Attic24

Bathroom update

Progress on anything in our house is always slow. We take our sweet, pondering, indecisive time here at Attic24. The bathroom is a prime example. The refurb began in January and should really and truly be completed by now, but we have ground to a halt. The issue currently undergoing hot debate is the windows. We need to replace the windows before we can decorate, and yet we are unable it seems to decide on what exactly we want to do with the windows. Currently we have single glazed wooden windows, with the top opening about 1/3 of the way down. We want to have double glazed ones fitted but cannot decide whether to re-instate Victorian style sash windows (wooden, double glazed, sliding up and down), or have wooden, double glazed top-openers made.
Its a big decision because it costs a hellava lot of dosh to buy new windows. Thousands and thousands. And we want to get it right. So for now we are sitting and scratching our heads and having a jolly good ponder.

However, besides the walls and the windows being unfinished, the rest of this little room is giving me a lot of pleasure.
I am really, really enjoying some hot deep bubble baths amidst lots of shiny white ceramic.
I am enjoying sparkling chrome fixtures.
I am enjoying fluffy new towels warmed on our new chrome towel radiator.
And I am enjoying a new wooden toilet seat.

Oh, and I'm also huuugely enjoying Multicoloured Stripes and Pompoms.
We had our new flooring laid a couple weeks ago...it's a cushioned vinyl which looks like worn whitewashed planks and I happen to think it's rather nice. Makes me think of beach huts and driftwood, of summer days by the sea.
Our old bathmat was plain white and I felt everything in the bathroom was starting to look very bland and well....white. So I googled "striped bath mat" and found this stripy pompom edged beauty...isn't it funky??!!

I get rather a thrill from standing on it whilst wearing my new socks.

And here we have more Stripy thrills destined for the bathroom, courtesy of the Deckchair Stripes company. I heard about this company via Janet Bell, and I was immediately smitten. Their website is a colourful, glorious celebration of all things jaunty and stripy. Take a look at their interior stripes page and feast your eyes on all that scrumptious stripyness!

You can order up to five samples of their fabric, which of course I had to do...and of course I am now pondering and scratching my head and trying to make yet another decision. Its hard work this decorating business! Which stripes should I go for? I want to make a blind for the window and possibly a little bit of something else...
Oh, and as well as gorgeous stripy fabric they also sell this adorable pompom bobble fringe, oh my heart skips a beat when I look at all that colourful bobbly pompom stuff! Love love love it.

Another current love of mine is this particular shade of summer blue. Today in fact I am wearing a jumper this colour, and I've been painting some bits and pieces too. It just sings to me of summer skies, of lazy, relaxed, warm days. Wonderful.
You can see above I've painted a shelf already for the bathroom (although we've not put it up yet).
 

The bathroom walls are currently painted in this shade of aqua, the choice of the previous house owners which I happen to like quite a lot. But as many of the walls had to be replastered when the bathroom was being pulled apart, it's in desperate need of re painting. I'm thinking of choosing a similar shade of aqua but a little paler :: sort of a seaglass colour, if you can imagine that.

Now maybe you could help me out with yet another decision here?
Above photo is of the current wall cabinet, stained a horrid green by the previous owners. Rather than sling it out and replace it, I figured I could repaint it and put on new knobs, kind of give it a new lease of life.
But what colour to paint it?
Bare in mind there is a lot of white already in the bathroom...the suite and the tiles (all around the room to dado height, and to ceiling height above the bath) are all sparkling, shiny white. The floor as you have seen is a distressed white. Walls (above dado/tile height) will be seaglass aqua.
So should it be sky blue to match the painted shelf?
Or white?
Or another colour entirely?
Any input gratefully received.....
....thank you so much :: I love the idea of using you (in the nicest possible way) to make my decorating decisions, a sort of Global Colour Selection Panel.
:o)
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Sunday Stuff

I often wonder if there might come a point when I get bored with blogging my life. If you will get bored reading about it too. If you will one day pop in to Attic24 and groan. Think to yourself :: oh no, how boooooooring, not moooore crochet, moooooore baking, mooooooore magazines, how predicable, we've seen it all before, a dozen times or more. Isn't there anything different? Isn't there more to this persons life??

Well maybe that might happen one day. In the distant future. But right now I have to say I really, really, really enjoy my life. And i enjoy that my blog follows my life, and it is therefore honest and reflects my happiness as well as  my current passions, all of which don't alter much from week to week.

I sincerely hope you don't think me too smug for saying this, for declaring my happiness? I hope not, because it is certainly not meant that way. I am not bragging about my life. I am quite simply photographing bits of it and sharing it. Honestly, simply, and exactly as it is. Although of course I do tend to miss out some of the messy bits, the tantrummy bits. And the very private bits.

Why am I saying this to you? Well....because just now I uploaded my photos from my camera to the computer to take a look at the weekend images. Pictures from the past 48 hours which were snapped here and there. And I was delighted to see them. Yes, they are quite predictable. Yes, there are images which are very similar to ones you've already seen. But then that's the nature of my weekends at this point in my life, there exists a great deal of predictability, of repetition. But OH how I LOVE it that way!!!

So today's post is all about my yesterday, the Sunday Stuff. A little morning crochet (pictured above), interspersed with baking cookies, drinking coffee, eating breakfast (a bacon sarnie, sat on the front step in the morning sunshine), some magazine browsing and some Little People supervising (they were outside, up and down the street on scooters/bikes with half a dozen other neighbourhod children).

11am or thereabouts and we decide on the spur of the moment to pack the Little People's bicycles in the boot of the car and drive to a nearby town which has a park with great cycling potential. Unlike our local park (which is beautiful but hilly), this park is flat. It has expanses of flat grass and a neat flat path which circles the perimeter. 

It turns out to be quite a momentous bicycling morning as for the first time we remove the stablisers from Little Lady's bike. It does not go smoothly. There are tears and snot, there is a lot of obstinate, rather frightened protesting. There are wobbles and there are falls. There is minor injury. There is a rather exhausted Mother running around the entire park attempting to maintain her daughter in a vertcal position whilst whizzing along with some furious pedalling. But we do on the odd occasion achieve Balance, and a Little four year old girl pedals on her own when her Mummy secretly takes her hands away. We still have a way to go, still have plenty of practice to do, but it was a great start.

 

After all that emotion and exhaustion we drive up out of the town to a favourite pub we know and love. We were in fact here last weekend too, on the Yes-day. Today we don't sit inside near blazing fires and under ancient beamed ceilings but instead sit in the pub's beer garden with cold drinks and crisps and enjoy the warmth of an early spring afternoon. You can see the pub in the above photograph look, see it's stunning location. It's high high up on Ilkley Moor, and the views are spectacular.

 

After we've had rest and refreshment at the pub we take a walk up over the moor.
 

The landscape is quite bleak in some ways, but there is beauty in the sweeping open spaces.

It's the height that I love about this place. I love that when I am up on this moor top I am so much nearer to the sky. The town of Ilkley looks so tiny and far way down there in the valley, like a model village.

 

There are spectacular rock formations up here on Ilkley Moor, providing great climbing/scrambling opportunities for Little People and heart-in-the-mouth panics for Big People. There are sheer drops all around. It is not all that pleasant at times.

 

We watch gobsmacked as climbers scale the sheer rock faces. And eventually we tire of policing the daredevil antics of Little People who are so unaware of the perils of Sheer Drops.

So we head homewards to number 24 to light the fire and settle down for the late afternoon/evening. A film for the Little People, and some crochet and magazine-strolling for me....

....I began working the reverse of my circular cushion. Round and round in ever widening circles, I am loving it.

 

I often like to multi-task when I am crocheting, and one of my favourite things to do is to browse a magazine at the same time. Well truthfully I cannot read and crochet at the same time, but what I mean is that I like to hook a row, then browse a few pages, hook another row, then browse some more. I like the visual stumulation of doing these two things together, of seeing the yarn against the pages, the stripes against the print (see here, I was doing it then look)

Yesterday I was looking through last months issue of Country Homes (the April issue I think?) as I realised there were bits of it I had missed out the time I first read it. The above page caught my eye...it was a spread about cleaning out your greenhouse. Want a closer look to see what attracted my attention?

OK...look....

That blanket!!!!! OH oh oh!!! I Love it!! I tell you, I can spot a crochet blanket in an instant, they jump out at me, leap off the pages...That colourful stripyness is just so joyful isn't it?!

Oh yes and speaking of joyful, I realised this morning that I had indeed promised to show you a little something today, a little itsy bitsy peek at some new yarn, remember?

Want to see?

Do you?

Really?

Really really?

Oh go on then...have a peek......

Hmmmmmmmmm yes, another bag of scrummy yarn comes home to Attic24.

I blame Lovely C entirely. It's all her fault.

On Thursday, she casually mentioned to me that she was taking a trip that afternoon to a shop in a nearby village as they were selling off Debbie Bliss yarn for £2 a ball. Do you remember me posting about a Sale last summer? Well another sale is about to happen in a few weeks time at the same place, which is very exciting indeed. But even more exciting was the fact that Lovely C decided to telephone the shop and ask if we could possibly have a sneaky private rummage through the yarn before it goes on sale. And the shop owners agreed! Yeeee-hawwwww!!!! Wild Horses wouldn't have kept us away.

 

The yarn they had this time was Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino. This is a GORGEOUS yarn, quite fine in weight (you would hook on a 3mm or 3.5mm hook) with a slight twist, and oh SOooooo soft!! It usually retails at around £4.35 for a 50g ball, so to find it at £2 a ball was an absolute bargain.

 

I'm not sure how many balls I ended up with...maybe 24 or so?? I was waaay too excited to count numbers. I simply filled a bag. And used my grocery money to pay for it. It all happened very fast, in a bit of a blur.

I got them all out and had a lovely play with them yesterday, had a good look at the colours I ended up with...13 in total, all very spring-like and oh-so-pretty aren't they?? A little more pastely than I would normally choose perhaps, but I love the way they look all together. They remind me of  sweet peas, that alluring combination of pretty softness with the odd deep shade thrown in.

Of course I don't yet have a plan for this yarn.

I am still firmly in the stroking/gazing/playing stage. Oh and sniffing. One thing I do love to do with any new yarn stash is to stick my face right in it and have a good, long snaffley sniff.

Delicious.

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Fridayish

Good morning!
Feeling Fridayish?? I am and it feels FAB :o)
A quick post today my Lovelies as I suddenly seem to have a lot to do.

In case you hadn't read the edited addition to yesterdays post, can I let you know that the Neat Ripple Pattern is finished and can be found in the usual sidebar place, or click here to find it. I hope that you might be inspired to create yourself some Rippley Gorgeousness for your own home, its such a fabulous way to play with colour and enjoy some moments each day riding the ripples and soothing away your stresses. I highly recommended it.

Its the last day of school today so will have my delightful Little People at home with me next week for the Easter holidays, which means certain things need to be accomplished today whilst I have some hours to myself. You will laugh I expect at my Priorities, at todays To-do list...want to know? Ok, but shhhhhh don't tell the Husband!

1. Go buy more fresh flowers from the market
2. Go buy pots of tete a tete to plant up an Easter table display.
3. Hunt round charity shops (all 8 of them) to look for suitable bowl to plant tete a tete into.
4. Nip to butchers to buy sausages for tonights dinner
5. Have a go at blowing out some eggs to decorate whilst Little Hands are not around to "help"
6. Buy chocolate to make crispy nests.
7. Buy the latest issue of Country Homes and Interiors ready for the weekend
8. Try and tidy up the house a little before going to Church at 1.45pm for the Easter service.

Yesterday afternoon I did manage to tidy and clean the sitting room end of our living space and it was quite blissful sitting down this morning with my feet up to drink my morning coffee with everything unusually spik and span. A swept out fire, plumped up cushions, neatly straightened blankets, an un-bitty floor, dusted shelves, a tidy mantel (with the fourth batch of narcissi blooming away) and even the rareist of rare things, a clear coffee table. Well clear except for my stripey-socked feet and this piece of circular lovliness.....

WOW, just check out that whirly hooky circle of scrumptiousness!! Heeheee!!! Yeah, last night I finished off  the first side of my circular cushion cover and oh I am Thrilled with it. I made 21 rounds to fit a 16" cushion, using the Rowan Pure wool DK that I have in my stash. Doesn't it go well with todays New Socks??!

I think I'm going to stitch this crochet flower in the centre look (it's the Helenium flower, pattern #73 in Lesley Stanfields book), and am just trying to decide now whether to crochet another circle to make the back of the cushion, or whether to look for another thrifted wooly jumper instead? I think my instinct is to crochet the reverse, but am open to opinions and suggestions on that one, let me know what you think.

Right-o, I need to get my squishy backside up off this computer chair, down out of the Attic and swinging into action.
I've got flowers and chocolate and plants and bowls and sausages and eggs and magazines to buy. And then a light bit of waltzing around with my newest bit of equipment...a new vacuum cleaner...hmmm not as delicious as the bag full of new yarn I purchased yesterday, but nevertheless, tis quite nice getting new kit with a Min/Max dial and nifty Nozzles and a Suction with Max Power.

What was that? Did I mention a bag FULL of new Yarn????? Goodness me, so I did.
Oh, i suppose you want me to share that with you too?
Well you shall just have to come back on Monday and I might unpack it for you to see.
I know, such a tease.
See you next week, have a lovely weekend :o)
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Edited to add :: 5pm, am about to drink a glass of chilled white wine and sit in the evening sunlight with Coast magazine...SO glad it's Friday :o)

Ripplesome Ripples + Cushy Cushions

Feeling all Ripply and giddy today.
Have had a most fabulous morning :: to the cafe for knit and natter, then an unexpected jaunt with Lovely C to a wonderous shop in a village a few miles away for some retail therapy (more about that tomorrow, I am still reeling from that experience!).

I've been finishing off my ripply cushion cover today. The ripplesome crochet side had been completed some time ago and I've had it sitting on the arm of the Big Chair like a rather zany modern day antimacasser. But the time had come to take it from flat form to cushy form.
So yesterday I set about assembling an envelope style back from a gorgeous pale blue thrifted lambswool sweater...

...crocheting a little pale pink buttonhole edge....

....then stitching on some colourful buttons. I've just noticed looking at the photo below that the last pink button I stitched on the left there is a bit wonky. Possibly rather  too much nattering and latte-drinking and not enough concentrating this morning.

But they do look jaunty don't they, and a little wonkiness adds to the Homespun Charm. So if it's alright with you, I shall pretend it's deliberate.

And so finally, may I present to you my latest Cushy Cushion, with a flourish and a ta-dah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Ripple Cushion...........

I do love it so. I couldn't resist a little photo shoot of it sitting on the Ripple Blanket, just to indulge the full on Ripplesome Effect.

And here it is on my sofa look, sitting beautifully with it's two Cushy neighbours, Target Square and Granny Patch....

....a pile of Scrumptious Hooky Cushy Goodness.

And while we're talking Ripples, just to let you know I'm two-thirds through writing the Neat Ripple pattern/tutorial, it's taken much longer to write than I anticipated.
All being well and good, it'll be ready for tomorrow (Friday) I promise.
So until then, be happy, have fun, and smile :o)
Toodle-oooooo, see you all tomorrow
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EDITED TO ADD :: 6:47pm The Neat Ripple Pattern is finished....it's in the usual sidebar place, or click here to find it. Enjoy!!!!

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April

After depositing the Little People at school this morning I strolled up through town to make my regular stops at the market :: into my shopping bag went Granny Singletons Mature Lancashire cheese, and this bunch of magnificently flouncy showy-offy tulips. Mr Plant Man did warn me that they were in fact last weeks flowers, that they might not last very long, and that was why they were priced at only £1. I told him I did not care if they only lasted one day, that I could not possibly pass them by and not take them home with me to flounce and show off in my living room.

Was having a little rootle around yesterday in one of my many many dangerously teetering, toppling, messy piles of papers and books, looking for a scrap of paper with a scribbled down address on it. I didn't end up finding the address (where can it be?), but did find this beautiful greetings card that I'd completely forgotten about. I cannot even remember where/when I bought it, but oh I do love it so! The image is a painting by artist Emma McClure and is called "Basket with Cyclamen and Fruits"....currently stood on my mantel and I am loving seeing it there next to my spotty red jug. Christmas snowflake fairy lights are still there too look.  

So...a fresh new month to spring into today, April is here, month of Spring showers and bright flowers. Turned my calendar pages today (on time for once), and ooooooooo they are lovely!! The images really lifted my spirits and made me very excited for this new month, for blossom and birds and pretty things, and for Easter of course, which happens to be my favourite favourite celebration of the whole year. Truthfully I love Easter very much more than Christmas.

Just look at the Bossy Calendar this month, isn't that a stunning image? Oh yes yes yes I will indeed be making a homemade seasonal wreath for Easter and yes yes yes, posies of fresh flowers too! I am soo excited! Of course I haven't started anything yet, haven't begun the joyous business of decorating for Easter yet, although have noticed some fabulous eggy birdy things  happening in Blogland homes recently that made me swoon...Bertie has been at it, as has Lulu look...will have to think how to fit in some Private Easter Creativity because Little People will be at home next week, which makes Attic-time slightly tricksy. 

The Ideal Homes calendar is as ever beautiful :: simple, elegant, understated and beautiful. This is one fabulous calendar and each month as I've turned the page I've found myself gasping with pleasure at the photographs. I think possibly Mondays evening meal will be a big frittata because I fancy having a go at blowing out some eggs to decorate, and frittata is the perfect egg-using recipe. I am still pondering the whys and wherefores of involving the Little People in egg-blowing and egg-painting activities. I know it sounds mean, but sometimes I just love to do these things all-by-myself (remember the halloween pumpkin?). We shall see. I may have to accept that Easter Creativity will have to be child orientated, unless I try and stay awake past 9pm and spend a few evenings making grown up birdy eggy flowery decorative things.

This mornings April view from the Attic is kind of disappointingly on the grey side, but truthfully it's not a bad sort of day really here in North Yorskhire. It's warmish and although still quite hazy as I type this at lunch time, there are signs that the sun is attempting to shine through.

Just before I go, a little bit of Crochet news....
Above photo was taken yesterday when i was finishing off some hooking and photography for the Granny Squares Joining-as-you-go tutorial.

Yes, that was my afternoon yesterday, sitting in that chair in the light of the bay window, surrounded by colourful yarny goodness, hooking and photographing, scribbling notes and pondering the joys of crochet for the umpteenth time.

For those of you have been waiting, I thank you for your patience, and am happy to let you know that the joining tutorial can be found over in the side bar in the usual place, or click here to find it.
Tomorrow, the Ripple Tutorial will arrive I hope...I've been a busy bee!! Hooking and clicking and typing, gosh, such hardship. Good job you are worth it.
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