Crochet Granny Square Arm Caps and Summer Garden Lovin

Hello to you.

Well I'm back again.

It's very exciting having a new toy to type on.

I've been busy sewing up simple bunting (will show another time) for the wedding and organising my collection of vintage table cloths and mats ready for decorating the marquee. The wedding is getting scarily close now, I think we have about a month to go.

I have my crochet arm caps to show you...

I wanted something to protect the sofa from scratching kitties and my daughters habit of getting chocolate everywhere.

I was really pleased how they stood out on the red sofa.

 



 

I have also had a little trial run of making up garden flower arrangements in recycled jars, this is what I'd like at our wedding. I was pleased with the out come. Keeping my fingers crossed that the flowers will stay out for me!

 

Below a quick peep at what's about in my garden this week...

1, Pink rose (not sure of name)

2, Verbena

3, White old rose

4, Hydrangea

5, Nasturtiums

6, That pink rose again!

7, Magenta  Lychnis coronaria

8, Feverfew

9, Hydrangea Annabelle

 We've had a little bit of rain this week not too much, just enough to get the garden flourishing.

 

In my kitchen table tea cup this week I have...

 

 

It was supposed to be just the hydrangea but I broke a lily head off my bunch while trying to get it out of the packaging so it's found a home there too.

 

Just a quick thank you to my new followers lovely to have you here with me.

A massive thank you too to the lovely bloggy ladies who went over to visit my lovely friend and neighbour at her crochet cottage

Off to get the school uniform ready, have a lovely week.

xx

 

 

 

Returned

Hello

It's lovely to be back, I have finally replaced the broken laptop with a new typing friend.

It's taking a while to get used to but I'm sure I'll will get the hang of it soon.

I've tried my best to keep up with you all and have seen some lovely posts.

So after laptop gate I have been mostly wedding planning and doing the never ending jobs an old cottage throws at you.

I have had sometime for crochet too...

This my latest cushion made from the pattern in simply crochet issue eighteen with style craft Aran. I really enjoyed swapping between the different stitches, I even did my first bobble stitch. The original cushion in the magazine is multi coloured and looks fab, mine is toned down a bit so I can use it in my sitting room.

 

Here are some cheery mandalas.

 

Finally...

A kitty travel cushion! I used the pattern from simply crochet issue twenty (the latest)

He took up a lot of double crochets but worth it in the end and is so snuggly.

Cant wait to take him on his first car journey up to north Yorkshire to visit my Grandad.

 

Here are a few photos from the garden.

 

1, Cinnabar moth

2,  Californian poppy

3, Perennial foxgloves

4, Calendula

5, A very full flower bed!

6, Celebration Rose

7, Pink peony

8, Rose hedge in bloom

9, Giant Allium

 

Has anyone else's children/grandchildren been sucked into the latest craze of loom bands?

My daughter loves them,

 I think there great, lovely to see her being creative. The possibilities are endless with what you can make. We think a strawberry key ring might be our next project

 My hoover isn't thanking me for all the strays she leaves behind!

 

I will leave you with my pretty tea cup that a picked up a few weeks back and some garden roses.

Wishing you a lovely end to the week.

 

**My lovely friend and neighbour has just started her blogging adventure,

 so if you have a spare min pop over and have a look-see**

xx

 

 

 



Post 100 gone but not forgotten

Hello 

This week we have been remembering the brave people who fought for us at the D day landings. 

My computer is still playing up and would have loved to have made more of an effort for my 100th post but unfortunately it's just a quick phone one again. 

Thank you so much to my followers and readers who've been no end of support and inspiration to me. 

This week I have been hooking up some flower bunting for my wedding. Less than 2 months to go now. 

I love how quickly they fly off my hook. 

Hoping you've all had a lovely weekend so far. 

FB xx

Crochet Roses and a Walk Around the Garden

Hello and happy Tuesday.

Hope that I find you all well?

 First things to show you are my wedding shoes!I used one of my favourite patterns from one of my favourite books, cute and easy crochet with flowers.

I really love hooking up these lovely roses.

Being tall I always knew my shoes would have to be flat, so I picked up these white pumps and thought they could do with some crochet related jazzing up!

I used drops cotton light it was a dream to crochet with.

I'm really pleased with the look of them and think they will fit our vintage wedding theme well.

I cant believe we only have 3 months left before the big day.

Here are some photos from our garden.

1, Clematis started flowering this week.

2, Ladybirds appearing.

3,Calendular that has made it through the winter.

4, Wild garlic growing up through the bench.

5, My new bird box.

6, Allium peeping.

7, Strawberry.

8, Drying washing outside hooray!

1, Perenial cornflower.

2, Tulips outside the house.

3, View down the garden.

4, Tulips Angelic

5, Gnome home.

6, Tulip Barcelona.

7, Lilac and a bumble bee.

8, Tulips.

9, Rhubarb.

Finally I will leave you with some photographs from our local woods...

1, My daughter running wild.

2, Stone farm building.

3, Blue Bell woods.

4, Conker Tree.

5, Another one of my little girl.

6, More Blue Bells.

7, Lambs! eek how cute.

8, Fresh leaves.

9, A carpet of Blue Bells.

I hope you've enjoyed my photos. It's always lovely to see the sun and signs that summer is on its way.

Wishing you all a lovely weekend, thank you for sticking with me and leaving me such lovely comments.

xx

Birthdays and CAL

Hello to you...

It's been a busy and windy week!

I hope everyone is safe and well after that awful storm and haven't experienced too much damage? We were lucky and only had one large branch down that landed in a safe place... It didn't half make a loud thump when it dropped!

My daughter turned 8 yesterday. I know everyone says it, but where does the time go? I can believe it.

So I hope I will be forgiven for being a day late with my post this week?

Yesterday we a had a small tea party for my daughter, with family and school friends. She told me later that she'd had a lovely birthday - so spending my whole day-off baking and cooking was totally worth it!

I did enjoy decorating the cupcakes!

They seemed to be popular. I have one or two left that I've squirreled away...

I made a little felt dolly from a 'Molly Makes' back issue. It was a lovely evening project, sat on the sofa in front of the fire...

Meet the kitties! 

1, Baby Betty

2, Dusty

3, Poppy

(left to right)

I found these on my camera and wanted to share them.

My fiance gave me these today!

I don't usually go in for Valentines day but I love my flowers.

Joining in again with the lovely Marianne and Chrissie 

Pop over and see what they've been up to this week - you wont be disappointed.

I've been crocheting a blanket this week just a never ending granny square one.

 I know its not a very good picture, the light has been terrible today. Will hopefully be ready for its reveal next week...

I'm very excited as I've gained some lovely new followers! YAY! Thank you for joining me.

I hope you all enjoy a lovely weekend and stay safe and dry.

xx

CAL Spring Flowers and Lurgy!

Hello to you.

By heck is it Thursday again already? Really? Where does the time go?

The up-side of time passing by quickly is that January is nearly over... hooray!

Soon, it will be February when I have six Birthdays to make and buy for... Oh well, it will keep me busy I'm sure.

I'm crocheting along again this week with lovely Marianne and Chrissie 

I've finished my patch work bag hooray!

I went off on my own once I'd got the jist of the pattern.

I lined the bag with some vintage fabric I had from a charity shop.

I'm very pleased with how it's turned out. I haven't taken it out on an outing yet but will do soon!

Also this week I have been hooking away on a scarf and come to the end of that...

This was a lovely project, made in Stylecraft pomegranate for the main part. The squares are made from Stylecraft special DK yarn, also aspen, pale rose and turquoise.

Thought I'd show you what it looks like on my dummy!

You may ask the reason, why I am not modelling the scarf? Well, I have the lurgy so I'm far too pale and coughy to put my face anywhere at the moment. I hope it clears away soon - the housework is mounting up as I type...!

I've been lucky enough to fill my house with beautiful spring flowers thanks to my partner, myself and a friend  It's been a good flower week. The tulips on the kitchen table have just got to that twisty bendy stage - I love it when they do that!

Hope you're all well and keeping germ free?

Have a lovely end to the week and weekend.

xx

Kicking the January Blues

 

Hello to you.

Hope the new year is treating you all well so far?

I can be quite a miserable Martha in January, so I've taken it upon myself  to do my best to stay positive and count my blessing more.

My negativity can get the better of me sometimes.

Here are a few photos of things that have made me happy this week.

Pretty orchid gracing my Grannie's conservatory.

I love the simplicity of these flowers.

Putting away the Christmas decorations is always a sad occasion but I will look forward to seeing my Grannie's nativity set in December.

Our new addition is settling in well and sometimes you'd never guess she was feral only a few months ago.

My Grannie's dog always makes me smile she's such a sweet natured girl who just wants to be loved.

Another thing that never fails to cheer me up is getting out in the fresh air.

I think we can all get a bit of cabin fever when we are stuck indoors for too long.

A nice family walk, carefully crossing the cattle grid!

This post box made me smile.

When my brother and I were children we would regularly visit this post box to send away Grannie's letters I think we took it for granted then.

Chirk Castle one of our favourite national trust places....

All closed up for winter at the moment but will be bursting with people in the spring, not to mention snow drops!

 

Hope your all well and happy.

Thank you for your lovely new year messages

xx

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wishing You A Happy New Year xx

 

 

Hello to you.

My last post for this year and what a year its been...

I've been so glad to have you here with me in my first year of blogging.

I've really enjoyed posting and reading all your lovely blogs.

So loving and leaving you for this year with some photos from Christmas...

 

And what a lovely family Christmas we enjoyed, all together at my family home, the home of my childhood with Mum, Dad, my brother, my lovely fiancé and my beautiful daughter...

I was so lucky to receive a new camera for Christmas. I really enjoyed playing with it, snapping photos here and there...

Do you love my partners Christmas jumper!?

My Mum's cat enjoyed Christmas, playing in the garden with his feral mummy cat.

It's not Christmas without a silly hat and this year's hat of choice was a Fez!

And what we would we do without a nice glass of champagne with Christmas dinner?

Here are some flowers from the garden and the hyacinths are on my window sill - a present from the lovely ladies at the charity shop I volunteer at, filling the sitting room with their lovely heady scent.

 

My lovely grey kitties are getting on so well - it's so nice to see them cuddling up together.

Lego camper and lucky cats on a sunny window sill.

 

I hope you have all enjoyed a lovely bloggy year and I will see you all in

2014.

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

xx

CAL and The CK Inspired Blanket

 

Hello to you.

I hope that I find you all well?

It's been a another busy week, Monday was a bit of a nightmare with my daughter worrying me to death with a rash that had appeared on the back her neck! I managed to get her seen quickly by the doctor and it turned out to just be one of those things (a reaction to washing powder maybe)

I've not always been such a fuss pot, but when my daughter was 3 she had a terrible time with an appendicitis that had been misdiagnosed and became infected. So I think I may be a little bit over protective now. Like the saying goes though, it is "better to be safe than sorry!"

Apart from that I've been settling into my new part time job and I think I'm doing ok so far.

Oh and I've been to look at wedding venues too...I now have a possible date for our wedding - exciting times ahead...

 

Anyway, on with the post...

You may already know I'm taking part in the CAL with Chrissie and Marianne.

This week saw me finally finish my Cath Kidston inspired blanket - Hooray!

I have really enjoyed making it but I can't lie... when the end was in sight I was slightly relieved!

So here it is!

Tada! 

 

 

If you fancy joining in or just having a look, click on one of the links above and check their posts.

I also bought myself a little treat with my wages and couldn't wait to make the free gift.

I enjoyed this small project - SO quick after the CK inspired blanket and totally satisfying.

 

Well, I will leave you now with some lovely Autumn blooms from my garden...

They're still going!

1,2, Sunflowers

3, Viburnum

4, Marigold

5, A baby squash. 

1, Rose

2, Red berries (the birds love these)

3, Cosmos

4, Japanese Anemone

5, Autumn leaves. 

1, Morning Glory

2, Verbena

3, Hollyhock

4, Sage

 

Hope you all enjoy a lovely end to the week.

Thank you all for your lovely comments on the last post and WELCOME to my new followers - so lovely to have you here with me.

xx 

 

 

 

CK Inspired Blanket and A Day With My Love

Hello to you.

Hope I find you all well?

I enjoyed a quiet weekend visiting my parents and having some fresh air in the garden.

 

I'm joining the CAL with the lovely Chrissie and Marianne

I'm afraid its not blooming today but it is crochet! and I now am the proud owner of Cute and Easy Crochet with Flowers! So some more flowery posts on the way.

 

Well it's getting there. Nearly finished. I've been hooking away a few lines at a time, taking my time and enjoying the bright cheery colours as I go.

It's very cosy around the shoulders!

My partner and I enjoyed a rare treat...a Monday off and time to spend together.

Being members of the national trust, and my partner needing fresh air, we went along to Erddig, a beautiful house and garden.

Firstly I must show you the beautiful Dahlias they had, it's certainly Dahlia season there!

The yellow one in the last photo was bigger than my hand, stunning.

1, Erddig house.

2, A lawn roller/mower hiding under the walkway. 

3, Lots of Autumn colour in the walled garden.

4, Clock house.

1, My favourite part of the garden, a small walled garden within the larger one.

2, Red Rose.

3&4, Lots and lots of snap dragons! (Antirrhinum)

Bloom upon blooms and a cheeky ladybird.

The woodland play area.

1, Camp fire circle.

2, Tent canopy.

3&4, Beautifully carved wolves from tree trunks.

Cute little van and mirror carp in the pond.

Tortoiseshell Butterfly. So beautiful.

 Some Autumn blooms from our garden this week.

The snails have moved into our fennel, it's covered!

Getting outdoors always makes me feel more alive.

 Well, I hope that your week is going well and you have some time to breath in some fresh air.

Thank you so much for your comments on the last post, I really did enjoy making that hat.

xx