Crochet Granny Blanket Update

All the Colours of the Rainbow and Some .......

A while ago you may remember me showing you a stack of very colourful granny squares which I had been beavering away on, well I thought I would update you on my progress. 

So far, I have about 90 squares, 30 of which I have crocheted around with the cream yarn and joined to start forming the blanket.  I am excited as it now looks like the 'mad crochet marathon' is starting to show results and starting to resemble a blanket.

I think I am going to need a few more squares to make it fit for  'two people and her dog' as my man thinks it would be a good idea to make it larger, (to cuddle up under)! x 

I am really pleased with my achievements so far as it has been a while since I have attempted such a large project and normally I find I have a boredom threshold which extends to only small projects usually.  However, it has been relaxing to do in the evenings whilst sitting down watching the tv so good therapy as well, and the little squares haven't taken a lot of brain power so good to do whilst being poorly.

I think I have fallen back in love with crochet as it seems alot simplier to do than knitting and quicker to do.  I am sure the 'old knitting needles' will 'clack clack' again soon though when I get a calling to knit a tea cozy or something similiar.

So I will keep you informed on my progress on the blanket beauty soon.  I think it will look brilliant in my flat, on my sofa, so I can't wait to get it finished.

Bee x

o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o

Easter Gift Idea and Crochet Yarn

A new treat of treats

Elegant Crochet Cottons

As you know I have been feeling a bit under the weather with my stomach trouble.

Thankfully, I can say it is a little better but
I am still in a bit of pain, so to ease the way a bit I've been

treating myself to some new bits and pieces, and found these yarns.

They looked as good as jewels to me, in the shop, so I had to buy them.

I found them in my local Hobbycraft store

(fatal: there should be a warning given out before entering).

I think these will work well in a palette, possibly some crochet jewellery pieces

so watch this space and see what I conjure up with them.

Tummy update:

I've now got my scan booked now for Monday 8 March so all will be revealed then!

New for Easter

Crochet Egg Cosies

As I felt my shop was getting a bit stale,

I have been working on some new products to put in both the Folksy Shop and the Etsy Shop.

I came up with these little egg cosies,

suitable for Easter and any other time of the year which I hope you like.

Have breakfast in style with these beautiful hand crocheted

egg cosies made in co-ordinating yarn and ribbon

1 egg cosy for £6.00

Or, His and Her's co-ordinating egg cosies

2 egg cosies for £10.00

These will be available in both my Etsy and Folksy shops shortly, in different colourways

and can be made to order.

I was getting hungry whilst taking these photos as the Jam kept catching my eye and some toast was calling!

Bee x

o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o

Stomach Trouble & Shop Update

Buzz Dog

Stomach Trouble ..........

As Buzz dog was in charge last week, while I was feeling under the weather,

I had a bit of time to do some lovely card making to make me feel brighter.

I have been in a lot of pain and discomfort in my stomach which made me

a 'miserable bee',

not the 'busy bee' I normally like to be.

The doctor thinks I could have a stomach ulcer or gallstones

so I am waiting for an ultrasound scan now. 

However, I am pleased to say I think the tablets are helping 

which is a great relief and

I am starting to feel a bit better.

 I am having to eat lightly, and avoid all things spicy. 

But my mind has been conjuring up images of curries,

spicy tomato pasta, chocolate and cream cakes just to taunt me a bit more! 

It is always the way, you always want the things you can't have.

So to keep my mind off all edible lovelies,

I have been creating some Greetings Cards for my shops:

The Little Blue Greetings Card Pack

6 cards, 3 each of 2 designs

of my favourite 'little teapot' and vintage 'little handbag'

photos with inserts and matching envelopes

perfect for an everyday ocassion card,

notelet, birthdays and thank you notes etc

These little beauties come in their own gift bag, with the cards wrapped  in a beautiful ribbon.

A perfect gift for Mother's Day.

My mum loves sending cards with her latest news to her friends.

priced at £10.00

available at my folksy 

and etsy shop

3 Heart Greetings Cards Pack

Inspired by Valentine's day, I created these lovely

Heart greetings cards.

3 cards, one of each design

gold heart

white heart

retro pink fabric heart

with inserts and envelopes

These beauties are great for anniversaries, birthdays, thank you notes, valentines, weddings.

£5.00 for 3 cards

available in my folksy shop

and my etsy shop

I hope you have had a good start to the week

Bee x

o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o

Feeling Under the Weather

Woof Woof everyone, listen up!

My mummy is not feeling too well in her tummy

so I am just dropping by to let you know

why she hasn't been about this week.

I've been a very good doggie,

as I know she has not been feeling great and

I have been giving her lots of love and cuddles

and keeping her company as that is my job.

I am sure she will be feeling better soon

and up and well to take me for a long walk soon

I hope you are all having a good crafty week

woof woof 

 Buzz x

o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o

Pin Cushion and Storage Jar Make Over

Coffee Jar Make Over

Yesterday, I was a busy, busy, bee. 

Not only did I come up with the Valentines Heart Cards idea

but I recycled an old coffee jar into a beautiful storage jar for all my scissors, pens and pencils etc,

so that I can find them more easily,

and out of the lid, I made a pin cushion from scraps of trial knitting pieces.

I am often making items for other people as gifts so it was nice to make something for myself.

Here's what I used:

An old coffee jar and lid

a vintage crocheted doily

deep pink velvet ribbon

Pink embroidered ribbon

scissors

spray mount

I cut the doily in half and sprayed one side with spray mount and repeated

it with the other side

I then did the same with the pink embroidered ribbon and

placed it around the bottom of the jar to cover the cut edge of the doily

I tied the deep pink velvet ribbon around the top of the jar for decoration

Here it is!

A storage jar beauty!

o x o x o

For the pin cushion

I used:

A scouring pad

wadding

knitted scrap of fabric

felt or scrap of fabric for base

coffee jar lid

embroidery thread

vintage button

spray mount

large sewing needle

scissors

I cut up a scouring pad into 4 pieces

covered it with wadding

and then the knitted fabric and stitched it into a ball

I used pink embroidery thread and stitched this around the ball,

 in seven sections to create the flower shape

and then stitched on vintage baby pink button on top to cover the stitches

I covered the coffee jar lid with a strip of pink embroidered ribbon attached with spray mount

and then stuck the grey knitted ball into the lid

I cut a circle of pale felt and stuck it to the bottom of the lid

for a non slip surface

Here it is!

A beautiful grey and pink flower pin cushion

Bee x

o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o

Valentines Heart Card Tutorial

Valentine's Heart Cards Tutorial

Fold a piece of card in half

and draw half a heart shape to create a

cardboard template

Cut out template.

 Place on blank card and draw around it in pencil

Cut out using decopage scissors

or a craft knife (don't forget to use a cutting mat)

Use an eraser to remove the pencil line

On the inside of the blank card,

stick a piece of doily, fabric, lace or paper

over the heart shape to cover the hole

Voila! Valentines Heart Cards

Materials Used:

card stock

watercolour paper

white and gold paper doilies

vintage floral fabric

lace

Equipment Used:

Glue Stick or Spray Mount

Pencil

Eraser

Card Stock

decopage scissors or craft knife

paper cutter

cutting mat

I will be putting them in the shop soon in packs of 5 designs as I think they are

great for anniversaries, notelets, birthdays, not only valentines

Bee x

o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o

Valentine Hearts

1. we are the poets, 2. Crocheted heart ornament, 3. doily heart bowl, 4. Cottage look ... Heart pillow

With a view on all things romantic this week,

I found the above hearts on flickr

and I am sure you will think they are absolutely wonderful too. 

My head has not been with it for a few days,

since I sprained my ankle at the weekend

and hurt my knee. 

As I have been in pain, there has not been so not much creativity this week.

So I have been doing the RICE treatment for the ankle in the hope that it will stop me

 from being a hop along soon.

Bee x

o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o

Pale Gypsy Collection

1. Cavalo / Horse [EXPLORE], 2. spring is a gypsy with flowers in her hair, 3. Fefa, 4. look

Pale Gypsy in the Wind

If only we were free,

to travel and roam in the breeze,

following the cotton clouds,

until the stars fill the sky.

Until rest calls upon our weary heads,

 we pull up the pale horses

and put ourselves to rest

upon our small comfy cabin beds.

When the sun rise tinkers with our eyes,

 we wake to start another day,

and wandering far and wide,

following the cotton clouds all the way.

Bee x

Following on from Monday's Gypsy Caravan post, flicking through photos on Flickr with a gypsy theme,

above are the beauties I found entitled it 'Pale Gypsy'.

o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o

My Crochet Hook - Where do all the lost things go?

stack 'em high

I bet you have lost things that are never found again and wonder where they have disappeared to, and searching for them has driven you to despair.

So far I have lost a very small flash drive which was put in that all illusive ‘safe place’ because I thought I could loose it and now have lost it (the stick) not my sanity, not yet anyway! And now, my faithful little hook, my crochet hook No 5. In fact , it is my second one I have lost this year!

Just at that time of day when you want to sit down and relax in front of the telly and crochet away the stress of the day, I sit down (not for very long I hasten to add) to a beautiful selection of colourful wool and then to my dismay, no hook.

crochet granny squares

This is all I need today I say. I then start my search for the illusive hook which could not be found even though I turned my flat upside down. So the mystery of the lost crochet hooks continue, along with the little flash drive, I wonder where they have gone. I think the pesky little pixies come in during the day and night to move things just to play a game and have some fun. Or the fairies think that the items are needed by someone else so the carry them off to another place.

The funny thing is they will probably turn up when I am not looking for them when I least expect it and i’ll cry ‘there it is’, I looked there, as if someone has placed it right in front of my very eyes where I have searched about 20 times.

so many colours

Three guesses what I will be buying today. I tried, in vain, with a plastic Crochet Hook No 6, and realised that I prefer the metal ones. I am going to get a couple and maybe even get a wooden one to try as these seem to be all the rage these days.  So no crocheting was done yesterday much to my dismay. So far I have 30 granny squares for my blanket and counting …………….

Any suggestions on where my ‘lost things’ have gone, will be greatly appreciated.

Bee x

the stack and rising

 

P.s it was the day of losing things yesterday, because I even misplaced my mobile but it was found!

 

o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o 

Gypsy Caravans and Wanderlust

I love films, especially period dramas, anything real or true to life, romantic comedies, and thrillers, films that my man really doesn't like! 

He's more into sci-fi stuff so we have to compromise on viewing material. 

Last weekend he chose a film called Stardust which was released in 2007, 

a fantastic fantasy film with witches, scorcery and magic. 

It set me off on a
Gypsy Caravan hunt

 as there was this beautiful Yellow Gypsy Caravan

in the film which conjured up images of

wanderlust and the meandering Romany lifestyle of days gone by,

 evoking my free spirit and explorative nature that is kept buried

 beneath day to day life of the 21st Century.  

1. Romany caravan, Normandy, France, 2. red caravan, 3. Vardo - Old photo, 4. Gypsy caravan, 5. Rodney get his own tarces, 6. Caravan Bed


My imagination was off, running wild,

conjuring up all the beautiful interiors I could make for a caravan,

especially as I am in the middle of crocheting some

 'granny squares' for a blanket yet to come.

I could almost feel the dewy grass between my toes,

the warm sun beating down on my back,

and freedom from the chains of grey, dull winter skies

and dancing gidgly to the magical tunes in the fields of rye. 

Bee x

o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o