What a cutie!

Gosh, I know I've already said it but time seems to be flying by - can you believe it in a few days it will be February! Have just been catching up reading a few of my favourite blogs (sleepyjoes and Attic24 ) if only we could have a few more hours!

Today we have had a stay at home day, my little one has been poorly over the past few days and has been waking up every hour in the night upset and snuffly.  When you get used to them sleeping through, the broken sleep seems a nightmare!

I managed to get a rid of a couple of those jobs that just seem to hang around eg filing bits of paperwork, updating accounts and tidying up bookshelves.  Sooooo as a bonus for all my hard work I had a bit of a "crafty" afternoon!

And this is what happened:-

Isn't it just adorable!  So snuggly and cute and pink.  Just wish this "craftiness" had started when I was pregnant with Molly and then she could have had one when she was a baby.  This is my first ever attempt at a "blankie" and only my second sewing machine project, so I don't think I have done bad ; )

I don't think it will be too long before a blue one and neutral one is made do you? And yes they will be taking pride of place on my sparse craft table!!!!!!!!

Just a quick update on those pesky resolutions - can honestly say that it's only 1 out of 5 so far.  I have actually managed to stick to blogging for a whole month I know it's not been many posts but hey ho.  They say (those really intelligent bods) that if you can keep doing something for 7 weeks it becomes a habit so not too long then!

And if you find that extra couple of hours can you please send them home to me as somehow I think that I will be needing them soon xoxoxoxo

Busy, Busy, Busy

Well can't complain but soooooooooooooo busy! 

I so want to spend time being "crafty" and doing lovely "crafty" things but there just doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day.
I'm still getting used to being back at work after 12 mths maternity leave, but the two long days do seem like a hard slog!  So that only leaves me with 5 days - 3 of these I have my little girl with me at home so trying to knit or crochet is simply out of the question.  I can say, I did try ONCE but it took me a week to get all the knots out of my wool!  So we are down to 2 days - these being the weekend.  This is the time we like to spend as a family so knitting and crocheting are a no no and are way too boring for my 5 year old!  I do try and be sneaky though and suggest some days out to the Lake District or Seaside and this means that I can use the travelling time to get a few rows in!

This week has been so busy - we went to a pantomime at the weekend "oh no you didn't" I hear you cry, "oh yes I did" I reply (so couldn't resist) which was fab, it was nice to be out of the house and spending some us time with my eldest Jake. 

Then it was tidy, tidy, tidy on Sunday as we are going with some new estate agents in an attempt to sell our house. 

Monday we got an unexpected call from said estate agents as they wanted to come and retake some of the photos - thank goodness I did that cleaning!

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and guess what?????? Yes it's already Wednesday - just where did the time go.  I have a 3 day craft fair in 11 weeks and no stock, with weeks flying by without being able to get a hook out let alone a sewing machine my little table is going to be a very sorry affair!!!!!!!

Well impressed with myself

Well this week has been quite productive!

• I've cleaned and tidied the house ready for some new estate agent pictures (which we get to see as a brochure tomorrow)
• I've made 3 new mug cozies which I love!
• I've done a meal plan for the week as the healthy eating has started today
• I have started to organise a couple of craft fairs for the end of March - now I just need to make the stock!

Here are the mug cozies like I promised!

This is the first one that I made and the one that I adore, I thought it would make a perfect gift for Valentines Day and have put it on my facebook page.  I went round some local florists today to see if they would like to put them in their shop but unfortunately they were more interested in items that were mass produced but looked homemade!   I thought the mug cozy would be nice as a complete set - the cozy, the mug and a handmade fabric heart with a ribbon loop.

This was my second cozy - complete with a dangling heart!

And third  - not 100% sure about this one, it's really hard doing stockinette stitch as it curls over at the side so I may have needed a few more stitches either side.  I still think its "lovely"!

Can't wait to do some more - I'm really enjoying knitting and the free hand sewing - watch this space.

Off now to have a brew!!!!!!!!! Complete with cozy

My mug cosies

This weekend I saw a lovely mug cosy on Etsy - it was pink (my favourite colour) and had a cable pattern running through it.  I loved it and had to investigate to see if I could find the pattern and make my own.

I did find some patterns but thought I'd better practice a bit first - here are my efforts and although I do like them for some reasons mine don't look identical to the one I found on Ravelry so I might have to do a bit of tweaking!  Like a daftie I have now deleted these pictures but my attempts have got better I'm glad to say so now I have included some more recent pictures!

Although I have to say, overall they look quite good together!  This week I think I will have a go at experimenting with some of the other designs on Ravelry and work out which cups to cover as I think that will make all the difference. 

What do you all think?  Is this something you would use at home or buy at a craft fair for a present?  I would love to hear your thoughts.

Checking in!

Nothing new to report so just checking in with you all really!  

We still haven't had any viewing on our house despite the estate agents "doing their best"!  We have now issued the ultimatum and they have a week before we moved to another agent.

Been really busy this week working and house tidying which with 2 kids and lots of toys is a mean feat, I can tell you.

Really want to have lots of time to do "me stuff" preferably crochet, knitting and sewing.  Want to make bunting for a craft fair at the end of March (and some for the new house of course), little purses from cutesy fabric, crochet mug cozies, finish my pink stripy blanket and make lots of fabric hearts but alas there is just not enough time : (

Here's one of the hearts I did make a few weeks ago and its one of my favourites - I've not perfected the stitching yet but there's time and I think it adds to the homemade look (It was only my second attempt!).

I have tried to make the mug cozies this weekend and have managed one - yes one full one!!!!!!! but the second one just won't finish and I've had to pull it back twice - don't think trying to count stitches on the motorway from Blackpool helped - especially as it was the journey home when dark, and no I wasn't driving ; )

When I've done I will post a few pictures and the pattern if anyone is interested as I've had to modify the one that I originally wanted to use as just couldn't fathom it out!

Ta - ta for now xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Don't ya just love Sundays!

Sunday is the day that I try to catch up on a few jobs around the house - and since we expect to get some viewings soon I thought it would be a very good idea to tidy up.  I gave myself a limit of 1 hour upstairs and 1 hour downstairs and then rewarded myself with some home baking.

Well the oven was on so why not!   I had hastily scribbled down a recipe from a book in the library last week and thought I would give it a whirl and voila some yummy scrummy rock cakes.

I had one with a cuppa and it was delicious  ; )  The recipe made 12 but in my house they don't last long especially when they are still warm from the oven (you know who you are!!!).

Hubby has already asked me to make some more so I think it will be a weekly thing from now on and I can definitely recommend the "Mary Berry" rock cakes as they were super quick to make.

It's Monday as I'm writing this and a quick update on the house - we still don't have any viewings booked but we made an offer on the new house today and woo hoo it was very quickly accepted so we are in with a chance; just got to sell ours so keeping tabs on the estate agents and have to say they have been given a deadline - or we will be going elsewhere lets see if that gets them moving!

chick chick chick chick chicken lay a little egg for me!!!!!!!!

Uh Oh!!!!

Well the house viewing on Wednesday night went well to say the least!  It is a lovely house with lovely people that have obviously enjoyed living there for the past 15 years.  It very homely and the complete opposite to our current house which is a bit like a show home with no character.

This one needs quite a bit of work but when your married to a decorator it doesn't seem so bad!

We were there for more than an hour chatting to the vendors and yep you guessed it we arranged a 2nd viewing so that we could go in the daytime - and that was TODAY!!!!!!!

Wellies on and playtime in the new garden as the rain stayed away.  The garden is a bit of a jungle but goes on for what seems like miles and there's a wood at the back so there will be wildlife and you guessed it plenty of room for the hens.  We had tea and cake which the lady had made and iced - some lovely fairy cakes so my little ones were definitely sold!

Estate agents are getting phoned on Monday and an offer put in, but fingers crossed we get some interest in ours soon, otherwise we may miss out.  The vendors have been really good and have said that they will wait, but the question is how long?


Still soooooooo excited for the hens, for the decorating, for the garage that will be my yummy craft room - and will have shelves on the wall for my wool!, for the apple tree that's good for making jam and for spending cosy nights in with my family in front of the wood burning stove - yippee!

Fingers and toes well and truly crossed  - I promise to keep you posted : )

Sooooo Excited

Well even thought the weather outside is horrible, wet and bleak I can't help but feel excited : )

We are going to view a house tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yippee!!!!!!  We saw it on the internet just before Christmas but have had to wait for the estate agents to open yesterday - and I can't tell you how long that wait has been <3

It's so hard not to get giddy and dream about what colour scheme we're going to have and where our furniture will go - we've even named the chickens that we're going to buy for the back garden!   "No don't" I hear you cry and I know I shouldn't dream but sod it, I can only hope we like it and that we can sell ours too.

Just in case you were wondering the chickens are going to be Hetty, Dot and Peggy - what do you think?

I've had such a busy week so far, back to work, school runs and the weekly routine that it feels Christmas was a lifetime ago.  All the trimming are down and it all looks a bit bare.  Come on spring hurry up!

On a positive note people seem to want decorators so hubby is nice and busy and I've got a few orders coming in for scarves and my little baby comforters so that's a bonus.

I've also made some progress with my resolutions - continue with my blog - check, start my craft business - check and tackle my weight - check.  Only small baby steps but if I give myself too much I won't get it done. 

Better get on; little one is wanting some lunch and I'd better tidy up before the estate agents come to take new pictures. 

Hows everyone doing with their resolutions??????

Hmmm Resolutions

Just what have I let myself in for......

A few hours, some choice words and a glass of wine later and voila I think I might just have cracked this blogging malarkey!

But aside from that, what started it off was making my New Years Resolutions and these I plan on sticking to!!!!!!!!

1) To lose weight (some wise words heard today "its better to lose now whilst still young than to spend 30 years trying!").
2) To finally move house
3) To argue with my husband less
4) To get my bum in gear and start my blog (and keep it up!)
5) and finally to start my craft business

So not much to be getting on with then ; )   I am really hoping that I can get to the end of 2012 and say that I achieved everything I wanted to, as there's one thing that I've learnt in 2011.  And that's that life is too short and unpredictable and if you want something in life you need to grab it with both hands <3

Well at least I can now say I'm on my way, I've started the journey.  But who knows what obstacles and diversions there may be - thats the fun bit I suppose x

 Happy New Year and may 2012 be the year where you live your dreams too xoxoxo