Last year's makes

These were all the things I made in 2014. Looking back now
I feel very lucky and pleased that I've used a lot of my free time
 creatively and have made some nice and useful things for myself,
my family and our home. I crocheted, knitted, embroidered and
did some machine sewing. I tried my hand at covering a lamp
shade, furniture painting and dress making. I also discovered
the joys of using washi tapes and making my own cards.

Overall it's been a good year for making and I hope 2015
will be the same. I have a few projects planned already
(first on my making list are crocheted pot holders)
 and I can't wait to get started!



Wishing you all a fun and very creative 2015.
See you soon!

Markie's Scarf

This is Markie's finished scarf. I actually finished making it

weeks ago but just haven't had the chance to share it here.

It's similar to the scarf I made for her sister. It is knitted in

stocking stitch using Drops Merino Extra Fine (DK) yarn and 

to add a bit of colour I cross stitched these butterfly and
 star motifs.*

This was one of those projects that took longer to make
than expected. I was so pleased when it's finally finished.
I just wish I'd chosen a smaller butterfly motif but Markie
doesn't mind it which is good. It does feel nice and soft
 and she likes wearing it which makes me happy. Here she is
 at Yorkshire Sculpture Park wearing her Mummy-made scarf.

As always I'm glad and grateful to be able to make my girls

 even just little things that will help keep them cosy and warm

 especially in this wintry weather we're having this week.

It has suddenly gotten very cold these past few days - 

winter is really here now!

Hope you're all keeping nice and cosy at home tonight.

Have a lovely evening everyone!

*Both motifs are from Sweet Stitches from the Heart.

Lovely Happy Things

These are some of our happy things from last weekend:


coffee with sticky sweet baklava,

a look round an art gallery in town,

fresh flowers on the mantel,

new activity books to keep little girls busy and happy,

finishing Markie's scarf,

a new Timbergram,

and thick slices of lardy cake, toasted and buttered to yummy perfection.

These small and simple pleasures have brightened and cheered us
through a weekend of miserable weather and minor illnesses;
we're so grateful for them. Fingers crossed we'll all have a much healthier and sunnier week ahead. Take care and see you soon!

Lovely Happy Things

We're on the fifth day of the school holidays and so far, so good.
I'm very much liking our slower, more relaxed days at home.
We're not doing much, just the usual pottering about and
spending time together and it's great.  On Saturday we took
the girls to Derbyshire on a whim. We just felt like being
outdoors and we had the whole morning to do as we like so
 off we went. Along the way we saw this beautiful rainbow.
It's such a happy and wonderful sight, just brilliant!

We stopped in Castleton and made our way up to the

 Peak Caverns. We decided on the way that we'd quite
like to go on one of their tours but there wasn't any that
morning so we just had a look round the cave entrance
 instead. It was still fun and interesting especially for
the girls. Markie, in particular, was very impressed.
I heard her say quite a few times  "It's just like in Nina!"*

We then went for a walk around the village and
had cake and hot chocolate at a local cafe. My favourite
little emporium full of weird and wonderful things was
open and we all went in for a nosey. You can never tell
what gems you'll find in there and this time we left with
 a set of coasters and a couple of wooden figurines.

It was a really great morning and the rest of our weekend
 turned out lovely too. Here's some more of our happy things:

knitting while watching Strictly Come Dancing with the girls
on Sunday afternoon,

a lovely, unexpected present from my parents-in-law,

pretty fresh flowers on the mantel

and on my bedside table,

cooking and eating tasty, warming meals like butternut
squash risotto--seasonal, autumnal and delicious too.

Markie is staying over at my parents-in-law this evening
and my husband's working a late shift. As soon as Lulu's
in bed later I'll sit down with a nice cup of tea and catch up
with you all. I want to say a big thanks to all of you who
continue to visit here. Your visits and comments are very
much appreciated. Thank you! I hope you're all having
a good week. See you soon!




*Nina and the Neurons in Cebeebies

Heart and Flower Scarf

I want to make my girls new scarves for this autumn and
winter and so I've been busy with my knitting needles whenever
I've had some free time this past week. I was spurred on by the cold
weather that came so suddenly last week--I want to finish both
scarves before it gets even colder! So far I've made one and
 it's for Lulu, and we're calling it the Heart and Flower Scarf.

I knitted it in simple stocking stitch using Drops Merino Extra Fine
(DK) in Turquoise. I really love this yarn. I bought two balls in this
colour and in Soft Pink from a wool shop in Whitby. Their prices
were reduced to £2.10 per ball and I just couldn't resist. It's so soft
 and lovely and has extra elasticity which makes it so easy and
 wonderful to work with. 

I initially planned to add the heart and flower motifs* with

duplicate stitches or Swiss darning. The idea came from an old

1970's craft magazine that I picked up from a charity shop. 

I thought it's a great way to add colourful designs to a knitted
garment and I wanted to try it. However it turned out to be much
 trickier than I had expected. After several frustrating tries I gave
up and decided to use cross stitch instead. It was a lot easier
and I got the same result I wanted: a bit of colour and fun to the
solid blue background so I'm still happy with it despite my
failed attempt at Swiss darning.

Here's Lulu wearing her new scarf. She insisted we go out for
a walk yesterday just so she can wear it. I'm so happy that
she likes it and I'm doubly pleased that I can make her something
nice and cozy to wear. I'm hoping to make a matching hat but first
I have to get started with Markie's scarf. It will be pink with
 butterflies and little flowers as requested--a little more detailed
than her sister's so I better get started soon!

I hope you've all had a good week. Thanks as always for stopping by.
Wishing you a lovely, sunshiny weekend!
See you soon!

*both heart and flower designs are from Sweet Stitches from the Heart 

Yarn Tales

I love crafting in my spare time and 

this week I've enjoyed crocheting and knitting using some lovely yarn.

I used cotton ones for this crochet project

and these super chunky wool (with super big knitting needles)

to make myself a snood (or is it a cowl?)

I've enjoyed working with these yarns and it's been fun getting

my knitting needles out again. It's actually been ages since

I've done any knitting and my knitting skills are the same

as my crochet ones--still at beginner's level, still learning.

Even with the simple stocking stitch I still made mistakes and

had to unravel a row or two every now and again.

I do envy those who can easily knit up a garment in an evening.

 I got there eventually and I'm very happy with my snood.
It's nice and soft, much warmer than I've expected.
I'll hopefully stay toasty wearing this when the colder weather
comes next week.

Just before the new year I treated myself to a copy of Simply Crochet
and a couple of old magazines. They're all full of beautiful and inspiring
projects and I have enjoyed looking through them with many
cups of tea and some treats.

There are clothes and home accessories in these copies
of stitchcraft that won't look out of date if worn or used today.
I've found this particularly interesting, how trends and styles
keep coming back.

There's a particular project in one of these magazines that
I'm very keen to make. I have all the needed yarn and I'm really
looking forward to getting started. Hope to be back soon
 with more happy yarny tales and makes.


Thanks for reading!

Have a lovely weekend!