Come Drool With Me & Swimming Costume Drama Part 2

I've always been fearful of........quilting.  Yes, you read that correctly quilting - eeeek!  Scarey!  Yet, I adore the patchwork look. 

Recently I came across this book "Quilting in No Time:  50 Step-by-step Weekend Projects Made Easy" by Emma Hardy. 

It was going cheap at The Book People (for those who aren't familiar with it - it's a website for cheap deals on books ).  I checked out the reviews on Amazon and what sold it to me was what this reviewer said  "If you're a dedicated quilter you will be disappointed in the disregard for quilting techniques and in fact the lack of  much quilting at all (it focuses on the patchwork side). "  Perfect, I thought, a book about quilting without complicated quilting techniques - just the thing! 

Well I'm very pleased with the book.  The instructions are easy to follow and better still, there's lots of lovely pictures of fabulous patchwork.  Brace yourselves, dear readers, there are some seriously delicious pictures to follow.

Droooooool with me over this lovely red cushion (not literally, you understand):

Loving the pouffe:

I am swoooooning over this gorgeous rug:

Check out this darling draught excluder COMPLETE WITH POMPOM EMBELLISHMENTS (sorry, I'm shouting with uncontained excitement):

Oooooooh noooooooooooooo, three of my favourite things ever in the whole wide world:  patchwork, pompoms and BUTTONS (sorry, the excitement is reaching fever pitch here at J and P Towers):

Deep breaths now, dear readers.... an apron:

Breathe in 1-2-3............ breathe out 1-2-3........pretty patchwork curtains:

And relax...........a picnic blanket:

Every night I take the book to bed with me and ooh and aah over the pictures, sometimes stroking them and occasionally giving out a little frenzied yelp in excitement at all the stuff I'm going to make (this is normal behaviour, is it not, dear readers?). 

Anyway, enough of this patchwork craziness.  I would like to say thank you to those lovely people who left comments and suggestions on my previous post entitled "Swimming Costume Drama".  The vast majority of you thought that I shouldn't chop up the 1950s swimming costume that I've had lurking in my wardrobe for too long and many of you suggested that I display it.  The lovely Sonia of Raine and Sage told me that Simone of Beach Vintage had framed her collection of swimsuits like so:

And this got me thinking.  The 1950s cossie is such a an iconic style and shape that I thought perhaps I should keep it intact.  What sealed the deal, was discovering a large IKEA picture frame in the charity shop for £4 - exactly the right size.  Take a look:

Yes, it's in pride of place in our front room where I can gaze at it lovingly.



Swimming costume drama

...or, should I say, swimming costume dilemma. 

What is she on about now, I hear you cry.  Well, recently, I re-discovered this little beauty languishing in the back of my wardrobe.

Beeeeoooootiful isn't it? 

I bought this 1950s swimming costume about 13 years ago at a car boot sale, never wore it (dunno why as it did fit if I remember rightly) and had it on display in the bathroom of our old house.  Since moving house 10 years ago, I'd forgotten all about it it until now. 

It's made of cotton, has a lovely ruched front with an elasticated back.  It has a detachable strap which buttons onto the inside so the lucky wearer can wear it halter style or strapless.  The orange tulips are gorgeous, don't you think?  And even more vibrant than my pictures show.

Sadly, the elastic at the back of the cossie is no longer elasticky (no, I don't think that's a word either).  So, the dilemma is:  do I keep the swimming cossie as an almost but not quite fine example of the 1950s swimsuit or do I transform it into ..........(1950s swimwear fans, look away now)......a cushion cover (or some such thing)!

What would you do?

I've also got a largish number of 1950s/60s dresses which I  used to wear, back in the day, that are also languishing in my wardrobe.  I'll show you them sometime.  I still wear a couple of them but the rest don't fit me anymore and I can't bring myself to sell them.  Oh dilemmas, dilemmas..........

Yes Sir, I Can Boogie

Bit of a Spanish theme going on in this post. Does anyone remember the classic hit from 1977 "Yes Sir, I Can Boogie" by those two dusky senoritas (Mr J and P's words not mine) that made up Baccara? I've posted a video below just in case you want to be reminded or to acquaint yourself of its fabulousness. It's one of Mr J and P's favourite songs - he has a nose for the classics you know.

Anyway, my dearest amigos, I admit it.....this is all just an excuse for me to bore you to death about our latest Spanish holiday.

Grandpappy J and P is one of those lucky devils that lives for part of the year in the UK and the other part in Espana, on the Costa Blanca, in the town of Altea. Altea is reasonably unspolit and the old centre has retained some of its character and charm.

The nearby town of La Villa Joyosa is also still characterful in parts.  It is famous for its chocolate museum (we've never been) and its pretty coloured houses.

Benidorm is hugely high-rise (it's known as Las Vegas by the Sea).   If it's a good old British fry-up you're after or shops selling pork pies or a visit to a "traditional English pub", then Benidorm is the place to go! 

Still, there's no getting away from the natural beauty of the place - large, sweeping bays, good sandy beaches (and verging on the empty in October) and the backdrop of the Sierras in the interior is most impressive.

One of the highlights of the holiday for a saddo like myself was going to the Rastro in Benidorm (a flea market).   Here's a pic of little Miss J and P getting it on down:

Not only did we strike lucky with a snorkel and mask set for a mere 1 euro but an episode of the TV programme "Benidorm" was being filmed. For those of you who live overseas or who have a social life and actually go out on a Friday night, "Benidorm" is a comedy series about the exploits of various characters on a package holiday in er....Benidorm!


 

With that piece of riveting information, I'll say "Adios Amigos" and leave you to enjoy the marvels of Baccara.  If you watch all the video, you will also hear the Sex Pistols over the closing credits of Top of the Pops.  Yes, you did read that correctly - Baccara followed by the Sex Pistols.......the mind doth boggle.