Half-term fun!

Another week has flown by here, but it's been a good one!
There's been apple picking...

Once the tree was stripped, we could no longer see the inside of the basket!

A 6th birthday celebration...

I have failed as a Mum because I bought this cake! I do normally bake their cakes - honest!

A halloween disco birthday party...

My little pumpkin is dancing away and you can just see the birthday witch on the edge of the photograph! This was only this afternoon and my two halloween disco dancers are now fast asleep - wish I had their energy!

A trip to the beach...

And just a little crafting...

The skeins were wound into balls ready for those lovely Japanese flowers. I have decided to make a cowl by crocheting two rows of 13 flowers and joining the ends together. It is so lovely to work with; silky soft and worth every penny.

I hope you have had a good week too.

Becky x

Five Little Robins

I wanted to show you my robin brooches I have finished this weekend. I'm really pleased with how they have turned out.

 They're so cute aren't they!? They just look gorgeous on my tree...

...and I'm going to be a bit sorry to part with them, but I must as I want to pay for that Debbie Bliss Andes yarn that I showed you all in my last post. Thank you so much for so many lovely comments and advice regarding the proposed scarf. It was quite unanimous that I should make the scarf. It would be quite different to Lucy's, well shorter anyway, as I only have 5 skeins and she used 9! I'm wondering if I could adapt the pattern to make a cowl as I love the flowers but have wanted to make a cowl for a while now.

I have also made a couple of other birds which I plan to list in my folksy shop soon. 

 

And I've experimented with another little brooch. For a first attempt it's not bad but I think it needs a slightly longer neck!

I hope you have enjoyed your weekend. It's half-term break here so I'm looking forward to some craft catch-up time!

Becky x

L'il Birds

Last year I made myself this robin brooch. I was asked a dozen times over if I would make one for colleagues but it was so close to Christmas I just didn't have time.

I dug it out recently and thought I would have a go at making some but in different colours. Mine was cut from some thick wool felt that I had bought and then I needle felted the red tummy on. This year I decided to needle felt the whole thing. It's a little trickier than I had imagined to get the right shape but I have made 5 so far and they are looking quite good.

I have decorated 3 already but I'll save those for my next post.

A few weeks ago I fell in love with some gorgeous yard and stood stoking it for some time before deciding I couldn't justify buying it. Three weeks later and that yarn had been playing on my mind...

I couldn't resist and bought 5 skeins. It's Debbie Bliss Andes, a mix of baby alpaca and silk, and it's amazingly soft. Very naughty! (Now I'm going to have to make loads of those birds to pay for these!) I didn't have an exact pattern in mind but fancied using it to make a scarf of some sort. Then I remembered this little one that Lucy at Attic24 made and thought I would investigate. Lo and behold she used the exact same yarn (had this entered my subconscious and played on my mind?!). It is beautiful, no denying, but the point in handmade is having something a bit unique and I know that there are now thousands of these scarves/shawls out there as the lovely Lucy has quite a large following.  Does that matter? Perhaps not as we all put our own personal stamp on our handmade items. However, if you have any ideas for this luscious yarn I'd be grateful for some suggestions!

Calming Crochet

Recently I have been crossing items off my to do list only to find I add three more!
It is when things get so busy that I find myself grateful for crochet. I try to set time aside each evening, after the children have gone to bed, to pick up my blanket and quietly work a few more stitches. It's gentle rhythmic pattern is soothing and I find I don't have to think to much about it. My fingers follow the same repetitive pattern and my mind wanders to the days events. Quiet reflection.

There are times when I want to be a little more productive (my impatience winning over) and a little brooch is whipped up. Sometimes the satisfaction of starting and finishing something in one go is needed.

And then I can happily go back to adding another row to the blanket.

Hope you are all having a lovely week.
Becky x

PS. Have visited many of of your blogs last weekend but could only leave comments on a few. I don't know what I have done to offend Mr.Blogspot but he didn't want to accommodate my requests this weekend. Hoping to pop and see you all next weekend when I will hopefully have a bit more luck with the commenting!

Finding 5 minutes

I am still here, honest, just very busy at work and trying to get a good balance between work and family things. Somehow blogging has been put on the back burner. The lovely weather has meant we have been trying to get out and enjoy the sunny autumn (really?) days.

 Crafting has been reduced to snatching the odd 5 or 10 minutes here and there, which isn't the most satifying or productive way to work but at least I feel I'm doing a little something for me.

Two more colours have been added to my blanket.

I had a sudden "I'm not sure I like this anymore" moment and very nearly ripped the whole lot out. Fortunately my husband stopped me. I think it is just the slow pace that it's developing at that got to me for a minute. There are two rows per ripple colour and I have done 14 colours, so 28 rows out of a total 170 rows. Mmmm, about a sixth of the blanket, slow progress then. My Grandmother always used the saying "patience is a virtue" with me. Poor soul, I must have driven her to distraction as it is not one of my qualities! At least not with crochet!

A couple more matryoshka have been felted and are now waiting to be decorated. I would love to make a set decreasing in size.

I keep receiving requests from my colleagues for some of my crochet brooches. I wear one practically every day, but I just can't seem to find the time to finish anything at the moment. 

Lots of beginnings but no endings, it's very dissatisfying.

A lovely surprise arrived in the post for me last week. A thank you parcel from the lovely Ali of Random Wooliness who won my giveaway back in August. I didn't open it straight away. I wanted to find that quiet time when the children are in bed and I could relax and open it at my leisure. That moment didn't arrive so the next day I ploughed right in!

Ali sent me some lovely gifts. One of her oh so cute blackbirds...

...and a framed muffin (I just love how she gets the texture in her icing).

And a sweet brooch in lovely colours.

Thanks, Ali. The best gifts are the ones you are not expecting, particularly when they arrive by post!

I'm also taking part in my first swap, the Christmas Decoration Swap organised by Hookin' With Laalaa. I have been partnered up with Twinklestar of Twinkles, Tutus and Twirls and I am really excited. We have got in touch and shared our likes, dislikes and favourites so it's time to start making. The only slightly annoying thing is I can't share what I am planning with you all!  Never mind, I shall share all after it has been received!

Hope you all have a great week.

Becky x

Disaster! Crochet, a Matryoshka and a Blog Award!

Apologies for my long absence from blogland, preparations for the new academic year have simply taken over here. Just when I thought I was all ready to return to work my external hard drive took a tumble and I lost EVERYTHING. There was disbelief, followed by gentle tinkering, which was then followed by tears and tantrums :o(  I haven't backed up since December and have lost so much work and personal data (photographs, crochet patterns...). And of course this happened at 5:30pm on the day before returning to school so several days preparations and plans were also lost.
Anyway, one very late night and lots of busy evenings later and I am feeling less upset about it, although I keep remembering other things I have lost. Lesson learned, must back-up at least once a week!

************

On the craft front, very little has been happening. However, I do have a new project to share with you. Here it is nestled quietly in my knitting bag.

A bright little rainbow. Each ball waiting patiently for it's turn.
This is a big one! I wanted to crochet something that we would keep. That would be snuggled and cuddled and generally loved. I have admired Lucy's blankets (Attic24) over the web for a few years now and watched as her pile of loveliness grew.
I should be able to manage one shouldn't I? 
Then I found a new yarn store. The only plus point of my husband being in hospital! I had to pick him up and bring him home the day after my birthday from a different hospital than the usual (yes, sadly, we have a usual hospital... and ward... and nurses!) and there on a roundabout was a sign. Quick change of direction and suddenly the day was looking so much brighter! A lovely local lady owned the shop and gave me some super advice and even a quick demo of how she crochets her seams! 
I wanted a yarn that was soft, durable, available in some bright colours but not cost the earth. I was asking for too much! So I compromised and chose to use these two yarns to use together.

I selected a real rainbow of bright colours which I love. I have shocked myself a little, I would normally choose a more muted palette, particularly for the home, but these just jumped off the shelf at me! I have promised myself I will finish this one as I have spent my birthday money on the yarn.

My mum is calling it a labour of love, but in truth I am finding it very relaxing and therapeutic at the end of the busy days. I'm using Lucy's ripple pattern and it really is so easy, she is such a clever girl (note to self - must buy her a coffee for her generosity). The more it grows, the more desperate I am to finish it. And as the days grow slowly colder, it is lovely to have it on my lap in the evening, soft and warm. I'm really enjoying this one, have you guessed?!

Another little make... a matryoshka.

It was going to be a strawberry pincushion! But I happened to look at it upside down as it was drying and decided to turn it into a Russian doll, something that been on my 'to do' list to make using my felt for ages.

This was just a little experiment, but I love how it has come out so I think a few more will be appearing around The Fluff Pot house!

I am delighted to have received another blog award, this one from the lovely Ali at Random Wooliness.

She has kindly excused me from the customary sharing of seven interesting facts about myself as I have done this quite recently. I will pass this award on to 7 lovely fellow bloggers in my next post.

Finally, I am taking part in a blog swap organised by Hookin With Laalaa, the Handmade Christmas Decoration Swap.

The idea is that you make a gorgeous Christmas decoration then add at least 5 other christmassy gifts for them to enjoy. The deadline to sign up is the 15th September so why not join in the fun?!

Hope you are all enjoying your weekend.
Becky x

Giveaway Winner...

I have really enjoyed organising this giveaway and have been absolutely overwhelmed with the response. So thank you to all those who have particpated and spread the word. I now have 74 followers and 26 favourites for my Folksy shop which is AMAZING! Thank you!

Anyway, to the important business! Choosing a winner! I have used some free software called 'The Hat' by Harmony Hollow software. You type in the names of all the entrants (add 2,3... to the name for additional entries) and then ask it to select a name from the virtual hat. 74 entries went into the hat (many of you went in several times - well done!).

And so the winner is...

Congratulations, Ali of Random Wooliness! Please email me your address so I can get it posted to you and let me know which of the roses in my Folksy shop you would like.

I have a new crochet project to share with you all in my next post, I'm very excited about it! I have also been playing with a little felting project which I hope to share with you.

Enjoy the rest of your week.

Becky x