Scavenger Photo-hunt ~ APRIL

Joining in with Kate for the monthly scavenger photo-hunt.  You can see the other photo-hunters in the April link-up post on Kate's blog (I live, I love, I craft, I am me)

 The words for April  were :-

 

Edge

Loaf

Bridge

Mine

Black

My own choice

 

 

Edge

 

Standing right on the edge of the platform to take a picture

(DH took this one, he's the train buff!)

 

 

 

 

Loaf

 

Playing Happy Families card game with my granddaughter. 

I had the loaf family in my hand :-)

 

 

 

Bridge

 

The Humber bridge

 

 

and here we are driving across it on our way to the seaside 

 

 

 

 

Mine

 

The feel of sand between my toes

 

 

 

 

 

Black

 

That would have to be my mood one day this month.  Not possible to photograph that, but what I can show you is the black tape hubby put over the window that was smashed on my car

 

 

 

 

My Own Choice

 

Signs for the community garden newly made children's own growing area. 

Drawn by my granddaughter when she came for a sleepover this week

Laminated by nanny and all ready to put up when we are next there.

 

 

 

 

Love and blessings

 

Julie

 

 

 

 

Gifted Gorgeousness - April (and Easter exchange)

I hope you all had a lovely Easter.  It's been very warm and sunny here in the UK, it was lovely. 

We had a nice family Easter.   An egg hunt for my granddaughter and fun and games played.  Far too much food eaten, but I was good and limited the chocolate intake.

I took part in an Easter exchange at Needlecraft Haven and am including that into my Gifted Gorgeousness post here (for those who don't know about GG you can read about it here on Jo's blog)

 

This was my parcel  to Mary.  The brief was to stitch an Easter ornament, any shape or size, add a sweet treat and send a card.  This time we were allowed to sign the card, often the exchanges are anonymous and we wait till the reveal. 

 

I stitched on some yellow/white gingham which I thought would make a lovely Easter background for this sweet bunny design.

 

 

 

This is the lovely parcel I opened from Clare.   A cute little bag containing two malteaster bunny chocs. Clare also included extra chocs and some sweet bamboo Easter egg decorations together with a pretty card.  Thank you Clare.

 

 

I received a great gift from a friend at my knitting group this month to hold my knitting needles.  It made me smile.

 

 

Regular readers will remember a parcel I received from Justine a while ago with a collection of magazine free card kits for me to stitch for the knitting group 'For Sale' table.  I've stitched up another one of them.  This one is so pretty.

 

 

There are a few online friends who are experiencing difficult times at the moment so sending {{hugs}} to you.

 

Love and blessings

 

Julie

 

 

Cough, splutter, sniffle, sneeze

Ten days into April and i'm here playing catch up.  

 

A drs check up visit and subsequent trip straight off to the A&E dept to be checked out further where i think i must have picked up the cough and cold germs that have been doing the rounds for a while and lots of you have suffered with.  Golly, it's been awful.  Over two weeks later and it's still here, but i'm feeling a lot brighter these past couple of days. 

 

I totally missed the end of the month 'How did I do this month' post

 

So, a quick collage of the books I read in March.... 

 

 

and the few finishes I had.   

I did stitch an Easter exchange but that remains a secret till opening day

 

 

The Scavenger hunt photo challenge end of March that Kate sets, that got missed too. (Sorry Kate, I have taken note of the April words)

 

 

I'd casted on this shawl and have been knitting the odd row here and there. Easy to pick up and add a few stitches/rows inbetween coughing bouts and sleeping!  

 

A free Pattern called Grain from Tin Can Knits

 

 
I saw this wool on Christine's blog back in July when she made a stunning shawl herself (here) and really liked it.  It's James C Brett - Northern Lights and so very snuggly and soft.  

 

Feeling a bit better these past couple of days and the shawl finished, i've casted on some socks.  Simple rib pattern and it keeps the hands busy.  Itchy fingers so i must be on the mend but still sitting a lot to keep the coughing at bay.  

 

The wool is hand dyed from Snuggly Stars Yarns. 

It's called Russet Sunset and is 70% merino with 20% Yak and 10% nylon. 

I've never knitted with yak before have you?  

It's nice and soft and knitting up beautifully.

 

 

 

I've got a good book to keep my company as well.  The Moon Sister by Lucinda Riley, the 5th in the Seven sisters saga came out in paperback last week and DS treated me to it for Mothering Sunday - i hope you all had a lovely day. 

 

DD bought me the most lovely and very different type of gift.   She had named a rose after me and the box comes with the seeds to grow it yourself.  A great gift for a special birthday, thought it might interest some of you.   DH has put the seeds into his propagator so we wait for new growth.

 

 

 

Love and blessings  

 

Julie

 

 

 

 

 

It's a cover up!

A young visitor came to play last week ....

After she left, on top of the Barbie toy box was something that surprised me

It was a naked Ken!

 

I looked in the box for some clothes to put on him but there were none - she must have put them in the bag that went home. 

There was a piece of material that she had used to try and fashion a wrap around dress for Barbie.  That would have to do, so he got a 'mankini type' quick cover up (he wouldn't let me show you that as he says he's too embarrassed).

Nanny found some old 4 ply sock wool (good job I have a 'little'  ermm maybe more than a little of that hanging around) and knitted him up some rather trendy trousers.

He wasn't happy with just that - although he does like to show off his very muscled body ...

He wanted a jumper to keep him warm as well - delve into the sock wool bag again for something suitable.  He didn't really like the idea of pink or bright colours, said he wanted to be more of an "action man" type if I could oblige ...

Might as well complete the ensemble with a matching woolly hat I thought ....

He does look pleased now he is fully dressed doesn't he. 
 

 

A good job I kept the old pattern my late mother in law used to make clothes for DS's action man printed in 1990 

 

Ken did say he was definitely not wearing the Starskey and Hutch type cardigan though, so please don't bother knitting that for him.  

 

Maybe if it comes into fashion next year he'll change his mind..... I better not use up all the sock wool oddments just in case had I?

Always something rolling off the knitting pins here. 

The little visitor has been again today.  The new ensemble passed inspection. 

"Why hasn't he got any socks?" she said .............

Love and Blessings

Julie

 

Gifted Gorgeousness ~ March

Gifted Gorgeousness, organised by Jo over at Serendipitous Stitching.  Details and sign up page on Jo's blog.  The link for March is also there where you can find new blogs that take part, why not hop over and have a look.

The rules are simple, it's a time to share something that you have gifted or that has been gifted to you.

DH bought me some sock wool for Christmas from Snuggly Stars Yarns.  This colour is Christmas Cactus.  It's a merino based yarn in DK and very soft.  Ideal for a thicker pair of bedtime/evening wearing warm and cosy socks.  This pair were knitted for me.

A magazine free kit, one of a few, gifted to me for the craft group sale table by Justine.  Santa Dog looks cute in his little card.

A red cardigan (yes Jo, another one!!).  Using up lots of oddments from Isabelle's school cardigans this one is also for the craft group sale table.   

I've been stitching a gift too, but that's for an exchange so I'm not able to share that right now.

Another gift that's been received this month was from a local garden centre.  They donated a whole box full of seeds for the community garden.  There must have been over £500 worth in the box.

We've shared them with other community growing groups in the local area.

That completes my GG post for this month. 

Love and blessings

Julie