A weekend away

Things have been quiet at The iRon but busy on the home and work front. A not uncommon dynamic for bloggers, I imagine.
Last week I had some kind of virus that really knocked me over - self-employed people know that you go into work unless you are unconscious or have lost limbs, but I couldn't. DVDs and the couch were my lot for two days. On Friday, I made the OMG dress - a first Holy Communion dress for a beloved poppet. Named OMG because as her Mamma and I looked for inspiration dresses on teh interwebs, we went OMG! at one picture, and it was the basis for it.

Actually now I look at the photo, it ended up quite different. Ours had half circle tulle with no gathering at the waist, sleeves and a very different proportion. But it did have the princess seams, flowers and overall OMG ness.
Apart from the tulle, all the fabric was from a stash of wedding dress offcuts gifted to me, so it was a beautiful quality delustred satin. Waist flowers from shop stock, skirt flowers cut from Guipure lace scraps from the offcut stash. Photos will appear perhaps at some stage. In the meantime it is good for your imagination.
Then after finalising the dress, on Saturday morning MrC and I headed off to our favourite bolt hole, Martinborough. This trip was very different from most, however. We went to one vineyard only, Poppies, and we had a platter (NOMNOM!) in the sun on the lawn, with a glass of delicious rose. No bottle of wine bought AT ALL.
We visited Sue at JayahwithSoul, a gorgeous clothing store on the main st, who is one of those bubbly and dynamic women who you just fall in love with on first meeting. Between our June trip and this one, I made four shirts for her husband Mike, as a surprise for his 50th:

 Mike in his favourite, from the same Edgar Allen Poe inspired range as David's Nevermore. Purple contrasts.

Mike's least favourite, and Sue and I were both a bit unsure about it, but Mike's mate is a hot rodder and loves it so he is now the new owner of it. Win win. The one he was wearing when we saw them on the weekend is my favourite - a William Morris inspired print in browns and blues. BTW, making four shirts including drafting the pattern for them etc on top of work has also been keeping me away from posting.
So you see, Sue has Influence Over Me now. Sewing for one's own husband is one thing. Sewing for Others' Husbands is something else again. But it was all in the interests of experimentation.
We had drinks at Cool Change with Mike and Sue and some of their other friends:

Cool Change Bar and Restaurant in Martinborough, I loves it! This is not us though, it is Spring not Summer!

Then we toddled off to the local boutique picture theatre to see Red 2. Hilarious! Even MrC stayed awake throughout. Given how knackered he was, this is some achievement.

One early night later, we had breakfast at Pinocchio's, another gorgeous cafe, checked out some real estate (yes, I am THAT smitten with the place) and finally headed homewards. Him to a nap and washing, me to the after match function for the poppet's 1st Holy Communion. That child is a wonder. After several hours of playing including a lunch that involved both beetroot and chocolate, her dress was still pristine white.

DIY pizzas with other friends at home, and then we were both ready to sleep for three years. 

So yes, it has been an unusually busy time lately, but lots of fun too. :)