Crochet for me x

Hi my loves,

I can't believe I'm managing this post on a Sunday afternoon!!!
Sunday's are my busiest day of the week. It's the day I do my cleaning, Ironing, preparing for work/school, homework, gardening and anything else I can squeeze in. I've been pretty organised today and Charlie joined Gav and Daisy at Taekwondo, so I got my jobs done pretty quickly...Hoorah!

Well I began my shawl/stole and I'm really pleased with it....

This is the size after 4 balls of yarn, I have 6 left so it will be lovely and long.

The pattern is a four row repeat. This I'm pleased about as I get bored if I'm doing the same stitch over and over.

I'm chuffed at how neat and tidy it looks. I might use this pattern again for a hot water bottle cover.

Do you remember the book I showed you last week?.....

I said I share some of the gorgeous patterns in it, so here we go.
Well you know I'm going to make this next....
                                     
Absolutely gorgeous. I can''t wait to start this. I've priced up the yarn and it's going to cost me £70 if I use the Debbie Bliss!! I think I'll choose an alternative ;)

I love these also and think they will make a great prezzie....

I also like these....

This....

And This....

I wish I had more time to crochet. Life is very busy at the mo'. I've got so much I want to do including all of these patterns....

That sit in a bag in my Stig pile. Plus the millions of patterns I have saved on my computer, oh dear!!!

Oh and I've just remembered I have a baby blanket to make ;)

I'd better get on with the crochet then hadn't I ?

Good bye for now my loves and happy crochet x x x x x x x x x x x

P.s Cath Kidston is coming to Nottingham in August, can't wait. (Next to White Stuff and Hobbs), eeek x x

Hi Guys x x

Hi Guys,

After all of the rushing around I've been doing at work lately it finally caught up with me and I've spent the last few days suffering with shingles!! Not fair I know, I don't deserve it at all.

I'm starting to feel much better now, I'm taking my medication religiously, I just haven't time to be ill!!

Last week I managed to finish another Auntie Burrows ready for the Arnold Carnival.....

I was going to crochet a little dress for her but didn't have time, so I gave her a little scarf instead.

I was bitterly cold at Arnold. My stall was right opposite the door, freeezing. My shingles headache stayed away thank goodness.

Would you like to see a pic of my stall?...

It looks very busy. I like to have a good variety of things to suit everyone.
Let's have a few of close ups.....

I enjoyed the day. I met some lovely people who gave really nice comments about my stuff :)

The stress is over and I now feel I can sit and crochet something for me. I decided on this......

Beautiful shawl.
It's from a book I bought a while back, Simple crochet by Debbie Bliss....

Here's another pic of the shawl....

I thought it would be lovely for those cold evenings in France.
I've decided to use this yarn....

I love the colour. This yarn washes really well too.

It's Freedom sincere DK 100% organic.
I've started it already, I'll show a pic next week x

During the hols we went to visit our good friends Debbie and Leon. It was lovely to see them. Leon bakes the most amazing pies, sausage rolls and savoury tarts, with only the best ingredients of course and they are yummmmmy x We stayed for lunch it was delicious. For pudding we had Leon's carrot cake......heavenly. Debbie also surprised me with a new crochet book and I love it......

Beautiful Crochet for heads, hands and toes. The first project I'm going to make is this....

It's a wrap, scarfy thing. I'm going to take this project on holiday.
I'll show you some more gorgeous projects from this book next week x

Before I forget it's my blogiversary on Friday. Where has this last year gone!! Thank you to those of you who read each week, I really appreciate your support ;) And thank you to those of you that follow. I know I won't be able to pop by Friday so.......Happy Blogiversary to me.........

Night night for now my loves and happy crochet x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Finally x x

Hello my loves,

Finally : I've managed to get my washing dry!! The heating on in June I ask you !!

Finally: Geoff is complete and looking as handsome as ever....

Finally: I finished my gorgeous foot warming blanket....

Finally: I've sewn all of the buttons on the Mary Jane's and bootees....

Finally: The embroidery on the tea-cosy is finished....

Finally: The green cardi is complete....

Finally: The lovely Lupins have flowered....

Finally: The business card backs are all printed and stuck down....

Finally: The home-made wine is ready....

Yummy, Yummy, Yummy x x

Finally: The holiday is over. Boooooooooo!!

Finally: Time for bed x

Good night for now my loves and happy crochet x x x

P.S Don't forget it's the Arnold Carnival Saturday. I'd love to see you there x x

P.P.S It's nearly my blogiversary!!!!

Bank Holiday #2

Hello my loves.

 Sorry I've been a little erratic with the blog just lately!! I've been sooo busy with work and a little stressed to be honest, so I've not felt like it :(

This week is the fantastic Bank Holiday Jubilee weekend and half term so I can breath... and relax a little aaaaahhhhh :)

How utterly amazing was the Jubilee Pageant today. I thoroughly enjoyed watching it on the T.V. It brought a tear to my eye and made me realise  just how patriotic we all are. I really wish I'd hung a bit of bunting now !!

Although I've not been blogging I have been rather busy. I'm going to take us back a couple of weeks to when we had the sunny weather. I popped out to do a spot of gardening and realised I'd not bought the plants for the hanging baskets or pots!!!
So we all jumped into the car and headed off to my favourite garden centre, Tree Tops.
And this is what I bought.......

There doesn't look a lot there, but there were enough plants for 4 hanging baskets and 7 pots.

This is how they looked when I'd finished.....

This is one of the hanging baskets I bought from the Newark Garden Show, do you remember?

I also planted up.....

These two gorgeous pots, they were my Grandads before he passed away. Also this one.....

It will look so pretty once the flowers bloom.

I've also planted a few of these pots up. Can you see the strawberry plants I bought from Newark? They have tiny strawberries growing already.

Here's a closer look....

The veggie patch is doing really well....

We have potatoes growing in the bags and behind are onions, cabbages, squash, tomatoes and chives. It's amazing just what you can squeeze into such a small area!!

You will be pleased to know the Wisteria came back, hoorah....

Double hoorah, the Lupins haven't been eaten by slugs!!

Before I move onto the crochet I just wanted to share with you my two favourite flowers in the garden so far.

A beautiful perfectly formed Allium...

And  my Peony's.....

I just managed to take the pic before the flowers dropped.

Okay, onto the crochet.

To be honest I got a little fed up with crocheting and churning things out for craft fairs, so decided to make something for me or the house. But what!!!!!??! 

One chilly night Daisy sat snuggled on the sofa under the ripple blanket I made for her last Summer, Charlie wondered into the room and asked if I'd make a blanket for him. Well done Charlie, what a marvellous idea. So off I went to Anita's and came back with this....

Cheap and cheerful double knit in boy colours that washes incredibly well. I bought ten balls for just over £10, bargain :)
And here's how it looks so far...

Charlie is very pleased and so am I. There's no pressure though, I aim to have it completed for this years holiday to France (Can't wait eeekk, I'm so in need of a sunny holiday).

I started the blanket and it got me thinking about all of the other blankets I've completed. The first was this.....

I was so pleased with this achievement, I completed this two years ago just after I'd learnt how to crochet. At the time all I wanted to do was to be able to crochet a Granny square. I used  the yarn from the crochet mag that was popular at the time.

I still love this blanket and often find Gav snuggled under it x

My second blanket was Daisy's ripple.....

The marvellous Margaret at Crochet club taught me this neat ripple. It sits looking lovely at the bottom of Daisy's bed.

The third was.....

this fabulous Japanese Flower blanket. I used my favourite yarn. Riot.

It's so pretty, the original pattern was for a shawl and can be found on Ravelry.

This is going to be my fourth. Do you remember these?

They've sat in a bag for a while!! I ran out of yarn and I threw away the ball bands, Doh!! So wasn't sure what to do....Make a smaller blanket? Add in more colours? I went with this.....

I decided to stick with what I'd got which was 250 squares. I positioned them 25 squares across by 10 squares wide. It is going to be a pretty little runner to lay at the bottom of my bed to keep my feet toastie in the Winter. I've used a double crochet to attach them. I just need to go across the rows and add a fancy border in left over yarn then it's complete, woooo hooo :)

I've started going across and it takes an age. It will be worth it though. I'll share a pic next time.

I have a few more projects to finish before the Arnold Carnival on Saturday 16th June, which is two weeks away Aaaaarh!!!! I have yet to finish Geoff the Giraffe, the green baby cardi and more bootees. They will be done, but I'm not going to worry if they're not !! ;)

Do you know, it's good to be back. I have two weeks left before my contract at college ends for the Summer. I hope to pop in then and share more projects with you. And maybe gardening if the weather improves!!

Night night for now my loves and happy crochet x x x

P.s crochet club Wednesday...woooo hoooo. I hope to see ALL of my lovely pals there x x