June 2016

Another month as gone to quickly.

So we're half way through the year....... it'll soon be Christmas!

 June was a busy month on the work front..... our annual AGM, national RSPCA week, national volunteer week, lots of events in the shop to raise extra money, celebrating our 25th anniversary at Little Valley & topped off with our annual Shelter Day at the end of the month.... phew!!

Outside of work we celebrated OH's birthday, I finished my jumper & started my Home Fire jumper. I visited the Dig For Victory show in Bristol,  treated the kids to a new toy, had some time off to spend with the kids & voted in the EU referendum........ what a shock???

Let's see what July brings

April 2016

Yep another month as gone.

Lots of making this month, 2 vintage pot holders, lace socks, Land Girl for my Etsy shop, green bow scarf & started my second Victory jumper in a summer colour way.

I aso brought a new cardigan, celebrated the Queen's 90th birthday, saw Mike Peters & drooled over the knitwear in Home Fires.

I enjoyed a few days at home with the cats & tried very hard to eat healthy, since I was told by the hospital I have to lose over 5 stone before they will operate on my Gallstones :-( 

It's not going to happen so I guess I'll have to live with the pain but I'm very aware I've put on over a stone in a year so it doesn't hurt to try to lose that. I'm 1/2 way through my 'Saints' food box from a local lady, all Slimming World friendly & very tasty.

Wish me luck!

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!

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!

September 2015

September came & went...... and so did October!!!

It was a beautiful sunny month. 

I enjoyed a week off, new birthday shoes, spending time with my children, celebrating 7 years in blogland, knitting for Crikey in November, a night out with the girls seeing Rocky Horror Live & walking 5k for the RSPCA Big Walkies.

I didn't enjoy having a chest infection for over a week!!

August 2015

Another August has come & gone!

It seemed to past in a blur & I didn't do very much!

At the start of the month I went to Lupton 1940's event with my brother & his family. This was the 3rd year we attended & rather then getting bigger it seems to have shrunk! Not much happening unless you like US army vehicles.

Cracking on with my Christmas cardigan & taking photo's of my fair isle berets for the internet.

Spending time with the children, dressing Bobby up!, attending a rally for Jeremy Corbyn & celebrating my birthday at the end of the month.

OH moved back in the middle of the month as his money ran out, I've had a year of being alone but over the last few months he's been spending more time here. I'm pleased but just waiting for the next time!

After a rubbish week off from work in July I was really looking forward to my break at the end of the month....... but stupid me lifted a very heavy 1940's sewing machine in a wooden cabinet on my last day of work so I've spent the last week at home in pain. Not a happy girl!

Hey ho my next week off is the beginning of December so lets hope that's better!

Victory Jumper

Back in March I took the plunge & started making my very own Victory Jumper!

I've had this pattern for a long time but I'd never got around to making it.

After working out how to re size it rather a lot...... they were so small in the 40's or is it we're so big now!!!..... I was on a roll.

I really enjoyed the pattern & found it knitted up quickly. I decided to knit it in DK to help make it larger. The only problem I had was with the sleeves, after increasing I found it was longer then it needed to be. I wanted the sleeves to be shorter & it was a real disappointment when it was finished but I'm happy with it now.

Ta-da!!!

 I love it!!

I can't believe how often I've worn it & have been asked a few time where I brought it...... they couldn't believe I knitted it!

Here it is with my 1940's flower corsage I knitted

And with my victory brooch I made for VE day

I hadn't knitted myself anything to wear for nearly 20 years but I'm cracking on now. In the last year I've made myself a cardigan

a Christmas jumper

& I'm just finishing off my land girl jumper

100g Stylecraft special double knitting

Midnight 3 balls - Claret 2 balls - Cream 1 ball

Total price = £11.34

Hours = 51 

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! 

Day Out

This year instead of a birthday gift my parents took me on a day trip.....  it was 2 days before my birthday but they're going away this weekend.

So after weeks of trying to guess where I would be going I ended up at Oakham Treasures near Bristol.

I'd never heard of this place until a couple of months ago when one of my volunteers brought in a leaflet as she thought I might like it. Little did I know my parents had seen a leaflet too & thought the same.

Liked it....... I loved it!!!

I will warn you there's a lot of photos!

My shoes!

Liberty bodice

My tipple!

I had that monkey!

Yet another new cardigan

I can't recommend this place enough, it was great going with my parents as they enjoyed telling me the story of things they had as children. We went early in the morning & there was only a few people, which was lovely. It felt like we had the place to ourselves so could browse around slowly. I would say it would be boring for very young children so I'm glad my brother didn't come with his son. I think one of the nicest things was the relaxing atmosphere & bored children would have made it stressful!

There was so much to see my eyes were hurting.

 Drink, food, cigarettes, clothes, sewing..... they had the lot!

You can find out more on their website

OAKHAM TREASURES

Hope I haven't bored you all with my photo's!