Tuesday 17 July 2012

My Red Home

Red makes my heart sing. It is a glorious colour and it cannot fail to make me happy. When I saw the cover of this new book by Natalie Bird I knew it would have to be mine. It is simply beautiful, and I want to turn my whole house red.




First thing I had to make was the pincushion. It is so pretty and I can take it with me wherever I wander for an  instant uplift. It has everything you could wish for in a bit of sewing. Teeny, tiny hexagons, applique and a little bluebird of happiness. Easy to make with good instructions. Natalie Bird you are a goddess.




The fabrics came from Dotty Dolly and are from The Lakehouse Collection. The web site is up and running if you wish to order some or just phone them.




This bundle arrived from Coast and Country Crafts. Almost too nice to use. May just have to sit and stare at them.




Progress on the hexagons. All strips are assembled and now it is just a matter of sewing together three sections, that means just two more strips. Time  then to think about the borders. I plan to applique the edges down onto the borders which will be the plain red. I am seriously thinking of calling this quilt Blood, Sweat and Tears.




A little bit of progress has been made on the Petra Prins Providence quilt. So far, so good.




So, what else do I have in my home that is red?

This little toy sewing machine came into my possession after a spot of bidding on e-bay and cost me a grand total of £16.50. Isn't it a beauty. It also comes with a small work table  and a clamp to attach it to a table top. The work table is a little worse for wear but on the whole is in quite good condition for something that is 50 years old. A nice addition to my sewing room. Notice the red spotty curtains inside the cupboards.




 My living room curtains are a very pale green  with a large floral pattern. I hope to bring out the reds more.




My collection of glassware in the window. Have to have a bit of pink. Did you think I had gone off it?




Chocolate and Raspberry Roulade, a healthy version. I will let you into a little secret. Shhh, come closer so I can whisper. I joined Slimming World. It is slow progress, losing the odd pound here and there, some weeks staying the same, but, I am now 19lbs less than I was when I joined. Have a way to go yet before I can say that I am done.  One evening we had to take a healthy pudding. Yes, a pudding can be healthier with a few changes. This was in one of the recipe magazines and it didn't look anything like the picture but when I got it there someone else had made one and hers looked just like mine. Phew! I am not known for my baking skills but it all disappeared.




I also took Kate's handmade cake stand filled with fabric delectables and someone said that I had a warped sense of humour. I thought it was funny whilst there was much discussion as to what the syn value of each cake would be. One slice of the roulade is 3.5 and as you are allowed 15 syns a day that means another slice, or two. For those not familiar with Slimming World and its Syn values, a syn is a unit of points that you are allocated as extras to the huge amount of healthy food. It stops it from being boring and means you can eat naughty things in moderation.


Happy Stitching.

Love Shirley.x

18 comments:

  1. What....no pink? Phew, there is some further down the post, you had me worried there for a mo! lol
    Loving the little pincushion & yes it does make you smile just looking at it :)The hexie quilt is looking fab too! Good luck with the slimming, that roulade looks delish!

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  2. You have done well Shirley 19lbs is good just think if you had put that on.
    All the sewing you have been doing is helping burn calories too. You may have a way to go but every pound is nearer the goal.
    Gonna check Natalies book out and think your Petra Prins will be as delicious as that roulade.

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  3. You have been busy again. I love your house pin cushion. It really is cheery. Your dessert looks really nice, not at all "healthy". Congratulations on losing 10 lb! Well done.

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  4. You have red or pink in every single photo. I see definite love of a favorite color group.
    I enjoy seeing the new little pin cushion, your new fabrics, that amazing hexie project, and of course food is always a favorite in my eyes. Congrat's on the weight loss. (sorely needed here)

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  5. LOVE the little pincushion....Yummy cake..not diet food, but hey your allowed a treat.
    Congrats on your weight loss.
    Julia

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  6. Oh Shirley that is a really lovely pincushion and you have stitched it beautifully. Love all the "red stuff" and the sewing machine is a great addition to your studio. Congratulations on the 19 lbs and it sounds like a great way to approach weight loss. Take care.

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  7. I see I am not alone in thinking you had gone off pink, I should have known better! Was good to see you tonight, even if we didn`t get to chat much.

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  8. Scrumptious post. The pincushion is really cute. Many congratulations on the 19lbs.

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  9. Such a wonderful post so many georgious things..... especially that desert LOL. A friend just gave me her slimming world books I must give it a go, as I only fit into 1 pair of pants urrrrr.

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  10. Congratulations (again) on the loss. Naughty things in moderation sounds ideal :-) Love your unashamedly red post... scrumptiousness throughout and the pincushion is just gorgeous- I can see I will have to seek out the Red book too.

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  11. Congrats on the loss!

    Loving the red look ! It is my youngest's favourite colour!

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  12. The most wonderful looking pincushion I have seen in along time..:0)))))
    I see that this book is a must have..:0)

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  13. Love the pincushion Shirley and I too am in love with the colour red. I am so in love with your hexagon quilt, it is looking fantastic!

    Congratulations on losing 19lbs, you are doing really well and if that cake is ok to eat, then I want the recipe!

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  14. Dear Shirley,

    First and foremost; congratulations on losing so much weight. Goodness you should feel so proud of yourself. That roulade looks pretty delicious; raspberries, mmmmm.

    I found this post so uplifting. I love red too although it is not my favourite colour. I do recall feeling very joyful when I made my two red berry hares a few weeks back. I do return to red quite frequently. It's bold and passionate and that's not a bad way to be, I think. I love your new quilt name! Blood, sweat, and tears indeed!

    Stephanie

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  15. Weight is the bane of my existance. I ignore it! Good on you though for toughing it out in the summer season, such as it has been for you. the pictures in magazines are so not like our results are they?
    Love the hexies by the way as you keep going on those little suckers.
    Olympics on Sunday...doesn't get any better for us all!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Shirly,

      Thank you for your kind comment on my blog. I enjoyed it very much!

      Your roulade looks delicious and your pincushion very pretty! What an amazing sewing machine you have.

      Have a lovely evening,

      Madelief

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  16. You are a bad influence Shirley - I must have that book! Big quilt show this week end and guess what is on the shopping list. Your projects look great. Congratulations on your wonderful achievement in the weight loss. It is such a difficult thing to do but you have stuck at it with patience. So well done. And would you abandon 'pink'? I don't think so!

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  17. I was just looking at that book by Natalie Bird the other day...looks so tempting! My sewing area is red and pale green...so the projects would match quite nicely! :o)

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