Welcome to my blog.
A place to record and share my musings and my work.
'Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, won't you join the dance?'

Monday 30 December 2013

'The Gate of the Year'


And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year
'Give me a light, that I may tread safely into the unknown!'
                                           Marie Louise Haskins


I'm not a great one for looking back but
 always strive to look forwards.
2013 has brought it's highs and lows.
Looking forward to 2014.
I wish you all a very happy and creative, New Year.
and a thought!!
' Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come'
                                Alfred Lord Tennyson


  

Friday 27 December 2013

Pom-tiddley-om-pom!

Boxing Day, was a lovely quiet sort of day.
We pottered about doing just what we fancied.


It was a very frosty start, unlike today.
 We're back to 'stormy' weather!
Mr C,  decided to spend it in his music
room, which he's been refurbishing, over 
the holiday season.
                                                  Supervised by his childhood friends.


As you would expect, I retreated to my workroom.
I spent a happy time, tidying and rearranging my work space. 
Reading Lazy Daisy's post today,
 I realise I was not alone, in this.
This is a ritual with me, before I start something new.
Then, it was time to play!
Look what I got for Christmas.


Pom pom makers....Yeah!!
Been a want, for a while and Mr C. obliged.
Had a few happy hours..... no wool was safe.
Great for stash busting
Then, it was onto the new project.


I've always wanted to challenge myself to knit
a Shetland shawl.
Way back in the summer, I aquired 5 balls of Rowan, 
Kidsilk Haze, in a Charity Shop, in Skipton.
Perfect!


I've made a start as you can see.
Hope you've had a happy time!





Monday 23 December 2013

Merry Christmas

A very merry Christmas to everyone in 'blog land'.
 Peace, blessings and goodwill to all!



from Ethel


and me xx


Thursday 19 December 2013

'Mr' Christmas Has Come To Our House!

'Mr' Christmas, not to be confused with, that
venerable gentleman, Father Christmas,
has worked his magic.


In our house, I decorate the tree.


It is not a tree, in the conventional sense but a
collection of Buddleia branches with a few pieces
of the pine tree, we have pruned, around the bottom.
It's filled with lots of memories from Christmas's gone by.



I came home, yesterday from my stint in the Charity Shop,
to find this .............


My lovely man, Mr C, had waved his magic wand
and transformed our house.
If you look very closely you can see me in the mirror.
'looking out, looking in'.
The kitchen, is the hub of our home.
Let me take you on a tour!


It's an 'Ivy' Christmas, this year.


The cherubs above the cooker, are dancing!


Each toy has his own bauble to hold!


and the 'chilli' lights are framing the window.
The presents have been made, wrapped and 
posted off to loved ones, near and far.
The cards have been written and the decorations are up. 
I think we're almost ready for the festivities to commence.


Before I go, I must show you, yesterday's find.
This little cardboard box.
I opened it, to reveal .............


these little beauties.
It was love at first sight!!
Wherever you are,
hope your festive preparations are going well?










Friday 13 December 2013

The Party Tree

We've arrived at Friday again, the 13th, in fact.
Unlucky for some!
Christmas is coming fast, less than 2 weeks 
to go until the Big Day!
This post is mostly, pictorial.
A snapshot of my week, so to speak.


The 'Party Tree' 
( homage to Bilbo Baggins, 111st b'day party)
This is to be found on our Village Green.
All lit up for Christmas. 
Magical!


Last Saturday, found me entering
the craft stall arena again.


What a different experience.  
The hall looked festive, the atmosphere was welcoming
 and the people, very friendly.


There were some great stalls. 
In particular, I would like to mention Ruda, 
whose shop on Etsy, has some lovely
beaded and soutash jewellery

Had a great time and made new friends.


Fell for this little 'busy bee', finger puppet
who came home with me, to join the 'Pencil Top Mob'.



Spun wool,  skeined and plyed.
Collins, book about fungae, on my desk.
Latest find at my 'favourite store'.


Yesterday's sunrise, taken from my garden.
One with flash and one without.


Spectacular!
Must go..... lots still to be done.
Rumour has it, that the decorations are going up
very, very soon. 
Can't wait!
I love Christmas!
Have a great weekend everyone.




Friday 6 December 2013

All in a Spin

Everything this week has put us in a spin, including the weather.
On Monday, the view from my bedroom window,
looked like this.


On Thursday, it was a different story.


'Stormy weather', as the song says.
 Reality struck at the start of the week.
Our outgoings are not keeping up with 
our incomings. The boiler packing up 
again, has put the 'tin lid' on it.
We were in a whirl!
Nothing for it, I have to get a day job.
Trawled the net, over the next few days. Found a post that
appealed to me, that I thought I could do and applied forwith.
Feel better for having done something positive about our situation.
Have to wait and see.
Wedsnesday, found me in the Charity Shop.
My first solo shift. I really enjoyed the experience. 


Found this little beauty, to add to my large box collection. 
Love the little drawers. It will be so useful, or so I tell myself.
A thread running all week, behind the scenes,
has been WOOL, namely; the sorting; carding;
and spinning of sheep fleeces, of which,
I have a few!!
 My partner and I, have spent an
hour almost every day, carding .


This is the carding machine, set up in our kitchen.
Looks medieval..... have to watch your fingers!
The spikes, on the rollers, are quite fierce.



Basket of rolags, ready for spinning. 
In this case from a Herdwick sheep.


My spinning wheel. 
I'm not very good yet but I love doing it. 
Will gets lots of practice over the winter months.


Amongst all this frantic activity, there's Christmas presents 
to finish, for posting. That's the most important thing for me.
Don't want lots of disappointed faces on the big day.
A pompom, to go on top of
one of the prezzies and the first sock finished.
Phew! Difficult to keep all the balls in the air.
Before I go, I must apologise for the quality of some
of my photos. The light in my workroom
 has not been the best, this week.
I would also like to thank all the lovely peolple,
who have been sharing my posts.
It means so much.
Have a good weekend.