NaBloPoMo4 How much can I make in one day?

I am helping plan the open days for the Church of the Ascension, Bitterne Park building project. The church is converting and extending their existing building to make better use of the space and provide meeting rooms and a cafe for the local community. As we're nearly there with the building work, we're inviting people to come and have a look.

I'm looking after making a display on the Parish ebay account, the name the cafe competion, the steward's shirts, and a giant sign for the out side. After the meeting tonight, I got home and started sewing my sign. Appliquing on large letter in random pink and red fabrics to a bed sheet is tiring work. I had to round it up before I'd finished as it was bedtime, but I should finish it this evening. Then I need to find a marker pen that doesn't bleed so I can write the other information on it, having exhausted my scrap fabric supply.

I also need to create some logo designs for the new centre. It's all very exciting. I love being involved in a big project!

Posted via email from Alex E Jones

NaBloPoMo 3 - Fantastically Busy

Had a fantastically busy day today.

But the evening was joyous. I helped one of Tom's friends from college choose what style wedding veil she wanted.

And then I made it!

We went for a drop veil with a scalloped edge. Not too full on the head and with a comb. She's going to choose some beads to go in the scallops and then some to be scattered over the veil itself. She will make a lovely bride. I made a pretty box for her to keep it in as well as part of my trying to finish every job to the highest standard.

I used some of the offcuts to make a tulle bow for the box, and that got me inspired. I made a tiny tulle bow to go on a hair pin and I made
a birdcage veil with roses at the back. If anyone is interested in the bird cage veil let me know!

I may even start taking bespoke orders. It was sooooooo much fun. I really need to invest in some sewing scissors to make sure I can cut as cleanly as possible.

NaBloPoMo 2 - Hallowing the Small Things

One of my favourite lines of liturgy in the service used at my church is "may God hallow the small things" I think this is said after the offering is give but I may be wrong.

When researching for my dissertation I spent some time considering women's work in society in ancient times. One of the more charming ideas I came across are prayers and meditations on relating to the daily work of women. These effectively turned everyday tasks into worship.

Whether or not you are relgious, I think it is good to consider the work you do from housework to your career. It is good to work mindfully considering your actions and words. I think it helps me feel fulfilled in my life to think of even the littlest things being worth while and special.

I am someone who is quite slapdash with the finish of things. I'll knit somthing carefully, then sew it up quickly because I want it finished. I'll cook nice food but serve it sloppily because I'm hungry. Obviously, this doesn't lead to the best results, mearly good enough results. So carefully considering what I do as I do it helps me see my task to it's conclusion

NaBloPoMo 2 - Hallowing the Small Things

One of my favourite lines of liturgy in the service used at my church is "may God hallow the small things" I think this is said after the offering is give but I may be wrong.

When researching for my dissertation I spent some time considering women's work in society in ancient times. One of the more charming ideas I came across are prayers and meditations on relating to the daily work of women. These effectively turned everyday tasks into worship.

Whether or not you are relgious, I think it is good to consider the work you do from housework to your career. It is good to work mindfully considering your actions and words. I think it helps me feel fulfilled in my life to think of even the littlest things being worth while and special.

I am someone who is quite slapdash with the finish of things. I'll knit somthing carefully, then sew it up quickly because I want it finished. I'll cook nice food but serve it sloppily because I'm hungry. Obviously, this doesn't lead to the best results, mearly good enough results. So carefully considering what I do as I do it helps me see my task to it's conclusion

Posted via email from Alex E Jones

NaBloPoMo 1 - Pumpkin

The first of November saw me tidying up party food and drinks at the Chaplaincy dressed at Kaylee from Firefly. I'd had the most charming afternoon sewing two pairs of combat trousers in to a khaki jumpsuit, finding an purple patterned top and twirling my hair into two bedknobs. I'd also made pumpkin rock cakes and pumpkin bread for the SCM pumkpin party.

Alas I didn't win the bake off, but I enjoyed dressing Tom as Book and Lula as Inara from Firefly and watching fun films with the SCM crowd.

Today, Tom and I went to church at St. Christophers in Thornhill, the parish with which the Southampton SCM has a link. The church family at St. Christophers really feels like a family, everyone knowing everyone else's name and people coming to the service especially to see us again and catch up since our last visit. We had a lovely lunch with the vicar and his wife and the curate and discussed everything from the X Factor to Nuclear Physics.

I found it especially interesting talking to Anne about being a vicar's wife. Tom might be going to be a vicar, so I may end up a vicar's wife. She said that you have to throw yourself into it wholeheartedly to get the most of it, and it is hard having a husband who cannot commit to any family event. Nevertheless the benefits are enormous and it is extremely rewarding. It's something that fills me slightly with dread, as if I am honest with myself, I am quite selfish. I like to have time alone to do me things, and I like to spend time with Tom alone at least once a week. Still, nothing is certain yet, so I should have plenty of time to get used to the idea if it is going to happen.

Now I think I shall knit a little more and go do some pilates.

Posted via email from Alex E Jones

NaBloPoMo 1 - Pumpkin

The first of November saw me tidying up party food and drinks at the Chaplaincy dressed at Kaylee from Firefly. I'd had the most charming afternoon sewing two pairs of combat trousers in to a khaki jumpsuit, finding an purple patterned top and twirling my hair into two bedknobs. I'd also made pumpkin rock cakes and pumpkin bread for the SCM pumkpin party.

Alas I didn't win the bake off, but I enjoyed dressing Tom as Book and Lula as Inara from Firefly and watching fun films with the SCM crowd.

Today, Tom and I went to church at St. Christophers in Thornhill, the parish with which the Southampton SCM has a link. The church family at St. Christophers really feels like a family, everyone knowing everyone else's name and people coming to the service especially to see us again and catch up since our last visit. We had a lovely lunch with the vicar and his wife and the curate and discussed everything from the X Factor to Nuclear Physics.

I found it especially interesting talking to Anne about being a vicar's wife. Tom might be going to be a vicar, so I may end up a vicar's wife. She said that you have to throw yourself into it wholeheartedly to get the most of it, and it is hard having a husband who cannot commit to any family event. Nevertheless the benefits are enormous and it is extremely rewarding. It's something that fills me slightly with dread, as if I am honest with myself, I am quite selfish. I like to have time alone to do me things, and I like to spend time with Tom alone at least once a week. Still, nothing is certain yet, so I should have plenty of time to get used to the idea if it is going to happen.

Now I think I shall knit a little more and go do some pilates.

I like this Issuu thing!

Make your pdfs into books you can scroll through online!

I like this Issuu thing!

Posted via web from Alex E Jones

Weddingy things

I have been really enjoying planning the flowers for the wedding. We've found a lovely Southampton florist called Jackie who has been really helpful.

I have also been drooling over flowers on the Flower Design St Annes's Blog. Their stuff is amazing. I didn't realise how much I enjoy greenery and foliage in flower arrangements, so we're going to be including lots of green and structural textures.

The red bouquet is my inspiration at the moment on shape and style. The lovely Ruth leant me her wedding planning scrapbook and this bouquet caught my eye.

Jess came down to stay last weekend and we had a fantastic time. We went to dinner at Dock O the Bay, one of our possible reception venues. The food there was awesome, and we had a great evening with Louisa chatting away and sounding like food critics. Jess is making our wedding cake and she had brought us 7 different cakes to try. It is such a hardship this getting married malarky. We had:
Maderia Cake
Lemon Maderia Cake
Chocolate Maderia Cake
Rich Chocolate Cake
Chocolate Celebration Cake
Light Fruit Cake
Dark Fruit Cake.

Tom was surprised as he liked the light fruitcake, normally being a fruitcake hater. So we're having a large light fruit cake tier, a maderia cake tier, a chocolate tier of some kind and a rich fruitcake tier. Tom wants to do the thing where you keep the top tier for your first born's christening. This from a chap who doesn't want children for 7 years or something! The top tier will be a very alcoholic rich fruit cake then....

I have also been experimenting with wedding hair. I'm not sure if I want it up or down, but I liked this chignon I created.

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Posted via email from Alex E Jones

Weddingy things

I have been really enjoying planning the flowers for the wedding. We've found a lovely Southampton florist called Jackie who has been really helpful.

I have also been drooling over flowers on the Flower Design St Annes's Blog. Their stuff is amazing. I didn't realise how much I enjoy greenery and foliage in flower arrangements, so we're going to be including lots of green and structural textures.

The red bouquet is my inspiration at the moment on shape and style. The lovely Ruth leant me her wedding planning scrapbook and this bouquet caught my eye.

Jess came down to stay last weekend and we had a fantastic time. We went to dinner at Dock O the Bay, one of our possible reception venues. The food there was awesome, and we had a great evening with Louisa chatting away and sounding like food critics. Jess is making our wedding cake and she had brought us 7 different cakes to try. It is such a hardship this getting married malarky. We had:
Maderia Cake
Lemon Maderia Cake
Chocolate Maderia Cake
Rich Chocolate Cake
Chocolate Celebration Cake
Light Fruit Cake
Dark Fruit Cake.

Tom was surprised as he liked the light fruitcake, normally being a fruitcake hater. So we're having a large light fruit cake tier, a maderia cake tier, a chocolate tier of some kind and a rich fruitcake tier. Tom wants to do the thing where you keep the top tier for your first born's christening. This from a chap who doesn't want children for 7 years or something! The top tier will be a very alcoholic rich fruit cake then....

I have also been experimenting with wedding hair. I'm not sure if I want it up or down, but I liked this chignon I created.

One of my fave pieces of music

c9b9ab1674c902ae3d758a449887baa7.mp3

Hallelujah by the Vitamin String??? Quartet , a cover of the song by Paramore

One of my fave pieces of music

listen on posterous

Hallelujah by the Vitamin String Quartet , a cover of the song by Paramore

Posted via email from Alex E Jones

You look where they look | UsableWorld by @jamesbreeze

via usableworld.com.au

So if I point a face at my key text, people will read it? Awesome!

You look where they look | UsableWorld by @jamesbreeze

via usableworld.com.au

So if I point a face at my key text, people will read it? Awesome!

Posted via web from Alex E Jones

Autumn Veg Bake

I invented this at last night to use up what we had in the fridge. Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 slice stale bread
1/4 large marrow
1 ear of fresh corn or one can of sweetcorn
2 large carrots
2 tbs flour
2 tbs butter
2 chicken legs
Milk
Cheese
Mustard
Salt and Pepper

Equipment:

Saucepan
Oven Proof Dish
Bowl
Slotted spoon
Wooden spoon
Oven

Method:

Pre heat oven to 150 degrees C

Peel the carrots and boil, remove from water with slotted spoon and
put in oven proof dish with corn.

If using fresh corn, cut the corn off the cob.

Place chicken in water from carrots and boil until cooked. This can be
done in the microwave. Shred and add to oven proof dish.

Peel marrow, remove seeds, and then use vegetable peeler to peel
strips of marrow like taglietelle. Add to oven proof dish. Season
contents of dish with salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.

Toast bread and then crumble in a bowl.

Make cheese sauce by melting butter and adding flour to form a roux.
When golden, add milk slowly and stir over a low heat until all milk
has been absorbed and a thick sauce is created. Take off heat

Add 2 tsps mustard to sauce and grate cheese into sauce. Stir and
taste, if not cheesey enough grate more cheese in.

Pour sauce over content of dish, sprinkle breadcrumbs on top add more
salt and pepper, then grate more cheese on top.

Bake in oven for 45 min - 1hr or until crust is golden and contents is bubbling

Autumn Veg Bake

I invented this at last night to use up what we had in the fridge. Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 slice stale bread
1/4 large marrow
1 ear of fresh corn or one can of sweetcorn
2 large carrots
2 tbs flour
2 tbs butter
2 chicken legs
Milk
Cheese
Mustard
Salt and Pepper

Equipment:

Saucepan
Oven Proof Dish
Bowl
Slotted spoon
Wooden spoon
Oven

Method:

Pre heat oven to 150 degrees C

Peel the carrots and boil, remove from water with slotted spoon and
put in oven proof dish with corn.

If using fresh corn, cut the corn off the cob.

Place chicken in water from carrots and boil until cooked. This can be
done in the microwave. Shred and add to oven proof dish.

Peel marrow, remove seeds, and then use vegetable peeler to peel
strips of marrow like taglietelle. Add to oven proof dish. Season
contents of dish with salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.

Toast bread and then crumble in a bowl.

Make cheese sauce by melting butter and adding flour to form a roux.
When golden, add milk slowly and stir over a low heat until all milk
has been absorbed and a thick sauce is created. Take off heat

Add 2 tsps mustard to sauce and grate cheese into sauce. Stir and
taste, if not cheesey enough grate more cheese in.

Pour sauce over content of dish, sprinkle breadcrumbs on top add more
salt and pepper, then grate more cheese on top.

Bake in oven for 45 min - 1hr or until crust is golden and contents is bubbling

Posted via email from Alex E Jones

On a Mission to Make a Tiny Tortoise

I am on a mission to make a tiny tortoise before tomorrow morning.

It's going to be a cross between:

http://www.fortheloveofyarn.com/Issues/Spring06/patterns/spring06_seaturtle.shtml

and

http://www.sociallyskilled.com/sps/Free_Patterns_files/Mini_Turtle.pdf

What a fabulous weekend we've had. Tom's nephew, Rich and his lovely
fiancee Clair came to stay, and we had fun with them. We went to the
Eastleigh Lakeside Railway, where Tom and Rich had spent many a happy
hour as children. Then Tom took us on a wild goose chase around Totton
looking for a nature reserve. We eventually found it, and trying to
avoid stray cows and pylons we saw the marshlands, reeds and not very
many birds. Then it was off to Pulchinellas in Carlton Place for a
very reasonably priced and delicious meal.

On the Sunday we had a massive breakfast, dashed off to church, and
returned for a massive lunch. It was the children's service at church
and the curate ran a chaotic but fun Sukkot based service with tent,
fruit and wordsearches for all. It was very fun! I loved our lunch,
laughing at Rich's jokes, and eating yummy roast pork. The sunday
afternoon was joyous too. We sat around chatting, and after waving
goodbye to Rich and Clair, Lula and john stayed until the evening. I
know John wasn't very well, but despite that it felt really homely and
cosy, watching telly and doing work. We even had leftovers and clear
out the fridge tea, just like I used to do when I was little.

On Monday night, Tom and I had Jive, where we learnt the Yoyo, on
Tuesday night, I went to see my friend Fran and had a good girly catch
up and on Wed i hada driving lesson in the morning and went to the gym
in the evening. Getting the bus home in the pouring rain on Wed and
trudging through the dark and twinkling lights reflecting in the
raindrop made me feel 10 again. We used to walk home from town having
been to some club, with a portion of salty vinegery chips shared
between my sisters, myself and my mum. Warm paper in cold hands,
licking salt from your fingers, and rushing, walking towards home.

On a mission to make a tiny tortoise

I am on a mission to make a tiny tortoise before tomorrow morning.

It's going to be a cross between:

http://www.fortheloveofyarn.com/Issues/Spring06/patterns/spring06_seaturtle.s...

and

http://www.sociallyskilled.com/sps/Free_Patterns_files/Mini_Turtle.pdf

What a fabulous weekend we've had. Tom's nephew, Rich and his lovely
fiancee Clair came to stay, and we had fun with them. We went to the
Eastleigh Lakeside Railway, where Tom and Rich had spent many a happy
hour as children. Then Tom took us on a wild goose chase around Totton
looking for a nature reserve. We eventually found it, and trying to
avoid stray cows and pylons we saw the marshlands, reeds and not very
many birds. Then it was off to Pulchinellas in Carlton Place for a
very reasonably priced and delicious meal.

On the Sunday we had a massive breakfast, dashed off to church, and
returned for a massive lunch. It was the children's service at church
and the curate ran a chaotic but fun Sukkot based service with tent,
fruit and wordsearches for all. It was very fun! I loved our lunch,
laughing at Rich's jokes, and eating yummy roast pork. The sunday
afternoon was joyous too. We sat around chatting, and after waving
goodbye to Rich and Clair, Lula and john stayed until the evening. I
know John wasn't very well, but despite that it felt really homely and
cosy, watching telly and doing work. We even had leftovers and clear
out the fridge tea, just like I used to do when I was little.

On Monday night, Tom and I had Jive, where we learnt the Yoyo, on
Tuesday night, I went to see my friend Fran and had a good girly catch
up and on Wed i hada driving lesson in the morning and went to the gym
in the evening. Getting the bus home in the pouring rain on Wed and
trudging through the dark and twinkling lights reflecting in the
raindrop made me feel 10 again. We used to walk home from town having
been to some club, with a portion of salty vinegery chips shared
between my sisters, myself and my mum. Warm paper in cold hands,
licking salt from your fingers, and rushing, walking towards home.

Wedding Shoes

The excellent FH bought me the shoes I've been lusting after as a birthday present!

That's money off the wedding budget for sure.

Here they are: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Irregular-Choice-Cortesan-Floral-Bar/dp/B000UGXZYM/re...

I am very excited by them - surprisingly comfortable!

Wedding Shoes

The excellent FH bought me the shoes I've been lusting after as a birthday present!

That's money off the wedding budget for sure.

Here they are: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Irregular-Choice-Cortesan-Floral-Bar/dp/B000UGXZYM/ref=pop?ie=UTF8&ssv=color_name%3AGreen

I am very excited by them - surprisingly comfortable!

Posted via email from Alex E Jones