How Do They Manage It?

Hello!

When I restarted this blog, I completely promised myself I would blog at least once a week, and I would become super organised like some of the other lovely crafty/etsy selling/bloggers out there (see claireabellemakes.com for instance). However, I appear to have failed so far. Oops!

I'm completely in awe of the people who manage to find time to network, craft, be a mum & blog. I just don't seem to have enough hours in the day :-)

My last fortnight in pictures goes a little something like this...

1. I made a very purple stripey blanket to match an equally purple pram.

2. We enjoyed the sunshine, I discovered loom bands, my youngest celebrated her birthday, and I enjoyed a week off from work :-)

3. A dolls blanket from my Etsy shop went on a mammoth journey across the Atlantic, so I made a new one to list there :-)

And Finally! Inspired by the sunny weather I made a Sunshiney stripey blanket.

I feel like I've packed lots into the last few weeks, but all this loveliness has meant no extra time for blogging (boo-hiss).

This week I'm making yet another blanket, a lovely sunburst blanket someone has ordered for their new baby, I've even brought a sneaky bit of crochet to do a lunchtime to break up the monotony.

I'd love to see what's been keeping all of you busy in blogland!

L

Xx

A Long Long Time Ago...

There's not much going on in my little world at the moment. I'm still plodding along with my latest blanket, but there's only so many photos of a blue and stripey WIP I can post without sending people to sleep!

Talking of sleep... Snuffly seems to really like her new blanket, here she is in action (or inaction), with it :-)

 

Anyway, having recently rediscovered Instagram, I've been looking at all the lovely things people make and wishing I could make stuff as lovely as that! I was daydreaming being able to make patchwork quilts, when I realised one was staring me right in the face :-)

 

I made this 13 years ago for my GCSE project. I daydreamed that one day it would be used for my children, and it still makes me smile every day I see one of them using it. Infact when I was trying to photograph the back today, S remained stubbornly unco-operative and refused to move. I decided my blog isn't about perfectly lit and posed photos, so he's included in the shot of the back :-)

So, this post has become about things I have made, rather than things I am making. Next up is the blanket I made when pregnant with Mr Bean :-) Not my best work, nor to my current colour taste, but it was the first blanket I ever made, and I can still remember resting the squares on my bump! (I miss my bump, it was a handy crochet table). Again, apologies for the alphabet background, I have to quickly snap photos in the 2 minutes the tiddlers are occupied!

 

 

My tension is all wibbly, the blanket is a bit heavy (its 100% cotton which I always find a bit heavy), and in hindsight, its a bit girly. But I hope Mr Bean will appreciate the effort when he's older.

 

I'm pondering subscribing to Simply Crochet, as it looks really good, but I'm going to try and get hold of an issue first so I can see if its worth the money, or whether my money could be put to better use (Yarn Hoarding!)

 

Anyhoo, off to do some domestics.

 

xx

Better Late Than Never...

Well, this post was supposed to be written about a week ago when I finished my "circles in squares" mini blanket, however, my children have had other ideas, Mrs Snufflebean is currently struggling to cut a tooth which means I am thin on the ground for time to do anything (and yes, that includes sleeping. *yawn*)

 

Anyhoo, I started this blanked with the intention of making it into a big blanket for Mr Bean, but somewhere along the line, I fell out of love with Crochet Squares, I just can't get them to sit right when I crochet them together, and I'm a bit finickity which means I always hate how I can never quite get the border square. So... That meant that halfway through making it, the blanket got downsized (heavily), and will now make a lovely dolls blanket for someone. Here is it in all its teeny weeny glory... (P.S apologies that my pictures are a bit pants compared to others in blogland, but I've discovered we have rubbish lighting for photos in our house. I think I'm going to have to resort to outdoor photography when the weather improves)

 

 

 

And here is a perfect example of what I mean about the borders... I just dont think they ever look right...

 

And here it is in a little squidgy curly swiss-roll type thingy... (You have no idea how hard it was to get this photo so the light was right and so that it was in a location that was nice and plain and didn't include family-related mess clutter!)

Right, I'm off to immediately write the second post I've been inteding to write for a week, apologies for the splurge of posts but I must get up to date with my news!!

 

TTFN

 

xx

All Good Things...

Since last blogging I have had a mini-lightening strike in the crochet department. As many others do, I love to follow Lucy over at Attic 24. One of her latest projects helped a great cause for comic relief and she made 2 of the cutest little dolls blankets.

Anyhoo, I love to crochet but don't always have the time or energy for big projects as the tiddlers take up most of my time, so I decided of embark on a copy of the mini ripple dolls blanket and I have to say I'm a smitten with the size, ease and complete cuteness of the blanket. I definitely feel I've found my calling with mini crochet!!

 

It all started off with a first attempt at a ripple, isn't it wibbly and pretty!

... And it ended with the cutest, little ripply blanket (see crochet hook for size guide!). Which granted, could do with blocking out, as my tension was a little bit iffy.

 

I was most proud about being able to make the ripple straight(ish!), I've never done it before, and as I was copying the mini-ripple pattern from Attic24, I had to make up my own method for making the edges straight. I'm actually a teeny bit giddy over my ability to do it!! Its soooo cute.

 

Here it is all rolled up and teeny, sorry for the backgroud, the light in my house is not great today as the sun is low in the sky, so the only place the light was OK was on top of the printer!!

 

I'm just in the process of finishing off my second mini-blanket (It was intended as a normal sized blanket, but mini-crochet has downsized it), and then I have just had a eureka moment with a colour scheme I've been trying to find for Mrs Snufflebottoms pram blanket (She's 9 months old and I still haven't got round to making one!). I am going to use pink & grey in a total rip off from Sharon at Annie's Place! (I'm hoping she'll be nice enough to let me know what colours she's using as I can't quite guess the colours from her picture)

Right I'm off to stare at the computer screen to try and work out these colours, I MUST order them today, oo it feels like christmas!

Its Been A Long Time...

Ooo hello,

I just realised life has taken over and I haven't posted anything in a long time (not that I'm actually sure anyone even reads this!). I have been busy keeping the tiddlers happy and contented and have been crocheting away like a little busy bee, but as yet I don't have another finished item to show you.

I'm still plodding along with this blogging lark, even though I'm beginning to lose a little faith in it. So many other people seem to have such lovely photos and stories, and it makes my rambles seem, well, rather mundane!

 

Anyway, on a more positive note, here is a little photo bomb of bits I've been up to since I last blogged...

 

 

 

 

 

1. A potholder I made it a fit of restlessness for a friend. I used the pattern from Color 'n' Cream, but used up old thread.

 

2. Port - Yummy. Don't need to say anymore really!

 

3. Cut myself on a wine glass, but the consolation was I got to use one of my Hello Kitty plasters!

 

4. I bought this fab Stylecraft Special DK shade card from Masons. It means I don't have to try and guess the colours from my computer screen!

 

Back to the present. This week I have mainly been battling with an endless amount of washing and cleaning. I often fail, much to the despair of my husband! (I am not one of lifes naturally tidy people). I have also been working simultaneously on 2 new blankets, one for Mr Bean and one for a friends daughter using up the lilac tones from my Lucy pack that just aren't "me". I will try and take some photos, but currently time is at a premium and my tiddlers win out every time.

 

Toodle Pip! xx