I have decided to keep my cooking posts separate to this blog and have created a new blog called "SU-YUM!". The main reason for making a new blog for cooking is to create a personal resource which I can use to scan through or search for inspiration whenever I am desperately trying to decide what to have for dinner!!

Even though I'm building it purely for a personal reason I've decided to make it public so if you fancy checking it out then go here:

http://su-yum.blogspot.com/

Let me know if you try out any of the recipes and how you got on. Equally, if you have any amazing recipes you think I should try then, by all means, send them through!!!

xxx

P.S. Promise the pics of my sHirt sKirt is coming soon - just need to get some decent pics of me wearing it (no easy task I tells ya!)

P.P.S I made up a muslin for New Look 6902 over the weekend which turned out well. Perhaps a little big so I'll try to make the adjustments and then get down to sewing the 'real thing' soon - can't wait. I tell you, this sewing malarky is addictive! (Proof - I was all excited about getting home last night to sew when I got the puppy dog eyes from Sir who thought my time would be better spent sitting next to him while he watches his flippin NCIS (he's addicted!)...man was I in a foul mood that night! lol! But I know, I can't complain...I'm lucky to have someone who wants to spend his evenings with me!)

I'm back from my hols in France. We stayed in a gorgeous converted farmhouse on the edge of a tiny, but very quaint, french village to the south of the Loire Valley. The weather was a little disappointing (especially since they were having a bit of a heat wave back home - typical!) but we made up for it by eating - and boy did we eat! The diet went out the window for sure...so much cheese, baguettes and wine! And it was lovely playing with my niece and nephew who live in Australia and I only get to see once every 2-3 years.

Anyway, I thought I'd share a few of my very French photos:

Happy PURRSday folks!

Have you heard of Simon's Cat? If you haven't you have to check out http://www.simonscat.com/. If you own a cat, or have ever owned a cat you can't help but laugh at these cute cartoons - they capture the cheekiness of cats to a T!

My favourite has to be the original cartoon: Cat Man Do:

http://www.simonscat.com/catmando.html

Meow!

P.S. Desided to remove the video and just put in a link as the clip was too big for my blog and I couldn't get it smaller - twas v annoying!

Happy PURRSDAY everyone!
Meow Meow

Hooray! I am finally posting a finished item for the Pattern Challenge! I have to admit, it wasn't one of my 'goals' that I set out at the beginning of this challenge....but hopefully I can still include it!

Anyway, if you have been following the blog a little (and if so - thanks!!!!), then you will know that I have been sewing (for what seems like an eternity) a simple skirt. I used McCalls 2220:

• The pattern was pretty much easy to follow. A few things I was not 100% sure of, but I would put that down to this being the first pattern I have ever followed so the terminology is new to me. Luckily I have a mum who is a seasoned pro at sewing and she explained a lot for me

• The hardest part for me was definitely the waist band (of course - the rest is just straight lines on the machine!) - there were a few strong words exchanged between me, the sewing machine and the fabric at times when trying to join everything together on a curve...fun times! I also somehow ended up with the front button section NOT overlapping (eh?! How did that happen??!!)...so I made a little loop out of the red material and use that as the button closure. Ironically, it actually makes a nice feature and adds a nice pop of colour!

• The pattern doesn't include a contrasting band at the hem, but I decided that (after I had cut it out - tut tut) that it was too short for my liking. So I found a little bit of lovely red cotton in my stash and added it myself. The funny thing is that I wasn't really feeling the love for this skirt the whole way through making it, think to myself "well, I probably won't wear this as it's a bit boring but I'm making it to learn how to sew" - and as soon as I added the red band I totally fell for it! Amazing how adding one small thing can change something completely!

• The main negative I have for the skirt is that the dark blue cotton attracts white fluff like bees to honey and it gets crushed the moment you put it on which is a big pain.

Right, as I work 8-4 in an office most of my wardrobe for SSS will have to be 'business' attire and therefore I need to choose pieces accordingly. Luckily our dress-code isn't too strict so I won't have to make myself a full-blown tailored suit! I also have to remember that it will be September...in Belfast. Sometimes we may have to odd burst of sunshine but I think I need to prepare for wet and cold weather!
So what I think will help me get through SSS and ensure that I still look decent is:

1 or 2 pairs of trousers
Looking for patterns I have so far found:

If you didn't realise, last month was 'Me-Made-May' - didn't you know?! Thought up by the lovely Zoe from 'So, Zo...'. The concept was to go the whole month wearing only clothes which you have made yourself, or, a lighter version, to wear at least one thing made by yourself. I watched with great interest and admiration some of the many bloggers who partook in this event - there are a lot of talented seamstresses out there (for example Tasia from Sewaholic.net)!!! All very inspiring.

And now Zoe has announced a new project: Self-Stitched-September!



After some consideration and thought I ended up signing up for this project! Eek! Am I totally insane?! I have made one skirt in half a year....not very productive (and I haven't even posted about it yet - a disgrace no less!)...how will I cope with wearing at least one item of clothing every day which I have made myself? Hmmm....I may end up wearing that skirt to death I fear! But, I thought - why not? This is the perfect kick-up the bum I need to finally get all those ideas out of my head, through the sewing machine and onto my (slightly squidgy) body!!!

So therefore I announce:

'I, Suzanna Wilson at starfishesbelfast.blogspot.com, sign up as a participant of Self-Stitched-September. I endeavor to wear at least 1 handmade or refashioned item of clothing and/or accessories every day for the duration of September 2010'

Now comes the fun part...the part I am very good at....the thinking and the planning. Oh how I love the planning.....it's the carrying out of plans which I'm not so hot at!!

So tomorrow I'll post about my thoughts on what I will need in my Self-Stitched wardrobe (currently consisting of one skirt!) and what patterns I may be using.

xxx

Anyway...on to the main event. I LOVE cats. Unfortunately I don't have one of my own...so I have to live vicariously through other people's cats, cats I meet on the street...or cats related things I find on-line! So I'm making a feature day on my blog which will just have random wee things related to all things feline. (erm...Sorry if you hate cats!)


To kick start this feature day off I have to admit that I 'stole' my first image from another blog! Tsk tsk, I know. I've just discovered this lovely blog called Conversation Pieces, by the lovely Zoë over in Bonny Scotland (ahhh...I miss Edinburgh...went to Uni there). Her blog really is lovely so I recommend going over and checking it out. She shared with us last Friday a very funky bird box which she found on the Urban Outfitters site and when I saw it I laughed out loud! What a brilliant idea - I LOVE it!!!!