Likkle baby shoes!!!

Oh so cute!!!! I am trying to get creative again but still struggling to actually get into my craft room. So knitting seemed the ideal way to go as I can just pick it up where ever I am in the house.

These little shoes are made in 100% cotton and I know the pattern was a freebie but I feel if I were to make them again I would make a few little adjustments to make the next pair a little bit neater to sew up.

Rightio....what next?

Knit 1, purl 1........another pair of Baby Booties.

I am TRYING t rest my poorly foot as much as I can so I decided to dust off the knitting needles and make another little pair of booties. They are quick little projects and fun to do.

Tried a different pattern this time and I have just ordered some little buttons to embellish the cuffs.

What shall I make next?

A bit of this and a bit of that

Well that seems to be pretty much my life at the moment. Feel like I am running around in circles only doing as much as I possibly need to do on one task before dashing to the next. This is not just leaving me  feeling exhausted but I am lacking the sense of any achievement and as I am leaving almost everything incomplete, my house is becoming more and more chaotic. 

I have achieved a few little things, only the hat on this set though, my mum stepped in and made the little booties as I was up to my eyes in glitter and table decorations for my party. Mum to the rescue, thank you.

Loved this little set which was made to a download from Etsy, I plan to make more and will sort out the link. 

With my Birthday Party looming, yesterday I made several batches of cupcakes, 76 in total....there was an odd number so we shared number 77. They aren't as professional looking as I would have liked but number 77 tasted pretty scrummy.

Today I am measuring out curling ribbon for the balloons, making a few last minutes bits and bobs and cooking in preparation for a cold buffet. 

Foot still killing me and after my 3rd therapy appointment with the Osteopath on Wednesday, my tendon is still damaged and feeling rather bruised.........I don't think killer heels are going to be an option tomorrow. 

Bye for now.

Adele

xXx

Knit 1, purl 1.....out in the sun!

It been a lovely day here in Kent. Chris and Jack cut the grass, then Chris planted out a few new shrubs and plants. I tried to get my housework done early so we could spend some time in the garden. I do struggle to just sit so I decided to make a start on a little baby cardigan for stock, using the most gorgeous blue baby merino wool. It knits beautifully, so soft.

The day was finished off with some chicken and pork salad, garlic bread and a large jug of Pimms! Feeling very chilled now and have promised myself a manicure and a pedicure tonight too....very self indulgent!!!

Adele

xXx

Tidying up some Crafty Loose ends.

I have taken a few days off sick, pounding head, congested, croaky voice, ache all over, I am sure you know the feeling. Had a bit of a nightmare day yesterday what with one thing and another and after several phone calls in an attempt to resolve matters my day was over before I knew it. 

Shattered as ever today but dosing myself up and hoping for the best. I decided to get a few loose ends tied up, things hanging around but not quite complete. It will be great to get my "To Do List" out and cross a few of them through.

Now these likkle piggies have been sitting on my kitchen worktop for some time now. My mum has knitted them (as I was supposed to be concentrating on Stampin'Up) and I had promised to make up the washing instruction labels. At last, I have done them. Made up an Excel spreadsheet, printed and cut out a small batch. Now these Little Piggies can go to Market....as such!

NOW, my mum and me were debating over which piggies we liked best. The pale pink are only acrylic and work out slightly cheaper than the dark pink cotton ones. Piggy Opinion poll please!

These little teds have also been sat on my side but I took them out into the sunshine of my conservatory for their photo shoot before I label them too.

Right, what next?????

xXx

Woolly hugs on their way.......at last.

It's been an awful, awful day. So much to do on my "day off!" Was awoken by Amelia just before 4am and didn't really get back to sleep. I have an absolutely pounding headache, I argued with Jack and shouted at Amelia when she tried to smuggle in toys just as her school bus arrived. It's nearly 11.30 am and I have achieved hardly anything! First things first, I need to take some painkillers before I topple over.

One tiny little thing I can cross off my list is the posting out of my Woolly Hugs squares! I will hang my head in shame to say I started these way, way back in March, possibly even February, I am absolutely disgusted with myself considering how quickly I actually knit. I probably spent a day or so actually making these, the rest of the time was spent forgotten and stuffed in a cupboard while my chaotic life took over. Even when they re-emerged, it took me ages to dig out a large needle and sew in the ends!

STILL< they are done, dusted and in transit to a new home, where they will be lovingly assembled with like-minded little squares to provide love, hugs, remembrance and warmth to those in need.

Colours are awful, sorry....I was not going to wait any longer for a bright and sunny day day to take photographs! LOL

"Woolly Hugs!"

I have taken part in my first ever "woolly hug" blanket. A lovely Mumsnet donor posted me some wool, Rowan Cashsoft DK and the rest was up to me...as long as my square measured 6x6inches. I still have enough to make another square...possibly even two. Once finished I will post my squares to another member who will put all the squares together, eventually making up blankets for families in need of some comfort who have recently suffered a tragic loss!

I am quite a confident knitter but still I stuggled trying to find patterns for squares of this size. I love cabled knitting and when I happened to cross an aran jumper pattern using the "hugs and kisses" cable, I thought the idea would be perfect to use in my little square. A way of sending hugs and kisses through entwind cables.

Sorry, colours are awful, will try to update when I have better lighting. If any would like me to write up the pattern I am happy to do so.

I feel quite honoured to feel my little square/s will join so many others from all over the place to provide a comforting, keepsake. Probably even more so as a dear friend lost her husband tragically and unexpectedly, on Valentine's Day. Leaving her with 3 boys to bring up alone, the middle boys being just a little older than Amelia, also has Down Syndrome. It's left me feeling that life is so very precious and that I just had to contribute to something "useful" for families in such awful situations. My heart goes out to you.

Sorry, more waffle!

x X x

Lazing on a Sunday afternoon!

Been a fuuny weekend really, trying to catch up onn the 1001 jobs that need doing around the house but actually achieving a bit fat nothing! LOL

I am very slowly helping my mum with a bit of knitting.....it is actually part of my Christmas present from Mum and Dad, but me being me, I chose a hooded aran coat. Seeing as, to make matters worse, I chose a dark marl grey, I offered to knit the sleeves!

In a moment of utter madness on Friday evening, we bidded for a piano on Ebay. None of us can really play, although Jack can read music and can play a few tunes on his electric keyboard. We thought it would be something fun to do with Amelia. Anyway, to our complete surprise, we won the bid at £21 and picked the piano up this morning. Not 100% sure of it at the moment, it doesn't really fit with the "decor" of our dining room but I really cannot moan for what we paid.

So far we have had renditions of Jupiter from "the planets" by Jack and we are trying to teach Amelia to play Happy Birthday. I feel I need to label / colour code the keys perhaps but we have had fun anyway.

,

Just finished tidying the kitchen after a lovely roast dinner, now I am going to sit in the sunshine of the conservatory and chill as I finish my wine and do a few more rows of knitting.

Those naughty knitting needle fairies!!!

My darling mum has been very busy with her knitting needles and is trying out a few new creations which really inspired me...yes, shock horror...ME feeling a little creative again. Thought I'd better act upon it quickly before it vanishes again BUT there is always a hurdle to jump isn't there.

There I was with a huge bag of scrummy wools at my feet, a stash of cute little projects to make and do you think I could find ANY knitting needles. Those naughty knitting needle fairies have come along and stolen ALL my needles while my creativity was AWOL!

Never mind, yesterday I took a very brief detour to my mum and managed to borrow a vey old pair of needles that we believe originally belonged to my Big Nan (Great Grandmother!) It was rather nice just sitting down and knitting just for the fun of it and even nicer knowing that my darling Big Nan had once been sitting down knitting away with those needles.

Right waffle over, I have given you a little sneek peak at what my mum has been creating and watch this space as we progress with a little more creativity. (Fingers crossed life doesn't get in the way again!)

x X x

Day 4, recycled blooms & knitting

Today has been a bit of a funny old day. It started with Jack and Amelia bickering as usual and it wasn't the greatest start to the day. Amelia went back to school and I took the opportunity to blitz the kitchen while I waited in for a delivery of some more kitchen cupboards.

In the afternoon I decided to do a little bit of recycling! Tore some pages out of an old book, attacked them with inks and glimmer sprays, cut out layers of flowers, and edged with yet more ink....trouble is that looking at my hands now, I look like a very heavy smoker! LOL

Haven't quite decided how to finish them off, I have rummaged around my button box for some small, recycled shirt buttons but I am tempted to use some pearly brads....decisions, decisions.

I managed to do a few more rows of knitting last night too, the pattern is quite straight forward but it's slightly flared so I am having to decrease too.....haven't done any knitting for ages and although I haven't managed much since I started at the weekend, I have really enjoyed it.

Dusting off the knitting needles!

In search of my missing crafty mojo, I thought I'd take a big step into my past and re-visit a craft I gave up when Amelia was born over 8 years ago....KNITTING! I wasn't happy enough to use any of the wool I have stashed away up in the loft, and there are many boxes of wool to choose from might I add...OH NO....I just HAD to go out and get some more! LOL





I actually went out with the intention of buying some wool/a pattern for a DK summery cardi but came back with a scrummy dark red chunky merino wool mix.

I have started the back all ready but unfortunately I just had to stop to do a bit of housework...yawn.

There's a whole lot of crafting going on...

....NOT!!!!!

I was up until about 12.30 last night completing Parental Contribution Forms for a Meeting held at the school today.......so I went to bed with my head buzzing and I never really switched off from it all.

Been on the phone to The Down Syndrome Association this morning to get some specialist advice regarding Amelia's support at school....it seems I am not quite so mad in thinking that a bit of differentiation is possible. We are visiting the SN school on Friday and I suppose I need to decide one way or another if I want to continue battling things out with the school/LEA or whether or not Amelia would actually be better of in a SN school.



The school are saying that Amelia is struggling to access the Year 2 cirriculum and that they cannot differentiate lessons without excluding her. Funny that the advisor from the DSA advised that there are actually plenty of schools out there differentiating classes for children with Down Syndrome and still on P-Levels, not only in Y2, but also into KS2 and even into Secondary education.

I just feel I am constantly banging my head against a brick wall with it all but deep down I know that if I send her to the SN school I will feel that the system has beaten me and that I will have let her down badly.

Anyway, enough of my waffle...........meet Dotty Dolly!#

I asked my mum if she would be able to knit a Dottie for me and I have her a few ideas of what I'd like, such as the striped tights and a dotty cardi...but the hair do was rather tricky to master.
I wonder how we could give her little nobbly knee caps too!!!

Thanks MUM, I love Dottie Dolly! xx

Girlie Bear!!!

I have been going on and on about my knitted girlie bear.....and she has been on my to do list for 2 weeks now...but alas she is still in pieces in a plastic bag just waiting to be sewn up. BUT my mum has made one and I just wanted to share her with you.......just look at her!!!! She is SOOOO girlie.....the one I am making has a little knitted cami and knickers on!!!

The pattern is by Claire Garland.

Funny mood Friday!

Been another funny day really, started off by having to take Amelia to the opticians...again!! There was me thinking I wouldn't have so many appointments now the Orthoptist doesn't see her at the hospital...so instead she needs to go to the Opticians every 3 months!!! Still- good news is that Amelia is getting on very well with her bifocals and her prescription didn't need changing.....so got a whole 3 months before we need to go again!!



I haven't really got into any papercrafting so far today although my chalenge diary is bulging at the seams, I still have 5 commissioned cards to make and my desk is....errr...well it's under there somewhere. I have a giraffe in the dining room ready to start the paper mache...and instead what am I doing???????????


I am going to KNIT!!! No not the cutesy little girlie bear I have half finished...oh no, that would be far too sensible. Instead I am going to try my hand with double pointed needles. After the many moons of knitting, it's something I have never attempted, being a left hander, my knitting technique is rather unique shall we say. LOL...so this attempt could be an absolute failure but never trying, I will never know. I am hoping for this project to also be my first attempt at felting too.....I never really do things in half do I!


My flame coloured pure new wool stash......kettle on, biscuits at hand, children settled, DVD...check! Here I go!!!!!!!!!

Moo, moo...don't eat the daisies!!

I love these little cows, made from oddments of wool...taken from Knitted and Felted Toys by Zoe Halstead. The bright colour way is taken from the book and I think it looks so fun and funky.

I have so much wool to use up, I could make a whole herd!!!

The pink THING is complete!!

It turned out like a little sort of floppy earred rabbit!!!!! I used the pattern from http://www.fuzzymitten.com/patterns and mucked around with the ears.

I have also managed to make my Chinese Whisper card today, had great fun with that and cannot wait to see all the different creations!!! I have taken piccies but need to wait for the other crafters to complete before I post of course.

Right, what is next on my crafty list!!!

This little piggie went to blogland!

I have been a bad, bad, blogger and crafter again!! (hangs head in shame) Been rather caught up in my NVQ this week but progress has been very slow due to a technical hitch- however I did complete my first phone assessment and have done lots of reading on my first of 9 units!

Out of the very feeble challenge I set myself last week I have done poorly!!!

BUT I did mange to complete a little piggie from the book "Toy Knits" by Debbie Bliss. I have quite a bit of this cotton left so I might make a litter of them!!!

Upsy Daisy here I come.....

Just to show you the first trial of "Upsy Daisy" that my mum knitted...I wanted to make up a few more "In the Night Garden" characters as Amelia adores them at the moment.

Meeting went OK ish.....glad its over. Now it's time for a glass of wine and a bit of crafting, got my knitting up to date today so I can get going on building some card stock for fundraising and work my way through my own personal list.

Lets get crafting

Kiddies at school so I am trying to tie up a few crafty loose ends!! Just decorated a few more corsages - they have been "undressed" in that bag for far too long now. Most are the same as the daisy I have previously shown but I have finally sewn up and decorated my first knitted rose.

Time for a spot of lunch and nice hot cuppa and this afternoon I am hoping to make a start on some toppers for Mother's Day! Goodness, this is unlike to be so ahead of myself!!