What A Week

The next couple of months are going to be very hectic. I have 4 months left to complete my management course. Oh and is it just boring, but I keep telling my self it will be worth it in the end. Sad thing is it leaves me very little time to sew or to blog

I have been asked to make 6 linen shirts for a plus size man, and he not half bad looking too. last time I made shirts was for over 15 years ago for my brother for his wedding.

My youngest niece was one year old, she's a doll.

My auntie, and two cousins died in a tragic accident, her house was engulfed by a landslide. Three generations, that really hit the family hard.

My workmate is being accused of tampering with emails - this one set to run and the consequences will not be good. I don't think it her, as I feel she is being set up.

Oh and slmost forgot, I received a beautiful package of goodies from .bigbeautifulmess it was such a nice surprize. Loads of love .bigbeautifulmess

Wonder what this week is going to bring.

Rich Mix Fashion is featured in The Fatgirl's Closet

Maureen or Mo invited me to write a lens in fatgirlscloset I am not the most prolific of writers, but I have given it a go and here is the result

New Addition to Collection

I love checks and without fail every year I make one item of clothing in a check fabric. This cute check is just lovely and is available in my Etsy Shop




And this one I made to wear for a presentation event. This dress is only available for custom order only.




Love to hear what you think

From Garage to Fine Dining

My dining room is decorated with various bits of furniture that I have collected along the way.
This beautiful dresser is my pride and joy. I found it in an old friend’s garage (one day I will tell you the story about this friend). Her husband was a car mechanic and he was using the dresser as a work surface and as a store cupboard for his tools and car bits and pieces. It was black, imbedded in dirt grease and grime. The lovely insert on the door could not be seen because of the dirt and grease embedded into it. I loved it instantly and fortunately for me they were about to burn it as they said it was taking up space and it was ugly, can you imagine that, sacrilege. I got the husband to deliver the dresser to my home and set to work cleaning the dresser to bring it back to life.
To remove the dirt grease and old wax, I cleaned with an antique cleaner restorer, you can imagine the sludgy mess that developed, once all the old wax and grease was removed I cleaned the surface with white spirit and to bring back the colour I then rubbed it down with burnishing cream and applied wood reviver, which I made using a mixture of malt vinegar, methylated spirit and linseed. How did I know all of this, I bought a book on restoring old furniture? The inside of the dresser I cleaned with bleach and mild soapy water. I placed new handles, shame as the old ones were long gone and there you see the finished result
The chair to the right is a part of a three piece carved bergere cane chairs I bought from the local auction, after cleaning and applying wood reviver, I recovered the seat and cushions. The tiffany lamp is part of a pair again bought from auction and my dining table which can’t be seen is from a local second hand shop or thrift shop as it is now in USA. I love this room.

I am linking up with a party at debbiedoos livin in the carolinas:/> take a look at all the wonderful projects from other bloggers and add your own

Can't Account for other peoples behaviour

I love my work, love the clients, love it even better when they improve and move on. But you just can’t account for the people you work with. I have always been told I have good instinct, but do I listen to them, NO. I want to make a world where everyone is accepting and get on, are honest and honourable, but occasionally, just occasionally I have to admit that people in this world are not made that way. Ouch that hurt.

What got me so worked up? My manager, I have never taken to her, but in good spirit I put this aside and tried to find ways of accepting her. Inviting her to lunch, to my home to shopping, the feeling still lingers, but I keep pushing it away. A few ago I found out that she has been lying to me on a very basis level and there was really no need for it as I did not broach the subjects, she brought them up. This week she must have been having a bad day, yeh I know I am still trying; she threw a very negative statement at me, which left me reeling, angry, mad. After a very tense discussion to get to root cause, she apologized, and I left letting her know how disappointed I felt. I wanted to accepted that her apology was real, but, reluctantly I have to admit it does not feel that way. So I have given up and accept there is something there that I cannot reach in her, and you know something it feel better, the anger has gone. I can only do what I can, the rest is up to others. But she is just one in a million, there are still a lot of very nice, reasonably, accepting, lovely people out there. What do you say.

Blogs I love

I choose blogs because they represent the person I am, also because they provide me with a weatlh of information that I would only stumble upon by chance, also because they are just beautiful. One of the blogs I follow is http://csevenm.blogspot.com/, her blog is so delicate and beautiful. I thinks she write for herself rather that to the masses, but I love her style and her clothing, although she does not appear to make for my size and her price may be out of range, it is still beautiful.

Ouch missed my fingers

Well I am fully recovered, what a nightmare and I was not even asleep. Tried to sew and just missed sewing my fingers, ouch! thats when I knew I was too ill to sew. I wll be putting some of the new items on Etsy this week, a few has been sold already, WOW, I am so thrilled.

Gastric Flu

Yesterday was a real nightmare; I have gastric flu, which I may have caught from my mum having visited her on Bank holiday Monday and being exposed to the infection. I can’t sit for too long, have to stay close to the toilet, sometimes I miss, doubled up with stomach cramps, can’t eat, only water, which run straight out, you get the idea. Upshot of this I have not been able to sew, so no seven day skirt. I will add one as soon as I am on my feet.

Day Six

Skirt Six
I should call this skirt "catch me if you can", because every time I got ready to take photos of this skirt, the sun disappeared under a cloud. Anyway here is ‘Skirt Six’, a fun and flirty little number. The skirt is gathered at the waist with a dropped wide waist band so that the gathering comes lower down from the waistline more flattering I feel for us big girls. It has a side size opening and will fit a size 18UK. Love to hear what you think
ONE WEEK CHALLENGE

Day Five

Skirt Five
Today I am going to see my mum as I have neglected my family somewhat, but I would like to thank everyone who has given me feedback on my skirts, which has been great motivation to keep going. I have a mix following and try to reflect that in the choice of skirt I make, which may not always be your choice in skirts, but your feedback is always welcome
This skirt is made of 6 panels and has an elasticated waistband. I chose because being plus size is about being seen and being proud of who you are. This skirt will fit a size 22UK .Rich Mix Fashion Plus size Clothing: ONE WEEK CHALLENGE

Day Four

SKIRT FOUR
I have been watching the weather all morning for a break of sunshine to take these photos. It's dull and raining here in Essex; I hope you are having better weather where you are. Anyway! about this skirt. This is for us bigger girls. The skirt is made in light weight jersey and I have ruched the waistband and added elastic to the back for extra ease, although the stripes are across the stomach, yeh I know that the part you don’t want to emphasis, but, but, the ruched effect breaks down the stripes and give a more softer stylish look. The gathered body of the skirt falls away from the waist so there is less bulk in that area. I hope you like this. I like my skirts shorter and plan to make a shorter one for me; this skirt will fit a size 24uk ONE WEEK CHALLENGE

Day Three

SKIRT THREE
This cute ruffle skirt is a real quickie, I have made quite a few of them. One customer ordered 12 over a 3 month period, she had then in several different colours. The skirt is made in a stretch fabric and is elesticated at the waist, will fit a size 14 ONE WEEK CHALLENGE