A Giraffe and This or That

I've barely touched my laptop recently, the weather has been so beautiful that I've wanted to soak up as much sunshine as possible. I'm to be found either in the garden or in an evening, in the conservatory with the doors flung wide open, rain or shine.

The garden is a riot of colour, I get so much pleasure from just looking at it. It's our first year growing Sweet Peas, and they're scrambling up the fence, such a pretty mosaic of colours, and they smell divine.

We shall definitely be growing more next year, perhaps all along the fence, it'll be beautiful!

I've kept my hook busy too, it's been so nice to have some time to sit and crochet outside. I've whipped up a giraffe, if I make another one I'll make the neck a bit longer I think. He he is sitting among the flowers

A cosy up with my Blythe beauties

And another one by himself, stretching his legs in the sun.

I've also managed to finish my shawl for wearing in the garden in an evening. It's been so useful to have something light to throw round my shoulders when we sit outside in an evening

I used the new Stylecraft doubleknit colours. It's a simple Granny Stripe triangle, clusters of 3 trebles except at the beginning and end of each row, which is 4 trebles.

Such a simple item and it makes me happy and keeps me warm.

As it's swinging between brilliant sunshine and torrential downpours, I think I'll stay inside now and catch up on some blog reading.

Take care
xxx

My New House

How exciting is that!

It's a small cottage with a kitchen, a sitting room and a bedroom in the attic. Come and have a look around with me.

I love these bells

It even comes with it's own wine supply

Perhaps I should show you from the outside

I had a dolls house when I was a little girl, and Imogen has a lovely one that has migrated downstairs into our dining room. I didn't intend to buy this one, but it was so so cheap that it seemed wrong not to! I've never done up a dolls house, but I can feel my crafty senses tingling.

There's even a broom above the door

I'd like to make it into an old fashioned cottage. It already has a couple of gorgeous bits and pieces in it, my favourite being the bird cage.

The letter rack on the wall.... loving it...

Loving the fireplace too.

I think it's a project I'll save for next year, I really don't think I can justify spending the time on it this side of Christmas and it gives me time to think about what I can do... where to start... and it looks very nice in the conservatory.

I'm quite excited about it, I certainly wouldn't have gone out to buy a dolls house, so I think I'm also very lucky.

Please share any dolls house ideas or experience you have and I'd love to see photos of anyone else's house.

Take care
xxx

Spring Tulips

As we were meandering through the local supermarket, I spotted a bucket with flowers that were on sale. I haven't been lucky enough to find one of these at our usual supermarket before, so feeling well chuffed I treated myself to a couple of bunches of Tulips... they were only 69p each! It's just like having Spring in the living room :)

I've picked up the knitting needles again (haven't done any knitting for a while since I learnt how to crochet) and started on a little cardigan for my Tangkou dolls. I picked the wool up in a charity shop for 10p, it has a silky feel to it. 

A couple of posts ago I showed you some Swallows and said I'd show another picture of them up in the conservatory. Andrew put them up this afternoon :)

Take care

xxx

Struggling Back

Hello and I hope everyone has had a marvelous Christmas. Thank you for all the good wishes, it's very appreciated.

I've been poorly since the end of November, with a few days off, getting pretty fed up with it now. I think I must be quite run down to go straight from one illness to the next, but hopefully I'll start picking up soon :) I've started wandering around blogland again, seeing wonderful creations and catching up on people's news.

I finished my throw for the conservatory, and it now sits happily over the back of the sofa in there, handy to pull over your knees when it's feeling a bit chilly!

You can't really tell from the above picture, but it is quite big, so it's nice and snugly and the colours are just right for this lovely sofa that we found in a local charity shop.

After using double crochet to join all the squares together, I made some pretty flowers.

 Then a border so I could include some of the pink from the flowers, and a pretty decorative border just to finish off.

 Time to find something new!

Take care
xxx

Sewing in the Ends

Phew... why do I always do this? I have spent the last couple of evenings and this morning sewing and weaving in all the loose hanging pieces of yarn from the throw for the back of Andy's chair.

There were 8 big squares, made up of 9 small Granny Squares each. Each small square was either green, cream then green again, or the opposite, cream, green and cream again. So each small square had 6 threads, there were (72 small squares) meaning each large one had 54 threads to be threaded... so 8 larger squares meant there where 432 ends.. arghhhhh...  It did look very overwhelming for quite a while and I had a few piles like this.

Luckily nothing goes to waste and all the ends are stored in my 'ends' jar ready for when it's full and I can use it to make some gorgeous fabric.

My poor thumb was feeling quite sore, but it was worth it and just what Andy wanted - I love my husband :)

Take care
xxx

Nearly Finished and Finished

Hello, it's been a week since I wrote anything, perhaps because not much is happening here except for soaking up the end of the summer holidays - last week next week... unfortunately :(

The conservatory is in it's end stages, though it's bank holiday on Monday so not much will happen this weekend... sigh, had hoped it would be finished by today, but should only be Tuesday until it's completed.

I finished Imogen's throw, sewed in the pesky ends (my least favourite part) and she snuggled up under it while having a nap. Bit of a lopsided picture I'm afraid!

I have to mention this because I was so surprised. We were in one of the supermarkets earlier on and as we left Imogen ran up to ... are you ready for this... a grotto for Father Christmas... it's August! Don't get me wrong, I understand preparations, gifts and cards being made, but not Father Christmas in the shops yet surely! Where's the anticipation... goodness me... OK, I've finished but would be interested to hear what others think about it... :)

Take care
xxx

An Escape to the Beach

We now have french windows in the dining room ready to lead out into the conservatory, woo hoo, it's been so nice in the evening to have them open and feel the nice cool draft coming through.. love it... wish we'd done it before.

The footings have been dug

It was all fun and games getting 4 small dogs from the house into the garden. Andy blocked up the side where the fence has been taken down and placed a couple of boards over the concrete to protect their little feet, of course it goes without saying that when dry the cement was covered in lots of little doggie prints (I'm sure I saw them signing their names).

Anyway, the house is a mess, there's brick dust everywhere and I thought we could do with some family time away from it all (otherwise more jobs end up being done) and enjoy the sunshine. We bundled Imogen into the car and off we went to Hornsea. It wasn't too busy so we found a spot to enjoy some glorious fresh sea air.

Andy dug out the beach wind tent and put it up so I could sit and do some crochet while Imogen built sandcastles and paddled in the sea.

Just above the prom where we were sitting was a small paddling pool for children, very handy for rinsing sandy feet too! Imogen had a small play before we went off to have fish and chips before coming home.

Quality time :)

Take care
xxx