August 2016

The last month of summer has come & gone.....

Once again it passed in a blur & looking back I didn't seem to do very much!

Walking, lots of walking! Knitting, crocheting, meeting Barney for the first time, spending time with my children, celebrating my birthday at the end of the month & enjoying a few days off.

Autumn is my favourite time of year, bring it on!

What I Made In 2015

WARNING: Photo overload!

I always enjoy looking back over the year to see what I made..... so here we go!

A gift for Hugo

Berets..... lots of berets!!

My victory jumper in time for VE day 

Land girl to join my service boys 

1940's brooch

Victory brooch for VE day

Land girl jumper knitted from some free wool I was given

Tom Cat & his Mrs!

More berets!

Acorn brooch for autumn 

Christmas cardigan 

Getting ready for my only fair of 2015....... and I think my very last :-(

Bow scarves 

Finally finding the right mustard for my bow scarf 

Wearing my bow scarf in a different way!

Christmas gift for Hugo

Christmas gift for Matthew

And that's it!!

I don't think I made as much as I did in 2014 but I'm still impressed :-)

I re thinking my business in 2016........ it's going to be a tough decision but I think I will be giving up selling my makes!

But what will I make???

I've been selling for about 10 years so it's going to be hard but I don't push it as much as I should & then I don't sell as much so I end up disappointed. Also the fairs are getting more expensive & sometime no one comes so you spend money on tables & with no customers.

I will of course still knit for myself but really there's only so many cardigans a girl can have!!

I need to get my thinking cap on!

Ta-Dah!

I've finished!!!!

Back in March 2009 I started my hexagon blanket....... yep that's right, 7 years ago!!

Like most crafty people in Blogland I was inspired by Lucy over at Attic 24

My plan was to make a small throw to cover my foot stool but it kept going out of shape making it bigger!!!

It's been put on hold so many times but just before Christmas I decided that enough was enough. I stopped making to sell & cracked on.

Popsy has decided it's her blanket, she would come running when ever I got it out.

Bless her!

It's now taking pride & place on my king size bed

Like all my blankets I used the traditional method of using up scraps rather then buying new yarn in contrasting colours

I must say I'm as proud as punch!!!

January 2016

January has come & gone.

I started the 3rd year of my Q&A book, spent time with the cats, worked really hard to finish my hexagon blanket (the deadline was the end of January - Fail!) remembered Holocaust memorial day, celebrated success in the shop with a night out with the team & shared old photo's for #waybackwhen 

One week into February & what a rubbish start........ on the 1st I struggled through the day feeling pretty rubbish but couldn't say why. When I finally got home I took a turn for the worse & by 9pm I was thinking of calling my sister to take me to hospital. I've never felt so ill..... sickness, shaking, dizzy & sweating...... not nice.

After a trip to the doctors on Tuesday morning it turned out I had a bad case of flu. 

I've never had flu before & I certainly don't want it again!

So a week in bed was on the cards....... I hate calling in sick, I haven't been off for over 2 years, but I didn't have a choice. I was as weak as a kitten & felt sick every time I though about food...... I really was ill!

The good news is I lost 1/2 in a week, perfect timing as I'm having a scan on Wednesday for Gallstones & I was told I should lose weight before.

There's always a positive side!

Back to work tomorrow, hope I have enough energy to make it through the day.

That was the year 2015

Another year has flown passed, we're already one month down in 2016 & I still haven't done my yearly catch up!

So here it is...

January

Staring my new job as fundraiser for the RSPCA, finishing my Christmas jumper, lighting a candle for holocaust memorial day & spending time with Bobby.

February

Under going lots of test at the doctors but they didn't solve the problem! Hugo was born & lots knitting.

March

New phone, starting my Victory jumper, treating myself to goodies & spending time with my family.

April

More crafting & meeting Paul Young

Celebrating VE day, voting (& feeling disappointed with the result!), fundraising events, getting my new glasses & another jumper finished.

June

More fundraising events, the most successful shelter day on record!, day out at Dig for Victory, celebrating OH's birthday & remembering Zoe.

July

My last month in the fundraising role, my nephew's wedding & starting yet another jumper.

August

My birthday month, day out with the family to another 1940's event, meeting Jeremy Corbyn & yet more knitting.

September 

Celebrating 7 years in blogland, getting over a nasty chest infection, taking part in the RSPCA Big Walkies & an evening out with friends.

October

Yet another new cardigan, cocktails with friends, more knitting & spending time with my children!

November

Christmas started early, my one & only craft fair of the year (not very successful), remembrance day & more cat cuddling.

December

Finally I could wear my Christmas jumper! Spending more time with my family & partying!

2015 was a good year!

My plans for 2015....

• Be amazing in my new job! - This didn't work out, unfortunatley they didn't want a fundraiser & it showed! I wasn't allowed to do anything so decided it was time to leave when my 6 month contract was up
• Sort out my crafting area - Nope, still a mess & getting worse
• Decorate my living room & bathroom - Nope, the bathroom is worse now thanks to my leaky toilet
• Read more books - Nope, still haven't found my reading mojo

• Plan ahead & make stock that will sell - be organised! - A little but I've decided that selling my knitting is going to make my millions so I will be rethinking this in 2016
• Complete my things to do list - Nearly!
• Make things for me - Yes indeed..... 4 jumper, landgirl, brooches & more
• Try to continue Make, Do and Mend on a small scale - Nope, the months just disappeared
• Spend time with my family - Yep
• Spend less time on my laptop & more time crafting - This is still a problem, need to try harder in 2016
• Stay happy! - I think so!

2016 plans include 

 

• Sort out my crafting area 
• Decorate my living room & bathroom 
• Read more books

• Plan ahead & make stock that will sell online (no more craft fairs)
• Complete my things to do list
• Continue to make things for me
• Set up a few Make, Do and Mend craft meetings
• Try to come off my pills that are making me lazy & sleepy 
• Spend time with my family
• Spend less time on my laptop & more time crafting 
• Stay happy!

Come on Josie-Mary...... you can do it this year!!

December 2015

A busy month....... advent candle, visit to Father Christmas, spending time with my children, finding a new way to wear my Miss Marple scarf, enjoying Christmas decorations, finally getting to wear my Christmas jumper. And yes I ate Christmas!!! 

Back soon for a round up of 2015.

November 2015

November came & went in a blur....... time with my cats, my one & only vintage fair of the year, lots of knitting & starting to feel festive.

Crikey!

I can't believe it's that time of year again....... I will be there selling my makes.

Come & say hello!