My October ... ! x

 

Many memories made and shared ... x

Blogtoberfest ... the end ... ! x

Hello ... Samhain Blessings or Happy Halloween!!

 

I recieved my package for the Samhain Package swap and have opened it today and oh what delights I found inside.

 

A lovely selection of candles which will come in very handy for the festivals during the year, a hag stone to add to my collection two absolutely beautiful handmade bracelets one of which I am wearing as I type. Oh and the yummy chocolates too (or should I say the eyeballs and pumpkins... !!

 

 

I have heard from the recipient of the package I sent and she loves it which I am happy about, the witch has found a wonderful new home where she will be treasured and loved!

 

This evening for my samhain celebrations I have burnt a candle to say goodbye to the old year and to remember those that have passed.

 

 

It was wonderful to have just the candle light and no other distractions to think about what has been and what will be in the year ahead.

 

To remember with much affection those that have passed that although are no longer on this earth are very much alive in my heart.

 

The picture above is of my paternal Granddad while he was in the army during the second world war, he knew me only for the first year of my life but I am so glad we met.

 

In a little while I will burn a white candle to bring in the new, to look forward to the dreams I have coming true.

 

As I say goodbye to October may I thank you for joining me on my journey, and however you have celebrated Halloween may it have been full of love and laughter!

 

See you all in November.

 

xxx



Blogtoberfest Day 30 ... Wow ... its almost over!

Hello to all on Halloweens eve!!

 

I can't believe the month of blogtoberfest is almost at an end ... where did it go .. and what a months its been! I am so proud I virtually, nearly, shared every day of October with you.

 

My adventures on early morning walks, outings and of course my crochet creations too (a lot of which are wips!!). Its been immense fun and it has certainly made me look at things I see day to day differently.

 

It has also made me plan my blogs ... what shall I tell you about, and what shan't I ... ! I have truly enjoyed this blogging experience, and while I probably won't be posting after tomorrow every day I know I will be here on a regular basis letting you all know what I have been upto!

 

Part of the experience has been keeping up with other blogs to and being taken a little into their worlds to ... laughing and crying along with them from their experiences during the month.

 

Tomorrow will bring the Halloween celebrations which I am looking forward too!!

 

So tuck up warm and sung at home and bring out the crochet for a cozy night in!

 

xxx



Blogtoberfest Day 29 ... A trip to Bath! x

Hello I hope your Monday has gone well!

 

Yesterday was a trip to Bath with the girls, a wonderful relaxing shopping trip to the beautiful city. And as I wasn't driving I took advantage and had a little crochet time.

I find these days that although I can no longer read in the car I can crochet ... whoop whoop!

 

So on the journey to Bath I made a little bunny ...

 

 

From the above picture you can get an idea of how small they are ... its still to be stuffed and have its tail sewn on though!

 

And for some reason I am now inspired to create a few little bunnies in pink for the Bunnies from Hell Morris Side ... yes really!!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUWwYRsowBE

 

Unfortunately we arrived in Bath in time for Lunch ... !!

The venue for Lunch was Yo Sushi ... which was a little scary for me as I don't really like fish, but the menu was a sheer delight of veggie and meat choices so I definitely didn't starve!

 

Phew!

 

The conveyor belt!

My nice little (ahem!) stack of empty dishes!

And of course it would have been rude not to have pudding!!

 

And then it was out into Bath we ventured ... now I can play the fiddle a little, but to play and balance on this tightrope would for me be a sheer impossibility!!

The famous Pump Rooms ...

A little bit of the Abbey ...

In between admiring the sights was a little bit of shopping I can assure you ... and so we had to rest for a little while over a hot chocolate in a lovely little coffee shop with a wonderful view.

 

Through the window by our table

The panoramic view ...

And of course while nattering away in the coffee shop I did manage to sneak in a little crochet time too!!

 

 

I think I moved just at the wrong time ... or I really was crocheting that quick!!

 

I hope you are all carving pumpkins this evening!!

 

Have a lovely evening.

 

bye bye!!

 

xxx

 



Blogtoberfest Day 28 ... giveaway winner!! x

This evening I have done the draw to find the winner of my little giveaway ...

 

 

 

And the winner, selected at random, is ...

 

 

Congratulations Lucy!!

 

Could you let me have your address for me to send onto you the little box of goodies

 

xxx



Blogtoberfest Day 27 ... catching up with life! x

Today for me has been about catching up with life.

Its been about giving myself time to breathe and catch up with a few jobs, its been about me controlling the day rather than the day controlling me.

 

And I feel so much better for it!

 

The day started with a run, we set off together but I am still on my walk run, so after my first 2.30 minutes running I saw him disappear into the distance as I slowed to my 1.30 minute walk and to my own little world.

 

I ran in total for 15 minutes .. I'm so proud of me.

 

After a well deserved breakfast and a sit down the gardening began calling. My garden was in desperate need of a good tidy up ready for winter so a lot of cutting back, and digging up weeds began.

 

It is amazing how when you start the work how soon the piles of garden rubbish begins to build on the lawn.

 

So once we finished ... it meant two trips to the tip!

 

It was then called for a well deserved lunch, and a little mooch about town ... heaven!

 

The afternoon and this evening have been more lazy, and I have caught up with crochet.

 

The samples I promised myself I would do are complete and ready for submission.

 

Firstly my completed square of quadruple trebles ...

 

 

The sides seem straighter this time ... so fingers crossed.

 

And then a triangle of trebles worked to a point ...

 

 

I am really pleased with this sample ... the edges are so much straighter!

 

And then for fun I made the coasters that came with this months Mollie Makes ...

 

 

I need to sew the ends in ... they are lovely!!

 

I hope your day has been productive too, and that you have rewarded you for your hard work too!

And if you have been a little lazy I am sure it was more than well deserved ... after what are weekends for!

 

bye bye

 

xxx

 



Blogtoberfest Day 26 ... and its the weekend! x

Hello all ... as we welcome in the weekend ... at last!!

 

Never has a weekend felt so welcome as the one that is now here, and this weekend is going to be full of nothing more than relaxing and chilled out times, catching up with life, those nearest and dearest and friends.

 

And of course a 'little' bit of crochet!!

 

And so may I introduce you to this months delights ...

 

 

I feel myself relax into the weekend as I open these magazines ... and the list of projects increase ... if only the time to do them increased to!!

 

From them I have a few ideas for Christmas presents ... and I think a little bit of cross stitch may be in order to without giving too much away of course!

 

Oh and have you seen the free yarn and patterns for the coasters on Mollie Makes ... YES these will be made at some point over the weekend!!

 

At lunchtime today I began the samples I promised I would send on Monday to Crochet Design.

 

 

But first I had to unravel a knot in the wool ... grrrr ... but I did manage to do two rows of the Quadruple Treble.



 

See ... I even took my newly organised course folder with me to work ... dedication ... oh but note the corner of a previous issue of Inside Crochet which also means I was looking at wool at lunchtime too.

 

Yes, I was thinking of purchasing ... only thinking but I am so close to buying!!

 

Which means another project ... oh my!!

 

So what have you got planned for the weekend?

 

Does your crochet travel wherever you go?

 

What are you crocheting, knitting or sewing this weekend?

 

See you tomorrow!!

 

xxx

 



Blogtoberfest Day 25 ... blog hop!! x

Hello

If you'd like to discover a new blog ... pop over to Tilly's Nest and say hello ... and join in with the 'Down Home Blog Hop!!



xxx

Blogtoberfest Day 24 ... the diploma!

The reason I started this blog was to record my progress on the International Diploma in Crochet and I fear I have neglected it.

So last night I began to start organising myself, I have put all my course paperwork into a folder.

 And included all the newsletters I have received

 Along with the responses I have received on my submissions so far. Pauline does suggest ‘taking your diary out right now and make an entry in large letters every month:

“Post work to Crochet Design for assessment”

So to my file I have added a calendar for the rest of 2012 and the whole of 2013 and I will write in it every month those words!!

 

I have plans for what I would like to do when I achieve the first part of this course, as well as moving onto part two.

So by achieving part one I will feel full of confidence to move those plans forward.

So once a month at least I should be blogging about what I have achieved, this is important and now I will be dedicating the time to it that the course deserves!!

May I also thank himself for all the support and inspiration he is giving me in my plans and the course.

xxx

Blogtoberfest Day 23 ... and a package swap x

To celebrate Halloween I am taking part in a little package swap, and I think I am almost there in putting together my package to send off ready for the 31st.

 

 

within my little parcel there are;

 

black, white and orange candles

They are new candles for the new year

The black candle represents the Lord and the old year, you burn this first to release the old. The white candle represents the Lady and the new year, you burn this to welcome in the new.

 

Sandalwood incense cones

Sandalwood is one of the incenses of Samhain and helps to bring sight.

 

Obsidian, carnelian stones

 

Pumpkin Candle and Pumpkin Smarties

Pumpkins are one of the many foods of the festival, the ancients held these as sacred to the dead

 

Little Witch and Little Black Cat

both for fun and to represent the trick-or-treating and the feasting and partying to defy the coming darkness

 

And a little packet of Rosie Tea from my favourite Herb Lady.

 

Hopefully there will be a

 

Besom Broom

To sweep out the old year and any negativity it had

 

And I will include with the parcel for suitable decorations representing the festivals

 

A few acorns, pine cones and leaves.

 

A truly Samhain Package that will be well recieved by SirenMoonBee (I hope!!)

 

Blessings

 

xxx

 

PS I know at the moment she probably doesn't read this so I am safe in letting you into the secret!!



Blogtoberfest Day 22 ... cold days and crochet ... ! x

Brrrrrrrr ... I'm cold!!

 

Thats it moan over ... as winter comes ever closer ... at least I can just pull on those layers of jumpers to get warm ... !!

 

The sun did come out for a moment yesterday and while I was busying myself with chores the cats found the prime spot on the sofa!

 

 

So for my afternoon of crochet ... and me being the saft cat owner I am ... sat on the floor!!

 

 

In the picture I am trying to create a pumpkin pin cushion ... which didn't go well ... ! I was following a pattern, but I think I am going to create my own version instead!

 

While sat on the floor, and with the pumpkin not going so well I found myself distracted by the shadows created in the room by the sun.

 

 

I don't know whether it was a moment you had to be there to appreciate it fully, but I loved these shadows ... the one above is quite artistic I thought!!

 

Oh the things that go on in my little mind!!

 

I came back to 'reality' and began to crochet a teeny tiny cat from Teeny Tiny Crochet by Catherine Hirst to go with my Little Witch ...

 

 

CUTE!!!

 

All the time I spent crocheting yesterday there were delicious and tempting smells coming from the kitchen ...

 

Yesterdays Sunday Roast was suitably wintery ... and delicious ... lamb shanks slowed cooked for four hours, and I did wonder whether I would last till dinner time ... the smells were just delicious!

 

And I have to say it was as scrummy eat ... mmmmmmmmmm!!

 

Yesterday I showed you views of my wonderful little town ... this was a picture I drew from those views a couple of years ago.

 

 

The afternoon continued on the crochet theme with progress being made on the Grace Shrug.

 

 

The cats did finally make room on the sofa for me ... !!

 

The shrug has travelled with me to work today ... where it has grown a little more ...

 

 

I find crochet helps me escape for half an hour at lunchtime ... it gives me a little me time.

 

Sigh ... !!

 

Oh reminder to self put stitch marker into bag for tomorrow ... so you don't have to use a stray paperclip instead!!

 

Off to pack my bag for work tomorrow.

 

xxx

 



Blogtoberfest Day 21 ... Sunday, Sunday ... x

My Sunday so far is proving to be very relaxing ... and I am loving every minute. So far today I have been on a hour and a half walk, cleaned my house in two hours, treated myself to a lovely bunch of flowers and a delicious lunch ... and have just finished preparing tonights dinner.

So my day began early with a walk around where I live, it was very foggy still, but the morning felt very autumnal, as I walked you could hear the dew dripping from the trees and the birds starting to wake.

The dew was beautiful on the cobwebs in the Hedgerows ...

And on the barn ...

The fog was so thick ... there were no views to be seen ...

and my favourite oak tree just looked like a ghost ...

and the signs of autumn were all around ...

As I cam into town during my walk one of my favourite view cam into sight through the fog ...

I love this view, the old higgledy piggledy roofs and the church ...

I half expect the chimney sweep from Mary Poppins to come dancing over the roofs!

As the shops in town were not yet open I had to do a little bit of window shopping ...

Mmmmm cakes ...

And in another shop these pumpkins caught my eye ... mine aren't going to half as good as these!!

I strolled past the river ...

More autumnal treasures ...

Once home it was time for housework ... booooooo!!!

BUT ... today I took some tips from Claire at Thriftwood

So I set my timer for 2 hours ... and off I went following Claire's tips ... and thr results were amazing!!

Usually I am thinking that I will only do a little bit ... but the whole house from top to bottom is clean ... not spring clean clean ... but not the less CLEAN!!!

Beds are changed, cushions are plumped, carpets are hoovered, washing is drying, and I am one happy girl.

I even managed to take a bag of bits and bobs to the charity shop!!

Which while in town I discovered this book drop book ...

So once home ... and ensuring I followed Claire's tips to the letter I sat down with a cup of tea, a delicious sandwich admiring the fresh bunch of flowers I had just treated myself to as a little reward!

And I had also popped into the slow cooker lamb shanks for me and him to enjoy (hopefully, fingers crossed!!) for our tea later ...

And now begins my afternoon of crochet ... which I will share with you tomorrow!!

bye bye

xxx