tanskiknits

2011-07-26T12:04:00.008+01:00

Japanese Flower Shawl .......

Hello my lovelies !!!!!!

I really must apologise for my absence but my laptop had a major meltdown & died on me a couple of weeks ago & I have also been up to my eyes with school events. Summer term seems to always be a whirlwind of activities & social gatherings !!

I have been ohhhing & arhhhhing over the beautiful Japanese Flower Shawls on Lucy's ATTIC24 blog & on Ravelry for some time now but I wanted to finish a few WIP first ( I will be sharing these with you very soon. ) My budget wouldn't stretch to the gorgeous ANDES yarn so I down marketed some what & decided on King Cole's Merino Blend DK that comes in wonderful bright colours

It is a very portable project, perfect to take with me on our summer outings to the park and, weather permitting, the seaside !!

2011-06-18T13:22:00.003+01:00

Hearts ........

I have nearly finished my secret project, all I need to do is buy some spray starch. I will post some photo's very soon. In the mean time I have a little taster to share with you.

Hope you all have a lovely weekend, whatever the weather !

Bye for now xx

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2011-06-07T09:25:00.005+01:00

Progress on Sunburst Granny .........

Just a very quick post today to show you my progress on my Sunburst Granny blanket !

I have managed to make 13 squares out of 1 ball of the Silver Blue, so I now need to work out how many more balls I will need to order. I am loving how it is turning out, I think I may do a nice wide boarder using all the colours, what do you think ?

Hear is a sneaky peek at a little project I am also working on, I can't give too much away as it is a present !!!!

Bye for now xx

2011-05-31T10:34:00.008+01:00

A New Project .........

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I have been knitting away on my Clapotis, the end result is wonderful but boy it can be rather hard going making it ! To break the boredom I decided I needed a new hooky project to do along side it.

So I have indulged myself by buying some Vanna's Choice from Banyan Tree Yarn's online shop.

The colours are ( left to right )

Top row :

Berrylicious #139

Rose #142

Dusty Blue #108

Dusty Purple #146

Eggplant #145

Bottom row :

Navy #110

Silver Blue #105

Kelly Green #172

Magenta #144

Sweet Pea # 169

The pattern I am using is the Sunburst Granny Square ( free on Ravelry ). I have decided not to include the navy as it was rather overbearing, and I am using the Silver blue to finish each square.

I am loving how it is taking shape & as it is chunky yarn shouldn't be too long in the making !!

I have now done 12 squares, they seem to be flying off my hook ! I will post more photo's tomorrow if the little men give me 5 minutes to myself.

Bye for now xx

2011-05-28T12:36:00.024+01:00

Chelsea Flower Show ( Part II ) .........

Joe Swift interviewing one of the garden designers.

I love old fashioned roses and David Austen's display was breathtaking. The perfume from all these roses was incredible.

The Peony display was another favorite of mine, just beautiful !

The Gorgeous Rachel de Thame.

Sam & I trying out an arbour. Perfect for sitting and enjoying a Pimms, or striking a pose !!

These are just some of the photos that I took, I hope you enjoy looking at them. I am also going to The Hampton Court Flower show in July for even more inspiration, can't wait !!!

2011-05-26T15:58:00.020+01:00

Chelsea Flower Show ( Part I) ........

I think those golden skies where a very good omen. A couple of days after my last post my dear friend Sam rang me saying 'she had an offer that I couldn't refuse' ....... an invite to go to Chelsea Flower Show on members day !!!! Of course I didn't refuse, I nearly did myself serious damage while jumping around the room with excitement !

I have always wanted to go and the invite couldn't have come at a better time, as I have been feeling rather low and fed up recently for reasons I wont bore you with.

My dear friend lives in Wiltshire so we arranged to meet at Waterloo at 9.30am. We had a quick coffee and chat then we jumped on a bus bound for Chelsea.

Below are some of the gardens, to say they are amazing is an understatement ! My photo's don't do them justice, I came away completely inspired with new ideas.

The yummy Mr Dermot Gavin !

The Artisan Gardens ::

The walls in this garden are made with sheets of white paper.

This Garden was one of my favorites and is designed by a lady called Bunny Guinness .

We where very lucky to have such a lovely warm, sunny day and where very tempted to dive into this !

2011-05-11T09:09:00.004+01:00

Golden Skies ........

I hope the golden sky last night was a good omen, after a rather crappy time that I have been having in my life. I have not been a happy bunny lately !

2011-05-07T13:18:00.009+01:00

Look What The Post Man Delivered ! ........

Don't you just love it when a parcel is left on the door step, especially when you know it contains some yummy yarn for a new project !

I have been very strict with myself and haven't bought any yarn for a long time, as I am trying hard to use up my rather large stash of yarn that lives under my bed. But while cruising through my favorate yarn shops I was stopped in my tracks, I was star struck, it was love at first sight !!!

The gorgeous, wonderful Dream In Color was on offer at First 4 Yarns, and it was my most fav colour, how could I resist !!!!!

2011-05-01T10:54:00.007+01:00

MMMMmmm Manos ..........

I have Clapotis fever at the moment. I have started another one using this gorgeous, wonderful Manos Silk Blend, colour #7325 , that has been sitting waiting in my stash for over a year. I can not describe how truly yummy this yarn is and I have two skeins so there should be enough, oh happy days !!!!!

2011-05-01T00:24:00.011+01:00

A Walk Among The Bluebells .........

Every year the little men and I go to see the bluebells in the woods near us. We love walking in the woods at any time of year, but I think spring is such a lovely time with all the new fresh green leaves appearing, the Hawthorne blossom, Primroses and of course the sea of Bluebells.
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We where lucky enough to have Mr Fox waiting to greet us, but he didn't stay long !!!

I love to see the little men run, play and let their imaginations run wild as I make up stories of the Fairies, Elves, Goblins and all the other creatures that live in the trees & undergrowth.

If you go down to the woods today.........

Sticks at the ready to fight the Goblins and Orks ........

This is the fallen tree where each year I take photos of the little men, unfortuately this year they where not in the mood to be still for long, and the one photo I managed to take was of them pulling silly faces !!!! Oh well, maybe next year !!!

2011-04-29T18:04:00.006+01:00

The Kiss !! ..........

2011-04-27T09:16:00.005+01:00

Spring Is Here ! ........

Spring flowers ::

The English Countryside coming to life ::

Cherry Blossom ::

Searching for Easter Eggs ::

2011-04-24T11:35:00.002+01:00

Happy Easter Everyone ........

2011-04-05T10:44:00.003+01:00

Happy Belated Mothers Day ........

Hope you all had a wonderful Mothers Day, I did !!!

Cowslips for my garden !

2011-04-02T09:32:00.011+01:00

Clapochet Ta Da !!!! ........ . A couple of years ago I knitted my first Clapotis. This is a wonderful pattern that you may or may not have heard of. For those of you who haven't you can find it on Knitty or Ravelry. You can knit it in any type of yarn & any weight ( I knitted mine in Lorna Laces Sport weight ). It was a labour of love & was so worth the time & energy as I still love it !!!! Just before Christmas I was nosing through crochet patterns for scarves & shawls on Ravelry and came across a crochet pattern for the famous Clapotis called Clapochet. Well I couldn't wait to start hooking & had the perfect yarn tucked away in my stash.

So I dashed upstairs and rummaged through my eleven boxes of stash yarn until I found it !!! Three wonderful, beautiful skeins of Dream in Color Classy, such amazing yarn, though rather pricy, that I had been saving for the perfect project !

I ended up using all three skeins as I wanted it wide and long and used a 5mm hook. I love, love, love it and have worn it most days since it came off my hook !

Bye for now ♥

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PS. I have just noticed that I am wearing my Clapotis in the photo at the top of my blog under "ME" !!!!

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2011-03-26T19:20:00.004Z

My Little Friend, Jenny Wren .......

I love to see all the different birds that come to visit my garden. The cheeky robin, The noisy blackbirds & the various colourful tits & chaffinches. But I have to say that I have a real soft spot for my little Jenny Wren ! She is so, so tiny & so, so bold for such a little thing.

I love to watch her from my kitchen window as she jumps around & between the plant pots & climbs through the trellis work. She doesn't stay long, but visits everyday & is an absolute delight !!!

I am very happy to report that Little Man No.1 is thrilled with his new blanket & asked me if I would take a photo of it on his bed to show you all, bless him !!!
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He also insisted that I take another photo with him & his blanket, how could I refuse. So here he is as pleased as punch !!

Bye For now ♥

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2011-03-24T14:27:00.008Z

A Granny Blanket for Little Man No 1. Ta-Da !!!!!!!

Well I said I had some hooky projects to share with you, so here is the first one !

I actually finished this little blanket about an hour ago, & I must say I am very pleased with it ( she says smugly !!! )

It is for Little Man No.1's bed & for snuggling under while he watches telly !! My little men love to snuggle & I am more than happy to oblige them by making lovely colourful blankets.

Once again I have used yarn from my stash. This is a mixture of different DK Wools, I don't have the ball bands anymore but I think most of it is Wendy Gold Award DK & Sirdar Legend DK. I bought this wool years ago from a Knitting shop that was closing down for £1.00 per ball !!!!

I can't wait for Little Man No.1 to see it when he gets back from school, I just need to finish Little Man No.2's now !

Bye for now ♥

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2011-03-23T10:21:00.006Z

I'm Back :-) !! .........
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Hellooooo !!! After a few months break I'm back !
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Life as been very hectic since Christmas, which has left very little time for blogging. To be honest I just can't believe we are over half way through March, where does the time go !!

I may have negleted my blog but not my hooky projects & I have lots to share with you.
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Here is a little peek at two blankets I have been working on. I am trying to reduce my large stash of yarn before I buy anymore ! The first one is Rowan Pure Wool DK, (such beautiful yarn & colours) & the second is Cascade 220.
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I will be back very soon to share more with you.

Bye for now ♥

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2010-12-24T13:46:00.003Z

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

EAT, DRINK & BE MERRY !!!

XXXXXX

2010-12-02T11:06:00.005Z

Snowy Fun ..........

2010-11-30T18:22:00.004Z

Snow !! .........
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After a lot of 'will it, wont it', it did !!!!
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The little men where off from school today after having a nasty tummy bug but where so eager to play in the snow that after 4 hours of moaning & groaning I gave in & we walked up our road & then had a short time in the garden. They were happy to have the time outside but wanted to come back in after 10 minutes. This tummy bug is doing the rounds at the school & I had it too but luckily not too badly.

After their 10 minutes of play they where content to watch the snow fall from the warmth of the sitting room, & no more moaning !!!!!

2010-11-29T10:17:00.003Z

Winter Head Warmers .........

I love to see little people in hand knits. I am in the process of knitting sweaters & hats for my two !! Here is the first FO that I knocked out over the weekend. I used this pattern to make hats 4 years ago & the little men have just about outgrown them, so it was time to make new ones !!!

Pattern : Snug from Rowan Babies (size medium)

Needles : 3 3/4mm & 4mm

Yarn : Patons DK (from my stash)

What I really like about this pattern is that you get a lot of wear out of it, the original hats fitted for 3 years & that it covers little ears & back of the neck. Just what they need in this cold weather walking to school & playtime !!!

2010-11-28T10:35:00.006Z

Jack Frost ........

Jack Frost has arrived early this year & the snow maybe close on his heels.
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The little men are so excited about the prospect of snow & I must confess that I am too! But snow brings school closures & that I'm not so excited about so near to the Christmas hols.

But looking out the window at my beautiful crisp, frosty garden makes me look at the sky wondering will it, wont it !!

2010-11-24T09:53:00.007Z

The Little Men's 6th Birthday ........

Yesterday was the little men's 6th birthday. My goodness where is the time going to.

They managed to open a couple of presents before school & were over the moon with their Lego Atlantis kits!!!

What made it extra special for them this year was that their Daddy came over to pick them up from school & spend some time with them before their birthday tea !

They had 5 friends for tea & you can imagine the volume level with seven 6 year old boys !!!!

They all seemed to enjoy themselves & I had 2 friends that gave a me helping hand, thanks Jo & Beccy x

Birthday cakes made by yours truly !

My friend Jo stayed to help clear the decks & put the boys to bed for me while I had a quiet cup of coffee & a rather large slice of yummy Birthday cake.

All in all it was a lovely day for both the little men & me, & they where in the land of nod within 10 minutes of having a story & lights out ZZZZZZZzzzzz !!!!!

2010-11-09T12:59:00.007Z

Two Little FO's .........

While I have been off air, so to speak, I have been busy with my hook. My first little FO is a gorgeously warm & snugly scarf.

Pattern : Just Enough Frills for an Ascot ( Free pattern on Ravelry or can be found over at 'Becky Blue J' blog .)

Yarn : Rowan Cocoon ( 2 balls )

Hook : 6.5 mm

I made it longer than the pattern & was great fun to make.

The second FO are a pair of crochet tiebacks for the curtains in the study. I just made them up as I went, here is how I made them.

Yarn : Rowan Handknit cotton

Hook : 4mm

Chain 76 sts. Sc in 2nd ch from hook & then sc in each ch across. ch 1 & turn then repeat to end. I did 5 rows of sc. Now for the frilly bit.

Dc in 1st sc 5 times ( 5 dc cluster ). *skip next st, slip st in next st, skip next st then 5 Dc cluster in next st* repeat along the bottom only. I then did a 12 st chain at each end for the cords to tieback. I hope these instructions makes sense !!!!!!!

I definitely think that you need to use a strong yarn, like the Rowan Handknit Cotton, to make these as they need to be firm & hard wearing.

2010-11-09T09:26:00.008Z

Bonfire Night .........

Hellooooo long time no see !!!!

I have been without my computer for a while after it caught a rather nasty Virus called 'The Security Tool Virus'. Please be on the look out for this virus, it completely buggered up my computer !!!! Luckily the wonderful Bruce from PC Pal came to my rescue & worked his magic & I am now up & running again !!

Anyway onto happier events. This weekend was Bonfire Night, & like many of you out there we had a wonderful time at our village firework display. In fact it was one of the best I have seen.!

The little men where just mesmerized by the whole thing !!!

The weather was kind to us this year, no rain, & the mega large bonfire kept the chill away as did the freshly made warm donuts, yum !!!!!!

I always feel that after Halloween & Bonfire Night we are truly into Autumn. I must say that I do love Autumn, when the leaves turn to beautiful colours & you feel all cosy & warm indoors while watching the wind & rain outside !! I do wish that we still had an open fire though, like in our old house. There is nothing like the sound & smell of a fire to give you that warm content feeling !!
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2010-10-21T09:04:00.002+01:00

Poorly .......

Hello peeps.

Just a quick note to say that I will be posting soon but we have all been rather poorly in our household these last 2 weeks. I have been snuggled on the sofa with throat sweets & cough medicine & I have managed to make 2 more scarves, ready for the cold days ahead !!!!!

2010-10-02T12:15:00.006+01:00

Puff Ball Scarf .......

Hello peeps.

I just can't believe we are now in October, we didn't have much of a summer did we !!!

October is the time of year that I start to look to making snugly things to keep the little men & me warm through the cold damp Autumn & winter. I am still working on their GSB's but I am running out of yarn so I need to order some more.

I have also been working on other projects when I can to keep me from getting bored with the blankets. I am quite excited actually as I have designed my first crochet scarf pattern. Do you like it !!!! I have called it my Puff Ball Scarf as the stitches remind me of little puff balls !!!

The yarn is much more vibrant in real life, beauitful rich blues & greens.

I am also very excited & a little nervous as I am going to be running a knitting club with little man no.1's teacher after school from next Tuesday for KS1 & KS2 children. I am really looking forward to it & I have been rummaging through my enormous stash pile for odd balls of yarn.

Hope you all have a lovely weekend.

bye for now

T xxx

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NOTE : I am going to write up this pattern to share very soon,

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2010-09-24T10:57:00.002+01:00

Goodbye Bertie ........

It is a very sad day today, my mum has had to make the dreadful decision to have one of her beloved dogs put to sleep, & to make it worse it's her birthday !

You where a gorgeous & brave little boy & a great friend, we will miss you so very much Bertie Boy x

2010-09-22T12:43:00.007+01:00

Toothache, Birthday & GSB Progress ........

The last two weeks have been rather eventful !!

I developed dreadful toothache that turned into an infection in my jaw, OMG the pain was unbearable & my face swelled up to 3 times the size. I didn't sleep for 4 nights, I was like the walking dead ! I ended up having to have an enormous dose of penicillin which got rid of the pain & swelling but has left me feeling washed out.

Luckly I woke up on my birthday, after the first good night sleep in a week, pain free & feeling oh so much better. One of my lovely friends made me a yummy cake & was decorated by her daughter & the little men which cheered me up no end, & I was able to have a large slice with my morning coffee.

Over the past few evening I have been hooking like mad, my first GSB for the little men is half way done & looking good. This is such a lovely, easy pattern to follow that it just seems to flow through my fingers. I am hoping that I will have this finished by the weekend !
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2010-09-11T11:36:00.003+01:00

9/11 ........

A day to remember & feel blessed that your loved ones are near & safe !

2010-09-09T09:58:00.003+01:00

Rainbow Colours ........

Firstly, I would like to thank all you lovely ladies out there in blog land that sent such lovely kind comments on my finished GSB. I am very touched, your feedback means a lot to me. ♥

Now onto some hooky news.

Because my sitting room & bedroom colour scheme is pinks, purples, greens & blues I am quite restricted with colour for most of my crochet projects. Not so with the little men's room, which is a riot of red, blue, yellow & green. Here I can splash out with vibrant colours that are fun & jolly.

After having so much fun making my GSB I have decided to make two more for the little men's beds, knowing them though they will be bringing them down stairs as they love to snuggle under my blankets on the sofas. I have my work cut out if I am to get these done before Autumn take hold, but I'm up for the challenge & hopefully they won't take so long as I am going to use Vanna's Choice which is a chunky weight & a 6mm hook.

I can't wait to start the first one tonight once the little men are tucked up in bed & I'll keep you posted with my progress !!

bye for now

T ♥♥♥

2010-08-31T13:36:00.008+01:00

Granny Stripe Blanket Is Finished !! .........

SOOOOOOO HAPPY with my finished GSB !!! I have loved making this gorgeous blanket, deciding the lay out of the colours as I went was great fun. I'm pleased to see it finished but part of me is a little sad as it was such a fun project to make. Thank you so much Lucy for sharing this pattern, your a little gem xxx

I edged my blanket as follows :

1 row of treble stitch clusters, 1 row of treble sts, 2 rows of double sts, 2 rows of single sts then a shell edging of *3 double stitch clusters then slip st in next 2 sts* repeated all the way around.

So here it is all finished & laid out to show you. My camera doesn't show the colours in a true light, they are actually much brighter & warmer in real life.
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Yarn: Stylecraft Special DK (16 colours )

Hook: 4mm

Time to Make: 3 months

Enjoyment Level: Very :)

I'm thinking of making another one for little man no.1 using Vanna's Choice yarn to match little man no.2's ripple blanket that I started back in February & is half done, which reminds me that I must pull it out & get on with it so that it's ready for Autumn

bye for now

T xxx

2010-08-30T19:57:00.006+01:00

Coffee Pot Cosy ........

My GSB is all but done, just finishing the shell edging, love, love, love it !!!! I would have finished it about a month ago but my hooking mojo plummeted when I hurt my back at the beginning of the summer hols. I have been working on it every evening for the past week, with a snugly Cusso beside me eyeing it up, sorry boy this one isn't for you my furry friend!

Here's another lovely little pattern by Alice @ Crocheting with Raymond, a sweet coffee pot cosy. It only took me 2 hours to make this morning while the the little men & I watched Micky Mouse Club House & Handy Manny, so quick & easy & I love it !

I used some odds & ends of my Stylecraft Special DK and started with a chain of 39 stitches using a 4mm hook. I'm thinking of adding a crocheted flower, mmm maybe, what do you think !!!

2010-08-21T17:26:00.010+01:00

Bunting .......

Oh I'm excited !!!

The other day I was trailing through Ravelry & came across another lovely lady & her blog. Her name is Alice & her little blog is
http://CrochethealingandRaymond.wordpress.com/ ( named after her gorgeous Siamese cat. ) She has some lovely crochet patterns that she is sharing, I fell for her bunting hook, line & sinker.

I just had to pick up my hook & start straight away, using odds & ends of the Stylecraft Special yarn from my Granny Stripe Blanket. Oh my, these little beauties are addictive & I love, love, love the pretty edging !!!

Talking of Granny Stripe, I'm now on the home stretch, so hopefully will be able to show it off to you in the next couple of days.

bye for now T x

2010-08-16T12:15:00.016+01:00

Wow !!! My First Blog Award .........

I'm gob smacked. A really BIG thank you to the Clare at greenfrogcrafts.blogspot.com/ for giving me this lovely award. THANK YOU xxx

I have to write 5 things about myself before passing on this award, so here goes.

My dream is to move to Dorset & have enough land to have some chickens, a donkey or two, a small orchard & vegetable patch.

I went to school with the Countess of Wessex, but alas I'm no lady lol !!!
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When I was at school I wanted to be a pathologist, Scene of Crime Officer or forensic scientist & all my friends thought I was morbid. ( Funny that now it's the IN thing to do ! )
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I lived in British Columbia, Canada for a couple of years when I was young (amazing place ! )

I love the snow & thunderstorms ( I'm just a big kid at heart ).

I would like to pass on this award to the following lovely ladies :

Lucy @ http://attic24.typepad/weblog/

Elizabeth @ http://byelizabethcat.blogspot.com/

Heather @ http://littletinbird.co.uk/

Jacquie @ http://bunnymummy-jacquie-blogspot.com/

Mia @ http://miaslandliv.blogspot.com/

Ladies, you brighten my days with your lovely blogs xxx.

2010-08-09T08:32:00.011+01:00

My New Kitchen ......

I am so happy & proud to show off my new shiny, clutter free kitchen. It has taken over six weeks to transform, but boy it's worth all the upheaval & mess. My handy man has been a star & has done a wonderful job, no slap dash. The reason for the wait was because he was ill for a few weeks & then had to catch up on other jobs as well. I didn't mind because I knew that he would do a great job, & he has !!!!
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Please note that I took the before photos as I was packing everything up ( it wasn't that messy & cluttered normally )

After :: New oven & hob that works ! New shiny white ceramic sink, my only extravagance.

After :: Ugly boiler hidden away in a cupboard & pipes boxed in.

After :: Serving hatch boxed in & tiled over, lots of work surface, wonderful !!!

I had a very tight budget to cover everything, units, appliances, sink, taps, flooring, labour etc & I did it, I think I was just over by £40.00, not bad hey !!! A big thank you to my mum who helped me turn my dream into reality, your the best !!!

Words can not describe how happy & thrilled I am, I have really enjoyed searching for everything ( Wicks - Units, oven, hob & tap Homebase - tiles B&Q - sink, flooring & work tops ) & putting it all together, with a little help from my handy man Ian !!!

2010-08-08T14:29:00.006+01:00

Burberry Inspired Cowl .......

I have been rather fed up recently !!

The reason being is that 3 days into the summer hols I pulled my back & have been in pain ever since. I had so many plans for me & the little men & so far we haven't done any of them :(

I have been to see an osteopath & I'm beginning to feel a lot better. Poor little men have been mainly confined to the house & garden & are beginning to get cabin fever (so am I). My lovely mum has been brilliant & has taken them over to her house here & there to give me some time to relax.

I just haven't been in the mood to crochet but I can't just sit there doing nothing, so I went through Ravelry to see if there was something quick to make & found this lovely little pattern which is perfect for 1 skein of Malabrigo I had knocking around.

Pattern : Burberry Inspired Cowl ( Free Pattern on Ravelry )

Yarn : 1 Skein of Malabrigo Worsted ( Whales Road )

Needles : 6.5mm

Time : 2 Days

I love it !!! I will be making more of these I'm sure !

2010-07-19T08:24:00.003+01:00

Scarecrow Festival .......

Every year in July our village holds a Scarecrow Festival. It's a great hit with the little people, my two included !

This was one of their favorites.

2010-07-16T10:10:00.004+01:00

Slowwww Progress .........

Here is my progress so far on my Stripy Granny, or lack of it as it so happens ! I'm cross with myself for being so slack but hopefully I will have a hooky boost very soon.

Another thing that is oh so slow at the moment is my new kitchen. It's still not finished, but there is a good or rather bad reason for that. My lovely handy man is unwell & I'm not sure when he will be back, I am hoping that he will be able to finish it before the little men break up next Friday, fingers crossed.

Once it is finished I will share before, during & after photos with you. I am sooo very happy with how it has turned out & can't wait to see the finished result, & with such a tight budget too !!

I have been doing a lot of sorting & clearing of junk so the house is beginning to look like a home & not a junk yard, lots of trips to the local tip yard where I have picked up some bargains, two lovely rugs & some wooden garden chairs all for just £12.oo. Oh I do love a bargain !

2010-06-20T15:12:00.006+01:00

Loving My Stripy Granny Blanket ........

I'm loving my stripy granny blanket. Unfortunately I haven't had a lot of time to work on it over the weekend, but I'm determined to spend a few hours this evening just hooking !

The colours I've chosen are:

Top Row (left-right)

Plum #1061

Magenta #1084

Violet #1277

Lavender #1188

Wisteria #1432

Raspberry #1023

Fondant #1241

Clematis #1390

Bottom Row (left-right)

Teal #1062

Turquoise #1068

Aster #1003

Cloud Blue #1019

Aspen #1422

Sherbet #1034

Meadow #1065

Spring Green #1316

2010-06-18T08:34:00.004+01:00

Shiny New Floor ........

When we moved into this house it had cream carpets throughout. As you may agree cream carpets with four in door cats & two little men are not a good mix ! Over the last six years it as gradually turned from cream to grey with the ocassional stain here & there. I hated it but when you are doing up a place there is no point changing carpets until the messy work had been done.

Now that the work is nearly done, it was time to start ripping up & changing that offending carpet. I have started in the hall as it was really disgusting & the first thing that people saw when they walked in.

I am over the moon with the new laminate flooring, sooo shiny & oh sooo easy to keep clean. I was going to have new carpet in the sitting/ dining room but now after seeing the end result in the hall have decided to have laminate instead.

I can't wait to show off my new kitchen once it is complete, only the flooring & tiles to be done now. I can't speak highly enough of the chap who has done all the work, what a professional & tidies as he goes which is almost unheard of. Thanks Ian your doing a marvelous job !
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2010-06-17T20:45:00.004+01:00

Jumping On The Stripey Granny Blanket Band Wagon ........

Life is so hectic at the mo.

My new kitchen is being installed, & is looking fantastic, new flooring in the hall ( soooo pleased to see the horrible old carpet gone ) trying to cater for two little men surrounded by chaos & dust & trying to keep the house in some sort of order !

So what better for the soul & my sanity than to start a new project. I fell in love with Lucy's Stripey granny blanket as soon as I saw it, I tried to reason with myself 'do you really need to start yet another blanket Tania, no BUT wouldn't it look great on the sofa in the conservatory'. So before I talked myself out of it, I choose & ordered 16 ball of Stylecraft Special DK .

Two days later it arrived via Mr Postman. I must say that for 100% acrylic I'm impressed, the yarn is soft & the colours are lovely & bright. With two little men about I am hoping that it will stand up better than wool with every day wear & tear !!

I have already done 12 stripes so far & will be posting some progess photos tomorrow.

xxx

2010-05-17T13:12:00.004+01:00

African Flowers ........

I am inspired by many clever ladies who show off their knitting & crochet on the web. One is the lovely Lucy at Attic24 who inspired me to pick up a crochet hook two years ago & learn how to crochet properly after years of only being able to do granny squares. Another talented lady is the wonderful Elizabeth Cat, who has just started her own blog. If you haven't already had a look I highly recommend that you do.

Her work is amazing & she seems to start & complete projects at an incredible rate. One project that she has shared is the African Flower pattern. Wow, what a gorgeous pattern & so so easy & quick to do.

There are so many colour combinations, just have a look at the flikr site 'Crocheting African Flowers'. I am making a cushion cover to start with & I am hooked (excuse the pun ! ) I just love making these pretty flowers. This is my progress so far, I only started on Friday evening, to make the cushion round I am crocheting in between each hexagon.

2010-05-12T16:31:00.006+01:00

Taking Time To Enjoy The Simple Things In Life ........

Loving the smell of newly cut grass & my garden coming to life after a long cold winter ::

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Loving the beautiful blossom on the way to school ::
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Loving all the fairy clocks (there seems to be hundreds of them this year) ::

Loving how nature can be so beautiful ::

2010-05-08T08:30:00.005+01:00

LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED ........

Like many of you out there I just love Jan Constantine wonderful cushions, wall hangings & nik-naks. I have drooled over them for quite some time now but my finances can't stretch to £75 for a cushion !!

Over the Easter hols I was sorting out my Lloyd loom Ottoman that was over flowing with old half finished tapestries, wools & pieces of canvas when the idea hit me, why not make some tapestry cushions using Jan's designs. As I already have the canvas & a large selection of wool it is a very cheap alternative, in fact FREE !!!!!

So here is my progress so far, a very easy project that I can pick up & work on whenever I have 5 mins to spare. I drew the outline of the letters & kind of made it up as I went.

Then I realised you can actually buy the chart from her web site for just £10, silly me !!! Anyway I am pleased with it & I am going to ask a friend to help me turn it into a cushion once it is finished as I am not very good with a sewing machin

2010-05-04T17:54:00.003+01:00

Just A Quick Note ........

I have quite a few WIP's to show you, but not the time to post them at the mo. I have being trying to catch up with jobs & the mountain of ironing that I have had hidden in the cupboard under the stairs, but shhhh don't tell my mother she would be very unimpressed with me if she saw it !!!!!!!

I am also trying to decide on kitchen cabinets, worktops & tiles for my new kitchen as I have found a chap that can do all of the work at a very good price & can start in a few weeks !!!!!

I promise to show off my WIP's in the next few days, but in the meantime here are some photos of two of my furry babies ......

Saba ....... my youngest furball, who says pink only looks good on girls !!!!

Saba & Bilbo ........ once arch enemies now good buddies. Bilbo has been quite poorly recently with gum problems & he also suffers from fits from time to time so he is a very special boy.

2010-04-25T09:38:00.013+01:00

BUSY, BUSY BEES

I must apologise for my lack of blogging these last few weeks, but time seems to be charging along at such a pace at the moment I just haven't had the time ! Now that the little men are back to school after the Easter hols I am hoping that it will slow down a bit for me to breath & have more time for the little pleasures in life, my blog being one of them.

Here are just a few of the things we have done over the last few weeks.

We went foraging for sticky buds to make our Easter Tree, which the little men decorated all by themselves !

As you can see they were very proud of their work, bless !!!

Easter Egg hunting in Nanna's garden

The weather was fantastic so we made quite a few trips to the park with friends. The council have just upgraded the play area, which was looking rather old & tired, to the little people's delight.

Little man no. 1 being cheeky for the camera

Big smiles from Little man no. 2

Little man no. 1 with best buddy 'H'.

Trying out the new swing with Baby 'P'

Walks in the wood with Nanna & her dogs Bertie & Lilly. The Wood Anemones are out & Bluebells are just about to make an appearance.

The little men love the woods.

Nanna & the little men.

2010-03-19T09:33:00.008Z

The First Signs Of Spring .......

I think Spring is just around the corner, thank goodness !!! I love the winter but it's been a long snowy one this year & I have had my fill of snow & ice.

The last two days have been lovely & warm so where better to be than in the garden . My little picket fence was looking rather worse for wear so I made a quick trip to the village ironmongers to buy a tin of paint to brighten it up. What a difference !!!!

I have also given the grass it's first haircut of the year & removed some casualties of the frost & snow, luckly there where only a few. Oh Spring I am so ready for you, hurry up & come & stay !

2010-02-17T11:40:00.006Z

Another WIP .......

Yes, yet another WIP !!!

I am making the little men blankets for their beds for next Autumn & Winter. I wanted them to be lovely bright colours & also washable so I am using Lion Brand's Vanna's Choice yarn. This is the first time I have used this yarn & I'm very pleased with how it's turning out ! No, it isn't as squidgy & soft as Rowan's Pure wool or Debbie Bliss but I am hoping it will hold up better as it is 100% acrylic. I'm not a lover of acrylic yarns but this doesn't look synthetic & the colours are wonderfully bright & cheery.

I have bought 2 balls of each colour for the first blanket & hope I will have enough to make a single bed size.

I am still working on my Wendy Bliss blanket, which is coming along nicely, so hopefully it will be finished soon.

2010-02-11T08:09:00.007Z

New Yarn & A New Project .......

I know, I know, I promised myself not to buy any more yarn until I had used up some of my large stash but a girl's got to do what a girl's got to do & in my case it's yarn !!!!!

A new Hobbycraft store has just opened near me so the other day I thought I would go & have a look around. I spied that Wendy has brought out a new yarn called 'Merino Bliss' & it's gorgeously soft so I just had to have some !!!! There isn't a great colour range which is disappointing but I picked out four colour that went well together for yet another granny blanket !!!

I also bought two skeins of 'Rowan Colourscape' as I have seen a great crochet scarf pattern on Ravelry using this yarn. I rushed home to start my new granny & this is my progress so far.

This yarn is wonderful to work with, I'm finding it hard to put down & have even been hooking while cooking dinner !!!!

At this rate this could be my speed record for making a blanket, I can't wait to snuggle under it, watch this space !!!!

2010-02-10T15:55:00.006Z

A Day For Some Home Baking ........

Hello everyone, I'm back after a short break !!!

The white stuff is also back, only a few centimeters at the moment but more is fore casted for later on !!! So I thought I would stay in & try out some new cake receipts. I love Jewish & Eastern European cakes & desserts so I had a nosey on the net & found this receipt that took my fancy. I have changed the measurements from cups to ounces as I couldn't find my measuring cups & I think it's turned out rather well & is very yummy & moreish.
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Peach & Cinnamon Cake with Crumble Topping

Ingredients

8oz SR Cake Flour
8oz Softened Butter
8oz Golden Caster Sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
4 Eggs
1-2 tbsp Cold Water (I have always found that by adding a little water & not milk makes cakes lighter)
I Can of sliced peaches (drained & slightly chopped)

Topping

3oz Flour
2oz Brown Sugar
1oz Butter

Pre heat oven to 180 oC

In a large bowl mix all the ingredients together until the batter has a light dropping consistency (don't over mix or you will have a heavy cake !!!). Spoon half the batter into a greased & floured 9" cake tin. Arrange chopped peaches over then spoon remaining batter over the top.

Now make the topping crumble as you would a normal crumble mix, then sprinkle all over the top. Bake for about 1 hour, ( my cake took 1 hour 10mins !! ) Leave to cool in the tin for 30 mins before turning out onto a cooling rack.
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Then enjoy with a nice cup of tea or coffee !!!!
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2010-01-29T08:18:00.003Z

Long Time No See ......

It's been over 2 weeks since I last blogged, I have no excuse really just very busy !!!!

What with nearly 3 weeks of being snowed in with the little men off school & then a bout of tummy upsets life has been hectic with very little time for me.

I have been making slow progress with my knitting projects & crocheting hasn't seen the light since Christmas, hey ho ti's the life of a mum !

Normal serve will resume very shortly !

2010-01-13T11:23:00.008Z

Another FO ( Finished Object ) .......
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I seem to be on a roll at the moment, here is another finished project to show you. I wanted a hat to go with my new winter coat & once again Ravelry came up trumps !!!
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I had an odd skein of Malabrigo lying around which was the perfect colour & was just right for this pattern. It was oh so quick to make, two evenings in all, & I'm thrilled with the end result !!

Pattern : Spring Cap By Woolly Wormhead

Yarn : Malabrigo

Colour : Velvet Grape

Needles : 4.5 mm & 5mm

2010-01-11T08:52:00.009Z

A Finished Project & WIP's .......

My mum had been saying she wanted to buy a snood/cowl to keep her head warm when she walks her dogs, so I decided to make one as a Christmas pressie. Unfortunately I didn't manage to finish it on time but she is still over the moon with it. The perfect dog walking accessory in this bitter weather, mind you she hasn't worn it yet as the snow is too deep for walking two little Shih Tzu's.

Pattern : Holland Cowl (free pattern on Ravelry)

Yarn : 3 balls of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Chunky

Needles : 8mm

Now onto some WIP's. The first is a 'Gathered Scarf' using the gorgeous, scrumptious Malabrigo Worsted. I love this yarn, brilliant for hats & scarves & oh so, so soft & warm. I have rather a large stash of this gorgeous yarn under my bed !

The next is a 'Lacy Baktus' scarf using another favorite yarn of mine, Manos Silk Blend. This style of scarf is very much 'in' at the moment & is like a wide, narrow kerchief. that you wrap around your neck & knot at the front.

2010-01-10T10:25:00.014Z

SNOW !!! Part II .......

Snowball fights ::

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Sledging with Friends ::

Little man no. 1 hitching a ride ::

Making sure our feathered friends are well fed ::

The beauty of snow ::

Walking to my mum's yesterday before the blizzard hit ::

The walk back home in the blizzard ::

Our garden this morning ::

13 inches of snow, We're snowed in !!! ::

2010-01-06T10:42:00.010Z

Another Snowy Day - Part I ......

The white stuff hit our little part of the world again last night. By this morning it was about 5 inches deep & has been snowing off & on most of the day. The little men where so excited to see it when they woke, especially when they found out that school was closed.

They couldn't wait to go outside & have fun, but had to wait until it was light !!!

I'm really glad that I have my Misti Alpaca scarf, that I made last winter, to keep me warm.

Talking about scarves, here is my new winter scarf that I am making at the moment.

The yarn is Frog Tree Chunky Alpaca that I bought from Loop last year. This yarn is sooo soft & warm & the choice of colours are amazing ( I would love to make a scarf in each colour if I could afford it !! )

The colour is #25 which is a deep fuchsia pink, just scrumptious !! I'm hoping to get this baby finished as soon as possible as it'll be perfect for this snowy weather.

2010-01-04T14:58:00.013Z

New Year, New Beginnings & A New Look Sitting Room .......

Well here we are in 2010. I'm hoping it's an improvement on 2009, not a good year for me.

Three weeks before Christmas the decorator arrived to decorate the landing & sitting room ceilings & to wallpaper here & there. It wasn't the best timing just before the festive holiday but I'm so happy with the end results that it was all worth while. After he'd finished I painted the sitting room a lovely creamy almond colour to go with the new wallpaper on the chimney breast.

Before ::

After ::

Before ::

After ::

The room isn't finished yet, I still need to do the gloss work & the carpet needs replacing, but it's a vast improvement don't you think.

The next big project is the kitchen, not sure whether to start that now or in the spring. I have lots of smaller projects I want to do & now that the little men are back at school I have 6 hours a day to get stuck in. Here are a few things I want to achieve this month :

My To Do List for January

Repaint the little men's room
Repaint my room
Sort & clear out Attic (so that I can put more junk up there)
Sort out my yarn stash
Sort & clear the garage
Sort & clear the study
Repaint the study
Gloss all the doors & paint work (not my favorite job !!!)
Sort out old toys
Paint the porch

Tomorrow I am hoping to tackle the mountain of ironing that has been growing & growing over the last two weeks, wish me luck !!

2009-12-31T19:59:00.002Z

WISHING YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR

Here's to 2010 !!!

2009-12-29T13:15:00.010Z

Christmas Is Over !!! ......

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas, we did !! The little men & I stayed over at my mum's on Christmas Eve so we could all wake up on Christmas morning together. It was the first time that the little men had slept over anywhere & they where so excited.

They choose the mince pies & carrot to leave out for Santa & also wanted to leave him chocolate coins, just in case he was hungry later on !! As is tradition in our house ( I'm half German ) the little men where allowed to open two presents before going to bed.

We had a delicious Christmas lunch, this year we had a chicken with all the trimmings as Mum & I wanted to spend as much time with the little men as possible without worrying about cooking a great Turkey.

On Boxing Day the little men went to their daddy's for the day & I went to my Auntie & Uncles for lunch, I think this is the first Christmas in over ten years that I haven't done any of the cooking, lucky me !!!

The little men came back from Nanny, Grandad & daddy's laden with so many toys the sitting room now resembles a toy shop, lucky boys !!!

I do love Christmas, but am quietly pleased that it is now all over, I feel rather flat & tired at the moment, a little bit like our poor old Christmas tree that has had it's stuffing knocked out of it by the cats !!!

I'm now looking forward to a new year, new decade & new beginnings.

2009-12-24T10:24:00.007Z

Presents are wrapped, Stockings are ready to be hung up, mince pies & carrots have been chosen for Santa & Rudolph & two VERY excited little men. We're ready for Christmas !!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME WITH FAMILY & FRIENDS

LOVE FROM TANIA & THE LITTLE MEN

XXX

2009-12-21T13:04:00.006Z

Trying To Stay Warm ........

My goodness it's brass monkey's outside !!

After all the excitement of the first snowfall of winter we are staying indoors trying to stay warm with lots of hot chocolate & the heating cranked right up.

Our village has been hit badly by this snowy weather, not a gritter lorry in sight for 3 days now & no milk or bread deliveries. Luckily I stocked up with both on Thursday but I have now run out of bread.

The little men have kept themselves amused most of the time & made this lovely snow scene using some white tissue paper & little wooden snowmen & train, bless them !!

Yesterday we did venture out to walk to our local shop for some more supplies, less bread & milk, & it was treacherous under foot. Coming back I slipped & fell over yet again, luckily only my pride was hurt.
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Once back indoors I made hot drinks to thaw us out & brought down some blankets for us to snuggle under on the sofa while we watched Dumbo & The Grinch & of course we all fell asleep !!!

2009-12-18T15:04:00.012Z

Let It Snow, Let it Snow, Let It Snow .......

Well for once the weather man was right !!!! We did indeed have snow, nearly 12 inches in fact. It started at around 10pm last night & then didn't stop until 8am this morning.

At one point it was an absolute blizzard with the wind howling & the snow coming down so thickly that you couldn't see anything.

I was woken up this morning at 5.10am by two little men running around shouting "It's snowing, it's snowing, Mummy get up ", so I was making us all hot chocolate at 5.30am, oh boy !!!

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My neighbour was very brave & set off for work at the crack of dawn but was soon back as most of the roads around here were impassable & the A21 was closed due to a lorry jack knifing.

It was meant to be the last day of school today but school was closed so we had a fun snow day instead.

There are a lot of photo's in my post today, please humor me I just LOVE snow !!!

:: This is the view from the sitting room window early this morning

The little men wanted to walk to my mum's house, which is only 5 mins away, so we wrapped up & set off. It was a beautiful walk & yes I slipped & fell over, trust me ! Luckily I landed on thick snow so no bones broken.

There were some silly people trying to drive up the hill into the village but where slipping & sliding all over the place & we even saw a man riding a bicycle, I didn't fancy his chances !!!

:: Our road

:: Two snow covered little men

:: Walking in virgin snow on the way to my Mum's

:: Bertie ( my mum's dog ) enjoying the snow too.

:: Snowball fighting

:: Red noses

:: The main road into our village

2009-12-17T21:05:00.002Z

It's Snowing !!! .......

2009-12-15T18:32:00.003Z

Tufty Scarf ......

I made this scarf back in the Autumn & I wore it today for the first time with my new winter coat. It's lovely & warm & long enough to wrap around twice. The pattern was soooo easy & fast, in fact it took all of 3 hours to make !!!

Tufty Scarf

Yarn : 3 balls of Rowan Big Wool Tuft

Needles : 15mm

Pattern : Cast on 12 stitches then Knit 1, YO, K2tog on every row.

2009-12-15T09:22:00.005Z

Jack Frost Is Nipping At Our Toes ......

The weather has gone from wet,wet,wet to beautifully crisp, sunny & cold. Our little corner of the world here in Sussex has been turned into a magical frost covered wonderland.

Oh how I hope it stays like this. It would be wonderful to have a white sparkling Christmas & they are saying that it may snow tomorrow & Friday. Bring it on, pleaseeeeeeee !!!!

2009-12-12T15:34:00.010Z

Bathroom Makeover .......

We gutted the bathroom about 4 years ago, changing the layout to make more room & put in a new white bathroom suite, new floor & wall tiles & even a new ceiling & down lighters. I mixed two paint colours together to match the glass border tiles, which looks lovely but I always thought the room needed a little more colour/ pattern.

Last week while I was in B&Q I spotted this gorgeous wallpaper & decided to wallpaper one of the walls. Yesterday my decorator put it up for me ( saved me a job !!! ) & I am over the moon with the end result. I think you will agree that it makes the room look much warmer & cozy.

Last night I had a wonderful long, hot, bubble bath & laid back admiring my new improved pretty wall !!!!

2009-12-09T09:47:00.003Z

Hello !! .......

Yes I am still here !!

Life is sooo hectic at the moment. I have the decorator in, Nativity plays to see, last minute Xmas shopping to do, children's birthday parties to go to, catching up with friends & trying to keep sane !!!!

I have also been working on some new crochet WIP projects which I will share with you hopefully tomorrow.

2009-12-01T13:17:00.002Z

I'm In The Mood For Snow !!! .......

After all this awful rain we have been having, we woke to a frosty, crisp, sunny morning today. Mother nature must have spied that I have been making snowflakes !!!!

I see that the lovely Lucy over at Attic24 has been bitten by the snowflake bug too, there must be something in the air, lol !!!

I think I love the snow more than the little men do & would love it to snow this Christmas, but I can't see that happening. So instead I will make do with snowflakes of the crochet kind.

I have now got most of my Christmas pressies & I'm finishing off ones that I am making, cards are out ready to write, wrapping paper is at the ready & school Christmas play costumes are being made tonight, I think I'm ready for you Christmas, bring it on !!!!!!!

2009-11-27T11:27:00.009Z

Sunburst Granny Cushion .......

In the middle of birthday planning, housework, little men & getting ready for Christmas I have still made time to crochet, it keeps me sane !!!!

I have started to make some cushions for the sitting room. Here is the first cushion in progress, the yarn I'm using is Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, which is a delight to work with, & the pattern I'm using is called Sunburst Granny Squares. They are very simple to make & you can find the pattern, which is free by the way, on Ravelry.

I love to make things for the home, & I get such a sense of achievement when a project is finished & I stand back & think to myself " I made that !!! "

I have also been busy choosing paint colours & wallpaper as I have the decorator coming next week to decorate the landing & the sitting room ceiling & also to wallpaper the chimney breast (I love decorating but hate heights so the landing ceiling & stairs are a no no for me !! ) Of course the wallpapers that I love are about £50 a roll which is rather expensive, but I have managed to find one that is very nice in B & Q for £11.50 a roll.

I am so excited about all the plans & ideas I have for the house, which I will be doing on a very tight budget, but if you shop around it's surprising what you can find for sometimes half the price on the internet, ebay, charity & junk shops & even my local tip, it's surprising what some people throw away!!! I find it great fun searching & finding bargains this way !!

2009-11-24T07:56:00.010Z

Happy 5th Birthday Boys .......

Yesterday was the little men's 5th birthday. Your growing up too quickly boys !!!

After school they had a tea party with their friends, unfortunately 3 friends couldn't come due to this awful virus that is going round at the moment & one due to her mummy's car having a flat battery because she left the lights on on her car, good one Kate lol !!!!

They seemed to have a great time & they all announced it was "one of the best parties ever", just goes to show that you don't have to spend a fortune for little people to have a good time ! All they need are their friends, some toys, food & of course Birthday cake !!!

2009-11-21T10:45:00.007Z

Finished Ripple # 2 & A Little Birdie .......

It's been a week of illness in our house. Little man # 1 developed a hacking cough which turned into an upset tummy, poor little thing. I was planning to paint the study, porch & conservatory, but sick little people & decorating don't go well together.

Instead I worked on some crochet christmas pressies & a couple of scarves in between being on nurse call.

I also finished my second Ripple blanket a few days ago. I used Cascade 220 wool & it's perfect for my small sofa, I think the cats like it too !!!

I found the above wool blanket on ebay & it's just the right size for the armchair. The sitting room is coming together nicely & is beginning to look really homely & cozy.

I even managed to make an Attic24 Birdie to hang on the new oak dresser using some oddments of Peaches & Creme cotton.

2009-11-14T07:52:00.004Z

Eventful Week .......

What an eventful week this has been. Firstly & most importantly, after 18 months of emotional turmoil, the house is now mine!! My ex partner at long last agreed on a settlement figure & everything was finalised on Tuesday. The sense of relief is hard to explain but there is also the sadness & heartache that comes from a break up. I have tried to stay strong for the little men but at times it has been very hard.

Now I am looking to the future & have lots of plans & ideas for the house. I have been busy clearing & getting rid of old furniture, toys, clothes & odds & ends that we no longer want, need or have grown out of. I have kept a few favorite old toys that I will put up in the Attic for the little men.

On Friday my new oak sideboard & oak dresser were delivered & I'm over the moon with them. After months of living in limbo it's great to start making the house into a home. The next big project will be ripping out & replacing the kitchen after Christmas, which I'm really looking forward to. It will be the first new kitchen I've had as I have always made do with what was there.

In the middle of all this bustling activity I have snatched some hooking time here & there & I managed to finish my Ripple Blanket #2, I will post some photos soon.

Well I have housework & ironing to get on with so back to grind stone !!!

2009-11-08T08:28:00.010Z

Bonfire Night .......

On Saturday night I took the little men to see their first firework display that was being held at a local pub. We met up with some friends & we all had a great evening, the little men loved the bonfire & fireworks.
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I had to cover little man no.2's ears as he didn't like the big bangs !!

After the display we all tucked into hamburgers & crisps, then it was time to head home for bed. Not a moment to soon as as we got into the car the heavens opened & it poured hard !!!

Now I need to get ready for the little men's birthday in 2 weeks time & then it will be Christmas. It's such a busy time at the moment my head is spinning !!!

2009-11-05T07:56:00.006Z

What To Make With A Skein Of Silkstones .......

Yesterday while I was having a rummage in our local charity shop I came across a skein of Rowan Silkstones. This yarn was discontinued years ago & is 50% silk 50% wool.

I snapped it up & brought it home, now what to make ....

After a lot of searching on Ravelry I decided on making some coasters as another Xmas pressie for my mum. I adapted a pattern that I liked to make them bigger as I am using a 3.5mm hook & the pattern is for DK yarn.

2009-11-02T19:22:00.009Z

First Christmas Pressie Finished ........

I proudly present my first hand made Christmas pressie !!! It's for my mum & I am sooo pleased with how it's turned out, hope mum likes it too. Since I learnt to crochet properly there has been no holding me back. I find it much quicker than knitting & just as addictive.

I have so many things I want to make and as I have rather a large stash of yarn ( about 12 boxes full under my bed, & more in the study! ) I should be busy for at least another year before I need to buy any more yarn, though I can't see that happening !!!! Some ladies buy shoes, others bags & clothes, not me, I buy yarn !!!

Crocheted Swirling Bag

Pattern : Crocheted Swirling Bag (free pattern on Ravelry)

Yarn : Cascade 220 Wool ( One skein of each colour )

Colours : Natural # 8010 / Duck Egg Blue # 9427 / Dusty Rose # 8114 / Medium Rose # 8834

Hook : 4.5mm

Now onto the next pressie !!!

Edit: This is a good sized bag, 11" high & 11" wide, & is perfect to hold a small to medium knitting or crochet project !!

2009-10-31T17:34:00.003Z

Jack-O-Lantern ......

The little men & I had great fun making our Jack-o-Lantern. Hope you all have lots of fun tonight, Trick or Treat !!!!

I'll be watching some scary movies (I think ' Sleepy Hollow' to start with) once the little men are tucked up in bed asleep, with a big bag of popcorn & the cats for company

2009-10-31T09:25:00.006Z

Feeding The Chickens .......

This past week the little men & I have been looking after my friends chickens while she is visiting Micky Mouse in Florida with her family, lucky things !!!!

The little men are loving it & every morning when we go to let them out they say "Hello Girls, have you laid any eggs for us." I must say that I am enjoying it too, except for the muddy boots & trousers. But the freshly laid eggs make up for that!

Any eggs in there !!!

So far we have been lucky with the weather, but the weather man is saying that it's going to pour tonight & tomorrow so we are going to be up to our eyes in mud & other yucky things tomorrow morning. Lovely !!!!!!!

2009-10-31T07:20:00.004Z

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE .......

Hubble, Bubble lets make trouble !!!!!!

2009-10-28T16:31:00.005Z

Best Of Friends !!!! .......

Here are Cusso & Saba having some cuddle time with little man no. 1. They are all great friends, which is wonderful for all concerned !!!!

I grew up surrounded by all creatures great & small & want the same for my children, I think it gives children a sense of responsibility & in return they get unconditional love!!

PS: Please excuse the state of the carpet, we inherited it when we moved in ( it was cream !!!!) & it hasn't been replaced yet.

2009-10-25T18:32:00.013Z

Sunday Afternoon In Tenterden .......

It was such a gorgeously sunny autumn day today that we decided to take a trip to Tenterden, which is only about half an hours drive from our village.

It is a lovely little town with fantastic shops & tearooms. The weather was so warm that we sat outside having our coffee & sandwiches.

A lot of the shops have got Halloween decorations in their windows, I really liked these pumpkin lights & they where only £12.00 each but unfortunately the shop is closed on Sundays.

Some shops where open & I did buy a few things !!!!!!

The little men had great fun playing in the leaves & throwing them up in the air & chasing them. They even made a leaf bed for Bagpuss, Bless !!!!!

I find it hard to believe that it is nearly November with weather like today, long may it last !!!

2009-10-25T10:28:00.007Z

Sunday Mornings In Our House .......

I love Sunday mornings !

An extra half an hour in bed for me ( if I'm lucky !!! ), CBeebies, curled up on the sofa with Bagpuss, for the little men & pancakes for all of us. No rushing around in other words !!

I even get some hooking time in while children's telly is on.

I have started a new little project yesterday, while we where at my mum's, using Lorna's Laces Worsted, the colour is called Watercolour. This is absolutely beautiful yarn, sooo soft & the colours are breathtaking, the photos don't do it justice.

2009-10-21T15:40:00.004+01:00

More Wrist Warmers .......

Just a quickie to show off my next pair of wrist warmers that I made last night/ this morning. Not as colourful, but perfect to go with my kingfisher blue jacket !!!!

2009-10-20T14:40:00.007+01:00

More Finished Projects ......

I have decided to make two car blankets as I know there would be a lot of tug of war going on in the back of the car with just one between two little men that are now at an age when they like to have their own things !!!!

As you can see the first one is finished & I started the second one today. It's such a great way of using up so many odd balls of wool that have been stashed away under my bed for ages.

I have also been making some wrist warmers, another great way of using odd balls up. They are very additive to make & so easy & quick. I'm going to make some more pairs in different colours & maybe make some as Christmas presents. I feel a little bit like an Attic24 groupie at the mo but I just LOVE all of Lucy's crochet projects...... have you seen her little Birdie she has just made !!!

Lucy I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your designs. I just wish I had more time to make up my own designs, I really must have a go one day.

2009-10-17T09:17:00.005+01:00

Summer Flower Cushion .......

Last night I sat up burning the midnight oil to finish my Summer Flower cushion. I really enjoyed making this, many thanks to Lucy for yet another fantastic pattern. I will definitely be making more of these cushions for my sofa. This one will be living on the chair in my bedroom.

Now onto the car blanket for the little men. I'm about half way so hopefully they will be snuggling under it by next week !

Then I am going to make myself some of Lucy's Wrist Warmers, ....... watch this space !!!!

2009-10-15T11:39:00.007+01:00

Another Unfinished Project .......

I started this blanket back in May of this year. It is my own version of Lucy's BB Blanket over at Attic24.

I am only using six colours & it will be a fraction of the size, so it is in fact a mini BB blanket ! It is destined for the sofa in my conservatory. I am doing a wide border, hopefully 18 rows in all, if I have enough yarn of each colour & ending with a scallop edging.

I am ashamed to say that this is only one of many unfinished projects that I really need to get on with.

My Unfinished List :

Mini BB Blanket
Ripple Blanket
Summer Flower Granny Cushion
Car Granny Blanket
Classic Granny Blanket
Mission Falls Sweater for little man no.1
Mission Falls Sweater for little man no.2
2 x Tank Tops for little men
7 x Various scarves

I also want to try & make some Christmas presents for friends & family, I think I need to get my finger out & get a move on !

2009-10-13T10:18:00.003+01:00

Look What's Just Arrived .......

Look what I've just found on my doorstep, yes more yarn !!!

Debbie Bliss is discontinuing her Pure Cotton yarn & I found a yarn shop online that is selling it for £1.99 a ball, that's too good a bargain to pass by. I have the perfect project in mind, just wait & see !

2009-10-13T09:12:00.003+01:00

A Little Something For The Car ......
.

Now that it is getting chilly the little men have been complaining that they are cold when we are in the car & they have been using my jacket as a lap blanket. Then on Monday I had a brain wave, why not use some of my odd balls of yarn in my stash to make a car blanket !!!!

What a great way off decreasing my very large stash & the little men have something colourful & cozy to keep them warm.

2009-10-09T11:43:00.010+01:00

Fingerless Gloves .....

As promised here is the pattern details for the fingerless gloves:

Pattern : 75 Yard Malabrigo Fingerless Mitts

Yarn : 100purewool.com (found on ebay)

Needle : 4.5mm & 5mm

This is a free pattern that you can find either on Ravelry or on Life in Cleveland blog site, posted 30 March 2008.

They are knitted on 4 needles, but as I can't get the hang of knitting on DPN's I adapted the pattern for 2 needles, which is very easy to do.

2009-10-08T09:58:00.006+01:00

Summer Flower Cushion Update ......

I only have three more squares to do for the front of my cushion. I am loving how this is turning out & it will be perfect for my bedroom. These little flowery squares are so addictive to make that I find it very hard not to just sit & crochet all day. Alas the housework & the day to day jobs keeps me away from my addiction but I do manage to snatch ten minutes here & there while I have a coffee !

I have also being knitting my scarflette & some fingerless gloves. These are great for driving in & days that are not too cold.

They are so fast & easy to make, I made one in an evening, & are fun too !

2009-10-08T09:16:00.007+01:00

Rain, Rain & More Rain ......

After what seemed like an Indian summer it hasn't stopped raining for the last 3 days in my little corner of the world. It rained so hard yesterday that I thought the house was going to float away !! Today is completely different with blue sky's & not a cloud in sight, no wonder the English are so fascinated by the weather, it is so darn changeable.

Yesterday morning I braved the weather & went for a walk, I love walking in the rain I find it so invigorating. Even though the weather was dull & grey there is colour everywhere !

2009-10-05T15:36:00.007+01:00

The Beginnings Of A New Crochet Project ......

The weather outside is dismal, wet & grey. It's not nice rain either, it's the drizzly stick to everything rain. After taking the little men to school I came home with a Monday morning feeling, & decided to cheer myself up by starting a new crochet project with some of the left over yarn from my Bedroom Granny.

I love Lucy's Summer Flower Granny over at Attic24, she is such an inspiration, so I am making my own version. I'm not sure yet if it will end up as a cushion or a small blanket for the chair in my bedroom. I have already made 9 squares & I am using Lucy's instructions 'to join as you go' which is such a great idea.

2009-10-02T13:20:00.010+01:00

Harvest Festival .......

Today was the little men's harvest festival. I love all the different festivals & I think the little people do too.

I am not a religious person but I am spiritual. I have a thing for churches & cathedrals, I find them so peaceful & I love to walk around graveyards reading the old grave stones wondering what the people were like in life. I have a particular love for our village church, my first memory as a child is the church bells ringing. When I am in the village shopping I sometimes walk around the churchyard & sit under the trees & relax.

One of the beautiful stained glass windows inside the church ::

At the little men's school all the young ones have an older 'buddy' who looks out for them, which I think is a great idea. Here is little man no 1. with his buddy, bless !!

The little men's class sang ' One Potato, Two Potato' they all looked so diddy & cute standing in front of the alter not really knowing what to do. They had a long applause from all the parents when they finished. I find these moments so special & are to be cherished forever !!

2009-09-30T18:19:00.008+01:00

Now For Some Knitting ......

After many weeks of non stop hooking I needed to do some knitting before finishing my other crochet projects.

I found an odd skein of Malabrigo lurking in a stash box under my bed. I searched through RAVLERY & found the perfect one skein project. It's a scarflette to keep my neck warm !!!

2009-09-25T12:57:00.019+01:00

Two & A Half Years In The Making .......

Just over 2 1/2 years ago I visited my local wool shop looking for wool to make a granny blanket for our bed. After a lot of pondering I chose the wool & the colours that I thought would look best in the bedroom.

The wool is Wendy Emu Superwash, it isn't as soft as Rowan but as it is going on top of my duvet I didn't mind. The colours are bright but subtle at the same time which is what I was looking for. I started it as soon as I got home from the shop & managed to do 26 squares before other projects started to take up my time. After a while it ended up in a bag in the study not to see the light of day for 2 years !!

I found it again when I was having a sort out back in July. I was so determined to finish it ready for this autumn that I worked on it whenever I had the chance. Now all that hard work has paid off & I am so pleased to say that I hooked the last stitch last night.

So without further to-do I proudly present my finished bedroom granny blanket ...................

Bedroom Granny Blanket

Yarn : Wendy Emu Superwash 100% Wool

Colours : Stone # 1520 / Blush # 1517 / Damask # 1516 / Steel Blue # 1518 /Spearmint # 1519 / Grape # 1513 / Claret # 1512

Hook : 4mm

Words can not describe how happy (& relieved) I am to see this finished. I ended the border with a scallop edging which is a lovely finishing touch. Am I happy with the end result ............. OH YES !!!!! I am so proud of it that I keep going upstairs to admire it.

2009-09-23T17:32:00.005+01:00

The End Is In Sight .......

At long last I am on the home run of this little beauty. I decided to do a striped border of all the colours, ending in two rows of cream. I am really hoping to finish the border tonight, then there are a zillion ends to sew in, I should have sown them in as I went !!! At least it will soon be on my bed in time for the chilly autumn nights.

2009-09-19T10:05:00.016+01:00

More Signs Of Autumn ......

This morning we woke to a very foggy world outside. As we walked up to our local shop the little men where fascinated by all the beautiful spider webs covered in dew that were festooned over the bushes & trees.

September is defiantly the month of the spider, they are everywhere !!

There are big fat juicy blackberries growing by the shop, unfortunately not for picking as they are right by the car park & most probably full of car exhaust fumes. They are lovely to look at though & I am sure the birds are enjoying them.

The Hawthorn berries are appearing ::

After the chilly walk to the shop we came home to hot chocolate & freshly baked warm french bread, butter & jam. I think I need to put away our summer clothes & dig out some warmer ones.

2009-09-18T14:13:00.006+01:00

Birthday Dinner Party ......

Oh dear I am suffering today !! Please don't feel sorry for me, it is self inflicted. Last night I had seven very good friends round for a Birthday dinner. My great friend Sally Ann made a gorgeously chocolately Birthday cake, yummy !!

I made the main course, Sally Ann also brought garlic bread, Trish made a gooey Banoffee Pie & every one brought nibbles & lots of bottles !!

What more could I ask for than celebrating with delicious food, & wonderful friends. It was such a fantastic evening & my sides still hurt today from laughing so much.

2009-09-15T17:21:00.007+01:00

A Little Ray of Sunshine ......

The weather is so dismal today, grey clouds, rain, rain & more rain.

Luckily I have these beautiful sunflowers & roses to brighten up my day. Thank you Auntie Dorothy & Trish for these birthday beauties, they really are a ray of sunshine on such a dull grey day.

I have spent most of today getting on with my bed granny blanket & have managed to do 4 more squares. I did have good intentions of clearing & tidying the study, which has been used as a junk room for the past couple of months, but when I opened the door my heart sank & I just couldn't face it !! I don't know if it is the weather or the aftermath of the summer hols but I am just sooo tired at the moment that I can't seem to raise the energy to do anything over & above the day to day jobs that us ladies have to do. Maybe I'll find the energy tomorrow ..... !!

2009-09-14T14:39:00.004+01:00

Birthday Baking ......

Today is my ......... 42nd birthday. If I say it quick enough it may not sound so bad !!!!

Sadly my little man no.1 is poorly with an upset tummy, so as I am confined to the house I thought I would do some baking. I love making apple scone this time of year but I thought I would try something a little different. Instead of apple I used plums & I must say they are really yummy, just warm with lashings of butter.

Here is the receipt if you would like to make some, I promise you won't be disappointed.

PLUM SCONES

8oz SR Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
Pinch of Salt
2oz Butter
2oz Caster or Demerara Sugar
1/4 pint of Milk
5-6 Plums coarsely chopped

Pre heat oven to 200oc, GM6

Sift together SR flour, salt & baking powder. Rub in butter, then add sugar & chopped plums. Add milk slowly to make a soft, but not sticky dough. Roll out dough to 5mm thickness, then using cutters cut out scones.

Place on greased baking sheet, brush tops with milk & sprinkle with demerara sugar. Bake for 20-25 mins.

Serve warm with butter.

I hope you enjoy them as much as I did, yum, yum !!! You can replace the plums with any fruit, I'm going to try them with dates & apricots next time.