Postcard from Orlando

Do you live in Celebration, Orlando??? Anyone out there from Celebration? I love your little community, your town is so cute. Wow, a real life Disneyland Main Street. The first time we visited Celebration in 2005 we thought it was an amazing little 1950's American Town. We initially visited in search of a yarn store that turned out to be a clothes boutique with a shelf of yarn in the back.

This time visiting we found out it is a purpose built - by Disney - Town... so you can imagine how cute this little town is. Cute little man made lakes (with alligators), A Celebration Hotel (that you darn't take a child under 10 inside), Desperate Housewife style tree lined streets (no cute gardeners though), a cute little bookstore (with a desperately friendly shop owner) and "the doll shop".

Are the people paid there to be cute too? Everyone was so friendly and cheesy. Hubby and I were so obviously the British tourist, with the Virgin luggage label hanging off our buggy.

Apart from the trip to Celebration we have run wild through the Parks of Disney. Lazared Buzz Lightyear to bits, sat for hours on a curb-sides waiting for parades, licked enough mickey ice-creams and shot enough photos. The Bubela was called on stage for the Lion King Show - made me cry. The charactors are enjoying the Nosh laughing and them. Goofy wasn't too pleased with the Nosh bonging his wiskers throughout the photoshoot.

The weather is far too hot and the pool is 2 short of freezing.

The craft shopping has only just begun with magazine purchases. Clothes shopping is going crazy. Hubby has thing for buying every colour tee in every shop. Then coming out puzzled whilst checking out the bill with how he managed to spend so much in one shop.

Loving the pancakes. Worried about the scales when I return home.

Photos to follow.

Learn-along quilting with Sweetpea

I usually have a knitting or crochet project on the go, as its fun, easy and mindless to do in front of the TV. These granny squares were the result of last nights Desperate Housewives. I'm hoping they will result in a couple of pram blankets for gifts.

As for my first quilting experience, I'm looking for an easy project. One to follow, one with embroidery, and possibly a little applique too.

Oy vey, talk about fussy.

I have bought endless magazines and books, as always when I find a new "thing", but I've not found what I'm looking for. Nautical quilt, anyone? There are a few more essentials I need to purchase first, but I'll probably purchase these in Florida, or when I return home. *shrieking with excitement* - I'm going on holiday in 3 days!!! Oy vey, what am I doing taking an 18 month old on an 8 hour flight. At least the Bubela can make the most of the Virgin experience of entertainment.

As an absolute beginner, I'll be hoping/begging for advice and tips along the way. Unless of course you want to learn along with me and we can all shout for the same advice at the same time.

I was told there are 4 essentials to quilting

1. 1/4" foot for sewing machine
2. Rotary cutter
3. Cutting board
4. Quilting ruler

There are other rulers, stencils and bits and bobs, but we can get those along the way as and when they are needed. Spoken like an expert.

My 1/4" foot for my Singer machine dropped through the letter box this week. I was as excited the moment I found and used the button hole foot on my Singer.

Honey Monster meet Cookies. Buttonhole, buttonhole, buttonhole.

So, all ready for my quilting venture, well almost.

Photos revealed

As promised, here are the photos of the little girls summer dress. It was only made in a size 0-3 months as a mock up. I'm dead proud of this little dress as it was a huge learning project in many ways. Pattern cutting, binding, pleated folds, buttonholes. I even found the buttonhole foot for my Singer and it turned out a real gem.

On quilting.

Many months ago a friend tipped me off about a beautiful shop that I'd never known existed. She used to make bags and bought her fabulous fabric from there. (Since, she has gone into another line of business - cookie making but unfortunately blogless)

It is only a stones throw away from my first flat Hubby and I bought together. *Smiling whilst I reminisce at those childless, carefree and early years* And whilst I'm in this special place let me share a story of many.

We lived on the first floor, there was a respectable young man living next door, a couple of not so respectable people upstairs, and a batty old lady downstairs. Our first Sunday morning we awoke at 7am, firstly a ridiculous time to rise should one not need to - strictly speaking childless. And, secondly it wasn't our alarm clock doing the singing.

First Hubby (then fiance) took the broom to the ceiling. Again, the broom - a little harsher, then stormed upstairs banging, banging on the door to turn the noise down. He came back down, it wasn't the penthouse making all the noise... woke them up though. And, that was the day Hubby met Batty Old Lady from Downstairs.

Oh Vey. Batty Old Lady from Downstairs. Tck. With her over hanging parking into our car parking space, her notelets anonymously posted into our letterbox, Oh Batty Old Lady from Downstairs.

Back to Summer 2007.

Pushing the Nosh in the pram at 9 months old, I bumped open the door with my bum to Just Between Friends, pulled in the pram to a beautiful shopped lined with fabric, craft books, pins and needles, a table full of chatting women over coffee, quilts and projects displayed on the walls. Eye candy to a quilt and crafter.

Warmly welcomed and about half an hour later, I came out with the lovely lady offering to teach me quilting. All booked in, but unfortunately due to untimely and unpredicted circumstances, I had to cancel many times.

Yesterday, and 9 months on, I took my first quilting lesson and now with my imagination running wild with projects I'm raring to go.

Here's what I completed in my first lesson, I'm yet to learn about the wadding and the quilting bit.

On other news:

April 6 outside and its snowing!! Again!! Photo above is the view of our garden this morning.
10 days to go until we go to Florida.
10 days to go to lose a few pounds.
10 days to go to clear the pile of ironing.

I've finished the dress. Photos to follow.

Its a KITTEN

Last night upon completion of sewing all the pieces together

Me: Is is ok?
Hubby: *Eyes glued to tv* Yep
Me: Well, what do you think it is then?
Hubby: Its a thing, isn't it?
Me: A what?
Hubby: A bear type thing. Isn't it!

The morning after the night before

Bubela: What is it?
Me: What do you think it is?
Bubela: A puppy?
Me: *deflated* yeah...
Bubela: It doesn't look like a puppy.

In crawls walk alot talk alot but doesn't, the Nosh

Me: *being goofy the way that one does when talking to a baby* What's this?
Nosh: Mine *crawling off with it tucked into his neck* arrrrrrhhhhhhh

Not wrong.

At least IT'S got a home.

Kitty Cat crochet in Rowan Cotton Glace
From the book Baby Crochet by Lois Daykin

I've found a couple of recycling websites, one is a swap shop for books. I'm reading The Kennedy's at the moment. I swapped it with The Diary of an ordinary woman by Margaret Forster (also a good book). I've made some great swaps, not sure when I'm going to read them all though.

ReaditSwapit site, its my site of the month at the moment, along with this global freecycle site which, I'll admit, I haven't actually used yet, I love just browsing.

Have you got any great website finds to share?