Christmas and wrapping up

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas or festive season this year



It's not been so nice out there recently...  The grey gloom reminds me that January is almost here and all the twinkly decorations will soon be gone, my least favourite thing.

Without a doubt staying indoors is the best plan but we're going to have to venture out later, although we'll be spending it in someone elses indoors so that's ok.

We spent Christmas down at my parents this year.  I treated myself to a Christmas Cactus and inevitably it flowered while we were away, but it still looks lovely!  I made a fairly nice table setting although as usual forgot to take any photos of us!



Some of my favourite decorations came down from the loft.  I love unboxing them and remembering the things put away from years ago which I'd forgotten about

And some new!



Last year I made this for my mum but completely forgot to take any photographs of it.  I can't remember where I first saw it but I've been able to trace the design back to this blog and discovered she has loads more adorable embroidered hoops!  I'll definitely be making some of these for the house...



I think there's just time for one last cup of tea before getting ready to face the cold and New Years Eve! Stay safe & keep warm!



x x x x

Not bad for a morning!

I'm definitely not what one would call a morning person, but since having the cats I've forced myself out of bed at least once a weekend to feed them, resisting the temptation to lie in.  I even fed them last Saturday while nursing a nice hangover!  If I get up, I usually stay up, so this morning between 8.30 and 10am I got down to some knitting...

They're knitted up from a lovely simple pattern on a blog called Flowerpot. I've made them in the 3 and 3-6 month sizes but I wanted something in between so I cast on 20 stitches and improvised the decreases.  The yarn is Cygnet Kiddies Couture Aran.

These were for Nephew#3 but I've made two sizes for one of my best friends babies and as they're super quick to knit I can see more on the horizon...

I've finished my Christmas wrapping, apart from one thing that I'm still waiting to arrive.  Hmmm.

One of my presents to a friend is the Death Star, in all it's crochet glory!  Kinda appropriate as there's a trailer out for a new film.

My friend asked for one but I don't think he thinks I've made it (confused?) so I'm hoping it's a bit of a surprise.

I just have to say that I'm laughing at I type this, I've been feeding Moggie her favourite Dreamies and she's licking my fingers clean. And then she typed this to you all (I think it means hello)

C47 X9000DFR

She also has the last laugh as J dressed her brother up like this...

Merry Christmas if I don't post before Thursday! 

x x x x

All of what's been going on

I feel a bit like I've lost my blogging-mojo and I want to find it.  I've been really busy when it comes to making things but when I look at my photos I'm not feeling inspired...  I'm just going to give it a go.

I've finished my Solstice cardigan but I haven't managed to take any photos of it yet, although it's been in almost constant wear since casting off.  I think these were the last photos I took but it shows you something I guess...

I had to do the sleeve again because my needles were a size smaller than the pattern said so it was too tight, but I'm really glad I did and I'm very happy with the fit.

I made some rather cute baby mittens for a friend and I forgot to photograph them.  I'm one hand into making some mittens of my own and I've only got a WIP photo to post ,but lets have it anyway

Lets see...  Oh yeah, my Uncle wanted a rag-doll style Dr Who so this is something else I've been hooking

He is meant to be the Eleventh Dr Who, although obviously he shouldn't be bald and hopefully at some point he'll have a mouth and a fez.

Christmas decorating began in earnest on the 1st, I've heard a lot of people say the start of December is still too early to think about Christmas but I want to make the most of it, so there ♥

I also wanted to see whether the cats would destroy the tree so for the first week I only put a few Ikea baubles on, but low and behold we have ANOTHER cat success story and that is they're not remotely interesting in destroying my tree.  Huzzah!

I've even managed to bake some mince pies (and I remember to do them in cases instead of straight into the tin...)

And I've been enjoying hot chocolate in my varying festive mugs.

And as with most years since discovering them I've been enjoying the Christmas Markets in town, made even better by the fact that I only work down the road now...

And a couple of weeks ago I got reaquainted with my sewing machine and made a cushion from an lovely off cut of fabric I found in John Lewis.

I realise that's a bit of an info overload but I think I needed it!

x x x x

Christmas 2013

Christmas is my favourite time of the year, but last year we had so much to do I really struggled to get into the Christmas spirit.  I stopped worrying about "x sleeps til Christmas" and managed to focus on what it's all about.  Eating, drinking and family!

I've always wanted a Christmas wreath.  I'd love to hang one on my front door but I'm worried it will get wet and stolen!  I made this from pieces bought in Wilkinsons.  It's quite simple (aka cheap) but I'm really pleased.  It could do with lights, but where to hide the batteries?

This year we spent Christmas day with Js family.  Our nephews were very excited about the whole thing, the biggest enjoying opening presents more than the presents themselves I think and the youngest enjoying the little things like Duplo.  It's always weird not being 'home' for Christmas but now we have our own home to make lots of memories in, although I'm not looking forward to cooking a Christmas dinner for lots of people...!

J and I agreed we wouldn't really do presents for each other because our home was a big enough present but we still got a few silly things.  I even bought a tree to replace our weedy one, £50 down to £25 and free with our Nectar points, win!

I was able to hang a very exciting decoration which arrived in November...

  

My very own Percy Pecker!!  Thank you Jooles, I love him!

I baked mince pies (jar & ready to roll puff pastry cheat)

Our enormous (slightly unsightly!) fireplace became adorned with Christmas and new home cards ♥

Loved decorations came out of their boxes

We visited the markets in town (I might have been more than once...)

 

And I got some amazing Dr Martens boots.  Swoooooon!



♥

We went down to my family after Christmas and because my brother works Christmas day we had Second Christmas on Monday which was so much fun!



My poor mum hadn't much time to decorate this year, she's spent most of December at mine!



But she did a great job and we had a lovely time



Wishing you all a very happy 2014!

x x x x

Needle felting, it's rather good!

Don't get RSI, I wouldn't recommend it.  It will either mean you've been repetitively doing something uncomfortable like sitting at a rubbish desk at work (done!) or you just don't stop when you're in pain when knitting (done!)

I sound like a whinge bag, yes I do, but I've not really been able to do anything on my needles or hooks for a few weeks and I am restless!  There are so many projects I'm itching to start, like Christmas presents and new baby presents but I'm continuing to be good and I've not attempted it at all, not until I know I'm 100%.  So please, all you crafters out there take it from me!  If you're in any pain your hands are telling you to stop!

It's not been all doom and gloom though.  I'm not one to sit about idly and unfortunately I'm not a big reader although I've started on the Disc World series (better late than never) so instead I've started to make other things, do a bit more sewing (new skirt coming soon!) and I've rediscovered needle felting!  This has also come at a rather opportune moment as it's quite therapeutic when you imagine that the felt roving is your conveyancers head*.

*I am not usually like this!

My first project was a little toadstool.  The stem is too thin so it won't stand upright, it might have to become a broach or something.

Then I got festive and made some puds!

The berry balls are a bit tricky to do but once rounded they look fab and I want to make bigger ones and string them together to make a garland or something

I also made a slightly odd looking christmas tree but it's quite quirky so I'm sure it will find its place when the decorations come out.

Needle felting does come with its hazards though I'll warn you.  The needles are barbed.  You think it hurts when you stab yourself with a normal needle?  That's nothing!  It's really fun though and the results can be pretty quick unless you want to get fancy and so some beautiful projects like Betz White who's blog I found by complete chance and I now love :-)

x x x x

Hello Twenty Thirteen

Happy New Year my lovelies :D It's good to be back but I can't tell you how much I wish it were still the holidays, even though I know it wouldn't be as special if it lasted forever. We spent a very long week down at my folks in London, although a week didn't seem long enough in the end!

Christmas Day was very chilled out and merry. I was up early to see my brother before he had to work (!!) which meant opening presents, followed by more presents when J got up (fair-isle slippers!), followed by party food for lunch, mulled wine, dinner making, a nap, plying my parents with alcohol while they were being busy, my brother coming home still in good spirits, more presents, Christmas Dinner, Christmas Crackers, Trivial Pursuit (my Dad lost) Christmas Pudding and then bed.

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas, or if that's not your thing a peaceful end to the year :)

I can't quite believe where the year has gone but looking back at my projects for the year sort of puts things into an order I can make sense of! I really enjoyed making little mosaics at the beginning of last year so I've done the same now, only this time I've discovered Pic Monkey which is a brilliant website for making collages, mosaics and editing photos - a huge time saver.

There are four projects from last year that I've finished which was one of my 2012 resolutions, but I've also started this year with more unfinished WIPs. Oh well!

1. Hexagon blanket - completed :)
2. A stockinette stitch cushion cover. I've cast on too many stitches for the cushion inner I have so I may start this again...
3. Spring Garden Granny Squares. These haven't worked out so well when joined, I'm wondering whether to make more squares in different colours and make a small lap blanket...!

4. Nanny throw. I don't think this is a project I've blogged about yet so more about this later!
5. Bubble Gum Ripple Blanket
6. Pomegrante snood.

7. Little Woolie Inspired Cushion. I should finish this soon, I've only got a few more rows to do!
8. Ribbed Phone Cover
9. Stripy Snood


1. Crochet hook handle, made from Fimo
2. Moss Stitch Scarf
3. Crochet owl

4. Crochet Father Christmas
5. Knitted bunting
6. Knitted cable hat

7. Bunting
8. Knitted cat mouse hat
9. Polka dot skirt


1. First pomegranate snood
2. Turquoise cable hat
3. Lingonberry biscuits :)

4. Winter striped scarf
5. Snowflake Christmas card
6. Chunky mustard snood

7. Pink fluffy scarf
8. Grass cable snood
9. Giveaway cactus

I've got loadssss of other things to show you that I started over the holidays too, lets cross our fingers for some good weather this weekend and I'll try to get some half decent photos to share :)

x x x x

It's beginning to look a lot...

I just don't know where the time has gone, it's been almost a month since I blogged! Since the end of November I've been pretty busy, first my parents visited to see the Christmas Markets (I got a cold but managed to plough through with mulled wine!) then J & I headed to London to see friends and have early Christmas celebrations.

I've been stressing over presents (super un-organised this year!) and needed a bit of calming down at one point, I've realised now there's no point buying presents for presents sake, I'm hoping the ones I do have are thoughtful enough to make up for it :)

So I've been furiously knitting & crocheting to try & get some presents finished which I can't really share until after the big day. I'm probably pretty safe mentioning that I'm knitting up something for J (I don't think he reads my blog, but just incase I won't give away too much detail & he is sat right next to me...) but I have to do it when he's not around so pretty much every second of my lunch break and the 45mins between getting home & J getting home have been spent doing that - not much time for other things or blogging!

Yesterday before he went out for his Christmas Do (not hung-over either!) I decided to do something completely different & crocheted up this little fella :)


He was super super quick to make, I mean really quick & dead easy! The pattern came from Hopscotch Lane which was a beautiful blog and I suggest you go have a look! The pattern is here. It's written in US terms but the only stitch is US Single Crochet so just remember it's a UK Double Crochet et voila you're away :)


Isn't he cute? I've used left overs of my Drops Paris yarn. I still get annoyed with it's splittyness (do I say this everytime I use it?) but the colours are wonderful and it's quite a solid durable yarn - the rug I made with it still looks like new!

I didn't fancy crocheting the eyes because truthfully my fingers & hands feel like they might drop off. I'll give myself a break after Christmas :) So I used some white felt with a 2p as a template and some safety eyes.

When I'm not freaking out about presents or knitting I have been enjoying the finer things about Christmas, mince pies & festive mugs :)


And our tree also went up without a hitch (if you dis-guard taking the lights back off because they became super heated & melted (yes melted) and were promptly returned to Mr Dodgy Ebay Seller) the baubles are up and with our newly purchased LEDs (100 for £5 in Morrisons, bargain!) are on - all I need now is a less weedy looking tree for 2013!



Much Love

And if I don't blog before Christmas have a very happy, festive and safe one - see you in the New Year :)

x x x x