Having an overdue sort out!

Apologies for the lack of posting last week. And for being a day (and a week) late with my WIP Wednesday post. What can I say, other than its half term, and last week being the run up to half term was exhausting, working in a school as I do! Those are my excuses and I’m sticking with them 🙂

Sidewalk has seen very little work this last week because I’ve been sidetracked. I know. Again. So my WIP for this week is the Saltire Mystery CAL (Ravelry Link). I’m really enjoying this, despite not really having the right colours for it so just using some contrasting stash yarn (get me! How well behaved is that?). Here it is at its various stages so far.
xx

Also keeping me from blogging this week is blog reading! I’ve been enjoying www.obeycrochet.com which features lots of hooky drawings and humour. Also www.craftsfromthecwtch.co.uk and seeing the Colour Affection Shawl KAL in progress. I’m no knitter, but I’m tempted! I may just cast on at some point, but it relys upon my finishing some of the WIP I already have on the go at the moment (again with the good behaviour! Woop!).

In reading all these lovely blogs this week, I also realised that I never did get around to passing on the Versitile Blogger Award that I was awarded by GoodPurlGoneBad waaay back in this post. Therefore, I will do so now!

First up, my thanks to GoodPurlGoneBad (MixedBabyGreens) for the original nomination. A very dear real-life friend and respected blogger who always writes about genuinely interesting and thought provoking topics. And her crafting ROCKS. Apologies I haven’t done this sooner!

Next, 7 random facts about me:

1. I’m totally (irrationally) afraid of frogs.

2. I used to breed and exhibit rabbits, at one point in time I had over 50 rabbits.

3. I am slightly obsessed with stationery, if you bought me a new pen I would love you forever.

4. My favourite singer is Josh Groban.

5. I have a small cat silhouette tattoo on my back.

6. I have to wear a bite splint at night because I grind my teeth REALLY bad.

7. Everytime I go to the supermarket I have to buy at least 2, cold Starbucks Caramel Macchiatos. They are so lush!

Next, my 15 nominations;

1. Attic24 – Of course. No crochet blog would be complete without a link to Lucy’s amazing blog.

2. CraftsfromtheCwtch – I don’t consider myself a knitter, but through Sarah’s beautifully presented blog, I can dream about all things knitty and indulge in the crochet posts too.

3. CrochetTime– A new-to-me blog with a great motto – “So many patterns, so much yarn, so little time; story of my hooky life” – I can totally relate to that! Beautiful crochet clocks feature too.

4. Natural Dye Studio – I completely, totally and utterly adore NDS yarn. And I was lucky enough to meet the lovely people behind NDS when they did a trunk show at my LYS last year. And on top of making completely awesome yarn, Amanda crochets The. Most. Amazing. Crochet. Motifs.

5. Hooked! – Another fabulous, truly multi-talented, real-life friend who knits, crochets, needle felts, and says funny stuff. Gotta love Bilgey 🙂

6. LilyGo – My favourite crochet shawl pattern designer, EVER. Easy to understand, comprehensive patterns and gorgeous results practically guaranteed. I’m a real fan.

7. ObeyCrochet – Another new to me blog. I love the hooky drawings and the hooky humour, crochet needs this awesome site fighting its corner.

8. Annaboo’s House – Another lovely, bright, crochet blog with a fantastic crochet Doll CAL running at the moment!

9. Crocheting the Day Away – Another super, bright and cheerful crocheting and knitting blog. I particularly loved the sweet little knitted elephant that featured recently!

10. Betz White – Gorgeous knitting and stunning sewing and patchwork blog.

11. ElfieMummyLovesCrochet – My closest real-life friend, now blogging about her adventures in left-handed crochet. Having failed to teach her to crochet, she took to the internet unperturbed, and taught herself. Proud of her!

12. Miss Elle Knitwear – I love this lady. She’s the epitome of cool and an amazing multi-crafter! I wish I could knit like her. She’s teaching me to spin! I have literally discovered her blog THIS MORNING – which is totally criminal of me. Avid reader from now on!!

13. Jumble Jelly – My favourite Local Yarn Shop! I don’t think its possible to put into words how much I love this place, but I’ll try. Think, Vintage Sweet Shop meets Amazing Yarn Shop and you’re somewhere on your way to understanding how quaint and cool this place is. Great workshops, fantastic wool, and the most welcoming and friendly atmosphere. It doesn’t get any better.

14. Bike Style Spokane – Very cool cycling blog with loads of advice covering all aspects of cycling. A complete encyclopaedia of information that blows me away!

15. The Skinny Doll – Having recently lost rather a lot of weight using WeightWatchers, this blog helped me loads with motivation and low point food suggestions and reviews. Its a reminder to me to stay mindful of what I eat so that I don’t undo all the hard work!

So, thats it for my blog nominations. Which leads me on to say, bye bye for now!! Not sure I’ll be around on Friday for Finished Object Friday, as I have no finished objects and it will be my birthday. But I might just pop in to show you my presents!

My beautiful new…

…Electric Bicycle!! Isn’t she gorgeous?

A bit of a naughty impulse buy, but oooh, she’s so shiny and new and lush and I can’t wait to get out in the sunshine with her!! Squeeeeee!! Now on the hunt for gorgeous panniers and perhaps a wicker basket..?!

Also, while on the subject of cycling, I had a lovely 10 mile ride with the hub2b on Saturday on the mountain bikes. Feels so wrong that this was the first time we have been out this year, blame all the icky rain. Might have enjoyed a pint at a country pub on the way round too… 😀

X

Finished object Friday!!

Hello!!

We are full of the joys of summer here and enjoying the gorgeous weather. It’s been quite glorious, I even got my first bike ride of the year in this afternoon! It was fun fun FUN!

On to crochet… And I have a sweet little finished object for you! These sweet little cotton bootees are for a colleague at work who goes on maternity leave next week. I have since added some ribbon which has finished them off a treat! Yay!

Enjoy your weekends wherever you are and I hope the sun shines for us all!

X

A little progress but no photos…

Just popping in really quickly tonight to report that I’ve completed another 6 rows on Sidewalk. I had every intention of getting updated photos for you but time and light got away from me and now I’m shattered and off to bed!

But I am making progress 🙂

P.S. Got a great little Finished object for you for Friday! X

Some random stuff!

Hi crafty friends,

It’s been a gorgeous day here, which inspired me to go to B&Q to buy a sunny new yellow pot and some plants to brighten up the garden. I was given the pretty purple celosia by my daughter’s school teacher (for helping out on the Forest School visits) and I bought a red geranium and the something else with the pink flowers (I don’t know the name but it began with an O!) to join it in the new sunshine yellow pot. Here is the result!

Moving on to yarny things, I’ve made more progress on my Sidewalk shawl but you’ll have to wait until tomorrow for WIP Wednesday for more on that. But I got a rather lovely little something in the post yesterday from Autumn Hollow Farm on Etsy… TA-dah!!

Isn’t it stunning? Handcrafted in curly maple with crushed turquoise, it’s a real beauty and I love, love, love it! I tried a bit of spinning on it and it went great, the spindle feels a nice weight and has good balance, giving a longer spin. However, I’ve been curious about learning how to create a 3 ply yarn rather than a single ply. Ive seen it done in action once or twice but was completely mystified by it! So last night, after about an hours worth of YouTube videos, I finally felt confident enough to try the chain ply method, it was amazing! And quite easy!! So I’m away, first plying a length of single and then going back over and 3 ply-ing. Woop!!

Hope you’re enjoying the weather, wherever you are!
X

WIP Wednesday

Hello, crafters!

Much of the same here this week. I’ve added a few more rows to the Sidewalk Shawl (ooh look, I made a linkie!) and I’ve spun a bit more of my Ribena fibre from Hilltop Cloud (oooh, again with the links!).

I doubt I’ll be in on Friday, as I have no finished object to share! X

Finished object Friday :-)

Yay! Here I am as promised with a Finished object to show you on this sunny Friday 🙂

It’s my second Noro Granny Cushion made using the lovely Noro Taiyo that I bought at Wonderwool Wales a couple of weekends ago. It wasn’t cheap at £15 for the ball, but it was just too pretty and soft to say no to. The cushion is backed with emerald green Hayfield Bonus Aran in an envelope style. This new cushion perfectly compliments my other Noro Granny Cushion. Here are the pics!

Thanks for popping in, have a great weekend, see you soon x

WIP Wednesday

Hello!

Here I am, as promised!

I’m working on my Sidewalk Shawl (sorry no link – posting from phone, but do look up the pattern on Ravelry if you’d like to!) in Hayfield Bonus Aran, a huuuuge 400g ball which feels lush and only set me back £9.99!! Bargain! I love the heather-y colourway too. Anyway, enough of me telling you about it, see for yourself!

And a close up…

So there’s my WIP for this week, thanks for popping in. I’ll be back on Friday with an actual Finished Object!! Oh yes… the suspense!! 🙂

See you then.

Time to step it up…

Hello, loyal reader.

I’m back for the foreseeable future. I say that because as we know by now, I seem to have made a habit of dipping in and out of blogging and I shouldn’t promise to be better at keeping this blog updated, when I know that it’s a promise that will most likely not get kept all that well!

So let’s see, what am I working on?

I have some more needle felting to show you, I made a sweet little fox at a workshop at my lovely LYS (local yarn shop). Here he is.

I have been learning how to spin using a drop spindle…

I have some WIP (work in progress); a granny square cushion from lovely Noro Taiyo that I Bought whilst at Wonderwool Wales 2012;

And another 12" blocks blanket with Woolcake and BabyLongLegs Aran.

In amongst all that I’ve been to Florida for a wonderful holiday and I’m happily planning my wedding. I’ve been a busy old bee 🙂

I plan to pop in here again on Wednesday and do a sort of ‘WIP Wednesday’ kind of post, and the again on Friday for a ‘Finished object Friday’ visit. I’m hoping it will motivate me to get some of my crochet projects done, and also to get me to blog a bit more regularly.

Until Wednesday, then xx

My yearly snowdrops pic

Here they are 🙂 Those pretty, pretty flowers I love so much which always promise brighter weather and spring-iness.

Also on the subject of flowers, look how gorgeous my valentines roses still are!

Not much crafting or cycling going on at the moment but I’m planning comebacks for both 🙂

X