Me made march day 2 and a birthday

There's lots of chocolate cake left over. Sorry I cannot offer it via Internet.

Jellies...you cannot have a birthday without jellies

The boots - missed out of the main photo. My every day boots, love 'em.

Ahhh, that first cup of coffee....

I am not sure how long I will manage to keep up daily postings - not long I expect. This is my black sack, sorry shift, dress from the Built By Wendy Dresses book. I have come to like this dress as an everyday dress. Today I decided to try it with a belt as it is quite roomy and can give me that "Is she, isn't she?" pregnant look. (No I am not!) I have a few charity shop belts and need a bit of a kick to wear them. Could March also be Accessories month?

The helium balloon in the photos is left over from T's 8th birthday which was on Monday (hence the jellies). I cannot believe he is eight. My Mother in Law loves these balloons and buys several every birthday. I HATE THEM. I fall over them. We already have enough crap to trip over in this house. But the kids like them. I just think they will end up in landfill, choking some small animals. They seem so pointless. Am I a killjoy? BUT surprisingly my M.I.L. has offered to have them back after a suitable time period, she will deflate them and store them as she has...wait for it...a helium cannister to refill them on birthdays. Seriously, this woman has everything.

Any thoughts on helium balloons?

Ottobre magazine

Totally irrelevent cake picture, I just wanted to share virtually if not in real life! New Year's Day - friends came over to play and to eat cake and party food. I love making and eating party food. Yum, yum. Now back to sewing business....

I bought myself a christmas present - a two issue subscription to Ottobre magazine. (Cost 12.50 euros) What a treat when it arrived just before Christmas - it has several patterns for using knit fabrics which I hope to try out to expand my sewing knits experience. Plus it has some sportswear patterns (bottom row of the pictures, vest, hoodie and cropped trousers) - a big gap in my homemade wardrobe is exercise clothes. I used to do a lot of exercise before children and after I had one baby only. I went back to the gym last year and found my old sportswear kind of pitiful and a bit holey (that was the stuff that still fitted, my days of cropped gym vests are so over). I am hoping (if the babysitting works out) to join a free women's running group soon as I cannot afford the gym and I do get bored in there. So sewing sportwear is on my to-do list.

I did have a feverish moment on the sunday before Christmas, and I decided to cut out and make the wrap/scarf featured on the cover. I am always a sucker for easy quick patterns.

You are supposed to be able to wear it a multitude of ways but somehow on me I just look like I am wearing an odd piece of material. Closer inspection (and a quick visit to the Ottobre blog) showed the cover model is wearing two wraps over a matching longsleeved t shirt, thus creating the look of a draping top. I think it takes a certain kind of talent and stylishness to wear this as a top/ shawl. These are qualities I do not possess..

And so, I found I like wearing it best as a scarf, it is really light weight and good for warmer days. The light today is awful, really dull so I will try and get a better photo if and when it brightens up.

I am planning a giveaway soon, I just need to check the quality of the proposed items....