A Very Happy Mail Day

Yesterday was a very, very happy mail day. There I was, beavering away like a goodun, working from home, though at just about tipping point from the bloody noisy builders banging about next door, when not one, but two substantial thuds landed on the front door mat. My fuse was half blown and I was about to yell at the usual runaway estate agent delivery boy, when I remembered  what could possibly be in those two packages.

Package number one:

ooobop moo cards

This is the second batch of cards I’ve ordered from Moo. The third if you count the ones I ordered for Mr O. The first ooobop ones were way before I’d decided on my identity and so I’d ordered the cute little mini ones. But they’ve since run out. I secretly wanted them to run out when these fabulous new square formats were introduced to the range. My logo sits so perfectly in the middle and there’s plenty nuff room on the reverse to add details plus another image. Plus, they properly match my garment labels too!

If you’ve never used Moo before I wholly recommend them for a fabulous service and great quality. There’s even a real person on the end of the phone if you need any help. Though the process is a very simple step-by-step online operation.

I’m not being paid to big them up, by the way. I properly love them! And if you fancy some of your own there’s link here you can use which gives you 10% off your first order:

http://www.moo.com/share/ytsw9k

And I get rewarded in ‘moolah’ if you place an order. And so do you once you’ve placed your order and recommended a friend.

I don’t make any money from my sewing but I do make lots of friends. Like for instance I got chatting to a lovely lady the other day on the bus who was knitting with some fabulous yarn that looked like pencil shavings! I couldn’t resist asking her about it and within seconds we were chatting all things sewing and knitting. She had run out of cards but luckily I managed to dig out the last remaining dog-eared one from my bag just before she had to get off at her stop. It was then that I realised how useful they are and how I must get some new ones. I’m never quick or dexterous enough to tap in a new contact on my phone in a hurry. I come over all fingers and thumbs, so these are perfect!

And so what could possibly be as exciting in the next package?

Package number two:

I can’t tell you how long I’ve waited to get a copy of this film. I don’t even know anyone else who’s ever heard of this film: The Yellow Rolls Royce! Anyone? Anywhere? The last time I watched this film was nearly four decades ago so I was hoping my love for it wasn’t a romantically distorted view! How could it be. Check out the all star cast: Shirley MacLaine, Omar Sharif, Ingrid Bergman, Rex Harrison, Jeanne Moreau, George C. Scott, Alain Delon, with surprise appearances from Art Carney, Joyce Grenfell and Lance Percival!

The Yellow Rolls Royce dvd

So why does this news belong on my sewing blog (besides the fact that I love watching an old movie while I sew)? Well. As I watched, and I indeed loved, I remembered exactly why I truly loved it so so much. Not just because I absolutely fell head over heels for Alain Delon at a very illegal age, I also totally fell in love with Shirley MacLaine and her wardrobe. She was a gangsters moll. ‘Fidanzata’ to George C. Scotts character of Paolo Maltese. And even at that age I wanted her clothes, her hair, her make up: tight wiggle skirts and dresses, stripy halter tops, swing skirts and chiffon scarves. Black, white and red, candy pink with black trim, polka dots, chiffon and fur. Pretty sure they were faux!! And there was me thinking it was all about Alain. Ha! I’m going to watch it again and again until I’ve clocked every item in her wardrobe and then make them all!

Shirley MacLaine Yellow Rolls Royce
Source: Fookdamorph
Shirley MacLaine Yellow Rolls Royce
Source: Who2 Biographies

I just adore all the black buttons down the back of that pink dress. Mine would be red of course! And if you click the source for the image below you will get a little clip of the movie so you can see where I’m coming from!

Shirley MacLaine Yellow Rolls Royce pink dress
Source: TCM.com

I could just watch this film over and over. In fact I just watched that clip 3 times! This will now be my favourite movie to sew by.

Do you watch movies while you sew? What are your besties?

My ooobop labels have arrived!

I grumble a lot about my job as a freelance graphic designer. Mostly because it interferes with my sewing time. But I must learn to be more grateful. The perks, for me, still outweigh an employed status. Freelanceness alone means I can juggle jobs and children and blogging and sewing, all at the same time. In fact, my circus skills know no bounds. My great aunt ran away with the circus so it’s in the blood, you know. For real!

And once in a while skill sets cross over too . . .

Look what was waiting for me when I arrived home from the office last night.

A pillowy parcel oozing 500 folded self-designed, ooobop labels! Thank you Woven Labels UK! I couldn’t be more delighted if I tried!

ooobop labels package

It would be smug of me to say I designed and submitted the artwork in a blink of an eye. Which ordinarily I’ve been known to do. But I think I would be sussed by the likes of Symon Sez who knows just how hard it is to fulfil one’s own brief!

And I must add that I am also doing things back to front. I have a little blog rebrand in progress (or rather in mind) but I just couldn’t wait to see what these looked like in the mean time!

And what a pleasure to sew the first one into an almost finished skirt for my lovely and deserved friend. I can’t wait to present it to her at the end of this week. So proud 🙂

ooobop label sewn in skirt

I must also add that this is not a sponsored post. I could not big up Woven Labels any more if they paid me. Tom’s patience and understanding was untold as he had to deal with a fusspot designer. The worst kind of client for him, I’m sure. I have ordered children’s school name labels from him before but they also do craft labels and custom made designer labels. If you are looking for a real personal service and excellent quality at a great price then this is most definitely the place to go!