Wednesday, I had to go to London to the German Embassy to get my passport renewed. I was dreading it, I don't cope with masses of people too well these days, I seem to be turning into a bit of a hermit, lol. Plus, I was told that I would have to have my fingerprints taken for the passport. WHAT? Fingerprints? I know its silly, but.............. you see, retinal printing I could cope with, anything else really, but the idea of fingerprinting just conjures up images of police stations and makes me feel vaguely like a criminal, lol. Stupid I know. Also, I couldn't get pictures of of old cop movies/tv episodes out of my head and had convinced myself that it would be an ink and paper job, lol. 5am start to get the 6something train to London, trying to find the German Embassy and then queuing to get in, and waiting to be seen, and waiting some more.................... and more. Thankfully, I came prepared with wool and crochet hook, teeheee, so I sat there in the German Embassy, amongst god knows how many people, quietly crocheting flowers -
When I was finally called, it didn't actually take all that long to get the passport sorted. Of course the passport photos I had showed my head too small, so I had to queue up to get another set done there and then. But the fingerprinting only involved the two indexfingers pressed onto a sci-fi green screen, and once I had paid the £91.80!!! I was assured my passport would be ready in 2 - 3 weeks time. Hurrah, I might yet make it to our cottage in France this summer. Late summer.
Being so close to Knightsbridge I thought I check out the posh shops. I so wish I hadn't, lol. I spent a little while strolling through a department store, and had a look at their women's clothing sales rails. Right. It went something like this - under £200, under £400, under £600........... Thats sales prices, not original prices. Sigh, how the other half lives. A few ladies were pulling out this and that from the £600 rail, and heading off to the till with 2 or 3 items at a time. Whats a grand or two when you are getting bargains, eh?
I did go into Harrods, Food Hall only, because I had never been in the Food Hall and heard such wonderful things about it. I could live in there, lol, not just because of the fabulous foods, but also because of the totally gorgeous decor. The wall tiles, the ceilings, the food displays, awesome! I didn't have my camera with me, so here are just a few pics courtesy of google images -
After that, I decided Knightsbridge really wasn't for me, and headed off to Covent Garden. OMG, the masses and masses of people! I am really a country bumpkin at heart, I found it very stressful. Passed a stall selling soaps, looked at the labels, and was totally disgusted. How the heck do these people get away with selling at such a prestigious location when their products are totally inadequately ( and thereby illegally ) labelled? And why do consciencious idiots like me bother to do the right thing? Apart from a few small craft stalls and a couple of high street chain stores, Covent Garden was so disappointing. So many of the shops were selling cheap crap that I could just as well have found in our seaside tourist shops. My sole purchases of the day consisted of a dress for granddaughter Paige from the Monsoon sale, and a dress for the very long awaited daughter of our best friends Will and Theresa, again from Monsoon.
I got so peed off with London, I went to Charing Cross Station a couple of hours before I was due to meet up with my husband, so that we could travel home together. I found myself a seat, got out my wools and crochet hook and CROCHETED some more flowers, lolol. I did get the odd look or two, but I really couldn't have cared less. Couple more flowers on the train home, and I now have a veritable garden of crochet flowers! They are going to be used on some cushions I am going to make next week.
I did make a few flowers into brooches, because they were so pretty. Yummy icecream colours, fluffety yarns, and a few beads, and there you have it, La Croix Rosion flower brooches. I am going to take just a couple with me for this weekend's fairs and see how they do. What do you think? Would you wear one of these? On a jumper/dress? On a hairband perhaps? Pinned to a fabric handbag?
Thursday, I finally got round to doing some paperwork, sending off the giveaways, doing some shopping, and all sorts of other bits and pieces. And today was another bitty day, one of those days when you are constantly doing all sorts, but end up with very little to show for it. Grrr.
BUT, at least I had a wonderful surprise in the mail! Floss had sent me the Garden Party prize, woohoo, and it was perfect! Just look, look!
I love these old fashion magazines, I think I'll frame the cover and hang it in one of the bedrooms in the cottage
and just look at this adorable card/tag with a bunch of buttons attached
And this cross stitch flower is so beautiful! I can really appreciate the work which has gone into that, I used to do a lot of cross stitching. I might use that as the centre for a little lavender pillow for our bedroom in France, which is decorated in yellow tones
This chubby gorgeous little thing was part of the design on the front cover of the fashion magazine, did you spot it? It is so adorable, I love it, I am going to use that somewhere for sure, maybe I'll redesign the label for the "Little Angel" baby soap I make. Hmm.
Thank you so much, Floss, for the goodies, you chose so well!
Tomorrow I have a stall at a fair, and on Sunday at a different one, so its going to be a busy weekend. Without bootfairing, waaahhh. I keep meaning to catch the midweek bootfair not too far from us, maybe next week, eh?
