Handsome hound...

Barney is a dog who shivers! So, naturally, he needs a coat... and who better to make him one?

This is Felted and Fabulous from this book. It's the third coat I've knitted him. The first one he chewed the (beautiful mother-of-pearl) buttons off of, the second one is still going strong... but it's always good to have a choice!

I used Rowan's Kid Classic - a beautiful yarn - and then I felted it. It looks a bit wonky...

...but he doesn't seem to mind. He's a lucky dog! It coordinates with his orange leash, of course!!

On another note, I'm very excited! I just got tickets to see REM in Manchester (LCCC) in August. And I booked a hotel to make a weekend of it - yes! I saw them 3 years ago at Hammersmith Apollo and they were just brilliant. It will be No2's first live gig and is on his birthday weekend - the best 12th birthday present a boy could get!

Habitat...

Today found me in Habitat with No2 looking for a desk chair for his bedroom.

We looked but didn't buy...he'd changed his mind on the one he wanted...and he's quite stubborn like that...rather than march out I made a couple of exciting purchases!

This paper tulip caught my eye and knowing that I had vase that was crying out for such a thing, one promptly went in my basket. Isn't it lovely?

Next up were these silicone cupcake cases. I know there is someone out there with an eviable collection of cupcake cases and not to be outdone, these went in the basket too! It's a shame I didn't have them for my Valentine cupcakes, but I know they will be well used. Apparently, No2 is going to make some mini-muffins especially...

On a final note, to all you fellow Glampers, if you haven't already got a copy of this book...

...go order yourself a copy - it's great!

Happy Hooker...

Ok, so I shamelessly stole the title from my crochet book...

Learning to crochet was one of my 'New Things to Learn This Year' list and after messing around with some scraps of yarn and different size hooks, I finally had a go at a pattern. Pattern, of course, being a very loose term for a table runner! As always, the joy of knitting and now crochet, is, for me, choosing the yarns and colours, so fun was to had picking out some spring-like hues for my kitchen.

I found the uniformity of the stitch (which was just simple double-crochet) very comforting, although I've yet to find a rhythm to the hooking. I remember my Great-Nanny Dean crocheting all the time and her hand had a calming, rocking motion to it, while she made all manner of doilies.

I used Debbie Bliss Cotton DK (lilac colour) and Rowan Handknit Cotton. My edges are still very wonky, in spite of blocking it all - something I've never bothered with before...

Valentine's Day...

I know you're all probably full from Ali's generous offer of a cupcake, but please help yourselves to one of mine! Made especially for my gorgeous little boys in my class...

Happy Valentine's Day!

Life in Cold Blood...

Have you been watching the fantastic BBC series Life in Cold Blood? Anything with Sir David Attenborough presenting is worth watching in my eyes and I'm a very fussy television viewer.


Last weeks vision of a python swallowing a WHOLE deer had me mesmorized in an almost horrific stupor. The natural world is a constant source of enlightenment and fascination to me.


I'm rather partial to all things amphibian and this week's programme had me looking back over my holiday photos from last years trip to NYC. No2 and I visited The American Museum of Natural History where they had an extra exhibit - Frogs: A Chorus of Colors. It was fascinating to see these exotic and often tiny creatures. No2's highlight was to be able to do a virtual dissection, but then that's 10 year old boys for you!


Anyway, here are a few photos that we took...

I'm looking forward to the episode featuring sea turtles, another favourite thing of mine...

Right place, right time...

After what was a fairly stressful week, Friday afternoon had No2 and myself heading off for a weekend away to stay with some friends in Shropshire. We hadn't seen them for about 3 or even 4 years so it was a visit long overdue.

Even with a busy M1, we arrived just over 3 hours later. We decided that the M6 Toll is our favourite road, in spite of it costing £4.50! On our arrival were rewarded with a delicious homemade lasagne...

Saturday morning had us out for breakfast in Much Wenlock, where I was delighted to find a little wool shop called Ippikin. The owner made some lovely felted bags and so I bought a Rowan Felted Projects book with some of the patterns in it. So, well fed and ready for action we headed for Carding Mill Valley for a bracing, hilly walk.

It was a beautiful day and we started at the bottom of the valley and followed the waterfall up to to the top.

It was quite a climb and our legs felt very jelly-like nearing the top, where we were greeted by some friendly sheep!

The views were stunning...

The walk back down was just as tricky in some places and mountain sheep we most definitely aren't!! Still, the Tea Room was a welcome lure with hot chocolate, scones and flapjacks.

We were all famished and spent a leisurely evening eating, drinking and sharing holiday photos. Oh, and yawning! All that fresh air certainly blew away the cobwebs...

I couldn't resist buying this bottle of wine to take with us...

...it was the egg thing! Oh, and it was on special offer in Waitrose... and it wasn't bad either!

Thank you for your kind comments over the last couple of weeks. All your support was very appreciated...

Pansy suncatcher...

My chain order arrived this morning, so here's a photo of the suncatcher I made at the weekend.

I've had real difficulty sourcing suitable chain for hanging my suncatchers. The one we used in the States was a really nice weight, but I've had to go for jewellery chain here because everything else was too heavy, but I do think it's a bit too lightweight and I'm hoping it won't break! The supplier I found eventually has copper and gun-metal as well as silver colour, which is good because then I can use different patinas on the soldering. I used black patina on this pansy, which I think works really well.

If anyone knows of somewhere that sells decorative chain, do let me know!

My next glass project is a dragonfly (surprise, surprise!). No2 chose some wonderful glass that suggests the delicate veining on the wings, but I'll probably use some copper wire to pick out some of the veining too. He quite enjoys our little forays into the glass shop and I'm more than happy to let him pick out the glass - the colours are so tempting. We bought lots of turquoises and greens this time and some yellow to pick out the centre of the pansy.



I also just had delivered a clever little tool for cutting circles out of glass which should come in handy with this project as it has mosaic border at the bottom. I just have to wrap up warm and face the freezer that is my garage again...

My Weekend...

In spite of being full of a cold, I've actually managed to have an ok weekend. No2 has been at his Dad's, so it's been quite productive. It's a shame my nose is so blocked up, I can't really smell my lovely, delicate paperwhite narcissi that are along my conservatory windowsill...

Yesterday I made a stained glass suncatcher for a 60th birthday present. It is a pansy and I am photo-less because I'm waiting for a chain delivery so can't hang it up to photograph it. My stained glass has been put on the back-burner for a while as my 'studio' is in the garage and it's sooo cold out there at the moment, I've been avoiding it! However, there is a birthday party looming, so I wrapped up and managed to make it in a few hours.

This morning after cleaning out the chickens, I planted some garlic. This year I'm trying Solent White. My garlic last year was a success too, I've still got loads to see me through til this year's harvest. In a couple of weeks I'll be able to get cracking at sowing loads of seeds and my seed potatoes should be here too. I managed to get some International Kidney, which is the Jersey Royal, I couldn't get them last year (probably left it too late...), but this year I'm much more ahead of myself.

This afternoon I started sewing my quilt pieces. I laid them all out on the floor - it was hard! I really struggle to do random! I had 18 different fabrics and although it sounds alot, it was difficult getting them right. Also, because I had such a variety of colours, it was tricky getting it balanced. I think I'm happy with! I've just got to sew together the main rows for the middle of the quilt and then I can start the border. I'm really looking forward to doing the hand-quilting, but I've got to decide about the backing fabric (and buy it!) yet...

Thank you all for your kind comments on my last post. It's been a difficult week, bringing back many painful memories. I have been helping Jake's Mum with his funeral arrangements. I was glad to help. He is going to be buried near Tom, which I think is a lovely idea and was requested by Jake's Dad, who I don't know. The funeral is on Thursday and I know it is going to be very emotional as there will be many similarities to Tom's funeral, which still feels so fresh in my mind. It was a beautiful, beautiful day in spite of it being terribly sad. Strangely enough, I was reading one of the weekend-paper magazines earlier and there was an article about the owner of the company we used for Tom's coffin. I couldn't bear to have a huge, heavy wooden one so I opted for a natural looking bamboo basket one. It was perfect, comforting in a strange way and just seemed so right for Tom. Bizarrely, the owner has been awarded for the Best Green Coffin Manufacturer in the UK by the Natural Death Centre - can you even imagine that there is such an award?!