Handmade Monday!

Well it has been a quick and fairly busy week for me.  Monday to Wednesday I seem to have no time at all due to commitments in the evenings and so my main producing times are from Thursday night.

Got my tooth fixed on Wednesday (by the dentist who looked liked she'd just nipped out of the local high school for the afternoon) - the rest of the filling crumbled out while she was drilling so the whole tooth was filled but it does feel so much better.  Then heading home from the dentist - had a puncture on bike grrrrr so mended that when I got home after pilates.  Getting quicker at changing the inner tube now. (Too much practice!)

The cold weather we have had this week has been leaning me towards crocheting.  Made a couple of hats in the week and then made these this weekend:

Also, dropping into the wool shop on Saturday may have had something to do with it!  The red hat you can get the pattern here.

Today I had someone (Charlie the gardener) come and cut down a leylandii bush/tree I had in the garden.  I remember my mum planting it about 20 years ago and it looked like a tiny little bush thing (don't think mum knew it would get that tall!) What a difference it has made getting rid of it.  Much more light comes into the kitchen now - it will never be the brightest kitchen in the world but there is a difference.  (There will be more of a difference when I finally get round to painting the ceiling white!)

My poor little Mindy (dog) has a sore foot - I noticed her walking on 3 legs when we were out and I thought that maybe the salt on the pavements was irritating something on her foot and sure enough when we came home and I checked she seems to have grazed her paw (the black paw pad bit has been removed in one place).  Will get the vet to check this week.

Hopefully next week there will be no talk of visits to health professionals!

Have a look at the amazing plaques Wendy has been making at 1st Unique Gifts and see what everyone else has been up to.

Mich :)

I Love Cambridge!

Got back last night from my trip to Cambridge.  Had a really great time.  The journey down was a bit of a constant 'train change' but its a nice journey down the east coast - especially when you hit around the Berwick area.

I crocheted a baby hat on the way down for a friend who is having a little girl in the new year.  Crochet is quite good to do on the train as you don't need much - one ball of wool and one hook! And of course if you haven't got much 'elbow room' it doesn't matter too much.  The other hat in this picture I crocheted while there.

I had one woven style bracelet to do on the train on the way down for my nephew.  I had just finished it as we were coming into Newcastle.  A lady sitting behind me was obviously watching and she asked if she could buy it!  Unfortunately it was for a gift and I was worried that I might not have had time to make another one - and couldn't turn up at my brother's with one gift short! So had to decline.  Gave her one of my cards though so maybe she will order one.

Gifts - well I mad bracelets for my brother, 2 nieces and said nephew and they liked them.

I made a crocheted circle scarf for my sister in law (I have these and I like wearing one while cycling as no flapping ends.  My sister in law cycles too - well actually seems like most people in Cambridge do!)

They all liked their gifts so that was very pleasing!

Thursday I went to the Beaderie.  What a great shop and the girl there Sally was just so lovely and very helpful.  Spent ages chatting to her and looking at the amazing beads they have.  The shop is set out really well with all the beads displayed grouped by colour so it is so easy to shop.  I bought lots of things - had to drag myself away from the purple section!

 

I was a fairly long walk to the shop from where I was staying, however its never bad walking in new places and where there are lots of things to look at en-route.

Friday morning it was raining! However by lunchtime it had stopped and the sky was blue so had another walk to the Beaderie and bought a few more things as I knew it would be the last time this visit I'd be there.  Anyone in the Cambridge area should drop in - its really worth the visit.  They should be starting an on-line shop in the new year too.

As if the excitement of the Beaderie wasn't enough, discovered that a new Hobbycraft store was opening on the Saturday and that it was close to where I was staying.  So we (minus the children - I should say teenagers) headed there on the Saturday around lunchtime.  What a great store too!  It would be great to live in Cambridge, there are so many places to get things and also lots of craft fairs.  On Sunday we went to the market in town which is a craft market on a Sunday.  Was lovely to wander round the stalls.  

When I wasn't out buying supplies, I was making things - 

Before I knew it, it was Monday and time to travel back.  Not so many train changes this time - only Peterborough and Edinburgh.  I got going with some squares which I am going to make into a blanket for said friend's forthcoming arrival.  Managed quite a few on the way home!

Really enjoyed my trip away.  It is so nice to spend time with family who you don't see in person too often.  Back to reality tomorrow though when I return to work.

Mich :)

Hats Galore!

Have been in a real crochet mood this week and made some baby hats for my website.  Made the mistake of popping into the wool shop for a brief look!

I have quite a lot of odd bits of wool now so was thinking I may crochet a multi-coloured blanket with it.  I'm heading down south to visit my brother and his family for a few days in a week or so, so think that will help pass the train journey.  (Plus it may keep my knees warm on the train journey back if the cold snap comes!)

Had another fleeting visit from son last night - well early this am.  He was due to get a train home at 11.20pm last night but he missed it! (doesn't take after me in getting to the station early!).  Fortunately my dad drove to collect him but he didn't get in till around 2am.  He goes back to uni tonight on the 10.45pm train - I will be making sure he's at the station in time for this.  It seems a really late train as it is around a couple of hours' journey but he was saying that the ticket was only £6 as opposed to the £27 he would have paid for a ticket at a better time.  So it is a good saving for him. Was good to see him even though it was only briefly.

So that's about it for today - still struggling with the lack of time available for crafting due to the full time working and wondering if I'll ever get used to it.

Now I am going to pop over to 1st Unique Gifts to have a look at some great blogs and see what others have been up to this week.



Mich :)