creative writing

Wow. We have had more snow here. Fat heavy snowflakes fell for three hours and I was quite excited. Unfortunately it all seems to be melting today, I had high hopes for more school closures and days sledging but don't think that will happen again this winter.

My year long crochet blanket is getting nearer and nearer to completion but am finding the square joining rather tedious.

There are two hundred and twenty four squares altogether and although I have thoroughly enjoyed making it I am anxious now to get it finished, why is it that the last leg of a project is always the longest?

Other WIP's include the 'shruggy thing' I mentioned the other day;

I will wear it as in the last picture below;

Cowls seem to be a favorite of mine at the moment, quick and easy projects, I completed Maggi Knits Triangle Cowl a while ago and it is so lovely and cosy for winter but rather bulky!

Must dash, see you soon.

x

baby bunnies and getting the snip

Another week has passed. January has ended and February begins. I feel like the weeks are trundling along in a blur of grey. The weather is so dull and does not do much to inspire me into blog writing.

I have a new camera, did I tell you? It was a present from my husband for Christmas, a total surprise and shows that he actually does read AND pay attention to my ramblings.

So, today I decided to put it to good use, use it for what it is intended and take some pictures. Of course, I couldnt have picked a worse drab day (bring on the snow tomorrow I say, at least it is pretty).

But here goes. . . . . .

My latest craze for Ebay shows no signs of abating. It is very addictive, getting down to the last few minutes, cursing the person who trys to outbid you and clapping with glee when you beat them by 50p! With birthday money from my Gran I decided I would bid on an eiderdown. In actual fact I bid on two, well you never know, one or the other might be won.

I won both! The first by the skin of my teeth;

the second was a happy surprise, and a lot cheaper!

Both are completely beautiful and a welcome addition to my new bed.

Of course, since then have been bidding like craaaaaazy, and fortunately most items have been outbid. In some way my mind seems to short circuit when I see PLACE BID and I forget that I actually will need to pay for it if I win it.

Speaking of my latest craze it made me take a good look at what else I seem to crave (of course this is aside from the usuals that you know about, the vintage sheets, pillowcases and tablecloths, the lovely old china and the blankets and eiderdowns). My immediate answer, just looking around my house, is tin.

Now I know that seems rather odd but just wait. . .

Is it just me or are they just beautiful? I would love to run through the history of them all because they all have a tale as to how they got here but fear I would bore you too much (oooh, can't resist a few, 1950's tin, actually quite hidden in these photos was my Grans, Emma B square tins were a present on our 10th wedding anniversary, Cath K sewing tin was an Xmas pressie from my brother and sister in law and the Coronation vintage tin at the front was spotted in a charity shop by a friend for me). sorry!

Which reminds me, thrifting and charity shops, you have to be very lucky these days but I have been very lucky over the past few weeks.

I found two vintage Witney blankets in one shop for 99p each. YES, 99p each, I really couldnt contain my excitement (how sad is that).

The above said on the tag 'dog blanket', pardon, DOG BLANKET???, how posh are their dogs, these go for a lot more than 99p on Ebay and are too much of a treasure to shove under my dogs bottom (excuse the language).

the top pink cellular, also 99p is a lovely colour and has yet found no home.

On the 'making' front I am still busy with my year long crochet blanket but I am getting there and have started a shruggy sort of cowly scarf, no other way to describe it. I will show you very soon.

In the meantime, Happy February!

summer is shiny weather

Another glorious day weather wise and another day of cleaning out the animals (well, actually, not me, husband!).



We have quite a few furry friends which has happened quite by accident.



We have;
Lolly and Laura (the two pigs)
Bella, Pip and Peter (the three rabbits)
Emily (the dog)
and some fish with lovingly thought up names by my two rascals (Paul, Stanley, Flipflop and Bubbles)

We love them all but it does get rather expensive with the food and time consuming with the care.

Anyway, after a naughty lunch of McDonalds, this afternoon has been very relaxing, children were amused with cousins and I managed to finish my round/square cushion!

I am really happy with it, it is really squishy and soft, but of course, only to be looked at on sofa, woebetide anyone who leans against it/ sits on it/ rests their head on it!

Hope that you have something this weekend that makes you happy too.

learning to ride

Golly. Time flies when you are having fun and this week have been having too much fun and 'me time' and not enough of the daily grind. Feel very guilty.

Its always the same, when the children go back to school in September, I open my diary and seeing a wonderful month ahead, with very empty pages I breathe a sigh of relief that after seven weeks of fun and frolics (totally ignoring the dust bunnies collecting all over the house) I can get everything ship shape again.

The bathroom will be cleaned every week (properly)

The kitchen floor will be mopped every week

The house will be dusted every week (including the dresser)

The oven will be cleaned every week, NO only joking, every month

The beds will be changed every week

. . . . you get the idea

In fact September for me is worse than New Year for resolutions and just the same for feeling guilty when they slip.

I did a wonderful job the week they went back. I cleared out all the cupboards in our bedroom and felt very virtuous and free spirited. I love knowing I have managed to clear out some of the clutter because it is oh so hard for me to do this. I can tackle the world I thought (or at least the house), I even began to think that I could conquer the loft. But wait, I was setting myself up for a fall.

The following two weeks ensued and everything came crashing down. I was unwell for a while and ooops, got a bit used to 'looking after myself'. Lunch and treasure seeking trips with favourite friend, breakfast out with the girls, too many trips to new knitting shop and too much money spent on yarn for new projects (have finally found a pattern for a beautiful round crochet cushion from Rooster yarns!).

My diary is suddenly full and I really do get into a panic when I can't see a clear day ahead. I generally like to think I am an organised person but actually do find it rather easy to 'overlook' the boring things and then am exceptionally good at beating myself up about it.

So, here's to a new week. Here's to getting everything shipshape, to trying again. Here's to relaxing and enjoying and most of all to not feeling guilty.

On the side lines would love to share with you some things that make my heart sing (I know that sounds really yucky but it is true).

A white duvet cover and vintage crochet blanket (made by my mum) on daughters bed

A new tatted pillowcase found for pound in charity shop for daughters bed

My completed wristwarmers (good job you can't see the making up)

Papa Johns for tea. No washing up. Yippee!

anonymous

Have had a funny day today, woke up full of the joys of Autumn, a weekend to do as we choose, but as usual it degenerated into a day of Daddy cleaning out the animals, cutting the grass and daughter getting very upset because her pet rabbit "doesnt like me anymore". I decided to not feel too guilty as the cheeky monkeys say "I'm bored" (you know what they say about bored people, I told them) and remember that the day is beautiful, the sun is shining and really they are very lucky.

Sat down to do some crochet. Having knitted some bunting last week and having leftover yarn needed a little project. . . . . . . . (I am going to try to insert a picture, no, I havn't bought a decent camera yet, husband found a very old one in his office)

Wowee, I managed, yes I know its pretty bad but at least you get the gist.

My bunting. Cost quite a lot of money. But I love it. It is so soft.

Anyway, I have quite a bit of yarn left so decided to make a round crochet cushion.

Its lovely and ROUND isnt it? Yes, I couldnt manage to make it round without a pattern (so new I am to crochet) so have made it SQUARE. Very amatuer. Very me. But it is very soft and very pretty. Oh dear, dont think I will have quite enough yarn. Typical.