Tuesday 26 October 2010

Autumn and Orders, Orders, Orders


Hello,

What a crazily busy October we have had, in fact I would say that it has easily been our busiest time ever! The girls (Sophie and Alanna [Banana]) have been working like troopers and John (ever the busy bee) has been moving so fast that he is more of a blur than an actual physical shape. I of course have been lying on my Chaise Longue, reading books and eating grapes...no of course I haven't just testing to see if you are paying attention. I have been busy sewing away in our studio, which fortunately has a window with a nice view of York Minster and a number of lovely trees all now in their Autumn glory.

The trees along the river Foss have been full of birds.We regularly see flocks of Gold finches (so pretty, no wonder the Victorians liked to keep them as pets, although I must say that I prefer to see them flying free!), also groups of Long-tailed Tits, and Blue Tits. Starlings are also gathering in the city centre and as we walk to the post office or the bank we can hear them chattering away in the towers of a church or on the mast of the nearby telephone exchange. I do love to see and hear birds.

This brings me to my one complete and utter indulgence of the week, which is watching 'Autumn Watch'. I say 'complete and utter indulgence' because it is probably the one time in the entire week when John is not allowed to mention business, we both completely stop work and sit and watch this great programme - including 'Unsprung' afterwards. I think that the whole team are great (although I must admit that I have always had a particular soft spot for Chris Packham since being a teenager - don't tell John!). I love nature and I also love books and one of the things that I find myself doing, generally, during 'Unsprung' is trying to see if I can make out what books are on the shelves. I know, I know, that is really 'sad' of me and when I told John what I was trying to do, he laughed and said that I needed help - is there a book addict's anonymous???

Mumsie and Little Biddy are well. Mumsie has discovered that Little Biddy is particularly fond of cucumber (by the way, for those of you who don't know Little Biddy is my 87 year old Mum's Guinea-Pig!). I mentioned to her (I'm talking about Mum and not the G.P.) the other day that I would like a new scarf and before I knew it she was busy knitting away. Mumsie loves balls of wool in the same way that I love books. So now for Christmas I will be getting a multicoloured 'Dr. Who' style scarf.

In between the orders, I have sneaked in a few new designs. These are quotations from our friend Angela Topping's poetry, complete with a Sumptuosity motif or two. We have created three designs (for now) and just need to finish the printed text on the back of the packaging and then we will be good to go! We will be putting them up on our website and Angela will be selling them at her poetry reading events etc. I am really enjoying embroidering these new designs, Angela's poetry is so fresh and lively, it is such a pleasure to sew!

Tempus Fugit and it is time to get back to my sewing machine and get embroidering.

3 B.T.'s

1: John has discovered another new talent and this time it is making fruit smoothies. They are delicious and we now drink one most mornings and it really puts a zing in your step...or should I say your sewing?

2: Birds in the city, it is amazing the range of life that you see even in a city if you look.

3: Mumsie, telling me how she is enjoying knitting my scarf, the number of colours that are in it and how long it is going to be.

Bye for now,

Love Ruthie xxx