one of my new old favourite things

one of my new old favourite things, originally uploaded by alabamawhirly.

Sometimes I can't help myself. This is one of those days.
I am beside myself with the gorgeousness of this beautiful Fidelity record player, a present from my friend Marje.

I have dusted of the records, which have long ago become a source of curiosity for the children "are they the ones you play on a wind-up player mummy?". I placed the record on the turnatble, moved over the arm and flicked the auto button and watched whilst the record slipped down onto the turntable and that old familiar sound of a beginning of a record began. I can't get past the delight of that simple movement.

We are working the way through my record collection, from my first ever record I bought at the age of 12, Gary Numan - Cars, through The Cramps, The Fall, Propoganda, The Smiths (it is good to play dreary to 9 year olds - it will prepare them for adolescents). Siouxsie and The Banshees, Bauhaus, Throwing Muses, The Clash, The Pistols,This Mortal Coil, Bowie, Joy Division (more misery) - later today we will end on a cheerier note but first I will quiz the hubby why he has a dodgy record (in my eyes) and he is lucky I did not know this before our marriage - grounds for divorce?

a still life of broken things

a still life of broken things, originally uploaded by alabamawhirly.

This is a homage to my lovely blue friend knitwit. We have known each other for a long time now, and knitwit is always very stylish elegant and cool, never a clumsy buffoon like myself but on Wednesday night at Knit Night she was trying to slice herself a piece of holey cheese and in some hyper slow motion moment the knife broke and went flying into her hot mug of tea which spilt over knitwit in her beautiful dress, with the mug then hitting the deck and breaking it's handle, documentary evidence is available.
Something strange was happening in our house over those 24 hours as the next morning, I broke the picture and the stained glass window

knitwit hasn't been coming to Knit Night forever but it feels like she has now - she is also part of outcast (they are a group of artists who make things) and is creator of so many beautiful things such as these from her etsy shop such as cheeky pink fairisle heart and star gauntlets or this scarlet red beret.

Knitwit loves *rolling her own*, pints of real ale , drinking tea, always the colour purple but apparently sometimes blue now, singing especially with knit night girls, retro-ness and great designers.

Watch this girl, she is coming to the end of her second year of a knitwear design degree course, I am amazed by the work she is bringing round every week and hope that once she is famous she will remember our tea drinking knit nights.

To see more beautiful pieces she has created, the gorgeous home she lives in and her lovely photos, visit her flickr page

bama's room

bama's room, originally uploaded by alabamawhirly.

so this was made

Not by me, the banner is by Alabama Whirly herself when she was 7 years old and the rabbit is by Julie Arkell - I love them both but now I all I can see is the wonkiness of the picture on the wall...sigh

welcome to my house etsy friends

welcome to my house etsy friends, originally uploaded by alabamawhirly.

So just over a week ago, we were showing our homes to each other on etsy

and then posting to our flickr pages - everyones homes looked so tidy, possibly with the exception of my looki likee reform - her home is definitely like mine.

But it is time to paint the stairs, the ceiling, the passageway, Bama's room, her ceiling.

I may be gone sometime

yum yum

delicious Sunday morning, up way too early - it was never like this before children but we are awake before the rest of the world, at Portobello, everyone setting up and we go for Churros and Chocolate in Garcia's

dive in

dive in, originally uploaded by alabamawhirly.

delicious Sunday morning, up way too early - it was never like this before children but we are awake before the rest of the world, at Portobello, everyone setting up and we go for Churros and Chocolate in Garcia's

Louie thinking of the next big question about life, spooning thick chocolate - he needs to live in a philosophical cafe society, to discuss what is it that *people really see*

I'm not cross

I'm not cross, originally uploaded by alabamawhirly.

so this is my hubby

the man - he is not cross, apart from his arms looking like he is and the sign behind but I know he's not, look at his eyes, a smile that is starting to spread.

Fourteen years on (how did I manage that?) and it is the same look I always remember. He's not here much at the moment and we all miss him but when he is here we have good days/ hours/ minutes - however long he is around.

Hurry home