Posy

Other people's work

It's really not a new thing to me - after all our home is full of other people's things. Wonderful finds - second-hand, vintage treasures. But this weekend as I was sewing up one of my latest discoveries, it sort of dawned on me that I was again finishing what another had started. My mind began to wander..who was the lady who started it? Did she start out on her new project with the same obsessive passion that I feel when I start one of mine? What was she hoping to do with it? And in most cases why hadn't it been completed? Perhaps that is a question I can probably answer.

 

I found this unfinished tapestry in a Charity Shop near Ludlow over Easter. It cost £3 and was the 'nicest' of small collection of 3 or 4 and there it sat with what I assume was the contents of her sewing basket. I knew just what I would do with it - it would join the other one I found and finished last summer.  So on Friday I got out my sewing machine and backed it in plain blue with a button closure and there it sits with the other 'used-to-be-unfinished' tapestry cushion.

 

It wasn't the only thing I have found unfinished recently. I opened this book bought at a car boot sale last weekend

to find this small sample of the previous owner's needlework.

 

So beautifully done. I'm trying to think of something I could make with it...any ideas? It would be so sad to let the unknown lady's skill, time and effort go to waste. It wasn't the only thing I found that was unfinished.

  

This small sampler needs to be framed or made into a small cushion and the rose tapestry needs the same thing too.

And now for something a tad bigger, though this has been languishing in my wardrobe, along with a couple more, for a year or two now.

              

An unfinished patchwork quilt complete with the card hexagons sewn around the edges. It catches my eye on a daily basis looking at me reminding me of the promise I made to the man who kindly allowed me to have it: that I would finish it for the stranger who was unable to. Well, today I brought it down from the shelf and placed it, still to be finished, on our sofa.

 

 

So, now at least it can be seen and enjoyed even though that promise is still unfulfilled. I wonder what stories the fabric of the patchwork quilt can tell, though I don't think that it is of any great age.  

I see it as a privilege to complete what someone else has began and believe perhaps that it isn't by chance that a unfinished project falls into my hands. I only hope that the ladies who started them many years ago will somehow 'know' that her handiwork is being appreciated, loved and more importantly, used.

Lace Hearts

 

Oh my, I can hardly keep myself sitting still long enough to tell you about this. And why oh why oh why, did I not think of this myself? What is wrong with me? Why, don't I think of these wonderful ideas? I know exactly why. I am not experimental enough - I'm far too 'in-the-box' and not enough, 'what-the-heck-let's-play-with-paint-and-lace.'

                        

Because this, my friends, is just what this lovely heart is. Painted lace. Yes, some lace and some green paint. Simple. The paint stiffens the lace when it dries so you can cut out a shape then hang it. So simple that yesterday I excitedly told my class teacher.

"I know what we can do for Easter!"

She looks interested.  I ramble on.

"Yes, we can paint some lace and then cut out egg shapes for the children to take home for decoration. We can paint them lovely sugar almond shades! It's easy. So simple and effective!"

"But where will we get the lace (for 31 children)?" she replies.

"Ah......."

                

So the hunt for lace is on.  I can't imagine that this activity will go down very well with the boys so it probably will be something I will try at home. Just one question. Why hadn't I thought of this myself?

From mats to bunting

    

Hello my friends, I hope you all had a good weekend with a little sunshine and for those of you in Australia perhaps a little shade. We actually hung our washing outside. Thank you for your suggestions about my lack of birds - patience I think is probably called for but I think I have discovered the main problem as to why our feeders hang unused. Magpies. About 4 of them patrol the trees at the end of our garden and chase off any other bird. I'm not sure if I have mentioned to you before that the poor blackbirds who are singing in our trees at dusk at the moment; get as far as having some young (I think) and each year the magpies kill them. The distress call of the blackbird has me running out up-teen times to try and shoo the magpies away. It really, really upsets me and I'm not sure what I can do to discourage the magpies. Grr. The family are getting fed up of me shouting at them to go out quickly and help the blackbirds if I can't make it outside myself. But the distress call is so awful to hear. I know - I'm far too sentimental as Anth points out, and it's just nature. But I still hate those horrible birds. So any thoughts about the magpies would be great.

Anyway back to my sewing.  I found these mats in a Salisbury charity shop on my birthday weekend last year; and they have been waiting patiently for me to turn them into something different. They are quite unusual in that they have a straight edge which I am guessing went along the back of the dressing table or sideboard and left the scalloped edge at the front.

"What do you want those for?" enquired my mother when I showed her, "haven't you got enough already?"

Well, yes I do have an unusually large collection of embroidered tray-cloths for a woman of my era. But I had decided as I crouched on the floor in the shop that I would turn them into bunting. Yes, I do a lot of crouching or sitting on the floor in charity shops. Best place to rummage.

Anyhow, I then stored the mats away and promptly forgot about them until last week.

    

So I attached it to some old, thrifted, green braid. And then discovered a problem. Where do I hang it? I have these visions in my head of the sort of style I want the house to reflect but I can't seem to stop playing safe. Like the shell picture which really is awful, but by being so awful it turns it into cool/trendy/eclectic/unusual/unique. Bazaar style. This weekend I went to buy some Chinese paper lanterns but when I stood in the shop and looked at them I just couldn't quite see where I would put them and where they would look right. So Lucy got them for her room but I bet you she won't put them up! We'll see. I really want to make the house less pretty, pretty and more flea market/bazaar style - which is something I keep on about I know. But I'm struggling with my conservative side. Help.

    

So I have hung the bunting here but can't quite decide if that is the right place. Where do you hang yours? Do you hang it across the room or around the walls? I am conscious that with mine there is a right and wrong side of the fabric so you could see the wrong side if they weren't against something. I made many metres of it years ago from old embroidered tablecloths for the girls' baptism. I don't use it very much and that bothers me because it is really lovely and unique and dare I say it..very flea market! Perhaps I should dig it out again and not be so fussy.

 

Meanwhile, I think it will stay here for the time being while I decided. Have a good Monday. Oh yes, and a Happy Birthday to Chris (Martin) if by any chance he's reading this...well, you never know!

See you tomorrow.

Spreading the bliss

 

As I have mentioned to you before, my job as a Teaching Assistant is rewarding and a privilege (that is 99% of the time); none more so than last week. I was talking about, rather passionately I must confess, and showing my second crochet cushion, to a small group of children and happened to noticed a certain light in the eyes of 2 little girls. At the end of the day one of them said to me,

 "You know Mrs Goble, you can be extra happy now as you can go home and do your thing."

"My thing?" I asked intrigued.

"Yes, your ..um.er..knitting thing," she replied.

Recognising the eagerness in the eyes and the fact she remembered what I had said, I asked,

"Would you like to learn to crochet or knit?" And with eyes shining she said she would.

So, I have decided to change my lunchtime Story Club to a Craft Club with just the 2 girls to start with. Our first session was last Wednesday. The girls had really been looking forward to it and it gladdened my heart when I walked out of the lunch hall and found them sitting in the corridor waiting for me, their smiles wide.  When we found a quiet corner and settled down I was suddenly hit with the realisation that I don't hold my hook correctly and I don't want to show them the wrong way. My heart sank. But then again, I'm not sure if that matters, I have found my own way of holding my hook which is comfortable to me but perhaps holding it like they show in the books is quicker. What a responsibility! In the end we just did a cord of chain stitch which they then wore as necklaces and bracelets. They loved it and I love the fact that I am hopefully awakening a love of craft which will be a bright light for them for the rest of their lives. What a privilege indeed.

If any of you have had the experience of teaching a child to knit or crochet I could do with some pointers if you are willing to share. Thank you. And now I'm off to hunt out my child size knitting needles.

Weekend sewing & snuggling

     

Well hello friends, another weekend been and gone. I can't believe it is almost the middle of February already..where does the time go?

A happy and productive weekend was had in the Goble household which saw me sit at my sewing machine for the first time this year. Gosh, it's been so long. I came across a black embroidered doily in my stash which had been casually placed on top of some thrifted green fabric. I noticed that the green stitching on the doily matched the fabric rather well so a strange new cushion was born. I mean what could I have done with a black doily anyway? Probably lots you'll tell me!

  

I backed the cushion with a very narrow piece of fabric I bought a long time ago from Amy, and fastened it with vintage linen buttons. And yes, I think I prefer that side to the doily; though the black of the doily does echo the fire surround and the rug.

   

There was some snugly movie watching too. Unfortunately, we forgot that our DVD player was broken so we had to watch Mamma Mia played through Tom's PlayStation console, on his 14 inch portable TV in our bedroom.

    

It was a bit of a squash as we all tried to fit on our bed and still have a view of the tiny screen, especially as the cats decided to join us; but in all honesty, I wouldn't have had it any other way..

In answer to the lovely Mel's comment:
The sofa should be white but certainly is not at this moment.  Honestly. It is sporting black ink that has rubbed off from the Sunday newspapers, spots of melted chocolate, tea stains and a rather suspicious yellow stain which I'm praying isn't cat sick!

 

Union Jack Love

And now for my unseasonal Christmas sewing. I have noticed recently the popularity of the Union Jack in many guises and felt the urge to make my own little piece of Great Britain. Floral style of course.

 

So my flowery, sort of Union Jack cushion took shape. It wasn't that hard to do either which surprised me.

 

 

And where's the Christmas Tree I hear you cry? Well, it's up but that's about all. I seem to be chasing my tail this year and am not at all ready yet. But tomorrow is another day even though I need another fortnight! Speak soon.

Shop Update

 

That was an awfully long "..tomorrow or Sunday" wasn't it?! Goodness, what must you be thinking of me. After my rash promise last Friday to update my shop in the next couple of days, we had a drastic change of plan and decided to drive to Wales for the day to see Tom at his University. Drastic may sound dramatic and to those of you who know me, know that I have a predisposition to being a tad OTT and a bit excitable. But this time I felt fully justified in letting my voice be heard and heard it was!

Poor Tom has been having money problems. Students in the UK are given a loan to cover their fees and a tiny amount in which to live on. Trying to help Tom budget and manage his finances has proved difficult especially when you are 300 miles away and his bank have been making mistakes and you can only speak to someone who is in a call centre not in Tom's local branch; and then they won't speak to you because he is over 18 and it's his account etc. The final straw came when they charged him even more fines for having no money (for no reason) so we decided we would have to go up and sort it out.  Well, I could have run up that motorway I felt so cross on his behalf. So we went to see him, the first time since we left him there in September.  I got more and more excited as we got closer and jumped out of the car before Anth had really stopped, desperate to have my boy in my arms again. It had been so long. Anyway, we sorted him out the best we could but he has to find a job or he will really be struggling. He some some life lessons to learn and it breaks my heart but it will make him the lovely man I know he will be.

Then I had Alice poorly so with one thing and another no shop update - that is till now. It is here  or in my sidebar, with a few goodies, (one of them sort of being in the photograph), so do pop in if you fancy.  Meanwhile I need to get some more logs and try to catch up with the housework. It never ends does it?

From one thing to another

They thought they'd seen it all, my little family, and even I had to smile at my resourcefulness. It all began this week when I had another go at dyeing another piece of fabric for a lamp shade for Anth's bedside lamp. I wanted lilac and I got a lilac of sorts but it just didn't blend with his sea-green bedside table. So I was stumped, but not for long.

I remembered I bought a tiny child's skirt the other week. Why did I buy a tiny child's skirt? Well I thought it was cute and for 50p I thought I could give it to a friend who has a young daughter.

So I tried it, I liked it and what's more Anth likes it.

 

       

And it never fails to make me smile.

Bedspread Love

Yep, this is it, my latest, favourite car boot find.  Last week it was a single, embroidered bedspread which I would lovingly stroke, revelling in my good fortune. And this week it has turned into a king-size embroidered bedspread -

complete with a crochet lace trim. I do love my lace trims and I could do a little jig for joy when I look at my bed spread collection.

Let's hope that this will be free of little muddy paw prints but I'm not holding out much hope. Yeah, I think I'll stare at this photo for a while as I can't see it looking like this for very much longer..!

Today's Sewing

This wasn't the thing I was going to do my show and tell about; that has only just been finished and I need to 'put it all together' - but I have finished this today.. a Caroline Zoob-style teeny-weeny cushion for Anth's work colleague's baby. Gosh, that was a long sentence! I have made many cushions inspired by her wonderful book Childhood Treasures and I'm sure there must be fleets of cute, sail boat cushions out there. It's turning into my standard little baby boy's gift; I hope they will like it.

Anyway, that's it for now - more show and tell tomorrow.

Some projects

    

I'm here, I'm here. So sorry I've been neglecting you but it's been rather hectic. Too busy. But today I made myself stop and actually do something I really wanted to do. Sew. So I spent a wonderful day in my cosy dining room, the radio by my side with the summer rain falling outside. I haven't actually finished so it looks like more tomorrow - yay! I will do a show and tell tomorrow.

But something I want to show you today is my latest project.

My tapestry cushion which I bought for 50p at a car boot a fortnight ago. All the flowers have been done and it's just the background to finish, but I am loving it. It requires no thought and is very portable so have taken it everywhere (on the train to Salisbury, in the car to Taunton) and am looking forward to backing it and making it into a cushion.  So that's it for tonight and I'll be back tomorrow. x

Random Things

     

Well it's almost done - just a few ends to tidy up but I thought I would show you. A simple, (if loose covers can ever be simple), project but a rather time consuming one. I originally made the frill to go around the bottom of the chair but It looked rather odd; so due to my lack of fabric I had to add the extra inches on to the the original frill which was fiddly.  The piping around the top took a while too, but I do feel that piping adds a certain something. Anyway, the cover hadn't even been on the chair for 2 minutes before this happened..

Yup, a muddy paw print. In fact many muddy paw prints. Again I wonder why I have a white sofa and now a new white covered chair. A chair that Posy has become obsessed with so I'm going to have to make a washable, but oh-so-gorgeous, small cover for the cover!

Even though I have officially started my summer holidays I've been incredibly busy.  This week I'm helping my dear friend Lisa run an Art Summer School and tomorrow I'm off with Alice to Salisbury for a night. It will be good to get away from my huuuge 'to-do' list. The house is so messy you can barely move without falling over something.  Ahh... however, amidst the squalor I do notice the glimpses of loveliness.

             

I changed the tablecloth in my corner which involves removing all my books and brooches - it takes an age - but it is an hour of pure and simple prettiness which, overwhelmed by chores or not, reminds me how lucky I am.

Things I've made

I have been making all sorts this week.  Sewing, dyeing for the first time, and painting. Plus I have been feeling a little sorry for myself which isn't a trait I like.

It all started on Monday night. I have wanted to change the lamp shade in my corner of the sitting room for some time; and thought that an old petticoat I've had for ages might do the trick if I dyed it. So on Monday evening I settled down to have a go at dyeing it a pale-ish pink. Coldplay were playing a free live concert at the Brixton Academy to promote their new album Viva La Vida.  We were unsuccessful at winning tickets for it (sounds familiar doesn't it!), so the radio had to suffice. Lucy joined me and what a couple of saddos we must have sounded!  In between me loudly squealling, throwing my hands in the air, and singing we would say, "Oh, he'll (Chris) be doing this with feet/arms/piano stool now!" (Incidentally, I love what he does with his piano stool - usually in Clocks.) We then usually follow with a little tussle over what song is best, Clocks v The Scientist. I like Clocks best because of it's energy and my fav part where he sings with such feeling..."Nothing else compares" and then .."Home, home where I wanted to go" because I so agree with the statement!  Lucy and Matthew (my brother) love The Scientist best out of the two because it is more emotional and they like the line..."; you don't know how lovely you are, I had to find you, tell you I need you, tell you I set you apart"   I then got all miserable and started down the 'It's not fair we're not there' road announcing that I was dyeing and dying inside with unfairness. With all this going on I really wasn't paying enough attention to my dyeing and what should have been pale pink turned into cerise pink. Omit small swear word! So I hoped when it was dry it would be lighter. No. So then I hoped when it was made and on top of a lampshade it would be lighter. No.

With lamp on it certainly looks better than with lamp off.

All I did was gather the bottom of the petticoat and place it on top of the boring white coolie shade. Simple.  And if I had given the dyeing my proper attention I should have used less dye and experimented a little.  Though on one hand I didn't want too pale a pink as I didn't want it to look too feminine - ha too feminine!  And as the lovely Amanda said to me yesterday, "That's a bit like closing the stable door after the horse has bolted!" Too true. But I've always wanted a vintage, shabby, white, floral, beach hut look not too frilly and flouncy.  I know my corner is waay, way over the top and certainly gives that impression, but I'm not a frilly person, honest. My sense of humour is far too inappropriate to be frilly so I'm told!  I think baby pink isn't as sassy as cerise but this is too cerise but I'll see if it grows on me. I am certainly going to dye some more things, despite the faffing around and being a bit scared of getting the dye everywhere, I found it quite exciting. Next time I'll try without Coldplay playing live. Yeah warning, never dye with Coldplay! 

And painting?

The fire screen is now magnolia but I received this wonderful picture from Veronica

and now I'm wondering if boring magnolia was right! Isn't she clever? I love all of them, crikey what's a girl to do! The other painting was for the wall of flowers. I have been painting new frames and swapping new and old prints around and now have a slightly more ..er, blooming wall.

Little Posy thought she would stay in shot too.

The small round embroidered picture was a little gift from Niki from Nostalgia At The Stonehouse. Thank you again Niki for your kindness.

And lastly (sorry it's a long one today), my cushions.

I have become doily crazy over the last few weeks and am experimenting.  I have had this one for 8 years but have been put off sewing it onto fabric because of trying to match all the colours. Duh - it turned out be one of the most satisfying projects in a long time and really didn't take long. I just used an old calico pillowcase and fastened it with buttons on the back.

This used to be a small tablecloth and I'm taking a risk letting the family loose with it given the treatment our poor cushions usually get but I've given them a talking to this time, so we'll see.  It was while I was sewing the buttons on that I started watching Coldplay at the BBC on Thursday night.  Oh dear, bad move. Coldplay played another free, live concert this time in car park of the BBC.  Aww it was perfect as there was only a very limited amount of people there due to the lack of space etc.  All those horrid feelings of self pity flooded back and I'm ashamed to say that I had to turn it off as I just couldn't cope with missing out on such an intimate concert. Tut, tut. I still have it recorded ready to watch when I can and I'm trying to follow Matthew's favourite advice he gives to his patients, (well he tells us he sometimes says it but I doubt it!) which is, 'try to act as normal as possible' but when it comes to Chris Martin singing live in front of me, I find it hard to act normal. I feel bad about my attitude though - why should it be me there. To make it worse I have also lost my ipod and have spent a week not being able to get acquainted with Viva La Vida; so I'm not sure if I like it yet. What a mammoth post, can you tell I am still in my pyjamas and it's nearly 5 pm. No? Good, it's just one of those pyjama days I sometimes have. Ok one last photo and I'm out of here.  Thanks for listening!

Peg bag

Before I talk about my new peg bag, I just want to thank you for all your good wishes about my migraine.  I may not be able to acknowledge everyone's comments but I do appreciate them. Very much.  It helps me feel I'm not alone.  Now to the new peg bag. I managed to do some sewing last week, not as much as I wanted to, but this was a project I needed to do fairly urgently as our old peg bag has finally given up the ghost; plus I didn't make it quite deep enough and the pegs were always falling out.  I used an old table runner which had 2 identical embroideries at either end so I made 2 bags and the other one will be for sale in my shop soon. Talking about my shop, there will be exciting news to announce very soon so watch this space.

And just in case you may think that it is all fun and games in the Goble household have a quick peep at this,

 

our ironing pile. It doesn't hold the record for being the biggest in our ironing history, but it can't fit in it's usual home, the cupboard under the stairs. It has now taken residence in the middle of our sitting room floor where husbands, children and cats seem oblivious to it's ever increasing size. Perhaps, when it gets so big and blocks the view of the T.V so that Scrubs and the All Blacks can't be seen, someone might offer to do some. Yeah, I won't hold my breath!

My Creative Endeavors

Yay, I actually did some sewing this weekend and oddly to easy myself into it I chose to make one of the most fiddliest/impractical things (size wise) I could. Mmm a blonde moment if ever there was one. Yeah, I made a bedspread in the discontinued Cath Kidston's Blue Rose Bouquet I found nearly 18 months ago. Tut tut, I'm naughty keeping it that long unused, but at least it's on our bed now though it is minus the wide crochet lace down the sides.  That's still to do.

I also found an old Embroidery Anglais trim that fits the lampshade of my 'kindness' lamp perfectly. I'm pleased because it looked kind of boring just being white though I don't want it to look, pretty, pretty which Embroidery Anglais has a habit of doing.

And it was new shoes time this week. I usually live in boots in winter and flip-flops in summer but I bought some cute, canvas pumps, complete with a small bow, I love bows. What do you think of my 'arty' shoe picture?

I was trying to make the photo look casual with my legs nonchalantly crossed, but I ended up looking one legged and rather silly! Alice walked in and panicked that the neighbours would see me - I didn't like to tell her that they probably see much worse in this house and me taking photos of my shoes, again, doesn't compare perhaps with me winding fairy lights around our banisters in the middle of May; or(and this was commented on) me attacking freshly painted furniture with hammers/sandpaper/and nails; or as Lucy has just said, hanging my hideous quilts on the washing line and taking pictures of them. Huh, I will show you tomorrow the quilt in question. Hideous..well it could be borderline I think.

No, our neighbours are lovely but definitely the sort of 'normal' people that keep fairy lights for Christmas. Mmm Christmas, I'm already counting weeks..see you tomorrow!

A Weekend of Firsts

Last weekend was a weekend of 'firsts' for 2008 - first car boot,  first time I sat behind my sewing machine and made something, first time in the garden and first time I have ever driven in a snow storm!

Right, let's start at the beginning and that was Saturday morning's car boot. Oh, it was so wonderful.  I've missed it so much...too much.

I also found a chimney pot which is awaiting a plant on our patio. I didn't find alot but I love what I did find. And it looks like I'll have all the answers to the questions of the universe to as I found God's answer book!

On Sunday, I was up very early to do my most favourite of car boot sales.  The neighbours that usually take me couldn't go so I decided I would go myself. Bad move.  I ended up taking a wrong turn and it suddenly started to snow heavily. Yes snow! I found myself trying to drive with huge flakes hurtling at the windscreen it got a bit icy and the car even skidded at one point. I have never driven in snow and I didn't like it. So, after driving for over an hour I headed back home, very disappointed, where there was bright sun. Crazy British weather.

I spent the afternoon at my sewing machine.  I have been suffering with a bad case of sewing-block but I ended up making..

..a new pair of kitchen curtains (not working curtains)

..a 'bed pouch' for my ever growing pile of books and magazines by my bed..

..and 2 tablecloths made from some Cath and Green Gate fabric and I also sewed 2 pairs of single sheets (lilac ones)together to make them fit our king size bed. It felt good to be at my machine again.

And today (Monday) I spent some time in the garden tidying up before my annual trip to Hill House Nursery hopefully sometime this week.

And tomorrow?  I finally have my crochet-date with lovely Lisa, so it will be a 'chatting over a pot of tea, maybe in front of the fire, crochet' afternoon...and I can't wait.

Open for Business!

Here at last are my Wildflower Lavender Bags. I've made 20 in all. More details here.

Thank you for all your encouraging comments about our upcoming trip. It helps to see I'm not alone! Did I ever tell you that at the ripe old age of 21, 10 days after we got married in Devon, Anth and I left the UK to live in NZ for a undecided time.

After saying goodbye to my mother at the airport, I cried all the way to Frankfurt! I have never been able to think of Frankfurt without a smile since.

Shop Update

Wildflower Bags for sale tomorrow afternoon ~ Sunday 25th November.

Coming soon

...my wildflower lavender bags.

My project

Oh my, this has been a long time coming! All this time for a few lavender bags. Well now I can show you Amanda's stall. I've been waiting to do that. I love her stall almost as much as I love her. She has candy striped sheets, rose pattern china, cards made from vintage postcards, bunting, all things vintage...well everything that I love. She is also one of the nicest people I have ever met plus she agreed to sell my lavender bags. Oh yes, the lavender bags.

I have made small lavender bags from old embroideries. That's some of them in the pink wicker basket looking 'just right' on Amanda's stall. They have a sachet of French lavender inside and are secured with a button. Even the thread I used is vintage, taken from my stash. I have added another page on my side bar  ( ~ UPDATE:: I've sold out! Thank you. I will update again on Thursday with a few more) which details the ones I have for sale. I decided not to use Etsy at the moment, and to just use my blog. I have put 10 lavender bags in my 'shop' (that still makes me laugh) but do have many more to add, as and when.

Gosh, I'm nervous! We had a lovely time in Ludlow but I've had a tooth problem since we arrived back which has somewhat taken the shine out of my 'home alone' time. The children have gone back to school but I have another week...oh the ecstasy, well it would be without this temporary filling that wont even let me bite properly. Hey, just thought, this might make me eat less...mmm, there is always a silver lining isn't there!