Good for the Soul

Embroidery is good for the soul.  So relaxing, it can't be hurried, rushed or speeded up.

Just take your time and produce something that grows organically, an individual piece, unique and personal.

I made this for Eve's birthday recently.

I don't embroider as much as I used to - my eyesight is sadly very poor for close up work.

But once in a while it's lovely to sit back and paint some flowers with thread.  Now that it's getting lighter in the evenings, I may just find the time to indulge some more.

Greetings

Have happy day.  

Overrun With Bunnies

Getting the box of Easter decorations out from storage, I realised that I had plenty of decorative eggs but not a lot of chicks.  Bunnies there were a-plenty - knitted, crocheted, furry and fluffy ones.

The nest of decorative stone eggs needed something to warm them.

So I crocheted this rather demented looking chicken!

I was inspired by this pattern for chicken egg cosies by Corinne Frieden, but rather than making a cosy I continued to crochet the base so that it could be made into a stuffed toy.

I don't know what it is about her, but I suspect that by Easter Sunday, she may have frightened all the bunnies into hiding!

I've just spotted all that lovely sunshine in the garden when I took the photos - it's gone now - dull and overcast and still freezing!

A Little bit of Yellowness

With all this snow and bitter cold, what we need is some sunny yellow in our lives.

Here some I made and collected earlier.

A Beautiful, Brand New Notebook...

... what shall I write in it?  What shall I use it for?

Oh so lovely.  Too good to use.  Only the best ideas and inspirations will be recorded in this beautiful, brand new notebook.

Spring is Here!

Well it is in our house - indoors at least.

I made these giant flowers to add to my other (many) woolly wall decorations.

The snow is starting to melt outside, so maybe we'll have some colours in the garden soon, as well.

Walking in a Winter Wonderland!!!

8 o'clock this morning!

But it's supposed to be SPRING!!!!

Forever Winter

Although this year seems to be flying by, I think we are in some kind of time warp, where it is permanently winter - when will the warmer weather arrive?

The last few days we've had some jolly times, despite the weather.  On Sunday we drove down to Cambridge to collect Eve (it was snowing quite heavily on the way down!)  It was wonderful to see her again - we hadn't seen her for 9 weeks (Skype doesn't count!).  Whilst we were there, we popped into Corpus Christie College for a quick inspection - very nice college.

We drove back in the evening - 400 mile round trip - thankfully, no snow but still very cold.

The next day was Eve's birthday.  We met up with Grace in Liverpool city centre and visited the Art Gallery.

See the colourful plastic pigeons on the roof
- aren't they wonderful?

With all this cold weather it's good that I'm having a hat-knitting craze.  Recently I bought Kate Davies's Hats of Midlothian pattern book and so far I have knitted Caller Herrin for myself.

As seen in Llandudno!

And Neep Heid for Eve for her birthday.

Both hats were knitted with Rowan's Fine Tweed - lovely.  More hats could be on the way, especially if there is no sign of warmer weather soon.  In fact more snow is forecast for tomorrow and Saturday, so the hats will definitely be needed.

Oz

Oz, the Great and Powerful - had an enjoyable evening on Tuesday at our local cinema watching this fun film.

Oz (James Franco) has a most engaging smile.

What a pity that there was only eight other people in the cinema to watch the film.  Our local cinema is run as a charity and it seems such a shame that more people don't take advantage of the reasonable priced tickets and on-the-doorstep availability of this resource.  The community would be so much worse off if it closed.

On the bright side - an empty cinema means no noisy neighbours chomping their way through the popcorn and sweets throughout the show - and I can sit and imagine that Oz is smiling his most charming smile just for me!

Snow and Cottage Gardens

Where is Spring?  It should be just around the corner.  Instead we have freezing weather and snow.

Today at least the sun is shining and if you look closely you can see the buds on the trees.

On the bright side, all this cold weather means days in the warmth, knitting and crocheting.

Having received a Kindle for Christmas, I have finally got round  knitting a cover for it.  I used Rowan fine tweed, a 4 ply yarn and had fun mixing and matching colours and Fair Isle patterns.

This is the end result.  

I think it reminds me of a cottage garden in full bloom and I really like the effect.  

Next, I think I might make a bag using this same idea. My stash of Rowan Fine Tweed was gratefully increased with presents of more of the yarn from Grace and Eve for my birthday so I have plenty of colours to work with.  

Birthday Blog Post

Happy Birthday to me.

(I didn't make this - my talents don't stretch to cake decorating!)

Don't you just love birthdays?  The one time of the year when you can really indulge yourself.

I've given myself a holiday from housework these past few weeks and had fun crafting and making.

Amongst other things, I've finished my ripple blanket.

Sewn a cute little house (pattern from Retro Mama).

And crocheted a delicious slice of battenberg cake - my favourite colours!

Unfortunately I'm going to have to lodge a complaint with the English Football Association.  Who was the bright spark who scheduled a 6th round FA cup match between Everton and Wigan on my birthday???  I'm supposed to be indulging me - not my loved one.  I shall have my revenge - a feel a substantial yarn purchase coming upon me!

Hopefully we can have a nice day out tomorrow - sport permitting!

Llandudno

It's been a while but as soon as you're back you remember all the wonderful things about Llandudno.

The Promenade

The Great Orme

 The Victorian Splendour

The pier

The wild life!

The views

And the sun came out for us.

Although it was quite 'fresh' on top of the Orme.

A great way to spend a weekend away from home.

And since we were last there, the cinema we went to has closed down and is now a Wetherspoons pub.

Just in time for the Welsh Beer Festival

The cinema seating is still in place in the two circles.  Beautifully restored and repurposed - well done Wetherspoons for this.

Blue Tit

Aren't birds fascinating?  Such beautiful colours and so much diversity.

On my walk this morning, besides the usual blackbirds and chaffinches and great tits, I saw a pheasant running across the road to enter the park.  Through the railings of the park I saw a penguin - ok so it wasn't really a penguin but in the early morning, not-quite-daylight it looked like a penguin - but I suspect it was probably some sort of goose.

Robins are probably my favourite garden bird but look at this little blue tit - he's just so cute.

The pattern comes from Lesley Stanfield's book, 75 Birds, Butterflies and Little Beasts to Knit and Crochet.

It's quite a challenging project but was great fun to make.  It's knitted mostly in the round, with plenty of picking up of stitches and colour changes.  I used Rowan Fine Tweed - it's my favourite yarn at the moment.  It gives the little bird a 'lived-in' appearance which I like.

Aah - just so cute!

Big Honey Bear

I may have been quiet on the blogging front lately but that doesn't mean to say that I haven't been busy.

Here's a new pattern for you.

Big Honey Bear.  An extra large, cuddly bear who loves his honey.

The bear measures 40 cms (16 inches) tall and he and his pot of honey are crocheted.  His stripey bee sweater is knitted.

The bees are from my Fuzzy Little Friends pattern.

The pattern is available as a free PDF, here.

I hope you like this pattern.  I'll be back again soon.

It's a Wonderful Life

Last night our local cinema (which is run as a charity) hosted a special event.  There was a screening of the film It's a Wonderful Life with mince pies and mulled wine being served.  The event was planned to kick off the campaign to raise £72,000 to repair the leaking roof, which hasn't been touched since the cinema was built in 1939.

How could anyone refuse.  Trouble was my cinema buddies were not available to accompany me.  

Then, what a surprise, my husband, who hasn't been to the cinema for 28 years, offered to go with me.  An offer too good to be true.

The mince pie was delicious.  The mulled wine was amazing.  The film was wonderful - I can't believe I've never seen it before.  Tears were streaming down my face at the end - such a great feel good film.

The cinema was full to bursting - I've never seen it so full.  A sharp contrast to when we went to see the film The Artist and we were the only three people there.

There are plans for more of these special fund-raising screenings - count me in.

And my husband's reaction to his cinema-going experience, "Well that was surreal!"