Attic24

Mandala Flowers

The above picture looks a bit blue because it was taken inside the sun tent by the river on Sunday. I took a diversion from making bunting triangles and launched myself into Mandala mode. It was good fun trying something completely new from somebody else's Creative Mind for a change, I can't remember the last time I actually followed a pattern for something.

These Mandalas first caught my eye over on Facebook, on the beautiful Patchwork Heart page. Heather's crochet is lovely, and her mandala table mats really captured my attention. So pretty, and such a lot of colour-play potential. I was immediately smitten. The pattern is written by Barbara Langer, and can be found for free (Yaayyyyyy for sharing!!) on her blog Made in K-town.

http://made-in-k-town.blogspot.de/2012/05/little-spring-mandala.html

Me being me, I couldn't resist a little play around with the pattern. For starters, I altered the outer round to make it more petal-like as I want to use them as flower heads (it's a yarn bombing thing). I also had a weeny play with the 6th round, making a two-colour long/short stitch - sorry I don't know what to call it!

I made a couple of smaller ones too, although I found that my shell petals came out a bit tight and made the mandala curl into a bowl.

So I used the steam iron hovering technique on them, flattening and re-shaping the crochet with my fingers whilst it was still warm and damp from the steam (no pins). This technique really is very marvellous indeed, it is sooooooo effective. Love it. Love the way it smooths out all the three dimensional curls and bumps and leaves you with something beautiful and two dimensional.

So far I've made two small ones measuring 12 cm across...

....and two bigger ones measuring 16cm across.

I am really happy with how they've turned out and I've got a very definite idea in my mind about how I'm going to use them for the Yarndale Yarnbombing. But I'm trying not to give too much away as I really want the Yarn Walk to be a lovely surprise for those of you who are visiting. It's actually pretty damn hard for someone like me who loves to share EvErYtHiNG and hates keeping secrets. But I am doing my best.

These Mandalas are really addictive. I challenge you to make one, and make only one. Bet you can't.

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ps forgot to mention, as with the bunting triangles, I've used odds and ends of Stylecraft Special DK (100% acrylic) on a 4mm hook for these.

Inspiration :: The Patchwork Heart

Free Pattern :: Barbara Langer at Made in K-town

 

 

 

 

 

Little Things

"Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things"

I was thinking about this famous quote by Robert Brault this morning and thinking how completely true it is. Well, that's to say it rings true for me. One of my favourite things about blogging is that it allows me to document my own Little Things. I have become very good at using my camera to capture  moments in time, preserving memories that would so easily slip away if I didn't make an effort to hold onto them.

The images on my camera are often quite random, little snapshots of everyday life. And today I felt like sharing a few of them from the past ten days in celebration of Ordinary Life. Enjoy........

:: enjoying the tradition of sharing a jug (or two/three) of Pimms No. 1 with my Dad when he came to stay ::

:: enjoying a very delicious meal out at a local Indian restaurant with superb views across the canal. It was an extra special treat as it was child free :o) ::

:: enjoying a bus trip. We sat on the top deck right at the front (Little B was thrilled) which gave us a super view of our high street. It was only a simple jaunt to a nearby town for lunch, but the bus journey through the countryside was really enjoyable ::

:: enjoying passing on my hooky skills and teaching a lovely local lady to crochet at the café on Friday. She was deservedly proud of her very first granny square, and I felt the glow of happiness ::

:: enjoying an early morning walk with the family across green fields and along this gorgeous tree lined lane. It was only a short local walk, but it was lovely to be out and about so early on a lovely sunny day ::

:: enjoying the colour of the sky, I just love that shade of cloudless blue ::

:: enjoying the afternoon light streaming through my tiny kitchen window (which really needs a clean I see!) The plant on the windowsill is Little B's Magic Beanstalk (planted at playgroup and inspired by Jack and the Beanstalk) ::

:: enjoying the scent of fresh mint in the kitchen. This was initially part of the Pimms Enjoyment, but has also been enjoyed with delicious buttery Jersey Royal potatoes this week ::

I found these two beautiful wordy illustrations on Etsy when I was looking for prints of the Robert Brault quote. You can find them at Hello Little Fox, I think they are delightful.

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We Climbed the Crag

Yesterday was a Bank Holiday in the UK, and for the second time running we made preparations for a family Outing. This wasn't going to be a lazing about kind of an outing like the one we had the previous day, but a go-go-go type of an outing. A Crag Climb no less.

I have to fess up and say that I wasn't particularly keen on the idea at first. I had kind of gotten it into my head that we would be enjoying a leisurely stay-home day, and woke up feeling suitably lazy. All three Little People are fighting off snotty noses and sore throats and were very loud in their protests against being dragged out yet again. But J was having none of it. He single handedly assembled the picnic and chivvied us all into action with his no nonsense enthusiasm. Gradually we each began to come round to the idea, and after two good frothy coffees and a hot shower, I was raring to go.

As you can see, The Crag is still wearing it's brown winter coat (look at this post to see it's green summer coat), but the hedgerows were looking beautifully lush and pretty.

The start of this walk is a gentle, sweet amble along a level path around the reservoir.

But it's not long before you begin to climb. Slowly at first, a rough stony track leading upwards.

The higher we go, the more rocky it gets.

We have frequent "look how high we've come" breaks to catch our breath and admire the view. Little B is doing really great. It's his first real hike, his first taste of a proper climb, and he is full of excitement over it. He tells me he has lots and lots and lots of energy in his legs.

We have reached the real big rocks now, and the path all of a sudden becomes a major scramble. Poor Little B, he slips and suddenly has a huge confidence wobble and starts to cry, saying that it's too steep and he can't do it. All of us try so hard to say exactly the right sort of words to make him feel better, to encourage him and boost his confidence, and in the end it is Little Man who manages to coax him onwards and upwards. He wipes his tears and gets to grips with the climb, using every inch of his little body to get up over those big rocks. I am sooooooo proud of him (remember he is only three years old). What a little star.

It's an exhilarating climb. We aren't the only ones making the assent, can you see the couple coming up behind us?

Nearly at the top now, the hardest bit of the whole walk is safely behind us.

The views across the surrounding countryside are spectacular.

Little B is having a grand time now, puffed up with happiness and also I think a little relieved to have made it to the top.

It's windy up here and quite chilly. We hunker down in a hollow against the rocks and have a much needed drink and a snack.

We explore a little, marvelling at the huge boulders and the stunning views.

And then comes the descent down the other side which feels remarkably easy after the climb up. The Little People are suddenly ravenously hungry and want to know when and where lunch will be. Not long, we tell them, we will stop at the bottom near the little patch of woodland where we know there is a lovely little wooden bench.

Oh joy, there are bluebells here!! I feel so uplifted by the sight of them blooming their little hearts out, and by that luscious shade of purply blue against the vibrant fresh green. Beautiful.



This small patch of woodland is delightfully called "Milking Hill Wood" and it was wonderful to sit here and eat a picnic lunch. I kept looking at The Crag and finding it pretty unbelievable that we had actually been sitting right up there just minutes ago. Wow. We really climbed The Crag! Isn't that something?

After our lunch stop, the walking was easy. A long downhill track beside a farm, followed by a short stint along the roadside, then off across fields. I love how The Crag is always there in the background, reminding us of what we have just achieved.

The footpath across the fields arrives very conveniently at the back of this lovely village pub. We can't resist the temptation (and I really need a wee by this point), so we head inside for a quick refreshment stop. I remember the time when we did this exact same walk four years ago, when the Little People were five and six years old and Little B was not even a thought. Gosh. Time doesn't half fly.

The whole round walk is about 3.5 miles, and after the village pub we are heading back towards the reservoir by way of the road. The road is small and rural, with gorgeous little cottages and farms, ducks and horses along the way. We are all feeling weary, and I end up piggy backing Little B for the last 10 minutes or so. But I don't mind, it's unexpectedly nice to feel his warm weight on my back, his little hands twirling in my hair and his constant stream of chatter right next to my ear.

Another lovely family outing, and (I hope) more sweet memories laid down for the Little People. We are building their Childhood and (I hope) we are doing a good job. It is such a precious responsibility don't you think?

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Up River

Yesterday, the weather was deliciously, wonderfully springlike and we decided to take advantage of this fact and head off on a proper good Outing. J was very keen for us to head right up into the Yorkshire Dales to visit one of his favourite childhood haunts. We go to the river at Hubberholme once or twice a year, and it never fails to delight.

It's an idyllic place, and spending an extended period of time here is made easy by the fact that you can park your car right where you wish to be. Simply pick your spot, pull in to the left, park, unload all manner of picnicking paraphernalia, cross the tiny road and set up camp right beside the river. It's all very easy and convenient.

The river itself is just perfection here. It's the same wide, powerful river Wharfe that flows through Bolton Abbey, but here in Upper Wharfedale it is still in it's baby stages. It bubbles and gurgles it's way over the rocky river bed in a series of enticing shallow pools and tumbling mini waterfalls. The sound of all that bubbling, gurgling and tumbling is delicious.

This is our favourite part of the river right opposite that old ash tree, and we always try and find this particular spot when we come to picnic here.

There is just enough flat grass for us to put up our sun tent and "make camp".

I love our sun tent. J and I always have a mild tussle with the job of putting it up (it has three poles, and takes a little bit of concentrated effort to get it erected), but once it's up we remember how great it is. It's pretty spacious, and allows us to shelter from the wind and have some quiet snuggly time if needed.

It provided a perfect hooky haven. I had a fantastic view of the river, but felt beautifully warm and cosy (it was quite breezy yesterday and despite the sun there was still a nip in the air).

By the time we had set up camp, the Little People were already declaring starvation, so we got straight down to the business of providing lunch. This was to be something of an experiment as we had decided to try something a little different. We were going to be cooking, not on a barbecue.....

....but on our tiny little old gas camping stove. We have had this stove for sooo many years (it is this sort of one) and we love it. J loves cooking on it, he was so excited to get it out again and use it to fry up some onions.

While he was down on the rocks in raptures over the stove, I was cosy inside the tent preparing the rest. We had soft white finger rolls, ketchup and mustard (Heinz and Colmans of course), and in our fabulous food flask we had some piping hot frankfurter sausages.

And voila! Picnic Hotdogs which tasted surprisingly delicious, and Little People who were overjoyed at the departure from sandwiches.

I had hastily managed to bake and ice some buns at breakfast, and they tasted scrummy washed down with a brew of fresh coffee (we recently bought a couple of these for picnics and walks which are ace). Add in a punnet of fresh strawberries and some bottles of cloudy apple juice, and the picnic lunch was declared a great success.

The afternoon passed slowly, in a happy, sunny haze of watery activity.

There was a hunt for river wildlife....

....and some impressive dam building, which very sweetly involved all three Little Peeps. Little B was having such a fun time here, I can't tell you how excited he was with all of this.

The river is beautifully clear, and the flat, dry rocks make it a wonderful place to explore. It's possible to rock-hop right across the river from one side to the other, with only a little bit of help needed for Little B with his little legs.

It was very peaceful by the river, despite it's proximity to the road. A couple of tractors drove by, and a number of motorbikes, but mostly it was just sheep strolling past.

I love this old ash tree on the opposite side of the river. I love it's mossy roots and the way it leans gently into the old dry stone wall behind.

I spent a bit of time over here by myself, leaning against the old gnarled trunk and observing my family. J was relaxing in his chair reading, and The Little Peeps were very happy playing about in the water and on the rocks together, it made me feel so happy to watch them.

While I was over by the old tree, I had a sudden bolt of an idea. A whim. A desire.

I was overcome by a very strong urge to.....................

.....yarn bomb!!!!!!!!!!!

Hahaha! It was hilarious actually, I couldn't believe I was really doing such a crazy thing, but I somehow just had to give into the urge. I took the bunting triangle I had just finished and simply stitched it to the fence.

I thought it looked rather pretty against it's blue and green backdrop, and I really hope it manages to stay there. I would SO love to go back to the river later in the year and discover it still there marking our "spot".

I thought how lovely it is to see such beautiful woolly colour sitting in the landscape, and then couldn't resist taking my blanket out onto the sun warmed rocks for a wee photo shoot.

It ended up staying there for most the afternoon as the Little People took it in turns to lay down and rest on it. I took some lovely photos of them here. Lovely memories for this Hooky Mama.

Really, it was a pretty perfect day.

It's rather lovely spending time by the river in May.

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Granny Bunting Love

Wow. w-O-w. Oh WOWSERS!!!!!! Thank you!!!!!! Thank you all so very much for your enthusiasm and delight over the bunting triangles, I was/am completely thrilled that you like the pattern and like the idea enough to give it a go for me. Wonderful, absolutely wonderful. It really makes me incredibly happy to think that it is inspiring so much woolly creativity in all corners of the world. This bunting will be very much more than a collection of triangles made out of yarn. Can't quite put it into words yet, but there is a deep pleasure going right down to my toes at the mere thought of it. Thank you for that.

I thought it would be helpful to write up a little more information so that I can hopefully answer all the questions that have been asked in the past few days. So here is a little Q&A...please feel free to ask any other questions in the comments section and I will edit this post and add them in.

Q :: What type of yarn would you like me to use?

A :: Any yarn you like! The bunting will be indoors, so will be protected from the elements. Use acrylic, wool, cotton, or any other yarn you have in your stash.

Q :: What hook size shall I use?

A :: Use whatever hook suits the yarn you are using. The important thing is the finished size....the sides should measure approx. 18 cm / 7 inches after blocking. A centimetre more or less won't matter, but obviously the finished bunting will look better if the triangles are all the same size. If you use chunkier yarn, or a bigger hook, or work loosely, you may find you only need 6 rounds to make the triangle the correct size. That's fine too.

Q :: What size should my finished triangle measure?

A :: Approximately 7 inches / 18cm along each size.

Q :: Should I be using mainly "Lucy" colours?

A :: No! Please feel free to personalise your triangles in whatever way you like. Use your own special colours, add buttons, beads, stitching, applique, pom poms, lace, a picot edging. Make your triangles all one colour, or multi coloured. Have fun with it!

Q :: Would you like me to join them together?

A :: No thanks. I'm planning on photographing them as they arrive so that I can make a Bunting Gallery on Flickr, and it'll be easier for me to do this if they remain un-joined.

Q :: When do you need them?

A :: I'm setting a deadline of the end of July 2013, so roughly two months from now.

Q :: Where shall I send them?

A :: I am trying to sort this out and should have an address for you in about a week's time.

Q :: What will happen to the bunting after Yarndale?

A :: Well, it'll most likely be very carefully wrapped up and stored safely until we can get it out again next year!

I hope that answers all the immediate questions. Please let me know if there is anything else you wish to know.

When the bunting triangles start arriving, I'll be photographing them and creating an online gallery to showcase them. I'd like everyone who makes triangles for Yarndale to be credited, so please make sure you include your name and any blog/website details with your triangles.

We are also going to be making a globe (crocheted of course!) with buttons stitched on to represent where the triangles have come from, so be sure to include your area/country so we can add you to the Bunting Globe.

I worked hard yesterday making a very detailed picture tutorial for the triangles. I know many of you feel happier with the visuals, and I hope it'll encourage newby hookers to give it a try. It's a very easy pattern to master, and would make a great first project. The condensed written instructions are still there too, for those of you who wish to copy/paste and print them off.

The full picture tutorial and the written pattern are all on the same page, along with the steam blocking info and some additional info about making triangles all one colour.

Find it all >HERE<.



And lastly, I'd just like to let you know that there is now a Yarndale 2013 Flickr group for you to add your pictures to. I'd love to see pictures of your triangles as you make them, and maybe pictures of you (yes YOU, don't be shy!) with your Yarndale bags! Please do go have a look and add some pictures.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/yarndale2013/

With much love and gratitude from me to you ♥

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Granny Bunting for Yarndale

Isn't this knitted bunting completely, absolutely amazingly lovely? The photo was taken at the 2011 knit and stitch show at Alexandra Palace and was part of the Woman's Weekly Centenary year celebrations attempt to break the world record for the longest line of bunting ever made (8,982ft!).

 This fantastic image has stuck in my mind since I came across it at the start of the year, and I knew without doubt that I would love to help create lots of woolly bunting for Yarndale.

As one of the members of the Yarndale team, I immediately put my hand up and volunteered myself for the Bunting Cause. Yes I can make bunting! Yes I would LOVE to hook up a colourful bunting storm! And that is precisely what I have been doing during the past four days. I have been a Bunting-making Machine. Well, kind of. I am quite a speedy hooker, and I have been doing my very best to get this creative endeavour off the starting blocks.

I sampled various methods of triangle making which mainly involved rows of double crochet with either increase or decrease rows to create the tapering triangle shape. But it was all quite time consuming, and damn it, it involved counting. I kind of got a bit peeved about counting rows, and so began to search for another way....and that's when I remembered the granny bunting I made a few years ago. Yes of course! Granny bunting! So easy to work in rounds instead of rows and there is no pesky counting to be done.

These triangles are super easy to make, and ridiculously speedy and addictive. I have worked them up in seven rounds of random colours using leftover odds and ends of Stylecraft Special DK (100% acrylic yarn that I've used for various blankets, see here, here and here).

I also had a play with some variations which used one, two, three and four colours. Even easier and quicker than the seven-colour-change triangles, but perhaps not as much fun for a colour addict like me.

I also whipped up a quick flower to add a little extra flourish.....

....it was simply stitched in place on top of the plain one-colour triangle. Cute eh?

I've made this many triangles during the past four days, working on them whenever I could. My bowl of yarn has been sitting permanently on the table with my hook, scissors and darning needle, ready to to picked up in an instant. It's been fun and I've loved seeing such great results come off my hook so quickly.

Now then, I'd like to use this opportunity to chat a little about steam blocking. Oh I know, how riveting and thrilling, how can we stand the excitement?! Seriously, if you have Stylecraft yarn in your possession (and I know many, many of you do), then you will love this info. Follow carefully. See the above picture? This shows you what we are dealing with :: the before (crumpled and curly and a weeny bit down-and-out looking) and after (so perfectly flat, with beautifully pointy corners!)

This is the method :: you need an ironing board, tape measure and pins. Turn the triangle over so that the right side faces downwards. Stretch out the top edge and put a pin in both corners, making sure this edge measures 18 cm/ 7 inches. You are pinning directly into your ironing board cover, putting the pins at an angle so's they don't ping out.

Pull the bottom corner downwards until the triangle looks straight and even, and put a pin in the bottom corner.

Now set your iron to the LOWEST heat setting, and make sure you have STEAM.

Now HoVeR!!!! This is VErY ImPorTaNt....The Iron Does Not Touch The Crochet. You hover it very, very close, about a centimetre above the surface of the yarn, and you simply allow the steam to do the work. No contact, no pressure. Just the pfffffffffffffffff of the steam. Concentrate on the corners. It does not take long, maybe ten seconds is all. And the results are absolutely miraculous.

Take out your pins, and hey presto, the crochet stays exactly as if it were still pinned!

It remains all flat and neat and beautifully shaped, with the most marvellously perky-pointy corners.



Ahhhhhh. I love to see a sweet little pile of Grannies. So satisfying.

Now then...........I have something to ask you, a Big Request. As you can no doubt tell, I am having heaps of fun making these triangles, but I also have a serious amount of other things going on with Yarndale (see my Yarn bombing post on the Yarndale website). So I have decided to put out a call to all the wonderful hookers of the world and ask if you would consider working up some Granny Bunting triangles for me, for Yarndale? Do you think you might like to join in with me? I would SO love it if you would. I would be hugely ever so grateful.

I'm thinking you could use up your own odds and ends of yarn to make up some Granny Triangles, and send them to me here in Yorkshire. Use whatever yarn you have, in any colours. Use loads of colours or just single colours, with or without flowers. It doesn't matter. All I would ask is that you consider the size :: I've used a DK weight yarn on a 4mm hook, and have worked up 7 rounds, but the important thing is that when stretched/blocked, the sides measure approx 18cm / 7 inches.

I've written up the pattern with a picture heavy tutorial for those of you who appreciate the visuals. At the end of the tutorial I've also written out the pattern in words so that you can copy/paste and print it. FIND THE PATTERN HERE!

I've not managed to sort out a mailing address yet, but will let you know in the next week where you can send them. I am SOooooooo excited about this project, and am more than happy to put in the considerable work to join all the triangles together. It's going to be spectacular. Thank you in advance (and excited anticipation) for your help, especially to those of you who have already offered your hooky services for the Bunting Cause.

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Green Greenery

Ohhhhhhhhh how I love love love love L♥O♥V♥e this time of year when there is an abundance of green greenery!

I took my Dad and Lady B to walk in our local patch of woodland yesterday afternoon, and as you can see, it was absolutely glorious. Fresh and vibrant, full of dappled sunlight and stunning colour. I felt my heart swell and my soul lift up to the treetops to sing and dance.

Life is good when the sun shines xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 

 

Moments

:: enjoying the sunlight after some heavy rain. Our weather here has been  very changeable with lots of short sharp rain and and hail showers interspersed with golden sunshine ::

:: trying to appreciate the rain as our landscape is looking incredibly lush and green as a result. But still. Rain mostly sucks in May ::

:: during a rare spell of blue sky this week, I went up the road to walk beneath the blossom trees. It was/is glorious. I'll share more pictures of it in a separate post I think, as pink blossom definitely deserves its own moment of glory ::

:: coming through a very tricksy spell of challenging behaviour with our Little B at the moment. Pushing the boundaries and asserting his own quite forceful personality, well I'm sure all you Mums out there remember this stage. Crikey, it's been tough ::

:: lots of coffee moments in my week. Coffee is always good ::

:: grabbing up my basket of Rico Essential merino to go off to the pub on Monday night ::

:: drinking strawberry beer and crocheting with friends at the pub, I love Monday nights. I'm working up some double crochet stripes which will eventually become part of a yarnbomb style covering for an old Ikea lamp ::

:: enjoying a quiet soak in a hot bubble bath ::

:: love love loving the origami phase that the Little People are into at the moment. Every morning before breakfast, the table becomes a hotbed of concentrated creasing and folding. Here you can see Little B doing his own version of origami which involves folding combined with copious amounts of sellotape, glue and creative scissor work ::

:: my flopsy tulips have made me smile this week. I do do that pin-through-the-stem thing, and I do keep the water topped right up, but tulips still have such a way of contorting themselves! In the bowl, lots of little balls of leftover Stylecraft which I'm using to make granny bunting for Yarndale. More on the bunting very soon ::

:: love gazing into these amazing blooms, I spend many delightful moments loving my flowers ::

:: iced buns made with Little B. They didn't rise very well for some strange reason (I usually pride myself on my light and fluffy well risen buns), but they still tasted delish ::

♥

Moments from my busy, rather stressy week. Moments of calm, love, happiness, beauty and peace which I have been searching for amongst the chaos of a busy life.

Lots going on here. Lots of strong parenting, seeing my Little People through a week of tests and trying hard to keep Little B on the straight and narrow.

Working at the studio (shelves are up!) as we have now set a date for our first Open Studio event, I'll chat to you about that a bit later in the week.

Working on Yarndale projects which has been really exciting. Starting to make bunting triangles and planning some thrilling yarnbombing for the event. I wrote a blog post for Yarndale with lots of inspiring yarnbomb pics, do go have a look.

And finally, I've been trying to drag number 24 into some sort of order as I have my Dad and Lady B staying in the Attic for a week.

Hoping you are all well and happy, wherever you are and whatever you're up to. I'll be back soon with 1. blossom celebrations (pretty pictures) 2. bunting triangles (a pattern and a request) 3. studio news (I've got shelves!)

See you soon xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 

 

 

Today's Out-and-About

:: wild garlic just starting to flower ::

:: bracken leaves just starting to unfurl ::

:: gorgeous little wild violets in abundance ::

:: the most incredible tree roots ::

:: the river Wharfe at Bolton Abbey ::

:: walking into Strid Wood ::

:: climbing the high path up through the trees ::

:: breathing in the fresh, slightly damp leafy air ::

:: the bluebell bank, but sadly no blue yet :o( ::

:: due to the cold weather, the bluebells are late blooming this year ::

:: descending down through the trees, loving all the green greenery  ::

:: back down by the riverside, a still, reflective part of the river ::

:: playing about on the river beach ::

:: watching the Little People plop pebbles into the still water ::

:: happy family times ::

:: the pathway winding onwards through the trees, it's almost time for coffee ::

:: ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, a delicious Sunday morning cappuccino ::

 ♥ We enjoyed a really lovely few hours this morning walking at Bolton Abbey. I absolutely love the woodland at this time of year, being surrounded by all that bright green freshness is so good for the soul. I was hoping that the bluebells would have been blooming by now, but alas they are very late this year due to the cold weather (last year's bluebell walk was on May 6th). Will have to try and get back there again in a couple weeks time to drink in the blue. The Little People enjoyed the walk, it was peaceful, happy and fun. They played (even Little Man), they chatted, they ran around together. We had a lovely stop at the Cavendish Pavillion to refuel with milkshakes and coffee, and despite the damp, it was warm enough (just) to sit outside. I'm loving these regular Sunday outings of ours, I'm so glad that we are managing to make it happen each week. ♥

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Happy Weekend

Do you think of Fridays as the start of the weekend? I do. I love Fridays. I've just put a bottle of prosecco in the fridge ready for my 4pm Friday girly gathering with friends and neighbours.

I've also just baked a batch of blueberry cookies. I used this choc chip recipe, but left out the chocolate chips and popped three blueberries in the top of each cookie before they went into the oven.

They look a bit weird, but oh my, they are a taste sensation. Juicy sweet fruit bursting on the tongue with soft chewy cookie melting in afterwards.

Well our gorgeous Spring weather was short lived and we are back to wet, cold, autumnal conditions here. I lit the fire yesterday afternoon and despite my disgusting crossness at the weather (winter coat and boots back out grrrrrr), it was heavenly to sit by the fire for a while with my latest book (Winter Solstice).  I've just cleaned out the grate and laid the kindling and firelighters ready to go again when I get back from a good drenching on the school run.

I'm planning a weekend full of as much yarn and crochet as I can manage. I've got a gazillion ideas squeezed into my Creative Mind at the moment and I desperately need to release some of them before I start climbing the walls! Haha....was going to write a list of these ideas, but it is SO Bonkers that I have decided to keep it to myself. I'll give you some key words though.....

Balls. Lamp. Sheep. See, I told you. Bonkers!

By the way....can I ask for a little bit of help? The first picture at the top of this post, does anyone know the original source? I came across it on my travels in blogland (forget where exactly) and love it so much, but haven't been able to find out who created the image. Would love to know.

HaPpY wEeKeNd, have fun!

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Edit :: thank you SO much for the info, I always feel bad if I can't credit the original designer....in this case it is the beautifully talented Carolyn Gavin. I really love her style :o) pity the poster is only available in the US (Ecojot) x

 Another edit.....OHMYGOSH, check out Carolyn's PiNtErEsT boards, they are AweSoMe!