Sew hard

If I were still at school I could imagine the words on my school report right now, those dreaded "needs to concentrate more", "too easily distracted", "must remain focussed". That's right I've been too much of a butterfly of late, flitting around from one thing to another, being drawn to the pretty and ignoring the nitty gritty.



I have found it really difficult to get myself into any kind of routine over the past few weeks. I have a notebook full of ideas, wishes and "things to do" and haven't been able to settle at any of them. I know the dentist has been looming and making me feel uneasy but now that's out of the way for a while I really need to get on with things.



If I were at school I think I would have to sit on my hands to stop me fidgeting and fiddling. Too many things going on in the brain and not enough to show for them. I thought I'd get back behind the sewing machine last week but decided to sort out my sewing cupboard first.



As a result I spent two hours playing with bits of fabric and looking at all my old bits and bobs.



Packets of old needles - if you're going to make needles, could you want for a better name than "Mr Prickle" I wonder.



Along with Mr Bun the baker, Mr Bone the butcher perhaps there could be a haberdashery family ... there you see I'm going off on a tangent yet again!



So an afternoon past with very little to show for it. I wonder if I'm just a little afraid to start sewing again? I wonder if I need to leave it for a while or just get on with it? The lack of time over the summer to get on with any crafting has resulted in a slight lack of confidence and enthusiasm.



I don't think this unexpectedly beautiful weather has helped. As soon as the sun hits the kitchen window I'm off into the garden it does seem too good to waste. We spent Saturday on the beach, who would have thought that on the last weekend in September Big and Little Sister would be swimming in the chillingly blue sea whilst we lay reading the newspapers and eating our lunch. No need to focus here, for the first time in ages I felt really relaxed, really enjoying the moment. Knowing that the sunshine was bound not to last made us appreciate it even the more.



Temptation came my way the other day too.



I won this US copy of Country Living from a giveaway held by the lovelyDeborah. Thank you! I sat and read it the other afternoon after the dentist and it did the trick!



I have also been lucky enough to win two other giveaways recently. Do you see this lovely little cup and saucer with the butterflies on it? It is from the very kind Catherine. I seem to have a growing collection of all things "Nature related" on my fireplace and this cup and saucer fits in so well, I love it. I guess it's a sort of nature table next to the computer. Thanks so much Catherine, my mother use to collect little cups and saucers like this, I'm not sure what happened to all of them so it's really good to have one again.



And that's not all - a while ago I won this lovely spotty Cath Kidston shopping bag from Tesco from Sian in another giveaway. Thank you too! It looks lovely in my kitchen and makes a trip to the shops a little less dreary.



So it is now 3.30pm and I started to write this post at 9.30am ... In between I have helped at school, done the food shopping, two loads of washing and some ironing, but still no sewing! This evening I am planning to start some ragrugging - we'll see...