Catching Up.

I haven't posted on here for a couple of weeks due to my poor Geordie being quite ill. He had to go into hospital for some unpleasant tests and although some things have been ruled out, it still hasn't been resolved. I've felt so stressed and worried that I haven't really done much to post about. What I have done is crocheted like a mad 'hooky' person and I've found it quite relaxing and distracting. I was very excited to finsh my Vintage Stripe Blanket.....

Oliver is carrying out a rigorous quality control check on it, making sure there are no missed stitches or loose ends.

 

It's like a big stick of rock!!

Here it is with my Little Squares Cushion.

I have also made another cushion, this one is just 2 big Granny Squares and literally took a couple of days to make and I used up all the bits I had left from the blanket.

I love the bright colours and they really cheer the room up. I bought the actual cushions for £1.49 each from B&M Bargains and then because you could see the white cheap material they are made out of through the gaps in the crochet, I cut up 2 T-shirts, one in pale blue and one in pink to make a cover for the cushions first before I put them in the crochet covers.

I've also been trying out some hexagons as well.....

I don't know what to do with them yet, they are all seperate so I might just use them as coasters on my coffee table or I might sew them together into a scarf or something.

Remember my post about Avoca socks? These are gorgeous knee high socks with lovely little trimmings but they are quite expensive and I had a real yearning for them. Well in the end I bought some socks in the sale from Tesco for £2 and raided my trimmings box. It has actually been cold enough to wear these recently under my knee boots (I know, I can't believe it's Summer!!!)

They are so cute and practical too. I've still got an oatmeal pair to do and Tesco still has some chocolate brown socks left which I might buy because I've got some cute little red roses and ribbons which would look sweet sewn on them. 

I haven't had much time for charity shop bargain hunting, so no vintage finds but I did find this gorgeous Boden cardigan for £3.99. I was ecstatic to find this because Boden (like Monsoon) is right up my street for quirky, colourful, embroidered vintage-style clothes, but it's just too expensive for me! This cardigan was probably around £60 new (at least) and it looks like it's never been worn-BARGAIN!!!

I also had a little trip to the Cath Kidston shop to browse in the sale. It was for therepeutic health reasons only you understand and it was practically on my way home and it would have been rude not too. Anyway I got a little present for the lovely Ms E, who sits beside me at work, and has very very kindly given me her Blackberry as she has got a new phone. She is so lovely and she knows I have wanted a Blackberry for ages and I was really touched when she said I could have hers. Anyway I got her this......

and I'm going to crochet her an Attic 24 Bauble, with some essential oils on the stuffing to hang in her car as she has always liked mine.

I haven't been doing much else these last 2 weeks apart from having a free listen to the Stone Roses gigs as I only live about 10 minutes from Heaton Park. I had the back door open so I could hear the music without the trauma of standing in the rain and mud. Our whole area was totally swamped with Roses fans and it was quite exciting really seeing people who had travelled from all over the world queuing for beer in our Sainsburys!! I saw one enterprising neighbour cooking burgers in his front garden on a barbecue and selling them to the fans! I'm sure he had all the necessary permits and risk assessments done beforehand-lol.

I'm off work now for 2 weeks and will be having a few trips out sight seeing and bargain hunting. Happy July everyone. xxx

Rainy Days and Mondays....

All the rain over the last couple of weeks has made me really yearn for a lovely pink polka dot mac I saw in Sainsburys. Well the rain hasn't been letting up and Geordie was sick of my 3 times a day conversation about how much I really NEEDED a pink polka dot mac. So it's now mine and I have worn it every single day over the last 10 days.

It's first outing came last Friday when me and Ms M went to Ramsbottom to look for antiques and charity shop bargains. I found this gorgeous little jug with blossom on which looks really old. All the glaze is crackled and I think it will look gorgeous with some sweet peas in on my kitchen table-cost? £1....bargain.

I also found this lovely big serving plate which looks 1970's to me. I love the pattern and colour and I'll definitely use this rather than put it on a shelf-cost? £2.....another bargain.

Then I found this really sweet spice cabinet with a stained glass door. I'm going to paint the wood in the same lovely duck egg blue paint I did my kitchen table in and clean up the glass and it should look good-cost? £2.....total bargain. 

Ms M bought some lovely things for her shop, chamber pots, vases, tea caddies etc. We are totally different when we go shopping together because she likes to look at the factory names and if there is a chip, a crack or anything missing she's not interested whereas I always tend to gravitate towards the rejects- a dish with the lid missing, a vase on it's own when it should be a pair, I just go for pattern and colour, I don't care if it has no name underneath.

We went in a few vintage clothes shops too and saw some gorgeous dresses and fake fur shawls and jackets-so lovely. We saw so many beautiful things but I'm on such a tight budget at the moment it was strictly window shopping in those shops. As I did the driving, Ms M treated me to coffee and carrot cake in a lovely old-fashioned tea room. Yum!!

As the weather has kept me at home quite a bit, I decided to get some of my 'Work In Progresses' finished. First up was my Attic 24 Little Squares Cushion. I only had to actually sew it up but it's just been sitting there for weeks. Anyway here is the finished project and I'm really pleased with how colourful it looks. It's my first time using the 'join as you go' technique with the little squares and it's so easy I'll definitley do this again.

Next I finished my Owl Doorstop. I'd actually finished all the crocheting weeks ago-it just needed stuffing and sewing up. I ended up putting a kilo of dried chick peas in to weigh him down. He looks so cute and I can't wait to see what the cats think of him (when they all wake up from their giant 12 hour snooze on our bed!)

Anyway, it's Monday tomorrow and back to work so I decided to have a go at making another corsage type brooch but in cotton instead of wool so I can wear it on a cardie for a more Summer-y look. I really like how it turned out as I've not used cotton before and I found it a bit fiddly to crochet with it because it has no stretch in it. I used the Attic 24 pattern and just sewed a circle of felt on the back with a brooch pin on. I can't wait to wear it tomorrow for work. It should cheer up a dreary rainy Manchester Monday.....



Hope everyone has had a good week. xxx

My Car Blanket is finished!

I have had a frantic week trying to get my blanket finished. When it actually came down to it, I felt a bit sad to be coming to the end because it's my first blanket and I started it in the winter on those dark evenings and imagined finishing it in time for summer picnics....well hello summer, I've finished!!!

So without further ado.......here it is.

It does look quite a lot brighter in real life and I am so happy with how it turned out! I do like all the random-ness of the different sized squares. I'd probably do things a bit differently colour-wise if I was starting it now but for my first big project, all in all, I'm pleased. Also as it's 100% acrylic, I was a bit worried how it would feel and drape but when it came out of the washer having been drowned in 'Comfort' fabric softener, it feels so soft and beautiful, I was really impressed. 

I realised today as well that as this blanket is intended for Tulip my car, it's quite apt that it is 2 years ago this week that I passed my driving test and got the lovely Tulip!

Here's Oliver giving his expert opinion on the unfinished version before I added the border. It was honestly on the floor for less than 30 seconds while I picked the camera up, and there he was trying it out!!

While I was having a 'big project' trauma, I decided to make myself something quick and satisfying that would only take an hour or two. Having looked at all the stuff in my handbag, I decided my car stereo needed a 'cosy'. Out came the scraps of wool and a couple of hours later........

I haven't had much time for shopping this week but I did have a quick charity shop browse today and got this lovely bright vase for £1.50.

Also these knee socks for £2 which I'm going to makeover (as planned in my previous post)

  

And lastly, my present from Geordie this week (as he did have a good week selling on ebay) was this lovely cool bag from Cath Kidston. I have wanted this for ages but they don't stock them anymore as they have a new one out now. I saw this on ebay and mentioned a few hundred times how much I love it. Anyway when my back was turned, a bid was put on and this morning it arrived in the post......

Oooh I can't wait to go back to work on Monday and take my dinner in this!

Hope everyone else has had a lovely week.

XX

I really love these.....

I absolutely love long socks and I almost swooned with delight when I saw these. The are from an Irish company called Avoca (who do beautiful soaps as well!!!) You can buy them from the internet but I found them in a lovely shop in Haworth and as the shop also stocks Cath Kidston, I spent a lovely half hour browsing and touching and day dreaming. 

I want all of these, I just need them all sooooo much. Geordie suggested I customise my Primark socks until I win the lottery and do you know what? Thats not a bad idea.......  ;-) xx 

Antiques, Shopping and Making Stuff.

Had a lovely weekend but I've been so busy at work I haven't had a chance to upload my pictures.

On Friday I started making the easter 'birdies' for my nephew and niece. I think I might have to combine them with chocolate or 'hard cash' as at the age of 9 and 8, they are a bit too old to be satisfied with home-made pressies now. This is as far as I got though......

Oh well I'll devote some time to them this week.

Anyway on Saturday we went to York again for the day and it was a beautiful day although a bit chilly. We sat outside a lovely old church and had our sandwiches and coffee.

Geordie found this gorgeous silver plated ice bucket with tongs shaped like chickens feet. This is perfect for our 1950's drinks trolley which we've been collecting stuff for over the last couple of years. To be honest we've got way too much stuff now, but this definitely has to go on it-only a fiver as well. It's dated 1953.

Geordie also treated me to this......

What can I say? He does spoil me.....

On Sunday we went to the Reebok Antiques fair in Bolton. I actually missed the junction on the motorway and ended up miles away but it was worth it in the end. I got a lovely 1970's Midwinter sugar bowl (I think)-it's got a lid so I'm not 100% sure if that's what it is-and only £2. Just need all the matching cups, saucers and plates now-lol.

I got a really sweet black cat brooch for £3, some vintage buttons for £2, a Ladybird book about radios for my geeky Geordie (who makes most of his money these days buying and selling vintage short wave and CB radio's), and the last thing we got was a metal school 'Librarian' badge which Geordie found and surprised me with. He remembered me telling him that I was the librarian when I was 9 at Primary school and had one of these badges which I was very proud of. One day I lost it and my teacher told me off and refused to replace it. I remember being heartbroken and crying about it. Geordie has been trying to get me one for ages but could only ever find 'Prefect' ones so I was absolutely over the moon when he gave me this-it meant as much to me as a diamond ring.

As work has been really busy and stressful this week, I have been crocheting every night to relax and get my fix of being creative. I started a cushion cover made in little squares that you join as you go (which I'm loving-never done before). Im doing this, and this is as far as I've got....

I also made this bauble to hang in my car as an air freshener. I added some essential oil to the stuffing and a cat's whisker I found from one of the cats. I read somewhere that a cat's whisker is supposed to keep you safe on car journeys and after my 20 mile motorway detour on Sunday I could do with as much help as possible!!!

One more day to go at work tomorrow then a lovely long weekend to look forward to-painting, gardening, days out, if it's sunny, hot chocolate, blanket making and sky+ if it's not......can't wait. xx

 



Been soooo ill.... :-(

I've been suffering since last Sunday with a viral throat infection-oh my, have I felt sorry for myself! I've not been in work, I couldn't eat anything, I've been aching, hot and cold, totally miserable and full of self pity. My lovely Geordie has been looking after me, cooking me soft food and bringing me presents. I've been sitting in bed, watching TV and crocheting away on my Vintage Stripe Blanket

As you can see I've still got a fair way to go, but it is about 4 foot wide so I'm quite proud of how much I've done in a week. I think this blanket is going to be kept on the back of the sofa to add colour and for snuggling.

Anyway yesterday I started to feel a bit of the 'old' me coming back. The sun was shining, my throat was feeling better and I had an urge.......

........an urge......

........to go shopping.

Woohoo, I'm on the road to recovery. It's a week before payday though so my shopping was restricted to cheap shops and charity shops. Here's what I got.....

Total spend? £4.99. The canisters were £2.99 from B&M Bargains, the 3 tea towels £1.49 and the Royal Worcester Evesham porcelain Olive dish, 50p from the charity shop. I think the lady in the charity shop didn't want to let me have it! She kept saying I had a bargain and was a bit reluctant to hand it over. 

 Then I noticed I had a text from Miss M, my lovely antique lady friend. She had come by a little cupboard she thought I might be interested in. I drove to hers, loaded it into Tulip, and here it is....

I went straight to B&Q and bought sandpaper, and a lovely tin of duck egg blue paint. It isn't a priceless antique, it's a very shaky, very scratched cupboard and it was going on a skip if I didn't take it so I don't feel guilty painting it. Also my house does not suit dark furniture, so it's getting painted.

When I got home, Geordie had just finished putting a clutch in someone's car so he came home to join me for lunch in the garden.....

I then spent the rest of the day sanding and cleaning the aforementioned cupboard and when the sun went down I got another urge......

.....an urge....

......to make an Attic24 Birdie

Sooooo cute! I put a couple of drops of patchouli oil on the stuffing too so it's scented as well as being sweet. I think I might hang it in my car actually and make some more for the house. I might make some in yellow for my nephew and niece for Easter too maybe with some mini eggs........

I think I'm going to be busy. :-) xx