Bunco and Zentangle Flower Mania

 Have you heard of Bunco? Well I certainly hadn't until quite recently. You see that's the beauty of the u3a you meet people that have tried all sorts of things that you have probably never even thought or heard of before. 

For those of you who haven't heard of it it's a game where you throw 3 dice. You need three tables and twelve people and that's the fun bit bringing twelve people together to play a very easy once you get the hang of it dice game. 

It takes a while to get it because you have to move tables depending on whether you are a winner or a loser. And remembering which table you should be moving to can get quite confusing until the penny drops the problem is everyone's penny drops at different times so there can be a bit of hilarious confusion.

My friend Paula organised it as a way of raising funds for Macmillan. We all pay a small fee to join in and there are lots of small prizes, like chocolate or maybe a bottle of wine.

 There are many talented crafty people in the u3a and many of them contributed by making knitted or sewn items for Paula to sell before we started playing the game and then again a week later at a Macmillan coffee morning.

I did some decoupage both on a bottle which Paula had kindly supplied and on some stones.

Painted Stones

Now we come to the zentangle flower bit, I was inspired by Linda from crafty gardener and this post.

Since then I have been zentangling flowers none stop, it's the easiest and most relaxing way to get into the zone as it were. I can do this for hours and I always love the results.

There are zentangle flower bugs all over my garden and they have found their way into friends and families homes and gardens too.

I am actually having a break right now because my neck is hurting a lot and looking down all the time can't be helping, that's the problem when you craft a lot it requires you to look down onto your work and I've been doing it for years, all my life really. I'm trying to lift things up closer to eye level which doesn't work for stone painting but I can manage to some extent for crochet. 

My brother's burns are healing very slowly but are now extremely painful we have had to get him stronger pain relief especially for when they change the dressings. 

He actually asked me to call into a warden controlled facility near to where I live to get a brochure so it appears he is beginning to accept that he does need more help.  I know that it will be difficult for him to find a place at Harbour Lodge  which is very close to me as there's always a long waiting list but it doesn't do any harm to try.

Have a great weekend. 😊

Christmas Decoupage, A Blanket And A Bit Of Sewing

It's been a week of dull, cold shivery weather with the sun hiding behind grey dark clouds making only the briefest of appearances, it's been hard to force myself  to go outdoors, so much nicer to stay warm inside and play with crafting things.

This week I thought I would give my hands a bit of a break from  knitting and crochet and devote my time to decoupaging pebbles and anything else that decided to put in an appearance, be prepared for visual overload.....

This little jam jar looks lovely when lit from within with a tea candle

This bottle looks nice in daylight.

But even better lit up at night I love the reflection in the window, two for the price of one.

They all look so festive lined up along the windowsill in my conservatory but I will gift lots of them to friends, just a little token to show them I care, but then thoughts turn to now how will I do that and I hit upon the idea of little gift bags. I had a search about and gathered some supplies,  I should have done this months ago but honestly there just isn't enough hours 

It didn't take that long but I have lots more to make this weekend and then I will make the rounds, lots of doorstop socially distanced visits to friends to drop off these little tokens of  Christmas cheer.

Just before I go I finished the Baby Blanket ...

It's soft and squishy and has been sent to the Sun appeal for Preemie babies which I spoke about here. (Pattern below) This is a nice easy pattern perfect for knitting while watching TV. The socks are nearly finished too I'm right up to the toe shaping, it looks like I'll have another pair of cosy socks to wear really soon.

Have a lovely weekend 😘

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

Blanket Pattern as Requested

PATTERN TO MAKE A 24 X 30 INCH (61 X 76 CM) BABY BLANKET kindly devised for BLISS by Marilyn Marsh 

YOU NEED: 250grams Double Knit yarn and 4mm needles (size '8') 

Cast on 128 stitches and knit 17 rows. At beginning and end of next and each following pattern rows you will knit 9 stitches for the border to prevent it curling up. 

1 st row: knit 9 (knit 10, purl 10) repeat to last 9 sts, knit 

2 nd row: knit 9 (purl 10, knit 10) repeat to last 19 sts, purl 10, knit 9 

Repeat these rows 6 times 

15 th row as 2 nd row. 

16 th row as 1 st row 

Repeat 15 th and 16 th rows 6 times to form the pattern (28 rows). 

Repeat the above 28 rows of the pattern a further 6 times, the blanket should now measure approx. 28 inches. Knit 17 rows then cast off. B

Autumn Decoupage

 Well there is no doubt about it Autumn is definitely here, the weather is decidedly cooler and the days are getting shorter. The Autumn leaves are beginning to fall and it won't be long before they will litter my whole garden.  With that in mind I thought that is was time to put my Summer pebbles away and make some for Autumn.

now where did that little mouse come from😉

I can't believe how easy it is to decoupage, mind you it does make an awful mess but it's worth it to produce such a pretty result, I do tend to get carried away when I'm making these but I like to give them to friends and family and display some around my conservatory shelves. I'm looking forward to making some wintery Christmas ones next.

Last years welcome to Autumn was this little leaf garland, I loved making it even though it was decidedly fiddly.  I was lucky to have lots of little Autumn coloured balls of yarn in my stash and really went to town on these leaves and berries, it's funny how when you are in the mood for making certain things you just get on and do it and enjoy the process, this year the thought of making those tiny leaves and berries fills me with dread! luckily I don't have to because I can take this one out every year.

If you are in the mood for fiddly and fancy making one yourself I got most of the patterns here from the lovely Lucy at Attic24

My tomatoes are still ripening very slowly but I've had a very poor crop, I'm enjoying each and every one there's nothing nicer than tomatoes still warm from the sun eaten straight from the vine.

It won't be long before we can stop cutting the lawn it's growing very slowly now and only needs a cut every three weeks, last week my lawnmower breathed its last breath just before I had finished cutting the lawn, I haven't had it that long either, anyway it meant I had to buy a new one and here it is.....

I like it, it's light and very easy to use, I hope it lasts a bit longer than the last one but it does have a three year guarantee.

I have planted some crocus and tête-à-tête daffodils in the lawn, I'm hoping that they will grow because I have tried this before in my previous garden with little success. The lawn looks a bit of a mess after I have planted them but I'm sure it will recover and hopefully I will have a lovely display in Spring, I think I'll plant some at the front as well. 

and finally my Queen blanket is now on the return journey and now that I have passed the midline I'm loving it again the colours seem to balance more. The next part of the pattern will be out today, I'm getting impatient to finish it so that I can get started on the Letitia Holiday blanket which I showed you in my last post.

Now I'm thinking of baking some kind of sweet treat, maybe muffins or maybe cookies🤔 decisions decisions 😄

 Have a great weekend and stay safe and I will see you all next week.😘

Nothing is Safe!

It must be two years since I first set eyes on a decoupaged peace of work.  One of the ladies from the sewing group in my local U3A  brought some of her pieces in to show us, I was fascinated as I always am when I see a new craft and I can't figure out how it's done. Even if it's explained to me it takes a while for me to get it! Sheila tried to explain it to me very patiently it has to be said but I still wasn't convinced, how can sticking a piece of napkin onto a jar result into something so beautiful.

Sheila asked me and another lady (who was equally as fascinated as I was) if we would like to do a workshop at her home, of course! we jumped at the chance.  What a lovely day we had, Sheila was a great teacher her home is beautiful and she made us very welcome we even produced two pieces of work....

Please remember this was my first attempt but even so I was delighted with the result. Since then I haven't done that much apart from these..

Until now! I have time on my hands like I have never had before and I'm right back into it and nothing is safe! 

For those of you who haven't tried it decoupage is a very slow and messy business and it has to be done in stages. You start with the preparation, I like a white background which means things have to be painted, it may start with the one thing in front of you but you are sitting there with a wet paint brush or sponge and enough white paint to cover another object but which object? oh yes that jam jar would look nice or maybe the coffee jar ...

but why not both, oh and I'm sure there's an empty wine bottle in the recycling and so it goes on.

This plant holder was a dark cream colour with a huge chip as you can see.

Now transformed into a very pretty, looks like new plant holder.

Even as I go about my daily business my eyes are forever on the look out for possibilities. 

This was a drinking glass that had a crack down the side now disguised and beautifully displaying my Christmas cactus plant 

Canvas Decoupage is so easy! I have a few more cute napkins like this that will be finding themselves onto canvas soon too.

Of course last but not least Beach rocks I really can't stop! I have made so many of these and given quite a few to friends.  I think they are so pretty and I have written inspirational quotes on the back...

So you may ask is that it then? are you all done with the paint and the glue and the buying of pretty napkins, I have to say no I'm afraid not! I'm in the zone as it were I really can't stop! thank goodness for my summerhouse it has now been turned into my workshop, there no one can see the mess! 

Below is my next victim, I have moved beyond the confines of my home and I'm now into charity shop territory you can find all sorts of treasures in there, that bottle even has lights inside! just wait until it's had the decoupage treatment. I have sent for some rice paper for this which I have never used before so I can't wait to see how it turns out.



 What I'm actually going to do with this stuff once my decoupage obsession is over remains to be seen. 😂

Have a great weekend and take care. 😘

See all the great parties I will be linking to here