tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89797041611939795402024-02-19T17:15:25.356+00:00MissDemeanourRehanon Mackenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254101143980010676noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8979704161193979540.post-74296528017754977192017-09-13T04:38:00.000+01:002017-09-19T04:46:00.964+01:00Doubled crossed and crossing borders aka Bridget Jones travels from Nicaragua to Costa Rica<div style="color: #1d2129; font-family: 'SF Optimized', system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, '.SFNSText-Regular', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The story so far....</td></tr>
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Oof what a day yesterday was as they say in these parts, "qué horrible!" <span class="_5mfr _47e3" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 0; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle;"><img alt="" class="img" height="16" role="presentation" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/fee/1/16/1f611.png" style="border: 0px; vertical-align: -3px;" width="16" /><span class="_7oe" style="display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0px; width: 0px;">😑</span></span> it was border crossing day but I generally quite like doing it. It makes me feel intrepid and I love a stamp. Oh but yesterday was a doozie though it has a good ending though so that's something. </div>
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Yesterday I left Ometepe to make for Tamarindo in Costa Rica. I have a week whistling through here and Panama before I fly to Colombia next Friday. Anywho I digress.</div>
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As you know my Nicaraguan love affair is well documented despite obvious reservations about leaving somewhere that make me so happy I was up bright and breezy to catch the ferry to the mainland. I had actually been up since half 3, thank you wildlife of Ometepe. Problems began when on said ferry I realised the weird plugs in Ometepe had only charged my phone a bit. I decided not to worry about it as there was a waiting room at the port and I thought I had plenty of time. </div>
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I ended up chatting to a lovely lady from Tijuana who gave me some good tips for Costa Rica and Panama. It was foggy on the boat and I have a tan so while I was caught up chatting I didn't worry about suncream. By the time we got to the other side my nose was bit red and shoulders tight. Great combo with a heavy bag <span class="_5mfr _47e3" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 0; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle;"><img alt="" class="img" height="16" role="presentation" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/fbf/1/16/1f62c.png" style="border: 0px; vertical-align: -3px;" width="16" /><span class="_7oe" style="display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0px; width: 0px;">😬</span></span> so I'm now suburned with a cold. So much in keeping with my usual summer spent at British music festivals. </div>
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I got to San Jorge and found a plug and that's when it all started to go nuts. Between here and Rivas a town synonymous with bad travel stories there are so many hustlers. I can now put myself in with said stories. However, a woman once told me that where mind goes energy goes. She was a bit left of the middle about most stuff but I think this rings true. As I was thinking bloody Rivas I know so many bad stories about it blah, blah, gah! </div>
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The taxi drivers descended as I was charging but found more willing victims. One persistent fella kept telling me I needed to get going as there were festivals for next two days in Nicaragua and Costa Rica and the border would be shut for a bit and crazy before and after. I smiled just wishing him thanks for the info. He wasn't lying. Always do a festival check before travelling is now on my travel tips list. </div>
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Anyway when I'd got a bit of charge I jumped into an awaiting taxi with the least cray driver and hot footed to Rivas. On arrival the bus conductor said it would be an hour before the bus left. So I chucked my big bag on and went in search of snacks and a printer to save money as apparently Costa Rica won't accept proof of travel on an email, go figure. Trying to save money ending up costing me $35 or thereabouts. </div>
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The reason being when I got back to station about 30 mins later the bus had already gone! It would seem my bag was keener than me to get to its next destination. I remained calm though my face didn't. This alerted another hustler taxi driver who in fact turned out to be a saviour. I explained what happened and he said he'd drive me to the border for $16 and we would catch up with bus and I would be reunited with my bag. Deal!</div>
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I now know what it is like to be in a high speed pursuit situation. He even had a police type siren for when we were overtaking, I kid you not. We got to the border in no time only to discover the bus and my bag had diverted to the border town of Cardenas another good distance away. I still remained calmed and we agreed on a new price of $25. On the siren went again and 20 mins later I was reunited with my bag. </div>
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The only trouble was I only had $20 dollars on me and a few cords for the bus I would have been catching. Just to put the tin hat on it the ATM at the border wouldn't accept my card that doesn't charge and so there was a hurried few minutes of swapping stuff round and ignoring astronomical charges as I paid the man and sent him on his way (at high speed). </div>
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I thought that's it there's the drama done with but no it comes in threes. I strode happily to the border guard smiling who took one look at my passport and said you've overstayed your visa and you're being fined. In my very best Spanish I said on but I arrived on 13th June and I'm leaving on 13th September. To which he replied yes and that's 92 days as some months are longer than others, which is the same as your country if not mistaken. I laughed he did not <span class="_5mfr _47e3" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 0; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle;"><img alt="" class="img" height="16" role="presentation" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/f4/1/16/1f60f.png" style="border: 0px; vertical-align: -3px;" width="16" /><span class="_7oe" style="display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0px; width: 0px;">😏</span></span> I am an idiot you don't need to say it. So cue more charging and cash withdrawals as you have to pay the fine in cordobas not colones and the exit fee in dollars. </div>
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Following another wait where I continued to smile respectfully at the guard who wasn't saying anything or giving me my passport back. No emotion from him just heavy typing and stamping. Eventually he gave it back with a tight smile. I like to think I wore him down but in all honesty it was probably wind. </div>
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I then had a few minutes walking and saying no thanks to everyone trying to get me on a Nica bus and/or tell me I had to pay for an immigration form (you don't). The final man in immigration was actually very nice and let me pass without incident. At this point my battery was only on 2% but I know all I needed to do was get one bus to Liberia and immediately change to Tamarindo. Hahaha the bliss of being unaware. </div>
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The bus came and I got on. It was going slowly so I thought oh I'll watch a film there's plenty of time. I'm tired, a little red, a bit sore and have no idea where I am so yeah the obvious choice is to watch Forrest Gump, which always makes me cry. During the course of the film the bus kept getting stopped for security checks and then a massive storm broke out and we moved ever slower. </div>
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The expected tears came as Forrest is out running. The man across from me told me not to worry and we would sleep on the bus if needs be. In my rapture I hadn't realised we'd ground to halt in the middle of nowhere in the pitch black. I explained it was the film that set me off and he was a bit confused but happy I was smiling through my tears. </div>
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At one point we did think we'd be stuck out all night but eventually the bus wound into Liberia but my chances of getting to Tamarindo had departed sometime before. So night time, storm, no phone, some kindle battery but there in the darkness were the bright lights of a huge Pali (supermarket) and my refuge. </div>
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I was thinking that Costa Rica wasn't so keen on having me and to be fair I wasn't feeling so keen on being there. However a nice member of staff took pity on me and let me sit down and charge my phone. He also told me where I could stay cheaply for the night. </div>
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Once I'd renewed myself with a little sit down I marched out into the night in search of the hostel. It was just round the corner and my welcome more than made up for the shitty stick of the day. The owner ushered me in and hugged me hello. I put down my bag she turned the music up and taught m some salsa moves <span class="_5mfr _47e3" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 0; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle;"><img alt="" class="img" height="16" role="presentation" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/fd2/1/16/1f604.png" style="border: 0px; vertical-align: -3px;" width="16" /><span class="_7oe" style="display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0px; width: 0px;">😄</span></span> I like to think she knew I needed a little pick me up or maybe this the way she greets all guests. Either way <span class="_5mfr _47e3" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 0; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle;"><img alt="" class="img" height="16" role="presentation" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/f77/1/16/1f44d_1f3fb.png" style="border: 0px; vertical-align: -3px;" width="16" /><span class="_7oe" style="display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0px; width: 0px;">👍🏻</span></span><span class="_5mfr _47e3" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 0; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle;"><img alt="" class="img" height="16" role="presentation" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/f77/1/16/1f44d_1f3fb.png" style="border: 0px; vertical-align: -3px;" width="16" /><span class="_7oe" style="display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0px; width: 0px;">👍🏻</span></span> up from me. </div>
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Anyway after a shower and a hairbrush. Amazing how something so small as giving the do a brush makes me feel a millions time better. I headed back to the Pali and bought the two things I said I wouldn't be having this week, beer and choc. Fuck it life happened. No regrets!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I regret nothing.</td></tr>
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This morning I was a whole new woman and I found a bus and I'm currently enjoying a large cup of Yorkshire Gold and a few biscuits in the middle of an epic storm. Janis J is on in the back ground and all is well that ends well <span class="_5mfr _47e3" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 0; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle;"><img alt="" class="img" height="16" role="presentation" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/fb6/1/16/1f44c_1f3fb.png" style="border: 0px; vertical-align: -3px;" width="16" /><span class="_7oe" style="display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0px; width: 0px;">👌🏻</span></span><span class="_5mfr _47e3" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 0; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle;"><img alt="" class="img" height="16" role="presentation" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/f57/1/16/1f609.png" style="border: 0px; vertical-align: -3px;" width="16" /></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tea heals fact (as the kids say).</td></tr>
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Lessons learned:</div>
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Check for festivals when travelling.<br />Count days not dates.<br />Make sure your phone is actually charging.<br />Wear suncream even in fog in hot countries.<br />Get snacks before the bus.<br />Sometimes believe taxi drivers.<br />Carry all types of cash but dollars especially.<br />Draw a simple map of places before destination with possible options for accommodation.<br />It's good to be unapologetically British at times.<br />Don't watch highly emotional films when you're highly emotional and have no idea where you're going on a bus in a country you don't know.<br />Always say yes when offered a salsa lesson.<br />It's okay to change your route and take a bit longer. You get there in end. <br />Oh and a good night's sleep and a cup of strong tea can erase a great deal of meh and pull the happy back in. </div>
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I think they say pura vida in this neck of the woods and on that note I hear a beer and hammock calling <span class="_5mfr _47e3" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 0; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle;"><img alt="" class="img" height="16" role="presentation" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/f57/1/16/1f609.png" style="border: 0px; vertical-align: -3px;" width="16" /><span class="_7oe" style="display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0px; width: 0px;">😉</span></span> <span class="_5mfr _47e3" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 0; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle;"><img alt="" class="img" height="16" role="presentation" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/f15/1/16/1f37a.png" style="border: 0px; vertical-align: -3px;" width="16" /></span></div>
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Besitos chicos xxx</div>
Rehanon Mackenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254101143980010676noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8979704161193979540.post-75842692774374494512017-07-31T06:42:00.003+01:002017-07-31T06:42:39.566+01:00Hola! Bienvenido to a kind of different Miss Demeanour aka a woman of a certain age on the loose in Latin America, what can possibly go wrong?<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can expect the same amount of ridiculous but just in more exotic climes.</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Dear reader,</span></div>
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I come to you from the Northern Highlands of Nicaragua. More precisely Nicaragua's liberal coffee capital, Matagalpa. You maybe thinking say what? I thought she lived in Brighton and this blog was meant to be about sewing (though of late a lot of politics albeit very sporadic). You would be correct on both counts. What can I say life got in the way as inevitably it always does. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcm_bGjD_dZ-akUSUxbGhqCO0R5yvhGr4xCucakf9M2t1QxYPix234c3m-SERC-aWawWD9Cl_0SnYgj3ejw1dEYf036uoQoKaUAk5VeRM42KAAcRHgLOZQwyqOJ5JOCs_BgnOQYzM-hyI6/s1600/13645156_10157068701975403_7593121164643849274_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcm_bGjD_dZ-akUSUxbGhqCO0R5yvhGr4xCucakf9M2t1QxYPix234c3m-SERC-aWawWD9Cl_0SnYgj3ejw1dEYf036uoQoKaUAk5VeRM42KAAcRHgLOZQwyqOJ5JOCs_BgnOQYzM-hyI6/s320/13645156_10157068701975403_7593121164643849274_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Johnny, my lovely old rogue of an uncle. He was always fully in support of my wandering and wondering. I know he's out there now at the edge of every sunset. Raising a glass and wishing me well.</td></tr>
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I was actually going to really get back into blogging when this trip originally began in December 2016 in Mexico. I'd mentioned previously I was spending half a year whistling through Central American and down the West Coast of South America. Again life is what happens when you're busy making plans. I was 6 weeks into that trip when my Uncle got very sick and we sadly lost him at the end of January. I went home to say my earthly goodbyes in February with the intention of returning and finishing what I started. So I was at home for a few months and back working with the goodest of good eggs in social housing and now I'm here. I actually flew back out to Nicaragua on the day I would have been flying home so I just feel like this trip is ebbing and flowing just like the rest of my life.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizwFew1MiMx5hXeJpJBZ3l0V4JtP41f_GVZSjLvIaMq8IXDTTkxQzqzgtfewSrNMq9iRsk5pPmQVJb67T4iVJp_5Qwp_lnjYXnsdg4l-ahL1o8LelHzbKWSFOsAltUYYu3MvZKaG3cufS-/s1600/iamwt_motto.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="304" data-original-width="607" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizwFew1MiMx5hXeJpJBZ3l0V4JtP41f_GVZSjLvIaMq8IXDTTkxQzqzgtfewSrNMq9iRsk5pPmQVJb67T4iVJp_5Qwp_lnjYXnsdg4l-ahL1o8LelHzbKWSFOsAltUYYu3MvZKaG3cufS-/s320/iamwt_motto.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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You maybe thinking what will I be writing about if not sewing. Well there may still be some crafts in here along the way as Latin America is rich with artisans. However, writing was my first craft long before anything else so I've decided to properly document my travels. I know many of you follow my ramblings on various other social media, which I have been dutifully filling with my wanderings and so I did wonder if a blog was overkill. I decided it wasn't because as I started to think about writing about this trip so many words were flooding into my head that I knew Facebook statuses just wouldn't cut it. Then I remembered on of my favourite quotes (above) from one of my favourite writers, Anais Nin and my mind was made up. So these wafflings will be as much a memory box for me as anything else. Who knows maybe it'll be the start of a book? Though fear not darlings I will aim to keep things entertaining for you the readers. As well I hope I can impart some useful information on travelling Latin America. At the very least there'll be the usual unplanned nudity and errant shoe stories, which seem to provide a good laugh.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A travel hero of mine who had a great deal of common sense.</td></tr>
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I did also wonder about starting a whole new site for travel related adventures but I know some people have been reading this blog since the beginning and I don't see my travelling as separate from the rest of my life but more another chapter. As well I tended to often intersperse my sewing with a large amount of what else was going on in my world and that seemed to be what people liked. So I say give the people what they want! That said I also delayed getting on with it because I now have a backlog of adventures to write about whilst now on this one. I thought about it long and hard and that caused me to do nothing so today I kicked my own ass (the quote above helped) and this post is the result of that. I figure for a while I'll post in real time as well as historical posts and you can be as confused as I am. Hopefully it'll just be a few weeks of swinging backwards and forwards for me to catch up and then we can be in sync. Though again this could all be wishful thinking on my part. </div>
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It's nearly 11.30pm in Matagalpa and there's a good chance my heavy handed typing is keeping a few people awake in the hostel so I'll bid you adieu. I'm up early in the morning to head to my next destination, San Rafael del Sur where I'll be volunteering as a vegan cook and a gardener in a yoga ashram for the next 3 weeks. That darlings will a story for another post entirely.</div>
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Until next time darlings.</div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Miss Demeanour in dispatches xxx</span></div>
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Rehanon Mackenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254101143980010676noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8979704161193979540.post-23843667981890217152017-06-08T17:54:00.000+01:002017-06-08T17:57:30.257+01:00General election 2017 special - FUCK THE TORIES - Get out and vote!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I watched this programme at 5am this morning and it triggered a lot of stuff in me about Brexit and the election.</div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">http://www.channel4.com/programmes/grayson-perry-divided-britain</span></span></div>
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If you get a chance at all in the next few hours if you're undecided or thinking of not voting this is so worth a watch. I bloody love Grayson. He's not only one of the best artists of our time he's also an incredible social commentator. Before you're like, "oh ruddy on about art load of old nonsens", it's more than that he loves people they're at the heart of all of his work. His ability to draw people out and understand what it means to be human is incredible. If I was governing this country I'd get him to go out and work out what people really need/want.</div>
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I figure whilst we still have time in case anyone hasn't voted I'll carry on waffling. The joy of social media means you can tune in and check out babies, cats, tea or who's on the make in Love Island or you can read this <span class="_47e3 _5mfr" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 0; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle;" title="smile emoticon"><img alt="" aria-hidden="1" class="img" height="16" src="https://www.facebook.com/images/emoji.php/v9/f4c/1/16/1f642.png" style="border: 0px; vertical-align: -3px;" width="16" /><span aria-hidden="1" class="_7oe" style="display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0px; width: 0px;">:)</span></span></div>
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So Brexit - the big old whiff that's been hanging round this election or the country in general since last year. It's still painful to me however I realise in some form or another it's going to happen. In the programme he examines leavers and remainers. I'm now not ashamed of my grief about the decision. Grief by it's nature isn't always logical and it presents differently for everyone. I'm allowed to be sad about it but at the same understand we need to move forward together for the good of all of us and I include in that those of us that are living elsewhere in the EU and those neighbours of ours from the EU living here.</div>
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What Grayson highlights in the programme is the emotion on both sides, which was ignored in the light of facts. The leave group found a lot of their identity in being from where there from and they felt they were losing that and I'm not going to judge a person on their feelings. I think for me I differ and this is in no way a slight at those people that voted leave. I'm to quote the suffragettes more "deeds not words".</div>
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By that I mean I don't feel being British (from this piece of land) defines me as such, however parts of the British "nature" make me enormously proud. Our sense of humour is incredible in fact people remark on it all over the world. You'll see it in this programme. I think Grayson's ability to revel in the oddities of people is why he's so good at what he does.</div>
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This leads me nicely on to my next point I absolutely believe our ability to laugh at ourselves is key to why we are good at coping. That said we have made a dangerous mistake in laughing at Boris Johnson. The man is not a funny clown. He's a calculating bastard who doesn't care about ordinary people. The day after the decision came and even if it was the one you wanted I imagine there was trepidation as the government imploded and people on both sides were running round not knowing what to do. What was Boris doing? He was playing fucking cricket. He didn't give a shit then and he doesn't now.</div>
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If he did care he wouldn't be on the national television news blowing kisses at other candidates or shouting up at the ceiling to avoid questions. He makes me ashamed of where I'm from and I know I'm not alone in this. The thought of him going to talk in Brussels to negotiate the best deal for everyone is horrifying. You can imagine can't you? Oh sorry Boris we are out of biscuits with the tea break...*throws nearest person out of the window*</div>
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I wouldn't trust that man to negotiate his way out of a room with the door wide open.</div>
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Then we go onto our tinpot Thatcher, Theresa May. I've been trying to avoid her as much as I can because she makes me so mad, which isn't going to help. That said you need to know your enemy so I've kept abreast of her "appearances". She didn't turn up for debates because she was busy "planning" Brexit and that was where the energy should go. Why then call a general election? If the organising of Brexit is so important and it is surely the last thing the country needed was further division.</div>
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So she said their campaign focuses on this country getting the best deal and for all her business doing it I'm no clearer about what is going on than before the election. I don't think anyone is. I watched her last night on Jon Snow and her repetitive delivery of "strong and stable" and good deal for Brexit was mechanical . Even Jon couldn't draw any real answers out of her and he's got seven elections experience. She just showed herself to be the robotic shithouse that she really is. She's doesn't care about us. If she did she wouldn't have called this election in the first place.</div>
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if you're voting for the conservatives because you want her to be your leader then I think the betting woman in me would say you're whistling dixie. They're already calls from her own party to resign and frankly with all the gaffs and dreary soundbites she's delivered I don't think she wants the fucking job herself.</div>
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Quite frankly, she's a despicable husk of a person and to my mind represents none of what people in Britain hold dear.</div>
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Returning to the programme Grayson creates two vases using images from both sides and herein lies the positive. A lot of what both sides held dear about Britain was the same. The NHS, the beauty of our landscape, the Royal Mail, tea etc.</div>
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Jo Cox was right there's more that unites us than divides us. This government is going after the things we hold closest to our hearts. The things I'm so proud of and I know you are too. They've crept into the cracks and they're rotting our country.</div>
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You have a chance today to make a change and not just for you for everyone. This country can be one of great compassion, good humour and diversity.</div>
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There is enough for everyone it's just these greedy bastards at the top. We are better than that so I urge you in the few hours remaining we have to get out there and vote the swines out and make this country great.</div>
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Love and light,</div>
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Re(mainer/moaner) :) xxx</div>
Rehanon Mackenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254101143980010676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8979704161193979540.post-36688681146505076262016-06-22T20:13:00.000+01:002016-06-22T22:36:52.435+01:00Brexit sounds like the name of a bad cut and that's just one of countless reasons I'll be RSVP'ing count me in on 23rd June 2016 aka Vote Remain and you should too.<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Hi, Ciao, Bonjour, Hola, Hallo, Xaipete</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I know it's been time and I promise to catch up properly very soon and actually talk about sewing for a change ;) However, now I have slightly more pressing matters so bear with. I've just launched version 3.6 of myself and initial results are proving very positive. They'll be more positive I hope come Friday 24th June 2016 when we do the right thing and vote to remain in the EU. </span><br>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I want to stand up and be counted because that's how my Nan raised us. My Nan believed in people and when you get more guests than you expect to dinner you don't shut the door you set another place and count yourself lucky.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Yes that's right our pig bothering bag of detritus that masquerades as our Prime Minister has sent our tiny island into a state of panic by declaring an EU referendum. This was to appease the sleaze that passes for the tory backbench ooh and just to add to the mire he doesn't want to leave the EU himself. Can you imagine how it feels having to be on the same side as the devil? However, it will feel a damn sight worse to wake up Friday alone on our tiny island with the tories. I can go back to despising him and the rest of his cronies lunch time on Friday but we will not however be able to go back on a decision that will change the face of our lives for generations. A decision that I feel at its darkest aims to stoke the worst feelings you can experience in life - fear, isolation, jealousy but on the other hand appeals to what makes humans glorious - compassion, hope, love.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm voting remain because I want to be part of the solution not part of the problem.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">This choice has brought out an ugliness that I believe isn't generally who we are in the UK. I am proud to be British and proud to be European too. Right now though people are throwing around accusations, there are threats of violence and a woman lost her life because of it. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/jo-cox-maiden-speech_uk_5762de5be4b03f24e3db840f">Jo Cox</a>, a mam of two and the Labour MP for Batley and Spen, Yorkshire was shot and killed on 16th June 2016. The day before I turned 36 and today (22nd June 2016) she would have been 42. The view is that she was killed for her beliefs all of which, may I add I hold - love, kindness, compassion, hope. It was only the day before she was photographed on a boat on the Thames flying a flag for the remain campaign against Nigel Farage and the leave flotilla. Don't worry if that sentence confuses you it does me too and just highlights the madness of what we've been dealing with for the 100 days since they announced the dreadfully named Brexit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">On</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> the side of leave we have this. I fall to the words of Billy Bragg as I have often done, "<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">This image, of a smirking Nigel Farage in front of a poster of dark skinned people, sums up why I decided to vote to remain in the EU: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">Not every Leave voter is a racist, but every racist will vote Leave.</span></span></span></h2>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the side of remain we have this. RIP Jo Cox 22nd June 1974 - 16th June 2016. I promise to love like you Jo and I vote remain in your name.<br>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Aside from my abject horror at all the mania that is being fuelled by politicians, the media and so called experts I have my own personal reasons for wanting to remain. I believe in people and I believe in hope. I was an immigrant too you know, which sadly seems to be what this circus is being driven by. Conveniently, people from the UK that settle elsewhere in the world are titled ex-pats that's just another name for immigrant. The definition of an immigrant is:<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; line-height: 25.6px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">A person who comes to live permanently in a foreign country. I spent part of my university years in Spain and I received a grant from the EU to help me out. The only requests were that I had a go at learning the language and I should try and improve European links. I was out there for nearly a year so the EU basically paid for a year of my higher education, which is frankly 365 more days than the UK government. I'm now semi-fluent in spanish, which will help no end when I journey to Latin America next year. Oh and I also worked out in Spain as a radio presenter. I didn't know how long I was going to be there so again I was an immigrant. </span></span></span><br>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Me clogging up the airwaves when I was a radio presenter and an immigrant in Spain.<br></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; line-height: 25.6px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">During the time I was living in Spain I experienced so much kindness but one specific occasion is something I think about when I'm reminding myself to do the right thing even though it might be the hard thing. I was cycling from San Sebastian back to Barcelona. My bike decided to break in the middle of nowhere on a Sunday morning between two mountain ranges. I sat down to have a cig and a swear and decide what to do next. Ten minutes later a load of middle aged men on bikes were heading towards me. Turns out they were on a mountain race despite them being on course to place highly they took themselves out of the race and transported me and my bike using their bikes to the next town and gave me money for lunch and the bus. They didn't know me from Adam but they knew they had to help me. The only thing they asked is that when my time came to be kind to strangers I took it. Now if that's not what the best part of being together is about I don't know what is.</span></span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">It's not just me that's leading me to remain it's the babies in my life and all the other babies that deserve to benefit from being part of something that has brought peace for the last 40 years. I look at all my nieces and nephews both my ones by blood and those who's lives I been adopted into. They say once you have children it's like having your heart outside your body. I want the very best for them and I want all the opportunities I had and more. Just like anyone who loves their children would. Those families of refugees that are making these treacherous journeys they do so because they love their babies and they want what's best for them and they should damn well have it. I don't want division I want cohesion. I want to stand up and be counted I feel that is part of being British. I'm proud of my country and I realise how lucky I am to be born here because that's exactly what it is luck of the draw. Anyone of the babies I know and love could have come into this world in the middle of some god awful war somewhere and I sure as hell know I would do anything to provide them safety and love. We have a choice in that.</span><br>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0lNro8UDalEyp4CLz_uZUCtRXjPzCwSvGMTSZAlcIxVenHBp1vSOrsjNo7vOjyYwFelSMgTpzOHFiOwEqJ4M-ytGhB8XSXDV6pMu2x82swhKl9s6f_MyV1cfHUhEcRz4fbBc7MVI92_Kp/s1600/best-Maya-Angelou-Quotes-sayings-wise-people.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0lNro8UDalEyp4CLz_uZUCtRXjPzCwSvGMTSZAlcIxVenHBp1vSOrsjNo7vOjyYwFelSMgTpzOHFiOwEqJ4M-ytGhB8XSXDV6pMu2x82swhKl9s6f_MyV1cfHUhEcRz4fbBc7MVI92_Kp/s320/best-Maya-Angelou-Quotes-sayings-wise-people.jpg" width="320" id="id_6cbd_6e8e_8238_427a" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">I choose to remain because I want everyone to feel loved and safe.</span><br><br><br><div style="text-align: left;">
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">I could write and write about this topic because it is so important and I feel so passionately about it. However, I know we are all busy people so instead I urge you if you haven't made up your mind yet, I will say if you like what I go on about and I know I do gone on then you should vote remain. All the stuff I put out the interwebs and through the media is powered by hope, love, compassion and kindness, that's what makes me so happy it's no big secret recipe. So if you want in on that you know what to do tomorrow.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">And finally, although this is a very serious topic I don't see any reason to not get my point across in a light-hearted way. If you follow me on my other social media channels you'll know I've started to record some vlogs aka Bev cams. It's basically tales from my beloved bike, Bev. Tonight is a remain in the EU special hosted by one of my icons ;) Enjoy!</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">All the love and hope in my heart.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Rehanon </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">xxx</span><br>
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Rehanon Mackenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254101143980010676noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8979704161193979540.post-46770552856306030952016-03-23T20:52:00.000+00:002016-03-23T20:52:58.511+00:00Self-covered satin buttons are a swine aka the sexy funeral dressHey pop pickers,<br />
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How are we all? Personally, I'm desperate for little lady spring to prance in and spread her skirts so we can get past this interminable half-arsed attempt at winter. Until it gets brighter outside I think I'm fully entitled to indulge my latest (sort of) make - the sexy funeral dress.<br />
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Bear with as I know that's a weird concept but I thought I wanted to channel/pay homage to the women that turn up in film noirs at the funeral looking all foxy and glamourous and know one knows who they are. Who is she?! Let me back track a little though to the original incarnation of this dress that has turned up on social media but not on the blog - the homage to Drew Barrymore in the Wedding Singer dress.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and the mother ship rocking it out at my bro's wedding.</td></tr>
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The keen eyed among you will identify that this pattern is the hallowed <a href="http://mccallpattern.mccall.com/m6696-products-44752.php?page_id=96">M6696</a> shirt dress, which has been made by just about everyone. The ever fabulous <a href="http://www.sewdixielou.com/2013/08/the-sun-studios-mccalls-shirt-dress.html">Sew Dixie Lou</a> brought it to my attention when she made one to see our love, Elvis.<div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I mean just look at her what a babe. I'm still shocked it did bring him back from the dead.</td></tr>
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She and everyone on the interwebs has made versions of this pattern and there's a reason for it because it's ruddy awesome! For me the things I love are the separate waistband that really gives the dress such great shape and allows for lots of alteration and the proper collar with a stand just feels so swishy (I know what I mean). I hasten to add it's not a quick make but it's a satisfying one though. That said by the time I tackled the sexy funeral dress I'd nail a lot of the techniques. On the subject of technique I can't recommend lovely <a href="http://www.idlefancy.com/2014/08/miss-clara-goes-back-to-school-mccalls.html">Mary's</a> series of post on this dress with lots of pattern alteration advice. Thanks to her I totally nailed the FBA (even if I do say so myself) and the bodice really does fit like a glove.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at those beautiful of siblings of mine. Mama D surrounded by those excellent genes of hers.<br /><div style="text-align: left;">
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So that was my first bite of the M6696 cherry and I warn you that you will never just make one of these dresses because once you get the fit right you can completely change up the look. Therefore, when I decided I wasn't going to get round to make an opera coat I used the 2.5 metres of black duchess satin to make the sexy funeral dress. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I don't care that I look like a shiny waitress I ruddy love this dress.<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I cannot recommend duchess satin enough it's a dream to sew with and is ruddy beautiful against your skin.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">
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My only complaint was that making 11 self covered buttons in satin was really bloody hard! As ever though I reached out to the <a href="http://sewcialists.org/">sewcialists</a> and they reached back with the best advice. I will pass the knowledge on to you. If you find yourself having to make satin self covered buttons then interface the satin and hand stitch the gathering stitch to draw up material over the button. Once I did this they came together like a dream.<div>
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As an aside during the course of this make I was informed by my friend, Harley that dressing sexy for a funeral isn't such a weird proposition and in fact there is a song called Dress Sexy at my Funeral by Smog and it's really good.</div>
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/pI-9fGEgAcY/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pI-9fGEgAcY?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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Have a listen it's a belter.</div>
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So that's the latest from me darlings. I'm working on a blouse that I will get finished by Monday after it's languished for weeks. I'm hoping with Spring will come the return of sew jo, which has wained a little of late but until then I'm gonna continue to be the mysterious woman at the back in black ;)</div>
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Miss D</div>
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Rehanon Mackenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254101143980010676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8979704161193979540.post-8615781537646963272016-01-25T18:08:00.000+00:002016-01-25T18:08:43.397+00:00I've learned it's much more fun to steer my ship through stormy waters than it is to drift along keeping the shoreline in sight aka Facebook let me know it was 5 years today since I started sewing.Hey darlings,<br />
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Thank you so much for all the kind wishes about my upcoming voyage of discovery. I can't wait to be your woman in dispatches.<br />
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How are we? I imagine quite a few of you like me are making wild concoctions from our store cupboards as we crawl towards the first pay day since Christmas whilst planning to be more organised with our finances this year. Perhaps your dreaming of summer and planning all the outfits you want to make when the sun finally shines. Or maybe your thinking about what the year ahead holds for you. All of that and a million other thoughts have flown through my head today. However, you don't need to know about my mental detritus I'm sure you have more than enough of your own to be getting on with so I'll get to the guts of this post, change.<br />
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I've learned it's much more fun to steer my ship through stormy waters than it is to drift along keeping the shoreline in sight.</div>
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When I logged into Facebook as I do automatically most mornings being the slave to social media that I am the "on this day" thingy flashed up with a series of stuff that happened on this day. I scrolled through it and found out that today was quite an auspicious anniversary for me. On this day, 5 years ago I took myself to sewing school. I'd had a rough year in 2010 with a career change and a nervous breakdown but I'd just got into crochet and various sources suggested I give dressmaking a go. Clearly, a seed was sewn (pardon the pun) because I ended up late one night googling sewing and discovering both <a href="http://sozowhatdoyouknow.blogspot.co.uk/">Zoe</a> and <a href="http://www.tillyandthebuttons.com/">Tilly</a>. I was intrigued and needed to know more. So I did another search and found the Jac and Kat's sewing school and decided to bite the bullet and book a six week beginner's class. I ended up with an awesome teacher called Ricky who helped me make my first ever garment. We were meant to make a skirt but I had a heart set on a leopard print dress so that's what I did. I was addicted - my life plan to live out my days in leopard print was mine for the taking.<br />
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My first ever handmade dress please don't look too closely :) The pattern is McCalls <a href="http://mccallpattern.mccall.com/m2401-products-702.php?page_id=108">M2401</a></div>
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Well I can say that 5 years on that one decision to have a go has changed my life irrevocably and positively in ways I never dreamed possible. Sewing indeed makes me more me than I ever knew possible. I can't imagine where I'd be now if I hadn't taken that first step. So basically I'd say to anyone just do it whatever it is.</div>
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What have you done in your life that brought about change? Or what you would like to do this year to see it happen? I wish you absolute best with it and I for one know you can even if you think you can't.</div>
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Lots of love and light,</div>
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Miss D</div>
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xxx</div>
<br />Rehanon Mackenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254101143980010676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8979704161193979540.post-46155966876110638162015-12-31T15:59:00.003+00:002015-12-31T15:59:53.161+00:00I got Elizabeth Bennett on the Buzzfeed what literary heroine are you aka 2015 - the year that I didn't bow to societal pressure a lot and when I sewed a little.Hello dearhearts,<div>
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Little ol' me shouting out from the web wilderness on the last day of the year in my little corner of the world. I've been away so long but you've been in my heart the whole time. I think we can all be in agreement that my New Year's Objective to blog more often hasn't occurred but hey it won't stop me trying. I can't believe it's been 6 months since I last wrote and man oh man so much has happened as it always does. I thought I'd get a few words down before I get the punch going and any hope of sense exits the building.</div>
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I took my niece and nephew to see the new Snoopy film on Boxing Day. I forgot how wise Charlie Brown is.</div>
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I am going to post more this year and rightly so because 2016 will see me taking off into the wide blue yonder as I journey to Central and South America for 6 months. I've been thinking about this trip for as long as I can remember. I'd always plan to go travelling again at some point but after my breakdown 5 years ago I decided I didn't want to run off but instead walk away leaving the door gently ajar. The last 5 years following my breakdown and my breakup have been so exciting and so unexpected. They've been tough too but that's right because as much as anyone I know the darkness is as important as the light. You can't have one without the other. Though as I've talked about before I can say I'm honestly happy more than I'm not and I think that's no small achievement. </div>
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Now I'm at the place where I can leave the door gently ajar. I am as I said more often than not very happy in my life and I have no desire to running screaming from it and in fact quite the opposite but I know that I have wanderlust and every year that goes by that I put the trip off because of this, that and the other means I put other stuff off. So that's one my New Year's Objectives to be really brave and do the things that I want not what I should be doing. I ended up seeing a life coach this year, a wonderful person she was too, <a href="http://www.lizgoodchild.co.uk/">Liz Goodchild</a>. I can't recommend her enough. She kicked my ass well and truly and relit my pilot light. She made me realise so often we can be coasting and don't get me wrong that's great and we all need a bit of neutral now and again but when we get the opportunity to do the things that challenge us that is when we have the chance of being truly happy. So that's what I'll be doing in late spring when I leave my life here and head first to Cuba.</div>
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As ever good old Eleanor gets it.</div>
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I'm only human though and as such I'm already thinking about what I'll do when I come back and of course I worry but I know this trip will rejuvenate and refresh me and I hope will give me the gumption to go chase my dreams. I really want to work in radio again and if I'm really brave give comedy a shot but for now it's enough to know that I haven't done what I should (or specifically what society says) do like maybe take another PR contract in London, paint the walls a colour that makes the flat easily lettable, stop making gold clothing or meet a partner because I'm not getting younger hahahaha! Don't get me wrong I have no problem with people choosing to do this I'm not the authority on anything apart from maybe leopard print, but they're just not the right for me. This year has been both amazing and ass in varying degrees but one of the things I'm most proud of is my continuing decision to not be told what is good for me. I know what is bloody for me and also what's bad and yes I do eat too much cheese but we can't be perfect all the time ;) </div>
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Another wise old owl.</div>
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When I answered the Buzzfeed quiz and got Elizabeth Bennett I was very happy. She's always been one of my favourite heroines - full of heart and wit but at the same time with the realisation that she has a lot to learn. As a woman myself I think we've come so far in so many ways. I mean even a few decades ago a woman on her own wouldn't be able to take the trip I'm taking. It would have been considered sheer madness but at halfway to 70 I find society still has a long way to go. I've found myself at a lot of weddings this year all of, which were lovely. I adore a good shindig and especially one where two people I love have decided they would like to tell the world how much :) Ooh and don't get me wrong I totally want to fall in love again, I'm good at it but I'll do it in my own sweet time. But what I don't enjoy and find practically pre-historic are the number of people who feel the need to ask me where my Prince Charming is or advise me to hurry up because they don't want me to go to waste. Well firstly I leave shoes behind just because that's what happens to me (sometimes drink is involved) and not to find a husband, secondly I think people don't come with a sell by date and thirdly I'm too busy having casual sex. I used that response at my brother's wedding and unsurprisingly it brought an end to the topic and nearly my Mother too come to think of it. So I guess that's what I'm proudest of this year the unwavering effort o be me even though I know it isn't easy. Oh and my ability to do cat's eye eyeliner on a moving train.</div>
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My year in pictures.</div>
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Aside from self-discovery this year has been a mixture of the new - first triathlon, first time I road from London to Brighton, being name a happiness ambassador. The old - 100 years of the WI and chance to celebrate how awesome they are. The blue - the tories getting back into power boo! We're not taking it lying down though and I look forward to being even more vocal in the coming year. Pig face your days are numbered! Sewing wise it's not been a mega productive one but I did make a dear friend a silk wedding dress so I feel that covers a few basis. Although I've not been blogging or able to get to as many meetups as I would have liked this year the sewing community has ever been a constant source of joy and happiness for me and I feel as honoured as ever to be a part of it. Of course all my triumphs and even for that matter my tragedies of my life wouldn't be what they are without the supporting cast of my family and friends. Thank you all so much for everything. I can honestly say I wouldn't be me without you and for that I will be forever grateful.</div>
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So as we leave this year I wish you all the very best and please darlings remember if you're ever feeling doubtful know that out there is a tall woman with a beehive and probably wearing leopard print and possibly with just the one shoe cheering you every step of the way. You are awesome!</div>
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Love and light,</div>
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Miss Demeanour</div>
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Rehanon Mackenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254101143980010676noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8979704161193979540.post-51523276672833512562015-06-15T18:57:00.001+01:002015-06-15T18:57:21.858+01:00Another 5 years gah! AKA what I'm doing about the UK election resultHey ducks,<br />
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Just to give you the heads up there's no sewing in this post and it's of a political nature an I won't be offended if you don't read but I should let you know there will be probably be a lot more politics in my writing going forward. This is because as well as the many other things I am in my life I have discovered I am political.<br />
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How are we? I hope at nearly midway through the year your plans and schemes are coming good and that the sun is shining on you. I'm happy to report in my tiny corner of the world the sun has firmly got his hat on after what has been an interminable winter.<br />
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I realise I often start with a little overview of the weather but I like to feel it sets the scene for you and it's a very British thing to do :)<br />
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Average British summer scene :)</div>
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Now that you've been advised of the meterological forecast for Brighton can I just say a huge, fat, loving, thank you for all your kind words about my <a href="http://missdemeanourisonthemake.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/making-and-mending-post-about-mental.html">post</a> about mental health. It was truly heart warming to have so many of you get in touch and share your own stories both publicly and privately. I got very emotional reading your comments it was a beautiful reminder of how amazing people are. <br />
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On that note let me get to what this post is all about, which is people. It's just over a month now since I woke up and discovered to my horror that a lot of people had decided to vote a conservative government back into power in the UK. I'd been very buoyed when I arrived at my polling station at 7.30am to find a queue round the block. I've got suffragettes in my family tree and to see so many people keen to get make their views heard gets me emotional. My Nan always used to say women gave everything they could to give you choice even their lives and by voting you're saying thank you. It was lovely to see people with their children on the way to school lining up outside and explaining what it was all about.<br />
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Through the immediacy of social media it seemed like this was the same story all over our little island. People were turning up in droves to put crosses in the boxes and see the changes, that desperately needed making, happen. By the time I got to my dears, the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PrestonvilleKnitters">Prestonville Knitters</a>, for stitch and bitch I was positively jubliant we would get the result we were all wanting - David (ham face) Cameron and his cronies out and a healthy mix of labour and green to attone both people and the planet. Everyone that kept coming into the pub was saying they'd just voted and they couldn't get over the queues. We felt assured we would get what we wanted. My twitter timeline trended it, Facebook posted it, the media was awash with it and people in the street were certain it was done. You can then only imagine my extreme disappointment when I went home at 10pm and turned on to the exit polls with a Tory majority. My timeline was then awash with people absolutely shocked and horrified. I decided that I wasn't going to stay up because I didn't want to go to bed crying and was instead going to believe that as is often true that it was all speculation and the next day we would wake up to a brave new world. </div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Mead">Margaret Mead</a> provides me with some great advice and I leaned on her quotes when I woke up on 8th May to the shocking news the UK had voted a conservative government into majority rule.</div>
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I did indeed rise to a brave new world but sadly not the one myself or anyone I know voted for. Personally, I voted green and specifically for <a href="http://www.carolinelucas.com/">Caroline Lucas</a>. I think very highly of her as a consituency MP and having been fortunate enough to meet her I think she's also a wonderful human being who is willing to fight hard for all the things that I think matter. In Brighton we were in the minority in that we were happy with our choices. Our little city by the sea re-elected the first and only green MP and Hove voted to see get rid of the conservatives and install labour. </div>
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Pictorial proof that my home is an island of sanity in a sea of insanity. In the midst of the misery <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/shortcuts/2015/may/12/britains-latest-breakaway-nation-peoples-republic-brighton-hove">Jason Smart</a> declared independence - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Peoples-Republic-of-Brighton-Hove/1613213145559715?fref=ts">the People's Republic of Brighton & Hove</a></div>
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It was a little ray of sunshine to have confirmed what I already knew that Brighton may not be where I'm from but it's where I'm meant to be :) Though despite my own happiness I was heartbroken about the national result. I was sorry to know that there were so many people who would choose to make things worse for the most worst off in our society. During the 5 years of coalition rule I have worked in various roles alongside my self-employed work and these have included the NHS and the public sector. I've seen how awful ordinary people's lives are being made under austerity whilst the bankers that caused the financial crisis carry on getting bonuses, cooperations continue to dodge billions of pounds of tax whilst the poorest in society have their benefits cut without consequence and find themselves desperate and reliant on foodbanks or full prey to unscrupulous moneylenders. It sounds <a href="http://dickens.port.ac.uk/poverty/">Dickensian</a> but sadly it's the situation in the UK right now.</div>
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As I walked into work on 8th May and saw the upset on people's faces I decided that I was going to choose hope over despair and give all I can to making a change. They can't cut compassion and there's no tax on kindness.</div>
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Again I find myself saying I'm not an expert but I, you - we still have a voice and the power to execute change. I thought what my Nan said about voting and choice and we still have that. We don't have to make things easy for this government that we didn't choose. It's a numbers game and there's a few hundred of them and gad knows how many of us. </div>
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Specifically I am and you can:</div>
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Lobby things I don't agree with at every opportunity</div>
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Volunteer - I know we all have a great many skills that could be really put to good use</div>
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Donate to foodbanks</div>
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Join the WI (or similar)</div>
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Support those taking strike action</div>
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Engage with like minded people </div>
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Engage with people who don't share my views in a positive mannrer and explain to them why I feel this government isn't good for any of us</div>
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Attend marches and rallies</div>
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Be kind and compassionate to those less fortunate than me</div>
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Never go quietly.</div>
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Since the result I've put a good few of these that I wasn't already doing into action.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXBJj_e0yX5X_jOXQVhWSjKtUEQQZQCEK04Qz-SXj-jVf1gO6RDyutiEcyBYwE5hQhdbyif_dZ4AyribDqyTIys1V4dOPXZX-ittqd2KmXzqpz_3YMD6p6s1f-46qiZt9-BADogMxEviwa/s1600/poster-for-brighton-naked-bike-ride-500x700mm-mlbnbr-256px-256px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXBJj_e0yX5X_jOXQVhWSjKtUEQQZQCEK04Qz-SXj-jVf1gO6RDyutiEcyBYwE5hQhdbyif_dZ4AyribDqyTIys1V4dOPXZX-ittqd2KmXzqpz_3YMD6p6s1f-46qiZt9-BADogMxEviwa/s1600/poster-for-brighton-naked-bike-ride-500x700mm-mlbnbr-256px-256px.jpg" /></a></div>
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Yesterday, I was one of 1000 cyclists that attended my local <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brighton-Naked-Bike-Ride/116674705198">naked bike ride</a>, which is part of <a href="http://bikeweek.org.uk/">National Bike Week</a> that runs from the 13th - 21st June</div>
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The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Naked_Bike_Ride">world</a> naked bike rides have been going on for a number of years and their aim is to create a "cleaner, safer, body postive world". All things I thoroughly support and it also gave me the opportunity to air my political views clearly. <strong>WARNING:</strong> There's a little nudity below and I've no desire to offend anyone but if you're not bothered by a touch of nipple then carry on reading :)</div>
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TITS NOT TORIES! - We need to get the message across with everything we've got and in my case that includes boobs :)</div>
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Yesterday, (14th June) at the bike ride was amazing. It was so incredible to be surrounded by so many compassionate people that like me believe in their own power to bring about change. </div>
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That's why I'll be attending the the <a href="http://www.thepeoplesassembly.org.uk/">march against austerity</a> organised by the<a href="http://www.thepeoplesassembly.org.uk/"> People's Assembly</a> on 20th June at Midday. </div>
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It will be a chance to make our voices heard and to quote Ghandi, "be the change you want to see". I understand it's not possible for everyone that wants to attend to get there but if you check out the links above there will be something going on local to you. I've got a huge gob though and I'll be using it to speak up for me, you and all those that can't. </div>
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Right so that's me signing off for my last post of 34. I promise there will be sewing in the next one because I think sewing in its way is a political act but hey that's a whole other post :)</div>
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Love, light and proud to still be Mis-Shapen</div>
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Miss D</div>
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xxx</div>
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<br />Rehanon Mackenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254101143980010676noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8979704161193979540.post-10785189154841857312015-05-16T00:52:00.002+01:002015-05-16T09:51:37.639+01:00Making and mending - a post about mental health.<br>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;"> </span>This is a line from a Leonard Cohen song - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e39UmEnqY8">Anthem</a>. He says it better than I can but then he says most things better than most people and that's why he's Leonard Cohen (thanks to my friend, Aymi for introducing me). Doesn't mean he's always happy. That in itself is a good thing in my opinion.</td></tr>
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Hello my loves,<br>
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Thank you so much for your kind words about my last <a href="http://missdemeanourisonthemake.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/jam-jersusalem-and-beers-burlesque-aka.html">post</a> and your warm welcome back to the blogosphere. I am super happy to be writing to you all again. This post is text heavy and will contain a little bit more about sewing than my last but mostly about how sewing helped me recover so I won't be offended if you don't read, as this is after all a sewing blog. Though because I am both writer and editor of this here journal I get to make the rules *boss face*<br>
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It's Friday afternoon in Brighton and I'm looking out over the seaside and it looks more mid winter than late spring. The sky is bullet grey and even the seagulls look a little bit more agro than usual. I also didn't get a job I went for on Tuesday (the feedback on my interview was really good though so it's just a case of keep knocking on those doors). However, I feel quite content and I know that means I'm well. The reason I know this is because when I was a sick a day like today might have made my mind wander to the place where the crap thoughts are that make me feel really shit. You know the kind of thing - Oh Rehanon you don't know what you're doing. You're kidding yourself. You shouldn't have done this! You should have done that! You're too old. You'll never be happy, blah, blah, blah - bore off! This still happens but it's normally just a quick cursory visit and I certainly don't set up camp there like I used to.<br>
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This year's <a href="http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/mentalhealthawarenessweek/">Mental Health Awareness Week</a> is focusing on <a href="http://bemindful.co.uk/">mindfulness</a> and how it can help us. Along with time, craft, exercise and therapy it helped me.</div>
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I've set out to write this post many times but other thoughts (mostly nice ones these days) came into my head or the time wasn't right or I didn't have enough time or I didn't have enough words or even too many :) but that's the thing with mental health there's no time like the present. It's only in the here and now we can do stuff about it. As it is, in the UK it's Mental Health Awareness Week and I think that's a pretty appropriate time to share my story and raise some awareness.<br>
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Before I go any further I just want to highlight the fact that I'm no expert and neither do I claim to be. I've got no professional training and I know people who had much more difficult experiences than me. I'm just telling you my story because that's one of the things I think is really important in tackling the stigma that still surrounds mental illness. I feel like it's so important to be open and to be aware when people are talking to you because that might be the day, that they say, "I just wanted to say I'm not actually fine and I'm struggling and I need a bit of help." Life is really hard sometimes even when to all intense and purposes it seems like you're just sailing along. Deep down I think most of us know that but by saying yeah it happened to me and I was able to do something about it and now I'm in much better place is good for all concerned. So these days I when I see stuff in the media saying you should be this, that or the other I say fuck off the only thing I should be is me. Counselling taught me that but more on that later.<br>
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I've no real idea how many people read my ponderings but I figure if even one person reads it and it encourages them to seek the help or at the very least make them realise that their mental health is nothing to be ashamed of then that's no bad thing. Shame is in fact the one thing that didn't stop me from writing about my mental health issues. I actually never felt ashamed, which when I look back makes me wonder why I did leave it so long to get help. One thing I think it could have been was that for as long as I can remember people have come to me for advice and I guess I thought if people are asking for my help then surely I can't need it myself. My ex partner though, who is a very good egg and a great friend to this day knew I needed help for a long time and he often told me so. I hasten to add it was in a really lovely non-judgemental way because he wanted what was best for me. He also picked me up for a long time too and then he finally let me pick myself up and that just made me realise even more how much he cared. Actually, I had several people very close to me who knew I wasn't well and they all helped me on the road to brighter days and I can never thank them enough.<br>
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Looking back on it all I guess I thought I would just get better over time as after all it is meant to be a great healer. What mattered to me so much at 25 matters so little as I'm one month and two days from 35 but at the time I know I felt completely different. The other side of the coin is that not all my days were sad. In the midst of some times where I felt so sad and everything was going wrong and I just felt so lost, I had moments that when I think about them now make me heady with joy. That's one of the real shockers about mental illness, really "happy" people suffer. It's another reason why I wanted to write this post because there were a lot of people that were really shocked when I admitted I'd had a breakdown because I'm considered to be a really positive person. That's another part of why mental illness can be so tough to deal with. You even end up arguing with yourself and then you just try and block the feelings and it only magnifies the pain. Happiness and sadness are not mutually exclusive but when I finally admitted I was ill the sad times were far out weighing the happy times and in my mind I couldn't see that it was ever going to change.<br>
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Despite some really low points I managed to get through university and I got my degree and then I walked across <a href="http://www.santiago-compostela.net/">Spain</a>. When I think about it now it was doing that, which kept me going much longer before asking for help. I think it was then I realised exercise was really important to my mental wellbeing. After this I pushed on through my late 20s drifting along and feeling less and less in control of the direction of my life. I just kept going because I thought that's what you did and in hindsight I was clearly scared that if I stopped that's when it would all come tumbling down. By the time my 30th birthday was coming around I was forced to stop and that's when I did fall all the way down.</div>
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The fear of coming apart was far worse than the actual reality. The reality being that in May 2010 after a series of events that found me back in Brighton a place that makes me happy to this day I finally had the nervous breakdown I'd be running from. After another night of disturbed sleep I was sitting on my own in a very ordinary office doing a temping job. As I typed I started wondering whether I was ever going to be doing something I really I loved and telling myself I'd let life pass me by. This thought pattern took over until I had made myself believe I was never going to be happy again and then I had a full on panic attack. I was crying my eyes out and I could hardly breathe. </div>
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I managed to get to the toilet and ring one of my close friends. She was amazing and she told me really calmly I was going to be okay and I just needed to trust her. Everyone was at a meeting so she told me to go on early lunch and she would meet me outside. I did what she said because I just couldn't think straight. I sat with her for an hour crying and apologising for being a state and that I just needed a bit of sleep and I'd be fine. She told me she'd been worried about me for a long time but you can't push people to admit things that they don't want to and you just have to be there when they're ready. All things I would have said if I was talking to someone else. She rang my GP and got me an appointment after work. I went along and I was fortunate to speak with a really kind doctor who listened to me explain about how sad I was feeling and how scared it was making me. He felt that although I was deeply anxious and really unwell that I didn't need medicine but counselling.</div>
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Following my appointment my GP referred me to a mental health clinic in Brighton who are also a charity and I was lucky enough to be seen within a week. I am beyond grateful for this and another reason why I wanted to write about my experience as sadly this is not true for everyone and mental illness needs to be viewed as equally as any other illness. I would describe my counsellor as the best kind of aunt you could wish for. In my first session I said to her I think I'd probably just over reacted and I didn't want to take up her time as I had no idea what I'd speak to her about for an hour every week. She smiled and said, "well let's just chat about your day and see how we go." In the end it actually took 3 months for me to bring her to point where I collapsed in the office. She made me realise that I wasn't weak and my mind was just really tired of being strong and it just needed a rest. </div>
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In the end I saw Babs on and off for 18 months. In that time life marched on and I moved to London for work and my relationship with my ex finally finished after 10 years. I was so scared that I would get sick again but my counsellor made me realise that wasn't going to happen and it was just another hurdle. She was right and even though I was really sad about us I knew it was for the best and that we were returning to where we started, which was being great friends. As my head got clearer and I started to realise that I wasn't my thoughts I had more space and in that space I began sewing, I started running again and I slowly started to see that I had a future.</div>
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It's now 5 years since my breakdown and I feel really well. That is I'm happy more often than I'm not :) It may seem an odd thing to say but I wouldn't choose to forgo what happened to me. I just think the wonkiness in my head is as I call it is no different to my weak knee left leg. Both just require a little extra care and attention to function properly. I know that eating well, sleeping properly, asking for help when I need it and making time for the things that make me happy like sewing, running, knitting, lying in the hallway with my legs up the wall listening to Pulp and spending time with the people that love me for me. Basically, just being me. Equally, I learned we all just need to keep trying everyday and some days will be extraordinary and others not so much but that's what make life interesting. Ultimately, though I found out good and bad, light and dark I like who Rehanon is and that seems as a good place as any to end up at nearly halfway to 70 :)</div>
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Here are some contact details in case you do want talk to someone. You really aren't alone and I promise you people really do care.</div>
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<a href="http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/">http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.together-uk.org/">http://www.together-uk.org/</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.mind.org.uk/">http://www.mind.org.uk/</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.sane.org.uk/">http://www.sane.org.uk/</a></div>
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This is Miss Demeanour signing off and saying no matter what you might think right now I know you're amazing.</div>
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xxx</div>
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<br>Rehanon Mackenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254101143980010676noreply@blogger.com70tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8979704161193979540.post-12703687973965024112015-05-06T20:11:00.002+01:002015-05-06T20:43:20.285+01:00Jam & Jersusalem and Beers & Burlesque aka Why I WI<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqh4KXqtwXw3dcOINgeMiNKx_JcHsr-ZHsIiMq-9qk9IC9lu_KtlsUBKFIaX5Iax-Yi4xx5gqy4bBxlC7YRscyMTs2YltxZm_3NXFjctqdvBpOizg204pmIjCIvVbt8ld5ruzED_5P-YFM/s1600/wi+blog+post+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqh4KXqtwXw3dcOINgeMiNKx_JcHsr-ZHsIiMq-9qk9IC9lu_KtlsUBKFIaX5Iax-Yi4xx5gqy4bBxlC7YRscyMTs2YltxZm_3NXFjctqdvBpOizg204pmIjCIvVbt8ld5ruzED_5P-YFM/s1600/wi+blog+post+1.jpg" height="320" width="320"></a></div>
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Giving my widest <a href="http://www.thewi.org.uk/">WI</a> smile to commuters on <a href="http://www.un.org/en/events/happinessday/">United Nations International Day of Happiness</a></div>
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It's been a while *face of putting it mildly*. I have missed you and this blog but I'm back behind the keys and the sewing machine. I'm not sure whether it's the realisation it's been a year since I waddled into my first day in a new job (was only meant to be 2 weeks has been a year) because I'd run the Virgin London marathon. Maybe it was the inspiring talk we had from Bikeit Ben from Sustran at my WI meeting a couple of weeks ago or maybe because I wrote "start blogging again" in my passion planner (my attempt to bring organisation into the House of Demeanour) or a possibly a mix of all three. I summise a mixture of all of the above coupled with seeing "write a post" languishing week after week on my ever increasing to do list has galvanised me into action. It's funny isn't it that when life gets a little unwieldy the casualties are often the things we love doing. <br>
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Wise words as always from Maya. I've got this stuck on my laptop to remind me how much I love writing.</div>
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The other nuts thing is that I've written hundreds of posts in my head in the last few months but they've just not managed to make it on screen. That said I think a good few of them will over the next few weeks as I get back in the saddle so to speak. For now though it's best to stick with the topic in hand, which is the WI.<br>
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It's my calling card!</div>
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As those who follow me throughout the social media sphere and who know me in real life know I'm a member of my local WI, <a href="http://brightonbelleswi.blogspot.co.uk/">Brighton Belles</a>. The reason you will have wind of this is because I wax lyrical about it at every given opportunity. There has been a great many things that have been ace about my 30s so far but joining such a positive, diverse, progressive, kind, community minded and humourous bunch of women is right up there.<br>
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A lovely bunch of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/brightonbelleswi">Brighton Belles</a></div>
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This year the WI celebrates its centenary. There is much cause for celebration because since its beginnings in 1915 as a drive to revitalise rural communities and encourage women to become more involved in producing food during the First World War it has been an incredible force for postive change. This alone is a huge part of the reason I'm so proud to say I'm a member. Here's just a few of the things that this wonderful organisation has made happen:<span style="color: #003424; font-family: FSSally; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #003424; font-family: FSSally; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #003424; font-family: FSSally; font-size: small;"></span></span></span></div>
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<strong>Policewomen -</strong> In 1922 the WI passed a resolution to campaign for the reinstatement of women police officers following their disbanding after the war. They lobbied the goverment heavily and gained the support of the Archbishop of Canterbury. This led to the recruitment of greater numbers of women in the police during WWII and by 1944 over 335 policewomen were employed across Britain. Women now make up over 25% of the total police force.</div>
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<strong>Equal Pay - </strong>The WI passed a resolution calling for 'equal pay for equal work’ in 1943 and campaigned tirelessly for this until 1970 when the Equal Pay Bill was passed. From 1970 onwards it was illegal to pay men more than women for work of equal value.</div>
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<strong>Environment - </strong>In 1954 at the annual conference members were appalled by the state of rubbish and litter across the country and passed a resolution, which went on to form 'The Keep Britain Tidy' group. This directly led to the passing of the 1958 Litter Act.</div>
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<li><strong>Family planning - </strong>1974 saw the WI's lobbying of government and mobilising of its county federations lead to family planning services being offered as a normal part of the free NHS. They continued to lobby for contraception to be made available to all no matter what their age or marital status.</li>
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These are just a few of thing things that the WI has made happen in its last 100 years. Making life better for both women and society as a whole. How could I not want to be a part of such a fantastic organisation? I don't really need other reasons but here are a few anyway:<br>
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The WI taught me you can use <a href="http://www.bohogelato.co.uk/">icecream</a> to make cocktails.</div>
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They gave me the chance to make people dance whilst raising money for a great <a href="http://www.riseuk.org.uk/">cause</a>.</div>
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I get the chance to do ace things like help at a <a href="http://www.brightonmarathonweekend.co.uk/">marathon</a> whilst wearing a comedy moustache.</div>
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I've gained new interests. I was told at school that I wasn't arty but the chance to try out a life drawing class with the WI suggested otherswise. I'm no Picasso but I really enjoyed it.</div>
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I get to indulge my love of making and eating cake at brilliant events like <a href="http://www.brighton-pride.org/">Pride</a>.</div>
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I think what I love most about the WI though is the fact that I get to make friends with really amazing women who believe change is possible.</div>
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So there you have it folks in a nutshell that's why I WI. If you're local to Brighton we meet the second Monday of every month at <a href="http://www.donatello.co.uk/">Donatello's</a> in the Laines from 7pm - 9pm. We are always looking out for new members and I can say whole heartedly we are all good eggs. Our next meeting is Monday 11th and we'll be raw chocolate tasting. You'd be crazy not to!</div>
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If you're further a field but my ramblings have pricked your interest here is a <a href="http://www.thewi.org.uk/become-a-member">link</a> to find your nearest WI. I promise you won't regret it.</div>
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Well I think that's quite enough from me. I'll leave you with a quote from one of my favourites, Margaret Mead. She sums it up well.</div>
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Yours fabulously,</div>
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Miss D xxx</div>
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<br>Rehanon Mackenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254101143980010676noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8979704161193979540.post-64611064950487962722014-06-09T15:54:00.000+01:002014-06-09T15:59:46.356+01:00Hatches, Matches & Dispatches aka Me Made May 2014<br />
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My life is handmade.</div>
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Hello darlings,<br />
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How are we in June?! Quick pass me the gin for in just over a week's time the counter will reset and I will be at another age my 34th to be exact. Ah what am I saying I'm not scared of the advancing years for everyone is to be savoured plus I was mistaken for 24 recently so there you go. I put it down to good genes, the drinking, smoking and questionable life choices ;)<br />
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Anywho as it has been for the last 3 years my birthday has been proceeded by Me Made May hosted by our Hostess with the mostest, <a href="http://sozowhatdoyouknow.blogspot.co.uk/">Zoe</a> and ably assisted by the adorbs Dolores this year, which I've found has been a really nice way to start the phase of reflection and review I always seem to enter into on the run up to my birthday. It kinda seals the deal on the last 12 months and gives me a chance to work out how and where I go to next initially in sewing but then with this whole merry dance we call life. <br />
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Yves knew what he was talking about and I heartily concur.</div>
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The meaning behind my chosen blog title of "hatches, matches and dispatches" is that this year's MMMAY14' involved life's key events i.e. birth, marriage and death and handmade was worn for all of them. During the merry month of May I celebrated the start of life for my brand new niece courtesy of my baby bro Jamie and his darling lady, Sophie. Maggie Rose May Mackenzie born 24th May 2014 weighing 6lbs 11ozs and sharing her birthday with Bob Dylan she's guaranteed to be a legend :) As soon I got the call I buzzed straight up on the train to make my acquaintance in the electric blue skater skirt with handmade gifts in tow obvs.</div>
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Darling girl with her whole life ahead of her and already rocking handmade courtesy of her Great Nanny Brenda and her ace knitting skills.</div>
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I finally managed to get my head round <a href="http://blog.tincanknits.com/2013/10/03/magic-loop/">magic loop knitting</a> (it's amazing don't be scared, it'll set you free!) and produced these two hats for Maggie's little swede :) The top pattern is a basic baby hat found <a href="http://stitcheryprojects.com/2011/03/21/basic-baby-hat/">here</a> and the bottom is the baby berry hat found <a href="http://randomstitches.wordpress.com/2008/01/11/hello-world/">here</a> and they're both free. Yay for selfless crafters woot!</div>
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Earlier in the month we celebrated the union of dear friends of the family. Tania and Joe got married on 3rd May and as soon as I received my invitation my first thought was ooh lovely another reason to make a frock. For this occasion I chose to whip up my very first <a href="http://byhandlondon.com/products/anna-dress">Anna</a> and the <a href="http://missdemeanourisonthemake.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/the-only-things-that-separates-us-from.html">Kiss and Make Up maxi</a> was born and worn to great effect. I've known both of them since they were little and the bride's Ma and Pa are great friends of the family and it was a beautiful day full of family, friends, tears of joy and laughter.</div>
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The happy couple - may the road rise up to meet them at every turn :)</div>
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The day of the wedding 3rd May also happened to be my dear brother's birthday. Here's darling Ben a rose between two thorns ;)</div>
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May also heralds as it will every year the anniversary of the passing of our friend Tania just a few days before her 45th birthday and as sad has her loss was and still is I am happy to have a woollen tribute to her. I feel like she'll forever be around weaved into every stitch of the Tangerine Dream that she inspired me to make. </div>
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A fond farewell to MMMAY14 in my loud and happy tangerine tribute to a loud and lovely lady who just didn't get long enough.</div>
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So as May rolled on by and the big stuff came around it got me to thinking about my sewing and my life in general. I've realised on my journey to 34 I'm wearing more hats than ever - a woman, a daughter, a sister, an aunty, a friend, a writer, a rebel, a vinyl junkie, a feminist, a wanderer, an old romantic, a diehard Pulp fan, a runner, a baker, a dreamer, a dancer, a raver, a triathlete in training, a wannabe drag queen, a member of the WI ah the list goes on and on but what underlies them all is my making. Wherever this merry dance now takes me it'll be in handmade as it has been for the last 3 years. Learning to sew in 2011 was pretty much the best decision I've made in my adult life. As I once told a fellow sewist, Tilly it made me more me than I ever knew possible :) </div>
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Speaking of <a href="http://www.tillyandthebuttons.com/">Tilly</a> here's my latest make and finished at the tail end of May. My very first <a href="http://www.tillyandthebuttons.com/p/miette-sewing-pattern.html">Miette </a>aka the Immaculate Collection skirt named so because large black and white polka dots always make me think of 80s Madge (the best Madge IMO). This pattern is ace and there will be more.</div>
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Me Made May this year made me believe completely in the power of clothes to lift you. One of my favourite fashion icons, Cyndi Lauper once said, "On your darkest days wear your brightest colours" and I think she's completely right. Whatever I find myself doing in life I'll be able to make just the right thing to grace it in. The month just gone I realised that I've haven't shopped for clothes for such a long time because fast fashion is exactly that it's just a quick fix and it doesn't make me happy because it's got no feeling in it. People always comment on the fact that they love I name all the clothes I make. I name them because they feel like they've got a personality or they make me feel a certain emotion when I wear them and because I know the process that when into creating them I cherish them and make the most of them. My Nan was a prolific sewist and always talked about saving up to make "the dress" or "the coat" and she loved her clothes so much because they were her. </div>
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So I've figured out during this May that sewing is not just a hobby but a way of life that's going to make me happy for the rest of my dance :)</div>
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As I've talked a lot about life in this post I'll sign off with song that says everything I wish for my new niece's one. It was my housemate and friend Aymi that remarked that Maggie shares her birthday with Bob and as always he's got just the right words. I listened to it just after she was born and burst into tears of joy :)</div>
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Life is the for the living so wear what you love and love what you wear.</div>
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Miss D</div>
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xxx</div>
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Rehanon Mackenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254101143980010676noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8979704161193979540.post-22490373999962911842014-05-15T16:21:00.002+01:002014-05-15T16:48:28.092+01:00The only things that separates us from the animals is our ability toaccessorise aka my sew late sew dolly clackett frock.<br>
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This is <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090477/">Lovejoy</a> and the use of him doesn't require reason.</div>
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Hey party people,<br>
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How the devil are we? Swell I hope :) I myself am slightly left of the middle after wrangling with with three different types of spandex but hey you gotta roll with the punches. As the title of this wee post suggests this is the dress I made in honour of our darling of the dress dearest <a href="http://dollyclackett.blogspot.co.uk/">Dolly Clackett</a> aka Roisin.<br>
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The little darling with the gorgeous ooobop and me cradling a Terry at her surprise supercalifragalisticexpialidcious spoolette hen do organised by the epic trio of <a href="http://www.sewdixielou.com/">Claire</a>, <a href="http://charityshopchic.net/">Sally</a> and <a href="http://www.handmadejane.co.uk/">Jane</a>. Fabulous photo by <a href="http://whatkatiesews.net/">Katie</a> </div>
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I won't go into huge detail because this ship has already hauled anchor in suitably fabulous fashion :) but in case you've not been round these parts for a while this is the squeeze. Darling girl is getting wedded to her swell fella Nic (I can vouch for his swellness having drank, chatted and danced with the dude he's good people) tomorrow. In honour of the sheer fabulosity of Roisin and the joy supreme of the occasion the lovely Sarah from <a href="http://rhinestonesandtelephones.blogspot.co.uk/">Rhinestone and Telephones</a> hosted <a href="http://rhinestonesandtelephones.blogspot.ca/p/sew-dolly-clackett.html">Sew Dolly Clackett</a>. Things like this make my cup runneth over for the sewing community. Can you honestly get a more supportive loving bunch yay us *chuck pompoms in the air*. Anywho the sewalong rang from February to April and there were lots of prizes to be won, which were indeed won by v worthy winners. <br>
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Check out Roisin's <a href="http://dollyclackett.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/great-job-everyone-reception-will-be.html">post</a> with dresses so sweet they'll give you a toothache :) Long and short of it was I knew I wasn't gonna get my frock done during the the timeframe but I just wanted to get it done anywho to celebrate the little firecracker she is. Plus fittingly this dress got worn to the wonderful wedding of our friends Tania and Jo and I do love it when a story dove tails :) <br>
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Here she is my so (sew) late addition to Sew Dolly Clackett - the kiss and make up maxi. Made using the gorgeous By Hand London <a href="http://byhandlondon.com/products/anna-dress">Anna</a>, which is hugely favoured by Roisin and hot ass sewists alike and now me too. I tell you for why because despite my height that would, you imagine v much suit a maxi all RTWs one I've tried have made me look like bad drag. Hell I loves me some bad drag but there's only so many looks a gal can rock in one life time but Anna has well and truly broken the curse. Size wise I cut a 20 and dipped the double pleats at the front 2cm to release the girls into the wild with enough space to roam free. I shaved 1.5cm off side seams from armhole to waist and dispensed with the back darts. So all in all very minimal effort required for maximum effect huzzah! I think next time I could afford to the lengthen the bodice a little but hey that's small fry.<br>
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This is me and my sister giving it our best Joan and Jackie with her little munchins. As you can see a love of big hair and big jewellery runs in the fam :)</div>
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As previously tested by me By Hand London patterns are good for being active in having run a <a href="http://missdemeanourisonthemake.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/i-can-run-and-i-can-sew-aka-i-ran.html">marathon</a> in <a href="http://byhandlondon.com/products/flora-dress">Flora</a> I can confirm Anna was excellent for all manner of shape chucking on the dancefloor. My friend Ronnie and I appear to be invoking the spirit of the dance lol!</div>
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So there you have it the kiss and make up maxi in honour of Roisin. I think as is tradition at a wedding I would like to give a speech but in the form of a poem to celebrate this lovely lady and her impending nuptials to her charming man :) *raises glass of gin*</div>
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Dear Dolly</div>
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I write these lines in honour of a lady,</div>
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in who's company I have drank plenty of wines,</div>
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This is a woman who truly rocks the frocks she chooses,</div>
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and hell don't get me started on her awe inspiring collection of shoes (kinda rhymes - poetic licence)</div>
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We met online via twitter,</div>
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She much like me enjoys a good witter,</div>
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Then just over a year ago today happily we met in real life,</div>
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and tomorrow she'll become Dr Nic's wife,</div>
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He's a lucky old swine,</div>
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but rightly so because just like the band she loves together they are divine,</div>
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They both enjoy a good crime drama like Morse,</div>
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and there's Law and Order of course,</div>
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She's sewn her own dress to sashay down the aisle,</div>
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and I know for sure Nic's will be the biggest smile,</div>
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They'll meet on the dancefloor and perform Wuthering Heights,</div>
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To both of you I send my warmest regards,</div>
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because the pair of you are the best kind of cards!</div>
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Have the best day tomorrow my lovelies you totally deserve it.. You guys are gonna be so happy and I know the road will rise up to meet you at every turn. Huge amounts of love to you both it's an absolute pleasure to call you friends :)</div>
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I leave you with this image taken on Monday night at the hen do I can only assume I'm doing some form of invocation of the good wedding spirits or I'm half cut and throwing shapes either way it goes out to you.</div>
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Love and all the joys it brings,</div>
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Miss D</div>
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xxx</div>
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Rehanon Mackenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254101143980010676noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8979704161193979540.post-83214679071376869442014-05-08T16:12:00.002+01:002014-05-08T16:12:52.938+01:00Why I like nothing better than a good stitch and a bitch and how I aim to use this to improve Anglo Canadian relations or She Don't Use Jelly aka as I finished my tangerine jumperHello my sweet things,<br />
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How the devil are we all? I for one am embracing the long overdue spring gracing our fair isle by lying on the grass at lunchtime barefoot. I really do hope it's here to stay even though I've finally finished the woolfest that is the tangerine dream. So typical of me to present the world with a heavy Aran jumper just as the temperature starts to soar. Fear not though because she's not a seasonal whimsy but an heirloom to be cherished year upon year.<br />
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I think it's best to start at the beginning so let me take you back to when I first came to Brighton and indeed crafting. As I previously documented I found myself back in B town in 2010 and I spent the summer getting reacquainted with the area. By the time autumn came I was itching to take up a new hobby to while away the long nights and at that point with my leg still being naff, running wasn't an option. Instead I found myself getting into crochet. I think I was in Urban Outfitters of all places and I spied the<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Meet-Me-Mikes-Crafty-Projects/dp/1740666305"> book </a>below and decided to have a crack at crochet. I made some pandas whilst watching a documentary on the Savoy narrated by Stephen Fry whilst quaffing a full bodied red. It was then and there I thought I think I'm gonna bloody like this crafting lark.<br />
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This book is ace by the way and I highly recommend.</div>
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Not long after that I suffered the dreaded insomnia and was up late and crocheting and ended up googling sewing and started reading dear <a href="http://www.tillyandthebuttons.com/">Tilly's </a>blog and woosh my pilot light was lit and sewing was the next thing on the agenda. I spent a good chuck of 2011 flexing my sewing muscles having hooked up with darling <a href="http://sozowhatdoyouknow.blogspot.co.uk/">Zoe</a> who herself was a new B town resident. She massively encouraged me and aided and abetted me with fabric. The summer flew by and as autumn returned I had a yearning for the yarn once more. It was at this time I discovered a <a href="http://stitchnbitch.org/">Stitch and Bitch </a> at wool shop a few roads from my house and met some amazing ladies and a fella and the best way of spending a Thursday night. <br />
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Our original home in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PurlBrighton">Purl</a> until the shop closed. Where much wine and tea were drunk and laughs were had.</div>
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Our new home in the <a href="http://www.theprestonvillearms.co.uk/">Prestonville Arms</a> in Seven Dials where the wine still flows free and there's an open fire!</div>
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Once Purl closed we knew that we all still wanted to meet because what better way can there be to spend a Thursday night than drinking cava, eating chips and discussing bad taxidermy. Yes bad taxidermy that is one of the topics we return to again and again and I still have no idea why. After a long week at work there's times when I think oh I'm a bit too tired to go tonight but I kick my ass and I go and I'm always glad of it because it completely lifts me out of whatever funk I'm in. It's definitely a kind of therapy and all of us have turned up at times with a lot on our plates and we've all gone home laughing and feeling a lot better about life. We've become real life friends to and have celebrated the wedding of one stitcher and the birth of another one's small person plus all the other triumphs in life. I can thoroughly recommend joining a stitch and bitch group if you want to dip your toe in the crafty waters and meet fantastic people. I think without them the tangerine dream would have been just that a dream. I had lots of encouragement and advice from the ladies, which ultimately saw her become a reality. So now you've had the background to this yarn (sorry couldn't resist) I'll bring you to the main event.</div>
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The crossover from crochet to knitting came when I promised a lovely lady who is sadly no longer with us anymore that I would keep the knitting flame burning bright.</div>
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Tanya, a close family friend, lovely Mam,a champion knitter and all round good egg who sadly lost her battle with cancer 2 years ago today. </div>
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She was an incredible person with an iron will. She knitted up until she was too ill to. The last time I saw her we were really laughing about whatever mad item of clothing I was wearing and she was at peace with what was happening to her. For me it was tinged with sadness because I knew it would probably be the last time I saw her alive. She loved all my crafty ways and made me promise I would give knitting a go and I said I'd give it my best shot. She died a a few days before her 45th birthday and when my Mam phoned to tell me I cried my eyes out and then I made a call to Purl and got booked on the beginner's knitting course because I wasn't going to let a dear friend down. All the way through the knitting of the tangerine dream I've thought of Tanya and when I thought about chucking it in because it was taking ages or was too difficult I was reminded that to live this life is a privilege and not a given. So I best to be sure to give mine a damn good go to honour the passing of hers. It feels like she's weaved into all the strands :)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4iuB-rMor0yrueMdhl3mEJJ0Q1re3WCCuXA_9grvZHcsVsD6GrVAplYpIT-VZfhPnMBKw1BQXpWubzonyjiUsttG3vS5Udkm7iTin5dicKF6QuibJ9C-PX8RjTefOF3S5gG14vWvYPAxZ/s1600/knitting+vintage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4iuB-rMor0yrueMdhl3mEJJ0Q1re3WCCuXA_9grvZHcsVsD6GrVAplYpIT-VZfhPnMBKw1BQXpWubzonyjiUsttG3vS5Udkm7iTin5dicKF6QuibJ9C-PX8RjTefOF3S5gG14vWvYPAxZ/s1600/knitting+vintage.jpg" height="320" width="315" /></a></div>
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The book in, which I found inspiration.</div>
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Once I'd got a bit of practice under my belt I was gifted the above book in June 2012 for my 32nd birthday. Flicking through it I thought the designs looked pretty advanced bu then I saw her and fell in love.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2OIx_b5Piv2Dri5w0OSG2uGhz_On3_OrKhovwSdc0mhCjFSZw-cJl9neAn8kelvV7mKJnEJ2d_ZRDxhQRkyqhE35jKUDTHSqanZgxA1tvYwN_9cKyoAS1srX9ycvzjOez-l1xnXxa7A4p/s1600/tangerine+dream+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2OIx_b5Piv2Dri5w0OSG2uGhz_On3_OrKhovwSdc0mhCjFSZw-cJl9neAn8kelvV7mKJnEJ2d_ZRDxhQRkyqhE35jKUDTHSqanZgxA1tvYwN_9cKyoAS1srX9ycvzjOez-l1xnXxa7A4p/s1600/tangerine+dream+1.jpg" /></a></div>
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All parts of me then and now know that tackling an Aran cardigan as your first knit project is not entirely advisable but neither is walking across France and Spain in Crocs but I did that as well.</div>
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I kinda figured from small acorns mighty oaks grow and what was the point in knitting a scarf if I wanted a 1960s style tangerine cardigan. So out went reason to be replaced by my enthusiasm and belief that will a little elbow grease I could knit this baby. Unfortunately the first hurdle I hit was that the wool I required for the project wasn't available in Europe. I kid you not the email I received from Malabrigo on trying to source the <a href="http://www.loopknittingshop.com/product/3565/Malabrigo_Twist">wool</a> had the subject, "Trouble at mill". I was not to be thwarted nor was I going to even attempt to substitute. I was already enough of a rookie on a difficult project let alone adding anymore uncertainty into the mix.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6WDDGKaPmu5qS6DJwrAy_UIci7cCtM_ArQP_3mUl5Sl0WvyBPTYMld1NoXO8JiaCRngDY_YnztfBpxBXFnTmPEhcY-2F-rhzA9RS06OmncrEIo7Q3WeEmrNDpq-1cCxgkMWnfhRiTRfvB/s1600/tangerine+dream+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6WDDGKaPmu5qS6DJwrAy_UIci7cCtM_ArQP_3mUl5Sl0WvyBPTYMld1NoXO8JiaCRngDY_YnztfBpxBXFnTmPEhcY-2F-rhzA9RS06OmncrEIo7Q3WeEmrNDpq-1cCxgkMWnfhRiTRfvB/s1600/tangerine+dream+2.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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Eventually managed to source it from America and they were doing an offer so it worked out really reasonable and arrived in time for me to walk across Scotland with it. What more perfect location to start an Aran jumper?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkUgYnVK4CTUQpbOiyCYxmDpoHpCqcDCrG7S8VB5ODB653PBS7lRAs__x3ZL-ucP7p3k9Bwfu3LAHoLLzIvb-o2XNNiCATtBAzDpuqy6Uh2w1pFKbDEhqSwANq39sZ3bH9Hny67YwXuhcK/s1600/tangerine+dream+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkUgYnVK4CTUQpbOiyCYxmDpoHpCqcDCrG7S8VB5ODB653PBS7lRAs__x3ZL-ucP7p3k9Bwfu3LAHoLLzIvb-o2XNNiCATtBAzDpuqy6Uh2w1pFKbDEhqSwANq39sZ3bH9Hny67YwXuhcK/s1600/tangerine+dream+3.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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Once I'd gained gauge, which took several attempts I got stuck in and cast on the back, which I think was 150 stitches and the full enormity of what I was doing hit me. This was November 2012.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDMZuVQb4Q_Dj0pD-1h-klysmFkNVLU-Yy3T77LQSCNQvMecIZkW39faXg84bIBcNgT8XjyJhMSG8-u1EGQfjFnFxNQUmA3MOzF7Jd5pNmsFJaKQcObd_7-XT2uPYpdQHmwxQQK9ZGbw5m/s1600/tangerine+dream+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDMZuVQb4Q_Dj0pD-1h-klysmFkNVLU-Yy3T77LQSCNQvMecIZkW39faXg84bIBcNgT8XjyJhMSG8-u1EGQfjFnFxNQUmA3MOzF7Jd5pNmsFJaKQcObd_7-XT2uPYpdQHmwxQQK9ZGbw5m/s1600/tangerine+dream+4.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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I tried to knit most days and many times employed initiative when I couldn't find a cable needle.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYEELKfjiqnxVxAAkdtFQo80iqfsKNVg0MYiTYRlwr484OB-Qk_jVCN4yupxru8fOYwFiSYrQfVvIUYtDfDrvkJFqRuyiQ3xv6CAypyA_6Tp9O1b-2TH6__P2FJcfJFIsdvH9po6YzMrj8/s1600/tangerine+dream+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYEELKfjiqnxVxAAkdtFQo80iqfsKNVg0MYiTYRlwr484OB-Qk_jVCN4yupxru8fOYwFiSYrQfVvIUYtDfDrvkJFqRuyiQ3xv6CAypyA_6Tp9O1b-2TH6__P2FJcfJFIsdvH9po6YzMrj8/s1600/tangerine+dream+5.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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I had a bit of a break in early 2013 but my March as spring was springing I was breaking the back of the back.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGhcvUU1NBhiwQMjSsAauAQilMGSuQpk8wnWX0KQ7gu39GeU17iLXSS1KgeD0AE5Aesoeo4XWQRlWHtNtAGRD2e8ULRmHFGo-M1SjZmqeLq5dN78fCA5QgLMrxaGA_nD9O0MS7UwQCgwIu/s1600/tangerine+dream+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGhcvUU1NBhiwQMjSsAauAQilMGSuQpk8wnWX0KQ7gu39GeU17iLXSS1KgeD0AE5Aesoeo4XWQRlWHtNtAGRD2e8ULRmHFGo-M1SjZmqeLq5dN78fCA5QgLMrxaGA_nD9O0MS7UwQCgwIu/s1600/tangerine+dream+6.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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By May 2013 the back was finally done after having to frog 30 rows at the top after not realising I'd lost my place and thought oh I'll knit through it will sort itself out. I warn you this is the belief of a fool. I eventually had to admit defeat and rip it all back. This was when I knew I was gonna finish the swine because although there were public tears on a very busy bus no part of me wanted to say sod it and chuck it out of the window.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglRwJEEtLdQuD8d_zyOqWhiJVr7kxjM_-lxvXPenHVktpzt-YJVJURrRd4Bbb7WrENCOcFX9lc7LNE-izaJ2drogdK0kCmqkNxGmSV5nfwNIbIAFz2woZvWVofOHyCUHMvna1sbJHFqXi0/s1600/tangerine+dream+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglRwJEEtLdQuD8d_zyOqWhiJVr7kxjM_-lxvXPenHVktpzt-YJVJURrRd4Bbb7WrENCOcFX9lc7LNE-izaJ2drogdK0kCmqkNxGmSV5nfwNIbIAFz2woZvWVofOHyCUHMvna1sbJHFqXi0/s1600/tangerine+dream+7.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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Summer came round again bringing with it it holidays and hi jinx. Progress slowed but on I plodded much to the surprise of myself and those around me who had worried I might get bored and it would be forever a WIP. I can actually say hand on heart I enjoyed the whole experience despite the tears, which I guess is a testament to doing what you want rather than what you should.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSFJcSY63_t4C6x4k3xuNuLKUyrvqqFHWdhi3ucayyujSOXpece8I_gCw1i2NMvxdoFaKYELV-vh3JFquF7F8DrzAHOqqaYUwqaidKZEshL1vv5hTh3nKSD8DK0apIvyPp2vAQw8WckQvF/s1600/tangerine+dream.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSFJcSY63_t4C6x4k3xuNuLKUyrvqqFHWdhi3ucayyujSOXpece8I_gCw1i2NMvxdoFaKYELV-vh3JFquF7F8DrzAHOqqaYUwqaidKZEshL1vv5hTh3nKSD8DK0apIvyPp2vAQw8WckQvF/s320/tangerine+dream.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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Finally, in the September 2013 there was a woollen vest that Delilah dutifully wore all through the winter. Helpful gal that she is :)</div>
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All that was left with the sleeves and I thought ooh blink and they will be done. Fortunately one of my very wise stitch and bitch buddies, Renee leveled with me and said, "honey the sleeves are like knitting a whole garment again". This was the reality check I needed because I had delusions of grandeur that I'd be wearing this over the 2013 Christmas period despite a full time job, a shed load of sewing commissions and marathon training. Someone needed to put that fire out before I got disheartened and lobbed it in the to be done pile.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidvRYqfJgP7xPMjdw2tiqMnqWyxUlZH0coPfHp2NroR0hZ-Rw3iPeh3Wj-jHu_kEzUcs-NOKgfE6fudfzcKQEcUWj4zH3CWRHtQIiBmNyT0MMjgUSGlD3-GOb6OYEtTHreIKJMkGaaxsWP/s1600/tangerine+dream+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidvRYqfJgP7xPMjdw2tiqMnqWyxUlZH0coPfHp2NroR0hZ-Rw3iPeh3Wj-jHu_kEzUcs-NOKgfE6fudfzcKQEcUWj4zH3CWRHtQIiBmNyT0MMjgUSGlD3-GOb6OYEtTHreIKJMkGaaxsWP/s1600/tangerine+dream+8.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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By mid January 2014 we had one sleeve. I hasten to add more wool had to be ordered to finish this beast and again for number two and the making up!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbGfosVG7iCMLUv-WIBCT_0KtHMKSQFRDsZ8QDprM61GFrq8LUb8eRZKsB20HshyVHSy5CqLnbMqKrfPnndWZG99xn_NOkFcJymlJW-FVSBfJ7IZ9Lv4OmtozhcPvdhZ3iibbxjynNDcFN/s1600/tangerine+dream+9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbGfosVG7iCMLUv-WIBCT_0KtHMKSQFRDsZ8QDprM61GFrq8LUb8eRZKsB20HshyVHSy5CqLnbMqKrfPnndWZG99xn_NOkFcJymlJW-FVSBfJ7IZ9Lv4OmtozhcPvdhZ3iibbxjynNDcFN/s1600/tangerine+dream+9.jpg" height="238" width="320" /></a></div>
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Then hallelujah by 2nd March 2014 she was all knitted and I hit up <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvAS-HCWk9I">YouTube</a> to learn mattress stitch for the final push to golden glory.</div>
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At last all that was left to do was block it and then pick up stitches and knit the button band. I decided to go for a wet block after reading it was the best treatment for merino and then for three long days I waited for it to dry out. Then in what I can only assume was a final fit of madness I stayed up until 4am using a crochet hook and a fierce disposition to pick up the stitches from the cast off edge to knit the neckband. On the early hours of 20 March 2014 my woollen baby arrived :)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUUUNHZ7R5x_OSQssSbIrv-SZqdjAB47ewb5VQTbkMYYJjyFaZMp6cu_NnEbJqKWEngVfvb529bV9tQi1tYw6eNAnXiiT548u8Qz-FEJ_WViaJZn0Fdi9ujflrcNialTibJ2oO-oYNIGx/s1600/tangerine+dream+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUUUNHZ7R5x_OSQssSbIrv-SZqdjAB47ewb5VQTbkMYYJjyFaZMp6cu_NnEbJqKWEngVfvb529bV9tQi1tYw6eNAnXiiT548u8Qz-FEJ_WViaJZn0Fdi9ujflrcNialTibJ2oO-oYNIGx/s1600/tangerine+dream+10.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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Welcome to the tangerine dream.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyeszNn66walZbl9lcJ-CkVuA8UUSvQKaHqJzfHvrMIDRUCM8S_0L77J5xyeoA8OjzHeVfnXDaA6_6SgxjX8pFzaux9N4qevmOAp82Qje37Amoo1HeVAQBryeeuV1O46H5AFr62c6Nz59P/s1600/tangerine+dream+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyeszNn66walZbl9lcJ-CkVuA8UUSvQKaHqJzfHvrMIDRUCM8S_0L77J5xyeoA8OjzHeVfnXDaA6_6SgxjX8pFzaux9N4qevmOAp82Qje37Amoo1HeVAQBryeeuV1O46H5AFr62c6Nz59P/s1600/tangerine+dream+11.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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A little from the side.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Zjkh3mSP5CCtTk0vbAAKrfM0U627LhOyieqPqQ2zOoJ18q6pRrQ4ZxUocS1VtKexd-kx7ghJB6OUPx-LKihOZ4mQin2ZlawK42eZjK2fIk90USZ9a5YC8GSukZJGcEZjejhp3OFI1sKH/s1600/tangerine+dream+12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Zjkh3mSP5CCtTk0vbAAKrfM0U627LhOyieqPqQ2zOoJ18q6pRrQ4ZxUocS1VtKexd-kx7ghJB6OUPx-LKihOZ4mQin2ZlawK42eZjK2fIk90USZ9a5YC8GSukZJGcEZjejhp3OFI1sKH/s1600/tangerine+dream+12.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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Check out that decrease in pattern. That happened!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU7qqkbqlS9mJRizdgbNCOU8kndlBYUhn3wHoX53Eynkm8XzYlan131WD4sBqP-9xlBUu64KKtuf4Re2lXLuODXhFOpxBySw6ZeNfx5JshukFVp5Bx1uGSUaqURnq0cUvSWm09F_5zGz8R/s1600/tangerine+dream+13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU7qqkbqlS9mJRizdgbNCOU8kndlBYUhn3wHoX53Eynkm8XzYlan131WD4sBqP-9xlBUu64KKtuf4Re2lXLuODXhFOpxBySw6ZeNfx5JshukFVp5Bx1uGSUaqURnq0cUvSWm09F_5zGz8R/s1600/tangerine+dream+13.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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The face of batshit joy and relief that this woollen beast was finally tamed :)</div>
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Phew! Well if you're still with me then well done because this post was a doosie but I guess that's in keeping with the scope of project. I'm glad I didn't realise how big a deal knitting this cardigan was gonna be back in June 2012 as I may have tossed it side. Seeing as this baby encompasses nearly 2 years of my life I thought I'd chuck in some stats because I'm a bit geeky like that.</div>
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<u>Knitting Stats</u></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Balls of
wool used 13, which equates to 1783m or 1.1 miles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Weight of
jumper 1.3kg equal to the weight of an adult human brain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Length of
time to complete 504 days, which is equivalent to the gestation period of an
elephant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Number of
countries knitted in is 4 these are England, Scotland, Germany and Spain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most unusual place knitting has taken place
is probably outside Amnesia before a night of raving in Ibiza.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Number of
conversations started up over knitting is too many to count.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most memorable though would probably be with
a lovely Scottish fisherman from Oban whose Mam knitted him several Aran
jumpers 30 years ago and they’re still going strong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said every clan had a different pattern
because if you went overboard you tended to be unrecognisable on recovery but
the pattern was easy to identify you as a Mackenzie or Stewart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gruesome but nonetheless very interesting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Side eyes
from commuting businessmen whilst I knitted and drank cider countless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can only think that the consumption of
cider and the knitting of an Aran cardigan are mutually exclusive I thank gad
they’re not.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Number of
heartbreaks just one but a big one and one little heart wobble.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All good now though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Knitting is a good healer :)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Number of
babies born during the gestation period of my woollen wonder two absolute
beauts and one on the way with my gorgeous bro and his lady expecting in two
weeks’ time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Number of
years the tangerine likely to be worn a lifetime!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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So my darlings that is very much that. I'll leave with a picture of the Gos because rumour has it he is a very keen knitter and I would more than enjoy the opportunity to knock off a few rows with him. So Ryan if you're reading this the Prestonville Knitters and I meet every Thursday night between 8pm - 10pm at the Prestonville Arms, Brighton. Obviously, you'll need a place to stay and I'm more than happy to offer mine. It's no trouble at all ;) Anyone else fancies a stitch our doors is always open.<br />
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Love always,<br />
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Miss D<br />
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xxx<br />
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Rehanon Mackenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254101143980010676noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8979704161193979540.post-69890096669165801132014-05-02T11:49:00.000+01:002014-05-02T11:49:40.787+01:00I can run and I can sew aka I ran the London marathon in a handmade dress woot!<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_534ea24156b906c91330885">
Hey darlings,<br />
<br />
How are we all? I've spent my time recently sewing like a machine, dancing like a demon, eating like a Tudor, libating like an ancient Roman and lounging like a Greek God in no particular order :) I so love the time around Easter because it's the gateway to halcyon summer days (please weather Gods let there be a summer). As well more often than not you're guaranteed several long weekends and there's aren't so many obligations like there is at Christmas but like the festive season there plenty of food *unwraps another creme egg*.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWfz3qdlh_T7ZiaeJF_TA-P1O-a6rAdggpub3B-LJCJPuPRW566FRr0IBX5N63ccXbXpm82DTVqhRJzxaTIqWz-CB3yF0833xiDwRJrzdQ4q1tYQesNKdOtuo6KGYkTLppqL6QaG7bBL5y/s1600/rhubarb+cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWfz3qdlh_T7ZiaeJF_TA-P1O-a6rAdggpub3B-LJCJPuPRW566FRr0IBX5N63ccXbXpm82DTVqhRJzxaTIqWz-CB3yF0833xiDwRJrzdQ4q1tYQesNKdOtuo6KGYkTLppqL6QaG7bBL5y/s1600/rhubarb+cake.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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One of the things I baked over Easter and I highly recommend. Rhubarb and vanilla cake and here's the <a href="http://theseasidebaker.com/2013/04/07/quick-rhubarb-cake/">recipe</a>.</div>
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Alongside the good weather that is gracing my Isle right now there is much to be happy about, which includes a new frock courtesy of <a href="http://byhandlondon.com/">By Hand London's</a> latest pattern <a href="http://byhandlondon.com/products/flora-dress">Flora</a> and gorgeous fabric from <a href="http://www.fabricgodmother.co.uk/">Fabric Godmother</a>. Oh yeah and I ran my first marathon the other week gah! More of that in a minute though.<br />
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Of note there is a Flora<a href="http://byhandlondon.com/blogs/sew-alongs/tagged/flora-dress-sewalong"> sewalong</a> on the go at present.</div>
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Firstly, lets talk about how ace Flora is because she bloody is. She's definitely gonna be featuring heavily in the summer I've already guaranteed we're having in the above paragraph. There's an option of a faux wrap or pinafore front and then either a full straight skirt or waterfall hem. The girls asked me to pattern test her for them back in February and of course I couldn't refuse them. Plus I needed a dress to run the marathon in as I had originally stated when I signed up to the madness. Flora couldn't be a more perfect match with her lovely full skirt that would mean I could the let pins spin freely and even her name fitted the bill. The London Marathon is now sponsored by <a href="http://www.virginmoneylondonmarathon.com/">Virgin</a> but when I fell in love with the race as a little girl and dreamed of one day going over the finish line it was the Flora London Marathon so that was that :) Then throw into the bargain the offer of lovely fabric from Fabric Godmother to make her up in and the thing was all sewn up. I ummed and aaahed and eventually chose the <a href="http://www.fabricgodmother.co.uk/bonnie-tartan-cotton-poplin-blue-green/">tartan cotton poplin</a> in the green colourway in honour of my Grandad's highland family colours.<br />
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Dear Josie's lovely note and fabric.</div>
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The fabric arrived and so did a care package in a lovely tote bag from the By Hand Girls that included the tonnes of lovehearts that I'm still finding throughout the House of D, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percy_Pig">Percy Pigs</a> (my absolute faves) and vodka! My days do these women get me or what?! :)<br />
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I cracked on with the making straight away. From my measurements I concurred I'd go for a 20 and then probably have to nip in at the waist. On the making of a toile I realised I'd need a repositioning of both the bust and waist darts to allow for my ample lady lumps. Just to make sure I re-toiled (is that even a word?) and realised I could sinch in the sides a little because the newly placed darts gave the girls plenty of room to roam free.<br />
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So I surged ahead and cut into my fabric and unfortunately that is when it all went a bit squiffy. The bodice was a triumph but I somehow managed to cut the waterfall skirt so short at the front it was just gracing my hoo ha and any movement would have demonstrated the big reveal! It was entirely my fault and nothing to do with the pattern. A lesson learnt though nonetheless. As you well know I'm not one for hiding my light behind a bushel and if this dress was meant to be used for a burlesque debut as opposed to my first marathon then things would have been quite different. Alas this version had to be shelved and a new one constructed. In the meantime while I ordered more fabric the girls sent me out the actual pattern and I decided to go for the straight hemmed version.<br />
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Here she is dear Flora being modelled in my darling friend Emma's back garden, which was where I stayed the night before the race and where I gorged myself on a tonne of sausage and mash.</div>
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Here on proceeds a run down (sorry this post is pun central) of the marathon so feel free to move along if you just came to read about the sewing, which is fair enough :)<br />
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To be honest it's all been bit of blur and I just wanted to send thank you all from the bottom of my heart. So many of you who have supported me with encouragement and sponsorship I've never even met. I am beyond touched by our little community and its innate generosity. It reminds me on days when I worry about the state of the world that people are truly amazing.<br />
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A couple of weeks ago now one of my life's dreams to run the London marathon came true and it was because of people power. The people you're supporting by supporting me and that's all the fabulous older people who are g<span class="text_exposed_show">oing to be assisted by <a href="http://www.ageuk.org.uk/">Age UK</a> to make their lives a lot easier. They blinking deserve it because they give so much to society and ask for so little. It was an honour to run for them. I have since hit target! So all the money is now winging it's way to the charity to help them help older people.<br /><br /> The other people that got me round were all of you in my life. Honestly if you ever want to feel a bit more sprightly about yourself run a marathon. I've been totally knocked over by all the support, encouragement and belief in me that has been shown since I started yaking about doing this. You drove my legs on further than they've ever run before and reminded me with a little bit of luck and a lot of love life can be amazing.<br /> </span><br />
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In my starting pen and smiling but shitting myself at the realisation I was about to run further than I ever had in my life. Note the flower still accessorising obvs :)</div>
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Mile 4 and there was a band on the run :) No sign of Macca though.</div>
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Into double figures and just a steps away from being hosed down by firemen. This is not an opportunity that will come along often. I savoured it.</div>
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Going over Tower Bridge was like being in a film. The crowd was so loud it was like a roar from a jet engine. I felt so emotional.</div>
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Mile 20 where I realised I was sore but strong and with just 10K to go until I could say I was a marathon runner :)</div>
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Mile 24 was time for an outfit change. Aymi and Emma were waiting at Age UK cheers point to be my wardrobe assistants and spur me on to the final 2 miles!</div>
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Flora gave me the lift I needed to keep on trucking. Amazing the power of clothes.</div>
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As I said above you were there with me at the start when I was sick with nerves, at mile 10 when I went into double figures and was deliriously happy, you heard the roar as I went over Tower Bridge, at mile 17 when I thinking shit I've run a long way but I've still got loads to go and you were definitely there at 20 miles when I pulled myself together and was sore but strong and thought sheesh just 10k now that's no probs and I could hear you all celebrating as I pirouetted over the line wherever you were. I didn't do this on my own so I just want to say the biggest thank you to all and send a tonne of love your way.</div>
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Massive thanks to all those who made it down to see me trackside with banners and big cheers including Sara and her mam all the way from Southy, the spoolettes, Aymi (who also has had to lived with my mad behaviour since November) and all my family it was such a high to see you at 14 miles even if I did have to doubleback to see Papa Demeanour. The look on his face was worth the extra 400 meters. Pete and co giving it big woots at 23 miles and the lovelies from Lewisham that put me up and fed me well and provided my wardrobe change at 24 miles and to my marathon buddies Tim and Fi who both put in stirling performances.</div>
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Sara who brought the cheer all the way from Southy. She's a pro too check out her <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Liberty-Pride-Cheerleaders/104036888995">cheer crew</a> woot!</div>
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The fam including legendary Uncle B and Auntie San who braved London town for me. I love them all dearly.</div>
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The future generation of sporting elites getting the taste for medal collecting :) I know there'll be big things to come from these two minkies.</div>
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In traditional Miss D style I didn't hit the protein shakes instead I nipped to Soho and quaffed prosecco and stuffed myself with fries in the company of Aymi, <a href="http://www.sewdixielou.com/">Clare</a>, <a href="http://anotherlittlecraftycreation.wordpress.com/">Alison</a> and <a href="http://charityshopchic.net/">Sally</a>. A lovely end to one of the most incredible days of my life.</div>
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I'm honestly still so emotional but if I was any higher I'd need tethering to the the ground. The pain was temporary and I believe they say the glory is forever or well I figure at least until my birthday so yest barman make it a double ;)</div>
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I'll just finish my ramblings with a little thought I had just after I went over the line. The line that some man I didn't know deemed to tell me 3 years ago I wouldn't/couldn't do. Firstly, I say well and truly damn the man and secondly always question why someone tells you're not capable of something. It's good to get advice from those that truly care about you but sometimes people underestimate us and that's worth keeping a check on because you lot are bloody amazing and that's a fact!</div>
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For those of you hung onto this point here's that video of me going the wrong way up the course to give Papa D a hey as I missed him the first time. It added on a few hundred metres but his reaction was worth it.</div>
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Rehanon Mackenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254101143980010676noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8979704161193979540.post-85924917721464273542014-02-23T10:08:00.001+00:002014-02-23T10:08:09.041+00:00In with the old and out with the new or I'll be doing some vintage sewing by jove!Hey pickle pies,<br />
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Hope everyone isn't too wet and wistful after what has according to the news been the rainiest period in the UK in 250 years. I for one have been soggier than Rich Tea that spent too long in the mug with all the training for the <a href="http://www.justgiving.com/missdemeanourunsamarathon"> London marathon</a> that I've been doing around our rain soaked shoreline. Although it's been foul I've felt like a titan.<br />
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This was me high above B town running 12 miles in 60mph winds and diagonal rain *Rocky face*</div>
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The good thing is it's all for a great cause <a href="http://www.ageuk.org.uk/">Age UK</a> who do wonderful work with older people and what's a little running in biblical weather, chafed boobs, aching limbs and creaking bones when you're raising £2000.</div>
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If you would like to donate then you can find my page at <a href="http://www.justgiving.com/missdemeanourunsamarathon">Just Giving</a>. Any sponsorship is gratefully received :) </div>
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In the midst of all the training I've had a little problem with my left knee but thanks to my super physio all appears to be well and with 7 weeks to go I tackled the Brighton half marathon to see if all the stretches and rehab were working.</div>
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It turns out all is well and despite getting sunstroke post race I managed the half in 2hr 14 mins, which considering I wasn't properly hydrated, it was hot, I hadn't trained for 2 week and it was my knee's first race outing I was over the flipping moon :)</div>
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As previously spoken about I will be running the last mile in a handmade dress, which I'll be able to tell you more about when I get the nod from the dearest darlings at <a href="http://byhandlondon.com/">By Hand London</a>. I will say though I'm bloody well pleased with it! </div>
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The talk of sewing leads me nicely into what this post was meant to be about as opposed to running though I'm afraid when you train for a marathon it kinda takes over a bit and I've even been running in my dreams. The only benefit of this is that waiting on the finish line was the Gos with cocktail in hand. Anywho back to sewing. This time of year is whenever everyone starts making plans for what they want to achieve and I've been making them in my head and need to commit them to a post. As fortune would have it one of them was to kick my ass and sew some of the lovely vintage patterns in my cabinet. This ties in nicely with the deliriously pretty Marie of <a href="http://www.astitchingodyssey.com/">a stitching odyssey</a> who is steering us all to retro glory with her <a href="http://www.astitchingodyssey.com/2014/02/vintage-sewing-pattern-pledge-will-you.html">vintage sewing pattern pledge</a>. Some of my favourite bloggers are on board and I can't wait to see their efforts. So let me make my pledge here and now:</div>
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I Rehanon of Miss Demeanour do solemnly swear to make at least three vintage patterns from my stash over the course of 2014 as part of A Stiching Odyssey's vintage sewing pattern pledge.<br />
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There I've said it and now it's gold for go! I haven't made up mind completely yet but one that deffo will be featuring is the Good Life dress as I'll be in the past life if I leave it any longer before making it. It's not my usual style but hell with bare feet, home brewed cider and some mud on my face I'm sure I can rock it :)<br />
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I'm going long sleeved as I need that amount of flounce in my life!</div>
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For now though I'm off to run further than I've ever run before. 14 miles in total so exactly 0.9 miles more than I've ever run before but still :)</div>
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Love Miss D</div>
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Rehanon Mackenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254101143980010676noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8979704161193979540.post-71412829343224279762014-01-07T19:16:00.001+00:002014-01-07T19:16:20.895+00:00Voice of the beehive or Miss Demeanour does blog voicesHey y'all,<br />
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Happy Sunday to you poptarts. Hope everyone is well recovered from all the festive frivolities. After my 9 mile run with my fit bitches this morning the season of feed is well and truly over. <br />
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In a throwback to last year before I proceed with my first make of 2014 I'm putting up my contribution for <a href="http://peanutbuttermacrame.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/in-which-i-say-things-out-loud-word-meme.html">blog voices</a>. This was an idea revived by the fabulous <a href="http://peanutbuttermacrame.blogspot.co.uk/">Lady Katza</a> to let hear people the actual voice behind the blog. I'm very lucky to have met a lot of you lovely lot that read my wafflings and this is for those who are intrigued as to what the girl with the big hair sounds like :)<br />
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A word of warning though the audio unsyncs halfway through the video and it looks like a badly dubbed martial arts film from the 70s. I've had a fiddle with it but I'm not too techy so feel free to abandon ship at any point lol :)<br />
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I'm just off catch up on Sherlock (ogle Benedict) and I'll be back soon with my latest make the My Kinda Business Suit. Hint: It's not a normal business number and is inspired by dearest Dolly Parton ;)<br />
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Much love and glitz,<br />
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Miss D<br />
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xxxRehanon Mackenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254101143980010676noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8979704161193979540.post-59599150076675195812014-01-02T23:42:00.000+00:002014-01-02T23:53:25.552+00:00I am Cher hear me roar or my last make of 2013 - The Shoop Shoop dress<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hello darlings,</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How are we all? I imagine if you're anything like me you're in the limbo period that is recovering from the Christmas excess and mulling over the year just passed. Learning from the losses, celebrating the wins and laughing about the mayhem of life.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As has become custom in the House of Demeanour since it all began in 2011 the last make of the year is always my New Year's Eve outfit. The first year I was wrapped in gold stretch as Marilyn Monroe and then 2012 I graced B-town in my purple velvet Prince inspired Let's Party Like It's 1999 dress.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> 2011 - giving it blonde ambition as Marilyn.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> 2012 - Purple power in my second <a href="http://shop.byhandlondon.com/product/elisalex-dress">Elisalex</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Not to disappoint I'm sticking with a strong famous theme :) This year I went off to kick up my heels with the girls at Komedia for a Hollywood Mashup where you could come as a film character of your choice.</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/251259495024190/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">New Year at the movies </span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I thought long and hard about who I wanted to be as I've got so many favourite heroines - Pam Grier as Foxy Brown, Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly, Uma Thurman as Mia Wallace, Molly Ringwald as anyone to name but a few. Then like all good outfits ideas in my world it was triggered by a song on the radio....</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cher - The Shoop Shoop song</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was obvious of course! I had to go as Mrs Flax from Mermaids in her too die for polka dot dress topped off with a hair as big as her attitude she is literally what we're all about at the House of Demeanour. As well as part from her aging disgracefully as all my favourite people do I always say when the chips are down life will offer you two choices sink or Cher. I will always choose Cher :) This year has been a bit of a merry go round of woes and wins but I like to think that I faced it all with a killer outfit and hair to match like all my heroines. So without further I do I present to you the Shoop Shoop dress.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I didn't keep strictly to the original as Cher's is baby pink and that shade and I clash more than the 70s ;)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">She’s a marriage of the skirt from <a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v8766-products-15146.php?page_id=174">Vogue 8766</a> and the bodice of the <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gerties-Book-Better-Sewing-Couture-style/dp/1584799919">Gertie</a> wiggle dress with shaped pockets drafted using Casey's excellent <a href="http://blog.caseybrowndesigns.com/2011/06/shaped-pockets-tutorial/">tutorial</a>. </span>I’ve recently taken the <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/class/sew-the-perfect-fit/173">Lynda Maynard Perfect Fit</a> class on craftsy, which gives you 8766 for free to work on during the class. I’ve spent the last few weeks on and off fitting the pattern and I’ve used it to make my Little Red Corvette dress, which needs hemming and then blogging. It’s a fab course and I highly recommend it if you want to get to grips with fitting our fantastically unique forms. The Gertie I knew fitted me as I used it to make my Club Tropicana dress back in May and it was just a matter of slicing the bodice from that and by adding a little lace, some me made black satin piping and a hefty back combing session I was Cher :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I had a fabulous night with the girls dancing until dawn and yesterday was spent in heavy recovery. My biggest achievement after leaving my bed was to make bacon rolls to enjoy with Sherlock and that was absolutely fine by me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">As I say this year has been a real mixed bag both in sewing and in life but I’ve learned a lot and that includes how to lassoo a hula, which I for one feel is a real life skill and what is life if not for learning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Without doubt though it’s the people who have made this year for me</span>. The ones who read me, believed in me, cried with me, danced with me, laughed with me, had that one last drink with me and who loved me. You know who you all are and I love your more words can say. Thank you for everything and I can't wait to do it all again in even more fabulous fashion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before I go I’ll leave with you one last <st1:place w:st="on">Cher</st1:place> song. It’s the one I belt out standing on the sofa gin in hand when all hell has broken loose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I totes recommend following her on <a href="https://twitter.com/cher">twitter</a> she's so wonderfully indiscreet.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happy 2014 to you all I hope it’s as fabulous as you are.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love always,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Miss D</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">xxx</span></div>
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<br />Rehanon Mackenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254101143980010676noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8979704161193979540.post-90679500655758917522013-10-18T10:05:00.001+01:002013-10-18T10:05:07.275+01:00Sewing is for Super Heroes Hey y'all,<br />
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How are we? Hope everyone is wrapping up against the chill that is welcoming lady autumn in. As is the way at the House of Demeanour there's lots been going on but a slight delay in documenting. Though this time it was because I had to wait for my latest makes to hit the headlines :)<br />
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I was lucky enough to be asked by <a href="http://www.breastcancercampaign.org/">Breast Cancer Campaign </a>to rustle up some ideas to publicise their <a href="http://www.wearitpink.org/">Wear It Pink</a> day that takes place on 25th October 2013 to raise vital funds for breast cancer research. The work they do is amazing and so important because 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. We decided to go with the idea of super heroes doing everyday things because those that are living with and fighting breast cancer are definitely heroes in their own right. I whipped up the creative juices at the HQ and came up with the idea for outfits in the vein of Wonder Woman and She-Ra the princess of power who are both equally kick ass in my book.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmx5oF45yD5Py5fLUzDvVFXrJmjWip7zDoBMPPjBkByPlRx8qEFig4BReGQBK6mq0fspghQfmTRLiIJtEfcEaGzWyRmJocQAY6-s6bUwgxl_BHsTK08P1yd8-mI7MHQlT1PF-trww11zui/s1600/shera1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmx5oF45yD5Py5fLUzDvVFXrJmjWip7zDoBMPPjBkByPlRx8qEFig4BReGQBK6mq0fspghQfmTRLiIJtEfcEaGzWyRmJocQAY6-s6bUwgxl_BHsTK08P1yd8-mI7MHQlT1PF-trww11zui/s320/shera1.jpg" width="206" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjupYJImake8P9BWyiM8CnvO_ko-FIfuSjsK7vpqSjSV0pHCH6WCgPkN7F0U-TQSK3ZSjLZuDs1VTpoKg_QuKR7FMizqIB57RLU-8ZcrPkfWDdlvcKv-eltrhrChL5G0YMrJqz3pDIp6chg/s1600/wonder+woman+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjupYJImake8P9BWyiM8CnvO_ko-FIfuSjsK7vpqSjSV0pHCH6WCgPkN7F0U-TQSK3ZSjLZuDs1VTpoKg_QuKR7FMizqIB57RLU-8ZcrPkfWDdlvcKv-eltrhrChL5G0YMrJqz3pDIp6chg/s320/wonder+woman+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Sisters who are definitely doing it for themselves!</div>
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Once I knew what we wanted I set about looking for a base pattern for the costumes and hit upon Kwik Sew 3272, which offers a choice of leotards. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUXYHqhd68gqSooOttaMsqHO7hF4qCf7titzetaEGTFTRU6nfvPkyEJ35c9Q_lFPT-KhAN2SQpIPNyoH_ZPeImdAOmVk7KI26JAPLur-LzPCIzCviUUDUgfLHMteawpLlBYjr9taXVCPDh/s1600/leotard+pattern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUXYHqhd68gqSooOttaMsqHO7hF4qCf7titzetaEGTFTRU6nfvPkyEJ35c9Q_lFPT-KhAN2SQpIPNyoH_ZPeImdAOmVk7KI26JAPLur-LzPCIzCviUUDUgfLHMteawpLlBYjr9taXVCPDh/s320/leotard+pattern.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.sewbox.co.uk/sewing-patterns/kwik-sew-sewing-patterns/kwik-sew-3272-misses-leotards.html">Kwik Sew 3272</a> + 5m of electric pink spandex = Super hero</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOWJBJjZWMOyxkQwohpdsiMHgUyqcSJ19gUP_ooiF_KD2L7gnPRtHCqBFlKx5_7_8c3wZToBj2XrdPNzBdc0mlWjZFDNi7DvmD-C609Gfqrzqu41YixPpmkITvFKDD4DXwnGxuOeB-Re-k/s1600/2013-09-04+15.52.07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOWJBJjZWMOyxkQwohpdsiMHgUyqcSJ19gUP_ooiF_KD2L7gnPRtHCqBFlKx5_7_8c3wZToBj2XrdPNzBdc0mlWjZFDNi7DvmD-C609Gfqrzqu41YixPpmkITvFKDD4DXwnGxuOeB-Re-k/s320/2013-09-04+15.52.07.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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I was not kidding when I said electric pink :)</div>
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So as we all know the thing that makes any outfit go from pretty good to powerful are some serious accessories and super heroes are no different. I mean where would Wonder Woman be without her bejewelled headband and gold lassoo? I decided that silver cuffs and a crown were the ticket and went about fashioning a set from silver PVC and heavy duty interfacing. </div>
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If you fancy yourself as a super hero here's what you'll need to make your own crown and cuffs.</div>
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You will need:</div>
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<li>Scrap paper</li>
<li>Scissors</li>
<li>A ruler</li>
<li>A tape measure</li>
<li>Pins</li>
<li>Fabric glue</li>
<li>Sewing machine (optional if you want to sew instead of glue)</li>
<li>0.25m of silver PVC or any other metallic looking fabric you want to use</li>
<li>0.25m of heavy duty interfacing</li>
<li>1m ribbon</li>
<li>0.5 m of stick on velcro</li>
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First of all you will want to make a paper pattern for your accessories. You do this by measuring round your head to find out the length you require for your crown and and then measuring your wrist and then again at the point of your fore arm that you want the cuff to finish. It's up to you how big or small you make them but I think if you're going to be super then the bolder the better :)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU49GubeliXQX5zXeJ-wWF-uA5obA0wj6UZ6tzRjyYnAHKv9_2fPK4oNjU1M0fWsWkEBJQoW87wsGCmww1kdsTSHkIm7qunuo-666r811SYeVbk8OMyGW8eTb90OfrukAybTLViGAb5waF/s1600/crown+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU49GubeliXQX5zXeJ-wWF-uA5obA0wj6UZ6tzRjyYnAHKv9_2fPK4oNjU1M0fWsWkEBJQoW87wsGCmww1kdsTSHkIm7qunuo-666r811SYeVbk8OMyGW8eTb90OfrukAybTLViGAb5waF/s320/crown+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here are the templates I created for my crown and cuffs. Add an extra 1 - 2 cm to your cuff measurement to allow for a seam.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLMNBBihheWy1tVUcvGGXAlc37CqH86hcDin5agU5Q_C3Y8am-ckVhpevcfHXdFpsZ5rEM_0geU4HgYFSBQNG1gVAB-9t827sQWaJH-AC7pdwV_abukARFYYZmJdIHuE7chWhOlsNvEQKo/s1600/crown+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLMNBBihheWy1tVUcvGGXAlc37CqH86hcDin5agU5Q_C3Y8am-ckVhpevcfHXdFpsZ5rEM_0geU4HgYFSBQNG1gVAB-9t827sQWaJH-AC7pdwV_abukARFYYZmJdIHuE7chWhOlsNvEQKo/s320/crown+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Once you've used the template to cut out the heavy duty interfacing then you can use that to cut out your metallic fabric. You'll need to cut two pieces and if you see from the picture above I've cut one slightly bigger than the interfacing so you can fold it down and glue it for a clean edge.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix32fFnAfHNreFu1xH5HFb9oTJDLZlDvlGsywoiOuC-MktYBtr9eXHHAlkwyAEKd1J1BHMJ_aBvh_vUktf3_2pGWwqrQR2Ad_jL5xKXGCCnjkNfUAj4w3mYv9yrdI9xENo3dzJmAr1QnR_/s1600/crown+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix32fFnAfHNreFu1xH5HFb9oTJDLZlDvlGsywoiOuC-MktYBtr9eXHHAlkwyAEKd1J1BHMJ_aBvh_vUktf3_2pGWwqrQR2Ad_jL5xKXGCCnjkNfUAj4w3mYv9yrdI9xENo3dzJmAr1QnR_/s320/crown+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Glue the larger piece of silver piece PVC to the crown. Cut into the corners for a clean finish and fold down the edges then glue the smaller silver crown piece to the back. Then when it's dry you can either sew or stick a length of ribbon to the back to tie it round your head.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4xN-6ud73vjAfzD90M2NRaBhR8-zjKF7UKHV40eyejjzg4mDPCJlU9UDZe3nRYa5QE1ZhTbkJOPGbNvAxgB-pMOxem4KXEkfwMvLHTiEuT8C91jus1r14C53pm5UDYschxapMPFTlzwkG/s1600/cuff+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4xN-6ud73vjAfzD90M2NRaBhR8-zjKF7UKHV40eyejjzg4mDPCJlU9UDZe3nRYa5QE1ZhTbkJOPGbNvAxgB-pMOxem4KXEkfwMvLHTiEuT8C91jus1r14C53pm5UDYschxapMPFTlzwkG/s320/cuff+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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For the cuffs you'll need to cut 4 pieces of your metallic fabric and either glue the wrong sides together or if you want to sew them up use a 1cm seam allowance and then turn out the right way.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjow7cD8cawSJpjZbENsyQOOf-csra6EkN3fDcVIFwL6oKoqaX5UFB1j_WQzNB2nKbGO3W_o0yE471p2dkzBq1Cl_meZ7kPQx7X-TKN6xzgJtaAgfLE3fIIa20IOrQtsHo9duv3na_bbcMk/s1600/cuff+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjow7cD8cawSJpjZbENsyQOOf-csra6EkN3fDcVIFwL6oKoqaX5UFB1j_WQzNB2nKbGO3W_o0yE471p2dkzBq1Cl_meZ7kPQx7X-TKN6xzgJtaAgfLE3fIIa20IOrQtsHo9duv3na_bbcMk/s320/cuff+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Then stick on a length of velcro either side so you can fasten them around your wrists.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqiCKEfoJbRwpNHkykHQTLYE-Vx39s0_U69rCTCdklmt3Ns1Q5adkRHHq5A1kuIjASjCwIv8_rgdCSmwtEKSwDIg39DQJZsT3urPrI0n3RVrOQ9cyzQ5ZAjXK0y8YK5K-6aXfca9gYIM9c/s1600/super+hero+re.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqiCKEfoJbRwpNHkykHQTLYE-Vx39s0_U69rCTCdklmt3Ns1Q5adkRHHq5A1kuIjASjCwIv8_rgdCSmwtEKSwDIg39DQJZsT3urPrI0n3RVrOQ9cyzQ5ZAjXK0y8YK5K-6aXfca9gYIM9c/s400/super+hero+re.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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From seamstress to super hero in seconds boom!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJaEGyPrYCPNcBbNlXeC5eDmGjzmZkof0FffoCQ88-Y0bZtPfU_cHzgyUUv4q6Vmy7AQEyAD1h6-mpDGLXOhvaJcefvF9wuIBjX4kwlbvG47oqMuenJ5knUKvHexLrVPUlShWcM-fw4FuI/s1600/sam-billie-cancer-care.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJaEGyPrYCPNcBbNlXeC5eDmGjzmZkof0FffoCQ88-Y0bZtPfU_cHzgyUUv4q6Vmy7AQEyAD1h6-mpDGLXOhvaJcefvF9wuIBjX4kwlbvG47oqMuenJ5knUKvHexLrVPUlShWcM-fw4FuI/s400/sam-billie-cancer-care.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Finally, here are Sam and Billie from TOWIE in the costumes I created and looking super even if I do say so myself :)</div>
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So there you go that's my latest make for a super cause. I'm off to jump into a phone box and get my pink on for <a href="http://www.wearitpink.org/">Wear It Pink</a> day on Friday 25th October. Hope to see a heap of you looking pink and super and raising money for such a great charity.</div>
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Love Miss D</div>
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xxx</div>
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<br />Rehanon Mackenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254101143980010676noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8979704161193979540.post-9920053829071136602013-07-28T14:09:00.000+01:002013-07-28T14:09:08.688+01:00I dropped the bomb on my handmade holibobs :)Hello my bathing beauties,<br />
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The House of Demeanour was on it's annual summer holiday and this time I headed to Ibiza with my dear friends Laura and Sara who were the bride and chief bridesmaid featured in this <a href="http://missdemeanourisonthemake.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/made-it-for-two-weddings-but-late-to-my.html">post</a>. To say we were ready for sun, fun and heady headonism was an understatement. I can tell you happily though that is indeed what we got :) Massive thanks to the gals for such a great holiday full of laughter and fun.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIlawDdFAu5PVyXZnTIlG2x_HYDcv8_wjwS1Kig9lrRl2P86ldP-GA4hDuykWEedSF7-2EnpvKnSmLVbnm3Q5Qq1A3nUw0v4uCIioJQOdfzK88VJYVwLlHBtkIWui-ARCDB2v0TaH-QoPx/s1600/ibiza+holiday+group+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIlawDdFAu5PVyXZnTIlG2x_HYDcv8_wjwS1Kig9lrRl2P86ldP-GA4hDuykWEedSF7-2EnpvKnSmLVbnm3Q5Qq1A3nUw0v4uCIioJQOdfzK88VJYVwLlHBtkIWui-ARCDB2v0TaH-QoPx/s320/ibiza+holiday+group+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Wish you were here!</div>
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Today, I come to you from my seat behind the keys in a sun drenched Brighton. They're saying it's a heatwave I believe back in the day they called it the summer ;-) I don't really care about the label I'm just making the most of drinking every warm sea scented moment of it in as I go through my rave recovery. I don't even mind that I missed a few days of it because I was on holiday because coming back from Ibiza and still being able to wear all the things I wore out there without fear of frost bite was a bloody delight!<br />
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Anywho on to the meat and potatoes of the post, which is simply to show you what I've been sewing in the last few weeks, which meant I was in handmade every day of my hols :)<br />
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A huge amount of my holiday wardrobe was powered by the ever fabulous pattern making legends that are Elisalex, Charlotte and Victoria of by <a href="http://byhandlondon.com/">By Hand London</a>. If you're thinking do I need a <a href="http://shop.byhandlondon.com/product/victoria-blazer">blazer</a>? Could I rock a princess seamed tulip skirted <a href="http://shop.byhandlondon.com/product/elisalex-dress">dress</a>? Is there room for a pencil <a href="http://shop.byhandlondon.com/product/charlotte-skirt">skirt</a> with a ruffle in my wardrobe? The answer should be a bloody resounding YES! Aside from all the patterns being fabulous and flattering if like me you're sucker for design and a tale you will melt at the packaging and the stories about the girls behind each of the designs :)<br />
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Before I headed to the White Isle I answered the long pondered question that is what do you wear if you don't want to wear a cardigan but a coat is too heavy? The answer a faux fur lined blazer ;-)<br />
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The let me hear you roar jacket grrr! </div>
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Who knew that black crepe de chine and faux tiger fur could be so powerful :)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOJshnVigH4QSKdFgqUcaxlETzDO0HRPkRE91G67F8c4iaJYLqpfhBgEnumUL0qyWfcD7AuEzAMwc8p9tfrmAtmI1EazJCv8VKr00ITPMzctnQXWlmABu4d5lFzcl-TZOIWzAd-9PAdJK/s1600/still+life+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOJshnVigH4QSKdFgqUcaxlETzDO0HRPkRE91G67F8c4iaJYLqpfhBgEnumUL0qyWfcD7AuEzAMwc8p9tfrmAtmI1EazJCv8VKr00ITPMzctnQXWlmABu4d5lFzcl-TZOIWzAd-9PAdJK/s320/still+life+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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So powerful indeed that on it's first outing to my WI meeting where we had a go at still life I drew this. I can't and have never been able to draw so I believe I harnessed the power from the blazer. So much so I'm signing up for a still life course.</div>
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There are many versions of this blazer for you to feast your eyes on including the Miami fabulous one that <a href="http://www.sewdixielou.com/">Sew Dixie Lou</a> wore to the By Hand London celebration of one year in biz :)</div>
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Tropical clothing + tequila = strong poses and power fists</div>
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Also at the Club Tropicana fiesta was the ever lovely ever fabulous Karen from Did You Make That? Get yourself over to see her take on the latest offering from By Hand London, the <a href="http://didyoumakethat.wordpress.com/2013/07/27/by-hand-london-anna-dress-the-discreet-flirt/#comment-27253">Anna</a> Dress. She's taken it to foxy force 5 ;-)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwNRrBM4nthpNcCSuSAm0rEHsmJzT8IhYjXGtCQvwBEHGpBtz-RD2oVmuSrAVZ1u7UglsMlCr3W6tOeIlYN5fLH4Azq6kEjYXAzulGef7aGuYhqAcS-s2nvfV_FClT5JkdcWtPZJF8hMc8/s1600/let's+party+like+it's+1999+dress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwNRrBM4nthpNcCSuSAm0rEHsmJzT8IhYjXGtCQvwBEHGpBtz-RD2oVmuSrAVZ1u7UglsMlCr3W6tOeIlYN5fLH4Azq6kEjYXAzulGef7aGuYhqAcS-s2nvfV_FClT5JkdcWtPZJF8hMc8/s320/let's+party+like+it's+1999+dress.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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My first crack on the Elisalex - Let's Party Like It's 1999 dress with big hair as standard.</div>
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Next on my holiday wardrobe wish list was a couple of Elisalex dresses. I will take this moment to admit I was in fact v lazy when I initially made this pattern for both my Christmas and New Year's Eve dresses. I just cut a 16 and squeezed the cleavage in and although it looked perfectly fine I knew the girls weren't perky McKnockers to use the technical term and the back was gaping. So using the knowledge gained from my fitting course with <a href="http://fit2sew.co.uk/">Mandy</a> I did an FBA on the princess seams. It was by no means simple as I had to drop my bust point 3 inches and immediately went into a panic that that the girls were going South. Thankfully, research revealed I'm just titty. The effort that went into alteration that produced the difference in my profile was so worth it. I'm literally packing heat now woot!</div>
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Behold the Alohalex dress made with fabric gifted to be my wonderful friends :) Look how happy a good dress and Ibiza with good friends makes you.</div>
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The other frock I whipped up from the pattern is the Eye of The Tiger dress, which I wore to see the famous Ibizan sunset at Cafe Del Mar. This pattern lends itself to floral, velvet, animal print you name it :)</div>
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I know it's only the sun going down and QI has taught me it's actually a trick of the eye but I believe you have no soul if when you're there and watching it with all those that gather and you don't cry. There's just a real sense of communion sitting on the beach with all the other hippy types listening to music and watching the sun set.</div>
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So that covers what I wore out at night but as you know a beach holiday also hangs on a good swimsuit that makes you feel fierce and I was lucky enough to create two such swimsuits thanks to the amazeballs pattern making skills of <a href="http://closetcasefiles.blogspot.co.uk/">Heather Lou</a>. I question whether you've been in outer space if you haven't heard about this piece of amazing. When I saw her first versions she made for herself last year I prayed to the sewing Gods that she would offer up her wisdom for all and sundry to feast on. In June of this year my prayers were answered with the release of the <a href="http://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/153333289/bombshell-swimsuit-bathing-suit-pdf?utm_source=google&utm_medium=product_listing_promoted&utm_campaign=patterns_low_uk">bombshell</a> pattern. I could wax lyrical about construction and materials but frankly I think Heather Lou herself does a perfect job of it in her comprehensive <a href="http://closetcasefiles.blogspot.co.uk/p/bombshell-swimsuit-sewalong.html">sew a long</a>, which I followed to the letter. It's also worth taking a peak at <a href="http://lladybird.com/2013/06/10/the-bombshell-swimsuit-a-review-and-a-giveaway/">Lladybird's </a>gingham version that was one of the first to be released into the interwebs a few weeks ago she looks the boom ting. Having never sewn spandex or rubber elastic or ever dreamed of making a cossie I can say your hand will be fully held and your heart will swell when you strut your goodies round the pool :) Here are my two versions:</div>
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The first cossie I made in a cheetah print from <a href="http://www.fabricland.co.uk/">Fabricland</a> aka The I Love Bettie Page swimsuit in homage to the first lady of fierce clothing and strong beach poses :)</div>
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Number two - the All That Glitters swimsuit made from metallic gold spandex available at Goldhawk Road. One of the things I love about this pattern is the ruching on the back gives those with no junk like me the illusion of a peachy ass. Win!</div>
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Both suits got a thorough testing before I got on holibobs in the surf, the pool, washing machine and stood up beautifully to my rigorous movements (handstand, cartwheels). As well of note regular readers of mine know that I'm mighty in the mammary region so support is of the upmost concern to me to make the most of what the Gods gave me :) Nevertheless as I was sewing to the wire as usual I didn't insert any extra elastic or cups, which is what I would have done if I had more time but as you can see in the pics the girls are looking their buxom best ;-) I put this down to great design (Heather Lou's not the people that put me together) and the fact I lined them with power mesh. It's basically the material you get in the miracle pants to hold you in. It's really great to work with and unlike the swimsuit lining I looked at it didn't roll up on cutting but laid flat and behaved itself. It's doesn't squeeze you uncomfortably but holds you firmly and gives a lovely silhouette to what is already an ace cossie. I'm now in the process of learning about underwiring so I crack out some bombshell bikinis.</div>
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So there you have it darlings that is how I rocked the White Isle with my handmade wardrobe. I know you haven't asked about my holidays but if you're anything like me you're on the right side of interested and I can tell you that I had a fine old time. There was sun bathing, raving and common all garden misbehaving and I felt bloody great to be alive :)</div>
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The holiday finished with me and the girls wangling our way into a 5 star resort where I felt it was my absolute duty to channel my inner Joan with a turban and fan obvs.</div>
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It was my second visit to Ibiza as an adult (in the loosest possible terms) the first being 9 years ago for Space's opening party when I was mere 24 years old. At 33 I wondered if my get up and go might have gone but I needn't have worried because at 5am in Amnesia I was still dancing my ass off and only the difference this time was I wearing a dress I made :) </div>
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I guess I was a wondering about my stamina because as I mentioned a few paragraphs up I've journeyed to the next year of my life and I'm now 33. In the weeks that lead up to my birthday I often think a lot about what has happened in the year both the good and the bad, what I've learned and what I hope to achieve in the next year. Last year I wrote a post about what I'd learned by 32 and I know it was popular post but today I hand over my thoughts to a man who is often after my own heart, Frank Turner. </div>
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Before you hear Frank's take on things I will leave you with this. I believe when all is said and done and you've weighed up the pros and cons, your hopes and fears, what others opinions will be about it it's you and you alone that defines the life you live and the person you choose to be. After several years of being a little lost sewing has allowed me to be more me than I would have ever though possible. So in the next year of my life I choose to be big, loud and colorful because that's what suits me :)</div>
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Until next time darlings enjoy some fun in the sun.</div>
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Mwah</div>
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Miss D</div>
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xxx</div>
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Rehanon Mackenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254101143980010676noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8979704161193979540.post-20745612020872787462013-06-12T17:37:00.001+01:002013-06-12T17:37:40.673+01:00The Simplex aka The Bad Girl Trying to be Good DressHey Dolls,<br />
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Hope everyone is well and happy as we hit the halfway mark for the year eek! Where have the months gone?<br />
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I can't believe I'm only 5 days away from 33 and potentially a third of the way through my time on this dirty old disc. I'm not worried about this birthday though because apparently it's the age where it can all happen as it certainly did for my hero Mr Cocker. After years of trying he exploded on to our pop landscape with Common People. This fact along with making of the new dress, which I will talk about v shortly and my finish time for the 10K has taken the sting out of the tale of not getting a job I did want and was waiting to hear on. I'd be lying if I said when I got the rejection letter I wasn't sad just because it would have made life a little simpler but hey ho. I gave myself a morning of the blues accompanied by Miles Davies and then I thought hell woman if you're gonna get a no make sure you're wearing a vintage one of a kind frock when you say whatevs ;) So get to work in my own way I did!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpsgyCpaejWALqJWzoqVx1b1V_NDfdUAxTQNY7nj0MNY-qPYh3-XWbzKbUr2ZtXdasT8LEoNtkOLXsiUmjmkYqC6nneotxJu4BiWuvOyQzc15IFqpxRBavu6N0R5_TDlOsTOf3ku4IArmd/s1600/she+hulk+finish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpsgyCpaejWALqJWzoqVx1b1V_NDfdUAxTQNY7nj0MNY-qPYh3-XWbzKbUr2ZtXdasT8LEoNtkOLXsiUmjmkYqC6nneotxJu4BiWuvOyQzc15IFqpxRBavu6N0R5_TDlOsTOf3ku4IArmd/s320/she+hulk+finish.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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Nearly 4 years older than the last time I ran a 10K race but 10 mins faster. Did it in 57 mins boom!</div>
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So now I've filled you in on the state of play in the House of Demeanour onto the important stuff i.e. my new fave frock of all time evs :) I'll take you back to about to about a year or so ago when I was gifted a large wad of various fabrics. I've slowly been working my way through them and in amongst it was about 3 and a bit metres of v gorgeous floral vintage cotton that I guesstimate is somewhat older than me. When I clapped eyes on it I decided it was destined for great things and didn't want to waste it on any old creation so it sat in the cupboard until 2 weeks ago. Then I had one of my eureka moments whilst listening to Dolly Parton. Another item that had been wasting away behind my fancy dress box was <a href="http://www.simplicity.com/p-4463-misses-dresses.aspx">Simplicity 2444</a> that <a href="http://sozowhatdoyouknow.blogspot.co.uk/">Zoe</a> had gifted me for my birthday last year. In my mind's eye the two items created magic.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbBiIZpgf8bKw62e5ps3cQGtDvCBkWY1DVAABHCH7hEUod-OXMgqRi8NhjIxbbY1TkDgZartEoHcEEvQb_NEOLfD0La_defQSAPA_Mcw95n5MiZmbcod-3XW9a4VWtAgDmaUmnT2OUsKif/s1600/simplex+cider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbBiIZpgf8bKw62e5ps3cQGtDvCBkWY1DVAABHCH7hEUod-OXMgqRi8NhjIxbbY1TkDgZartEoHcEEvQb_NEOLfD0La_defQSAPA_Mcw95n5MiZmbcod-3XW9a4VWtAgDmaUmnT2OUsKif/s320/simplex+cider.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Good girls wear a nice frock to see Elvis Costello at the Royal Albert Hall. Bad girls drink cans of cider in said frock on the train up there ;-)</div>
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On a side tale before getting into the main story but still of note is the fact that during my short spell away from the blogosphere I took a course with Mandy Bengeyfield at <a href="http://fit2sew.co.uk/">Fit2Sew</a>. I literally cannot recommend it enough. It's basically the basics course of <a href="http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/book/9780935278651?redirected=true&gclid=CLjRqur33rcCFfMctAodsmUAJg">Fit for Real People</a>. Mandy went over to do the teacher training in America and now teaches just outside Croydon. There are only two teachers in the UK, which is herself and <a href="http://www.bambersew.com/SEWING-COURSES-with-CELIA-BANKS__c-p-0-0-400.aspx">Celia Banks</a> in Manchester. On the beginners course you fit a fitting shell to you and learn all of the major changes you would make to a pattern before having to do any fine tuning. My days it was a revelation for me as a woman with ample frontage. I learnt that I should go for a 36" bust on a pattern because the back and across my chest fits beautifully and then do an FBA to make room for the girls. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcGUwmsuThATS1ir3QNKNt6oxGi0fNbX7W2-687_7mrRL3L1lmM60oswDGSPFHMDmKZCLwFr8nhIcggkbkRHmggDiTXouXHd-Xr6D2oQBc4Ru2IDuB_FR0p3gz6SIvPAjU-Ljfx2XBhpO-/s1600/fitting+pattern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcGUwmsuThATS1ir3QNKNt6oxGi0fNbX7W2-687_7mrRL3L1lmM60oswDGSPFHMDmKZCLwFr8nhIcggkbkRHmggDiTXouXHd-Xr6D2oQBc4Ru2IDuB_FR0p3gz6SIvPAjU-Ljfx2XBhpO-/s320/fitting+pattern.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The shape of Miss D in pattern form</div>
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Also due to years of typing and leaning over my shoulder tilts forward so adding 1cm to the back piece and and taking it from the front of pattern at the shoulder is a standard change for me now. I learnt to tissue fit and the full ins and out of a successful FBA including how to do it on a princess seam. In those 4 hours it finally dawned on me why I'd had such a missers time with princess seamed items, which according to popular opinion make the most of a curvy front. It was because I'd only been adding the extra width to either the side or the middle as opposed to both, which retains the style line cue face palm moment. Anywho the proof is in the the pudding and my days I feel like the biggest tastiest raspberry pavlova in the world in my new fab fitting frock :) Pardon my uncouthness but if you are plagued by shit fit then I cannot recommend this course enough. Plus Mandy is friends with the <a href="http://thethriftystitcher.co.uk/">Thrifty Stitcher</a> who consulted on the <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0165nj8">Great British Sewing Bee</a> and was terrific company and we had much delight in discussing the merits of all the outfits plus the handsome hound that is Patrick Grant.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRMIKDP969qgIG3ySRdCUZnPkkAjX-Mjb_jbXbk3DD_r7VnFK36o7wO4ZlATDyjmEjTc2rr1TkLYTy9FdpgfX3MHGn9b36hUU7CCpWw9hlwQyheCQ3cc7xicALpayJcE2VAhoaFVCyUF5x/s1600/simplex+pattern+fitted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRMIKDP969qgIG3ySRdCUZnPkkAjX-Mjb_jbXbk3DD_r7VnFK36o7wO4ZlATDyjmEjTc2rr1TkLYTy9FdpgfX3MHGn9b36hUU7CCpWw9hlwQyheCQ3cc7xicALpayJcE2VAhoaFVCyUF5x/s320/simplex+pattern+fitted.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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This is my doctored Simplicity 2444 bodice. Any beginners reading this take heart a big old mess on paper looks fabulous on the form, which I think is as true of life in general as it is of sewing. Never be afraid to F around is the biggest recommendation I can give to anyone starting out.</div>
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On measuring the material I worked out that there wasn't going to be enough for the full skirt pattern that comes with 2444 but I still wanted a va va voom kinda skirt. I wasn't to be thwarted and out of the corner of my eye I spied the <a href="http://shop.byhandlondon.com/product/elisalex-dress">Elisalex</a> pattern and the Simplex was born! As I started making changes to both the bodice and the skirt I realised there was going to be a lot of tooting and fruiting but that was gonna make for a fabulous number so more than worth it :) Once I'd decided that I then thought hell let's line this baby and do your first ever lapped zipper and if you're gonna do that then put the blinking collar on it too. I must give thanks to both <a href="http://vickikatemakes.wordpress.com/">Vicki Kate Makes</a> and <a href="http://scruffybadgertime.co.uk/">Scruffy Badger</a> for their invaluable tutorials on lapped zippers and sewing lining to said zipper.</div>
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So without further ado here's what can be created when something in life that makes you feel sad also fire you up to look bad! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVWk7tkx0mNRKZtP7dDq1qBVSfChxpJB4bk_M0QFW4ZLySjA0tCkdDQ5xqDnMao4rRAtaCRPbyyUSo-bYwL1KgjyUnygOflT-w3pbNSk9xir9vkABr-MhAFYhQlK08qTzlI_b8FkfBmJNI/s1600/re+dress+gaussian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVWk7tkx0mNRKZtP7dDq1qBVSfChxpJB4bk_M0QFW4ZLySjA0tCkdDQ5xqDnMao4rRAtaCRPbyyUSo-bYwL1KgjyUnygOflT-w3pbNSk9xir9vkABr-MhAFYhQlK08qTzlI_b8FkfBmJNI/s320/re+dress+gaussian.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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The Simplex built to rock the show</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj34eVvXJdldfT_QWiB-zfwXdGLFiimYViM0kOex0OSn6Mbm15s8tw6v_i_MRv5nxrDhNyYKXAoBb-S1tO0JSGIgi9Jm_TdTrn_IYnZbDFIMo1NfEIfxnDG1cekQwcjcvRMHiYBBD0x51Ac/s1600/re+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj34eVvXJdldfT_QWiB-zfwXdGLFiimYViM0kOex0OSn6Mbm15s8tw6v_i_MRv5nxrDhNyYKXAoBb-S1tO0JSGIgi9Jm_TdTrn_IYnZbDFIMo1NfEIfxnDG1cekQwcjcvRMHiYBBD0x51Ac/s320/re+back.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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A good bad girl dress kisses the curves like the pattern gods intended ;-)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9PbOBHOvpRlhAfPoh3dFwMOpwSnCYmhPW4YprFVxv_s78HjHC4LmWPO5vgQghi6rX0n-JES6TdLMbKXAV-rABKq_N_hfY-q88ZisZuihyphenhyphenIjQKrdFaPqD6NkyYHfHJx3U0q18b42S6rPC/s1600/re+hat+final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9PbOBHOvpRlhAfPoh3dFwMOpwSnCYmhPW4YprFVxv_s78HjHC4LmWPO5vgQghi6rX0n-JES6TdLMbKXAV-rABKq_N_hfY-q88ZisZuihyphenhyphenIjQKrdFaPqD6NkyYHfHJx3U0q18b42S6rPC/s320/re+hat+final.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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When you've been out all night it's good to know you can look respectable rocking a hat with it</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz5U7TXwfoLlKB7VtKgl1nv4JSkxgowNfUEfMgiwyK8auXu5l0k3kzF5yPGqMkLi4IJ2t-QwOWN6WxI4Yvm9duxLVVzrBYzvAt5fz3_zCEkUoiyo6s7tt8APdRokLvFYw4ObrcZaQhP39e/s1600/simplex+cooking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz5U7TXwfoLlKB7VtKgl1nv4JSkxgowNfUEfMgiwyK8auXu5l0k3kzF5yPGqMkLi4IJ2t-QwOWN6WxI4Yvm9duxLVVzrBYzvAt5fz3_zCEkUoiyo6s7tt8APdRokLvFYw4ObrcZaQhP39e/s320/simplex+cooking.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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A good girl wears an apron to do her cooking. A bad girl trying to be good does it in a new frock with big hair!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlQ_p3ro-oGQ1JcC_5dxWK6xJLLTsPl27MLS8v-esyb5uiCGlxYi7CqeJ_vj-TlQFEsJG3rhhtgTpzufL7D-6zibu1K3FgFAHLrh0wsBNBWj2vVtpS6a8vuYrIdcfE1iyOgh0sX54XkA_N/s1600/re+dress+radial_edited-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlQ_p3ro-oGQ1JcC_5dxWK6xJLLTsPl27MLS8v-esyb5uiCGlxYi7CqeJ_vj-TlQFEsJG3rhhtgTpzufL7D-6zibu1K3FgFAHLrh0wsBNBWj2vVtpS6a8vuYrIdcfE1iyOgh0sX54XkA_N/s320/re+dress+radial_edited-3.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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Finally this dress has the F factor, which is that it both makes me feel foxy and fierce. Whipping up a storm in its wake like all bad girls should.</div>
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So there we have the bad girl trying to be good dress and I just need to say a massive thank you to the ever ace <a href="http://www.takenby.com/">Aymi D </a>for taking epic pics and working her creative magic on little old me.</div>
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I leave you with a quote from one of my favourite bad girls of all time Mae West.</div>
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"There are no good girls gone wrong - just bad girls found out"</div>
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Don't let the man get you down,</div>
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Miss D</div>
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<br />Rehanon Mackenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254101143980010676noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8979704161193979540.post-21207856166169140322013-06-06T15:08:00.000+01:002013-06-07T01:08:51.100+01:00And the award goes to....<br />
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Happy Thursday y'all,</div>
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I thought the awards I would be most pleased about over the previous weeks were the well deserved Baftas for both the lovely Olivia Coleman and the man I hope to one day hit the town with Alan Carr and my free Nando's meal but my very own wafflings have won me a Liebster award from my darling diva, Sew Dixie Lou. I'm chuffed to bits in all honesty and I will hopefully share a celebratory cocktail with this fine woman in the not too distant future.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRroVAUnR227hmGpYJcIMy4faCbcPMliePr2cePyVQMyiQb2R8w51_b6bFHM0id3NTDNG4ET8yiL4g3JIQkbiyKt9jOlKgAxz5ZXi3S3n8zip64CkzLUPHWH0OBUV9ka5tMYKs6RlMpZ7i/s1600/liebster-blog-award1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRroVAUnR227hmGpYJcIMy4faCbcPMliePr2cePyVQMyiQb2R8w51_b6bFHM0id3NTDNG4ET8yiL4g3JIQkbiyKt9jOlKgAxz5ZXi3S3n8zip64CkzLUPHWH0OBUV9ka5tMYKs6RlMpZ7i/s320/liebster-blog-award1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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The Liebster award is a lovely idea to get bloggers with less than 200 followers out to a wider audience and involves the nominee answering 11 questions from the nominator as well as providing 11 random facts about themselves. The nominee then passes the love on to 11 other bloggers. What a beautiful circle of joy hey? So without further a do here's what I've got to say.</div>
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1) If could sew an outfit for someone famous who would it be?</div>
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This is such a doosie but as music is a huge inspiration for all that I sew and having already crocheted him a tie it would have to be the man whose music saved me from ordinary, Jarvis Cocker. Having met the man himself several years ago and finding him to be as lovely and as tall as I had hoped I would knock him up a tailored three piece suit.</div>
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2) If your sewing machine could talk, what's the first thing you would ask it? </div>
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If I'm going to drink whilst sewing what cocktail would you recommend?</div>
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3) Where is your most favourite place in the world?</div>
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It has to be my adopted home town of Brighton. I'm a big believer in the idiom it's not where you're from it's where you're going and this town has always been pivotal to my life. It's a place I came to as a teenager and hoped I one day live, where I came to learn how to make radio, where I returned when the chips were down and my shelter from the storm when I went through my big heartbreak. I can't pin down exactly why this little city by the sea is so great but I think it has a lot to do with its acceptance of all that is different without question or hesitation.</div>
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4) What's that one song that can make you feel better about a bad day?<br />
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I would have to say Frank Turner <em>If Ever I Stray</em>. I'd heard this song at the back end of 2011 after a friend of mine said if he had the choice he'd have Frank played at his funeral. I thought that was a big old compliment so I checked him out and I was not disappointed. That song in particular is about the paths we take and the wobbles along the way and totally chimed with where I was in life at that time. Then I was randomnly on my way back to Brighton via London at the end of particularly ass week in November 2011 and there was some dudes on train chatting about going to see him at Hammersmith so I took a chance and detoured there to see if I could get a ticket, which I did. I was awed apart from the Pulp reformation gigs that year, which fixed my heart he was the most amazing thing to see live in a long time. I have since become an ardent fan. I can't recommend attending one of his gigs at least once because he gives his all and the audience come together in this mad communion. I always leave feeling better about life.<br />
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5) How would your friends/loved ones describe you in five words?</div>
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They would say mad, loud, bright, big hearted and positive.</div>
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6) If you could go back to college what would you study?</div>
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I think acting because being a Gemini and the eldest of four children from a loud family I've always been on some sort of stage. I do even wonder now about having a go at it. I couldn't do serious but I'd love to do comedy though I've been told that can be a harder thing to get right than Shakespeare. </div>
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7) The one thing you can't live without?</div>
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Ooh such a good question and with so many possible answers but I have to say music. The songs that have soundtracked my life have helped me laugh, love, cry, create and style it out.</div>
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8) It's date night and 1985, who do you pick to go out with and why? Andrew McCarthy, Emilio Estevez or Judd Nelson?</div>
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Andrew McCarthy too polished, Emilio Estevez too short so it has to be the dark haired and big hearted rebel that is Judd Nelson. In the Breakfast Club he had swagger but soul, which in my mind makes a hell' a a good man plus pretty much all women love a bad boy ;-) </div>
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9) Who is your style icon?<br />
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Hot damn Sew Dixie has gone for the brain twizzlers hasn't she. I've got a tonne I could name from Grace Jones, to Prince, to Cyndi Lauper, to Marilyn but if pressed hard I'm going to have to say Vivienne Westwood. This is because I absolutely love her shere disregard for the appropriate and the fact that she cuts clothes for women that have lumps and bumps and she's rides her bike in a ballgown sometimes. She actually makes me not worry about ageing because she's still fabulous and relevant in her seventh decade. Yay for not giving a fig!</div>
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10) You just got detention? What's the thing you most likely did to get in trouble?</div>
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I can give you a factual answer to this one and that is rebelling against the man. An example of this would be when I decided to tell my foul headmistress at convent school who thought her sole responsibility was to break girls' spirits until they conformed that she was a fascist (I knew she was because I had received a good education) and then proceeded to jump off the school roof into the swimming pool in my underwear with pretty much all of the lower sixth. My behaviour directly led to me not being allowed to attend 6th form at said school and meant I had to go to my local college a situation I'm still so very happy about :)</div>
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11) You're playing spin the bottle. Who DON'T you want it to land on? </div>
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Cliff Richard (I can't bring myself to call him Sir) he makes my skin crawl and I dislike him as much as celery. I'm of the ardent belief if we find ourself in a nuclear winter it will just be him and pigeons that survive. He'll be standing on top of the burning pyre singing Saviour's Day gah!</div>
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I hope that satisfactiorily answers those burning questions and now onto 11 random facts about me.</div>
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<li>I was born with 2 and half sets of teeth so I teethed like one and half times in my life.</li>
<li>Fried eggs make me incredibly uncomfortable I couldn't even serve them to Ryan Gosling in bed.</li>
<li>Recently Russell Brand stood on my foot and I was surprised by how big he actually is.</li>
<li>I can fall asleep anywhere including up against a poster of Elvis on the wall of a very loud gay club in Valencia.</li>
<li>Since the age of 15 I've had approximately 30 different hairstyles.</li>
<li>To date including my birth name I've been called by 32 different names by people so one for every year of my life.</li>
<li>I made a large woollen bobble hat aka a Hoxton bonnet or Mark Radcliffe at BBC6 music.</li>
<li>I once spoke to Bobby Davro on the phone when I was temp at an accountancy firm.</li>
<li>When I at a Paloma Faith gig I had a fruit hat on my head to, which Gok Wan shouted, "love your hat" I'm still beyond proud about this.</li>
<li>For years I thought awry was pronounced or-rie. Even after learning the correct pronounciation I still say it my way sometimes.</li>
<li>If my parents hadn't started listening to Fleetwood Mac I would have been called June. I will always be grateful to Stevie Nicks</li>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Now my turn to play Magnus Magnusson. Here's my 11 humdingers.</span><br />
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<li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Who would you get to play you in the story of your life?</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Career wise what would your plan B be</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Say you found yourself in a Quantum Leap type role, which enabled to jump to any event in history what would you choose?</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">If you were coming on stage what would you choose as your walk on tune?</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">In Grease what character would you most like to play?</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">What skill would you most like to have?</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">If you could make any outfit from a movie what would you choose?</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Do you have a recipe for something that never disappoints if so can I have it?</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Can you recommend a good book you've read?</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">What's guaranteed to make you laugh?</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">If you could choose another name what would you go for?</span></li>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Finally, here's my 11 bloggers who I feel are deserving of this little award</span><br />
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Catherine makes amazing 60s inspired clothes she's a real swinging gal.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://sewingthe60s.blogspot.co.uk/">sewingthe60s.blogspot.co.uk/</a></span></div>
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Lovely sisters Jen and Elena make gorgeous clothes and crafts.</div>
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<a href="http://teafortwodiary.blogspot.co.uk/">http://teafortwodiary.blogspot.co.uk/</a></div>
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What this gal can't knit is not worth knowing about.</div>
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<a href="http://knittygalore.blogspot.co.uk/">http://knittygalore.blogspot.co.uk/</a></div>
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My friend Steph has deffo got a hell'a more than 200 followers but that's cause she comes up with such great stuff</div>
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<a href="http://www.stephaniepomfrett.co.uk/">http://www.stephaniepomfrett.co.uk/</a></div>
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This little lady also way tops 200 but again such a goodie I needed to include. Plus she's recently taken up running and done 10k woot!</div>
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<u><span style="color: #0099b9;">fiandme.co.uk/blog</span></u></div>
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There is so much to love on this blog including the Moonrise Kingdom photoshoot she did with her husband to be<br />
<u><span style="color: #0099b9;"><a href="http://meandmypolarbear.com/blog/">http://meandmypolarbear.com/blog/</a></span></u><br />
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Sarah makes lovely clothes and has a great fringe.<br />
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<a href="http://notchesandnotions.blogspot.co.uk/">http://notchesandnotions.blogspot.co.uk/</a></div>
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At this blog you will find nice pics, lovely sewing, cats, crochet and other lovely things. Me and this lady struck up conversation over Helen Daniels and the Neighbours Game.</div>
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<a href="http://sewsmitten.wordpress.com/">http://sewsmitten.wordpress.com/</a></div>
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I bonded with this lady on twitter over a love of vintage fashion and fabulous but underused phrases like bobby dazzler.</div>
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<a href="http://www.thefortiesfloozy.com/">http://www.thefortiesfloozy.com/</a></div>
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Lovely Jo who sewed my favourite Mad Men incarnation and helped me with my gussets.</div>
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<a href="http://somanypatternssewlittletime.blogspot.co.uk/">http://somanypatternssewlittletime.blogspot.co.uk/</a></div>
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This lady has done a button take on Tilly's Miette along with tonnes of great sewing v worth a peruse.</div>
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<a href="http://lafolieemilie.blogspot.co.uk/">http://lafolieemilie.blogspot.co.uk/</a></div>
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Phew dolls I'm all typed out but thank you again to darling Sew Dixie Lou and for all the other fab bloggers who fill my reading time with such good stuff.</div>
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Mwah,</div>
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Miss D</div>
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xxx </div>
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Rehanon Mackenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254101143980010676noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8979704161193979540.post-59410282725342396042013-05-18T20:18:00.004+01:002013-05-18T20:18:55.995+01:00It ain't easy being green or I became a runner againWarning: this is not a massively sewing related post but you do get to see me painted green.<br />
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Good evening darling ones,<br />
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How the devs are you? I hope I find you all well and happy. In my little corner of the world we are experiencing a somewhat intermittent spring but being British I celebrate even a cheeky skirt lift of sun :) Especially as we have just experienced a winter of discontent on an epic scale. My theory on the coldest snap of the last 100 years is that poor old Richard III who'd lain buried in a Leicestershire car park was unceremoniously dug up and put in a cardboard box. If I'd been at peace for 500 years I'd be mightily pissed at being disturbed. At the time of going to press there's still no say on his final resting place as Leicester are saying finders keepers but York believe he's theirs as that's where he came from. Anywho enough of the historic retrospective of one our monarchs and on to the purpose of this post, which is the first of two to explain my lengthy absence from the blogosphere.</div>
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Richard III - King of bad weather</div>
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Cutting to the chase in November 2012 I donned my trainers and became a runner again. It had been three long years since I'd hit the tarmac. I'd originally started running after reading the book <a href="http://www.whsmith.co.uk/Products/Running-Made-Easy-Zest-Magazine-illustrated-edition+Paperback+9781843404347?utm_source=google&utm_medium=feedstream&utm_campaign=pla&gclid=CN-1-Z2hoLcCFVMbtAodoR0AVw">Running Made Easy</a> when I wanted to get fit (if you want to be a runner but don't know where to start I can't recommend this book enough) in 2009 and went onto run the <a href="http://www.getkidsgoing.com/british10k.htm?gclid=COavkI2ioLcCFRLLtAodMwIA7w">British 10K</a> and soon after started training for the <a href="http://www.greatrun.org/events/event.aspx?id=1">Great North Run</a>. Unfortunately, as the miles went up my left knee became v sore and eventually blew up like a balloon. On advice I went to see an orthotics specialist in London to get fitted for insoles for my trainers to correct my running style, which was apparently causing the problem. The man who did the insoles charged me £250 and also promptly told me that and I quote, "You are too fat to be a distance runner"! As I'm sure you've all gathered in the time we've spent together I've got a very strong constitution in regards to my sack of skin and instead of getting upset I merely laughed in his face and told him to do one. I mean for Pete's sake I'd already lost 2 stone and I was feeling as fit as a fiddle. It turned out that the man was not only very rude but very wrong and his insoles didn't work and I had to stop running :( For any of you that are runners I'm sure you'll understand how devastating it is when you get injured and something you love and is a part of who you are as a person is something you can't do anymore. Especially, as I whole heartedly believed I had a marathon in me.</div>
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I even accessorise when I run it's what separates us from the animals ;-)</div>
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Fear not though this story has a v happy ending eventually :) Fast forward a few years and me and my then man had decided that life was just taking us in different directions. We'd had 10 years together and it was heartbreaking at the time but as with everything in life it's what you make of it and I felt something good would come around and firstly it was sewing woot! I will be forever grateful to have found something that I know I will be passionate about for the rest of my days but being a typical gemini there's many strings to my bow and still deep within me burned the desire to get back to running. Well I can only think I sent out a cosmic order because karmically the person that got me back in my trainers was my ex's new beloved. We are all friends, which is a great thing and a happy outcome. She's a running coach as well as being a sports scientist and informed me that the insole man had spoken complete tosh and the problem was merely that my ITB muscle needed some work on it and gave me a load of stretches to do. These worked and didn't cost me £250 yay! So at the end of November 2012 I announced I would be running the Brighton half marathon and promptly started training with <a href="http://fitbitchrunningclub.wordpress.com/">Fitbitch</a> running club. </div>
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Only I would decide to start running again in the coldest winter of a 100 years. Thanks be for long socks.</div>
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Well as I said earlier eventually this story ends well but it doesn't end with me running the Brighton half marathon in February as I'd hoped. The reason being was the night that I rode to running club for the first time in three years I came off my bike, Rita and flew clean into the air and smashed down hard onto the pavement. I thought I'd just grazed my hands so carried on to running club and ran 3 fantastic miles until I felt a surge of pain in my leg. It wasn't my knee this time though it was my right calf and in the moonlight I saw it had swelled up to three times its normal size and was starting to resemble a magnum of champagne :s It continued to get worse over the next few days and when I eventually went to the doctor feeling very tearful I was diagnosed with a massive blood clot in my calf eek! A pint of blood had died in my leg and the reason I was so emotional was the fact that the blood poisoning was climbing up my leg to my vital organs. I narrowly missed a hospital stay, was banned from running for several weeks and ended up with a scar.</div>
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So you maybe asking yourself how is that a good ending? Well I can tell you despite all the setbacks I did indeed finally finish a half marathon yay :) I ran the Hastings half marathon on 24th March this year with a beehive in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support in 2 hours 12 mins 10 secs.</div>
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Very red but very happy :)</div>
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So all is well that ends well and tomorrow (19th May 2013) I get to combine two of my passions as I take part in the <a href="http://www.heroesrun.org.uk/">Heroes Run</a> 10K in aid of Pass It On to raise money for schools in Africa in a handmade dress.</div>
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Grrr! Even She Hulk can rock an <a href="http://shop.byhandlondon.com/product/elisalex-dress">Elisalex</a> dress :)</div>
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If anyone would like to donate to the cause you can find me at <a href="http://www.justgiving.com/rehanonisshehulk">www.justgiving.com/rehanonisshehulk</a> all monies gratefully received :) </div>
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I will bid you farewell for now my darlings and leave you with the following wisdom that I've gained over the last few years. I've learned if you want something enough you have to believe in yourself, don't listen to people who put you down, you'll find help in the strangest of places and ultimately you'll find your own way round all the challenges and you'll only feel more fabulous for it woot! I will be repeating this to myself constantly when I start training for the marathon I thought I'd never get to run later this year and questioning my sanity ;-)</div>
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Miss D</div>
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Rehanon Mackenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254101143980010676noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8979704161193979540.post-55376892764322342312013-04-28T12:51:00.000+01:002013-04-28T12:51:52.710+01:00I've done a Bowie.Hello there you pretty things,<br />
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Well I've been away for some time haven't I?! I thought it had only been a few weeks but looking at my last post it is in fact a few months whoops :s At this point I have to say I promise I've not been hibernating in fact I've been crazy busy and the blog has been one of the casualties but no more I'm back! I will fill you in on my exploits in due course but I thought for now it's best to hit you up with my latest make as I know as sewentists we love the detail but boy do we love a big reveal :)<br />
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It is indeed quite fortuitous that I return to the blogosphere with my sartorial salute to David Bowie -singer, clothes horse, cultural redefiner, king of reinvention, force of nature etc. etc. who himself just blasted back on to the cultural landscape. I don't think I'd ever be able to eloquently explain how much I love him but I will say that the fact he managed to return under shadow of darkness one miserable January morning taking the whole world by surprise in his 60s with an album that sounds as fresh as the music he made in the 70s makes me weep tears of unashamed joy. Obvs I don't see my return being even a fraction of an atom as important as his is or of the belief it will be as highly publicised :) All the same I'm happy to be swaggering back in on his fabulous coat tails.<br />
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I must give thanks to the lovely <a href="http://fanbloomingtastic.typepad.com/">Tempest Devyne</a> for organising the <a href="http://fanbloomingtastic.typepad.com/blog/bowie-sew-along-index.html">Bowie Sewalong</a>, which after the long winter of discontent has returned my sewjo and got me all fired up.<br />
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The scope of choice to sew something Bowie inspired is maaaasssive but serendipitously I had traced the suspender skirt from <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sew-Home-Stretch-Wendy-Mullin/dp/0316118370">Sew U Home Stretch</a> and downloaded the <a href="http://www.tillyandthebuttons.com/p/mathilde-blouse-sewing-pattern.html">Mathilde</a> blouse pattern and were chomping at the bit to make both. So I decided to go for a female version of the character, Halloween Jack that he created for Diamond Dogs and hence Halloween Jill was born.<br />
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Halloween Jack meet...</div>
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Halloween Jill</div>
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A little messing round with Photoshop and I've sort of recreated the Terry O'Neill's Diamond Dogs photo though I have to say that David does moody creative genius far better than me. I think I look like I've stubbed my toe as opposed to having just thought of a whole new concept album.</div>
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I absolutely love this photo of him and the story behind it just sums him up. It was shot by Terry O'Neill and they said oh we'll get a big dog in for a shot and it was quite antsy and everyone was freaking out but when the dog leapt up growling Bowie didn't even flinch. Always the epitome of cool and reminding us that every age we are relevant Dear David I salute you.</div>
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Waxing lyrical about this icon is something I could do for many paragraphs to come but this is a blog about sewing so I will return to that now. Basically, having made the Mathilde blouse, which was created by the ridiculously talented <a href="http://www.tillyandthebuttons.com/">Tilly</a> of buttons and <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0165nj8">Great British Sewing Bee</a> fame I want to say I love it. The pattern is really great to work with and just scaling from size 5 on the girls down to a 4 on the hips gave me a cracking fit and I'm currently thinking of many more incarnations of it. I will stress though NEVER use the fabric that I did :s It was an absolute swine to control. I bought it on a little trip out to Goldhawk Road and I was immediately enthralled by it because it mirrored the pattern perfectly of Bowie's shirt and had a lovely drape that I thought would make the most of the bishop sleeves, which in fairness it has. But my days it was slippery than Simon Cowell after an oily massage gah! I considered dispensing with the pin tucks but being a stubborn swine I wasn't going to be beaten by a metre and a half of whatever the hell fibre it is. </div>
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This is a face of both jubilation that the blouse was finished and sheer mania at the hours spent haranguing the fabric into order. I call the expression bat shit joy.</div>
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As you can see from above the blouse works great as a separate and has been worn several times since this picture was taken and is my fave combination of both kooky but work appropriate *double thumbs*</div>
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In contrast the suspender skirt was easy peasy to make and came together in about 2 and a bit hours once I'd stopped crying about the fact I'd put a hole in the blouse yoke after trimming through the facing and into the front gah! Anywho one of my New Year's objectives (don't like the word resolution sounds too stressful and finger waggy) was to get my stretch on. If anyone is worried about dallying with stretch I absolutely can't recommend Wendy's Sew U Home Stretch enough as a starting point. She writes clearly and in non patronising way and there's great instructions on how to adapt the patterns in the book to create other looks. In fact there's so much of the red double knit left that I used to make the skirt I'm going to have a go at the Flashdance stylee sweatshirt featured in the book *dons leotard and welding mask* :)</div>
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Look how happy braces makes me. I'm gonna be sticking braces all over the shop this coming year and I don't care if it makes me look like Russ Abbot because braces rock!</div>
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So there you go my sweet ones that's what I've been up to. I will bid you farewell for now but not for long I promise.</div>
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I figure the only way to sign off is by saying Let's Dance!</div>
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Mwah</div>
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<br />Rehanon Mackenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254101143980010676noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8979704161193979540.post-66609286502010469312012-12-22T16:41:00.001+00:002012-12-22T16:41:44.833+00:00The Winner Takes It All and A Long and Winding RoadHello my sweets,<br />
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I hope this Wintery evening finds you well and at the very least cosy. I'm currently covered in pom poms after upcycling a jumper for Christmas so strong that it had the potential to bring on snow :)<br />
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This bad boy was made for <a href="http://miniclickatthefringe.wordpress.com/2012/11/01/19th-dec-miniclickaganza-christmas-party/">Miniclickaganza</a> a little get together with lovely peeps in Brighty</div>
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Let me begin by saying thank you soooo much for all your lovely comments on the wedded bliss <a href="http://missdemeanourisonthemake.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/made-it-for-two-weddings-but-late-to-my.html">post</a>. I was touched and so were all those that were mentioned. As I said previously it was honour and privilege to be part of two wonderful women's next chapters :)<br />
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The winner of my giveaway is another gorgeous blonde :)</div>
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Without further do but with much serendipity I can announce that the winner of the wedding related giveaway is none other than the fabulous Kathryn of <a href="http://yesilikethat.wordpress.com/">Yes I Like That</a> who has just announced her own engagement :) I do believe there is a lot of good energy that travels through our community only the other day I was saying how appropriate it was that Zoe turned up in my life just as the sewing bug had bitten hard. Congratulations Kathryn! I can't wait to see what you whip up.<br />
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Well with the important announcement made I can lead nicely into the second half of the title of this post, which is what I got up to post the period I affectionately called Weddageddon ;-)<br />
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WARNING: This bit of the post is not sewing related so feel free to switch off.</div>
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As you may have gathered my darlings I'm not a gal who does things by halves. A point that was noted some years a go by my dear friend Jo who when discussing my plan to walk across Spain as I needed time to think post university. She said when I divulged my plan, "See that's the difference doll between me and you well you and pretty much everyone else. If I need a think I walk round the park me. You need a think well then you're staring down the barrel of 500 miles!" Never a truer word spoken.<br />
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Well this time I didn't have that much thinking to do more a spot of decompressing so I traded 500 for just under 100 miles in the form of the <a href="http://www.west-highland-way.co.uk/">West Highland Way</a>. My darling Grandad who relocated South was from Scotland and I'm ashamed to say I had never visited. As is often the way when you're a writer you think could there be a story in this? Well there is if you take a family rescue dog with you :) The pooch in question is our darling family pet, Macey.<br />
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Lovely Macey perched alongside our Pa</div>
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She's a beautiful girl who has been part of our lives for well over a decade. We rescued her from the <a href="http://www.rspca.org.uk/home">RSPCA </a>when my sister and I went to look for a dog as a present to Papa Demeanour who'd been heartbroken since losing our German shepherd, Rumpole. It was literally love at first sight. Her big cow eyes said I will love you so much if you take a chance on me and she's never let us down :) So much so the Demeanours Senior have gone on to rescue a further three pooches who have been wonderful hairy extensions to our family.<br />
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I contacted a few magazines and pitched my idea for a long distance dog walk/pet holiday and it proved a winner so plans were hatched over the summer with aim to leave just after the weddings. I've also agreed to write a free piece for the RSPCA because they are charity very dear our families heart.<br />
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So at 5am on the 18th October this year Macey and I saddled up and headed to Glasgow albeit in the luxury of Virgin 1st Class. We booked in advance, which made it really cheap and with tonnes of complimentary food for me and her it would be rude not too. <br />
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Macey always knew if she got the chance to travel by train it would be a 1st class experience ;-)</div>
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Five hours later we arrived in Glasgow and trekked out towards Milngavie and the start of our six day trek to Fort William. We had no idea what to expect and if you told either of us we'd get to ride in a red vintage Ferrari, see a stag just a few feet away, feed deer and walk up through the clouds we would have respectively laughed and ruffed in your face :)</div>
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Here our a selection of pictures from our travels as I don't have the words to described how beautiful this part of the country is.</div>
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At the start best foot and paw forward</div>
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Come on Miss D stop snapping we've got miles to cover!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-TGWooufZIPxPWuNaW39dwvoRYFbRSaJDt0yJV8IoKiAs89H45JYrSirsl4R7p72Ue1jU2nTRn0VZU8kRVvkooYBYlmo7Fqa8P_iGVD57QVQlQ3YFWRXAC72zzpvf8WU1HcSkn6H0DuE3/s1600/IMAG0307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-TGWooufZIPxPWuNaW39dwvoRYFbRSaJDt0yJV8IoKiAs89H45JYrSirsl4R7p72Ue1jU2nTRn0VZU8kRVvkooYBYlmo7Fqa8P_iGVD57QVQlQ3YFWRXAC72zzpvf8WU1HcSkn6H0DuE3/s320/IMAG0307.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Day 2 and a swim in Loch Lomond for Macey</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-MlK1gD_JeDnCgH08aY9kKXY7tBIafGqPCWZt3j2SHz89a79X_y2-dxl_C8D27PLQFN3xGbSIKmkFg3kRTVx0b1hbsMxP5tvcR06bFp-xhu-_jhNByPV-Kn5RGALG_2XgCxaLWl-Gd4-/s1600/IMAG0332.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-MlK1gD_JeDnCgH08aY9kKXY7tBIafGqPCWZt3j2SHz89a79X_y2-dxl_C8D27PLQFN3xGbSIKmkFg3kRTVx0b1hbsMxP5tvcR06bFp-xhu-_jhNByPV-Kn5RGALG_2XgCxaLWl-Gd4-/s320/IMAG0332.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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These cows gave me my first chance to have a go at wrangling. I simply said Good Morning and excuse me and they parted. No need for any of that lasso malarkey.</div>
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Day 3 in Tyndrum and we stayed in lovely little dog friendly hiker's hut</div>
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Day 4 and Macey was so comfortable when the alarm went off and I got dressed she opted for another cheeky snooze ;-)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLigIqXZlAE8a84K9PW7G_GWGLlnlk0vyjTnxrqF7gW69xmemBqRkjbICbXl7kpEuPoYNF2DDHJIlgYoKAuLO_Mx3gmczIXkRPTqNnZR84_ASOkA2LWBtWc0ya5pLWvWvANNK9bfVU5n2N/s1600/IMAG0361.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLigIqXZlAE8a84K9PW7G_GWGLlnlk0vyjTnxrqF7gW69xmemBqRkjbICbXl7kpEuPoYNF2DDHJIlgYoKAuLO_Mx3gmczIXkRPTqNnZR84_ASOkA2LWBtWc0ya5pLWvWvANNK9bfVU5n2N/s320/IMAG0361.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Day 4 also saw us come face to face with this big fella who took a dislike to both me and Macey, which meant instead of hiking we were jogging for a mile or so :s</div>
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The early starts were a bit of shocker but the views were so worth it.</div>
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Day 4 was a longest day walking with 19 miles to cover but when we finally made it over Rannoch Moor we were greeted by this dear deer :)</div>
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After a long day we made it to <a href="http://www.kingshousehotel.co.uk/">Kinghouse Hotel</a> to be greeted by this sign. I knew immediately it was my sort of establishment. No messing about with check-in it's straight to the cocktail lounge for a dirty martini</div>
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I can't recommend the hotel enough. It was really cheap, staff were lovely and check out the view from our room. If Carlsberg did hotel views....</div>
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There was also some ace inspiration for future outfits on the wall. I think I could totes pull off to The Manor Born.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHWAPQa9QvdErj8_v4wJjF5bKXDwrQxJ2pTbYdef1K-X8wh1qIyjN392jDchaf-ReztRVns-QR_flnEh3eF7AZno1kEsPhkUApLZecK8Kb_zOHrqEh03FVeZY5A1-3sYdUCK8COj4TT5u_/s1600/IMAG0411.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHWAPQa9QvdErj8_v4wJjF5bKXDwrQxJ2pTbYdef1K-X8wh1qIyjN392jDchaf-ReztRVns-QR_flnEh3eF7AZno1kEsPhkUApLZecK8Kb_zOHrqEh03FVeZY5A1-3sYdUCK8COj4TT5u_/s320/IMAG0411.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Day 5 saw us ascending the steepest part of the walk the Devil's Staircase. Although it puffed us out it was magical to walk up through the cloudline. Macey's face was a picture as she popped up through them.</div>
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Our final home was the aptly named Hobbit House. This baby had a fridge, microwave, two beds, heating and a TV! Macey and I were both glad to not miss GBBO.</div>
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Day 6 and a few miles to go Macey wanted to rock something a little special to go over the line.</div>
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Woohoo we made it! Here we are next to the sore feet statute in Fort William. We celebrated with haggis and fish and chips respectively.</div>
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So long Scotland you've been anything but paw - boom tsh! :)</div>
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Well that's the story of our long and winding road. We both thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and met some wonderful peeps and I think Macey is continuing to make the other family dogs jealous with her tails (sorry can't resist the dogs puns - last one I promise though).</div>
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Reliving the walk has left me pooped so I'm gonna go fix myself a mulled wine and put my feet up for half an hour.</div>
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Until next time my darlings always remember to put your best foot forward.<br />
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Love Miss D<br />
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xxx<br />
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<br />Rehanon Mackenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254101143980010676noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8979704161193979540.post-42449965936854824572012-12-11T00:05:00.001+00:002012-12-11T00:37:18.361+00:00Made it for two weddings but late to my own party...<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0px !important;">How the devil are we all? This is the post that has been slow cooking away for some time now and I hope is all the more rich and juicy for it ;-)</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0px !important;">You would not be remiss for thinking lazy ol’ Miss D she's been sitting round with her curlers in and feet up in fluffy mules ever since she finished her cake heavy commission. This my dears has not been the case at all I've simply been in a wedding and post wedding walking whirl.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0px !important;">As I advance through my years life gets no less challenging and in the same vein no less interesting, thankfully. If you'd ask me at the beginning of last year if I thought I'd be making a wedding cake for one dear friend and several bridesmaid dresses for another I would have said it's more likely that I'll take gold at 2012! Reminds me more than ever what a difference a day can make.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Laura and I were told we wouldn't require coats in Spain we were both glad we didn't listen.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0px !important;">As previously blogged I was asked last year by my very lovely friend Laura to be one of her bridesmaids. Hers is a thoroughly modern love story and one, which I’m glad to have been a part of from the very beginning. We met when we both decided to take an Erasmus exchange to Spain in our second year at uni. It was in fact at this time I made my first dress (very badly – see evidence below). It was a crazy few months to say the least but Laura and I became firm friends united by our ability to find humour when all else had failed including the heating. On our return from Alicante we started our final year and the fun continued. She unfortunately had a really rubbish housemate think 30 year old Veruca Salt. I on the other hand lived in a ramshackle 7 bedroom house with 5 lovely guys and 1 lovely girl. It was a true student house in every sense. </span><br />
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This dress was held together with sellotape by the end of the night but my love of polka dots was born :)</div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0px !important;">We used to have really great parties and Laura used to come along, which is where she met my then housemate Nick who was to become her beloved </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0px !important;">J</span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0px !important;"> Over the course of our final year they fell hard for each other and when we stayed on an extra year after graduation it cemented their feelings but as we all know life can sometimes play you a dud hand. Nick was due to spend the summer abroad and then go back to his hometown. His trip got cut short but home he went and Laura followed but things didn’t work out and studies took her back South and they decided to separate. When I went to get her it all seemed so sad but the old romantic in me believed true love would will out and indeed it did. Just a few weeks later Nick declared he could not live without her and would go whether she needed to be. That was 6 years ago.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0px !important;">Brave or crazy on the basis of only a few my outfits she asked me to make the bridesmaids dresses! I was both excited and a little nervous but when she phoned me in September last year October 2012 seemed a long way away - it came around fast. Thankfully, not long after I blogged about it the lovely <a href="http://gingermakes.wordpress.com/">Ginger Makes</a> emailed me to say she'd embarked on a similar mission and time goes by quicker than you think. Taking that into account the bride and I came up with a timetable for the coming months to at least try to keep everything on target. This proves very useful when one your of bridesmaids is a touring opera singer, another is a very successful business woman running a cheerleading squad, the other is a swing trio singing mum of one with another bubba on the way and the other is me!</span><br />
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The bridal squad</div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0px !important;">Right from the start Laura had said she wanted us to go for a vintage look to compliment what she was hoping to find in her dress so we had a pow wow and we both decided we looking for a nicely shaped bodice, cap sleeve, a bateau neckline and a fuller skirt. I found two patterns that ticked the boxes.</span></div>
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<a href="http://vintagepatterns.wikia.com/wiki/Simplicity_3592_A" style="text-indent: 0px !important;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0px !important;">Simplicity 3592</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0px !important;"></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnsipkd3gDdhKPaxhqkyr-yWQllydJpDKzbwv7WUzPi4LPKxV0ZECk-N1w-aIlKwEhyphenhyphenfLNRU5LhiHMHekgHYFDQcbLD7-JvRO55UP0Ws2-31XrkflfWhMI8BeYnuiQPuN6E2Pjuy4Opx4N/s1600/6723.jpg" style="text-indent: 0px !important;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px !important;"><img alt="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnsipkd3gDdhKPaxhqkyr-yWQllydJpDKzbwv7WUzPi4LPKxV0ZECk-N1w-aIlKwEhyphenhyphenfLNRU5LhiHMHekgHYFDQcbLD7-JvRO55UP0Ws2-31XrkflfWhMI8BeYnuiQPuN6E2Pjuy4Opx4N/s320/6723.jpg" border="0" height="308" id="ecxPicture_x0020_2" src="https://dub117.mail.live.com/att/GetInline.aspx?messageid=fda97713-33fe-11e2-ab04-002264c2496c&attindex=1&cp=-1&attdepth=1&imgsrc=cid%3aimage002.jpg%4001CDC642.596CDBE0&cid=09acba29b838c69e&shared=1&hm__login=fairywings38&hm__domain=hotmail.com&ip=10.211.100.8&d=d1991&mf=0&hm__ts=Thu%2c%2029%20Nov%202012%2017%3a48%3a48%20GMT&st=fairywings38&hm__ha=01_c9c355ffa5b56da42715d13cb08f08ce3c27e6b6faad270f0d1796dbaf669178&oneredir=1" style="text-indent: 0px !important;" width="320" /></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0px !important;"></span></div>
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<a href="http://sewing.patternreview.com/patterns/16175" style="text-indent: 0px !important;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0px !important;">New Look 6723</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0px !important;"></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0px !important;">Owing to Simplicity 3592 being a vintage pattern and not so readily available I set about making a muslin of New Look 6723 so we could give it a yay or nay early on in the process.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9kCgsLsydrL0jN-d4K29LFbQgmiwkMn-niSdwGjmKeYyB10BzqMgImrcRccN11j6jWSnGENe9fKLEO9SIX41YeTw90MTYRqufrbu_sgzCzf__SsXJS9kmHu3M7YtjPQjEyjT4Z0R0pIk/s1600/muslin+mccalls.jpg" style="text-indent: 0px !important;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px !important;"><img alt="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9kCgsLsydrL0jN-d4K29LFbQgmiwkMn-niSdwGjmKeYyB10BzqMgImrcRccN11j6jWSnGENe9fKLEO9SIX41YeTw90MTYRqufrbu_sgzCzf__SsXJS9kmHu3M7YtjPQjEyjT4Z0R0pIk/s320/muslin+mccalls.jpg" border="0" height="320" id="ecxPicture_x0020_1" src="https://dub117.mail.live.com/att/GetInline.aspx?messageid=fda97713-33fe-11e2-ab04-002264c2496c&attindex=2&cp=-1&attdepth=2&imgsrc=cid%3aimage003.jpg%4001CDC642.596CDBE0&cid=09acba29b838c69e&shared=1&hm__login=fairywings38&hm__domain=hotmail.com&ip=10.211.100.8&d=d1991&mf=0&hm__ts=Thu%2c%2029%20Nov%202012%2017%3a48%3a48%20GMT&st=fairywings38&hm__ha=01_01cf843c9a7b503766bf6570cd4a49e263aa9cc05cff06fcfca1fbd1f4f355db&oneredir=1" style="text-indent: 0px !important;" width="240" /></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0px !important;"></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0px !important;">It was indeed a nay aside from the fact that the black tights and calico combo makes me look like a character from a Dickens' novel albeit a ver chirpy one the design just wasn't flattering.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0px !important;">So we shelved the New Look in favour of the vintage Simplicity pattern. Whilst I set about bidding for several on Ebay I also decided that all our proportions were so different it was probably best off to make bodice blocks for all of us and then an adapt pattern for each of us. I've actually only taken a pattern cutting course to make a skirt block but I found an ace tutorial on making a bodice block </span><a href="http://www.burdastyle.com/techniques/constructing-the-basic-bodice-block" style="text-indent: 0px !important;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0px !important;">here</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0px !important;"> and along with my trusted Winifred Aldrich </span><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Metric-Pattern-Cutting-Womens-Wear/dp/1405175672" style="text-indent: 0px !important;" target="_blank"><i style="text-indent: 0px !important;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0px !important;">Pattern Cutting for Womens Wear</span></i></a><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0px !important;">. Although this sounds like a lot of work I don't regret it at all it made the whole process so much simpler as I knew with just a few tweaks we'd have the right fits for everyone and then it was just a case of adapting the skirt pattern. It has also made me want to take the next level in pattern cutting at <a href="http://www.sewinbrighton.co.uk/">Sew in Brighton</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0px !important;">Anywho fast forward to Summer this year and we'd manage to snap up the fabric we needed from Goldhawk Road for the bargain price of £65. We went for a steely lavender cotton silk that showed lots of different colours when it was caught by the light. Laura and I both agreed it would look lovely on our various colourings and was along way a way from the peach parachutes that bridesmaids in the 80s were fated to wear. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk_W06YqKyzCcfNYvpJgwvI-pfbu03sIHDSOMDSYsIUAJl9Ywohge47MpbcG2PlQ9BIRhMzQmdGz5sI2ehJKuHU_m65rr17IBj3Jn05nvDq5On-JLPzV2nJlilU6J1KSaA4EA6_yXYzzzP/s1600/ugly+bridesmaid+dresses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk_W06YqKyzCcfNYvpJgwvI-pfbu03sIHDSOMDSYsIUAJl9Ywohge47MpbcG2PlQ9BIRhMzQmdGz5sI2ehJKuHU_m65rr17IBj3Jn05nvDq5On-JLPzV2nJlilU6J1KSaA4EA6_yXYzzzP/s320/ugly+bridesmaid+dresses.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Both Laura and I wanted to avoid creations that would require facial anonymity!</div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0px !important;">As well as finding the fabric Laura who herself had started to sew was going to make one of the dresses because Louisa the swinging, singing bridesmaid would have her new baby by the time the wedding came round. It was easier for Laura to fit Louisa as they live close to each other but, which left me with lovely pleasure of making a baby bridesmaid’s dress </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0px !important;">J</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRQsPvMDJ3SW8kdh5RT2d7LR-Pj4j8nWrsdLycAnB5uYhtXJS8PYeTbHgXgAaOVRJb_qoYnZi9xdQONjuhcUT_SBo7P93LQl-FFOdym5Ug4jiKUbbKxZd8F1QWjNlFKAdSoTvKVNvmRSR7/s1600/baby+bridesmaid+dress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRQsPvMDJ3SW8kdh5RT2d7LR-Pj4j8nWrsdLycAnB5uYhtXJS8PYeTbHgXgAaOVRJb_qoYnZi9xdQONjuhcUT_SBo7P93LQl-FFOdym5Ug4jiKUbbKxZd8F1QWjNlFKAdSoTvKVNvmRSR7/s1600/baby+bridesmaid+dress.jpg" /></a></div>
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The baby bridesmaid dress pattern <a href="http://www.simplicity.com/p-5925-babies-dresses.aspx">Simplicity 2235</a> so sweet</div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0px !important;">The months whirled by in a flash and before we knew it was July and we were on Laura’s hen do in London doing the last test fittings. There were some minor adjustments but things were full steam ahead. At the same time another very lovely friend of mine who you may know, <a href="http://sozowhatdoyouknow.blogspot.co.uk/">Zoe</a> ;-) asked me to help out with the fitting of her wedding dress and to make the cake for her and Pat’s wedding. I was absolutely over the moon. We only met in February 2011 so to be given the honour of such a special baking project was really touching.</span></div>
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Zoe raised a glass to my plan for alcoholic wedding cake</div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0px !important;">Me being me had also taken on the <a href="http://missdemeanourisonthemake.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/a-skirt-but-not-as-you-know-it.html">cake skirt </a>for <a href="http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Home.aspx">Macmillan</a> as well as squeezing a trip to Berlin over the summer so it was pretty much nose to the grindstone from August right through to the end of September when Zoe and Pat got married. They had decided they didn’t want to go for a cutting of the cake affair so instead they asked me to bake 120 cupcakes and they both jumped on my suggestion of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic varieties ;-) In the end the cupcakes were a mixture of vanilla, chocolate and Guinness with a Bailey’s frosting, lime with a tequila frosting and tiramisu with a mascarpone frosting (recipes for all <a href="http://thebestcupcakerecipes.com/category/alcoholic-cupcakes/">here</a>). They were all decorated with royal icing card suits to match Pat and Zoe’s theme. I was ably assisted I hasten to add by two of my very creative friends <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/takenby1/">Miss Aymi D</a> of picture perfection and <a href="http://www.kirstinstride.com/">Kirstin Stride</a> of many a piece of hand drawn jewellery and more recently purveyor of <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/114793972/puffy-pants-garden-birds-knickers">pretty pants</a>. The girls were invaluable letting me getting on with the baking while they coloured the icing and cut shapes. I couldn’t have done it without them so thank you.</span></div>
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I'll raise you a Guinness and chocolate for a Margarita and lime!</div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0px !important;">What did slip my mind at the time was the fact I hadn’t got round to making my dress for the wedding :s There was no way I could go in RTW especially not with Zoe being so supportive of my sewing endeavours. So I did want any good seamstress would I cut out my dress the night before then had some port and sewed it in the morning. It was to the wire but I still had time to make a hair bow because I thought the beehive needed a little gigi. I will add though it wasn’t meant to be so last minute because my original plan had been to sew <a href="http://vintagepatterns.wikia.com/wiki/Simplicity_4908">Simplicity 4908</a> as gifted to me by the very excellent Lana of <a href="http://www.lazystitching.com/">Lazy Stitching</a>. It didn’t happen though because the bodice pattern hated on me </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0px !important;">L</span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0px !important;"> (princess seams are meant to be winner for curves I'm convinced in my case this is not the case) I fell back onto the bodice pattern I’d designed for my bridesmaid dress and the skirt from 4908. It was a match made in heaven and I even got a mention in the speeches for last minute nature of my clothing. </span><br />
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I called the look Latina Minnie Mouse</div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0px !important;">A pair of handmade crackers :)</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0px !important;">Any thoughts of resting any longer than the Sunday were out the door quicker than Mo Farah on the track because the following weekend was Laura</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0px !important;"> and Nick’s <span style="color: black; text-indent: 0px !important;">wedding</span>. The week was filled with final changes and hemming and by Friday I was good to go. </span></div>
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All sewn and ready to hem eek!</div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0px !important;">Not for the first time I found myself travelling across country on a train with multiple garments and a sewing machine. Thanks be that I came for the rehearsal though because I went to several wrong churches before I found the right one. Honestly I felt like Dustin Hoffman at the end of <i style="text-indent: 0px !important;">The Graduate</i> </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0px !important;">J</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0px !important;"> Once we had the rehearsal we did one last fitting and then Laura, her Mama and I headed to the hotel for a well deserved dinner and relax with chocs and wine aplenty.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVbs6CEImxBMJ6-VIbC4YziSNZhiDJDo9BVp2GcLBs5Qy5xGxv6JVxL5EL-yMRJ57Q5XSHV7nMxgy0Mlin9zuutYTHcnz_2mHlfyj0Epux8DdxEUSli3KsX_Ojcs9en4_5h7F5zvdiABC/s1600/IMAG0201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVbs6CEImxBMJ6-VIbC4YziSNZhiDJDo9BVp2GcLBs5Qy5xGxv6JVxL5EL-yMRJ57Q5XSHV7nMxgy0Mlin9zuutYTHcnz_2mHlfyj0Epux8DdxEUSli3KsX_Ojcs9en4_5h7F5zvdiABC/s320/IMAG0201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Laura and her lovely Mama</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;">The next morning the alarm rang at 7am and thanks to our legendary cheerleading bridesmaid, Sara and equally legendary twin sisters aka the beautifying team the getting ready went like clockwork despite there being six ladies to ready and a baby. Honestly Frank the wedding planner from Father of the Bride had nothing on our gal :) She could run the country that one!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;">It was a super emotional day and the first time I choked was when our very beautiful bride clocked how lovely she was in the mirror as pictured below.</span><br />
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Just perfect :)</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;">The whole day was just a massive show of love from the tears in the church with Steph aka the sister-in-law singing opera, Laura's Mama's beautiful speech, Louisa singing the first dance with her trio the <a href="http://spitfiresisters.blogspot.co.uk/">Spitfire Sisters</a> with little baby Poppy strapped to her. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk3WRB-ZsV8v_Hb1I75MX0yCkxbKkyA3mydb9SXzQZtxwk5e0B3OTEnosQoUzD3Sd9NfVjIHMqrtGafeH1HiZtZhATpcrqhVGjSke48C2_R_RDgOCHQiOTAaN7NXHlcRkYuOXHbcXEkjc_/s1600/bridesmaids+and+nick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk3WRB-ZsV8v_Hb1I75MX0yCkxbKkyA3mydb9SXzQZtxwk5e0B3OTEnosQoUzD3Sd9NfVjIHMqrtGafeH1HiZtZhATpcrqhVGjSke48C2_R_RDgOCHQiOTAaN7NXHlcRkYuOXHbcXEkjc_/s320/bridesmaids+and+nick.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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A whole of love in this photo.</div>
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Spot the baby bridesmaid so sweet :)</div>
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Despite having a whole wedding to plan and a business to run Laura made us all individual presents. She's a complete doll xxx</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;">And finally my crafty skills performed one last win.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJV-DXdY014CYTnbfP_IDxdT3N7IFVv9EFMFLqiBNqVldNHplQsSacaIHVg8coDvGV6QocRF2CnhfV_6Iqk9TiFLjecQ7wY0hBeTNGUrg7hqH7cdmSqaaqvBQuwXb4Jofo0OdeWV3OFUA_/s1600/unpinning+the+dress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJV-DXdY014CYTnbfP_IDxdT3N7IFVv9EFMFLqiBNqVldNHplQsSacaIHVg8coDvGV6QocRF2CnhfV_6Iqk9TiFLjecQ7wY0hBeTNGUrg7hqH7cdmSqaaqvBQuwXb4Jofo0OdeWV3OFUA_/s320/unpinning+the+dress.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;">I always have a needle handy and handy it was when it came to popping Laura out of her dress at 1am</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;">So there you have it that was my wedding whirl and whirly it was but my heart definitely got a bit bigger over that fortnight and I still get a bit teary when I think how touched I was to be able to be a part of the start of the next chapter for two very dear friends of mine. I love you girls and I raise a glass of the good stuff to you and your beloveds may the road rise up to meet you at every turn :)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;">All this celebratory talk brings me nicely to the fact that I forgot my own celebration. My blogiversary passed me by on the 24th October. I can't believe I've been waffling on for a year and people are still reading but for this I thank you. I write for a living so to do it for pleasure and to know that people out there are entertained by it makes me very happy. So to send a proper thanks I'm doing my first giveaway and it's wedding related. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG8Q09DovqUUL68PMa1e_juJ-n0tfQsqJ-K92IbT7hg0083-cxFXYi3zzf09PR2FepF1MzSNXikOUwut36TAiYuLlDiRuz-RmRxHeB2IbUcZbdSVo8jpgUkLuFsfo3-1CysCqaMbgYCUei/s1600/wedding+pattern+giveaway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG8Q09DovqUUL68PMa1e_juJ-n0tfQsqJ-K92IbT7hg0083-cxFXYi3zzf09PR2FepF1MzSNXikOUwut36TAiYuLlDiRuz-RmRxHeB2IbUcZbdSVo8jpgUkLuFsfo3-1CysCqaMbgYCUei/s320/wedding+pattern+giveaway.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Just leave a comment to win the bridesmaid dress pattern, the almost was wedding guest dress, the first vintage dress I ever made for my friend Lana's wedding last year and 3 metres of polka dot crepe</div>
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You've got until midday until on Saturday 15th December GMT and the winner will be chose at random and I'll post worldwide.</div>
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Phew if you're still with me well done bit of an epic post but you wait until the next time when I tell you what I did to relax after the weddings. It involves a dog, several mountains and a very sore foot.</div>
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Until next time remember always carry a needle because you never know when you'll need to pop a bride out of her frock.</div>
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Love always Miss D</div>
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xxx</div>
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Rehanon Mackenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254101143980010676noreply@blogger.com23