Work, Work, Work

Work has been frantic in the past few days. We've had a show on the grounds, mainly woodworking, but a little crafty haven too!! I intended to get photos of it busy, but was too busy when it got busy..... if you see what I mean?

Over the two days we get up to 15,000 visitors from all over the country. The majority being woodworkers, but many lovely crafters too. The craft demonstrators were hugely successful, the customers loved them and they were all very well behaved!!! We seem to have a brilliant atmosphere now and the quality of the demonstrations has improved vastly over the years. Infact I would go as far as saying that the local crafters we have are very talented, professional, welcoming and enthusiastic! (Obviously I'm not going to say this out loud or their heads won't get out the marquees, ha! :) )

Right.... off for a giant bubbly bath! Last day at work tomorrow for a week or so. Yippee!!!

Single Life

Thank you to all of you for your support and encouraging words of wisdom, however you've found me (blog, facebook, work)! In the past week I have come to think of this new phase in La-la-land as a purely positive one. No tears, no tantrums, no self pitying, no guilt.

My first step to singledom - my bedroom! A little too intimate for some, sorry, but you'll see my point.......

First single night....

Third single night....

See my point? What a lovely haven of girlieness eh?! SM's idea of decorating a bedroom was that there was no point - you're asleep, you can't see it. My idea, as you see, is Welcome to my Boudoir!!!

Very little crochet goodness in the past week as life has been odd. I am having a short break from work this week so hexes blankie will be finished and hopefully a ripple bag, oh and a meadow of flowers!

Thank you again, you are all fab!

Newly Single

Well what can I say. I have now been single for just over 24 hours. It's a strange feeling after such a long time. (11 years one boyfriend, straight into 7 and a bit years boyfriend). An uncomfortable but amicable break down, no real dramas, just dawning reality I s'pose.

I am sort of relieved, sort of excited, sort of lonely and quite scared! 18 years ago I'm sure dating was different. Being a little old fashioned in my ways when it comes to these kinds of things everything seems to move so quickly, I'm hoping romance does still exist, especially that white knight in his shining armour!!! I do believe people have a soul mate and are meant to share their lives, so lets hope eh!

My crochet isn't growing very quickly as my mind keeps wandering. The blanket was for SM's cousin. How does that work now?? So my enthusiasm has waned a little - and only 11 hexes to go, bum! I think flowers are the way to go for the time being, masses of them! Just have to work out how to turn them into posie brooches. How do I stop them being floppy?? How do I attach them to felt??!

Am going off now to seek brooch finishing hints - first stop Attic24!! Happy days are on the way! Yay!

My First Flowers

Today has been a Flowery day for me. 7 o'clock this morning I was trying some crochet flowers, my first attempt and even I'm impressed!!!! Hopefully more pictures tomorrow as I'm rushing off to make more!! Patterns courtesy of Lucy at Attic24 and 201 Crochet blah.

L2 came back from her hols in the Maldives last night and is still sporting a delicious glowing tan (much to my pasty disappointment!) today. She brought me a beautiful bunch of red tulips which are proudly displayed on my mantelpiece. I keep looking at them, can't help myself!!

So apart from the compulsory housework and car cleaning - today has been a happy, sunny one!

Right, I'm off. Flower making has become urgent!!!

New Books!

Oooo, I love buying wool at the moment! I can't stop.......

The added bonus of all this wonderful stash is that you have to plan projects a long way ahead. So just incase I run out of ideas from my head I thought I would have no choice but to invest in a couple of books. Some of you would class this as a lovely treat, a way to dream when you don't have enough hands to crochet every beautiful blankie, cushion, flower etc running through your mind. No, these are necessary, important, colourful, beautiful, inspiring, drool-covered books!!

Oooo, I love them!! Sitting here I have nobody to go 'Oooo, ah, wow, I love that one' with. Nobody to get excited with. Nobody to go 'Ooo that would love fab as a....' with. SM and Tigs don't have the same enthusiasm for yarn crafts as I do, although Tigs does show his appreciation by sitting on any finished square/hex/triangle that I try to photograph, which is better than nothing I s'pose!

The second piccie is four of the blocks from 200 Crochet Blocks. Although they look quite stark in the photo they are actually brown, cream and cherry. I decided to have a go at EVERY block in the book using the same three colours so I can make one giant blankie. Although number 189 must be beyond me cos I can't do it (Argh!) and they don't all come out EXACTLY the same size as it says it the book. But hey ho, I still love it.

The second book 201 Crochet blah, blah, I only got today. I shouldn't have really because now it is my absolute favourite!! I want to make EVERY motif in the book. Obviously having three crochet WIP's, plus the 200 Blocks (4 done) and now 201 new things my hook will have smoke coming off it!! I wish I could crochet whilst sleeping, whilst bathing, whilst eating, whilst driving, whilst working - all these hours I could be creating wee individual items of hooky beauty!

Off now to look at more delicious pictures when I should be finishing my hexes blankie (baby due in 3 weeks!), but I can't help myself!

Stash Busting Scarf

Here is my latest contribution to the Shoebox Appeal. This scarf is knitted on 10mm needles, big fatties, and the yarn is used double throughout. I used a discontinued bargain ball of Patons Festival in blue and about 25grams of Patons FAB DK in cream. Cast on 15 sts and garter stitch until the Festival runs out! Ta-Daa! It ends up 120cm long and beautifully soft and thick. Hopefully some little person will love it!

Crochet Hexagon - Part 4

The Hexes are still growing! I think another row of 2 white and another of 3 white will make this about the right size. I know there's a few ends to weave in, I got a bit carried away and forgot to catch them in as I went along, and a humungus (Hmm, real word??) edging to do yet - but you can tell it's a blankie now! I'm going to edge in white, thought twice about it getting grubby, but if you squint your eyes it needs more white!! (That is actually a proper technique for getting tonal values REALLY!!)

I'm still thoroughly enjoying making it and have even bought the yarn for making blues version! I know a gorgeous little boy who would look even more gorgeous on a delicious blankie!

As I can't seem to add pictures inbetween my text there is 3 separate ones, sorry!