Five on Friday - randoms






It has been another funny week. Not the hilarious kind of funny but the slightly out of sorts kind of funny. I am just not myself, full of self loathing, self doubt and to add insult to injury, my acne looks like angry chicken pox. Would it be too outrageous to say it's just not fair? Did I mention that my phone is acting up and that I can't actually use it to phone people?

But enough of the low points, here are some good moments:

:: We had prize giving night at secondary school. Annie was one of two all-round top girls in her class and Sam achieved the best National 5 Modern Studies exam in his school. We were proud parents yesterday. I know a lot of people think rewarding and celebrating excellence and great achievements is disadvantaging those who maybe don't excel so much naturally, or have fewer opportunities and support. Fair enough. But not acknowledging and celebrating hard work and excellence seems a bit harsh, too, doesn't it? Personally I would love to be celebrated just once in my life, having spent most of it in the big comfortable pool of average.

:: The builders have descended upon us. At the moment, they are preparing the ground, knocking things down and erect temporary fencing. On Monday, they are going to knock the small kitchen extension from the late 1940's down and I'll be left with a teeny tiny kitchen. They'll put up a stud wall of course and we won't actually have an outdoor teeny tiny kitchen. I reminded them to leave a tunnel for the cats.

::I started back 'my' Monday yoga class, the beginner session, not the advanced class I took before life got too much and I stopped. It was good to be back even though my favourite yoga teacher was on holiday. My favourite yoga teacher of all is Tom, he is in his seventies and wears black t-shirts with wolves or tigers printed on. He has a good sense of humour and strong arms to help you with the downward facing dog pose. I can't wait to go back to the intermediate class in a few weeks time. I just need to mention that I was paired up for some poses with an old old man, in his eighties. How amazing

:: Richard and I have been watching Stranger Things. We rarely watch the same things and it was nice to share the pleasure feeling mildly spooked together. I was in two minds about it at first but now really enjoy it. One episode left. I wonder if there is any scope for a second series?

:: I have been faffing with the fabric Sam chose for his quilt, arranging and re-arranging the the different fabrics, trying to decide what to do. I quite fancy something with half square triangles and a design created purely through colour value. It took black and white photos to see the value, before and after sorting them into light, medium and dark fabrics.  I don't think I have enough contrast but I guess the pattern could be subtle.

I am linking up with Amy's Five on Friday. Get yourself a cup of coffee and check out some of the other posts there :-) I am going to do this just as soon as I am done with work.

Happy Friday! x




Comments

  1. I love the quilt colours and Half Square triangles have such potential to be used in any pattern. I used a tutorial where you sewed diagonally with two seams across the centre and then cut it to make two, I can't remember where but it was mighty satisfying. Kitchen refits are enough to knock anyone out of kilter. Love Jo x

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  2. Duh! it was on my own blog!! Here is the link and there is a picture of a great one from someone else on that post too. Honestly, I make so much stuff I can't even remember what they are!
    http://joeveryday19.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/friday-fantasy-quilt.html

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  3. Hope you're feeling a bit more yourself soon. Good to hear the new kitchen is under way, it will be lovely I know. Well done on collecting so many lovely greys. I've got a few together for a quilt, but I'm struggling to find a lot of nice pale ones. Did you happen to get them all at the same place? Well done to Annie and Sam, they have done brilliantly. I am all for praising hard work and excellence. Wishing you and yours a lovely weekend Christine. CJ xx

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  4. Hope you feel a bit better soon and yes, you definitely should feel proud celebrating your children's excellence. Love those quilt fabrics!

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  5. What a good idea to photograph your (gorgeous) fabrics in black and white to check for colour values. I'm still hand quilting and getting a bit bored with it now especially as the evenings draw in and I can't see so well. But we visited the American museum just outside Bath this week and what a wonderful collection of quilts they had on display dating from the late 18th century to the present - I'm inspired to start something new and more complex than log cabin blocks. Another mention of a new yoga term. I stopped going to a weekly class a few years ago when my teacher retired and although I practise at home it's not the same - must find a new class soon. Good luck with the new kitchen Christina and well done to your children too. Hope you feel more yourself soon, I'm just about to cheer myself up with a cup of tea and piece of cake.

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  6. The colors for the quilt look amazing. Sorry you've had an out of sorts week, but congratulations to your children for doing so well. Have we reached the stage, white privilege, where we can no longer celebrate the accomplishments of our family without feeling guilty? This is not right. I grew up poor, but with 2 parents who cared and supported me, should I feel ashamed because others didn't have that? I don't and refuse to believe I should. Enough ranting.
    Hope the kitchen renovation isn't too stressful.

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  7. When I see those fabrics, the colors and patterns shout "Jackets!". Sam gets high marks for fabric choosing, but you get REALLY high marks for having the talent to turn the fabric into a quilt.

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  8. I suffer from the same condition and at 43 years old it's no blinking fun is it! I'm wondering if it's the weather as I've really been suffering this week. Well done to Sam and Annie and they should quite rightly be celebrated. A lovely selection of fabrics, it is rather fun putting them together. I hope you have a pleasant weekend x

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  9. The colour choice is good... I love the idea of leaving a tunnel for the cats. Could you not give them a spare key and tell them to use the front door? ;-)

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  10. Christina, you are so clever to photograph your fabric in black and white to help identify color values! Thanks for sharing the new to me idea! Cheers for your children's accomplishments! Cheers for you for attending your yoga class! I will be hoping for the best for you and your family during the remodeling and also hope you will soon be feeling better!

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  11. Hello,Christine,
    I am always thrilled to see many fabrics arrayed. They are so beautiful in colors and patterns.
    I hope you enjoy your days, feeling better soon.

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  12. Hello,Christine,
    I am always thrilled to see many fabrics arrayed. They are so beautiful in colors and patterns.
    I hope you enjoy your days, feeling better soon.

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  13. Glad you have had some good moments. Hope that all goes well for you and with all that you have going on, sounds very busy indeed. Beautiful fabrics! Thank you for joining in. I hope you are having a good weekend. xx

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  14. I feel self loathing periods when I think I am a rubbish therapist, friend, sister, Mother, wife and daughter but soon they pass because I get to busy being a all of those things rubbish or not! Good for your wonderful children, yes they should be celebrated they have worked hard.
    Meredith

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  15. Carly has just started doing yoga, it's something I'd quite like to try myself I guess I just need to bite the bullet and give it a go

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  16. That fabric is wonderful! I would enjoy working with that as well! Oh, a new kitchen...what an exciting time!

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  17. Beautiful fabric - lovely to read your five things. We also really enjoyed Stranger Things! Well done to the kids, it's so important to celebrate achievements :) Hope you're feeling better about things soon - I know the feelings well xx

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  18. Hey Christina,
    I think there must be something in the air; I've been full of similar very negative feelings about myself this past week. I believe in rewarding hard work and achievement. As long as their are lots of categories in which a child can achieve and excel (sport, drama, music, academic pursuits etc etc), I don't see the problem. It's a great feeling to be acknowledged. I wouldn't have won any prizes for academic excellence, but then I didn't work hard enough. But I did win for sport, drama and public speaking and was thrilled with those. So congratulations to Annie and Sam!!!!!
    I hope that this week picks up for you. It's not great feeling down about yourself. Take care, my friend.
    Leanne xx

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  19. Hope you're having a better start to the week. Great news for Annie and Sam. I think it's really important to celebrate achievements. Fabulous fabrics as well...can't wait to see what you make with it. xx

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  20. Well done to Annie and Sam, I think it's fantastic that they're being praised and rewarded for their hard work, they deserve it, you must be a very proud mum. I don't hold with this attitude of not celebrating success because it may hurt the feelings of others. I know that some people aren't as high flying as others but that's life, why shouldn't we celebrate the achievements of others. It sounds like the building work is really getting underway now, how exciting. I don't envy you all the mess that it creates but just keep thinking of the end result, it will be so worth it.

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  21. Like the sound of a triangular quilt! I'm with you on the prize giving. A little bit of recognition for hardwork is always good. You put me to shame with your yoga. If a 70 year old can, I should make the effort:) Have a good week. B x

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  22. I regularly suffer a dose of self loathing,mit seems to come with the territory if you are made that way. It usually passes but makes me miserable at the time. I love the fabrics for your quilt; masculine but bright too. Well done Annie and Sam. It is very important to recognise hard work and committment I agree x

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Thank you for visiting and leaving a comment, I love to hear from you, I really do. I sometimes reply by email but I am not all that reliable... Christina xx

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