Home, Sweet Home

Much as I love travelling around, especially revisiting Cardiff where I was at University, it's lovely to be home for a little while! I've got all this week at home until next Tuesday.. phew...

Anyway lots happening as usual - can't say life ever gets boring around here - even though some thought moving to quiet Devon and giving up the day job for a sort of retirement might prove a little slow.....

We went over to visit Grae's son and granddaughter on Friday and when she saw the scarf?cowl? whatever I had one she wanted one, but in pink (naturally). So here it is ready to go in the post today. I also sem to have enough yarn for at least one, maybe two more! So much for diminishing the stash...

 

I've also started this....

 

 

It's yarn from Mum's stash that she's not using and a veerrrryyy old pattern. With luck it'll be finished in time to take up to her for Mothering Sunday.

 

Then I decided to get a grip on my lack of crochet skills. I've always done cobweb-y shaped shawls in the past - mainly because my tension is dreadful and I end up with droopy corners that have to be truned into a non-rectangular shape! But armed with the recent Mollie Makes I've decided to work on it. This is my first 'square', it's a bit wobbly, but by  the time I've done 80 and trimmed them in a common colour, then joined them together I'll either be a) more proficient, b) able to hide the mistakes amongst the many or c) ready to throw it out of the window. We'll see....

 

Then, following on from Graeham's card I carried on with the needle felting - no injuries this time (just as well - got a shuttle on the cheekbone last week - bruise subsiding - one injury a week from hobbies is probably enough!). I've put a brooch bar on the back and I must say I'm quite pleased with it! Now who to give it to? WIll look at the birthday list....

 



Finally, I got a phone call about the next writing project. What bliss.. I'm waiting for a pile of beautiful picture books that need notes to help teachers with both comprehension skills and writing from them.. The work should take at least a couple of months so stand by for some drooling over lovely children's books...

That's all from me for now. I'm off the Handmade Monday to spend some time enjoying everyone else's blogs now I've got a bit of time before the postman arrives!!

Good grief it's mid-February!

I can't believe after all my good intentions I've missed a couple of blogs and it's only February!

In my defence work has been a bit manic, but other than that I have no real excuses...

So just what has kept me away? Uuummmm.. well I have been back and forth to Wales for work. It's still exciting stuff going into schools and supporting eager and enthusiastic staff. It's also lovely the way they let me demonstrate different techniques with their classes and I really enjoy the easy way the children respond and chat! I'm not too wild about the staying away/hotel bit, but I have managed to get to the end of all the appropriate stash wool so the blankets have reached a stall until some more matching types of yarn find their way into my shopping bag!

My sister sent out an SOS for some more socks.. I managed to find some 'spare' wool for one pair that I could do quickly and post, but the other I had to buy some more wool and finally finished the pair on the train up to see her and Mum last Monday..

 

 

We had a lovely day - complete with pancakes a day early!

 

Then I got Graeham's Valentine's card done - I decided to try some needle felting - must remember not to do it while watching gripping TV - my finger is now recovering from being needled itself! I have got some bits and pieces ready for brooches, but they're not quite ready for show.. maybe next week...

 



 

 

What else? Ahh - yes more Exeter City fixtures - this is how close we were to the TV commentary box - sadly the team were a lot further away from a win!

 

 

On the 101 Ways to Save Money side of life I bought two new dresses! Well, I know that doesn't sound too thrifty, but I did need some presentable gear for school visits in order to look professional.. but that lead to a big money saving - honest.. I did wonder if I needed some new shoes so we got all my shoes out (12 pairs, plus some boots, if you don't count trainers, flip flops, walking boots - you know specialist type stuff). Graeham then got out the scuff cover, polish, suede brush, etc. and half an hour later it looked like I had eleven new pairs of shoes with one waiting to be re - heeled.. quite a result and it didn't cost a penny (well not until I'd paid for the re-heeling! - still cheap though).



 

 

Then there's the writing.. great fun this week as I had to do Teachers' notes on Shrek and Ratatouille!

I've never seen Ratatouille and thoroughly enjoyed it - and it's quite current in tone with the present worries about food too.

Oh yes and I finished the Kate Mosse book too.. very gripping. I felt like I'd missed one or two things within the historical/mystical part of the story as there was so much going on. But it was fascinating and, as usual, really well written - I do feel the need to re-read it and look forward to that.  As a bit of light relief I read the P.D. James 'sequel' to Pride and Prejudice 'Death comes to Pemberley' - interesting concept, but without the Austen wit!

Now I must scoot over to Handmade Monday and then knuckle down to the proof reading I keep putting off.. partly because it's close, eye-bending work and partly because I'm having to add bits of Welsh that are too far back in my memory banks for comfort!!!

Have fun this week - I'll try and be good and get back here on time next Monday with more to show - some crochet perhaps.....