Yarn Bombers!

Hello!
I'm just popping in to share some photos with you.

We had a lovely day in Saltburn yesterday.  We enjoyed fish & chips and ice cream, walking along the sea front - but most of all - I especially enjoyed seeing that the Yarn Bombers have been busy after the Olympic display.

Take a look -

Wonderful!

Hope you enjoyed them too!

I'm also enjoying reading your blogs and keeping up to date with all you're up to.

The tooth problem is ongoing.  Still on the waiting list for a root filling that has been a little complicated.

After suffering with a painful leg and sciatica for over a year a MRI scan has showed that my hip and some of my spine has crumbled with arthritis.  I am on the waiting list for a hip replacement. As I won't be able to drive for 6 weeks after the op I am hoping to get lots of crafting done!!

Make the most of the sun while it's out, wear your hats & suncream and look after yourselves.

Love Cx

Woe is Me

This week has been an ‘ouch’ week for me…..

…… Tooth Infection!

I stupidly misjudged my pain as having cold in my gum so didn’t go to the dentist as soon as I should have done. The treatment was so ‘ouchy, ouchy’ that we couldn’t continue so I was sent home with antibiotics.

Another visit this morning for another go – and would you believe it – the injections did not make me as numb as I should have been.  Have now been referred to a specialist dentist.

Woe is me……..

Yesterday morning my spirits were lifted when I saw this beautiful rainbow from our bedroom window.

Beautiful Rainbow

I sang 'Who Put The Colours In The Rainbow' all the way to work! 

Looking at the rainbow I think it is slowly dawning on me how all you clever people are putting your colour palettes together. 

There is hope for me yet …..

Happy weekend!

Love C x

Such Excitement!

Well, he’s here!!

Our Grandson has arrived!! He was born on Palm Sunday and weighed 6lb 8oz. 

Congratulation Cards

His nibs and I were called out at 2am in the morning after a heavy snowfall.  We had to dig the car out of the snow and had a scary 4 hour drive to the hospital in horrendous weather conditions!  However another 12 hours later our grandson was born!

AND I WAS THERE! Yes, I was very privileged to see my first grandchild born. 

Such a delight! 

Mammy, Daddy & baby are doing very well.

My new role entitles me to a new bag – which I carry with pride -

Gran's bag!

I’m afraid I didn’t get around to taking any photos of my Easter decorations this year to share with you but I did enjoy seeing all of yours. 

His nibs treat me to a delightful box of Easter choccies, which I did photograph!

Scrummy Easter Chocs

It’s been interesting to read how many of you have lost your ‘mojo’, been feeling under the weather, lethargic, etc. recently. It is good to share these feelings because now I know it is not just me. It has given me great comfort to know that I am not alone. (I have been reading many blogs even though I have not been active on my own!)

My own theory for myself is that where we live - our stone houses are so very cold that I can’t warm my hands enough to get them working!! Once we get one room warmed through in the house it’s too cold to move to another!

When I visit my parents or either of my daughters modern houses they walk around in short sleeve tops – at home I’m always wearing a body warmer or fleece on top of 2 jumpers!!

My new best friend is my hot water bottle!  I sit and cuddle one every evening and take – 3 to bed with me – yes 3!!!  Yet when I stayed with my daughter the other week – I was so hot I slept on top of the bed covers!!! That's the difference between modern houses and ours!

I would happily hibernate during winter.  We shouldn't be too hard on ourselves but use this time to recharge our batteries! I’ve been reading many blogs and making lists of things I’d like to make and I know when the weather (and my hands) warm up there will be no stopping me!! In the meantime we must remember to eat well & exercise as best we can. 

Last Saturday his nibs brought me my morning coffee and there was great excitement when he drew the curtains to see 2 lambs being born in the field opposite our house.  

New born lambs

Just born!

Mother cleaning new born lamb

New born lambs

New born lambs

Sorry not good quality pics but we had to catch the moment without too much disturbance!! If you click on the photos it may bring them up larger.

We sat in bed and watched this wonderful sight – who needs a telly??!!!

Thank you so much for leaving comments on previous blogs.  I do appreciate it x

Love Cx

Cake Stands

Do you like Afternoon Tea?

I do!

I also have a passion for cake stands!

They look so pretty and I've always wanted to have some of my own. The thing that put me off was that I had little space to store them.

Last year I accidentally stumbled across a video on the Internet on how to make your own cake stand.  Well! I couldn't wait to get started!

I ordered cake handles, flat bottom screws, cake rods, drill parts........

I spent time in charity shops, car boot sales, garage sales etc. looking for odd plates.

My selection of odd plates

On Saturday we finally set to .......

Drilling holes in plates

We (his nibs and I) drilled and drilled!  We broke some plates, we fell out. We persevered.........

And...

VOILA!!!

My completed cake stands!

Don't you think they look pretty?

As for storing them - I hadn't realised that all you do is unscrew the handles and the plates stack neatly on top of each other - like any other plate!

Mis-matched plates are part of the charm for me. When putting them together it will be interesting to see how different designs look!

Some people were very kind when I only bought one plate and they gave me a couple of extra ones free!  Some gave me tea cups, sugar bowls and milk jugs - Isn't it nice to be nice?

Here's what I did with some of the teacups -

Candles in Teacups

These will give a nice little glow to the table!

More tea anyone?!

Love Cx

Happiness is......

When your best friend sends you a surprise present in the post!

 Ooooohhhhhh (jumps up and down with excitement!!)

I was too impatient to take a photo when it arrived so you can’t see the wrapping. It is a shame you’ve missed it actually.  Best Friend has a quirky way of wrapping presents with newspaper and string!

 

I laughed out loud when I opened it! -

Surprise Present from Best Friend

Did I tell you I am going to be a granny?

Yes - our grandchild is due in March and we are all so very excited! 

This book, 'Not all Grannies Knit' (But this one does!!) by  Joan Pritchett  http://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Not_All_Grannies_Knit.html?id=1IjW3xBBj7wC   is hilarious and I can identify with nearly every page!

This page is useful –

Nicknames stay with us forever!

A reminder that any silly names we allow grandchild to call us will stay with us for the rest of our lives and beyond....  Granny Gard has a certain charm - however the thought of a child shortening this to the initials 'GG' and yelling full volume in the supermarket 'GEE GEE' has made me think again.  I think I will be safer as Gran.

And, I do recognise myself here…

Goodbye to a 'lie-in'

It takes me 2 hours and 3 cups of coffee to pull myself around on a morning!

Thank you Best Friend for the lovely book and making me laugh.  I love you x

 I have got my emergency bag packed.  Just in case I am needed......!!

It’s been a long time since we’ve had babies in our house - and how things have changed! The choices are overwhelming – the most dilemma I ever had was whether to buy pink, blue, white or lemon!

The ‘baby list’ has amused me! For example – Bath thermometer – What??? We used our elbows for testing the baby’s bath water (and the back of our hands or wrist for testing milk temperature!)  Hooded towel? (surely, a towel is a towel?!). 

I’ve been amazed to see such things as a bouncing chair (which I used to rock with my foot) is now replaced with an all singing dancing, vibrating contraption! I dare not tell the shop assistants that in the absence of the bouncy chair my late mother in law used to put my children in her washing basket.

I’ve learnt all about Baby pods and Bugaboos.  I see that storing the toys in ‘swing bins (with stickers)’ has been replaced with a huge range of toy boxes!

Among the ‘necessities’ for mother-to-be to take into hospital are, mobile phone and MP3 player.  When I had my two daughters the hospital would not release the cage unless you had some help at home so that new mum could have an afternoon nap and put your feet up – now the hospital will not let you leave unless you have a car seat, which is a shame if you are going home on the bus......

We’ve parted with an obscene amount of money for a changing mat – what’s that all about? I remember watching mother and aunties change babies on their knees!

Anyhow - we all want the best for our new babies and as grandparents we can indulge even when we know we are being ridiculously frivolous.

I took this photo to show you –

One of my cross-stitch pictures

I’ve always loved the Ecclesiastes verse: A Time and Season for Everything. 

I completed this cross stitch back in 2005.  It took me a year from start to finish. It is a Moira Blackburn sampler http://www.moirablackburn.com/ and the kit comes with very clear instructions. I enjoyed sewing it as there is a lot of interest in it and I like the muted colours.  It hangs in a prominant place in our dining room and I am very proud to tell you that it won me first prize in our Village Cottage Show!

In my little corner – I am pondering back to this time last year when we were so very sad because our dear Uncle Arnie was coming to the end of his life.  I am so pleased that I was able to spend time with him before he died and that we were able to say our goodbyes.  The days and weeks that followed were quite horrendous but during all that grief, little did I know that the same month the following year I would be awaiting the birth of my first grandchild. 

And, although this Easter will be tinged with sadness as we remember my uncle we will also be rejoicing the birth of our grandchild.  There really is comfort in this verse on my Cross-Stitch – a time to be born and a time to die for all of us.

Ecclesiastes 3:1  A Time for Everything

1. There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
2. a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, 
3. a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, 
4. a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, 
5. a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, 
6. a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, 
7. a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, 
8. a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

Now then - just look at this lovely red Amaryllis – just waiting to burst into flower!! I potted it up in December and day by day we have watched it grow - and grow......and grow....

Amaryllis

 ........ And burst into flower!! WONDERFUL!

Amaryllis in flower

Wishing you a Happy Springtime everyone – and remember – ‘Isn’t it nice to be nice?’

Love C xx

  

Vintage Cleaning Cloths!

Hello lovelies!

Don’t know about you but I have never been one for getting excited about dusting and cleaning.  

Knitting, crochet or any craft work come to that, thrills me far more than any yellow duster!!

However – and I can’t remember where I saw this project – the idea of vintage cleaning cloths did stir up some excitement!!!

For the last few days I have been scouring the charity shops for suitable materials and this is what I came up with...

Home Made Cleaning Cloths!

 (Note sun shining through into the kitchen) - Hooray!!

Nice and pretty?  Has this maybe stirred up a bit of enthusiasm for starting the spring cleaning now?!

You need absorbent, material – something that will give a good scrub and shine.  Children’s clothes are ideal and usually in good condition because we all know that children do not wear out their clothes but outgrow them.

I found one pair of pyjamas, one dress and one t-shirt – I cut them up with pinking shears - ideal!

Warning: if you are going to do this – do not spend more than 50p or £1 at the most!  Very thrifty!  Think how many cleaning cloths you can get out of one pair of pyjamas!!

This is not a new idea –

for years our  mam used dads underpants for floor cloths –

it was the only way my sister and I could distinguish the difference between the floor cloth and the dish cloth. 

Shirts & pyjamas were always used –( dads pyjamas – I have another idea for these – watch this space). 

And now, after cleaning with my new home made cloths I am sitting down for a well deserved rest with a cup of coffee and home-made gooey cake.  

No - sorry – I am not sharing.  

This is MINE!

Home Made Tiffin Cake

Recipe courtesy of Lucy at Attic24. http://attic24.typepad.com/

Before you go – I will share a view from our kitchen window - 

Snowdrops in our garden

There's a lovely carpet of snowdrops in the garden and lots of shoots growing.  The nights are getting lighter.  Lambs are in the fields.  Spring really is just around the corner.

Take care 

Love Cx

Beryl The Knitter!

Why is it?

When we are snowed in and it is an ideal day to sit by the fire and do whatever crafts I choose - all I want to do is go outside and play in the snow!!!

–        yes,! Age 50+  – and I want to play in the snow!!   

So, I made a snowman – well woman actually – would you like to meet her?…

Beryl the Knitter

 She's standing right outside our kitchen window.

I would offer her a cuppa but I don't want her to melt just yet...!

Well I enjoyed myself anyway!

The snow is very picturesque where we live and we've been out and about taking a few photos - 

 Below - some photos taken in our garden -

Our Garden

The Holly Tree In Our Garden

Our Garden

Below some views from our bedroom window -

Queuing for Breakfast!

Queuing for Breakfast!

Lovely, crisp white snow.  Very cold though.

You may remember that we got a new addition to the family over Christmas.  

My daughter and her fiance got a chocolate brown Labrador puppy.  They called him Robin and he is adorable.

However he does get up to some mischief!

Robin And His Naughty Antics

Robin managed to get to the post before anyone else. 

He knows he has been naughty and it is very wrong to do this - 

We only laugh about it amongst ourselves when he is out of earshot.

On Sunday he enjoyed a walk around Easby Abbey with us.

Robin & Bobby

Bobby is Robins best friend and they had great fun playing in the snow! 

We had great fun watching them as they chased balls and slid on the snow but it is rather difficult to capture the moments on camera as they were too quick for us! 

Easby Abbey Walk

Keep warm & safe

love Cx

Saxon Cross

Yeah!

Got a blog in before Janurary is out!!

Other things got in the way a bit over the last few weeks!

I don’t know about you but I can happily go to bed at 7pm at this time of year!

And, the rest of the time (apart from going to work, doing the ‘big shop’ and eating) I’m going through a new fad  -  A fad of doing nothing – oh bliss!!

Curling up in my little corner, pondering, pondering, pondering over 2012……..

It was about this time last year that the Handicraft Group in the Village invited me to take part in making a Wall Hanging to celebrate the Queen's Jubilee year. 

The Wall Hanging would depict aspects and images of our village in a variety of textile media.

I offered to do the Saxon Cross from the church as no-one else seemed keen. I could see why – it was very drab looking..…

When an extensive restoration was undertaken a Saxon carved stone cross was discovered in the church wall, which is now on display above the pulpit. 

 I agonised how I would do this cross and took along to the meeting a selection of brown & red threads for advice.  When someone asked me ‘how do you see a cross?’ My first answer was ‘gold!’ And, so it was decided that I would do it as I see it!

The ladies were aiming to have this project finished for MAY!

 

We all set to work like busy little bees – it took over my life to be honest!

I drew the pattern on graph paper a first for me – I’m more than happy to follow a pattern thank you very much!

I agonised over colours. 

Now if you want gold - you really need to use metallic thread to give it ‘bling’.

Metallic thread – now there’s a challenge!

Lost count of the times I pulled it out, screamed with frustration and scoured the Internet for tips. 

Some tips I found useful –

• Use shorter lengths of floss
• Knot thread at eye of needle to stop it slipping off
• Use thread heaven or bees-wax to strengthen the thread
• Stitch slower and have some patience

Variation thread – another welcome discovery!

I decided to use variation thread for the knot work. I just stitched away and waited in anticipation to see how the finished colour design would turn out.  I was pleasantly surprised -

My Cross Stitch of the Saxon Cross

I am pleased I only did an A5 size and not A4!

We all did something different, using different techniques and imaginations ran wild -  

Village Wall Hanging

The Wall Hanging was officially unveiled on the 4th June and now hangs proudly in the Village Hall.

Stay safe and warm

love C x