Taking Stock

Thanks as always to lovely Pip at Meet Me at Mike's for this bit of inspiration every month, it's been good to stop and think in a month that has been so very busy!

Making : jewellery, little robins, granny squares and my 2015 blanket
Cooking : autumn comfort food
Drinking : tea - regular and Twinings Strawberry and Mango
Reading: Nick Frost's Autobiography "Truths, Half-truths and Little White Lies"
Wanting: to go and see Jack Off Jill again every night for the rest of my life...
Looking: at my diary and seeing how alarmingly little time there is between now and Christmas!
Playing: Jack Off Jill constantly
Deciding: what to put on my lovely board in my studio
Wishing: I could be in two places at once
Enjoying: My lovely dad's birthday and spending time with my family
Waiting: to go to London to deliver over 5000 Big Knit hats!
Liking: my lovely yellow PlayPurse
Wondering: what to read next
Loving: cross-stitching
Pondering: "Back to the Future" day!
Considering: planting wallflowers in my lovely raised beds
Buying: mini Sunjellies bags
Watching: "Brooklyn Nine-Nine", "Heroes", "Big Bang Theory", "Agents of SHIELD" and "The Blacklist"
Hoping: everything works out...
Marvelling: at how much a tiny cut on my finger hurts!Cringing: at people...
Needing: quite a lot of sleep
Questioning: 
Smelling: Autumn
Wearing: wintery-woollens and cosy tights
Following: every opportunity!
Noticing: that photography is harder than it seems!
Knowing: that things are ok
Thinking: that I'm going to try out the new Italian Bakery in town very soon
Admiring: polka-dot fabric for Christmas Robins
Sorting: out the arrangements for Christmas Crochet Crafternoons
Getting: excited about the future
Bookmarking: The Lazy Daisy Jones Crochet Hookup on instagram (#ldjcrochethookup)
Coveting: Beautiful Cath Kidston dresses and skirts
Disliking: the dark evenings
Opening: my studio door for visitors!
Giggling: at silly things that I see
Feeling: a bit of pressure about the festive season, but excited too!
Snacking: all the time, I'm hopeless...
Helping: where I can as always
Hearing: the sound of Jack Off Jill ringing in my ears...

Taking Stock...

My Taking Stock list for September (how is it September already?! I don't understand...), thanks as always to lovely Pip at Meet Me At Mike's for the inspiration!

Making : Little hats, millions of pompoms, my 2015 blanket, and shiny new jewellery!
Cooking : Junk food for healing power after two weeks of head-cold-lurgy in the household
Drinking : Tea, both regular English Breakfast, and Mango and Strawberry!
Reading: the Harry Potter books, again.
Wanting: to spend more time in my lovely studio
Looking: at the Plums at the top of our tree, and wondering how we'll get them down...
Playing: mix tapes from my husband, and vinyl from my collection!
Deciding: to finally purchase a Play Purse
Wishing: for days out
Enjoying: the autumn chill in the air
Waiting: to make plum jam
Liking: my new-to-me Dr Marten boots
Wondering: about the world
Loving: the increasingly large bundle of Big Knit Hats in my stall!
Pondering: my future and my new studio
Considering: what my next project will be when the Big Knit is over.
Buying: lots of things for my studio, mostly paint and screws but also pretty frames and huge mugs for tea
Watching: "Agents of SHIELD", "The Simpsons", "Jurassic Park"...
Hoping: I won't burst with excitement before we see Jack Off Jill next month.
Marvelling: at the changing seasons
Cringing: at things that happen
Needing: more hours in the day
Questioning: everything...
Smelling: lovely flowers
Wearing: pretty dresses and skirts, converse, boots...
Following: the progress of the plants in my raised beds
Noticing: the change in the air as Autumn arrives
Knowing: that things will be better soon
Thinking: about having a sofa day with my book and a cat and a big cup of tea
Admiring: lots of patterns for winter woollens
Sorting: through years of accumulated designs, postcards, bits of paper and fabric and knitting, deciding what will live in my studio
Getting: tired easily as I try to fight the last of my cold
Bookmarking: patterns to try and shops to buy from
Coveting: lots of lovely crafty books and pretty yarn
Disliking: the short days and dark evenings
Opening: bags of screws, tubs of paint...
Giggling: at the things that people do.
Feeling: like I need a day out...
Snacking: on cereal. I feel like I'm about eight years old...
Helping: as best I can as always

Taking Stock...August

Making : Pretty jewellery and bead bracelets and cosy blankets and tiny cross-stitch samples and little badges!
Cooking : well, chopping, lovely veggies.
Drinking : decaf tea, in an attempt to cut-down on the caffeine...
Reading: just finished "The Bees" and about to start "The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul"
Wanting: to share big news but not quite ready yet...
Looking: at my pretty new nails - mint green and pink with a little splash of glitter
Playing: with my new badge maker
Deciding: big things
Wishing: I had a crystal ball so I could just double check that things will be ok
Enjoying: rainy afternoons with movies and crochet
Waiting: for big things to start
Liking: feeling inspired
Wondering: if the summer is over...
Loving: making new things
Pondering: things to come
Considering: new converse Sneakers
Buying: lots of books and some pretty new clothes
Watching: Adventure Time
Hoping: things will be better
Marvelling: at mountains of Big Knit hats
Cringing: at the funny things people do sometimes
Needing: pretty things
Questioning: lots and lots of things over and over...
Smelling: rain
Wearing: some of my new jewellery, just trying it out of course...
Following: lots of lovely people on instagram
Noticing: the change in the air
Knowing: that Daniel Radcliffe will always be Harry Potter in my head (watching "What If")
Thinking: that I'm so glad that we have lots of summer fruits in the freezer
Admiring: studios and workspaces of all kinds of talented folks
Sorting: out stuff in my stall, time for a clear out!
Getting: ideas out of my head and into my sketchbook
Bookmarking: pretty and inspiring things
Coveting: fairy lights and bunting and random stuff that I don't really need
Disliking: the brand new bump on my head
Opening: my new notebook
Giggling: at silly tv programmes 
Feeling: excited and a little bit nervous
Snacking: on dried apricots, they are so ridiculously good
Hearing: the birthday party playlist that my husband made for me

Thanks to lovely Pip as always for her super-inspiring list!

Taking Stock...

Making : Cosy Blankets and little hats
Cooking : Raspberries
Drinking : Tea
Reading: Lots this month - just finished "Not That Kind of Girl" by Lena Dunham
Wanting: more pretty plants in the house. Especially Succulents as I seem to be managing to keep them alive...
Looking: forward to a day at the seaside when the weather improves
Playing: "Cards Against Humanity"
Deciding: where to go for adventures
Wishing: cake had no calories...
Enjoying: a mix-tape from my husband
Waiting: for sunshine
Liking: dinosaurs 
Wondering: if learning to use a drop-spindle would lead on to harder-spinning-behaviour? Is it a gateway craft?
Loving: the summer's first beautiful orange roses
Pondering: new projects
Considering: what to read next
Buying: Moomin PJs and more thrifty bits and bobs
Watching: classic movies from my childhood - "Jurassic Park" and "Ghostbusters" mostly
Hoping: for more strawberries from the plants in my garden, they've been a bit sad so far...
Marvelling: at the amount of little hats that are arriving at my stall already!
Cringing: at how rubbish people can be to each other.
Needing: to sleep properly
Questioning: how fast time flies, how can the days be getting shorter already?
Smelling: the flowers in the garden and the Raspberry Crumble in the kitchen
Wearing: pretty Cath Kidston dresses and skirts 
Noticing: how friends become family and how we cross the paths of others
Knowing:
Thinking: that I can't wait to visit the Rob Ryan exhibition at Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Admiring: beautiful blankets and crafty things online
Sorting: out bags of wool and 4mm knitting needles for our Big-Knit-Along!
Getting: excited for the Big-Knit-Along!
Bookmarking: crafty projects and patterns
Coveting: Cath Kidston dresses and PlayPurses (especially the yellow one...)
Disliking: grumpy people
Giggling: with my dear friends
Feeling: grateful, ever so grateful
Snacking: on "kid's tea" (©Amy H)of Quorn Chicken Nuggets and Potato Waffles
Helping: my sister get started with her new business and feeling ever so proud
Hearing: lots of pretty songs - I rather like Daughter, they have a nice song called "In the Shallows"

Thanks as always to lovely Pip at Meet Me At Mike's for this fabulously inspirational list!

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!

Taking Stock...May

Joining in with lovely Pip at Meet Me At Mike's to Take Stock!

Making : socks, blankets and sweet little crochet pots
Cooking : noodles and veggies
Drinking : Tea and Chai Lattes
Reading: "#newsfail" by Jaimie Kilstein and Alison Kilkenny
Wanting: to try knitting toe-up socks
Looking: forward to exciting crafty plans
Playing: cassette tapes from my teens in my little car, at the moment Ash "1977"
Deciding: when to go to Liverpool for another look at the Leonora Carrington and Cathy Wilkes exhibition
Wishing: for a day at the beach
Enjoying: the long summer evenings
Waiting:  for the summer weather to come back...
Liking: watching my garden changing
Wondering: which sock yarn to start next
Loving: Orla Keily coffee jars
Pondering: dyeing my own yarn
Considering: some crafty business ideas
Buying: Pretty Cath Kidston skirts, love them
Watching: "Grace and Frankie" on Netflix
Hoping: to go to a car boot sale soon, if the weather improves!
Marvelling: at all the lovely things that people make
Cringing: at facebook, and thinking that I like Instagram 
Needing: more craft time
Questioning: the decision making skills in Britain after the catastrophic election result last week
Smelling: the lovely fresh spring air
Wearing: brooches every day!
Following: lots of lovely Pinterest boards for Summer House inspiration
Noticing: how the year is flying by
Knowing: that I can make things better
Thinking: that I'd like to read my new book on Tove Jansson 
Admiring: pretty shoes and dresses...
Sorting: through my yarn stash
Getting: excited for the summer holidays and lovely days out 
Bookmarking: lots of pretty websites and patterns
Coveting: cake
Disliking: Our shiny new government
Opening: my notebook and making plans
Giggling: at The Boy With Tape on His Face and Mark Thomas
Feeling: a little bit worried
Snacking: on sweet potato fries
Helping: our Big Knit efforts by making pompoms
Hearing: some funny things...