Noah's Ark Blanket

I have finished the blanket.  I don't think that the little fiddly bits of crochet appliqué are really my forte!   It has taken much much longer to crochet all of the little bits and pieces and then sew them on the blanket than it did to make the whole of the blanket.

Crochet Noah's Ark Blanket

We had a bit of debate around the colours to complete each of the animals, the ark and the sun followed by an even longer debate about the colour of the edging.    Overall I think the colours all work and although I haven't really enjoyed all the fiddly little bits I am pleased with the overall effect.  My Girl is very pleased with it and keeps telling me she is keeping it for herself and not letting the baby have it.....  I'm not sure how this will work as the blanket is cot size.   Will I be taking orders for this one??  The answer is NO, however should another grand baby come along at some point in the future I may well be persuaded to make one!

The New Forest

At the end of our  day sitting in the sun on Bournemouth beach,  we made a detour through the New Forest on our way home,  the ponies were out enjoying the sunshine and there seemed to be more of them than I have ever seen in this area.

Eventually we arrived at our destination,  a pub that we had visited many years ago, this one is right in the middle of the forest to get to it you travel along a very long dusty road through the trees and past endless ponies.   We parked the car and as we did 2 ponies came trotting along towards the car park,  we had park in front of a log fence and fully expected the ponies to stop at the fence, maybe stick there heads through to say hello,  what we hadn't realised was that I had parked next to gap in the fence and instead of stopping e as expected the horses kept going and walked right through the fence and extremely close to the car!  They did give us townies a bit of a fright!

The evidence would suggest this is a frequent stopping place for ponies!

We sat in the dappled shade for a couple of hours  enjoyed a few drinks and  ploughman lunches before heading home for the day.

Catching up

A couple of weeks ago,  in fact the weekend we had the glorious hot weather  I wanted to do something fun,  so very late on Saturday evening I decided that a trip to the seaside was needed.  Bournemouth was to be the destination,  a hasty shop for a few picnic bits and pieces late in the evening and at 8.00 Sunday morning we were on the road.   I had chosen this particular beach to visit as it was dog friendly so Star could come along too.

We found our spot right next to the low promenade,  Mr Milly was able to stay on the hard surface and me, the Portuguese Housekeeper (PH) and Star could sit on the beach but all be together.   A first for me - I hired deckchairs for us to sit on and a parasol for some shade.

One man and his dog

Deckchairs on the beach

As we arrived so early we watched the beach fill up as the day went on,  the PH and I played in the sea,  we all enjoyed the picnic and soaking up the sun.  We really had a lovely day.

Star in the shade keeping a close eye on her dad

The view from my Deckchair,  beautiful clean beach,  blue sky and gently lapping waves

Something Unique

The Portuguese Housekeeper has wanted to make something for My Girl,  well really for the baby,  but she is not good at finishing  anything - we frequently tease her about her UFO's  (unfinished Objects).  So we have been racking our brains to suggest things you could make that she would enjoy doing.   I have suggested many crochet items,  even offered to teach her to knit for her to make something,  but no this does not meet with her approval and I have heard her say to Mr Milly that I am trying to turn her into an old lady!!  Hmmm....... I'm really not too happy about that and we shall be having words!!  LOL :)

Eventually I hit on an idea.  This one I really did think would appeal to her.   It has been weeks and weeks in the planning, a bit of buying,  some googling of various tutorials and now it is done. 

I have had to restrain her this week from posting any pictures on Facebook as she was desperate to share.  But we knew My Girl would be home this week and she would just have to wait to share.   The Portuguese Housekeeper is not good at keeping secrets or surprises and if she has a gift for you,  it doesn't matter if the occasion is one day away or one month as soon as she has it  -  she really can't  wait and we end up with early birthday/Christmas/Anniversary gifts,  it is very funny!

Anyway back to the make,  the final touches were applied earlier this week.   I think you will agree this is a truely unique, very personal, very thoughtful and brilliant gift.  Definately something I would have been thrilled to have received,  My Girl definately has been delighted,  and the Portuguese Housekeeper has really enjoyed making it and is very proud of herself and quite rightly I think. 

We did take lots and lots of pictures.....

A very pink Nappy Cake

Decorated on every tier

Nappy cake wrapped and ready to be gifted

Side View

Close up of the top tier

Sock roses,  washcloth roses, flowers, dummies - it is stuffed full to the very core.

The back of the cake with baby slippers having pride of place

I really  do hope the photos have done justice to this little masterpiece.  Isn't it lovely!!

Alison x 

Baby Crafting

It is now about 15 weeks until our Grandbaby is due,  which also means it is just 16 weeks until Christmas.  The first is a very exciting date and the second is a little worrying!

A perfect excuse for me to start some crafting,  I have already made a few bits and pieces which have been dispatched to Manchester and this week I have spent some more time with my crochet hooks and the sewing machine.  

Strawberry Hat

Little flower to complete the strawberry

Pink Twirl hat

Baby Cloche hat

Three cute baby hats for a Christmas baby

Noah's Ark Blanket 

 The blanket is not finished yet - there is a serious lack of animals!

Little Cardi

Something a little different for me - I had the knitting needle out for this one.

Baby ribbon Taggie

 Have you noticed that babies and kiddies like to play with labels on things - this is a touchy feely alternative.   Very soft polar fleece backed with some soft cotton and edged with all different types of ribbon and ric rac for a visual explosion and more importantly lots of different textures to keep little hands busy

Blanket

 The lovely remainder of the Polar fleece edged with a co-ordinating gingham binding.

Add caption

Quite an interesting little collection of bits and pieces,  I hope My Girl likes them!  I'll let you know soon what the verdict was as My Girl is coming home for a whole 10 days!

Alison x

A flying visit

Yesterday I visited Bristol for the day - I am well and truly fed up with being away from home so much,   so the planned 2 day visit was reduced to one day only,  setting off early in the morning and getting home in the early evening.

I know I have said before - but I will again,  Bristol is such an interesting city!  The office I visit is very close to the Watershed and communal areas attached to this.  There is a large square which appears to  have a different theme every time I visit.    There is an enormous screen where all sorts of things are shown,  currently the Para Olympics are playing.  This square is always busy with people and today it was delightful,  unfortunately in my haste to be leaving for home and  not fancying the prospect of a rush hour drive across the City I didn't spend long taking photos...  just a couple, and not particularly great, but hopefully it's a little feel of the buzzy interesting little patch of Bristol.

 I love the deckchairs!  and from what I could see, all day the chairs were in constant use with people tooing and frowing,  sitting for a while enjoying the sun and watching the screen, I was quite envious sitting inside looking at a computer screen!

Alison

Star had a visitor

And she was a little unsure to begin with.  Not in a scary way but in a scared way - she really didn't know what to make of the little one and did her best to hide behind Mr Milly - my big brave dog  she is!!   Anyway she soon came around and realised that the little one was actually OK  -  are you wondering who the visitor was?  

Milly came to visit!   She is my sister-in-law's little puppy...  and what a cutie she is!

Posing together in the garden

Looks like Star has had enough of the posing and is off to see her dad!

We did think Star would be OK with the little one as she is so very good with everyone and everything else,  she is used to sharing her garden with a whole bunch of noisy, nosy, bossy chickens and never bats an eyelid at them.   She was funny though when Milly first arrived,  by the look on her face she seemed to be saying "what is that?????!!".

Writers Block

A combination of writers block and just not being at home have lead to a very very long blogging break.  I'm back now and will try harder!

The last 2 weeks have been chaotic with this week due to be the same.   For the last 2 weeks I have been away 2 nights each week staying in Colchester,  this week I have mammoth travelling to do,  Colchester (100 miles),  then off to Leeds in the afternoon (200 miles) and overnight stay with a day in the office on Thursday,  return to Colchester (200 miles), overnight stay and after another day in the office, returning home on Friday (100) miles.  I don't know about you but I feel exhausted just thinking about all of that!  Needless to say there will be no more blog posts until Saturday!

I have been carrying my crochet hooks and some yarn with me on my travels and when sitting in my hotel room I have been putting them to good use.     These are the latest creations:-

Ruffled tea cosy 

My first attempt at Tunisian Crochet

Crochet roses on the top

Simple Crochet Tea Cosy

Last week My Girl and I hooked up on Skype whilst I was sitting lonely in my hotel room, and it was brilliant!  We had the webcams on and we chatted and crocheted together for 2.5 hours one evening - it was just like being in the room together, chatting, crocheting, surfing the internet - a really clever little programme and one we will be using lots in the future.

The Lottie hasn't been forgotten but is a little neglected, hopefully life will calm down a little soon and I will rediscover some energy then I can spend some time over there and bring it all back into order.   Having said that I think the ground work earlier this year is paying off!  I visited on Saturday and picked and picked and dug and picked some more and this is what I came home with;-

A whole Boot-full of goodies!  

Runner Beans, French Beans and Apples

Onions, Blackberries and potatoes

Cabbage, potatoes, carrots, radishes and Beetroot

Monster courgettes!

Several jars of bramble jam have been made,  Mr Milly spent the rest of the day in the kitchen blanching and freezing the beans and carrots,  the beetroot have been loving roasted in the oven and are now sitting in the fridge waiting for a suitable meal.  The courgettes are becoming marrows and the neighbours are running every time they see me as I keep trying to give courgettes to everyone, even the chickens are turning their beaks up at the thought of more courgettes!  We are becoming very inventive in using them,  but there is a limit on how many meals a person can have with courgette in them!  I think a few might make the 100 mile trek to Colchester tomorrow........

Hope you have a lovely week.

Alison x

Norty birdies

As we had a hose pipe ban earlier this year I decided that I wasn't going to plant hanging baskets in the garden,  we had 12 last year and they were really pretty and colourful for the whole summer,  but they do take a lot of watering and with me being away from home so much this madre up my mind that this summer it would not be practical to maintain them.

Instead I planted the herb/veggie table with flowers,  a much bigger area to hold more water and this would be very easy to water with a watering can unlike hanging baskets.   We have been really pleased with the table and the added bonus is that it is easily seen from the house too as it right outside the patio doors to the garden.

We were only saying a couple of days ago that the chickens have been really well behaved and have left the table alone.  There is netting all around it, but we have left one side open for watering and just to be able to appreciate the view a little better.

Well we definately spoke too soon,  I walking into the lounge yesterday and one look at the flower table and low and behold THREE chickens were sat right in the middle of the flowers...  aarggh!

Quite happy in the middle of the flowers

Norty, norty birdies..   as soon as they caught sight of me walking towards them they knew they were in trouble - no doubt my squeal of displeasure was a bit of a give away too....  so instead of three chickens sitting in the middle of the table there were three chickens running all over the table to get away from me.... the flowers were getting more and more squashed by the milisecond!  I managed to grab Hettie and ejected her,  Gillian and Stella were then like 2 Kamikaze chickens launching themselves everywhere that was no where near my hands,  finally I managed to grab them too and they were duly ejected.  Actually it was really funny with them being like complete mad things  flapping and clucking and running and launching......

Now they know they have been spotted and have started to run.....

Doing there best to get away and launching themselves at the netting
 at the back of the table...  there is no hiding I've seen you!!!

The poor table is now looking decidedly flattened and sorry for itself..  hopefully a good water and bit of feed it will perk up.  And the netting - now firmly secured from all angles!!