Wednesday 30 September 2015

Words on Wednesday

Alphabet Overlay 1


Intelligence is not to make no mistakes,
but to see quickly how to make them good.

Tuesday 29 September 2015

Spice of Life CAL

Cherry Heart Spice of Life Crochet Along

I mentioned in my previous Spice of Life CAL post that I was thinking of making a second blanket, using yarn from my stash.  Well, I decided to do just that and guess what I found???  Only a parcel of yarn from Deramores that I hadn't even opened!  I really don't know why I put it away without opening it first but I am rather embarrassed to admit that I did LOL

I thought it must be fate to find the parcel, so I am using this West Yorkshire Spinners Blue Faced Leicester DK yarn for a second blanket.  In fact, there were half a dozen more balls of yarn (West Yorkshire Spinners Aire Valley DK) in the parcel as well, but I will show them to you when I have completed the first section of blanket number three ;-)

So here is blanket number two :-)  I decided in what order to use the colours and I am going to just keep on repeating them, rather than allocating a particular shade to correspond to a colour in the original pattern.  I will most likely give blankets two and three as gifts ~ I already have someone in mind for blanket three :-)  


I have ordered a couple more balls of the Aire Valley yarn as I don't think 600g will be quite enough.  I'm afraid I have also given in to temptation and ordered some more of the Berrocco Comfort yarn ~ to make another blanket for myself!

Dieting Diary

start date: 21st September 2015
start weight: 23st 11.5lbs (333.5 pounds)
current weight: 23st 6.5lbs (328.5 pounds)
total loss to date: 5lbs
1st interim goal: 21st 7lbs (301 pounds)
date achieved: 


Well my first week "back on track" has gone well, with a loss of five pounds. Let's hope there is more of the same this coming week!

Monday 28 September 2015

Sunday 27 September 2015

The Sunday Prayer

Dove of Peace by Pablo Picasso



Father, Mother, God,

Thank you for your presence during the hard and mean days.
For then we have you to lean upon.

Thank you for your presence during the bright and sunny days.
For then we can share that which we have with those who have less.

And thank you for your presence during the Holy Days.
For then we are able to celebrate you and our families and our friends

For those who have no voice, we ask you to speak.

For those who feel unworthy, we ask you to pour your love out in waterfalls of tenderness.

For those who live in pain, we ask you to bathe them in the river of your healing.

For those who are lonely, we ask you to keep them company.

For those who are depressed, we ask you to shower upon them the light of hope.

Dear Creator, You, the borderless sea of substance, we ask you to give to all the world that which we need most.....PEACE.

Maya Angelou
(4th April 1928 - 28th May 2014)

Friday 25 September 2015

Feel-good Friday

Thursday 24 September 2015

Spice of Life CAL



Cherry Heart Spice of Life Crochet Along
The instructions for the first section of the Spice of Life CAL were released on Tuesday.......I think I may just have mentioned that already LOL

I confess that I more or less just sat and crocheted most of the day on Tuesday!  I'm really pleased with how this first section has turned out ~ the yarn (Berrocco Comfort) is lovely to work with.  This blanket is going to be so soft and snuggly.....and I'm making it just for me LOL

The other folk taking part in the CAL have been showing their work in the Facebook group and there are some gorgeous colour combinations being created.  One of the ladies is doing her's all in one shade, an off-white, and it looks really pretty.  I must admit that I am feeling very tempted to make a second blanket alongside this one, using yarn from my stash.....

The Thursday Poem

Potted Flowers with Books IV
Eric Barjot


from The Princess

Ask me no more: the moon may draw the sea;
The cloud may stoop from heaven and take the shape
With fold to fold, of mountain or of cape;
But O too fond, when have I answer'd thee?
Ask me no more.

Ask me no more: what answer should I give?
I love not hollow cheek or faded eye:
Yet, O my friend, I will not have thee die!
Ask me no more, lest I should bit thee live;
Ask me no more.

Ask me no more: thy fate and mine are seal'd:
I strove against stream and all in vain:
Let the great river take me to the main:
No more, dear love, for at a touch I yield;
Ask me no more.

Alfred, Lord Tennyson
(6th August 1809 - 6th October 1892)

Wednesday 23 September 2015

A Monthly Make for 2016

Back in 2012, I sort of joined in with Annie's (The Felt Fairy) Monthly Make for 2012 ~ if I remember correctly, I don't think that I actually managed to make something every month that year!  Still, the excitement of the upcoming CAL has made me think that I might try again ~ so I have snaffled Annie's idea and am going to challenge myself to make something every month during 2016.

I mostly crochet but perhaps it's time to branch out with my creativity and try some other crafts, too.  In the past I have made a fair amount of cross stitch kits, and it's something that I would quite like to do again, so I'm planning on fitting in at least one or two over the course of next year.  I might also try my hand at knitting something a little more adventurous than dishcloths!  Of course, I have lots of things I could make for my dolls' houses and shops in Groatie Bay, and there are plenty of other crafts that I would like to try my hand at :-)

Perhaps you too have things you would like to make?  If so you are more than welcome to join me ~ I would love to hear about what you are creating!

Words on Wednesday

Alphabet Overlay 1


Age is not important.....unless you are a cheese

Tuesday 22 September 2015

My Spice of Life CAL colours...


CREAM       PEARL
 VANILLA   BUTTERCUP
 RED            PIMPERNEL
 PETROL     AEGEAN SEA

 PURPLE       PURPLE
 ICE BLUE     BOY BLUE
 TURQUOISE  DUTCH                                                                                                                                                     TEAL
 LIGHT   SEEDLING
                                                                   GREEN                                                    (2 balls)
                                                                    (2 balls)

 MELON    BALLET PINK
 GRASS     LOVAGE
 JEANS      CADET
 CLAY     BITTER     
                                                                                                                                     SWEET  

  SMOKEY  RASPBERRY                                                                         ROSE                                                         COULIS      


               I though I would show you how the Berrocco Comfort colours (on the right) I have chosen compare to the Rico Baby Classic (on the left) that Sandra has used.  As you can see, some of the colours are very similar indeed whilst a few are rather different.  

Everyone who is taking part in the CAL seems to be very excited, judging by the Facebook page!  I have printed off the first set of instructions, which were released this morning, and hopefully will make a start later today.  I will post pictures of my blanket as the CAL progresses :-)

Hurray, Hurray.....

Cherry Heart Spice of Life Crochet Along

.....the Spice of Life Crochet Along begins today!

Monday 21 September 2015

Dieting diary: getting back on track!

start date: 21st September 2015
start weight: 23st 11.5lbs (333.5 pounds)
current weight: 
total loss to date:
1st interim goal: 21st 7lbs (301 pounds)
date achieved: 

Yes, you are seeing correctly ~ I am back to following a diet plan.  Over the last nine or ten months, I have gained over 14 pounds and am the heaviest I have ever been in my life ~ I currently weigh nearly five stone more than I did at the end of my pregnancy with the gruesome-twosome!

I am really feeling the strain of carrying so much excess weight; my feet, ankles, knees and hips all ache terribly (as does my poor back) and I know that if I don't do something now, then I am on a fast track to damaging those joints irreparably.  I am also quite breathless when I walk far or go up the stairs.  I think I am slowly killing myself ~ one excess pound at a time...

So, commonsense has at last prevailed and I have today embarked on what I hope will be the last diet I ever undertake.  I am going back onto the Slimming World plan, a plan which I know gives good results and is simple to fit into my life ~ and one which can easily be followed for a lifetime as it is all about balanced, healthy eating.  There is nothing gimmicky about the plan, no foods are "forbidden" ~ but one does have to make sensible decisions about the food one is consuming.  In other words, it is up to me as the consumer to decide whether eating a whole packet of biscuits is going to be good for my health or not!

Since I have such a huge amount of weight to lose overall, I have decided to break it down into smaller interim goals.  Basically, I am aiming to lose 10% of my body weight at a time, and I am not going to give myself a definitive date to lose each chunk by.  To be honest, if I am to lose this excess weight at a nice, steady and sensible pace, I believe that it will most likely take me a good 2 1/2 to 3 years to get to my ultimate goal.  And right at this moment, I don't even know that that "ultimate" goal will be!  I do know that I would definitely like to get down to no more than 12st (168 pounds), which is what I weighed when Adrian and I first started living together.  I was still overweight even then, according to "healthy weight charts" ~ they show a range between 8st 12lbs (124 pounds) and 11st (154 pounds) ~ but it gives me a rough, ultimate, weight to be aiming for!

In the meantime, my first interim goal is 21st 7lbs (301 pounds) so let's see how long it takes to get there :-)

Sunday 20 September 2015

The Sunday Prayer

Dove of Peace by Pablo Picasso


Father, Mother, God,

Thank you for your presence during the hard and mean days.
For then we have you to lean upon.

Thank you for your presence during the bright and sunny days.
For then we can share that which we have with those who have less.

And thank you for your presence during the Holy Days.
For then we are able to celebrate you and our families and our friends

For those who have no voice, we ask you to speak.

For those who feel unworthy, we ask you to pour your love out in waterfalls of tenderness.

For those who live in pain, we ask you to bathe them in the river of your healing.

For those who are lonely, we ask you to keep them company.

For those who are depressed, we ask you to shower upon them the light of hope.

Dear Creator, You, the borderless sea of substance, we ask you to give to all the world that which we need most.....PEACE.

Maya Angelou
(4th April 1928 - 28th May 2014)

Saturday 19 September 2015

Going up in the world...


Do you remember this shop that I purchased recently?  If you recall, I was pondering on the possibility of adding a second storey ~ after all, with that lovely flat roof it would surely be rude not to, eh ;-)  So I had a few jaunts around the internet, in search of a suitable kit to make for the first floor, and came across The Dolls House Emporium's Summer House Kit.  It's size was ideal for the flat roof of the original shop, as was the position of the doors.  And guess what my loves?  Oh yes indeedy, I already had said kit languishing in my craft shed, patiently waiting (for rather a long while, if I am honest) to be made up!


I intend to do some kit-bashing to the summer house but haven't quite decided how to tackle it yet.  I will take photos, though, to share with you as work progresses.  I'm very excited about this project, not least because it will be making use of a kit I already had stashed away.  Plus there is an added bonus of two different shops in one "footprint" :-)

As for what the shops will eventually be, well, I think I will most likely go with my original idea of a combined bakery and "artisan" chocolate/sweetie shop on the ground floor.  As for the shop upstairs, I rather like the idea of another combination ~ I am considering a handmade knitwear and yarn shop.  Mind you I haven't got started on the building yet, so who knows, I may well change my mind over the coming weeks!