Thursday 31 March 2011

Wednesday 30 March 2011

WIP Wednesday

I am currently meeting myself coming backwards.  I largely overcomitted myself to things over the last week or so and add ill kids into the mix I don't know whether I am coming or going at the moment. 

The main overcomittment was in the shape of the shop reopening.  I had planned to have a huge number of things made and ready for the grand reopening on Friday but I've had to reassess things and it is going to be on a much smaller scale for now.  I am waiting on some stock coming which is holding up the handmade process slightly but I will do it at my own pace and hopefully it will eventually all come together.

I have been test knitting a sock for Renee at Goddess Knits  and this is my WIP for this wednesday.  To see some gorgeous knitting please visit Tami at WIP Wednesday



I took on the task last monday but I had a bead mishap and couldn't get any more until the weekend when I had to start again.  I am hoping to get it finished today. Renee has been more than understanding with me for which I am very grateful.

Saturday 26 March 2011

Busy Busy Busy

I'm a busy bee at the moment so just a quickie post with this shot I took with the Hipstamatic app on my phone this morning.



Did I ever mention I love spring blossom?

Monday 21 March 2011

Blogging For Scrapbookers

I did the Blogging For Scrapbookers course by Shimelle the first time around and today it is having a rerun with a few tweeks.

I don't know what I want to achieve this time around other than hoping to learn new things and meet new people.  I made some lovely friends last time around who I am in touch with on facebook.

Anyway we will see what it brings.

Officially yesterday was the first day of spring here in the northern hemisphere.  It is a bone of contention with a lot of people when the equinoxes are but in reality they change every year.  This site show them all for years and years and years.

For me spring is here when the blossom starts appearing on the trees.  This morning this was the sight that greeted us on our walk to school.  I swear there was no blossom on friday afternoon on the way home. It is amazing how it always appears as soon as spring springs.


I discovered Meet Me On Monday where we answer questions about ourselves and here they are


1. What jewelry do you wear 24/7? - I only really have my wedding and engagement rings plus another one my husband bought me for my 21st so those.  My watch is never too far from my wrist but not 24/7.

2. Do you twirl your spaghetti or cut it? - cut it

3. How many siblings do you have? - 2 a sister and brother both younger

4. Were you named after anyone? - I think County Kerry in Ireland. I have been told it was that name regardless of whether I was a girl or boy.

5. Coke or Pepsi? - Definitely Coke.


Oh and one more thing.  Remember my shop The Craft Garden - well I'm working on a new venture which will mean I should be able to reopen later this week.  Not the same products and with a much smaller stockbase but with a floral emphasis.

Saturday 19 March 2011

Weekend Showcase

Welcome to the weekend showcase - the place to show off something you are proud of this week.

To show off please enter the link to your proud show off item in the inlinkz box below.

This week I taught myself how to crochet.  Well I kind of did! This is my first project which will be this bag.  It is riddled with errors but I'm using it as a learning project and since I plan to use it as a project bag which only my family will see anyway then errors are fine.




Friday 18 March 2011

Punky Scraps Challenge

This week the challenge is this picture



I took the music and the stripes from it and made this. My scanner is playing up so the picture is cak sorry.



Look What The Postman Brought

Regular readers will remember the scarf journey I was on over at Ravelry where my scarf  disappeared and I had to start another.  The second one made its way home recently and yesterday I finished it off. 

I chose to do a lengthwise scarf on a 5mm circular needle and I sent the two pictured balls of yarn with it.  People could choose to either use the colours provided or add their own and I must say I am really pleased with how it has turned out with the extra colours. 



I attached the ends together to make it into a long cowl.

To see more finished objects this Friday please stop by at Tamis blog


This week on Feeling Beachie the questions are:


1. I have got to be the worst _____ in the world - organiser - I am really bad at organising myself.  I wake up with all good intentions but then it all goes to pot and I end up with deadlines looming.


2. Although for the most part I love it, sometimes I wish I could just get rid of my_____ - computer - to be free of the addiction that is farmville and facebook would be a good start at number 1.


3. The best thing about where I live is ________ - location - we are within walking distance of town, schools and supermarkets.


4. Aside from a new house, car or big vacation, the first luxury I would buy myself if I won the lottery is __________ - a new bed - ours is very old, the springs are poking through and even a recent purchase of a mattress topper hasn't made any difference.

Thursday 17 March 2011

Skywatch - 17th March 2011

Happy St Patricks Day.  In honour of the fact that I am a quarter Irish my skywatch is a rainbow. I wonder if it has a pot of gold at the end of it?

Wednesday 16 March 2011

Wednesday Memes

This Wednesday I am taking part in two memes.

First up one I haven't taken part in before - Whats On Your Workdesk Wednesday

My workdesk is basically any free surface in my kitchen. Usually the table but as that is often a dumping ground for the rest of the family I am using my counter top and cooker top.  This is the Basic Grey Page Of The Month kit for March which arrived yesterday with my scraproom kit.  It is a shocking photo sorry.




The layout is a party theme but I am thinking of using some beach pictures instead as we don't really have any party pics.



This picture shows the April one aswell which looks fab.


Second meme is the usual WIP Wednesday



I have a bit more of my Sockknitters Anonymous mystery socks done.  I am finished on clue 3 once  I have turned the heel.



I have made it my mission this year that I will learn to crochet.  I saw this on one of my favourite blogs and was inspired to give it a go.  I had this book recommended to me as a brilliant resource for beginners and had to laugh at the bit on the cover which says -learn to crochet - even knitters.  I don't know if being able to read knitting patterns and do just about anything that is asked of me with regard to knitting will be a stumbling block or a help. Anyway I have ordered it and will take it from there once it arrives.  I learnt to do a foundation chain as part of a provisional knitting cast on but that is about it.

Tuesday 15 March 2011

Allotments











I think I must be getting old because I really want an allotment.





I put my name down on the waiting list a while ago but the list is so very long.

A friend of mine told me of some empty plots on the site where they have an allotment so I contacted the man in the know at the council who told me there will be some coming up there soon with a wait of months rather than years.  OK so it might be after the main growing season and will more than likely be totally overgrown with all kinds of undergrowth, weeds and god knows what else but I don't care.

So why do I want one.  I'll show you why

This is our outdoor space. We have no grass or soil just a yard with broken bits of tarmac and concrete and a few pots because that is all we have room for.  I want to be able to grow pretty flowers and organic fruit and vegetables.

Fingers crossed I will be able to start doing all that soon and next summer I will have some produce to show you.

Monday 14 March 2011

Book Journey - 14th March 2011

I started Angelas Ashes by Frank McCourt last week and I must say it is a compelling read.  It is his recount of his childhood starting in America and ending up back in his parents homeland of Ireland.  Covering the awful conditions he lived in and the tragedies affecting his family.  It is a can't put down read.  I'm about half way through at the moment and hopefully will be finished by next week.

Angela's Ashes


To see what other people are reading please visit the Book Journey.

Saturday 12 March 2011

Weekend Showcase - Week 4

Welcome to week 4 of the weekend showcase.

The weekend showcase is a place to show off something you are proud of this week. Be it something you have made, crafted, baked, something you have done, or your kids have done or anything else.  Don't be shy - BE PROUD. To show off this week please click the inlinkz button at the bottom of this post. Can't wait to see what you are up to.

This week I want to show off the new design team I picked from a lot of entries over on my challenge blog - The Craft Garden.

Our first new challenge will be live on 1st April.

The fabulous design team are as follows:


Tiffany
Helen
Katy
Melly



Friday 11 March 2011

Punky Scraps Challenge

This week the Punkyscraps challenge is a sketch based one.

Here is the sketch



and here is my take on it.


I'm not too happy with it if I'm honest but I made a mistake with masking some flowers so had to cover it up with the flowers you can see.

Feeling Beachie

Quite by chance I stumbled across this blog



This week’s statements:


1. I am probably in the minority, but I really don’t like______

2. I get so mad when I see someone ______

3. After I _________ I feel better.

4. If I don't___________________- it will really stink!





1. I am probably in the minority, but I really don’t like Twitter - love Facebook but I don't get Twitter at all. Don't get Harry Potter either just so you know.


2. I get so mad when I see someone shutting a door in town without looking to see if anybody is behind them.  The number of times when the kids were little that the pram ended up getting hit by these ignorant asses is too many to count. Always seems to be older people too.


3. After I rant I feel better. Either on here or on Facebook but I love to rant about stuff. Gets it off my chest.


4. If I don't clean the constant yellow puddle at the side of the loo - it will really stink!  Living in a male dominated household is not pleasant when they can't hit the pot!

Finished Object Friday

Aswell as WIP Wednesday Tami also has FO Friday.

I don't expect I will be taking part in FO Friday very often as I always have a growing pile of works in progress rather than actual finished items.

This Friday, however, I do have a finished item.  I finished the Riff socks at the weekend and here they are.  I used String Theory yarn and unfortunately I had to miss off the last chart on the leg because despite there being 400yards in a skein there wasn't enough.  This pattern eats yarn but it is very enjoyable.




To see more finished objects this friday please visit FO Friday

Wednesday 9 March 2011

Sketchy Thursdays 3.03

This was the sketch





and this is my take on it



WIP Wednesday

This Wednesday I am working on the March Mystery Sock from the Socknitters Anonymous group over on Ravelry.

The top part is just clue one and the bottom sock is clues one and two.



To see what everybody else is working on this wednesday or even add your own WIP please visit Tami


Monday 7 March 2011

Book Journey

What are you reading this week?

I am still reading Idiot Abroad




I'm almost done with it though.

Next up is a book I have heard mentioned so many times but never read.  There was a second hand book fair at my son's school last week and it was on sale so I snapped it up. Angelas Ashes

Angela's Ashes: A Memoir

I have no idea what it is about as the version I bought doesn't really have a synopsis but have an idea that it might be a bit of a tearjerker.





Head over to the Book Journey to see what others are reading.


Saturday 5 March 2011

Weekend Showcase - Week 3

It is that time of the week again - yes it is show off time.

What are you proud of this week?  Come on don't be shy - let us look.

It doesn't have to be a crafty show off. It can be ANYTHING you like.

To take part please click the inlinkz thingy and it will allow you to put your details in.

This week I don't have anything crafty to show you but I do have lots of new life in my garden so I'm showing that off.





I don't know whether this rose will survive this summer with those black spots and I can already spot some greenfly.





Friday 4 March 2011

Punky Scraps Challenge

This week the challenge at Punky Scraps is to use 3 of the following 5:

black and white photo - tick
misting
distressing
flowers - tick
bling - tick


I used a very old picture of me.  I don't often scrap myself so this is a very rare occasion.

This is one of very few photos of me as a child and it shows in full the strawberry mark I had on my face.  This has gone all by itself over time but I do have a scar.  Most of the time I forget about it until somebody asks what it is so I just thought I'd mention it.

Thursday 3 March 2011

Real Life Farmville Skywatch

Spotted whilst we were in Hull last friday.



I think I must be more addicted to Farmville than I thought because my first thought when I saw this decorated tree was one of those special trees on there.

Wednesday 2 March 2011

WIP Wednesday

This week for WIP Wednesday I have finished quite a bit more of the second Riff sock


To see other works in progress this wednesday please visit Tami