Sewing, chaos & naughty cats!! Don't read this Jayne!!

It's official...... 'I hate bondaweb' (or what ever it's called!!!!)

Today is my day off & I planned to use this day to make my valentine swap gift... hence why Jayne shouldn't read this because she may take a peep!! I was all ready to go with my ironing board which hasn't seen the light of day for years.... I even brought a lovely CK cover years & years ago but it doesn't make me want to do it!!

Anyway back to the point..... I was already to use bondaweb for the first time when I realised the the webby bit had come away from the paper... is that normal??? Having traced my images from the CK 'Make' book I then tried to get them on the paper... I was using letters & forgot the mirror image!!!..... so I ended up in a right mess with bit's of fabric stuck to the ironing board cover but not to the fabric I wanted it stuck to..... Never again!!!

While all this was happening my cat was trying to get in my fabric bag on the sofa..... hope Jayne isn't allergic to cats!!...... & the other one was playing with the string hanging off the ironing board.... give me strength!!

(can you see my supply of Green & Black chocolate?? I hide it in my sewing bag so my OH doesn't eat it all!!!)

So I took a break & had roast Chicken then got out my new sewing machine. This will be the first time I used it & it's fab..... so many stitches.... I've always had a really old machine so it's all new to me. I like the zig zag stitch... I like the way the needle moves.... little things......!!!!

So I'm doing really well with the machine & ....... I ran out of red cotton!!! So I had to call it a day... just when I was having fun!!!

I think I should stick to my knitting in future.......

Talking of knitting..... I've set up a new blog called Kids knits (this is what my web site was called) & I've put a link on the side bar. People often ask if I sell my knitting so I don't think I'm being too cheeky!!!! Please take a look, I would like feedback good or bad. I have to email it to quite a few people next week...... I know the photo's aren't great, a friend did them for me because she had a really good camera!!!

Awards

My goodness... what a lucky girl... 3 awards in the same day!!!


First up.......



Thanks Jayne (my valentine swap partner!!) .... I need to send this to 15 people... wow that's a lot...I'm not going to list 15 people because it would take all night & I need to do my knitting!!!

If you're reading this please feel free to have this award... sorry for being lazy but I'm sooooo slow at blogging!!!





The 2nd is from Pixiedust... thank you.....

The authors say that blogs who receive this award are exceedingly charming. This blog invests in proximity in space, time and relationships. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandisement. Our hope is that when ribbons of these awards are cut, even more friendships will be propagated. Please give your kind attention to these writers.

Now this one has to be passed on to 8 bloggers who will then choose 8 more and include the above cleverly written text to the body of the award.

HenHouse

A Thrifty Mrs

SAL'S SNIPPETS

At home with MelMel

The ramblings of an everday mummy

a day in the life of a krafty gal

Vintage Tea

Lace hearts

And last but not least.... Thanks Sal.....

Now I like this one because you only have to pass it on to 3 people!!!

With these rules:
1. The winner may put the logo on their blog
2. Put a link to the person who sent out the award
3. Nominate three blogs for this award
4. Put links to their blogs
5. Leave a message for your nominees.

Attic24

If you have to ask you haven't seen her blog.... just lovely!!!

COWBOYS & CUSTARD

I still love looking at my lovely deer that I brought from her and her badges are great.

HenHouse

I know Sal gave this award to Hen as well but have you seen the things she makes???? Amazing.. I also love the way she writes.... I like going shopping with her & her book reviews cost me a fortune!!

Thank you all again..... :)

I'll be back tomorrow.

Brownies & Knitting

I've joined the Brownies!!!

I've become a helper for the local group..... I say local, the meeting is in the church hall about 2 mins walk from my house!!! I've been thinking of joining since last summer when a customer was telling me they needed helpers desperately. I wanted to do crafts with them as I think it's really important to pass these things on.

So having finally got my act together I went on Tuesday..... I was never in the Brownies as a child so had no idea what went on. I was hoping to become 'brown owl' but since the big shake up years ago things have changed a lot. My group has decide to call the helpers names from Winne the pooh ...... so I'm called 'Eeyore' !!!! Not sure about that..... they don't wear the brown dresses anymore & they don't have the lovely purse.........mmmmmm maybe I need to re think this!!!! There's only 9 children & 3 adults....... they would like more children but people aren't joining ..... it does cost a lot of money.

This week we did drawing & finding out things about each other, next week we're learning about the Chinese new year. We'll be making lanterns & trying Chinese food..... can't wait...... & learning how to use chop sticks.... not so good!!

They have a teddy bear called Honey that goes home with a different person every week..... he's been to loads of places & you have to take photo's of him...... it was decided this week he would come home with me.....

Now should I be a nice girl & return next week with Honey or shall I hold him to ransom!!!

I've finished my cardigan for my friends new baby......what do you think???

It's quite pink!!!! I brought the wool from a different shop & the lighting was terrible..... it looked a softer pink, I also brought what I thought was cream but when I got it home it's yellow!!!!

My blanket is coming along.... I've been taking it to work & I don't feel so silly anymore. Now if I could just do it on the bus!!!

Hope you're all having a good week, I was off Monday, Wednesday & today so it's been great... yesterday I did housework & today I've done........NOTHING!!!! In fact I haven't even got dressed......fantastic!!! The only thing is I don't want it to end...... hate having to go back to work

:(

Thank you ....

...for your comments on my last post. I do agree with you all .....the 2nd one with the edging is the best :( ... I now have to unpick all my hard work.

The reason why I didn't have edging in the first place was because I was trying to use up my scraps of wool & trying to make a blanket in the traditional way. By edging each square means I have to buy more wool!!!! I used cream because it's easier to colour match.... I would've loved red but that would've meant buying loads in one go.

Also I couldn't work out how to crochet the squares together... I've tried so many times & it didn't work but last Sunday I picked it up & just did it .... how weird!!

I've now decided to do a bit every night to try & speed it up.... I did start it nearly a year ago!!.... so my plan is to go to bed at 9.30, watch 'The Walton's' & crochet!! My what an exciting life I live!!! I even took it to work this weekend & did it on my breaks but I felt a bit silly in the staff room & thought someone might catch me!

Hope you've all had a good weekend

Crochet dilemma....

OK so it's not that important but hey I need your help....

I started making this granny square blanket in March last year... I wanted to use up my scraps of wool... I decided to sew the square together like so.....

But I've changed my mind & have started joining them together like this.....

Now before I take apart all the squares I've joined together ...... about 80!!!...... I would like you to tell me which way you prefer!

Thank you....

Giveaway.....

I was suppose to do the draw for the crochet slippers yesterday but I had Internet problems. I plugged the hoover in & it blew the power for the whole house!! It keeps on doing it & there's no pattern so we're not sure how to stop it. Yesterday I used a circuit breaker extension with it but it didn't work. Anyway OH was not at home & I couldn't work out how to get the Internet connected.

I did the draw this morning....sorry no pictures so you'll have to trust me on this.... the batteries in my camera have gone & I don't want to walk to the shop in the rain :( .... It's not been a good weekend for technology!!!

And the winner is..........

MelMel..... congratulations..... I hope your niece likes them & more importantly they fit!!!

I'm now off for a cup of tea & a good look through all my knitting books. An old school friend text to say she had a little girl on boxing day.....4lb 7ozs!! Now that's small.... I should be able to knit a cardigan quite quickly!!! I'm thinking of a basic cardigan with some crocheted flowers..... what do you think???

My brother & sister are both expecting babies in February so I need to start planning their gifts....... that's the problem when you knit...... people expect knitted gifts from you.

I used to sell my knitting & was hoping to start again this year but I don't know if I'll have time!!!

Hope you've all had a good weekend.

Thank goodness for that....

On boxing day, after all the Christmas gifts had been made, I decided to make Liv a gift for her 1st day at school..... and what better then a new friend.....

I thought this would take a few days but nearly 2 weeks later & I've just finished... I'm giving it to her tomorrow so it was touch & go. It was so fiddly, all the clothes are removable including the tie. I hope she likes it .....

My giveaway for the crochet slippers finished yesterday.... I will be doing the draw on Saturday with the help of my lovely assistant.......





Only 2 people are in it so you have a 50/50 chance.... good luck to http://facebook-melmel.blogspot.com/ & http://bekisbloggybits.blogspot.com/

Christmas gifts & sale bargains

So at last here are my Christmas gifts...... I really needed to put them away but I hate doing that... makes it so final...& of course I had the added pressure of finding the time to take photo's...

In this picture you will see the lovely sewing machine my parents & brother gave me.... I thought it was blue & white but that one was out of stock so the alternative was red & white.. yipee!!

Also the Russian doll painting that my friend Helen did for me.... as I make most of my gifts I wanted to encourage my friends to do the same.... isn't she clever??? Makes you wonder why she's working in habitat!! She also gave me a lucky cat necklace from Etsy which is too small to show.

The suitcase is from Liv, the little girl I make all the knitted things for, her mum made some fruit chutney & there's some anti-stress face cream (boy do I need that!!). Also a crocheted mat from LA...really pretty.....not sure where that will live.

The scarf is from an old work colleague... I wore it yesterday & got lots of comments. She also gave me a box of M&S chocs but they're gone.....by lunch time boxing day I believe!!!

OK ......next one........ my gift from MelMel... CK address book & pencil, red spot tea bag holder (been wanting one of these for a while but couldn't find the right one.... well done Mel!!) & a lovely home made heart.

The crochet flower book is from Claire, one of my closest friends, we don't always do Christmas gifts but at the last minute we both brought something from our amazon wish list.

Vintage crochet book was brought with some vouchers a lovely customer gave me.... her & her daughter have been shopping with us for years & I always make sure they know about discount events etc so they get the best bargains. They gave me the vouchers as a thank you gift...... how sweet...good to know there are some nice people out there.

This is my giveaway from Vanessa...... soooooo many things in the box.....blue spot apron, lavender heart, tissue holder, cup cake bag, wooden star, piece of green fabric, tea plate & a lovely matching tea cup & saucer that she's planted with some crocus bulbs... what a good idea... that picture was taken on Christmas day so it's a lot bigger now.

And finally my sale bargains........ Jamie & Delia from Waterstones... Delia was only £4.99!!!

Yankee candles...1/2 price because they're the Christmas ones but hey I like the smell of Christmas.

From Accessorize the lovely green handbag...I've had my eye on that for a while.... a bit small for me as I like to carry around loads of stuff!! The red spotty purse was brought to put my crochet hooks in, they always get lost in the jug with knitting needles. And my Russian doll pants...love these!!

You can just see my beret that my mum knitted for me...forgot to include this in the gift photo as I've been wearing it everyday. I've got lots of hair so it's really hard to find a hat to fit but mum made this quite large.

Think that's all for this Christmas... I'm very happy with all my gifts this year.....thank you everyone.

Happy New Year......

To all my lovely friends in 'blogland' & best wishes for 2009