A Quieter Week....

Good morning all!

After the hectic rushing around of late it's been a much quieter week....

I should have been desk deep in writing new materials, but due to a bit of a hold up sending me the books I ended up with a bit of editing and more breathing space.. lovely!

The first of the books have now arrived and as soon as I get sent the template for the task I'll be at it again. Here's one of the first I'm doing..

It's a great read with a lovely message..

I know I was all confident about Mum's top for Mothering Sunday, but when I got over halfway through I realised that the yarn was going sooo much further than I thought at first so I changed my mind.  Here's what I'm working on now - whether I get it done in time for Sunday could be in the balance, but at least it's a spinning day on Wednesday so I can get some more done during the day.

The 'girls' at spinning are great especially when I'm nearing the end of a task (generally at the sewing up phase). I jsut have to say that I've brought something to finish and they are happy to keep nagging (broken up by plenty of tea and cake) until I've completed the job. I'm looking forward to Wednesday as I haven't been spinning since the first week of January so have missed it a lot. I'm also keen to spin up some more alpaca to get on with one of the shawls where progress has stalled through lack of yarn!

With the 'spare' time this week I've been able to have a good sort out in the study and re-organise everything, putting older work away in the loft and getting the things I'll need for the work that's about to arrive ready at hand. It might not look any more organised to anyone else, but I know where everything is now. It reminded me of when we first moved here and had to get our stuff sorted to change from one way of life/work to another.

So here's 101 tips for thrift number 8..... if you don't need it pass it on...
After we'd moved and put a lot of things in the loft 'just in case' as we didn't know what could be useful, if either of us would need to find teaching work, etc. By the first September we were ready to get rid of some more stuff. (We'd already thinned a lot of things out in a Boot Sale before we moved - getting rid of it rather than packing it up and moving the storage problem with us!) Encouraged by my sister I investigated Ebay, tried it out with one item, found out how easy it was and off I started. With a book from the library for advice I started to clear out the surplus. About £300 later I was stunned and delighted. It was also helped by the fact that the move had left us with tons of bubble wrap and tape stacked up in the loft. Some books and CDs went better on Amazon - you just have to check it out and see. Since then I seem to have regular mini clear outs. A little while ago I dealt with a pile of old badges, photographing them first for posterity and then selling them - it's amazing what you can get! That saying about one man's rubbish being another's treasure certainly seems true.

In the sorting I opened our lounge cabinet door...

 

I'm not sure how long it would take to watch all the DVDs or listen to all the CDs, but I know that we've already got plenty to watch stored on the hard drive too so it looks like tip number 9 has to be prune your collection! I think it's time I used those long drives to listen to some CDs and then discard any that no longer appeal (so that's a no listening to favourites until I've been through the stockpile rule I guess!) and then the evenings in hotels could be put to use with the DVDs that I bought ages ago and not watched. Of course there are plenty that I want to keep and watch again and again (my sister's choices are usually in this category) - you can tell those they're usually the ones at the front!But the older ones that I don't want to revisit can go on Ebay or Amazon or one of the newer sales sites as I get through them!

 

I feel quite exhausted already.. Time for a break and some cake before relaxing over at Handmade Monday...

 The cake is courtesy of Graeham.. we went to our local craft centre for a bit of an outing yesterday only to be a bit disappointed at the way it seems to be developing - there were still some nice pieces here and there, but there seemed to be far more mass produced stuff than ever before. We then wanted to go over to the Craftsman's Guild place at Bovey, but the new exhibition doesn't start until next week. So Graeham decided it was time for some cake.. and quite right too....

Enough from me - sorry about ramblingon - I suppose that's what happens when you have a bit more time!!

See you next week....

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.....

Starting something else!!

 

I know it annoys and frustrates most people I know, but I just can't help having lots on the go at once! Having got on the 'I've knitted a blanket' train, I've found it nigh impossible to get off - so here's the third one I''ve now started.. There is a method in my madness in that they are all very different and from different parts of my stash. This one is from a bag of oddments that a friend gave me. She loves Noro yarns and has made a number of different jackets and jumpers which leaves her with plenty of leftovers. Her rather generous way of dealing with this lovely stash is to give it to me! So here's the start of it...

 

 

Then my sister phoned.. she hasn't had the same lack of snow as us and says that her handmade socks are perfect for the time of year and could she have some more. What else could I say, but yes? How lovely to be asked to make something instead of looking for excuses about why I should! SO, that pair of fingerless wristwarmers and phonesock that I proudly displayed a little while ago are now nearly a pair of socks instead! I will buy some wool for a proper new pair, but it seemed too good to be true that I had enough to get a pair off to her asap.. Pics when I've finished...

 

Mind you it wasn't all about starting something new. Mum's friend has lost a brooch I made so there's a choice on it's way to her so she can replace it!

 



And it's my friend's birthday today - so she's getting one of my sister-in-law's bathmelts in one of my handmade boxes.. I love it when it all goes to plan! And I've even remembered to put the link on this page too under Fentons of Kent...

 

Does beginning a new book count as starting something new too?  This was a Christmas present from my sister - the story is unfolding against the backdrop of the Cathars, Carcassone and all the usual Kate Mosse features - I'm loving it!

 

 

 

Gosh, I know this is a bit short this week, but not only do I want my coffee break over at Handmade Monday, but I've also got the last bit of writing on my desk to finish. It's the teachers' notes for a non-fiction text and I'm trying hard to finish it today if I can so that I can award myself time off this week. Especially as I've got to spend nearly all of next week working in Wales - still, lots of hotel room time to sit and knit and get one with some needle felting too......

 

Catch you next week!



Down with Resolutions!

See - so soon into the New Year and my plans to blog on time go straight out of the window! Still - not quite all my fault - I'll have to shift some of the blame onto work - and not complain as it pays the bills!

I've been back and forth to Wales a bit since the beginning of the year so it has eaten into my more craft-y and blogging time....

Anyway, enough of the excuses and on with the show..

First I decided to finish up part of a cone of wool I had hanging around - there wasn't really enough for a decent length of scarf so I joined the ends into a cowl...

 

 

Next it was time to examine the stash that I'm trying to whittle down... I sorted out a basket full to live within eyesight to spur me on. All of this lot is handspun that's been washed and is ready to use - everything from sari silk to alpaca all waiting for inspiration. Actually, our Guild has an exhibition at Killerton House in September and I did think that I might make up some items for that. They also sell some examples of Guild members' work so I might even find new homes for some of it too...

 



Then, looking at some odds and ends I realise that I have NEVER made a blanket - something to do with all that sewing up of squares.. so I thought I'd use up what I'd got, but do long strips to cut down on the sewing up.. now I'm beginning to collect mixtures of knitted pieces on stitch holders until I can put them together. (I thought I'd leave them on stitch holders and then knit all the way along the top to start the border - it should work as long as I don't run out of stitch holders!)

 

 

Finally I took a long hard look at some of the alpaca I'd got (and I've still got loads in the loft waiting to be spun). I've decided to go for a throw/blanket knitted on giant needles, well 25mm anyway, using 4 strands at once. I started it on my last trip to Cardiff that included an overnight hotel stay. Something to take back and forth I thought - as long as it doesn't get so big and heavy that it needs an overnight bag of its own!

So now I can award myself a short break and pop over to Handmade Monday - the centenary edition - well done Wendy! That way I can try and catch up on that other promise to read and comment on more of the great blogs featured there...

Who knows, perhaps next week I'll get back on track....



Happy New Year!

Well, that's another year done and dusted... and what a year!

After all that 2012 brought it was nice to draw breath on Christmas Day with a walk along the beach - once the excitement of the swim and Gordon Ramsey's filming was over!

We packed up the Christmas tree on New Year's Day and rather perversely I enjoy it almost as much as putting it up in the first place. It's that feeling of getting ready for the next excitements and looking forwards once the old year is put to bed. It's also part of my 'thrift' regime - so tip number 5 is - pack up Christmas carefully. I start with all the hanging bits and pieces which live in an old box that a pair of boots came in. This gives me the chance to check out anything broken and to make sure anything fragile is carefully cushioned. This year it was my stained glass angel that had suffered..

Happily her head fixed back on quite neatly so she went back in the box ready for next time.

Then the lametta comes off and gets stored so I don't have to buy any more, followed by the tinsel. Then the lights are wrapped round a piece of cardboard and put into a large food storage box. The tree then gets well and truly pruned so that it's neat and tidy for its trip to recycling. We don't have many otherdecorations, but these are also packed with care and it all goes into a large plastic storage box and straight into the loft safely for next year. The cards get another look and I make a note of all those we've received so I don't miss anyone next year, then we date any precious ones and file them. At this point we quite often remove cards from previous years and replace them with these more up to date ones. Then I take any apart that have good ideas or bits I can use for another card making session and cut up the rest for shoping lists!

The house still looks suitably festive thought - thanks to two lovely pointsettias that my mum gave us. Here's just one..

I've even managed to finish those socks that my sister didn't get in time for Christmas - they're in the post as I type. I still haven't sorted the issue of how much wool I need - I finished one pair in time having bought two balls of wool and then found I had enough left over for these wristwarmers and a mobile sock. 

So I decided that for the other pair I'd try just one ball, but it wasn't quite enough so the heels are a different mix! One day I'll gauge it right!

While on the subject of Christmas and saving - you might like this one (number 6). Over the years it's become a bit of a tradition. It started when I wanted to give my nieces a surprise present so bought a couple of cheap money boxes and in the weeks going up to Christmas put all my copper change into them. Then on Christmas day they could open them and play 'count the pennies'! Over the years the money boxes have become a bit smaller and the change has changed colour into silver, but I'm still doing it....

Looking back over 2012 so much has happened that I won't put you to sleep listing it all, but there's been plenty of highlights.. There were our two trips to the Olympics, my mum's 80th birthday when all the family came down to Devon for a week..

 

Work suddenly took off with new schools and new writing, craft fairs provided some helpful and encouraging comments, there was a short break in Majorca with some ex-work colleagues, I started this blog joining Handmade Monday along the way and then two days before Christmas my stepson got married.

So what's around the corner for 2013? Even more excitement I'm sure....

Firstly I've still got plenty of writing on the joblist and next week I'm back off to Wales to deliver some training in one of my new schools. Then I'm resolving to get to Handmade Monday more regularly AND earlier in the day so that I can get reading and commenting on everyone else's blogs more often. My sister has booked the same flat in Sidmouth for a week in the summer so that she and my mum and possibly my nieces and other halves can come down again. My two friends who supported me all those years ago when I was on teaching practice are coming to visit for a couple of days too - I haven't seen them for years! Then there'll be spinning and running and crafting and all those other things that we moved here to give ourselves time to enjoy. Oh yes, and this year I'm going to knuckle down and get an e-book published. I've done all the research and have the plot and introduction so all I've got to do is stop prevaricating!!

So, happy new year - hope it brings lots to enjoy for you too......



Nearly there.......

Another week of getting ready and finishing off.. I think I've just about done all the cards..

And wrapped the presents - as we're off to Surrey for a present drop at my mum's and sister's. We're also having a brithday lunch for my husband - can't show you his card - just in case he peeks, but I'm quite happy with the idea - hope he will be!

There's one present that won't make it into those we're dropping off - it's still at this stage

 

so it'll have to be a nice New Year gift..

 

Then it's back to work - I've still got a bit of writing to get done next week - and then get ready for  the festivities. The tree is up with the lights on, but it's waiting its full trim up for when we return.

 

This week also saw the end of the washing machine, but luckily a new one was available, delivered and is now installed and working its way through the last of the laundry pile.

 

Then it's action stations for next Saturday when my stepson gets married - Graeham picked up his posh gear yesterday (quite surreal going from the local derby football match on the terraces and then into the calm that is Moss Bros!).

 

 

Phew - roll on Christmas when we can just walk down for the swim (no, I'm spectating only!!) and then put our feet up with a glass of something!

 

 

My trip over to Handmade Monday may be delayed until we return! But to everyone there - many thanks for the lovely comments each week - I get a real kick out of receiving and reading them... I guess my New Year's Resolution muct be about commenting more on all of yours!

 

Have a lovely Christmas.....