Last Post of 2011,bring on 2012!!!

Its seems weird to say this will be my last post.That is the last post of 2011 of course.
Its been not a very good year for me with one thing or another.Some of them remain private to me, others I have talked about because I was happy to share those things with you. Anyway, I am glad the year is over & 2012 beckons with all the unexpected & excitedly planned!!!Its going to be busy busy busy & all hands on deck to get where ,as a couple ,my husband & I want to be.
Tonight ,being New Years Eve, I should really be celebrating. Sadly I will be at work & leave Mr T on his own.No2 son is in Vienna with No1 son & will no doubt be having riotous fun. I hope to be home just a few minutes into 2012 ,but if the proverbial **it hits the fan ,then who knows?
I am not really looking forward to that part but something made me smile today.In fact ,if I was Lucy from Attic 24 ,I would say it gave me one of those Heart Skippy moments & I just had to have it. A beautiful Babushka mug slightly reduced in Past Times. Why do stores do that now? For most of the year they have been slashing prices & I have watched them go up & down & up again. Are they really supposed to do that?
Any way ,here is my mug that made me happy today.

Have a very Happy New Year wherever you are & whoever you are with & here's to a much brighter 2012!!

Oh Christmas tree....

Oh Christmas tree....
Well it did eventually get put up.It took me ages to do.I am so fussy when it comes to the lights.They have to be placed just so . Here are a few pictures of some of my favourite baubles & my little helper!

The last three are new ones we bought in the Christmas markets in Vienna.They are so pretty.I know it will take me ages to pack the tree away ,there is so much on it,but who cares?
The Christmas lights where I work this year have quite frankly been poor.What a shame.Usually there is a close & all the houses join in & light up.People travel from miles to go & see it but this year there was nothing.Not even a tree in a window.It was sad.
However , on my last night working, whilst out & about we had a little competition of our own for the annual Christmas lights.The runner up was a house in Lancing....

We felt it was suitably jolly to have the second place.
First place went to a house in Southwick!.....

There was so much going on & a real Christmas fantasy for any child that may pass.Well done to the owners of this house, you made us smile on a late`rainy night when we would rather have been at home with our families.Its a shame the pictures are poor as you cannot see everything.Not bad for a phone camera though!!I love my little Samsung Galaxy Ace!
This seems to be turning into quite a long post.I do just have to show you what happened when I tried to whip some cream up for our Knickerbockerglory puddings on Christmas day.I was left with one huge greasy mess to clear up!Yuck!!

For some reason I cant get the other picture to load ,but it shows the cream splattered all over the fridge, bin & up the walls. If it had been red ,you could mistake it for a murder scene! All I could do was laugh!! We got our pudding an hour later!!!
I had some lovely gifts from my family.They are so thoughtful .We don't go overboard in our family.I know people who spend hundreds of pounds just on one person & they really don't have the money to do it.Its so silly. We have a rule of only buying what you can afford & not to use credit cards. I love gifts that are handmade & try to make as many as I can.
I hope you had a lovely day too & wish you all a fabulous & exciting New Year.

Ooooh Vienna!

 We just got back from visiting our son in Vienna!
I am so silly though! Forgot to take my camera & my phone ,so I couldn't take any pictures.Luckily Jasmin  sent me some she took.
This is the second time we have visited them in Vienna .I had a lot of expectations! The first one was for snow...let  face it , a  week, just  before Christmas & it should snow in Vienna. No ??!!! Well it did try just as we walked to the station to get our train for the flight home!

 In spite of a week being ill with sickness,cold & sore throats & no snow, we enjoyed ourselves. We went to Hungary for a family meal for our sons 24th birthday which was fabulous! They certainly know how to feed people! I cannot eat a whole dumpling!

We visited the Christmas markets on the evening for lovely traditional crafts & yummy food & hot Gluhwein! Mmmmm . I bought some fantastic glass baubles for our tree this year & managed to get them home with no breakages.

All the time we were poorly was well spent too. I finished a present I had started for Jasmin's nephew who will be born in the spring next year.

The basket was made out of some Rico Big Cotton.It was not brilliant to knit with & kept splitting no matter how careful I was. The clock & baby Uggs & the hats were knitted out of various oddments of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino & Rialto yarn which as always gives a lovely finish.

I did find a tiny yarn shop in Vienna via an Internet search.More about that in a later post though.

Today ,now we are home, the decorations are going up! Once done I shall try to get some decent pictures of the new baubles for you to see them in all their sparkly glory.
I hope that wherever you are , you too have a nice day. I think I will just stay in my pj's & get a pot of Gluhwein on the stove to fuel my day as we get the house decked with boughs of holly!

Christmas Gingerbread House!

I have always loved little houses & now is the time to make a Gingerbread house.
If you would like to make one too you can find instructions on the link:

http://www.tescorealfood.com/recipes/how-to-build-a-gingerbread-house.html

Sorry ,it just happens to be on the Tesco website.No advertising was intended. I usually shop at Lidl!
I found a video on Utube where they may a lifesize Gingerbread House in Disneyland.Its amazing!!

Join the Flock for Movember !

Slowly people seem to be using more natural products instead of their synthetic counterparts.This means that sheep will become more valuable instead of the rock bottom prices that we have seen in past years with  farmers virtually having to pay for their fleeces to be shorn & taken away.

A public arts project run by The Eden Arts in Cumbria is bringing together people to make an art installation of their own to increase awareness in the use of Wool .Click on the link here & it will take you to the project.
They have also their own Facebook page & have joined in with Movember as have we at my work.You can see the Join The Flock FB page if you click here & join it if you like!
My efforts for Movember have been knitting beard beanies, a hot new craze that is sweeping the younger generation & females not able to grow the required tash!There have been many great displays of manliness around our office ,the best being my friend & work partner ,Sandra.

She has been raising money for the cause & will be having a count up today as we are officially now in December....eeekk!!!! Beard beanie supplied by my needles.I will update you as soon as I know how much she has raised.There have been some generous donations.

Updates

Its been so long since I updated my blog! I feel a bit bad about it really.Its not that I havent been creating or that I havent had anything to say, but more just not in the right frame of mind.
After having hurt my back at work ,things started to go downhill. To cut a long story short , I found out something that could have lost me my job & also had a break down in a close family relationship.Anyway I fought back & although some days are difficult , I am still in my role.I have also changed my perspective on things & now I have this ethos that I do things for me & myself & my nearest & dearest.Life is changing & at a very fast pace!

My eldest son, Robert has gone to live in Austria with his girlfriend ,Jasmin.They have been busy settling into their new flat in Vienna.We went over in the summer to take them lots of stuff for their flat & to meet the family.They are all lovely & we had a great time.

I took some handmade items for them to make it feel like home for Rob.I made cushions & a quilt out of his old band t-shirts.I really didnt want to throw them away & some of them were designs which he had drawn himself.I carefully cut them & backed them with stabiliser & then added a fabric border & quilted the whole lot together. I was pretty pleased with the outcome.

Two very nice cushions which I was hard pushed to part with .

A very cosie quilt.


We had a lovely time in Vienna & Jasmin & Robbie have been home to visit too for my husbands 50th!
For his birthday we had a visit to London to do the tourist thing!!It was a great day & we watched the guards at Clarence House & even saw Princess Anne leave Buckingham Palace.

Lots of window shopping in Covent Garden & then a long train ride home.
Their visit was over so quickly & I miss them both very much.Thank goodness for Facebook,Skype & Whatsap on my phone!
We will be off to visit them very soon .I cannot wait.The christmas markets are so pretty in Vienna & I am getting excited about our trip!
The last time we were over Jasmins sister had just found out she was expecting a baby.Her bump will be getting huge now.She is due in March.I am looking forward to seeing them again.

I have taught Jasmin how to knit & hopefully she has been practising!!I will help her with a pair of baby Uggs for this new baby when we are over.

Sock critter

I made my sock critter!!!

I am quite proud of him & finished him using felt for the "button" eyes & down the front of his belly.I think he looks a bit like a mouse especially as he has a tail.I will be giving him away,probably in a drop for the Toy Society.

Check out his bottom......he has an embroidered heart on it hand sewn with embroidery silk.

I am really getting back into my sewing again,maily because I have been making new blinds for our bedroom which I had re-decorated.I hope to have them finished this week which will be great as its been very hot waking up to a sunny bedroom this last few weeks.

My son has just recently moved to Vienna so I had a good clearout in his room.All his band t shirts I have decided to make into a quilt for him.He has collected so many .I have been surfing the net to find out how to do it .I think I am ready to make a start now.Just watch this space....

Fresh fish Friday!

Yes I know i am writing this on a Saturday.Well I planned it on Friday!!

I couldn't wait to finish work today.At one point I was the only person in the office.I was so lonely & MrT had the day off :(.

Well I took a couple of hours off & we went for a walk along the sea front.Tea was a simple affair of fish'n'chips & that was eaten on the prom.The fish was delicious but they are getting stingy with the chips!!

As we walked home ,the local fishermen were getting ready to go out with the tide.

I love this part of Worthing.Its very close to our home.We only live about 100 metres from the beach.We are very lucky.


My current socks I am knitting for No2 son remind me of all things seaside.I love this yarn.Shame I cant remember its name but I bought it from The Wool Bar who have a reduction on sock yarn this week. I am running my second sock workshop there tomorrow.

Mr T has just realised how lovely hand knitted socks are on your feet after being asked to model the socks for fit!Am I ever going to make my stuff for me again?Poor Moth has been sidelined for at least another month or two!!Oh well.Back to my red hot needles........

Socked!!!

Today there has been lots of chatter between the girls on my team at work (there is only 1 guy!) about socks!Not just any socks you know......sock critters!!It all started when fellow comrade ,the Fabulous Lou ,made a sock monkey.I told her about my book ,Staray Sock Sewing.

Well today I took said book into work.It started such a creative theme off that we have all been down to the nearest shop in town to purchase socks to make a sock critter each over the weekend.

I will be making a Facebook fan page so we can show off our creations & our lovely Amy,(yes you get a mention),is going to name them all.

I have stripey over the knee socks to start mine off with.I want to make that little guy on the book.Don't you just love his paws in his pockets!I will keep you updated about the fun!!

Blogger issues

I have been having problems with my blog loading.I have had reports from you lovely readers that you have either not been able to get on to the blog or it has been so slow that you have given up.
Due to this I have deleted off many posts.You can see that gone now are 2008 & 2009 posts.
I have also deleted any links that are not needed.I know they looked pretty but I think they were slowing things down.
This is my last attempt.

Please let me know if its loading OK now.
If not ,I will have to start a new blog.

June post

We are now half way through June.

As usual it rained in the first week.How do I know it does this every year?My birthday is on the 6th & very few are nice dry sunny days.

Yes I have now hit 45.How old I feel.I am now older than my mother was when we got married.Thats a scary thought!!

I have made a pact with myself though that I shall continue to grow old disgracefully & have fun doing so!!

I knitted my lovely man a jumper.He did deserve it.Its his first in 25 years.Doesnt it look great on him.

Stir it up!

As you may have realised by now,I love to bake.I am happy to cook meals ,but as hubby tends to take over those ,my forte is baking!I have made some delicious cakes in the past which have been sampled by friends ,family & work colleagues.

Last week I made this sumptuous tower of orange cakes.It was a new recipe & I will definately be using it again.Here is the link to the site where I got the recipe.

You cant see it clearly in the picture ,but the orange frosting had edible glitter sprinkled on it & looked so pretty.In my blogging I found out what I have been doing wrong with my wooden spoons!They are all dried up & rough.I keep sanding them but they soon breakdown.Because I like them to be super clean ,I tend to put them in the dishwasher.I have found out they need regular feeding with a spoon oil to keep them in great condition.I am sending off for some beeswax asap to make some.Click on the link to find the recipe which came via one of my favourite blogs.Once I have got this made up,I will be giving all my favourite spoons & wooden bowls a loving session,especially my porridge spoon!

Springtime update!!Eeek its nearly summer!!

I have shamefully neglected my blog again!!
Life has kinda taken over.Work is now full time again & busy busy!!

I have also been busy knitting furiously.I had a commission for a fashion designer to make some vests .This had a deadline of only a few weeks.They were very big to make using the most horrible Godefra yarn.I never want to see that stuff gain!.

My son moved to Austria to live with his girlfriend.The house seems so much quieter now & less washing to do!!I do miss him though.We had the Royal Wedding with street parties a plenty!!We were invited to two!We attended the best one though in town with The Wool Bar. Caroline had organised a knitathon & a group of ladies & gents sat & knitted gloves for the homeless & put together knitted squares to make blankets.

I took my spinning wheel & produced a whole spindle of yarn.Apart from one silly drunk ,the day was really good & one we shall all remember.

On the Royal Wedding subject ,in Brighton whilst shopping with my family last week I spied this chocolate cake.Its Kate & William....looks where the cheeky boys hand is!!

I have also been decorating my bedroom.It took me ages & I did it all on my own,with a bad back & working all week full time with no help!It nearly killed me!!

I made`some knitted bunting from Louisa Harding's book for Aimee yarn.Its so pretty.This is the second lot of bunting I have made using the pattern.Its a really easy pattern with just a border of moss stitch & an eyelet hole row for the ribbon to be threaded through.I used a lovely paisley ribbon to thread them all up.I love it & the message on it.When I have completely finished my bedroom I shall take some pictures of it.I still have the blinds to make yet!

This is my very first Sock Workshop which was held at The Wool Bar on the 22nd May.It was great & everyone worked really hard & had a sock at the end of the day.Ok it was a mini sock but never the less it was a perfect sock!!

Well done ladies ,you were great!

New handbag..s

Its been a while since I last posted & so much has happened.

I spent most of the last month in the depths of dispair.I really didnt know what was going to happen to me with regards to my back.I now have had results from the MRI scan & although I am still in pain with it ,the results show no prolapsed disc.Wowee..that means I should be able to get back to some sort of normality after I have had a session with the pain clinic & no operation.If I was living in America ,I have found out they would possibly go on to do a discogram ,but as I live in the UK & at the mercy of the NHS.They will not do any more investigations & I have to get on with it!!Surely I wont have to keep rattling with tablets for ever?Well lets hope not.

Now on the the title in hand...A girl can never have too many can they?Absolutely not is the answer always given to a male asking the question!!ha ha!!!

Well I think I mentioned in my last post I was going to make a new bag in cotton.Well its finished & in great use.Here are the pictures.

I am quite pleased with it & it has been much admired.The only thing is it only is available in crochet form at the moment.I have promised my friend to sort a pattern in knit form for her.This means I first have to knit a bag in the same shape!!I am so busy with knitting at the moment.I darent say how many projects I am making .In fact I dont think even I know the answer at the moment!!

I have also been asked to do some work shops which means that I must sort out a lesson plans for each of them.I do like teaching though & have been doing a few beginners knitters courses.You really feel like you have achieved something when you teach someone to make something.

I also forgot to post about some of the things I made as presents at Christmas.

One was some fingerless mittens made from some gorgious Manos yarn.Its so warm.They are for my MIL .I also made a shrug out of this ran for myself.Its very cosy & keeps me snug.

These mittens were for my FIL.They are the pattern I listed on a previous post.Its been quite popular as its knitted flat & then sewn up down the side of the glove.

The Rico yarn in Merino is lovely.I just washed my hubby's mitts in the machine this morning & they have come up a treat.I forgot they were in there & put them on a 40degree wash.They were fine & have not felted.