cooling down

Today wasn't so hot. Temperature wise that is. The cool change came through early. Ahhhh.

Of course the studio is still putridly hot but that's normal. I'm getting bits of stuff done but I just can't get in the 'zen' zone and so work feels like sloshing through goo. The new dresses are done and I spent this evening at home embroidering the belts on the wonky domestic machine, that I scored at the op shop sometime last year ( it is about to go back from whence it came), and I had a little helper. Jethro watched avidly as I stitched and he is now causing late- evening chaos. He keeps playing under the computer screen, poking at the keyboard, attempting to chew cords and fight the mouse, and skittles off when threatened with the mini-waterpistol (he's just popped out from behind the screen to tap me on the finger in encouragement as I had stopped typing).

I thought you were probably sick to death of Jethro photos (going through my picture files tonight I was a little embarrassed by all the kitten pics!) so I snapped a few photos off in the studio today. Stacks of fabric, fabric being cut up for cushions, details of dress fabric, that sort of thing.

This is the black cotton voile I've used for the new dress. It's a very simple summer frock with a scooped neck, tie belt, little cap sleeves and a floaty skirt. As I said very simple, kind of late 50s, early 60s feel in a way. The fabric border is embroidered and appliqued in white and I've stitch the white tape belt with black zigzags. The embroidery is sort of daggy in a nice monochromatic way. I've been longing to do a totally black and white range for quite a while. Then it morphed in my imagination into a black and cream/sepia range- I never seem to get all my ideas into production. I do have a smidge of the black/white happening at the moment though with this dress and a one-size loose checked linen dress in store- and the black linen pants (that I need to get more finished).

The surprise of the day happened though when I got home to find a parcel containing..............

.............sent to me by another TopGear tragic!

I have managed over the last year to keep my TopGear addiction strictly to watching on SBS. I have been seen sidling passed the TopGear stands in both JB and Borders, controlling the urge to buy every dvd AND the magazine. (I know, I know. And I've even secretly thought of going to the show in Sydney- but as James isn't going to be there I've decided it wouldn't be worth it. It wouldn't be the same though. I'm a purist about some things and TG is only on the small screen.) I do have to say that one of the best messages anyone has left me was from Anonymous (Vi and Jess) who were off to London and hoping to catch sight of one of the boys. It was a lovely message, about love and loss and laughter over three grown men acting like complete twats. That's TopGear for you.