The things which have bought me joy on the first day of the year ::
Little things :: Little details :: The last of my printed tags before new printing :: Liberty Print fabrics :: mother of pearl buttons :: japanese craft book patterns :: French Seams :: I am so in love with french seams I'll say it again, French Seams :: This set ::
ADDED :: Did you take note of the beautiful magnolia flower which came out yesterday? The crisp pure whiteness, the lovely form, the tender petals? You want to see what 44 degree celsius heat(that's 111.2 fahrenheit. That's FUCKING HOT) does to crisp tender pure white petals? Look away now if you have sensitive eyes, because it's slightly brutal.
The hottest day in 67 years ripped through us today, zapping all energy, life and will to live in us, and our plants. One large plant in the back hasn't made it, but that's ok, because it was coming out anyway. The magnolia...got frazzled. The beautiful red of the front garden, gone to scorched dryness. I might add, I did NOT sew this gorgeous set today, it was done over the weekend, just in case, you know, you all think I'm completely bonkers or something and insist on sewing in heat and leaving sweat patches over the wonder that is french seams (can I say again, I love french seams). It was hot. I was hot. He was hot. So was he. We were hot. They were hot. I can hear wind - here's hoping it's the cool change coming through (and Jussi, I've stopped obsessively checking the temperature now - it was hurting too much).
hey, the temp has risen to 43.4 degrees now!
the set is exquisite,pity I won't be having any more little girls.
Happy New Year!
Posted by: Jussi | January 01, 2006 at 05:11 PM
just divine...
Posted by: sarah | January 01, 2006 at 07:16 PM
Hey buddy! HNY to you. So glad to have met you in the flesh and to have created BT with you. Your sewing/styling is stunning as usual. Gorgeous. Gotta check out french seams now....That's some hot weather. Perth is doing something very weird we haven't cracked 30C in the past couple of weeks. Tomorrow 29....big hugs (.)(.)
Posted by: Nicole | January 01, 2006 at 09:25 PM
What a cute outfit! Thanks for the link to the French seam 'how to', i'll be having a go at that.
Posted by: Nichola | January 01, 2006 at 09:29 PM
We have (had?) a small potted magnolia that literally fried under the same terrible heat yesterday. Relief should be heading your way soon, though - it rained steadily here today... absolute bliss. Until then, keep cool!
Posted by: Fiona | January 01, 2006 at 11:02 PM
Swearing certainly appropriate. pleased to hear you have survived the ordeal- and I hope the cool change has hit you now... we managed to escape the worst of it down here by visiting friends with air conditioning :) (scott doesn't cope with heat very well..)
Posted by: di | January 01, 2006 at 11:57 PM
did you print your labels yourself or get them done somewhere?
Posted by: mox | January 02, 2006 at 12:28 AM
Happy New Year! Beautiful set. It's highly ironic that the frazzled magnolia shares the same vibrant palette. Poor magnolia, it looked so cool and fresh only hours before. Hope you get some more bearable weather soon.
Posted by: Jane | January 02, 2006 at 08:42 AM
Happy New Year! Beautiful set. It's highly ironic that the frazzled magnolia shares the same vibrant palette. Poor magnolia, it looked so cool and fresh only hours before. Hope you get some more bearable weather soon.
Posted by: Jane | January 02, 2006 at 08:44 AM
French seams are fantastic! I don't have an overlocker so used to zigzag my seams but french ones are SO much nicer...
Sydney was diabolical yesterday, I nearly melted. Hope your magnolia is okay.
Posted by: suzy | January 02, 2006 at 10:30 AM
That little outfit is darling. So sad about the magnolia...ironically it matches the colors in the wee pants.
Posted by: moki | January 02, 2006 at 12:25 PM
Magnolias are so exotic and foreign to this New Englander! The outfit is just DARLING.
You know what brought me joy the first day of the year? Homemade lavender/mint shortbread and lemon curd from Alison. Absolutely MARVELOUS, even though it apparently was swum over across the ocean by a dolphin, then loaded onto a donkey to make its way up the coast of the U.S. and to the frozen northeast.
Posted by: Norma | January 02, 2006 at 01:55 PM
gorgeous! :) happy new year! ♥
Posted by: joleen | January 02, 2006 at 03:01 PM
i love the outfit and the fabric. it's so adorable. have a great new year.
Posted by: joyce | January 02, 2006 at 05:01 PM
Happy New Year, that outfit is gorgeous.
Being that hot is no fun, your poor Magnolia is very sad looking!
Posted by: yvette | January 03, 2006 at 04:33 AM
poor magnolia - that is painful. Hope you are a little cooler now. Happy hot new year.
Posted by: jess | January 04, 2006 at 04:57 AM
That outfit is ADORABLE! I love the bloomer's fabric!
Ugh! Heat like that sucks! I live where it is 115 degrees for a week on end inthe summer. It is very draining.
Posted by: coronita | January 04, 2006 at 11:07 AM
beautiful flower, my friend. and happy new year. can't imagine it being so hot!! it's cold here...for san francisco, anyway!!
Posted by: lisa | January 05, 2006 at 03:04 PM
Oh that poor magnolia! I know how it feels; we just moved house in 43 degree heat. Thankfully the cool change came in eventually ...
Happy new year to you.
Posted by: Suse | January 06, 2006 at 10:20 AM
You have my best wishes in the new year.
The outfit is perfection. Perfection.
I live in the deep south, aka The Land of the French Seam.
I would be very grateful to have the ISBN of the Japanese book you used for the outfit pattern.
Posted by: Heels | January 11, 2006 at 05:55 AM
Wow, you make perfect, beautiful things.
Posted by: Dacia | January 15, 2006 at 12:53 PM