Wednesday 31 August 2011

Wip Wednesday #13

A couple of things to show you this week! I have been really pleased with my progress on both projects and I'm quite excited to show you and see what you think, so here goes
first the tie top

This is to give you an idea of the shaping for the arm hole, as I was knitting it I wasn't really sure how it was going to work but now that it's done it looks good!

This next photo is just to give you an idea of how much it has grown. I still have quite a bit to do on the back but I'm happy with it! However, I think I am putting the tie top on a time out. Don't get me wrong it hasn't been naughty and I'm not sick of it at all, its just now I'm getting on so well with Eva's cardigan I have been thinking I would knit a jumper for James, so I would concentrate on that then go back to the tie top!

So here is Eva's cardigan! I am thrilled with this!

It actually looks like a cardigan! I will admit I'm slightly nervous about the next stage as I have to pick up and knit. This is for the rib boarder round the neck and down the side. But I can only try so I'm going to keep positive! Fingers crossed! I don't think I'll have it finished for this Friday but I will have something to show you on Friday! Ooooo intrigue!

Ok well I'm off to have a look at Tami's blog and see what everyone else is up to!

I will also be linking this post with the following blogs
Wednesday - Show off your stuff party
Thursday - Our creative spaces
                 Delightfully inspiring Thursday
                 Creative Juice Thursday

Monday 29 August 2011

Time to stop = Time for me!


I have been a little absent from the blog land recently. A combination of things have caused this. First I dropped my phone in the bath (I know pretty stupid!) and now the Internet doesn't work (I do a lot of blogging from my phone) and secondly I have been crazy busy. We have been away lots and had loads of visitors, also just trying to make time for husband and working seems to fill my days without anything else. This means I haven't been overly productive with my knitting and combining that with not much time and limited Internet means very little blogging.

But enough with the complaining and excuses. This weekend has been amazing. I have today off as its a bank holiday and I took Friday off so that I could have a long weekend. It has been the best, we had no visitors and nowhere to go. Just me and the husband in the house for 4 days. Don't get me wrong I love having visitors and going away but some time on your own is so important and it feels like we haven't had that since May!

So what have the husband ad I been doing? Well we have watch loads of movies, gone swimming, ate lots of yummy food, I have knitted loads (so happy), started making my Christmas cards, started reading a new book, husband as played some PlayStation, watched the grand prix and generally just chilled and enjoyed each others company. Perfect!

I now feel totally recharged and ready for the next month which is looking to be as busy as the last few! But now I've had my "me time" not only do I feel ready for it, I'm looking forward to it. So I promise to be a better blogger and have some good stuff to show you!

Do you get like this, where you just need to stop and recharge?

I am posting this as part of anna's much love monday linky party, check it out to see what everyone else is loving today

Wednesday 24 August 2011

Wip Wednesday #12

A quick one today!

First off here is my tie top! Again not much progress! But this photo is just to show the detail and the increasing for the arms!





Now for the real progress! Check out Eva's cardigan -




I am so pleased with this! I had been a bit worried as the pattern looked a lot more complicated than anything else I have tried but so far I have been pleasantly surprised as it's turning out fine! Hopefully have it finished soon!

Well that's it for me, will try and head over to Tami's blog (http://tamisamis.blogspot.com) later to see what everyone else is up to! Today is super busy as I have work in the morning then off to meet a friend for some girly shopping in the afternoon then husband is taking me for dinner and a movie!

Monday 22 August 2011

Much Love Monday - The Beach

Yesterday was my mum's last day before she went back home. We had had a lovely time catching up and knitting but we decided to go out as it was such a gorgeous day! When we asked my mum what would she like to do, she said she would love to go to the beach and eat fish and chips! So that's what we did! We went to this great beach - Tynemouth beach - and althought the pictures look a little cloudy the weather was perfect. We had a lovely walk down the beach, did some paddling, made freinds with a dog, ate fish and chips, went to a gorgeous vintage shop and had an ice cream! All in all a perfect day!
Here are some of my favourite photo's
The Beach!
Mum enjoying the sun!

Me and my ice-cream!
 Head over to Anna's blog for more Monday Love!

Sunday 21 August 2011

Blog Award

Today I received The Versatile Blogger award from Jessica at The Crazy Chaotic House. I am so happy someone wants to give me an award for my little blog! It has totally made my day! Please go over and check out Jessica's blog!

Here’s how the award works:

After accepting the Versatile Blogger Award, the blogger must:

1. Thank the person who gave the award and link back to them in your post.
2. Share 7 things about yourself.
3. Pass this award along to 15 recently discovered blogs.

Seven Things About Me:

1. I work in a library, which I love
2. I'm Scottish but currently live in England
3. My favorite colour is Purple!
4. I had a winter wedding
5. I love to make cards
6. Although I hate to admit it I would be lost without my iphone
7. I love cooking and baking

15 newly discovered blogs I found that I’m passing this award on to

I am afraid I am going to cheat a bt here and these blogs may not be very newly discovered but are all very worthy blogs!

1. A surprise every time
2. A pretty life in the suburbs
3. Bee and buzz
4. Lemon Rhodes
5. Paula Purls
6. You, Me & Miss E
7. Gemmipop Designs
8. Wool Diaries
9. Her Library Adventures
10. Seaweed and Raine
11. An Accidental Knitter
12. Tweed Thoughts
13. Happy Elastic
14. Being careful not to Twist
15. Emily Q Handmade


Please pop over to these blogs I'm sure you will love them as much as I do! Enjoy what left of your weekend!


Happy Blogging

August break day 21

I've been pretty bad at posting my August breaks but here's today's!


We went to the beach today! It was gorgeous!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Friday 19 August 2011

Cheating again!

Yes that's right I'm cheating again! We have already established that I don't like to be left out of Fo friday! So although this isn't my finished object it is a finished object.

Last week I was a very lucky girl and won another giveaway! This time it was a gorgeous knitted tea cosy from the lovely Bee over at bee and buzz! I haven't had a chance to blog about it yet so I thought today would do! So here it is!

Isn't it gorgeous! It now has pride of place on my sideboard! Well I'm off to make myself a pot of tea and check out some proper Fo's over at Tami's blog! Be sure to head over to Tami's and check out Bee too!

Happy Friday everyone!

Wednesday 17 August 2011

Wip Wednesday #11

Hello everyone!

Today is going to be a little rushed as I am just writing this before my mum arrives! I'm so looking forward to her visit, she hasn't been down to see us since Easter! We saw her in June but it's nice to have her at our house! So she should be arriving in the next hour, so I'm going to write this then head over to Tami's blog to catch up with some other wips until my mum gets here.

So here is my wip for today
As you can see the tie top is growing, at the top I have just started increasing for the arm holes so fingers crossed next week's photo will be a little more interesting to look at! Still really pleased with it though and the chart is still going well. I'm just sorry its not progressing very quickly.

I have done some of Eva's cardigan but not enough to warrant a photo I'm afraid, hopefully I'll have something better to show you next week!

Sorry today's wips are a bit boring, I've just been so busy this last week, we've had the husband's parents staying, were away for the weekend at a wedding and my mum arriving today, so I feel like all I've been doing is changing sheets! Anyway that will do for me and fingers crossed for a better knitting week this week!

Happy knitting xx

P.S. Don't forget to pop over to Tami's, use the link above!

Tuesday 16 August 2011

Monday 15 August 2011

Much Love Monday - Postcards

I recieved this amazing postcard today all the way from Australia! It is hand made by the lovely Sophie over at Her Library Adventures as part of her postcards in June event! I was so pleased to come home to this today! 

What has made you happy today?

Also after you have checked out Her Library adventures bw sur to pop over to Anna's blog for much love Monday!

Friday 12 August 2011

A little something!

As I don't like to miss out on Fo Friday, here is a little something I whipped up!



A little bow brooch! I didn't use a pattern for this I just knitted until I thought it looked right!

For slightly more impressive FO's pop of to Tami's
Http://tamisamis.blogspot.com

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Wednesday 10 August 2011

Wip Wednesday #10

Goodness! I can't believe I have been doing WIPW for 10 weeks! I love it!

Ok so onto the wips, now nothing really exciting to show you on the tie top front, I have done some but not much. I even hesitated in adding a photo, but wanted to let you all know I am onto the chart part of the pattern and so far so good!


I hinted at this last week, so you won't be surprised that I cast on something else! Which kind of explains why the tie top hasn't progressed much. Anyway here it is
It doesn't look like much at the moment but soon it will be a lovely (very pink) cardigan for my niece Eva! The pattern seems quite straight forward and it's knitted as one piece, so minimal sewing, yay! I will be learning to pick up stitches and how to make button holes though, so fingers crossed! But so far nice easy knitting and I love the colour!

For more wips hop over to Tami's blog

Tuesday 9 August 2011

Monday 8 August 2011

Much Love Monday - Husband!

Happy Monday everyone!
I've been having a pretty good Monday, it was my friend from work's birthday today, so we had cake and presents for her and generally just a nice day! This of course has nothing to do with why I especially love husband today, oh here he is
The reason I decided to have him as my much love Monday post was because of yesterday! You know you have those days when you are just in a funk, my knitting wasn't going right and I was tired and there were lots of little jobs that I needed to get done but due to my funk were feeling like big impossible jobs!! Well husband just took my funk in his stride, spent all day trying to make me smile (and succeded!) and then helped me do the little jobs! He really is great my husband and I love him lots! (ok enough gushing!)

I am posting this as part of anna's much love Monday link party, so head over there for more!
I am also counting husband's photo as day 8 of the August break! (I know I've missed day 6 but it's on its way, I promise!)

Sunday 7 August 2011

Friday 5 August 2011

Charity Knitting

Today's post is later than normal for a Friday, sorry! I have been occupied with revision for an oral exam I have tomorrow as part of my diploma. It wasn't much fun! However, after the husband had tested me and deemed me all knowledgable, I was free! As my head was totally swimming with facts, I thought I needed some fun knitting. I had seen this on a couple of other blogs and decided to check it out myself. The idea is to knit little hats for a well known drink company who sell them on top of thier bottles to raise money for charity. For more details check out their website here. The pattern looked really easy and quick to knit so I decided to have a go! What do you think?
I'm pretty pleased overall. First, I get to knit for charity (very cool), second, I have a finished object for Fo Friday and third I used two colours for the very first time and with some success! Good job all round I say!

Now I'm off to indulge to Tami's blog to see what everyone else has been up to!

The August break - day 4 & 5

Day 4 - hitting the books!




Day 5 - new book!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Wednesday 3 August 2011

August break - day 3

August evening, starting to cool down after a very, hot muggy day!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Wip Wednesday #9

I can't believe how quickly these wip Wednesday's seem to come around! I have made some progress on my tie top this week but I have to admit not quite as much as I'd hoped.
As you can see I've finished the first section of the pattern repeat and I'm nearing the end of the second one. The rectangles get thinner and shorter the further up the top you get! I am starting to get worried though as the next part of the pattern isn't written down, it on a diagram. I think I know what to do and how to read it but I am really nervous that I will mess it up, I hate frogging and I'm really not very good at it! Also I have been doing so well I don't want to get it wrong now. Fingers crossed!
I had another little drama with this top this week, I went to buy the rest of the yarn (I had only bought a couple of balls in case I couldn't do it) but the store had completely sold out and when I asked the unhelpful assistant, she said they wouldn't be getting more in! I was not happy! But ever resourceful I went onto my iphone and looked online, I was very lucky and found someone selling 9 balls all from the same dye lot! HOORAY! I quickly ordered the amount I needed and went for a coffee, crises averted! I know I should have all the yarn from the same dye lot but when they came yesterday they all look pretty similar so I'm hoping it wont make too much difference. But I think my lesson is truly learnt!

I am also thinking about casting on something else this week. I only have the tie top on the needles at the moment and I am getting a little bored with just knitting the same thing. Does that happen to you? So next week you could see two wips! How exciting!!





For more wip's pop over to Tami's blog here

Tuesday 2 August 2011

August Break day 2


Nothing like a cold cider on a hot muggy day!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The August Break!

I have decided to take part in the August break. I have a couple of reasons for this, first I think its a great idea and second I always say to husband  "I'm going to take more photo's!" but I never do, so hopefully this will encourage me! If you would like to take part its really easy just go over to Susannah's blog here and join the fun!

So the idea is I'm going to take a photo everyday and post it on the blog and this will document my August! I will try and post everyday but some days there may be two photo's together! I haven't got todays photo yet but here is yesterday's.




This is my wee cat Phoebe, enjoying the sun on our next door neighbours table! She has no sense of boundries!!!

Monday 1 August 2011

Much Love Monday - Givaways!

Today has been a really busy and at times quite trying day! I was really struggling to think about what I would write for today's much love Monday post. When I got home from work though there was a parcel waiting for me!

Now I wont lie, I was expecting something! You see, over on Annie's blog I won her giveaway. I was really excited as I had the choice of a handmade journal or a handmade purse. Now I think I've mentioned before about my love of stationary, so of course I chose the journal! Well the parcel today was that journal and oh my goodness it is gorgeous! Look:


 A close up (what a cute kitty)

The inside
This journal could not be more perfect for me, I love cats and bunting! I can't wait to use it! Please head over to Annies blog and check out her beautiful creations!

For more Monday lovelyness pop over to Anna's blog