Decisions decisions!

It might be a bit late in the evening to be blogging but I really felt like saying hello and I'm definitely one of those bloggers who has to be in 'the right mood'. Which is now!

This is first weekend this year where I've actually been home and it's been nice to get stuff done, take photos of the things I've been making and just enjoy not travelling! I've been to London lots lately (don't get my wrong, I love it!) but it's been quite nice to have a weekend off. That said I've been very busy and I'd quite like to just sleep!

I think I've already admitted that I broke one of my resolutions about not starting a new project but this is kinda a replacement so that's ok right?



This is ripple number two! I decided (about 7 stripes in actually!) that I really wasn't liking my first ripple at all. My colour order was all wrong, who knows others might like it but I don't and that means I really don't want to give it to my new niece or nephew in a few months when they're born so I started this new one and I LOVE it! I'm basically more or less copying the same colours I used in my granny stripe


Having said all that I might give ripple number one to another friend also having a baby because I figure this is better than binning it (which she can do if she wants!!) or unravelling it for the sake of a little bit of yarn.

Or not! I'm very undecided. I do have a good friend who loves my crocheting, even the fugly stuff but unfortunately her kids are 4 and 6 now so I'm not sure what she'd do with it! Decisions decisions :-)

In other news the snood is onto it's last ball of yarn! I need to start taking proper lunch breaks as this is about the only time I seem to work on it now!

The last of the Christmas presents

I've just noticed I have ninety-two followers :D and I've decided that 100 will be a great opportunity to have my first giveaway... A lot of other bloggers do it and it's quite exciting! I just haven't decided what I might giveaway yet so I'm hoping the next 8 followers don't come all at once :)


So! I've been having a very educational evening watching Stargazing Live (on the BBC) while I crochet away with tea and cake. On Monday I went past Jodrell Bank on the train and I always get a little bit excited! I've wanted to be an astronaut for forever but maths just let me down :p

I've completely forgotten to show you the last Christmas present I made for my mum! I don't mean the pink fluff no ;)


These cute little cactii are from a pattern by Elf Luvs Dwarf who unfortunately seems to have stopped blogging so if you want the pattern I'd recommend saving them just incase!


I modified the pattern a bit - well I say modified! I stopped short of making the pot and just glued them into some tiny teracotta pots that our fish tank plants came in :) I reckon they're a bit more steady and it was a lot easier too!






And now they all live at my mums in little green houses. I might even get you a photo one day!

I've broken one of my resolutions already and I was doing so well for the last 17 days! I've started something new...


:o

x x x x

Pink Fluff Ta-Dah!

One of my 2012 Resolutions has been to finish my 2011 unfinished-projects and I'm very happy to have this one done, especially seeing as it was meant for Christmas...

But before you see it be warned, it looks like a giant pink fluffy caterpillar!!!



:D

I've told my mum she really doesn't have to wear it out if she doesn't want to just-because-her-daughter-made-it. It's not that I don't like it, I kinda do which I didn't think I would but it just seems rather large now it's finished!

This is me wearing it:



I'm pulling a silly face so I chopped my head off for blogging purposes :)

If you'd like to create one the yarn is Patons UK Lulu in Colorway
07005 (pink/purple). I cast on 36 stitches (I like even numbers) and knitted until my mum said STOP!

Well it's 1 down and a possible 5 to go before I can start anything else. Boo! The start of 2012 is going to be rubbish!!

Now if my herbs will just start to grow I can create some culinary masterpieces!!

Hello Twenty Twelve

Good bye 2011! I know a lot of people are glad to see the back of that year, for me it wasn't so bad. It feels like only yesterday I met up with friends on New Years day for an enormous fry up and here we are again!

So 2011...  I made new friends, started climbing, properly got into knitting which I now love, participated in my first Ravelry swap and stayed employed; always a bonus!

This is the end of day one here in Manchester :-) Beautiful!

Last night before going out I made some mosaics of 2011. I've never been an "end of month/year mosaic" blogger but I think I might start doing it because I was amazed by how much I'd actually made, lots of things I thought were from 2010!  It's a great way to remind yourself of all the things you've been upto :-)

Crochet





1.  Granny stripe blanket for my friends baby
2.  Japanese flowers wip
3.  Tissue box cover.  J *loves* this
4.  First wedding card of the year
5.  Amigurumi monster for G
6.  Flowers for N
7.  Wedding card # 2
8.  Hexagon blanket wip & One A Day project
9.  Wedding card # 3
10.  Cactus pin cushion
11.  Bunting for Wiggles - this went missing in the post and is now lost :-(
12.  Phone pouch for H
13.  Amigurumi mugs
14.  Rainbow ripple for J's sisters baby due in a few months
15.  Christmas trees

Knitting:





1.  First fairisle attempt wip / frogged
2.  Pink scarf.  Needed to be wider and less curly!
3.  First attempt with DPNs.  May also be the last!
4.  Knitted tea cosie, love this project so much!
5.  Moss Stitch scarf wip
6.  Monster for CJ
7.  First attempt at cables, coffee cosie
8.  First attempt with circular needles, my stripy snood wip
9.  Pink fluffy scarf (now finished! Ta dah post coming soon...)

I also did a fair bit of sewing too!

Sewing





1.  Baby owl
2.  Green bunting - first Etsy sale1
3.  First attempt at making clothes, Russian Doll skirt
4.  Blue knitting needle roll
5.  Heart for charity raffle
6.  Dotty bunting for E's wedding
7.  Christmas decorations
8.  Climbing chalk bag
9.  Felt Christmas Tree decorations

I have a few resolutions for 2012 though and although I'm not a great one for keeping to them I reckon these are pretty managable:

1. Crochet/Knitting: Finish my 2011 unfinished objects (see above!)
2. Climbing: Do an outdoors climb (at least one!) and by the end of the year climb a 6a on lead
3. Health: Eat less meat and be more creative when cooking
4. Life: Keep my house tidier!

That's it from me for now!  Hope the New Year brings you lots of love, creativity and happiness!  I'll leave you with some lovely Haycinths my Family got me for Christmas which have since been banished to the spare room because J can't stand the smell!




x x x x