You colour my life...

It's the little things in life that can really make your day or your week.  I'm still smiling about my 'wooly' delivery last week.  Just look at that Stylecraft DK....don't it warm the cockles of your heart?  It was an impressive delivery from the 'Wool Warehouse', less than 48 hours from ordering.

Unfortunately it's a busy week this week for me as I am working extra time at work so I can teach a couple of on road cycling courses.  Also I need to finish my cushion  that I started before I start another project. 

So my gorgeous  yarn will have to wait a while, at least until the end of the week as its........half term! Hooray! Can't wait to get hooking something new.  Hopefully by then I can show you a finished cushion.

'Sigh' ......so many ideas, so little time.

Ooh sparkles....

Ooh! I'm all excited!......Well you would be too if you had just come home to a bumper delivery of yarn.  Ok maybe you wouldn't of but whatever your into craft wise, then just imagine a lovely big package of supplies.....see! Your excited now aren't you?

This week some cute flowers have been tripping off my crochet hook and now I have some lush 'sparkly' yarn to make them with.  I can't wait to get started.  But for now you will have to make do with a photo of just the 'sparkly' yarn that I will be using and one of the flowers made up using Wendy Merino yarn.  The pattern can be found in this months Simply Crochet magazine.

I timed myself that it took around 25 minutes to make a flower so if i start now I will just have enough time to get one done before lunch .......

..My go to..

So when the opportunity arrises to play with paper it's normally because I have an occasion like a birthday coming up and I need a card to send.

I'm normally thinking ' let's get this over with' and end up thinking ' I'm really enjoying this, I really should make more. However my 'go to' card supplies have recently been some Samantha Poole typewriter stamps with suitable quotes, my polka dot embossing folder, corner rounder crocodile and Tim Holtz Core Definitions scrapbook paper. The ingredients differ slightly each time but I love the slightly vintage look with a modern twist.

I continued with this format when I made some Thank you cards for Rob to send out after his recent celebrations for his 18th birthday.

Sometimes you just want to get on with the job and not faff around getting all arty. I'm not sure I could cope without these supplies to get me out a tight spot.

What's your 'go to'?

Popcorn and icing biscuits...

I confess I have been procrastinating a little lately. What with applications for student accommodation and student loans for the teen. Coming of age preparations and work , I just haven't had the energy to get crafty.

Although I was inspired from my WI biscuit decorating post to make a felt iced brooch and start a new cushion crochet project.

The brooch was super easy. I cut two brown biscuit bases with a round nestabilities die with a white felt creamy centre. Topped with scolloped die cut felt icing. I sewed tiny stitches around it all to hold it together, larger stitches as decoration on the icing, added a pale pink heart with an embroidered scroll. I think it would look good as a bag charm too.

Yesterday I tried out a new crochet stitch called a 'popcorn' stitch which gives a lovely textured feel. I'm using the Rowan red and green wool I showed you recently. And yes as some of you said, It is very soft and cosy to touch. But I have found it to 'split' easily when you crochet. I have been using my 'Compendium of Crochet Techniques' by Jan Eaton to help me along too.

This week my big boy turns 18.....he reckons he is ordering the first round for us and his grandparents when we go out to celebrate......not sure he is buying though! I'll update you on that at the end of the week.

Hope you all have a good week and it turns out to be another sunny one:)

Hello sun...

It's all been a bit bleak at work this week but at least the sunny weather has brought out the springyness in the garden. Even the fungi is looking beautiful.....

I'm such a rebel....

Ha ha, I bet your wondering what I'm going to confess now? Nothing raucous, nothing naughty I'm afraid but still it was a little mini achievement for me.

This week I was amongst a little merry band of four who visited our local WI. I know! WI! Now your thinking of grey haired ladies arranging their buns and rustling up a floral arrangement (or is that the other way round?) But no my lovelies, it wasn't like that at all at The Saint Albans Belles WI!

This WI is a fairly new group who are inspired by craft, baking and vintage. Even the ladies who run it are 50s inspired young ladies with victory rolls in their hair and wearing pretty floral tea dresses. Of course you don't need to look the part but it has quickly drawn in a group of newbie ladies with a lower age average (and I'm putting myself in that bracket) who want to craft with like minded ladies.

So off I went with three other friends, we are all a bunch of nervous Nessies so pushed each other in front through the doorway. But what a lovely night we had. A demonstration of icing biscuits using sugar paste and stamps ( yes, stamps that we use for stamping but obviously these ones had not seen ink before). Then later we made paper roses and before we knew it three hours had passed and it was time to go home.

We haven't signed on the dotted line yet and become fully payed up members but we have two more sessions to try before we have to decide.

Next month a vintage inspired hair stylist is coming in to talk and demonstrate a victory roll or two and maybe a seventies beehive.....who knows? But they are definitely not what I expected the WI to be and everyone ( at their headquarters and us too) think its a pretty unique group and can see it becoming pretty popular.

I'll let you know how it goes but in the meantime I have some Birthday biscuits to ice and stamp for a special birthday in the household coming up soon.....here's one from the night:)

Wordless Wednesday...

Things that are making me happy this week....