Taking Stock - April

Making the most of a quiet morning to have a little think... joining in with Pip over at Meet Me at Mikes

Making : Two blankets and a pair of socks
Cooking : Rhubarb from the garden
Drinking : Tea and Cream Soda (not at the same time)
Reading: "Night Music" by Jojo Moyes
Wanting: to pot up the Succulent plants that I discovered under the Rose bush (no idea how they got there, but not complaining)
Looking: forward to WonderWool Wales, just over a week to go!
Playing: Of Monsters and Men
Deciding: which sock yarn to knit up next
Wishing: for the next series of "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"
Enjoying: the fresh spring air
Waiting: for our wild flowers to start growing
Liking: leaving my winter coat at home
Wondering: how much sock yarn I need and if I should buy more at WonderWool...
Loving: weekends away and coming home
Pondering: what to read next
Considering: a new tattoo
Buying: books and sock yarn. Unusually enough...
Watching: "DareDevil" and "Third Rock From The Sun" (love Netflix)
Hoping: to head to a car boot sale in the near future
Marvelling: at the sunshine and the lovely spring flowers
Cringing: at lots of things...
Needing: to get pompom making ready for the Big Knit hats
Questioning: my big box of healthy salad and veggies and wondering if I need cake instead?
Smelling: fresh cut grass
Wearing: lots of summery dresses and little shoes, still in cardigans but at least it's an improvement
Following: the path to adventures
Noticing: the pretty little things in my town
Knowing: that exciting things are planned
Thinking: that I really should have watched "Poldark"...
Admiring: the two pairs of socks that I've finished this week
Sorting: out wool for my lovely Big Knit helpers
Getting: excited for my "Brooch a Day in May" challenge
Bookmarking: lovely patterns
Coveting: pretty dresses and vintage brooches
Disliking: the sad stuff that happens in the world
Opening: my eyes and having a good look around
Giggling: at my funny feline family and all the silly things they do
Feeling: hopeful and full of ideas
Snacking: on healthy things. Or trying at least.
Helping: myself with some quiet time for making stuff
Hearing: little birds in my garden as they go about their busy nesting work

My Weekend in the Big City

This weekend I packed my little red suitcase and I took myself off on a little jaunt to the big city. With my notebook and knitting in hand I set off on my way, dashing through the rain and hopping over puddles to the British Museum, where my adventures began...

In just one day, I travelled the world and explored treasures from every continent. I started in Ancient Greece, at the "Defining Beauty" exhibition, and then moved on to Korea, and then China and onwards to Japan. 

The cabinets full of tiny things are my favourites, so many precious little objects, ancient hand crafted loveliness. 

After a tea break, I carried on to Europe, taking a little wander around the pretty jewellery and ceramics. 

By the end of the day, I think I had been in every room of the Museum, and felt utterly worn out, and my poor little feet were aching, but I had a head full of absolutely amazing things. 

After a good nights sleep, my adventures continued with a trip down to Tate Britain. I had a jolly lovely time looking around the exhibitions, and the permanent collection. 

I am home from my adventures now, my suitcase is unpacked and my notebook is full of big ideas. It's nice to go away, but it's lovely to come home again.

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...

What a week it has been. There have been so many adventures and happy days. We started the week with a visit to the Warner Brothers Harry Potter Studio Tour, and of all of our adventures it remains one of my favourite places. The highlight was seeing the Hogwarts Express, it was splendid. We ended our trip in London, mooching around Covent Garden and Soho in the rain, and it was like coming home. 

There have been visits to Shrewsbury, for shopping  and more mooching (and a delicious Vegan breakfast at Optimum Joy, a new favourite place!) and a trip to Chester with my lovely mum and dad for even more shopping and lots more mooching, and I've even managed some knitting time - a pair of chunky socks. 

Happy Easter lovely folks. 

A Brooch A Day in May - A Plan

A little while ago I decided that since I both make brooches and have an abundance of lovely vintage brooches, that I really should make more of an effort to wear them more often. So I percolated on that little thought and it became a plan - A Brooch a Day in May (because May rhymes with day, obviously...) 

So that's the plan - a handmade or vintage brooch every day for a whole month. I'll be sharing my daily choice over on Instagram and regularly updating here, I hope it will help me to make the most of my lovely collection!

Readings...March

My readings for March - a strange sort of mixed up month for books, I seemed to go from action-packed adventures to complicated reality... 

I read...

• JK Rowling - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
• Kim Gordon - Girl in a Band
• John Green - The Fault in Our Stars
• Ian McEwan - The Children Act
• Jon Ronson - So You've Been Publicly Shamed
• Pittacus Lore - The Power of Six

Have you read anything nice recently? Any recommendations?