I Meant To Do My Work Today

There used to be rules about dressing for the older ages. I remember the talk about old lady clothes and not wearing bright colours, etc.  Nobody wanted to be called mutton dressed up as lamb. Those old "rules" seem to have fallen away just like so many other things. Now it seems we need to know how to dress so we don't look old fashioned.
Like this advice, definitely British...
Avoid tweed skirt suits teamed with lace-up brogues...and anything crimplene."  I thought of Agatha Christie when I read this though I wonder what exactly is crimplene??? 
I was thinking about all this recently while looking about for a new good summer outfit.  We had/have several outings planned and my wardrobe has definitely slipped all the way to garden casual. I looked in the usual places and did not see anything a) suitable, or b) likeable.  I didn't even see anything I liked that could be called frumpy to have a mental debate about. I came home empty handed and thought, well that's a fine howdoyoudo. Trying to clothe myself going forward with no discernable style other than preferring black or white with the odd flowery blouse thrown in and definitely needing to feel comfortable is going to be a bit of a challenge it seems.  Anywhere online you are shopping and finding appropriately youngish old lady clothes?

I realize I do forget to show you the things I finish.  My interest lies more in the process I guess and that applies to my baking as well- once something is in the oven, I have a tendency to forget about it; have always had to use a timer.
 However, every time I take out my sunglass cloth pouch, I'm reminded I didn't show you this little project after it was done.  Anyone remember my kantha stitching efforts? I was using a small selection of Tula Pink fabrics and enjoying the stitching very much.

I did turn it into a useful item and in fact it is large enough for both my reading glasses and sunglasses to fit so I'm finding it very convenient.

I sewed it together with a little crossed stitched design that mimicked the pattern on the inside fabric.
You can find the whole project tutorial generously offered by Sara at Radiant Home Studio in this post.

I'm glad I chose to keep the Queen's face stitch free.
What do you think?  Would this make a good gift?  I really enjoyed making it and would make more for family possibly.

There are some surprising sights here at the wooden house. Recently we noticed a small fox trot confidently across the front driveways on several occasions. Then one day I spied this. He'd been in the pond because I watched through binnoculars as he shook his soaking wet fur and groomed himself. Then he very calmly lay down in the middle of the drive and took a nap!

While he was doing that, Hubby went to the net to look up rabies and this little guy definitely was not showing any of the signs other than an unusual level of comfort in front of the house. Since then, Rex was outside off leash with me on the veranda one morning when the fox appeared walking down the lane. Rex gave chase and the fox dived into a den in an ancient rock pile to the left of the big barn (the building he is in front of there). Rex was left wandering all around and couldn't figure out where it had disappeared to.
 I was happy the fox was safe but not worried.  Rex might think he can run fast but for such short distances these days, I knew the fox had nothing to fear.  We have glimpsed a fox down by the pond; not sure if it is this little guy though. But no more driveway siesta sightings since!

I also finished my Cornwall Cottage Sampler as mentioned before. It joins my little group of finishes that would be nice to see framed sometime. This was Karen Kluba's design, 294 x 294 stitches on Belfast linen, 32 ct cream. ( Bad photo: Taken in the sewing room which is either too sunny or too dark with shades drawn these days.)

I've picked Alicia Paulson's kit, Summer Storm, from her pretty site, Posie, that has all sorts of lovely things to stitch as my next project. After the sampler, I wanted something smaller to work on.  Perfect summer stitching actually.  You can read this post about middle of the night shopping when I bought it.

I've sorted the 31 colours of floss, made and labelled cardboard strips to hold and separate the strands. Though far fewer stitches than the last project, the tricky bit in this one will be keeping these shades straight. Pretty names- Cyclamen Pink, Beaver Gray, Nile Green

And made a beginning on the 32count French Country linen in Rain 258 colour ...no photo because it is literally just the bottom row of the quilt there which is where I chose to begin. There is nothing in the dead center which is where I normally make a start.
It is time for our monthly SAL update hosted by Avis at Sewing Beside the Sea. Projects are getting finished and new ones started; always interesting.  Here are the stitchy folks participating...
Avis, Claire, Gun, Carole, Sue, Constanze, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Cindy, Helen, Linda, Heidi, Jackie, Sunny, Hayley,Megan, Deborah, Clare, Mary Margaret, Renee, Jenny, Carmela, Jocelyn, Sharon

Yes, I've been feeling very distracted lately. So much garden time watching the blooms and bugs, the birds and the critters.  These summer time experiences have to be favoured over all other things for now.
                              
What are you favouring today?  Please do drop by and share it with me.
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