Monday 31 May 2010

I've been meaning to say......


Twenty 
seven 
effing
pounds 
and 
sixty 
effing
pence!!!!!!!!!

for a half a minute looksee with agreement -
  "Your cat has a sore eye."
Really, you don't say? 
"Here's some ointment." 
Thank you, I'll go empty my purse now, shall I?

Can you tell I feel a bit ripped off?
Aye, dentists and vets, dentists and vets!

X

Thursday 27 May 2010

Sports Day, Baking, Bunting and Beau-Beau...

Howdy folks, what a day!   
Up and down, up and down and up and down again to school for my Biscuits' Sports Day.  Of course the usual happened, school  gave us unconfirmed dates, didn't actually confirm with the parents but all the kiddies knew and most didn't bother to pass that info on......so I found out at 8.45am this morning that my presence would be required at 9.30am (it turned out for one and a half hours.. ahhh!!) and again at 1.30pm (only an hour..phew!).  Eldest Biscuit's was almost rained off and I was expected to capture their escapades on video for the Husband to see but of course talked over most of it and missed bits.  Oh well!  I did my best with the talent (or lack thereof) to record it for prosperity. 
It has been decidedly chilly here in my part of Scotland for most of the week, after what was a spectacular weekend, whether the sun has shone or not so I got around to making the bunting for the garden parasol just in case warmth was attached to the appearance of sunshine.  It was just after completion so I think I may have sewn some wishes into it without realizing, that or some Gypo magic.  It took the best part of a day to do and I took the skin off my pinky using the pinking shears which is why they are named that way I figure.  I'm pleased with the end result so I shall suffer my injuries (not quietly, never quietly!)...


The clematis in our garden is quite resplendent just now, Hubby is desperate to cut it back but he's been warned there will be no more cake or biscuits if he does.  He's not silly enough to risk it!  I love climbers!  Love how they seem alive, search and grab hold of anything in their surroundings.  I love to cover fences in them too, a wall of life!  The clematis in the photo also has a dual purpose, other than looking glorious, of keeping the living room cool, only letting in dappled sunshine.  I do love it so!
I had to bake something of course this week, have been promising myself Peanut Butter Fudge care of Sophie Dahl but got sidetracked by yet another yearning for lemons.  I was sensible and practical in making two so some could be frozen.  Not greed you understand!



I'm quite sure if I looked close enough at the citrus juicer I'd see myself akin to a mangled reflection in a fairground Hall of Mirrors.
And finally.....my poor baby Hamish AKA Beau-Beau has a sore eye and of course there is no photo of that but I felt I needed to hear a collective "aw!!" for him.  So whenever you are ready.........thanking you!

X

Friday 21 May 2010

Taking the time!

Yesterday I finally decided it was time I gave a Granny Square a go!   
My knitting mojo has gone on a wee holiday and the time was ripe for a new challenge, not to mention the fact I want blankets for camping so the elusive square was calling me.  Also we are all accosted by such beautiful images in blogland it is hard to resist and I was resisting.  Thought I would stick with knitting and all the possibilities therein, not understanding crochet had the same potential for creativityI can crochet a little already and learned many many moons ago from my mum who passed down all she knew (which wasn't much compared to what she taught me about knitting) but all I have done in my crocheting life is rounds and rounds of stitches until the blanket reached the required size and only a few blankets at that.  Here are two I'm working on at the minute for my Biscuits' beds...



The centre of this one was found at the Christmas Fayre at my Biscuits' school but was way too small, I've been working on it for yonks but it's almost finished now.  I do love how they look, especially the top one.
Pretty basic stuff or so I thought until yesterday when I realized I already knew how to do a Slip Knot, Chain and I finally discovered the name of the stitch I can do, a TrebleJust to discover the name of a stitch I've been doing for years was a revelation.  My first port of call was at Meet me at Mikes as I have the book and realized quite quickly I do NOT learn at all easily from words and drawings so I was in need of live action.  The lessons are amazing and for someone like me who needs to see something over and over again the clips made it so easy.  The internet, in many ways, is like having that mum, aunt or gran when it comes to leaning new skills.  I was amazed at how quickly a square comes together and in particular the instant gratification on completion of one square.  I can see now why in some blog photos you see piles them.  So here it is, drum roll if you please because I'm chuffed I finally made the time to learn, my first (and definitely not my last) Granny Square...


and then I made two more just for a practice...


The tension is not quite right as I am used to working with larger pieces of crochet so found holding the square a little fiddly and I did the learner amount of chains so the gaps are bigger than I'd like too but I am very pleased with how they came out.  I have plans now to use up some of my acrylic wool stash on adding squares to that colourful blanket in the first photo, as I don't mind crocheting with it but hate knitting with it and it's cheap but I'm sure I'll move on to cotton soon enough.  I'm wondering how long it'll be before I'm tackling a pattern and I've heard wonderful things about Lucy's tutorials at Attic24......aah the possibilitiesI didn't think I'd ever say that about crocheting.


I'm off to make some more!

X

Wednesday 19 May 2010

The gate clatters....

...and the letterbox opens followed by the loudest rattle of post falling on to the hall floor.  "Oh, Oh Goodness!!"  "Is that my buttons?"  Out of the chair she leaps forgetting it's a whirly one and nearly falls face first onto the floor.  There, there on the floor is a package with her name on it.  A squish and a shake later and it's definitely buttons, definitely those prize winning[s] buttons.



So she willfully rips carefully unwraps the paper to reveal a bounty of beautiful buttons falling out of their packet upon which she shows relief at not having to rip tentatively open and risk spilling the contents all over the floor.  Aah the joy!  The heart skipping delight!  The swell of happiness in her bosom!

Indeed a bounty of beautiful buttons!


She sighed again and again!! 
Once her heart had settled and her brain began to remember the world external to button love, she noticed the rest of her post.  
"A magazine?  Ooh a magazine!  Can't be Country Living........could be Good Food......and PANTS!   I hope it's not Hubby's boring car one, Classic Ford."   
"Wait a minute...wait one minute!", the cogs slowly begin to move, "Jamie? Jamie???"  


"Ooh..OOOOOH!"  A small memory starts to stir, getting bigger and bigger.  "OMG!  Didn't my lovely mother-in-law say on my birthday she was arranging a subscription for me?  She did, aah She did!  


"Yiiiiiippppppeeeeee!!!!!!"

A hop, a skip, a jump and a twirl later she smiles the biggest smile a lady can manage when she nearly killed herself hopping and skipping and jumping and twirling.  "That'll do pig!!" 

And that is the story of a happy Ali who cares not a jot she gave up yesterday's sunshine to clean, a sacrifice all the more considerable as today the sky is the colour of grey old pants, for she has buttons and a magazine.

X

thank you lovely Jade xx

Tuesday 18 May 2010

Why oh why...........

....am I having to drag myself upstairs on the mind-boggling quest of cleaning toothpaste off of mirrors, wall and tiles?  Not to mention dealing with a toilet used by three menfolk.  When all I want to do is grab my knitting/sewing/magazine and or book and join this gorgeous man cat.....


....out in the garden even if it is deceptively chilly out there.  Pants and poo I say!  

Pants and poo!

I admit though, I am doing a good job of putting it off...

X

Monday 17 May 2010

Luck of the devil!

I can hardy breathe with excitement.  Can hardly contain myself and am a little wary that some wee may escape as yesterday I won the most amazing giveaway prize.   
Wait for it..........

six
hundred
and 
ninety
three

::BUTTONS::

It's a bit much to take in.  I took part in a 'guess how many buttons are in the jar' game at LilyWhites hosted by the lovely Jade and I was the closest with my sign of the devil guess of 666.  Hubby reckons I need to buy a lottery ticket as I had already won a runner up prize in Thimbles&Crumbles giveaway earlier in the week ( which was just fabby already!).  It's amazing how winning something really perks you up and buttons, buttons  

B.U.T.T.O.N.S.  

I can colour co-ordinate jars - ooh my goodness!!   
I'll have to reorganize my wee desk for them - ooh the fun!!  
I know you get it fellow button lovers.  
 Isn't is the bestest prize ever??

Thank you Sarah and Jade for my prizes and in particular to Jade for sharing the button love!!

X

Friday 14 May 2010

For the love of spots and felt!


Look
   Look   
Looksee...

...what came today from the lovely Sarah at...

(click on image to take you to temptation)

 Oh the possibilities with such spottiness......

I was lucky enough to snatch this up before it was all gone but I believe it's available from Hobbycraft if you need to have some like I needed to.   

Essential for Ladies Who Craft 
You agree?  
I know you do!!

X

Monday 10 May 2010

Adding to an already long list.


That's me!  Always adding things on to that already huge list of projects I want to make.  I have been knitting lots for my friend's new baby, hats, Tiny Shoes and cardigans, not due to be with us until June but decided to come four weeks early.  She is well, over five pounds (just) so no need for special care (sighing with relief) but we all got a bit of a shock especially her mum and dad.  She's teeny tiny and adorable, as you can imagine.  So I have had a lovely excuse to knit with pink, sew on cute baby girl buttons and order lots of gorgeous Tilda Rose fat quarters to make a patchwork cot blanket.  If that is not enough to be getting on with along with felt cupcake pin cushions and bunting for the garden parasol......I have been tempted by this.........

....pictured at the UK handmade blog, tempting me to go have a looksee at fluffandfuzz at Folksy where I just had to have this pattern for a Cavendish CatLook at it!!!.....

I am 'purring' with delight.  Isn't it cute?  The shop also has patterns for a bunny, a squirrel (as pictured above), a badger, a hedgehog, an owl, a penguin, a mouse and a basket of fruit and veg.  All the animals come with ickle bags or baskets and accessories.  Gorgeous!!  
More wool to order oh and how I love to receive new wool in the post all wrapped up in tissue and full of possibilities.
That is why we add to our project lists.  For those little special moments like wool arriving in the post.
Have a great rest of the day and have fun with that list!

X

Thursday 6 May 2010

Busy B's!

Baking
Biscuits
Buttercream
Birthdays
Billabong the Mad
Balloons
Bowling
Bikes
Bewildering knitting patterns
Buttons
Booties
Boohoos over broken Swallow needles
Babies being born early
Bewitching by beautiful baby
 Bogged down by bountiful, busy life!

 So much to talk about, so much has been happening but don't you find, some days, shocking to those who know me, you have nothing to say?

X

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