't help for long! We are definitely going back when the air is crisp in Autumn and then we shall walk it all. :0)