Two on Tuesday ........................ on Thursday x

Oh dear, another day later. Will I manage the right day next week?

I do hope so. Anyway here is Two on Tuesday................on Thursday for your consideration.

My first is a lovely new blog and podcast site called Books on the Nightstand. I read about this site on Simon Savidge's blog site this week whilst trundling through my bloglovin lists of unread posts. As you may remember Simon's site is a fave place to find about new reads I might otherwise not consider.

This time he has linked to their Bingo card for Summer reading. What an ingenious idea I thought. It sort of inspired me a bit like Rinda's photographic scavenger hunt, in that it'll take me out of my reading comfort zone and perhaps encourage me to be more enthusiastic about different genres I shy away from.

If you go to this link you can generate your own bingo card for your reading too. I've got mine all ready so watch this space. Mine has a presidential biography and sci-fi on it, not my favourite so could be a challenge and a half.

My second offering is for those of us who still go Awwww at cute knitted animals. I love Julie's blog "Little Cotton Rabbits" where not only does she knit beautiful rabbits but now she has broadened into little knitted kitties. Being a kitty lover as you well know, I was excited to see her new designs and have bought the girl pattern to make. Perfect for the inner child in me but also for a little girl I know who might just get one as she's not allowed her own kitty yet.

Picture from: http://littlecottonrabbits.typepad.co.uk/my_weblog/2015/06/miaow.html

I just laughed so much when Julie put this picture up of the cat's heads in the making. I mean really what's not going to make you chuckle about kitties in the baking tin?

Picture from: http://littlecottonrabbits.typepad.co.uk/my_weblog/2015/06/miaow.html

See you soon.

Kitty the felt cat x

I have to confess a terrible sin, I am guilty of making purchases based on other bloggers recommendations.


Are you shocked or just as guilty as me?


Well this particular purchase was all the fault oops rather influence of one Abi who blogged before Christmas about a gift she had handmade for her friend. One look at that beautiful bunny had me intrigued so I went to the pattern designer Alicia Paulson's website  "Posie" and there I fell in love with Juniper the cat.
She is made from felt and requires a fabric quarter for her dress and some wool for her stole which I had already in my stash. You also need embroidery thread and stuffing which again I had in my stash.


So I followed Abi's expert advise and bought my felt from a lovely shop called The Eternal Maker. I chose barnyard red felt for her welly boots and silver grey felt for the body. I also found a beautiful patchwork fabric a bit reminiscent of Cath Kidston I thought called Faded Floral Patchwork for Lecien Japan.

The pattern is very easy to follow and you don't need to know a great deal of embroidery. In general you need to know only three stitches...........
whip stitch
buttonhole stitch and
satin stitch

The designer recommended a chalk erasable pen for drawing around the pattern but I could only find an erasable felt tip pen. Sadly despite following the manufacturer's guidelines, the pen is not 100% erasable however, the main areas which I couldn't get the pen out were covered in either her boots or dress so hopefully as long as no-one undresses her, the secret is safe.

I found it really therapeutic sitting and doing tiny back stitches to form the shape of her body and then gradually see her face appear as I stitched her eyes and nose and added in some cute whiskers. Unfortunately, there is a slight discrepancy between her eyes so she looks a little lopsided by about half a centimetre but it makes her original and a bit whimsical.

I ended up hand stitching her dress because I sat in the lounge, the warmest place in my cottage, and watched Miss Marple episodes as I stitched. I tied a piece of pale blue ricrac around her waist to add something different. She also has a little stole which I made in some rose pink thread to match the roses in her dress.

Instead of green wellies I made deep red ones because I referred the colour and again I felt they would coordinate with her dress.

She is now named Kitty because I think it suits her best and she is going to sit on my bed.

I also bought the bunny pattern too and I have plenty of felt left over to make her once I've completed some other projects I'm working on.

Have you been inspired to make something based on another blogger's handiwork?

The story of a tea cosy x

Now you all know I love tea, but did you know I can knit? Well I can and do and this is the story of The Tea Cosy fit for a Bishop. Well sort of.

So while I was ill, a tweet came up from The Bishop's Palace in Wells who have a rather lovely cafe in the grounds. All run by the glamorous Jamie and his team who bake wonderful cakes, sandwiches, lunches and all manner of amazing things. Well, in the spirit of bringing back afternoon teas to the cafe they devised a competition and invited anyone to knit a tea cosy for the cafe's teapots. As I was off the scrapbooking and felt I needed to do something creative I thought, what the heck and put on my thinking cap.

I decided I wanted to make a beehive teacosy and trawled the Internet looking for a cool design which I found here at Debi Birkin's shop. I had downloaded a pattern of a Nurse Bear before so thought there would be a great tea cosy design here too, and yes there was. So I hit the wool stash and began the task of knitting a cosy, bees and flowers and here's how it looked..................

 

This is the cosy prior to embellishment.........................

Here I have added the extra stitching to make the beehive design and added the door.....................

Taadah, the final cosy with added bees and flowers..........................


I entered into the competition and came joint second. How exciting! It was lovely to feel that my therapy make was good enough for a prize. I won a lovely little teapot, some English grown loose leaf Earl Grey tea and a massive handmade carrot cake. Yummy.

 

This is Marilyn the other winner with her Aran sweater cosy isn't it lovely?

And here were are outside the cafe.....................

Sunnyside up....................

One of the lovely things about living here in Wells is the peace and quiet of the countryside but also the wonderful array of fun things the smallest city in England has to offer. For example we have lots of lovely teashops providing your waistline with enough calories to increase your waistband tenfold; we have 2 lovely new fabric shops Millie Moon and Sew Vintage which both provide their customers with a variety of different and beautiful fabrics to choose from and classes to attend to learn about or improve your skills in sewing, crochet, knitting and ceramics; we have a beautiful Cathedral and Bishop's Palace to visit and enjoy the historical elements and the garden atmosphere; we have pretty English countryside where you can walk and enjoy the lovely natural world we live in, in short Wells is a pretty cool place to live.

On top of these things, the sunshine has brought out the lovely people who live in this old hospital and I have met some new people and I hope perhaps friends. I have been sitting outside enjoying the sun and crafting my little heart away. There is a crocheted teacosy in the offing, baby knitting, nursery curtains and pictures for my friend. In fact yesterday and today I have been cutting and stitching felt to some curtains using the patterns and beautiful designs of the fabulous Laura from Lupin. Her book ''Supercute Felt'' has some amazing designs and my friend and I have have adapted some of these to make her baby's nursery just the way she wants it.

Other items I have been working on are this Hen weekend memento book which was commissioned by lil sis for her friend. Lil sis is Maid of honour and wanted to present the hen with something to record the fun and frolics of their hen weekend away.
This is what I designed and made for them.....................

The book is made from 2 pieces of A4 size mount board which I covered with some handmade paper in cream and gold (the wedding colours). I then made the primary focus an embroidered and beaded relief of their initials intertwined. I also added a button heart with a central blue one for something blue, an embossed gold heart and a cutaway heart with some lettered vellum behind. The pages were held together with book rings. The hen had a wonderful weekend and loved the book I am glad to say.
I am also counting the book as my March make a month .................

What have you been doing whilst enjoying the sunshine?

A latenight update...........

I have been very busily making Christmas presents for friends and family members. The knitting needles are knit one purl one and the crocheting is growing. I am making a Lucy bag for my friend and tonight I practiced making flowers.

My friend Louise is flying off to the US today and my sister, I am no longer allowed to call her lil sis as it sounds too American apparently, flies off to Dubai this weekend. Leaving to snow and her in temperatures above 28 degrees C apparently.

My pay it forward book has now arrived from the US from Margi who's blog is The Maverick Crafter
Here is the premise of her idea..............................

What is it?

First I have to thank Sian from High In The Sky for finding and running with this wonderful idea, Pass the Book, and am grateful that I can continue the sharing with my Pay The Book Forward!

What happens?

Those who follow my blog know that I'm a big eBook convert.  Love my Sony Reader as well as my Kindle app for the iPad and my Droid.  With that said, there is nothing that beats having a traditional, on paper, wonderous book in my hands.  So, I am going to choose a book to read each month or so, will post about it here on the blog and then send it on to a fellow reader via snail mail. If you would like a chance to receive it in the mail, have a  great read and then pass it on, then leave a comment for that book. Around the first of each month, I'll draw a name for the previous months book and ship it off. All that is required, if you win the drawing, is that you enjoy the read and post it on your blog in a timely manner to pass along to another lucky recipient.

Track the book(s)?

What I'd like to see happen, as each recipient receives the book they write their name and general location on the inside cover of the book.  And as the book moves forward, let me know where it's at and where it's going next!  It will be a blast to see how they travel.

If you are the lucky winner of the draw?

First, leave an Email contact for me on your post for the book.  If you are the winner, I will email you for your snail mail address and ship it off to you!  Enjoy the read! Then create a post on your blog, referencing the "Pay The Book Forward" on the MaverickCrafter blog, and ask who would like the book next. Set a timeframe for the drawing, draw a name, tell us and then mail the book off . Be sure to follow this blog for a chance to win another Pay The Book Forward!

The book is called ''The beach street knitting society and yarn club'' by Gil McNeil. She is a British author and the book sounds fab. I also looked her up on Amazon to see what else she has written and she has quite a large bio. Anyway I am off to try and read the book I am currently reading which is a Stephen King on my kindle app, ah technology.

Party prep part 1

Today, we had the final push of party prep for mum's 70th birthday celebrations on Sunday. The forecast is good so hopefully we will be able to play in the gardne as a house full of 40 people will be tight!!! My dad and I went to Asda in Bridgwater to buy the drinks for the party this morning. I cannot tell you how helpful the staff were in there, Caz and Sam whoworked in the wine department excelled themselves giving us advise and choices. They even helped with the calculations. We got a g8 deal for our wine and beers and brought it all home. Only trouble was my poor dad has become so befuddled he's got all emotional and started crying in the aisles. I felt so awful for him and there wasn't a cafe for him to sit quietly and have a coffe to calm down. Anyway, it's done and safely stored away.
Next item on the adgenda for me was to meet with Jake, a family friend and amazing floral designer. He has his own shop in Glastonbury called Abundiflora. We had discussed a floral arrangement which mum and I had seen of his in the local church flower festival last Saturday but unfortunaltey the huge cocktail glass was hired and had been sent back. So it will be smaller but no the less spectacular. This is the cocktail glss arranbgement Jake did..............
Stunning isn't it? The inside of the glass was lined with orange slices and it smelt divine. Jake is really clever and has some really inspiring ideas. Today he was showing me some really imaginative bridal bouquets he is hoping to get some clients to have, they were really one of a kind.
Next here is the completed birthday card I made for my mum.


It is using a stencil I bought from the Bath and West show by Anna Marie Designs. Mum saw it and so I sneakily bought the staircase template. It is relatively easy to make. I used A3 card stock, tried to get 12 x 24 card but the craft shop didn't have it. I used a pice of butterfly paper to decorate the inner card and then added some stickers and paper roses on to the staircase itself. The sentiment is by Coco Chanel and from a sticker set by Bazzill. Just need to find a big envelope.


I finally finished the scarf, tassels and all so that just needs wrapping and the other bits will be done tomorrow. On the list is another trip to Glastonbury to fill some helium balloons and to make 60 vanilla cupcakes and ice them with butter cream in pink! I've made a chocolate cake today as my helpers from upstairs may need sustenance.
In other news, here are my beautiful roses from Alan.................

They are such vibrant colours, really me. I am going to 2 days of Induction to Bristol on Monday and Tuesday and then to my new base on Wednesday to meet all the team again, the other health centre staff and my new manager. Loads to do and learn but it will be exciting.

Knit 1, purl 1.......

Anyone old enough to remember Lizzie Dripping and the witch? Well it was a rather daft children's programme when I was alot younger and the witch would sit around in a church yard knitting and repeating K1, P1. Never could figure out why but hey it was the 70s, maybe she was on DRUGS!!!!

Anyway, my reason for reminiscing is because I got out my needles today. I am knitting a hot water bottle cover for my friend Teresa for Christmas and also a scarf for my mum. The cover is easy, just simple pattern witha bit of cabling and the scarf is just knitting every row, but the wool is all sparkly ribbon.

It's in lovely shades of metallic red, gold, and coppers. Yummy.
My other jobs have included writing and posting my Xmas cards which I had to post 1st class as apparently there's a shortage nationwide of 2nd class stamps...........so much for saving money?
Secondly I have started making calendars for my family using some digital calendars for Photoshop. Most will be CD size for their desks buit my mum's is abit posher cos she likes to write everyone's bits down even though we're no longer at home. So here's the first LO I did for February. I thought as it's Valentines day then I'd use a lovey dovey picture.


Off to watch CSI Vegas............