For my friend in the North

It is Marylin's birthday this month, so I have been busy hooking! I created this corsage especially for her, hope she likes it! The pink flower is on page 114 of Jan Eaton's Compendium of crochet techniques. (I love the word compendium, such a rolling round your tongue word!) As I mentioned before this is a fab book. I think I have had a little more success this time because I stuck to the instructions! Normally I get so far, can't work out what they are trying to tell me, and then do my own thing with disastrous results. However, this is what happens when you actually follow instructions and I am rather pleased with it. The middle flower is my own creation (yellow and white) sort of lots of chain loops round the white circle. The back of the pin is made from a larger green circle with the leaves made from chains, doubles and trebles. I hope she likes it!

L was sorting out her room, trying to find all the Halloween stuff, attempting to persuade me into holding a Halloween party no doubt! We found a couple of wigs and I thought I would model the corsage as a hair clip, it looks as if I found my twin sister! I think I will cut my hair shorter!! It looks like fun!

Well, now I have manged to get up, dressed and showered, I am off to the shed with a jumper and some sharp scissors! Happy Saturday!

All frills and spills!

I do not apologise for the frilliness and sheer girlieness of this tea cosy. Going to the local woolshop is like visiting a candy store! So many beautiful colours and shades! I fell in love with this wool, (or rather cotton) it is called baby bamboo. I found it a little tricky to work with, the strands would come loose and I ended up with split stiches!

The pattern idea is my own, a combination of techniques I wanted to try out, namely the fringed lower edging, together with the loopy curved top. The flower is from the book compendium of crochet techniques by Jan Eaton, I cannot recommend it enough! The instructions are very thorough and she covers lots of stuff including using colour, blocking and various edging and trims. Being incapacitated on the sofa offers the opportunity to practice and I am now getting better at the techniques!

It is such a relaxing hobby! I am feeling a little old now, as I am on the sofa, cosy under a little lap quilt watching countdown of all things! LOL, I really have to get back to work!

Poppy Painting

It has been a glorious day, warm and sunny the chooks have been revamping the garden and I no longer have a single flower left on a plant! C has been frowning and devising a new system, as he is fed up with having to watch where he walks!

I have spent the last couple of days painting, it is surprising how quickly the time passes when I have a paintbrush in my hand. (I am a rather messy painter, I have managed to get paint all over my lovely white linen trousers, my pretty blue top, and on the handle of my crutches!) so here it is, (still debating with the colour round the centre, but I could fiddle for eternity!) It is roughly twice the size of A3, I can't seem to paint small things! I intend to pop it on the wall in our lounge, (C is happy to do so) but at the mo it is drying in the shed, (have had to move the poster of Edward Cullen temporarily)

Blue Bells

I usually get bogged down with my drawing, focussing so much on getting a perfect drawing that it isn't as relaxing!

However, this year I started doodling flowers, because it is purely from imagination I find it really relaxing. Sometimes just twiddling with lines concentrating on each petal or leaf. I am quite addicted to this type of drawing!