Friday 25 May 2012

the torch

We made it to Lands End last weekend for the start of the Olympic torch, we had to be there very very early but I think its such a once in a lifetime opportunity that we had to make the effort. Here is a selection of pictures ...






... and as you can see, Roghan enjoyed his little Olympic rings too!

Jo x


Thursday 24 May 2012

the sweetest


Look who came to greet us on our last visit to the stables...





She is miss grace jubilee and is just the sweetest thing, so friendly and curious. This is her less than 24hrs old, look at those pointy ballerina feet and spindly legs! I know what your thinking ... she looks nothing like her mum! She does, however, look just like her dad who was aptly named Red.

Jo x


Sunday 20 May 2012

busy, busy, busy...


"I wonder what happens if I pour water onto this pile of soil ... quick!... more water!!"




"Not quick enough! I need loads of water..."




"Hmmm... it doesn't work..."


These are known as pyjama experiments (or stalling if you prefer). Only Faith knows what she was doing, what the water was for and what it was that didn't work. Curiosity satisfied, she was very happy to curl up next to me for a bedtime story - no explanations necessary.

Jo x 

Friday 18 May 2012

make: oaklet shawl





Just finished this shawl and Faith's had it already! Hopefully I will get to wear it sometimes. This was a lovely pattern, not too challenging and the yarn I used felt good to work with too. Ravelry notes here.

Jo x

Thursday 17 May 2012

make: olympic rings baby toy

We are lucky enough to live only a few miles from  Lands End where the olympic torch is beginning its journey. We will be making our way over there in the very very early hours of saturday morning to see the start. Having just spoken about this I found myself staring at some old curtain rings and... ding!... on went a little light that said a certain little one needed some olympic rings to dribble on (there is a lot of dribble at the moment), while watching the torch go past.


Needed - 5 wooden curtain rings
wool (blue, black, red, yellow and green)
needle and strong thread

Wind the wool around the curtain rings until completely covered, secure with a knot and then sew your tail end in to make it really secure. Arrange your rings correctly ( make sure of this or halfway through sewing them together you have to cut them apart and do it again ... trust me, this is frustrating!).

Sew together strongly with strong thread, I used embroidery floss in appropriate colours and went through so many times that mine doesn't even bend, it's completely solid!

Happy crafting!

Jo x


Sunday 13 May 2012

find a swing ...


In our house there is a tried and tested antidote to any grumpiness, restlessness or cabin fever and it is very simple ... find a swing. All negative emotion pours out as they swing too and fro and a happy relaxed person emerges. We found this one on a village green under the shade of a great big sycamore tree - perfect.



And for those of us too little to swing, a grassy snack and good swing viewing position will suffice.



Jo x


Wednesday 9 May 2012

yarn along

Joining in with Ginny from small things for the yarn along this week.

I am in starting mode at the moment. I don't know if anyone else goes through stages like this but I definitely do. Starting mode is when the ideas are flooding in and I just can't stop and focus on one thing at a time, whenever an idea strikes I have to get it on the needles and work a few rows of it, then the next idea comes right along behind. The last couple of weeks have been like that so here is what I have on the go now...

A bath mat made from recycled sheet yarn, just making this up as I go along, I'm going to do a rectangle just as big as the amount of yarn I have then line the back and probably do some sort of edging.



A cluster stitch bag or cushion cover (haven't decided yet!) I just had it in my head to do this stitch and I'm really enjoying it!


Tunisian crochet arrowhead stitch scarf, nice little easily transportable project, again I'm just making this up as I go.


Tunisian crochet jacket for faith. I am kind of going with elizabeth zimmermans baby surprise jacket although obviously that is a knitting pattern but the percentages are still the same so we'll see how it goes.


Socks! Always socks on the go round here. Just to stretch myself a bit I am doing a cable pattern on these and learning how to cable without a cable needle. I've always found cable needles fiddly and the method of cabling without it seems much easier. Just look it up on you tube and there are plenty of videos.


These wools are lined up for starting very soon. The green and yellow will become a little frog rattle for Roghan, the blue is for some crochet coasters my mum has requested and the white is for a sheep toy. The white is not quite boucle yarn but it is kind of lumpy, does anyone know if this has a name?


Also, working on this tunisian crochet entrelac blanket, see this post, I think a couple more rounds of this and I'll be done.


So there we go, starting mode is beginning to come to an end now and I'll be onto finishing mode soon. Chris enjoys finishing mode as the piles of half done knitting disappear and we can move around the house again! (Although I think starting mode might be coming at the sewing table...)

Happy yarn along x

Jo x



Monday 7 May 2012

at our place












The last few weeks have been, wool arriving (thankyou grandma), planting seaweed?, deep sea rescue, intense concentration, starting a garden, munching, finding love everywhere, backseat sleeping, sewing projects (more on this soon), watching the garden grow, papa/baby love.

Jo x



(another) new arrival!


Meet midge (appropriate name for a 16.1hh thoroughbred don't you think?), we are now part owners of him along with 4 others. His old owner didn't want him anymore and because of a spinal condition which means he can't be ridden no-one would buy him so at just 5 yrs old he was to be put down. Don't worry though, tragedy averted, as we took him on. As you can see from the pictures, faith loves him and he is a complete gentle giant. He is now like our great big pet dog that we take for walks and he gets spoilt rotten with the attentions of 5 owners. He has happily become friends with the 2 ponies we help look after and here's to many more years of a happy life for him.




Just had to add in these pictures!




Jo x

Sunday 6 May 2012

spring warmth



We have had a cold and stormy start to spring but also some beautiful warm sunny days too and you can be sure we spill straight out the door on a bright day and don't come back till bedtime. Lying in fields of daisy's, squelching mud between our toes, scraping knees while climbing trees, finding treasures like the jackdaws eggshell above, this is how we will spend those swift warm days of spring.

I know the next picture is not entirely relevant but its just so cute!


Jo x

Wednesday 2 May 2012

sharing

Me and faith recently agreed to share a yummy pudding. Faith said she would eat her part and 5 minutes later I was presented with this ...


...have you ever seen anything so perfectly split in half!

Jo x