Month in Makes - October

October has been such a busy month, full of hat making and pompoms for the Big Knit, as well as a bit of Christmas Robin making, but I've managed to find some time to experiment with some cross-stitch jewellery, first playing with some Cath Kidston patterns, and progressing onto my own little bee design! I like the frame brooch, but I think the necklace maybe needs a little more work... 

Of course I have continued with my Granny a Day blanket squares,  I've just passed the 300 mark, and my favourite make of the month - my special Halloween Pumpkin Brooch!

My Week...

I'm not entirely sure how July passed so quickly, but here we are in August, and the first week has flown by in a whirl of fabulous adventures! We started the week harvesting the lovely ripe summer fruits - yellow and red raspberries, giant rhubarb, gooseberries, blackcurrants and even a couple of juicy cherries. We made a crumble with the raspberries, and put most of the rhubarb in the freezer ready for treats in the winter. We ventured to Shrewsbury for charity shopping and lots of tea and cake, and I found myself the most beautiful carved Lucite brooch with pretty roses. My other fancy purchase this week was Marimo algae, little green pompom-plants that live on my shelf, they're settling in well. 

On Thursday we celebrated our Tenth Wedding Anniversary with a little trip to Oxford, and we had the most wonderful time. In preparation for our visit to the Oxford Natural History Museum I made myself some dinosaur jewellery - I chose to wear the Diplodocus on the day. I also made some goldfish jewellery which I am rather in love with. It has been a week to remember.

My Week

This week has reminded me of the things that are special, moments that are small but important - I have picked fresh raspberries from our garden, fingers stained with juice, and enjoyed the home-made crumble that my lovely husband baked with them. We joined my dear friend for a tea-party to celebrate her new home, her table covered with crochet and the beautiful ceramics that she made as her final degree project, and we ate sweet heart-shaped cakes in the garden, making plans for the summer. 

We had a quiet day visit to Ruthin, and went on to Llangollen and Ellesmere, just walking and chatting and looking around the little shops. A sweet friend came to visit and gave me a yellow toadstool, which has found a home on my fireplace, and my mum came to my stall to knit with me. We had a trip to the weird and wonderful antique place, and I had tea and crumpets, my favourite snack, and my mum told me that my Granny always had crumpets in the cupboard for me because they were always my favourite. I didn't know that. 
(Thanks to Amy H for the table photo from her Instagram...)

My Week...

This week has been a strange one. It's been complicated and I hope the coming week is a better one. There have been nice bits though - I got to spend some time with my lovely family, had a knitting session with my friend over a cup of tea, and went to see David Starkey with my husband.

My sister came home from her holidays in Whitstable with something very special for me - a SunJelly coral Dorothy bag (I love that it has a name) and my little cat was very interested in it. I also had a very kind present from my dear friend - a pretty plant and some gorgeous Rose chocolate. 

My crochet blanket is progressing nicely, I'm trying to find time here and there to add to it. I am trying to make the best of the days that are hard. 

My Week...

My week started with a very exciting evening out in Liverpool watching the very scary-mindbending Derren Brown after a little visit to Hotel Chocolat for a pot of cocoa-shell tea. 

It has been a quiet and cosy week at home aside from our city adventure, with Thursday being spent building pretty triangular raised-beds with my dad, filling them with pretty succulents and alpines and pretty flowers. I have high hopes for them.

Taking Stock...June

Making : pompoms, socks and blankets
Cooking : mostly comfort food to help me through this run-down lurgy that I can't seem to shake off
Drinking : lots of tea
Reading: Gary Dexter "All the Materials for a Midnight Feast"
Wanting: a day at the seaside
Looking: at inspiration for a rockery
Playing: Pearl and the Beard, and crying into my tea at the news that they are parting ways.
Deciding: on dates for our Big Knit-Along for Innocent Smoothie and AgeUK
Wishing: for all of the Cath Kidston skirts
Enjoying: the sunshine and lovely long days
Waiting: for a day at the zoo
Liking: crocheting sock yarn squares
Wondering: if we're in for a summer storm
Loving: hearing tales of people carving Russian Dolls on the sides of roads, I have ever so interesting customers.
Pondering:  the purchase of succulents 
Considering: cake...
Buying: pretty summer clothes
Watching: "The Simpsons"
Hoping: to have some time at home this week, adventures are wonderful but I'd like to sit in the garden and read
Marvelling: at my pretty garden and how it changes almost daily
Cringing: at the thought of the 500 Big Knit hats that need pompoms!
Needing: the year to slow down a little, the days pass so fast.
Questioning: humanity after the atrocities in Charleston. My heart breaks.
Smelling: new pretty perfume from Zara, it's called Fruity and it lives up to the name
Wearing: pretty summer dresses and little pumps
Following: the news, and wishing people were kinder to each other
Noticing: that my 2015 blanket is growing!
Knowing: that I keep trying my best
Thinking: that I need to spend more time working in my sketchbook
Admiring: lots of lovely things on instagram
Sorting: out wool ready for the Big Knit this year
Getting: towards the end of a second pair of toe-up socks
Bookmarking: pretty patterns and inspirational blogs
Coveting: Cath Kidston loveliness
Opening: my big bag of sock yarn leftovers
Giggling: at my cats and their funny ways
Feeling: so happy that people like the things that I make 
Snacking: on crumpets

Thanks as always to lovely Pip for this list, she's always a source of inspiration!

My Week...

This week has just flown by! I got to spend lots of time with my lovely parents, making pompoms with my mum for our Big Knit hats and plotting a raised-bed rockery with my dad. I've been preparing for a collaborative project with a fellow crafter by winding yarn cakes, and we visited a lovely studio where we will run knitting and crochet courses, followed by a very productive little meeting over lunch. 

I had a very busy making day at home on Thursday, crocheting rosebud brooches for my stall in pretty summery colours. 

Thoughts on Being 30 (and a half)

Today is my half-birthday. I am Thirty-and-a-Half and I've been doing some thinking about the whole "being thirty" thing. Now, I can't say that reaching this particular milestone was terribly bothersome to me - twenty-seven was rather more unsettling and I have no clue in my head as to why that was, but thirty was just fine. But I've been thinking about life, and how things change, and how I've changed over the years and I thought I would share some of my conclusions...

I've decided that I'm messy, and I'm busy, and really I'd rather be crocheting than tidying.

I have fewer friends now than I've ever had, because not so long ago it became apparent that fair-weather friends aren't worth the energy, and so there are less friends, but they are good friends. They are the people that know me best, that I could share anything with, that I would do anything for. I love my friends, they are the best! I make an effort to spend as much time as I can with my family, I love them very much, and after living away for so long I make the most of the time I have with them. My life is sweeter for having my friends and family in it.

I am finally reaching a point where I am happy in my own skin. I like my short hair, and I wear what I want, and I love bright coloured clothes and pretty prints and sweet little shoes, and I love big clunky Dr Marten boots, and some days I love Kawaii cuteness and my little pink basket and everything has to be pink, and other days I love Granny florals and my knitting bag and dainty little teacups. Some days I want to go on adventures, and some days I want to hibernate. And that's just fine. It's taken a long time to get here. 

My life as a full-time crafter is a happy one. I don't earn nearly as much as I did working in retail management, but my goodness, I hated working in retail, and I love what I do now. I make my own schedule, I work harder than ever but I have flexibility and I am so proud of my sweet little shop. I wish I could keep a sketchbook more consistently, and I wish I was a little braver at knitting, but I love my little brightly coloured shop, and all of the quirks of being self-employed. 

I must confess that I don't always find life easy, I still don't feel like a grown up, and sometimes I wonder how other people make life look so easy, and seem so capable, and yet I feel so awkward all the time. Of course, I'm sure to other people I seem utterly confident and capable and they probably feel just as awkward as I do on the inside, but still, some days it's really not easy. I watched a Ted Talk recently about how to "fake it 'till you make it" (I've only just discovered Ted Talks and they're really rather interesting, as usual I'm a bit late to the party...) and it really made sense, to keep coming across as confident until eventually you become it... I'm still waiting for it to happen, but the nice lady assures me it will. 

There are lots of things that make me happy - cats, tea, flowers, art galleries, knitting and crochet, cake, silly tv shows, cardigans, old movies, notebooks, pretty jewellery, buttons, taking photographs, reading lots of books, floral fabric, walking in the countryside, going to see my favourite bands, letters, the Harry Potter Studio Tour, vinyl, the seaside, London, museums, charity shopping, vintage brooches, cassettes, my favourite songs, pretty clothes, vintage toys, visiting new places, my garden, art books, home. All of these things are part of what makes me who I am. 

Patrick Caulfield - "Vases of Flowers" 1962 

If you've made it here, to the end of my rambling then thank you, I'm not sure if any of it means anything or is of any value or consequence to anyone but me, but I wanted to share anyway, if only to get thoughts out of my head. 

My Week

What a jolly exciting week it has been! We had a trip to Ruthin, and a day out in Birmingham, and on Wednesday evening we ventured to Manchester to see Babes in Toyland, and I met lovely Kat Bjelland who was ever so sweet and stood chatting with the gathered fans despite the freezing late night air. The support band were amazing too, called Skating Polly, I think they will be one to keep an eye on. 

On Monday I found myself a lovely thrifty bargain - one to add to the list of all-time-favourite thrifty-finds - a dear sweet tapestry granny-purse. It was £2 and is perfect. It has been a really wonderful week. 

My Week...

I have had a lovely week - there has been crafty planning and working away in two of my favourite cafes with two of my favourite ladies, and lots of cake and tea to help things along. I have had cosy moments at home with the cats, and made progress with my toe-up-socks. I had my lovely day out in Liverpool and although I didn't take many photographs I brought home a head full of ideas. 

And despite being chilly outside, the spring is plodding along at it's own little pace, and it's lovely to see.

My Week...

My week started rather well with an evening in Liverpool Philharmonic for Laughterhouse Comedy, the highlights were Mark Thomas, who was the reason we went along, and discovering The Boy With Tape on His Face - he was so funny I almost hurt myself, have a look on YouTube, there's no way I can explain...

I spent Monday planning crafty stuff with a fellow crafty person, as well as getting a quick Toe-Up Sock demo (it turns out that I always cast on using a Cable Cast-on, who knew?!) and working with a self-employed friend for company in a lovely cafe, which helps with self-employment motivation! I took an afternoon off on Tuesday with my lovely dad for a trip to Ellesmere, he saved me from a hissing goose, and although the ice-cream stand was closed, we consoled ourselves with delicious iced-buns from the bakery. Thursday was our Emma Bridgewater adventure followed by Cream Tea, which was really very splendid. 

We have hugged our little ginger cat extra tight this week, after a dear friend lost her little Marmalade companion, my heart is broken for her. 

Today was a day for adventure...

The adventure was a trip to visit the Emma Bridgewater Factory in Stoke-On-Trent, and a jolly delightful adventure it was. Everything there is so very pretty, and it is so wonderful to know that all of these beautiful things are made here in the UK. 

 I wonder if I could squeeze a spotty Aga into our little kitchen? Or pretty shelves full of teapots and loveliness? I think we need a bigger house...

Our visit to the cafe was perfect, with delicious tea and hot tasty soup, followed by a trip outside to the lovely garden to meet the resident chickens. It was so very nice to meet them.

I treated myself to two little mementoes of our day, sweet little vases that I will fill with the pretty flowers that are growing in my garden. 

It has been a lovely day.

My Week

I am ever so glad that I made the most of the beautiful weather at the start of the week - today is dreary and rainy and Wintry, but I am making the best of it with plenty of tea and knitting. I spent most of the week in the post-WonderWool wind-down, enjoying my lovely new stash and mooching around the online versions of the beautiful stalls I had visited. I took time to knit with my WonderWool buddy on Monday and we discussed the day and our plans to use our lovely purchases. I spent a little time tending our garden, so pleased that my husband had the foresight to plant beautiful wallflowers and tulips. 

On Thursday I went walking with my dad and his little dog, wandering through the woods and along the canal, stopping to admire the bluebells and wild garlic that lined our way. We mooched along and chatted and managed to avoid the April showers, and it was just lovely.

My Week...

The past week has been one of time spent at home - Enjoying our garden, chatting to our hens and our little bunny Clarence, sitting out in the sunshine knitting. We have baked, and tended our little patch, and taken things slowly. 

I went for a little drive to visit my parents, where there was more time spent in the garden and knitting, going for long walks with their little companion - a small terrier called Jock. He's rather cute and very excitable. It has been a splendid week, and although it looks like a change in the weather is upon us, I have made the effort to enjoy the glorious sunshine. 

My Week...

Another week has flown by, and it has been delightful. The Easter weekend was quiet and full of family time and knitting, gardening and tasty treats. We enjoyed celebrating the sixty-fifth birthday of a dear friend, did lots of thrifty shopping and tea drinking, and visited Ruthin Craft Centre for some inspiration, and Llangollen for beautiful views. 

We've made the most of every moment of sunshine over the last week, pottering in the garden, and walking in the fresh air. The winter blues have happily passed and the long summer ahead is full of promise. 

The Grass is Always Greener Where You Water It...

It seems that Spring has finally arrived, and we've been outside in the sunshine tending to our little garden. We've tamed our unruly Raspberry bushes and apple trees, and made a start on a little wild flower border, as well as planting seeds and bulbs, and watching the new sprouts poking their heads through. 

It's been such a relief to be back outside with the sun shining and fresh air, enjoying the warmth and seeing the new life springing up from the soil!

We harvested our first Rhubarb crop of the year, it's so satisfying to see things grow and go on to fulfil their purpose, in the case of the Rhubarb it became a Crumble, with plenty of ginger. 

I'm so excited to see what happens next in our little space. 

My Week...

This week has been delightful, full of happy moments and time spent wisely enjoying the first bits of spring. Sunday was a day of gardening, taking time to have a little look at the plants peeping out, breathing in the fresh Spring air, and having a chat with the Chickens. They are quite rightly fed up of the grotty winter weather, and were very happily trotting around munching on the weeds that flew over the fence to them. 

There was a lovely little jaunt to the big city on Monday - my sister and I had an adventure in Liverpool, where we shopped, and had lots of tea and delicious cake. It was absolutely delightful. I had a couple of thrifty-finds in local shops, I picked up a peachy little vintage tin from the market, and some fabulous floral fabric from a charity shop - two of my favourite things. The week was topped off nicely with a train journey to another city, this time Birmingham, to spend the evening with the charismatic Morrissey. "Every Day is Like Sunday" was the encore, and I was so happy I could have burst. 

My Week

My week was full of adventures - there were lots of lovely moments, and some of the highlights were ones that I can't share - for example, my dear friend trying on beautiful wedding dresses, or the eclipse, which I watched with friends at the market but didn't take a single photograph. The moments that will remain as happy memories. 

These moments however, I can share - the afternoon tea with a friend, my beautiful 'cheer-up' Hyacinths open and smelling heavenly, the Continental Market that visited our sweet town and the delightful Spring Lamb day where lots of fabulous crafty folks shared their love of yarny goodness. 

It was a splendid week, and I cannot accurately describe my joy at the arrival of Spring. I plan to spend these lovely long days outside, breathing in the fresh air and watching the world begin to wake up again. 

My Week...

Well, another week has flown by, and suddenly we're mid-way through March! The highlight of the week was a trip to Liverpool - we visited a rather lovely Moroccan restaurant and then spent the evening with Placebo, one of the bands I have loved since I was a teenager and of the utmost importance in the story of "us". 

The rest of the week was spent quietly crocheting and reading, spending rainy days at home with our feline friends, who found cosy places to curl up. As of this morning I have a new plant to take care of, a blue Hyacinth, from my lovely husband - it will live in my shop, and bring me good cheer as I go about my crafty makings. It's the little moments of happiness after all. 

My Week...

A little bit late, but this was what last week looked like. It was full of small things, quiet moments. The winter-blues have done lots of coming and going, so I've been crafting my way through them. My proudest moment of the week was finally finishing my chevron blanket, which has been a Work-In-Progress threatening to be an Unfinished-Project for a jolly long time. But now it is done, and cosy on my sofa, with a selection of vintage florals and crochet cushions. It is a pretty happy feeling. 

My window-sill garden has been added to, there are new socks on the go, and there's been some new jewellery in the making. It's been a productive sort of week really.