Spring into summer -dresses!

I bought these three dresses at, where else, Rupert Cornelius in Madison, WI

The first is kind of a seersucker Indian woven that's an incredible fabric.  To be able to wear this confidently, I have to have a top or shrug, they sometimes call it.  

I purchased this chambray piece from Craftsy that seemed ever so plain when it arrived. It became just the ticket for a SW West End jacket as a topper for this dress.

Dress number two was this cool Cut Loose brand linen cotton knit which I used some of my knit and Marcy's latest topper pattern to complement.

The collar is ruched by the tie.  Used a piece of stretchy cord in two colors from Gayfeathers that went well, I thought.

The third was black, but I loved the style, with little gathers all the way down the front pieces and copied it in some Marcy linen knit

Made Marcy's new shirt in a bold linen stripe to cover it.  Neat design on both!

More blogging, by popular request. . .

I managed to walk away from my sewing machine and take some pictures today.  

First up, another rain coat, Marcy Tilton V 8934, which I blogged about before under the title December rain.

Background story: last fall at an ASG sponsored Sandra Betzina seminar my good friend, Deb, and I purchased this wonderful Aztec embossed leather, from our local Madison, Wi. fabric store Gayfeather Fabrics, who helped sponsor Sandra and was a vendor at said event.   Since we couldn't imagine what each of us would make, let alone use the whole skin individually, we purchased it together.  

Then Deb's life led her to move to Asheville.  One of our last "sewing" related events together before her move was the Splitting of the Leather.

I purchased a really water repellant fabric from Marcy Tiltons website, which was as drab as a rainy day, in color.  

Then, I remembered the "patches" pattern, which up to this point I'd only made without the patches, as Marcy's patches were so incredibly neat and cool, I couldn't imagine what to use.  

Enter, the Egyptian embossed leather!  Truly project worthy!

Detail shot, please:

I marshaled my Sandra Betzina training and went for it on sewing all the patches.  I had "just enough" leather to make good choices.  

And, when I found these "stone" buttons at Gayfeathers, I knew my garment was complete!

Now, where did I put that matching hat?  ( I'll post it later if I can find it!)

Score card on London, Portugal, Wales packing

I wore everything but the two extra dresses I packed for Portugal.  Did actually wear a linen J. Jill

dress the day we went to Porches to look at pottery.  But, the other two never saw the light of day.  

I did wear everything else, including my scarves, but no bracelets or tights either.  

This was a hard trip to pack lightly for, since we were essentially in two different climates.  But, my little Susan Sez polar fleece coat kept me toasty at all times.  

Next time, fewer dress up things, although that will be hard headed for Paris!

Day 16,17 Wales to Manchester, U.K.

KI think I lost a day in there some way, but at least we didn't show up to MAN airport a day early, like 20 yrs ago when I had more of a mind, even!

We decided not to push things in the drive down hilly, narrow roads from Wales to Manchester airport on the day we were to fly out.  So, I booked a hotel near the City Centre of Manchester, on our last night in UK.  No windows in it, but a new rehab of an old building with a great roof top garden/bar,

within short walking distance of the City Centre with loads of restaurants and a great modern bath and a first for this trip, pillow top mattresses!!!!

Had an ok dinner meal last night, deteriorating from the asparagus toast, down through hake tapas.  Found our fav restaurant from DC, Pret something, for fresh croissants for breakfast, and ran a little late heading out to the airport, but suffered no consequences gassing up, returning the car, and checking in for our flight.  Even had time for a "spot of tea" after security clearance.  

We are on board AA Flight 55 (Boeing 767-300, my fav plane and not even close to full) to Ohare, five hours out, with minimal turbulence so far and free flowing wine.  Even Rex is taking advantage, relieved as he is to have turned in the rental car with no incidents (they didn't even spot our side mirror repair complete with my custom spit polish to remove the white car scratches from the plastic part I made Rex retrieve)

Thank you Uk and Portugal for all your courtesy and kindness.  We had a wonderful time!

Days 14,15 Last Days of Wales

Day 14-Drove down the other side of the Dyfi valley to Aberystwyth, this big town with a castle.

Took a train ride up the coast of Wales on our last full day.  

Had to be careful which car we sat in, as the train split in two and went two different ways at the foot of the estuary we were on.  

Nice electric train, though.

Our destination, Portmerion, a two hour one way train ride.  The train dumped us off in the countryside.  The resort director had reassured us there would be taxis to take us the 2miles into town.  Course, she probably went in busy season, like the above photo.  We were the only ones off the train and had to walk both ways a bit to figure out where this "fake Italian village", Portmerion, even was.  After a totally delightful 2mile hike through the woods, 

we came upon the "village", Portmerion.  Rex was shocked to learn the entry fee was more than our round trip train tickets, just to walk through the dang place.  It's supposedly been used for numerous movie shoots, most famously The Prisioner (not a film I remember), but. . . 

Posh hotel at the bottom of the hill on what, another gorgeous estuary.

Plentiful bathrooms and a small tram ride and we were finished with Portmerion, aka Wales Disneyland.  So we hiked again and had a big snack and waited forty-five minutes more for the return 2hour train ride.  

Days 11,12, 13 the beauty of Wales

It was cloudy and cold for two of these days, but the sun broke out yesterday and it became incredibly warm.  No more coats in the tiny house, etc.

Sunday, our first full day here, we found a fantastic grocery store, with multiple fresh things from all over Europe and the world.  We had fresh salmon with orange tarragon sauce and asparagus for dinner.  Yummy.

Viewed Europes largest estuary (we are further up the Dyr river from it) whole Dyr river valley is a UNESCO Heritage sight, for the people and the natural beauty.  Everyone is quite friendly and helpful.  Beach isn't quite up to St John standards but it is long and wide and pretty abandoned, but not totally.

Drove home through Happy Valley and saw no one but a mother sheep and lamb having a nap on the asphalt.  Oh, and like at home, a few very hardy bikers.

Monday we toured their MOMA and drove up the mountain for sandwiches at the spot pictured above.  A huge view of the valley behind us.  Windy up there, but stunning views.

Tuesday we toured Dolgoch waterfall where a steam train was used to take the farmers goods to market, before they made a highway.

 Had a piece of chocolate cake and coffee/tea at the quaint tea shop at the head of the path to the below.  Glorious sun finally came out.  Rex and I both said at the same time, it was easy to believe in the fairies in this woods.

Went back to Machynlleth, which even has a great fabric store. My one purchase, a bamboo and cotton woven for them in India, which Rex found first.

Other great shops, one had wonderfully tempting shoes, that I don't need.

Found a fresh rainbow trout and fresh Brussels sprouts and baking potatos for dinner.

Today is market day, so I think we are going back there for that.

Day 10- rocky transitions from Portugal to Wales

Thanks to the airplane door falling open as we taxied out on Ryan Air (thank goodness they had food to buy after almost a 2 hour delay before the 3hour flight to Manchester)

Then, another rental car horror story.  Their salesman tied us up forever, and then there was the great rear view mirror story (ask Rex)

So, we were very late getting into Macchynlleth,  Wales.  We'd been viewing these adorable lambs all along the very long drive, and then the resort restaurant offered baby lamb as an entree (NOT our choice-we settled for fish and chips)

Beautiful here, but much cooler than Portugal