Hot and cold

Returned from the UK where it was COLD (9 degrees and driving rain)  to Spain where it was HOT (30 degrees and humid)! What a shock, fortunately the weather cooled a bit here for a couple of weeks, but its hotting up again now for the long Summer season...
Before I left I took our little dog Sophie for a walk through the vineyards in the valley across the road from the house and I heard this




What a beautiful sound! The bird was deep in the tall rushes so I couldn't see it but the sound was unforgettable, I LOVE the Spring, everything bursting into life, such a hopeful time of year.

Anyway, in London, after much playing and cuddling I gave Noah his next scrapbook page

His new album is 12"X 12" which is much easier to work with, I had such fun choosing all the fishy things to put on here! He and his Mum loved it, he wanted to take the fish off and play with them! I also delivered the 'Lucy inspired' round flower cushion to my Lucy. We had a lovely time despite the weather, especially at the Science Museum's bubble show. Bubbles is one of Noah's few words at present he loves them!
Mike's Birthday card was given early as well as there were tickets for the theatre for him inside

Made using the Portobello Road paper kit and stamps and some from other sets I have. Really pleased with the result. Coincindentally my daughter Elly and I decided to go to the real Portobello Road on her day off. Although the street market was not on, the browsy antique and bric a bric stalls kept us amused for hours. Jubilee mania is everywhere, all sorts of souvenirs to tempt you, from the outright tacky to the very tasteful. I think Cath Kidston's range gets my vote, a bit over-priced but pretty. I gave in a bought a T shirt from M&S that is not obviously Jubilee, but has some London elements mixed in with pretty florals.

Back home and I finally finished the diagonal jacket, just in time to put it in the cupboard for 6 months! Very pleased with this, although it's a tad short. I'm hoping it will drop and bit with wear.

Several weeks ago I started my new rug project, a lions head designed by Gail Dufresne. I need some more golden coloured fabric for this so out came the dye pot today.....

 It's such a long time since I did this, but did some dip dyeing to get graduated colour along the length of the wool fabric. I then decided it needed to be a more yellow so 'cooked' it some more in a yellow solution. Here is the beginning stages of the rug, this handsome lion is going to be so gorgeous when finished, the mane will be done in proddy ( long shaggy strips of fabric) to look realistic and feel wonderful! Of course this is destined for Noah's bedroom, but don't tell him!

A wedding is on the way in June of a dear friend's granddaughter so I had fun using all the glitter and pearls I could find to make this

The photo doesn't do it justice, but it is just the look I wanted. Stamped flower heart and border  (by Chloe's Stamps) decoupaged with vellum flowers with crystal gems in the centres. The bride is wearing ivory so the ribbon and matting is this colour with  pearls in the corners.

It is now officially HOT and we enjoying the signs of Summer, the first cherries fresh from the market

and the muslin curtains on the doors blowing in the warm breeze, such a summery sight...

(yes that is Sophie's little body sunbathing!)

My crocodile stitch bag is coming on slowly, pics next time, I've also cast on a new cardigan for me and a teddy outfit, all will be revealed soon!

Finally a little floral tribute to he Majesty the Queen's Diamond Jubilee next weekend

Hope you are enjoying the season whether it is hot or cold for you right now.

Handy hugs!

WIP's and FO's

• Not a lot of progress in the past couple of weeks, with ill health in the house (including hospitals) there has been no time or no energy for creativity, but I do have three little FO's (finished objects)

Aren't they cute? Pattern from little cotton rabbits (link in last post) I had trouble with the size of the head and made the middle one smaller, it seemed more in proportion with the rest of the egg cozy. These were meant to be Easter gifts but will travel with me in my suitcase next weekend instead, as sadly I'm off to the UK for a family funeral.

The up side of that is I will see my kids and my little pickle and get to give him his in person. The other bonus is I can take a small portable project with me to work on which always delights me. I can't be the only one who when travelling is on the horizon, first plans what project to take? My non crafty friends probably find this extraordinary, please someone tell me I'm not alone? Anyway, I've decided I will make teddy clothes and take my crochet crocodile stitch bag in progress too.

The WIP's (works in progress) are gradually growing, the second never ending sleeve is plodding along and the stole I had trouble with is finally taking shape.

Turns out I had been working on the wrong number of starting stitches and just could not get the pattern to work...I thought I was going mad, especially as I heard a friend who hasn't knitted for 40 years had already powered through three of these beauties!

The formula is tricky, the main panels are 9 stitches across, the linking panels are two stitches across with yarn overs in between and I wanted three edge stitches. Anyway much scratching of head and maths later I worked out I needed 70 sts and now it works! I'm using oddments of mohair and other weights of yarn that tone, with two rows of a silky ribbon in between. It's a one row pattern with purl on the reverse, but I do need to concentrate, but once it is going you can 'read' the stitches quite easily.

When snatching a few minutes to relax this week I have been watching a DVD lent by a friend on how to colour stamped images with alcohol pens.

Although I have some promarkers not these pens, they work the same way and I was able to find similar colours from my selection to practice with.

It's a very good DVD, simple step by step demo's with lots of hints and tips along the way, I would highly recommend it.

Here is what I did after watching it, a cute little boy from the Crafters Companion range of SWALK stamps...

 

And a sweet Flower Fairy from the same company, called Wild Cherry. the flowers look just like the almond blossom we have here. They have both turned out quite light, this is because when the alcohol evaporates from the ink the colours lighten. I think I will go back and darken some shadows. I will spray the wings with glitter as well, for some fairy magic! Really enjoyed this, colouring-in the grown up way! I can't wait to try a poppies stamp next, such vibrant in-your-face flowers.

Meanwhile Spring is busting out all over!

The Wisteria is putting a magnificent show again! And the spring jasmine scent is intoxicating when you walk into the house...

Another sight that fills me with joy is sight of this lovely bright green Hosta pushing its leaves up into the sunlight, so cheerful and perfect, (until the snails discover it!)

The whole garden is screaming at me for attention, but it will have to wait until my ME calms down again.

Bye for now, hopefully there will be more FO's than WIP's next time!

Colour Fest!

This past couple of weeks has all been about colour, in the flowers around me and the handicraft I have been working on.
First the flowers

a

 This is the riot of colour I am basking in.... yellow freesias, ostespermum dasies, cyclamen and wisteria
and the rest are all from this gorgeous bouquet that arrived from my lovely childen for Mother's Day!

Two of my prized hibiscus were caught very badly by the frost this winter and i had almost given up hope that they had survived, but I was insanely happy to find this tiny little green shoot on the double peach plant! Its alive! Now I am holding my breath for the other one to show some signs of life too.

On the crochet front I have been working my way through a ball of Kauni rainbow yarn that has been in my stash for years, the fun of watching the colours change is amazing, especially in the crocodile stitch........another bag in the making

And some cute little bunny egg cozies soon to be on their way to Peckham for Easter

The pattern for these is from Little Cotton Rabbits, as I'm using oddments of  yarn that I have (not the 4ply cotton recommened) the head come out to large for the body of this one, so this will be Daddy Bunny!

This one is much better and will be Noah's I think, but he will no doubt decide which is his favourite without any help from me. Mummy bunny still to come!

Cards, cards, cards!

We tried our skills at stamping with corner stamps the Barbara Gray way at club this week and were quite successful. The Mens' cards were from a few weeks ago and have only just come back to me.

This week we are doing 3D flowers, some from My Craft Studio Paper Flower Expert CD's and some from a new book I have aquired on making flowers with punches, the cherry blossom abouve is done this way and I am tickled pink (sorry!) and how they came out!

I realised this week that since I started blogging, my Project folder has been sadly neglected so I have been printing off lots of pics of projects I've completed over the past few months. I write in all the pattern details, yarn etc, in case I want to do it again, and its also lovely to look back on (and show off of course!)

Well that's it this week folks, lots of medical appointments to look forward to in the coming days, the colour fest will keep my spirits up, I hope it does yours too.
Handy hugs till next time!

Fun, fun ,fun!

The past two weeks I have been suffering badly from the pine tree pollen that is hanging in the air and leaving yellow dust over every conceivable surface, BUT I have been surfing a lot and found some very interesting stitch pattern to play with that have kept my mind off my wheezy chest and dripping nose.....

First fun project, the crocodile stitch, (video tutorial here)I so enjoyed doing this in the Lion Brand colour shifting yarn called Amazing, that I kept going and made a little purse, trying out another stitch for the handle (this video is in Spanish, but it's easy to follow the pics). Thought it would make a lovely little hand bag for a little girl I know, but on reflection I will take the handle off, put a zip in the top and use it for all my pills and potions to be transferred from one handbag to another as I love it so much I can't bear to give it away!

I found some Kauni rainbow yarn in my stash that was going to be a Fairisle sweater for me, but has never been knitted as I had second thoughts about it. I bought it on impluse when the Yarn Harlot was knitting it and got swept away by the excitement! (The pattern now looks dated, and the fabric was going to knit up very stiff) Soooo. I have started a larger bag, the round, in this pattern and am loving the way the colours gradually change, pics to come soon!

The next fun thing was trying the Catherine wheel stitch alternatively known as Bavarian crochet, I need this video tutorial to get the hang of it, but it is easy enough once you get going. Makes a lovely thick fabric for a throw or a rug,

 Here is the Tadah! for my Lucy cushion, very bright and cheerful, i know EXACTLY who is going to receive this beauty!












This is the back of the cushion, just 2 rows of trebles all round, increasing every other row, slip stitched to the front, awaiting a circular cushion that
seems impossible to buy here in Spain.....sigh










Definitely NOT FUN, the never ending sleeve! All garter stitch takes FOREVER to grow! I felt justified in working 'off piste' for a while on other fun things, but at last the first sleeve of the Diagonal Jacket is done and I have cast on for the second. This is mindless TV knitting until you get to the tricky shaping at the top. I know I'm going to love this when its done, but it is certainly a labour of love!

My Crochet and knitting group encouraged me to try a lace stole pattern with various yarns including mohair, I've cast on and ripped out at least three times so I've abandoned it until I can get more help at the next meeting

In the meantime I have been making very pretty girly cards

And Spring is bursting out all over!

the Wisteria

The second batch of narcissi

The mauve freesias

and a pretty little cactus

In keeping with the season we make quilled daffodil cards at club this week, but I will have to photograph them tomorrow, the sun is setting as I write...

Happy Mothering Sunday to all the UK Mums, hope you've been spoilt rotten!

The bees are stirring.........

All Nature seems at work. Slugs leave their lair -
The bees are stirring - birds are on the wing - 
And Winter, slumbering in the open air,
Wears on his smiling face a dream of Spring!

Samuel Taylor Coleridge  21^st February 1825

(thanks to my daughter Elly for this quote)

Finally the almond blossom has arrived.........isn't it beautiful? Weeks late because of the cold weather, some of the trees have been nipped by the unaccustomed frost and have no flowers at all. But Spring is winning the battle all over the garden......

Lemons soaking up the warm sun...

an unknown plant similar to honeysuckle always blooms in Jan/Feb

Another unknown plant showing bursting buds, the bees love this when its flowers...

the first pink rose of the year, wow!

A huge black bee with translucent blue wings called the Carpenter Bee enjoying the nectar from my pansies

Well, after all that lovliness on to my crafts, I came accross a crochet pattern recently for a cute little doll.

I don't usually like crochet for dolls as I think its too stiff, especially for faces, but this one from FaveCrafts.com has encouraged me to give it a try, isnt the blue hair just amazing?

Another pattern I must try soon is the Damson shawl, knit from the top down with paired increases, so feminine and pretty.





I haven't just been dreaming though, despite being extremely tired last week I got several cards made for sending a demonstration purposes for the Club

A spanish fan card using an embossing board

a stamped ship for a man's card

A birthday card for my lovely daughter in law's Birthday, who is learning to do patchwork

A stamped card using H20's directly on the stamp, gives a beautiful soft water colour effect

Another card using the same technique, I love the effect don't you?
I have been stitching as well, my flower cushion is nearly done and I've been playing with attic24's flower decoration too...

the finished article will be revealed soon...

And finally.....Sophie has a new boyfriend! His name is Opie (hope I've spelt this right!) A really cute Maltese terrier who played and played for hours while the Mummies ate and chatted. Not the best photo, but neither dogs will stay still for more than a second!

Hope Spring is visiting you too, enjoy the season!