Five On Friday.

 It's many years since I did a Five On Friday Post but I'm linking up with  My creative Life. this week, it's a good way to catch up on what's been going on of late.

Before I start I would just like to thank everyone for the comments you left on my last post.  I'm pleased to report that both groups were well attended with 16 attending the Hobby Hub and then 26! attended Udance. It was so nice to see everyone dancing and having fun. 

This leads me on to number one in my five..

1 Health Matters

Regular readers of my blog will know that I slipped a disc back in October 24. You would think that it would be healed by now but unfortunately it's not. I'm still in a lot of discomfort especially after doing any sort of exercise like dancing. 

I did eventually see a GP and he prescribed anti-inflammatory medication and told me to take it three times a day. I wasn't very happy to take it as it irritates the stomach and you have to take it with food six hourly. So if I have breakfast at 8am lunch at 2pm that means dinner won't be until 8pm which is far too late for me. I am managing 2 doses a day only. He says the left side of my back is in spasm. I got to see a physio a week after and she gave me some back strengthening exercises to do, which I'm doing twice a day, that was two weeks ago and nothing has helped so far. I have an appointment for a bone density scan on the 17th but then will have to wait 4 weeks for the result. So watch this space.

2. Garage Door

My very temperamental up and over garage door broke at the beginning of January. I use the garage for storage only as it's far too small to house a car. I have struggled with this door since I moved into this house and decided I needed an electric operated door, but finding someone to install one was proving very difficult, what is it with tradesmen these days. Anyway when the door broke I persisted and eventually found a local company to install the door for me. Two very friendly young lads who talked a lot, promised that they would take the old door away for me and install a new door. To cut a long story short it took three phone calls to actually set a date for them to come. When they did come and it only took them an hour to install da daa...

They assured me that they would be back that afternoon to collect the old door and seal the edges.

It remained there for four days and after three phone calls, one man came to collect it, the struggle he had to get it on the truck was painful to see, I told him that there should have been two of them to lift it and he would hurt his back (see number 2!) but I can't see anything changing anytime soon.

 What about sealing the edges of the garage door I can hear you say, well I'm still waiting, I phoned again this morning and he said today, haha what do you think will they come? again watch this space.

3. Grandchildren

Enough of the moaning something far more pleasant a quick snap of my 3 youngest grandchildren 

Big brother mikey will be turning 7 on the 8th of March too.😀

Louis and Daddy

Little Louis is as cute as can be, he took his first steps last week, he's wearing that little jacket I made back here, 11 years ago! still big for him but he will grow into it.

Julian took his first steps just two weeks ago, another little cutie.

Fridge magnet shots of little Sophie wearing a hat and jacket made by grandma 

It's lovely to see your crochet being put to good use, at least the blanket made by grandma is giving her a hug even if I can't just yet. Do you recognise it? you can find it and how to make it here.

4. Crochet

I have quite a few things on the go at the moment but this is what I have made today

Easter baby hats for babies born on and around Easter, very cute I think, I'm going to make some with bunny ears next.

5, New Yarn

Just feast your eyes on that, bought yesterday, buying yarn is still one of my favourite occupations but after my huge stash busting enterprise back here lessons have been learnt. I still have far too much yarn but I don't buy as much as I once did. This little lot is for my crochet group, the u3a treasurer had gifted the Knitting and crochet groups £50 each to buy yarn for charity projects as our efforts raise the profile of our u3a so it's a win win situation.

If you have managed to get through that lot well done, because I'm not blogging as much there is so much to catch up on, I used to blog three times a week at one stage, I don't know where I found the time.

Have a great weekend. 

Two End Of Year Finishes.

 Here we are at the very last day of the year! were did it go, it doesn't seem like a whole year since I was saying the very same thing. 

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas, mine was spent with family but it was a very tense time as my daughters neighbours house had a partially collapsed wall with the bricks all banging against my daughters home in the gale force winds and causing damage to her property, she was told that her eaves could collapse too and as you can imagine it cast a huge shadow over Christmas.  She has spent the week having workmen come to see if her property was in danger and the mixed response is unreal, one said yes her eaves were in danger of falling and it would cost £5000 to repair, another said there was no immediate danger but it needed repairing and would cost £2700 and the third has said there is nothing wrong and needs no intervention! who to believe? certainly not the first that's for sure. She is waiting for another workman to come as we speak.  

The Christmas Throw ta daaa.... 

I managed to complete my daughters throw just two days before we travelled to Qatar and gifted to her before we went, she loved it...

I embroidered this on the back

I loved making this throw it's Sonia's Holiday Mosaic by Rosina Plane, I did omit the Angels which were the last pattern on the throw as I though they looked a little scary and replaced them with the gifts tied in a bow instead.

I didn't manage to complete the other Christmas throw I was making but it doesn't matter as it will be ready in plenty of time to be gifted to a charity for next Christmas

 The Year of Doodles stitchery

I actually completed this just last night, I can't tell you how much fun I have had making this...

I am waiting for a flexi hoop to arrive and then I'll frame it properly.

I'm already getting exited to get start some new projects for 2024, my daughter-in law has asked me to make an all in one suit for her baby due in February, she loved the one I made for baby Julian here so I may make another for grandson number three. 

A male friend has asked me to make him some red and green striped socks! It's been a while since I made any, he is still wearing the ones I made him back here reading that post I don't know what I'm letting myself in for but it's good to see that he is still wearing them since 2015. At least the colours will be easier to work with, watch this space they may or may not materialise. 😂

I am eager to start another mosaic throw but I'm saying nothing more on that subject until it's actually finished I have the yarn and pattern and I'm itching to start.

I'm going to be sewing the new stitch-along by StitchDoodles 

A Year of Woodland Blossoms

 

I have ordered the pre printed fabric and I can't wait for it to arrive. 😊

So along with some charity projects it looks like I'm going to be busy.

What about all of you lovely people did you manage to finish everything you had planned for 2023 and what are your crafting plans for 2024?.

I always spend Christmas Eve quietly and am usually in bed long before midnight but my grandson Mikey and his mummy and daddy are coming later this afternoon so I'm looking forward to that.

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year and I hope that 2024 will be a good one for all of us, 😘😘

Linking with

  Slow Stitching Sunday

Wednesday Link Party  oombawka design crochet

Christmas Crochet Mosaic Roundup

 Here we are again another Christmas and another year of stunning Christmas Mosaic patterns, as always new patterns seem to be released by the day and I will add them here as soon as they become available.

Evergreen Dreams by designer  Robin Parent

Mosaic Christmas tree skirt by designer  Susanne Toth

Poinsettias by designer Lucille Schubert

Gonk's Holiday Mosaic by designer - Rosina Plane

Sonia's Holiday Mosaic by designer - Rosina  Plane

Christmas Gnomes by designer - Anneke den Outer

Christmas Spirit by designer -  Sarah Athey

Cosy Christmas Blanket by designer  - Fiona Kirk

Arboreous by designer -  Robin Parent

Glorious Christmas by BebaBlanket

Deck the Halls by designer Lindsay Mika

Christmas Blanket

Magic Winter CAL designer - Ana Morais Soares

Click below for more great Christmas Patterns.....

A Mosaic Christmas

More Christmas Mosaic

Even More Christmas Mosaic

Improving, Some Follow Ups and Mosaic CAL's

 Thank you all for all your best wishes for my recovery from Covid, it was horrid! I'm hoping that I never get it again, I tested negative on the 15th day but it has left me with a cough and my voice is so hoarse, it hurts if I talk much so I'm resting it as much as possible, I'm hoping that there's not going to be any lasting damage because my throat was very sore for quite a few days and the continuous coughing didn't help.  I am trying to increase my exercise every day, my appetite has returned and food tastes almost normal again.

Onwards and upwards I hate to dwell on illness lets talk about nicer things like little grandson number two  I actually got to meet him for the first time yesterday.

Baby Julian

I was happy to see him wrapped in the little blanket I had made for him but he was wearing a crochet jacket which his mummy had bought from Etsy and I couldn't help thinking why buy from Etsy when he has a grandma who is more than willing to make him anything he needs but DIL said she had gone a little crazy with buying him far too much stuff than he will ever need. I'm already planning what I can make him for when he gets older.

More good news which I didn't want to share until we were sure that all was going to be ok, if you remember grandson number one Mikey's mummy lost a baby a couple of years ago but now she is pregnant again and due in February, she is having a boy as well so I'll have three lovely little grandsons.

Tedds Poncho

Ted was so happy with his poncho and wore it for the Abba Tribute 

Ted Wearing His Poncho

Apparently it was a great show and everyone had a fabulous time, I was so sorry to have missed it, Ted says he is looking forward to wearing his poncho to many more Red Hatter events and thanked me with a crochet pattern booklet and a gift voucher for a yarn store bless him I didn't expect anything I enjoyed making it for him.

I was asked to make a pair of thumbless mittens for my  friend Carols granddaughter, Carol  loves to crochet herself but is partially sighted now and finds it difficult to crochet. She asked me the evening before I was due to meet her, I was determined to make them that evening and have them ready for her the next day. After almost completing one mitten I came to the conclusion that it just wouldn't do, it had almost no stretch and her granddaughter would find it hard  to put her little hands into them. Although I love crochet items you can't beat a knitted rib and so I quickly made these little thumbless mittens for her, I managed to make one the evening before we met and I sat knitting the second one in the garden centre where we met.

Alyana modelling her mittens

I can't wait to make her and Carols other granddaughter some more it's lovely to make things for little girls, I'm thinking cute little sweaters with hats to match 😀

That trip to the garden centre was my first time out following Covid and my friend Jan joined us there, she had brought along a bag of crochet granny squares which she had been asked to join into a blanket for Macmillan, she knits and crochets for them but she had never joined squares to make into a blanket and wanted my advice.  I offered to do it for her...

A nice and easy project which took no time at all

It measures 38" x 42" and it's made in chunky yarn and will make a lovely throw or lap blanket.

So it's been quite a busy two weeks and now I'm looking forward to a Mosaic Crochet crochet along which starts at the end of this month.  It's hosted by Rosina Plane and it's called Sonia's Holiday Mosaic, this is the blanket/throw..

I'm going to make it for my daughter, I already have some of the yarn and I'm in the process of ordering the rest. You can find the details here if you fancy joining me. It's that time of the year when lots of crochet alongs are being announced and I get quite excited and end up buying lots of patterns while they are discounted, another one that is starting at the beginning of November is this ....

Happy CAL hosted by Tinna Thórudóttir

A very easy Mosaic Pattern which would be great for beginners.

Today I will will be doing some sewing, I need to catch up on my embroidery..

I'm determined to get it finished before the end of the month.🌝

Have a great week ahead.💗

Click here to see all the great parties that I will be linking with this week.

Covid Strikes and a New Arrival!

 It got me! I suppose I'm lucky that I have managed to avoid Covid up until now.  It started with a trip to A&E with stroke like symptoms, tingling on the left side of my head and then it spread down my face.  Friday night is not a good time to be in A&E it was crowded with a 11 hour wait! I suppose no time is a good time to be in A&E but I couldn't help thinking that if it was a stroke I don't fancy my chances as I arrived at 7pm and wasn't seen until 3am! Anyway thankfully stroke was ruled out and I got home at 4 30am. I was ok on Sunday although the tingling sensation was still there but on Monday I could hardly get out of bed, did a test and I tested positive for Covid.  I'm wondering if it was the Covid that caused the tingling sensation.  

I have been pretty ill with it but the worst thing is two outings which cost me quite a bit have to be cancelled I was so disappointed especially as one of them was the Abba Tribute which is on tonight but I'm still testing positive and feeling very weak.  I was all set to get dressed up in my 70s gear and I had made a couple of Abba Style hats for my friend and myself...

I won't get to see Ted in his poncho either so I've instructed everyone to send me lots of photos.

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 My second little grandchild arrived yesterday morning it's a boy! It's going to be a while before I get to see him but I'm going nowhere near him until I'm completely well.

 I want to show you a couple of the the things I have made for him along with the blanket I showed you earlier..

My DIL asked me to make this baby onesie it's a very easy pattern and didn't take that long, I used Stylecraft special Aran in shade sage you can find the pattern on youtube here 

The blanket is my own little treasure baby blanket you can find the pattern here, it's lovely to make a works up in no time.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

This past week I haven't felt like doing anything much but I'm planning to do I little sewing today, I'm quite proud that I'm keeping up with this, the problem is though, the pattern is fading and it's getting more difficult to see it, I'm hoping that it lasts till December

To finish off I just had to show you this, still blooming in October just outside my front door, this is the wheel barrow that my brother gave me last year for my birthday, I filled it with Bizzy Lizzy's and they put a smile on my face everytime I open the door,

Have a great week ahead.💗

Click here to see all the great parties that I will be linking with this week.

Jennies Throw

 I did it thank goodness got it finished in just the nick of time, it's her birthday today so I'm going to pop along to her home later today and drop it off. I put the last stitches into the double border yesterday evening, so it was touch and go whether or not I would finish it in time. I do hope that she will like it.

This size of this blanket measures 120cm 90cms the perfect size to snuggle under on a cold winters evening.

I've combined two of Rosina Plane patterns Letitia's Garden and Flora's Fauna and it's taken me just over two weeks to finish it.  The blanket consists of two types of  mosaic, overlay and inset, once they are crocheted you can't really tell the difference on the front of the blanket but you can on the back.

I much prefer the overlay type of mosaic, I find it much easier and I prefer the look of the back of the blanket too. The inset is fine if the design in small and repetitive but it's more challenging when the design becomes larger and more complicated. 

Sewing

On the sewing front Part three of Festive Forrest is done, the Christmas trees. 

I'm still enjoying this but I did feel a bit pressured last week  because I really needed to finish Jennies throw, now that is done I can relax into this and the Stitch a leaf a day below. Part four is the critters and that will finish off the panel.

Stitch A leaf A Day This October

I am finding this more challenging than I though I would, I have tried several stitches but trying to get them to look ok inside a tiny leaf is more difficult than I thought this is where I am now....

1. Leaf Stitch
2. Lazy Daisy
3. Fishbone
4. Fly Stitch
5. Closed Cretan Stitch
6. Trellis Stitch
7. Button Hole stitch
8. Rhodes Stitch
9. Chain Stitch
10. Herringbone Stitch
11. Net Stitch
12. Satin Stitch
13. Vandyke Stitch
14. Running Split Stitch

I'm a couple of days behind and I'm going to enjoy sewing those today, type of stitches yet to be decided.

I'm pleased to report that my bathroom is almost done there's just a few little finishing touches left to do, I will be putting up a post just about that soon, more for myself really to look back on. I have tried my new bath and shower and it was heavenly, you don't realise how much the little things like taking a shower or a bath mean to you until they are taken away, two weeks of washing at the kitchen sink and sticking my head under the tap to wash my hair was no fun I can tell you haha.

My kitchen is arriving next Wednesday and I'm hoping that it will be quicker and less intrusive than the bathroom makeover has been but I have a feeling that that's just wishful thinking.

Today I'm going to start the process of clearing out kitchen cupboards, where I'm going to put the stuff I haven't quite decided 🤔 Lots of things to think about today.

What will you be up too whatever it is I hope that you all have a great Sunday 😊

Linking with Kathy's Slow Stitching Sunday

Click here to see the great parties I will be linking to.

A Bit Of Garden Chat

 You just can't beat salad picked fresh from your own garden, I don't do it on a grand scale but what I've planted this year is keeping me going nicely. My favourite salad leaf is rocket but it seems to bolt very quickly, spinach is another all year round favourite. I am growing baby beets and have picked one today for the first time, still too small really but I just couldn't resist.

My parsley is finished but I have more to plant out, it has been growing for over a year so I can't complain and I love lots of different types of mints just a couple of leaves makes all the difference to a salad along with a sprinkle of fresh chives.

I'm really happy with my little raised bed that I erected earlier in the year and I'm already planning what I can overwinter in it, Spring cabbage springs to mind along with some broccoli perhaps and I have leeks growing away nicely, it's amazing how much you can pack into such a small space.

I have also planted cosmos in my raised bed, I was hoping I could use these as cut flowers but the stems are very short so I am just putting a few into a rose vase. 

I had the same idea for the dahlia's they are just coming into flower now but the earwigs are loving them! I have started using upturned plant pots filled with straw and they work, I always find a few earwigs sleeping in the top.

I am a massive fan of Hydrangeas but have never had much luck with them until this year! At least some of them, one of my plants hasn't flowered at all and theres no sign of the tiniest bud, I may have been overly generous with the fertilizer and fed the leaves to the detriment of the flowers but just look at these....

I'm awe struck I can't believe that I have actually grown such beautiful plants after all these years the pink one is from a cutting which I took three years ago from my sons garden, his plant is blue, mine is pink obviously my soil is more alkaline. I can't tell you how much pleasure it gives me to gaze upon these beauties.  

The roses are gathering their strength for their next flush of flowers after giving me these lovely displays

The garden is giving me so much pleasure now as one perennial fades and goes to sleep for another year another wakes up and takes its place or I slot in a little pot of bedding plants to fill the gap, I do wish Summer would last just a bit longer but I know it's days are numbered a few more short weeks and it will all be over but no more sad thoughts, here is something that put a huge smile on my face the other day in fact I had to do a double take I wasn't quite sure if I was seeing things....

I have never seen the like in my little town before haha

Along with the garden I am enjoying the Flora's Fauna Cal so much, I am behind but that doesn't matter in the least, the hedgehogs are done as are the acorns ....

 Squirrels are almost done so it's moving along nicely 😊

I must dash as I have a bus to catch to Newcastle I'm going to see my little grandson Mikey he hasn't been well so I haven't see him for a while, he graduated from Nursery last week bless him so it will be big school for him in September.

Have a great Sunday 😘😘