Unbirthday Swap

My unbirthday present!



Check out the cute button.



This morning the postman delivered a parcel. It was my unbirthday swap from the lovely Gill at Dosie Rosie. This is a swap organised by the Undomesticated Scientist and Gill and my parcels travelled from the east coast to the west coasr!

In my parcel - which Pickle-Lily had to open as well - was a lovely bar of Norfolk lavender soap, a very pretty shopping design fat quarter, a bar of yummy chocolate, some pretty stickers (I've hid them already!), some lovely smellies, a lovely little zip up purse and a lovely wallet with cute little dog button detail on it.

P has already laid claim to this! I'm a real push-over at the moment as she is moping around with me. Still I've managed to move her hospital appointment forward as she didn't get to go to camp.

Detail from the card

There was of course an unbirthday card to go with the swap.

Gill is a very clever lady.

Ups and downs

It's been bit of a strange week this week. Full of ups and downs.

The Cheshire Cat

Saturday I was at Apex Park for the Alice in the Park event, run by Highbridge and Burnham artists group. It was pouring, I had thought we were in a marquee, it was actually three gazebos tied together, with rain pouring through the gaps! Only me, Shelton who makes amazing things from wood - beehives, cupboards, stools, big things and the man from Somerset Wildlife trust turned up out of the 12 stalls booked. That should have told me something!

White Rabbit

The HaBa ladies had made some amazing sculptures to go round the park for a sculpture trail and laid on lots of other activities, but because of the weather kept it all close together. The decision was then made to move Shelton and I into the plastic gazebo as the rain was pouring into the canvas ones - I hadn't even unpacked at that time! Pickle-Lily had already given up and daddy had come to collect her!
Lunchtime the sun came out for a short while and the band played and people arrived - it was beginning to be fun! Then the rain started again and the wind blew - it blew the band's gazebo over, it ripped the back off the plastic gazebo and several of the sculptures were damaged. At that point we all decided to pack up! Sunday was cancelled!

During the week I had hoped to go to the local community centre to do a free stained glass taster session, and then amaze you with my first creation. The tutor couldn't make it!

I did sell more things in my Folksy shop - that was good, and I did buy some lovely ribbon from Crafty Ribbon ordered it Thursday arrived Friday! Isn't it pretty?
My mystery toy knit along has slowed right down I've only done an arm this week.

First day at school - 2004

Thursday was also the last day at primary school for P. the whole week has been full of emotions for both of us, lots of ups and downs (11 year old girls can be so horrible to each other!). Still, we have come to the end of this stage of her life, and she has lots of good memories about primary school and the friends she's made. The leaver's service at the church was lovely yesterday, very simple and very moving, I just can't believe my little girl is going to BIG school in September. It also made me think about all the friends I've made at different stages - primary school, secondary, college, work and I've decided I really need to make a bigger effort to keep in touch, with everything going on it is so easy to loose touch, but friends are important.

Day one - lovely and white.

Oh and as a postscript we've been to the MIU again... I feel like I'm on an episode of Outnumbered. P's wrist is now in plaster for the next two weeks. It looks like this now, but she's off to Guide camp Monday, what colour do you think it will be when she gets back?
Jo x

P.P.S. - Guides now saying she can't go to camp with her arm in plaster!

Dinosaurs

Just a quick post to say that I have put a new storysack on ebay here all about dinosaurs.

Mystery Toy - part 2 and thank-you's

The noggin

This is the next part of the mystery toy from Ravelry, the head or noggin as Emily calls it. I'm thinking it looks quite squirrel like, but are there 250 different sorts of squirrel? Anyway, the next clue that goes with it is ...
'This animals' predators (besides humans and habitat loss) include eagles and hawks.'
Part three comes out on Friday - can't wait!
Now for the thank-yous

Funky chickens

I am making these for Pickle-Lily to give to her friends at the end of term, to say thank-you for being such great friends. I must admit I'm getting a bit teary at the thought that next week is her last week at primary school, they really do grow up too quickly!
A thank-you to the lovely staff at Bridgwater MIU - as yet again we have had to pay them a visit! P crashed her bicycle on Sunday and apart from the grazes and bruises hurt her thumb. They think a small bone at the base of the thumb may be broken, she just has to wear one of those germolene (doesn't that word make you think of exactly the right colour - and the smell!) pink Velcro thumb and wrist supports, until we go back again next week for more deliberation. That's why I'm making funky chickens, as she had wanted to make them herself.
Another thank-you to Caroline who has nominated me for

I would like to pass this on to to Cuckoo for her blog that is full of lovely pictures, being so entertaining and true to life!

And finally thank-you to Dorset Girl for her One lovely blog award! I now need to say 7 random things about myself which was hard enough the first time! So here goes ..

• I collect blue jugs - but they can't be new.
• Life is unbearable without cups of tea in it!
• I still can't get my flapjacks to stick together - tried again last night, I have a tin of very large crumbs!
• It took me fives goes to pass my driving test!
• My favourite cars are Pandas - I am now driving my third.
• I still can't crochet, but want to.
• Hopefully the patio doors will open today - the lock has been jammed for over a year, and the nice repairman is fixing them now!

I also have to pass this award onto other blogs - so here goes ...

As always you are under no obligation to accept these awards but please know that I enjoy reading your blogs and would like to recommend you to others.

Made from scratch who I know from Knit Club
Sara who I met at Coldharbour Mill a few weeks ago Crafts of Texture
and The Krafty Cupcake  for being such a good read!


Phew - finished!
Jo x

Innocent Smoothie Hats make



7 hats so far!

 The knit club is taking part in this years Innocent Smoothie The Big Knit campaign to knit little hats to go on top of smoothie bottles, for every one sold they will donate 25p to Age UK. Knit club's target is 400, so far my grand total is 7!
Pickle-Lily has said that she would like to help make some as well, so I have designed the simplest pattern ever, and I would like to share it with anyone who is interested.


Hat make



It is  to make a hat like the blue one above.

Finished knitting

Cast on 28 stitches on 4mm needles using any double knit wool you like.

Knit or garter stitch 16 rows. 

Cast off.

sewn up

Sew up by joining the two row ends together, placing the seam in the middle, sew along the cast off edge, as in this picture. Turn inside out.

make a tassel - part 1

To make the tassels. Wrap the yarn around your fingers about 5 times and then, with a separate piece of yarn sew a knot.

Make a tassel - part 2

To make the Funky Hat, I used up all those long odd bits of yarn that are too long to throw away, and just accumulate in your knitting bag. I knotted them together to make a long piece of yarn. 2 rows garter then 14 rows reverse stocking stitch, with the purl as the outside. Made it up the same way as the blue one.



Funky hat



Why not pop over to Wendy's blog to find out what everyone else has been  doing for Handmade Monday.

Jo x

Folksy Friday

Apple for the teacher!

My apple keyrings have just been featured on Woollyduck's blog. Angela creates the most beautiful felted food - take a look.
Thank-you Angela!

Mystery Toy KAL

Clue 1 - The Body

I'm taking part in the Ravelry knitted toys group mystery knit-a-long. It's brilliant! A toy designed by Yarn Miracle's Emily that is being released in four parts, one a week. You don't know what it is you're making and there is so much speculation and discussion about it on the thread here.  Judging by her other designs it will be cute. I'll post photo's as I go. Anyone else taking part?
Jo x

Updated Tuesday, finished the body

This is the first clue, I forgot to add it yesterday!
Clue:

This mammal has more than 250 species in his family. He’s not the most diverse creature in the world, but he has it all over the aardvark (total aardvark species = 1). But really, how many types of aardvark does one planet need?

All about me - Pickle Lily

Today we have a guest blogger - Pickle-Lily herself...

Us at Wedmore

Hello
I am Pickle Lily otherwise known as P. I got my nickname after my brother's- Pickle!
I love reading and I've always got my head stuck in a good book at bedtime, I've just finished a book from the library - North Child it's really thick and I was always saying it's at a really good part! Also my choice has gotten bigger realising I could read young adult books from upstairs (in the library)!  Enough rambling on about books and time to ramble on about animals.

Jemima the alpaca I met at Coldharbour Mill

My favourite animal is a penguin! But I also love Alpacas!
I love horrible histories and the TV and game show that goes along with it- I also love annoying my family with facts and songs!
I love...
   M aking
   A bsolutley
   K rafty   I nteresting
 kN itted
   G ifts!

I will be leaving primary school this year and everything is extra special!
I love music and loads of great songs and the disco!

We went to Wedmore street fair and I had a bacon buttie plus a chocolate ( another thing I love ) cupcake!!!!!


My fence

 I had fun! I decided to annoy my mum (to her discontent) and bop a balloon around until I popped it! When I went to see if they had any left - they didn't but somehow I ended up weaving! And I made a little fence!

Later just after we put everything behind the sofa on the shelves mum got called out to a fair at Berrow that started in a half hour! She went and had fun!

I had fun blogging- maybe I'll do it more often
P

(All photos taken by Pickle-Lily)

I've won something!

                                     
I can't believe this - but I have won a years free subscription to Mollie Makes magazine!
Our computer has been out of action for the past few days, caused by some malicious software. Husband decided to wipe the computer and re-install everything. This meant no computer for about three days as everything was sorted. The good news was when I opened outlook express there was an email about my prize! Back when it was the royal wedding I entered a competition on The Making Spot and then forgot all about it! So looking forward to my first issue arriving.
It was surprising how much I missed using the computer and all the blogs I like to read. It did mean I could get on with things like cleaning, ironing and making things though. Pickle-Lily and I are at Wedmore Street Fair tomorrow, so we're hoping  for the good weather to continue.
Have a good week-end!
Jo x