Eeeek!!

Okay, its time for some serious organisation now. Which would be easier said than done if I didn't have a cold for the second week running. Standing up and moving around results in major sneezing and limits my capacity to do anything. I've had to temporarily abandon a bag that would ordinarily have only taken me a night to do, because snot drenched is just not a good look for your tote!
Its even more irritating given I have new toys I'm itching to get to grips with (oo-er missus!) Sad as I am, I am now the owner of a second hand embroidery machine- with not a clue how to use it; and a seriously professional pyrography tool which makes my beginners cheapo feel like up until now I have been branding wood rather than 'writing with fire' which is what pyrography means. Unfortunately, I'm running out of room on my desk and my wood blanks won't be here until next week.
I now have three events that I need to prepare for at the end of the month. Now, I like to think that I'm a fairly organised person, I know how my week works out, I plan my shopping list within an inch of its life; but I'm looking at the calender and thinking (polite version) eeeeeeekkkkk!! Given my previous experiences with craft fayres, I could sell nothing and be left with a load of stuff, or- positive thinking- I could do quite well. Its difficult to gauge. And difficult to know what to make too.. A list is in order. A plan of action. But we all know what happens to the best laid plans.

I mentioned a while back I'd do a book review, well not so much a review, more a taster. I imagine I'm not alone in having bought books and then found, on closer reading, they require a- huge amount of skill; b- large amounts of material (v. expensive), or c- obscure items that are just impossible to find, even on eBay.
This is one I considered for a while. Its called Everything Alice and as the title suggests, all Alice in Wonderland makes.
There are a good selection of different crafts, games and cookery bits. Contents include:
Time for Tea Jewellery

which was very straight forwards and only involved a trip to a dolls house shop. My teapot however didn't withstand much wearing- broken handle :-(
Lavender Dormice, Invitation cushion, Cheshire Cat Hand Warmers:

Cupcake Embroidery Box, Shadow Puppet Theatre, Drink Me Cordials, Fabric Covered Teapot:

a bit messy to make but my personal favorite. Red Velvet Cupcakes, Vintage Cake Stand, Curious Teapot Cake, Chocolate Teaspoons...
There's a lot more besides, and I still have a fair list of things I want to make out of it, Most of the projects can be done quite inexpensively and the instructions are concise so with anyone with a modicum of crafting know how wouldn't find it a problem. My only tiny gripe, and its not just with this book, is the patterns which are hand drawn. I don't have access to a photocopier and can't enlarge all of the patterns. This one is a little better than most as there are conversions for graph paper so you could draw it out. I'm just impatient. I want to get on with a project, not sit down and spend half of my time drawing things out.
This book is great for something a little bit different and has a wide variety of things to do, most of them not requiring much sewing if that's not your thing. And for all of my friends and relatives, if your Christmas presents have a Wonderland touch, its this books fault!

I'm hitting the town tomorrow night for the first time since forever, off to a Burlesque cabaret show, so I appologise to the people of Norwich for the sight of me in a corset. And no, there will be no photos!
xxx