Crochet catch up

So I have been a busy hooker lately, much has been created, most things have been photographed. Want to see?

Beanie for our favourite teacher

Robyn Chachula cardi for Miss T. I did age 2-3 and got the gauge right, but I think she'll be wearing it when she's seven- it's enormous! She really likes it anyhow.

Beanie for my Niece-who-has-no-plan. I simply did not have enough time to make a cardi, so a pink hat like Mouse's was a quick solution.

A cardi for my other niece, Tink.  A remake-in-a-bigger-size of one I made for her last year. A Sue Whiting pattern. It hooks up beautifully, but I chose a yarn so dark that I could only do it if I sat in the bay window at midday. It took a while!

Earflap hat for Papa in merino wool. He and Toot are in the arctic currently, so I thought this would be useful. From Crochet Today.

I also made another two jumpers, which I then forgot to photograph (I was in a bit of a flap by then), and another hat. Then there were all the other makes that did not involve a hook:

Mouse ripped her new gloves after about a week, so I made her a pair of mittens from an old Ikea blanket...

and she decorated them with fabric paint. Aren't they beautiful?

A towel for my Dad with an embroidered trim designed by FHB and Mouse. In the foreground are a pile of bookmarks made from the brim of the sombrero that saved W's life when he was a kid. (The brim stopped him falling down an open manhole in Spain!)

Amongst all the other stuff I realised that our cushions were quite repellent indeed, so I made a set of new covers from the bottom of some curtains, an offcut of corduroy jumper, an thrifted pillow case and table runner and a scarf.

A selection of stuff from Papa's stocking, including two etched whisky glasses (designed by FHB and Mouse), and a Fimo sign for Papa's painting shed, made from old fimo he and Toot found when they cleared out their study.

I had a load of fun making things this year, I just wish I had photographed more of it!

And now here we are, standing right on the edge of another year. I have a list of things whizzing around my head already that I want to make, places to visit, things to do, goals to achieve, jobs to be done, books to be read...
My children are growing up, slowly but steadily, and time seems to going faster and faster. I am looking forward to making the most of 2011 with them.

Hope you have a happy year ahead of you. x

Unexpected Sunday

Today we were supposed to be visiting Papa and Toot (Happy Birthday Papa!) but due to The Weather we stayed put. So here we are with an Unexpected Sunday to fill as we wish.

We began with breakfast, as you do. Miss T began with Marmite and hazlenut chocolate spread on (the same bit of) toast. A wrongness of the highest order, but she seemed pleased:

Then we went to buy the cat a new bed due to a Certain Someone ('It was me: Custard!') destroying the last one. A new popcorn maker followed to replace the one we melted with over use.

Then on to Waitrose. Where we bought yummy Sunday roast stuff and got back to the car to find the battery was completely and utterly flat. Dead. Last time this happened was in the Ikea car park, a bit too far from home to call for help, but this time a dear and lovely old friend of ours came, via Halfords for spark plugs, and jumped started us. The wait gave W and I just enough time to polish off a whole tray of Parisienne macaroons. Very nice.

After a prolonged sojourn to the shops we got home rather later than planned. Roast for tea then. So W knocks up a (delicious) blue cheese, parma ham, black olive and sun dried tomato tart for us, while the kids had crumpets. Because what they need is more refined carbs, obviously.

Custard: What. Is. That?

W: It's a tart.

Custard: Bleurgh.

FHB: I know what tart is. It is black and it melts and gets on your shoes and you get told off for getting it on the carpet because it sticks to everything.

Mouse: No, Tart is from the the jungle. Tartzan. He swings in the trees like a monkey. But he is a man.

W and I: Snigger...

Anyway, here is what the rest of the day holds for me:

Die cutting alphabets with my lovely sister-in-law's Sizzix...

A bit of brewing...

Crochet crochet crochet...

A little easy peasy embroidery for Christmas...

A bit of this, maybe with a film...

Definately some of these. The hazlenut Baileys is filling in a gap for me until I can get my hands on some Marks and Sparks Gingerbread irish cream. It keeps selling out locally. I HAVE to try it!

But...(insert your own horror film music here)...LOOK at what else I have got to tackle this afternoon!!!!!!!!!

Aaaargh! I have had to put it on our bed so that I have no choice but to put it all away today. I think the kids might actually have run out of clothes!

Well, best crack on with it I suppose. Sooner it is done the sooner I get a large Baileys infront of the fire!

Hope you are having a wonderful warm Sunday x

What to make?

It is Saturday. I have been at work all morning thinking about all the things I want, and indeed need, to make this afternoon and in these far too few days before Christmas. I get home to find that One Of My Children has lost the keys to the craft cupboard (again). Last time this happened I had to buy a new cupboard from Ikea, just to get a new key. This was three weeks ago. I am upset. I do not need another cupboard.

Anyway, irritated though I am, (and I shouted so much that my voice has gone croaky- I'm so proud), My bears do make me laugh. FHB (dressed as a doctor) has spent the last half hour merrily chasing Miss T around, sliding on the rug and squashing her. She seems to be thoroughly enjoying the experience and much squealing has ensued. Custard is wearing a leather trimmed black beret and looks like an 80's militant activist- a very small one who looks a bit as if he needs a cuddle from his mum.

Mouse is looking forward to getting out her sewing machine for some Cwistmas Cwafting...but can't because we have lost the key. I am sitting here trying to work out what we can make with last years Christmas cards, that does not involve me having to clear up Glitter. I don't feel up to Glitter this afternoon!

I think I may just sit and catch up with my Jumpers for Small People. And have a nice slice of cake.

x

An Account of the day

Well hello. Photo free again I'm afraid, so I made a list instead. I do love a list:

1 grey drizzly day
4 tired bears
2 pairs of mysteriously wet pyjama trousers found on the washing pile
1 irritated husband
5 loads of washing done
7 radiators heaving with drying
45 minutes in the swimming pool with
1 much put out toddler
2 fountains
1 bubbly mini jacuzzi
1 teeny tiny slide
1 really pleased Me
1 bout of hysterics at Miss T: 'ME! WET! COLD! ME. GET. OUT!' (repeatedly).
2 hot chocolates
2 old ladies, very kind about being sprayed with the crumbs of
1 almond croissant
1 unfortunate toilet incident resulting in the loss of
1 pair of Buzz Lightyear pants and
1 very upset small boy
1 hot shower
2 croissants
3 yoghurts
3 bananas
2 clementines
1 tin of red soup
4 jaffa cakes
3 school pick ups
1 egg shaped bonk on the head
3 more bananas
4 pears
2 ginger snaps
7 chocolate jazzies
2 kinder mini bars
1 fortuitously discovered Fox's crunch cream
1 hour blissfully spent browsing blogland with
1 enormous cup of coffee
1 packet of spaghetti
2 lots of homework done
4 lists (!) made
4 jumpers added to row by very slow row, for the smallest of my relatives
1 new bit of cwistmas cwafting begun, with a little help from my Mouse
1 bear in bed before 6pm, very tired and tragic
3 bears watching
4 penguins on telly
1 exhausted me with at least
11 things whizzing around in my head that I must do tonight
0 chance of actually doing any of them.

x

New Toy!

Look what I found in The Works:

Goodness me but I have had FUN with this! It is quite possible I am going to engrave EVERYTHING in my house!

FHB had a go too- Cwistmas Cwafting has officially begun!

x