Goodbye Sausage-Legs, hello Wellington-Girl...

Gosh, VV Rouleaux is obviously a favourite in everyone's book...and I can see why. Trying to narrow down my selection took at least half an hour... but once I'd finalised my choice even more reward was to come - what gorgeous bags they wrap it all up in! Here's some of my haul, photographed above, including a gorgeous little pin tin from Cath Kidston that I'd had my eye on for a while. I bought quite a few bits and pieces fabric-wise, but unfortunately won't be able to reveal specifics until after Christmas as some of the recipients cast their beady eyes over my blog occasionally.

I was slightly disappointed by John Lewis - pre-children, when I lived in London, I never really used to go up to the 4th floor fabrics, and instead would stick to the second floor where there are more upolstery-weight fabrics that were perfect for the projects I was doing at the time (rescuing and recovering chairs from skips...gosh, I miss black cabs - they are so perfectly sized for transporting such finds). However, seven years on and my skip-rooting side has more or less departed me, so I am now more suited to the fourth floor lighter-weight fabrics...what a disappointment though...how can they have so much space up there, yet such poor choice? I bought a wooden yard stick, confirmed for future knowledge that the second floor is still wonderful, and then was on my way. I had vague recollections that Berwick Street in Soho used to be good for fabrics...and it didn't disappoint.


Here is a picture of my favourite shop there: Cloth House, which was completely dreamy (although a little pricey)...further down the road I found silk shops, Borovik (where I bought some fabric for my mother's Christmas present and some fabulous suede remnants), and also The Fabric King (this actually had some good fabrics, but psychologically I had a mental block about buying from a shop with that name...it made me think of burgers and sweat shops).

I took the sausage boots back and successfully got my refund and then bought some new boots in Camper (horay!) - beautifully made, a size 35 (so hard to find) and just all round gorgeous...but alas on my return it was suggested to me that they actually looked like Wellingtons as they are a little gapey around the tops!!!! Ian says this is no bad thing as it is an obvious invitation to eat more in order to fatten up my legs...but while that mission could be fun, I really just want some nice boots to wear right NOW without having to eat 200 doughnuts to look right in them (and without having to buy new jeans to accommodate my extra middle)...oops, another trip to London then?

Anyway, boot crisis aside, my sewing machine is busy and I have a hundred ideas whizzing round my head for Christmas presents that I want to make; one of which involves decoupage, a technique I've always wanted learn. I saw this chair in the decopatch brochure and I think it would be the perfect way to do up an old mirror that I have that I have wanted to pass down to Zebra-girl.

I must also thank LucyKate who has nominated me for a SMILE award and in the process made me smile too! Thank you!!! I will pass it on when I find out how you find out who has already been nominated...if that makes sense!