WIP Wednesday #11

Oooh I have some WIPs to share but Blogger wont let me upload the photos without rotating them. HOW FRUSTRATING!

I've tried rotating the photos first to compensate but it still messes them around. then once they are uploaded I cant rotate them again.

Has anyone else had this problem? Its driving me insane!

So here is a wonky photo of my WIP

I had a little (honest!) trip to my local Yarn shop Rainbow silks in Great Missenden at the weekend and found some amazing yarn.

This stuff is Romano Chunky by King Cole. Its amazing. There are 3 different types of yarn in one ball. I'm not really sure what they are so I tried to photograph them but it hasnt worked too well.

I will try to post some better photos but the camera is dead.



I'm trying to make a cowl. I'm not following a pattern so who knows how it will go - I'll let you know. I knitted almost the whole ball up on Friday but then frogged the whole lot as it was too wide and therefore wasnt going to be long enough. Watch this space......

But I also picked up some slightly nicer DK to crochet my red stars with. Havent got very far as you can see but this last week of term is just CRAZY.

My dad wanted to see us on Friday evening but by then I think I'll be fit for nothing but lying on the sofa with a bottle of wine and a straw!

Baby blanket #3 is still coming along well....... I lie. It's done nothing since last week.

BUT, I've just heard that ANOTHER good friend of mine is pregnant and without thinking I promised her a baby blanket too. (What was I thinking!?!?!) If I think about all the friends I have of child bearing age it almost makes my knitting needles melt!


My beautiful God daughter is being Christened in March. She has a beautiful dress but her mum said she needs a cardigan. Guess what.... I offered to make one. No pressure then!?!?!?!

Oh well.

At some point I need to write my 3 4000 word essays and teach 30 hours of one to one specialist Dyslexia lessons. Christmas is going to be busy :( I dont make life easy for myself do I?


Hope you're all well and enjoying the other WIPs
xxx

Kirstie's homemade christmas

Evening all.
Have just got in from my Guide unit end of term party. Playing musical statues and other silly party games with a load of screaming 10 - 14 year old girls isnt as easy as it sounds. I'm exhausted.
I think they had fun.

Anyway, I heard about this on the news this morning:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2072551/Sally-Bercow-fires-Twitter-salvo-Kirstie-Allsopps-TV-tips-arts-crafts.html





I thought it was sad. Home made presents are lovely to receive and, although perhaps you can only give home made gifts to certain friends and relations, it's great making something for someone.

I didn't see Kirstie's Home made Christmas but why criticise people who are using their spare time productively.

Do you know what, I'm too exhausted to put my response into fully comprehensible sentences but suffice it to say that I thought it was more than a little ridiculous when I heard it this morning. Sad.

Will try to post a WIP on Wednesday but the last week before Christmas in a C of E school is more than a little busy.

WIP Wednesday #10

Hurrah I'm still here!
Trying to work more effectively and get more done in a shorter time. How long will that last??? I know, I'm mad for trying but if I want to fit in everything I want to do (knitting, my course, Guides, blogging) as well as the stuff I HAVE to do (housework, planning, marking, being a good wife) then I need to be more effective and productive in the time I have.

Setting myself up for a fall arent I?

Anyway, I have a few WIPs this week, but some are Xmas presents so can't really share them yet.

But have a look at this:

The baby blanket is coming along!!! No rush on it as the baby isnt due for a while but it's getting there!

And look at this:

I found the tutorial on this website and just had to have a go. The wool is cheap horrid stuff so am hoping to pick up some nicer stuff 2m and make a load and put them on a garland. How beautiful will that be?

It's only really my second venture into crocheting so if I could read the tutorial it must be a good one. I recommend it. Have a look!!!

Got to go, need to check what it is I'm teaching 2m.

Pop over to tamis for some other WIPs.

Have a good week
xxx

An Aladdins cave of loveliness.

About a year ago while searching the internet for nearby cake supplies shops I stumbled upon a shop in a nearby village that sells cake cases and icing gadgets. 

Later in the year when discussing the fabness that is cupcakes a friend of mine had mentioned the shop and said she'd done a cupcake decorating class there.

I didnt make it there until last summer when we were driving thro the village to a pub we like for lunch. It had intrigued me and I just fancied a nose.

Little did I know what awaited me. Words can't really express the lovely, mainly pink, amazingness that you find in this shop. I can't do it justice so have a look at their facebook page and the photos that have recently been put up. It's full of handcrafted, well everything really, jewellery, soap, bags, cakes and more. And locally produced veg. There's just so much to look at I dont ever know where to start. I just love it in there.

https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Stanleys-store-bovingdon/182599068475886

It's called Stanley's Store and it's in the village of Bovingdon. Well worth a visit.

The BEST bit has to be the fairy garden out the back.

Just amazing.

But on this chance visit in the summer I saw that they made cupcakes to order for parties.

And what was I planning last summer? A wedding. So I ordered 70 of the beauties there and then. We chose pink and cream icing with bright pink heart sprinkles and glitter (they looked much nicer than they sounded!)

Sorry the photo is rubbish. A friend has better ones. I'll post them when I get them.

This is my sister and me stuffing our faces like the ladies we are. They were YUMMY!

Sarah who owns the shop is just lovely. One of those people who will talk to anyone and make them feel at home. She greets everyone as they come in.

While I was there she commented on the button earrings and bracelet I was wearing and when I told her I made them, said she thought she'd be able to sell some in her shop.

So today, months later, I finally got up there with some of the bracelets and earrings I'd made. (I needed to leave the house, cabin fever was KILLING me!) I also took what was left of the scarves I had from last winter that mum and I had made and 2 of the traphilo bags. She's going to see if they sell.

So fingers crossed. I'll let you know how I get on.

(Those photos are quite good arent they, should try that more often)

Speaking of photos, mum took some of the blanket before she left it at my Grandpa's. Again they're phone photos so I apologise but you get the idea.

The beady eyed amongst you will notice that it is the same as Baby Blanket version 1 in this post but this time it's blue. It came from this pattern:

It makes a LOVELY blanket but it got more than a little boring after a while.

I've also been making a little Christmas pressie for my beautiful Goddaughter. But I'll post that another day.

That's the most active I've been all week and am absolutely exhausted now. :( Might have a lie down. Happy weekend everyone.

FO Friday

I'm SOOO annoyed.
I blocked the baby blanket then bundled it up for my mum to take to my Grandpa's house today so that my cousin can pick it up tomorrow and guess what....... I forgot to take any photos :(

So disappointed.

So you will just have to imagine it in all it's baby blue soft loveliness. :(

And the cardigan that I finished, well the pictures of that were just taken on my phone so they're a bit rubbish too. :(

But here they are:

The rubbish light doesnt really do justice to the colour.
And here's one of her wearing it. I chopped off her gorgeous little face because I havent checked with her mum and dad but you can see the cardigan. It only just fits so i'm kind of hoping it will stretch a little. You might remember that I was really disappointed with the wool so it's not huge loss if she doesnt wear it much. I'm just glad it's finished.

I'm quite pleased with it as its my first item of clothing. But I've learnt to buy the wool from a shop where I can feel it before I but it next time I make anything for a baby.

You can't see in this picture but the top and bottom buttons are red. Very M & S dont you think?? I reckon it's almost designer. ;)

So those are my FOs for the last few months. I wish my course work was an FO. :( I'm sure this specialist dyslexia course will be worth it in the end but it is SUCH hard work trying to get it done. The worst bit is definitely the guilt I get for not working on it when I'm doing something else- like knitting :(

Anyway, pop over to Tamis amis for more FOs and some creative loveliness.

Have a lovely weekend and I'll try to give you a WIP post next week on the new Baby blanket. Am really enjoying being back in the land of Blog (can you tell?)



Still ill. :(

I'm still off work, I dont seem to be feeling any better. Maybe it's all the day-time tv I'm watching or the lack of fresh air but my throat still hurts, my sinuses are still throbbing and, despite at least 12 hours sleep last night, I'm still tired. Eugh!

But I've been tucked up on the sofa with my laptop (my new best friend) catching up on blog world and it's cheered me up no end. There are such beautiful blogs out there with such bright and cheery photos. I really need to start making my photos clearer and brighter and not taking them with the items lying on the brown sofa :(

I've started a new project. It's a Christmas present and as the baby blanket isnt needed for a good few months yet (clearly, or it wouldnt have been a surprise!) I've put it on hold.
I wont post any photos incase the recipient is reading. but it shouldnt take too long.

Thank you all for brightening my sinussy life.

xxx

Here are some of my favourites:
http://littlecottonrabbits.typepad.co.uk/my_weblog/
http://doyoumindifiknit.typepad.com/do_you_mind_if_i_knit/
http://crochethealingandraymond.wordpress.com/
http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/
http://knitandseek.blogspot.com/
http://www.craftsfromthecwtch.co.uk/

Have a look at their lovely yarny colourfulness.

WIP Wednesday #9

I'm still here!!!

Life is still mentally busy but I'm off work this week with sinusitis so am lying on the sofa knitting and catching up on Glee!

AND..... I've finished the baby blanket and the cardigan.

I finished the cardigan a few weeks ago but havent managed to post about it yet and I finished the blanket yesterday. The baby is 4 weeks old now but hey... I'll post about them on Friday (mainly because I cant find the photos)

But here's my new WIP.

It's ANOTHER baby blanket. Good friends just told us they're expecting so I got carried away and started another baby blanket.

It's a pretty simple pattern (which means I can do it in front of the telly) and in oatmeal because they dont know what flavour the baby will be. But I like it.


Dont forget to have a look at all the other WIPs. I'm SO out of the Blog loop :( I really have so much to catch up on.