September 2016

I'm so behind....... it's nearly the end of October & I'm only just posting about September.

At the beginning of the month I received a bomb shell as OH has decided to sell the house for financial reasons. I knew it was coming but hoping it wouldn't. Anyway I had a cut off date of 29th October & I'm still here!! I can't find anywhere that will take cats so OH has left & I'm still looking. We think I can stay here until April so fingers crossed something turns up before then.

So September was a blur really, I've not been able to walk due to the darker mornings & to be honest weight loss & fitness are the last things on my mind. 

I celebrated my volunteers 50th birthday with the team, attended the RSPCA Big Walkies, another trip to the bingo with my sister as a late birthday treat, spent time with the cats, knitting my Home Fires fair isle jumper & celebrating 8 years in Blogland.

I would love to say October was better but that's another story for another post!!

Victory In Europe

Today I will be remembering VE Day

I haven't finished my puzzle :-(

But I will wear my Victory jumper & brooch

Have my tea in my special mug

But I won't be celebrating with my boys as they're on a road trip

They're in my shop window display!

I've had so many nice comments about the window display & lots of older people have come in to tell me their stories of VE Day.... as you can imagine I loved that!!

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!!!

July 2015

I've been away too long! 

July seemed to pass in a blur...... remembering the Somme, the wedding of my nephew, a week off from work,  knitting cats, starting my Christmas cardigan, spending lots of time at home alone, finishing my temporary job as a fundraiser, having one last chance to see the rescue cats & the big blue moon!!!

August feels like a fresh new start...... I'm back in my shop full time & feeling much happier, funny how my eczema has nearly cleared up! OH has moved back, we'll wait & see how long that last!

I hope August slows down a bit!

November 2014

oh boy oh boy I've been away for weeks!

November started really good..... I sold lots of poppies to raise money for The British Legion, decorated our charity Christmas tree, spent an afternoon travelling around the city on old buses & went to see the fabulous Amsterdam.

It then went pear shape on the 11th when water started coming through the ceiling :(

An emergency roofer was called & I was told I needed a new roof.

After weeks of phone calls & roofers not turning up I've finally got it sorted.

The end of the month saw me celebrating my friends 40th birthday...... I can't believe we met just after her 18th!!

I also had 2 craft fairs at the end of the month. The 1st one was at Exeter library, although I only sold 1 brooch I did enjoy the talk given by Amanda Prowse. Have you read any of her books? I haven't but I might be tempted now.

Crikey was a real success for me this year with my bow scarves being the best seller.

I also have a number of orders from the fair so unfortunately my Christmas jumper is on the back burner..... maybe next year!

Only 2 weeks until the big day...... why does time go so fast?

October Book Review

Finally I'm back to share my October book..... yes that's right it's just one book!

Once again I seem to have lost my reading mojo, not sure where it's hiding but I'm hoping it will come back soon before I drown in all the books I've got from my shop!

Following a disastrous marriage to a miner, Karen has devoted herself to a nursing career. Rising to the challenge of caring for the wounded soldiers returning home from the Great War, she has resigned herself to putting her vocation before any hope of a romantic life.

However, she finds herself drawn to handsome, troubled Patrick Murphy. But Patrick is also a Catholic priest. Dare Karen risk scandal and her position by falling for the one man she cannot have...?

So without further a do....

In this book I travelled back to WW1. It was the first Maggie Hope book I've read & I did really enjoy it. It was quite dark at times which just added to the story, there were also some twist & turns that I didn't see coming. As with most of these books there was a happy ending which is always good.

Another book that won't change the world but a pleasant read all the same.

8/10

Life has been a bit hectic over the last few weeks. My boiler broke & I had water pouring through the ceiling due to tiles slipping on my roof :(

It never rains but it pours doesn't it?

I've been spending most of my time up & down from the loft emptying buckets & being messed around by trades man.

I think I can see light at the end of the tunnel...... a roofer came around today with a quote, £2.6k..... crikey!!!! But it needs to be done.

I've also got heat!!! The girls are very happy :)

I just need to find a plumber now!

Talking about Crikey...... it's 8 days away!!

I decided to only do one fair this year in the hope I would then have lots of stock to sell.

Well it didn't go to plan & once again I'm in a panic!!!

Do I never learn???

Back soon

September 2014

I've been away too long & the weeks are marching on :(

So September came & went in a haze!

I finally received my anniversary present from OH...... we've been waiting since Christmas!.... top left corner, it's the new The Men They Couldn't Hang album that OH pledged, look closely & you'll see my name!!!

We remember our lovely Charlie who pass away 6 years ago, I had my 6th anniversary in blogland, started my Christmas jumper, tried to make loads for the November Crikey It's Vintage fair, finding goodies in my shop, a 1940's day out & of course spending time with my beautiful girls.

September was a lovely months & the sun shone lots. I'm getting used to living on my own but not looking forward to February when OH's lease is up on his new place...... I really don't want to move all my junk!!!

Hope I can find time to blog soon.

August 2014

Summer has nearly gone & autumn is knocking on the door.

August was a funny month...... it started with lights out to remember WW1, lots of knitting, treats from customers & volunteers, starting my Christmas jumper, treating myself to yet another cardigan & spending lots of time with my girls.

It finished with my birthday

My gifts this year 

Beautiful vintage candle holder

I spent a lot of August alone, including most of my birthday. OH has decided to move out as he hates living here, at the moment he's taken a room in the city centre for 6 months to see how it goes. It all feels a bit weird & lonely but I have to get used to it. I'm learning to cook to try & save money as I'm paying all the bills so takeaway & M&S is not on the cards!

September is my favourite month but at the moment it's hard to look on the bright side. My deputy manager has left so I'm alone in the shop, I'm trying to sort out cover for days off but not getting very far. Fingers crossed we find someone soon. I need to knuckle down & focus on now rather than worrying about what will happen in 6 months time.

Hopefully September will be better! 

Still Here......

'cor blimey where does the time go??

I can't believe I haven't posted for nearly 2 weeks! August seems to be flying by & what with a turn in the weather it feels like autumn is nearly here. 

I don't seem to have done much which is why I haven't posted anything. At the end of July we went to Bridport vintage market.

We found a couple of bargains for my mums birthday & I found some lovely fabric

I did have plans to make a cushion but it's still on the back of my chair, well at least it's not packed away in my fabric box.

I've been busy making poppies for my Etsy shop

I've also been spending time with my girls & of course working.

I was due to have a holiday next week but unfortunately I've had to cancel it as there was no one to cover the shop :(

I've got a 4 day weekend from the 28th to celebrate my birthday then it's back to the grind stone!

My deputy leaves the week after so I'm not sure when my next day off will be, I better make the most of it.

Pop over to see me on Instagram as I find it easier than blogging.

May 2014

May included cuddles with my girls, remembering VE day, a evening at the theatre, a new puppy in the family, losing weight, drinking too much & getting some Headspace!

I didn't manage to tick anything off my list but I now have 2 more men in life.... more about that later! I also started a cardigan, it's been about 20 years since I made myself a cardigan! Unfortunately my Carpal Tunnel is playing up so I'm going to put it on hold for the moment, I've been aware for a few days that knitting this has made it worse but I've been trying not to think about it.

I have a few half finished project which I plan to finish in June, I also need to work on my list & read more. Before we know it we'll be 1/2 way through the year!

June also brings the RSPCA week..... I plan to do a window display of knitted animals so if you're in Exeter & fancy helping out please let me know.

100 Happy Days

Modesty panel arrived all the way from America. Great idea!

New knitting pattern

Popsy won the battle of the lap!

Sewing Bee final with knitting & treats!

Had my hair cut for the first time in a year!

Popsy being cheeky!

Dog heads above my bedrooms. Being mindful of all my lovely things

Only 3 days left of the challenge, I'm pleased I've kept it up even if most of the pictures have been of my girls! 

Ta-Da!!!

Over 5 years ago I taught myself to make granny squares & started my blanket.

I wanted to make a traditional one from scraps…… this is how it looked back in January 2009, just after I started blogging

I wasn't really happy with it so I decided to unpick it & do a cream edge around each square

I asked your advice & everyone agreed the cream looked better

So it started to grow

And grow!

But the problem was I had chosen a really small crochet hook, you know what it's like when you can't wait to start a project so you just use what you have! I've been regretting it every since :( 

And over the 5 years I've become busier with my selling so this went on the back burner. I was so determined to finish it by the end of 2013 you could find me beavering away every Sunday evening

And finally on New Years Day I finished!

5 years & 9 months!

It's taken awhile to take some photo's but it's been used a few times for afternoon naps!

So here it is…….

The colours look a bit weird because of the light but you get the picture.

I'm so pleased I've finished it at last, I love it!!

2014 is all about finishing projects (& starting new ones)

Do you have a project you plan to finish this year?