This has been my cosy corner for a rainy bank holiday Monday, luckily we did lots of walking yesterday so I didn’t feel too bad for lazing around. My poncho is coming on just a few more rows before I start the border.
I’ve also got a new book “Let’s go camping” by Kate Bruning which arrived today. It is an adorable little crochet camping adventure which I can’t wait to have a go at!
It’s been a lovely relaxing day, hope you’ve all enjoyed your long weekend!
I’ve followed Jenny’s story via @littleboxofcrochet for a while now and it truly is heartbreaking, I made my flowers today with love, it would be great if as many people as possible could make some to send , I’ve copied the details from instagram for anyone who would like to send some.
Stopping by to wish my blog a happy 5 year blogiversary!
Currently enjoying some spring hooking, pushed myself out of my granny square comfort zone (only slightly!) and following an English pattern, as I learnt from American video patterns this is a big thing for me. All firsts for me in the world of crochet, I’m trying to move on and learn more!
I’m really enjoying this project, it started off as a scrap wool project before I bought the yarn for the real version, however it’s not turned out too bad so I plan to finish it completely.
I have been following the Simone Francis pattern which can be found on Ravelry here, however, I plan to do a scalloped border to finish rather than the rib. I should also add, I made less of a cowl as I felt the full one maybe too much, however I may make the full one for version 2.
Sunday Sevens is the weekly blog series created by Natalie over on Threads and Bobbins
My 6th week of Sunday Sevens. Having missed out 3 Sundays because of holiday I really couldn’t make up my mind whether I should do full posts or a catch up and decided to do a catch up combined with this week’s post.
#1 Breaking point
So I’d finished all my university assignments/exams (and passed!), I’d got through the stress of the job interview (and got the job!), I was all packed and ready to go on holiday. I was stressed but things were looking good! It was Friday afternoon and I had a call to day the littlest boy was being taken to A&E!! Urgh! Broken wrist in 2 places….thanks to the fab A&E team though we were out within an hour plastered arm and fit to fly certificate!
#2 Kefalonia
Despite the broken wrist we had an absolutely fab holiday in Kefalonia! Kefalonia is an absolutely beautiful place we stayed in an amazing villa and got to see the turtles swimming in Argostoli bay. Seems like so long ago now though!
#3 Birthday Cake
I was asked to make littlest a marvel and dc superhero cake for his birthday and after many hours of pinterest research I came up with this! I hate icing and making this at 6am when it was hot and the icing was melting nearly finished me off, but seeing his face when he saw it made it all worthwhile!
#4 Swapping salads for soup
I’ve spent months having salads for lunch at work and was getting bored so I decided to make some homemade soups, this one is carrot and courgette and is really nice!
#5 Berries or no berries
I made an apple and blackberry crumble with apples and blackberries from the garden but only after confirmed parental permission to eat berries off a bush! I must have taken the ‘some berries are poisonous’ lesson very seriously as a child as I don’t trust any berries at all! Haha! Tastes amazing though!
#6 Cuttlebug back out!
Lots of card making this weekend, no cards finished yet though as I’m waiting for a sentiment die set which I ordered to arrive, hope it arrives soon as I have lots to finish.
#7 Family day
A few months ago we joined The National Trust and English Heritage, I have to say I was enjoying National Trust days out the most so far, until today! We want to Stokesay Castle and it was so lovely, it’s a really cute little castle in Craven Arms Shropshire. Lovely gardens where we had tea and cake and watched all the birds and the boys tried out bows and arrows and different games.
I was convinced I’d be crafting 24/7 after finishing university but in reality that not been the case, I’ve done a lot of nothing really, lazing around watching TV just because I can! No more deadlines or work to get on with in an evening.
I did however notice my box of beads sat on my craft shelf and remembered jewelery making has been on my ‘to try’ list for a few years at least! So, I’ve had a go and made a bracelet, I’m pleased with it, a little bit bigger than I would like, but an ok first attempt!
It turns out to be quite fiddly business these clamps and fastenings!
But also quite relaxing doing the actual bead threading part.
Finished bracelet, maybe 2 beads too big (lesson learnt on measuring and how much to allow for the clasp!).
I think I need a matching necklace now.
As for Sunday Sevens, I missed a few weeks while on holiday, but plan to resume again soon!
So, I thought I’d have a got at making an actual card after all the bits and pieces of practice attempts I’ve done! The football was a good excuse to play whilst the rest of the house was glued to the television.
It wasn’t a success really more of a learning curve! Despite my 10+ practice stamps being perfect the one on the card went wrong! I plan to cover it up with a label and restamp…hopefully it will work, that’s for another night tonight though as my eyes are very sleepy after fiddling with the gems.
As the title says, it’s all getting in the way at the moment, I’ve been able to return to my crafts and my blog as I’ve been lucky enough to have 3 weeks off.
I should however be glued to my laptop as I have so many assignments to write.
They need to by in at the start of may and I have done just one (the small one!)
I have so many distractions in my life things I would rather be doing. I have ideas for starting decorating another room in my house but for now I’ve held myself back to just buying a few pieces to go in the kitchen.
I discovered a video on free form crochet….I wanted to make a space notebook…tried and failed at a sun but turned it in to the beginnings of a flower. Something to go back to at some point.
As a family we love the Disney Pixar short LAVA and my 7 year old asked me to learn to play the song from it on my Ukulele, that’s another work in process I’ve mastered the chorus and the end so far!
I’ve enjoyed cooking a lot more like I used to, big home made meals without a packet in sight! Last night i made garlic bread which was amazing
Then on Sunday Niki was very poorly again (she had Pancreatitis last year and almost died) and she spent an entire day at the vets they have no idea what is wrong with her but seem preoccupied that she is very bald….she lost a lot of fur when she was so poorly last year and it hasn’t grown back since. It hasn’t concerned me as she is on EN food and it was her old PROPLAN food which made her fur nice. Anyway they were also worried about low white cells but reading THIS health pack resource they aren’t low for a greyhound so I think I need a greyhound vet. She seems brighter today though.
So, life, fun, family and pets are getting in the way of assignments which I’ve well and truly lost my motivation for!
So, after a brief return in December I expected to be back here with some exciting new papercrafts to share, however reality being back at university has meant all work and no time to play!
However, I was reminded by Alfie the other day that after almost two years I had still not finished Jake’s superhero blanket and I felt a bit sad! So, I gave myself a few days off over Easter and concentrated on getting it done.
I have been glad of the colder weather unlike when I completed Alfie’s blanket in the heat of the summer, I worked hard and got all the stripes finished. I struggles as the colour combinations have been entirely selected by Jake to represent superheros he loves. Above you can see the green and white of Green lantern, the purple and orange of Two Face and the edge of the green and purple for the Hulk!
As I have said before I struggle with following a pattern as I learnt to crochet from watching You Tube tutorials. Luckily,for the letters I found this fab series and another great tutorial for the stars – super quick and easy to follow.
I finally finished last night and look on Jake’s face was priceless, he’s been snuggled under it ever since, perfect timing as the entire house seems to have come down with a virus so snuggles and movies are very much in order today and maybe some home made popcorn…but that’s another post if I get time!
I’ve been thinking a lot about my poor neglected blog recently, it’s been over 18 months since my last post and probably3 years since I kept regular posts.
Nikki and Woody (previously Noddy) have been living happily together, it turned out Woody was much less trouble than Nikki and he is the perfect gentleman with her
Christmas has seen santa bring a new craft to me. I have been very lucky to have a Kirstie Allsopp Cuttlebug from my Mum and Step Dad and can’t wait to get crafting with it, not only was I lucky enough to have the machine the also gave me lots of dies etc to get me started! I am looking forward to purchasing a poppycraft cottage stamp as it looks amazing, however everywhere is out of stock at the moment so I must be patient!
I think I need to get to grips with the basics first, lots to learn and lots of fun to be had learning! I must be strong though, assignments and uni work comes first!
Alfie age five has a love for the movie Epic and the colour green, therefore after I made some crochet baby blankets for my niece he decided to challenge me with the request for an Epic ‘Leafman’ green blanket.
Challenge accepted and we embarked on collecting as many greens and similar leafy colours as we could find
I had used Elizabeth Ham You tube tutorial for a Granny Biased blanket previously, however I felt It needed to be a little bit bigger so I adapted it to my needs and got underway.
As the blanket got larger and heavier I realised this possibly wasn’t a summer project but kept on with it and it kept on growing and i spent my time a little buried, my size increase may have been a little too much!
My plan was to do a large ‘A’ but Alfie wanted his full name and leaves so I found another tutorial and made his name.
Finally after a month I finished, and yes it is huge!
Alfie is very pleased and was super excited to snuggle even though its really not the weather for snuggling under a blanket!
Boys and Chickens 