Attic24

A Stitchy Saturday

It seems I've entered a spell of early starts to my days as I've been waking up naturally around 5.30. But the good news is that I'm sleeping very well at the moment so despite the early hour I feel well rested and ready to roll. I usually get up and head downstairs, feed the kitty, empty the dishwasher, then make myself a frothy coffee to bring back to bed. I went through a phase of drinking hot water with lemon and ginger first thing in the morning, but in all honesty it didn't really send me twirling into the contentment zone like that first coffee of the day does. 

Once I had my coffee in hand I idled around in bed for almost two hours watching videos about decluttering and minimalism which for some obscure reason I'm fixated with at the moment. To be clear, I definitely don't want to be a minimalist, but I do have a deep need right now for more breathing space and less chaos in my living environment. So yeah, maybe my watching this type of content isn't all that obscure as I can see the reason behind it, and I guess I'm looking to be inspired to start working a bit of zen magic in my home. I'll be sure to let you know if any magic happens.

Saturday again (a week since the first day of Spring) which means a walk into town for J and I to visit the market and a few local food shops. It was bitingly cold this morning so we hurried through town gathering food into our bags, picked up a very good latté each, then straight home before the coffee had time to cool. I'm really, really looking forward to some warmer weather I have to say.

The best buy from the market today was this glorious Romanesco cauliflower for £1.50. Wow, I just couldn't resist it. I'm fairly sure I meant to ask for broccoli, but the sight of all those enchanting lime green florets captivated me completely. The colour in this photo doesn't quite compare to the real thing - this is a majorly bright vegetable! J and I had some with our dinner this evening, I tossed some of the florets in some olive oil, seasoned with salt, pepper and some smoked paprika, then roasted in a hot oven for about 20 mins until the edges went slightly crispy. So, so good, and definitely on my list to buy again when I see it.

Do you remember my to-do list for today (I wrote it out at the end of yesterdays post)? Well, I'm pleased to announce that I achieved one whole thing today, yayyy!!!!!!!!!!! Go me!!!! The fourth item on the list was "stitch a greenfinch" and I've had the most wonderful stitchy time of it today. This little 4 inch hoop project from Craftpod is utter stitching perfection - it's the perfect size, just the right amount of counting and concentration, and so insanely satisfying to start and finish in an afternoon.

I sat myself down at the table at around 1pm and I did not stop stitching until that little greenfinch was sat on his pretty perch of mimosa blossom....

.....awwwwww, just look!!! I adore this little hoop, honestly, I couldn't love it more. I finished it off with a little green ribbon bow, then hung it on my wall straight away......

.....next to my Spring embroidery from three years ago. 

I love having a couple of stitchy hoops hanging on the wall with the rest of my seasonal guff - I have Autumn, Winter and Spring hoops, but I don't think I have anything yet for summer. I'll have to see what Jo has in store for us with the Summer Craftpod in June, or maybe I'll design something myself for summer. Ohhhh...I just remembered I already designed this! Yes, it's all coming back to me now. Well I'll definitely need one or two more hoops to go with the Summer daisy as that one's only tiny. I also need to make a Summer wreath too, that's been on my to-do list for the longest time. So exciting, I love thinking about future makes. 

Being that I got caught up in a stitch fest today, there wasn't any time left for Granny Jo or magazine pages. By 4pm I needed to rest my weary eyes and hands and sit down to enjoy some liquid refreshment. I've had a truly lovely, simple day today, and tomorrow there will hopefully be time to tick a couple more things off my weekend list. The clocks change tonight, jumping forward an hour as we move into British Summer Time....I'm tHrilLeD about this because it'll mean longer evening daylight hours......oh, my happy heart!

Hoping you've enjoyed a lovely day today, tell me what's been floating your boat - will it be as obscure as my green cauliflower and stitchy greenfinch I wonder? Do tell!

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Slow and Quiet

I've had a slow, quiet sort of a day today, lots going on in my mind it seems. I woke up early (5.30am) and got up not long after so my day has felt quite long - not in a bad way though. I really like having extra time in the early morning to come into the day at a slow pace, and it meant I had almost two hours to sit quietly and drink coffee before needing to be up and out.

I intended to sit and do a bit of a therapeutic brain dump this morning but I accidentally got caught up in the online world. I'm not sure how it happened, but I found myself reading all about Intentional Living, wow, there are some passionate folks out there advocating this way of life, and reading about it was fascinating. There is a lot of crossover between intentional living, simple living and minimalism and although this sort of lifestyle isn't for me, I can certainly see how adopting elements of it could be hugely beneficial. Lots to think about. I keep a little notebook and pen beside my bed and often like to jot things down when I find myself contemplating new ideas. I think I'll do some more reading/viewing online and try and organise my thoughts a bit better, then I'll write about it here - could be interesting?!

I was out the door at 7.30 this morning as per my new spring routine, walking swiftly down through the park, along the canal, then back up the steep hill to home. It was grey and cold so I didn't linger to take many photos, and I made it home in exactly ten minutes - a fantastic way to warm up before my twenty minute running interval workout which I really enjoyed this morning. J and I also took a wet walk through the woods, it was a bit grim to be honest as the rain was pretty freezing and blowing in our faces. We stopped in town on the way back to pick up our coffee and I was so glad to finally get back home, wrap a blanket around myself and sit a while in the Big Chair with my latté to warm myself up.

As I was sat drinking my coffee I noticed that my Winter wreath was still in situ, so a bit later in the day I unpacked my Easter wreath ready for it to take it's place for the Spring season.

I've just looked back through my archives to find the Ta-dah post for this wreath, and am shocked to discover it was eight years ago. Gosh, how the years fly by. I still love this wreath, although if I were to make it again I would make some changes. I would remove the pompoms and space the flowers out a little bit more - it's very crowded on there! It's such a cheerful decoration though and I'm enjoying having it on my wall again.

The flowers on my table are teensy weeny this week, a couple little stems of blossom that are very slowly beginning to open. They are so, so beautiful, the perfect, delicate shade of pink.

Actually my table has been in a right mess this afternoon as I decided to have a bit of a sort out. The dining room has become my work-from-home makeshift studio during the past year or so, and it's gotten into a real chaotic state. I think all that reading about simple living must have seeped into my soul as I suddenly felt desperate to try and clear some space for myself. 

I tackled a huuuuuuuuuge teetering pile of stuff on top of my old desk (which is supposed to be leaving us as soon as we can find how/where to move it out), and boy was it therapeutic. I managed to sling a massive pile of paper/card/packaging/old magazines/boxes into the recycling bin, and sort out the varied assortment of miscellaneous objects which had accumulated over the months. The piles were so tall and so dense that I unearthed a wonderful collection of lost and forgotten things, including some Christmas presents, crochet projects and a box of posh chocolates.

I gathered together a small pile of recent magazines which I want to read before giving away to friends. I found my Meadow blanket colour squares which need stitching together (I make up colour samplers for all of my blanket projects which I keep for reference). And to my utter shame, I found my Granny Josephine bag sat at the bottom of the pile looking very neglected indeed. You may remember I was working on her during Blogtober and she's so very nearly finished, what a silly thing to have left this project for so long.

All that needs to be done is a little bit of hand stitching - leaves, flowers and the handle flap, and then she is done - flying straight to the top of my to-do list. Seriously. This bag needs to be used and loved, and I shall make that happen this weekend.

Also in my monstrous desk pile was the latest Craftpod box which arrived earlier in the week, oh, it's so lovely! I took out the little cross stitch project as I really love the design and the colours and would love to see it on my Spring mantel. I shall need to see to Granny J first, and then I'll make a start on the birdie.

BY the way, if you like the look of this project, you can buy the Spring box as a one-off purchase while stocks last - see ((here)).

Today was the last day of the Spring term and I think we all collectively breathed a sigh of relief at 3.30 when home school finished for Little B and Little Lady came through the door. She was in a good mood because she got an A score in her recent maths test (she's studying A level Maths, as well as Physics and Spanish, she's a clever so-and-so). We've got two weeks free from school stuff now, and even though lockdown life means that we can't do very much, I'm still hoping that there might be some sort of a holiday feeling to our days.

Little B doesn't spend much time with us downstairs any more, but once he'd finished his lessons today he came down to watch TV for a while. After years of guarded suspicion, Tilly has recently decided that she does in fact like Little B when he's not being all noisy and boisterous and she will always curl up on his lap any time he sits on the sofa. It's such a sweet thing - there is something about children and crochet blankets that makes my heart melt into a puddle, especially if you add in the crazy furball as well. So sweet.

I made this granny square blanket while I was pregnant with Little B and as he was born in the middle of an extremely cold snowy winter (it was -11 degrees on the day we brought him home from hospital), this blanket was very much needed in his cot at night. It's made from Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, so it's really cosy and warm.

It's been very stormy here today, windy and wet with heavy hail showers thrown in for good measure. I'm glad I took the time to do a little bit of tidying today - still a LOT to do, but at least I made a start. It meant that I could sit for a while by the fire this afternoon without feeling guilty, making inroads into my small magazine pile. I've got both March and April issues with all the Spring vibes in those pages.....do you think I could add "read magazines" to my weekend to-do list, along with "Finish Granny Jo" and "Stitch a Greenfinch"?

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Sunday Vibes

Waking up slowly, no alarm, no reason to hurry, just a peaceful slide from deep sleep to light snoozing and then finally some time to just be awake and still in my warm bed. J is a very early riser and is always up before me, so I really luxuriate in those first moments of awakeness when I am alone and quiet with my thoughts. I eventually got up around 7.15 feeling well rested and very content to face a quiet Sunday with no plans. I made a coffee and took it back to bed, I really love climbing back into a still-warm bed, it's something I used to fantasise about when I was a parent of babies and an early rise meant that the day started at full pelt no matter what.

The morning unfolded at leisure, and eventually we headed out the door at around 11am. Just J and I this morning as Little Lady was on Planet Teen and Little B is in self isolation for 10 days following a positive Covid case in his class. Sigh. I am so over the home schooling, and yet here we are again. Still, I've made up my mind not to let it get me down any more, no no no. No more downward feelings. I am rising above it, and all will be well. Only one more week and then we at least get a reprieve for the Easter holibobs. It was sunshiny and mild this morning, warm enough to wear just a jumper and no coat for the first time this year. Along beside the canal.....

....then up this bumpy cobbled lane to the main street of town. Oh yeah, you can guess what was on the agenda here I expect...I'll give you a clue.....it begins with C and ends in EE. Yeah, hot, milky and hitting the comfort spot very nicely indeed. We strolled slowly up the main street of town in the morning sunshine, sipping our coffee and chatting. 

At the top of the town there are steps down to the pathway which leads into the woodland, and it always delights me how swiftly we can leave the cars and streets behind and suddenly be surrounded by trees and running water.

Don't be fooled by this apparently deserted woodland path, this was just a momentary lull as there were plenty of folks out enjoying the sunshine today.

There are a couple of benches beside the pond, so we decided to sit a while and finish drinking our coffees. Iit was so tranquil and really a lovely little pause to just breathe in and out and be thankful.

Our way home takes us down a long, steep residential street and every time we walk here I take a moment to stop and appreciate this hedge. It's a long one and runs along the boundary of a garden, immaculately kept with a very neatly trimmed shape. The special thing about this hedge is that it flowers in spring - it's a blossom hedge, how wonderful is that? As you can see it's just starting to bloom.....

....oh, such pretty, pretty pale pink flowers and fresh little coppery leaves. I love it so much - I'll try and remember to photograph it again in a week or two when it's in full bloom, it really is stunning. Spring is springing, and I couldn't be happier.

This afternoon, the slow Sunday vibes continued and I found myself drawn to my cross stitching project. I didn't manage to do very much, I'm finding it hard to settle down to anything since my Meadow Blanket finished, gosh I do miss the ease of those soothing, delicious rows. I feel the pull to be creative, but my concentration isn't always there.

Still, I enjoyed working those neat little crosses, and there isn't any hurry for this project to be finished. Summer still seems like a long way off.

I've got the most beautiful tulips on my table this week, they were an unexpected gift from my friend when we met to have our weekly walk around the park on Friday. They were pretty tightly in bud when I popped them into my rainbow jug but they've slowly begun to open over the weekend. Beautiful things, they really are.

I sat a while on the sofa this afternoon, browsing on Instagram on my phone, enjoying those inspirational little squares and catching up with the comings and goings of my online friends. I'm so grateful for our online communities, I know I say this a lot, but it really is important to me. There was no Instagram when I first started writing my blog, no Pinterest either. Things have changed a lot in the last decade and we've got so many more possibilities to interact and find inspiration, right in the palm of our hands. Aren't we lucky?

Hoping you've had a wonderful day full of good vibes - tell me something that has made you happy today, I'd love to hear.

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Friday Feel-Good

Today has felt wonderful in a slow, quiet way and I've taken some time to reflect on the week and count my blessings. 

We had to go out in the car this morning to buy some more solid fuel for the fire. We support a small local business in our town and buy little and often because we don't have any space at home to store large quantities of coal and logs. So seeing as we were out and about with the wheels I suggested to J that we could perhaps keep on driving a few miles out of town and take a walk around the reservoir. I really felt like I needed a change of scenery and  there is something very soothing about walking beside still water.

It's been cold today, just a few degrees above zero. The air was unexpectedly still and the surface of the water was calm which hardly ever happens here as it's usually a very windy place. It felt exactly like winter with the blueish light and the chill in the air and I am certain that autumn has left us now.

This is such a lovely little stroll, it only takes about half an hour to walk all around the waters edge but we took some time to sit on a bench for a while, listening to the geese making their usual racket. I do like to see them flocking together on the water, but my goodness, they are huge disturbers of the peace.

I paddled in the sandy shallows for a while, wiggling my toes to send ripples out across the surface of the water which really delighted me for some obscure reason. 

It was a happy post day today as my subscription box from Cotton & Twine arrived - yay!! This months project is a very cute little framed Christmas picture, and after I mentioned yesterday about my obsession with little houses, you can imagine how much I am loving this design. I can't wait to get stitching, although hmmmm......black aida......not the easiest stitching experience. I shall be wearing my ready readers and my neck light for sure.

I realised that I never showed you the finished design from October which I finished a few weeks ago. I happened to have a red flexi-hoop in my Cupboard of Doom, so I used that to frame the finished piece instead of wrapping ribbon around a wooden hoop. I'm actually really looking forward to putting Autumn guff away very soon and decorating for the festive season....Advent arrives on Tuesday and I am excited for all the extra colour and sparkle.

My white hyacinth bloomed itself out at the start of the week, so today I purchased a replacement. I suddenly remembered that I have some real live moss growing in my front garden (I'm a Moss Mummy!!) so I gathered some to create a little mossy bed around the bulbs. I added a couple of weeny toadstools for good measure and felt so utterly delighted with the whole ensemble that I think I squeaked out loud. 

The kitty has been in a playful mood today and we had fun playing chase and other assorted games where she basically stalks me, pounces, then runs away and pretends it never happened. I do love her bold character, she is often very demanding for attention. Ooooo, looking at the above photo I just had a rush of excitement thinking that my Christmas wreath will be hanging on the wall next week, yaaayyy!!!! Very, very excited for that particular event.

It was a cold, clear, still afternoon here and the light was wonderful as we walked home from school. I am trying hard not to wish the days away but I can't help counting down to the shortest day now. Not long to go.

Remember my wall basket that I spent £6 on back last month? It's looking really lovely still, and makes me smile every single time I walk up my front steps. The little splashes of living colour against the grey of our stone wall  are a joy to me, honestly, it takes very little to keep me happy. 

Friday feel-good nearly always includes a glass of chilled fizz these days, it's become a ritual for J and I to sit down at around 4pm and enjoy a drink of prosecco together. I can't tell you how much I look forward to it  - I stay alcohol free for the rest of the week, but a little Friday tipple is just the best.

I'm looking forward to an early night tonight, in fact as soon as I've finished chatting to you I think I'm going to make myself a cup of tea and snuggle down to read for a while. I've actually been sleeping really well this week and have also done some great workouts every morning so I'm not especially tired, I'm just craving the comfort I think.

Well after writing that, I have actually started to yawn (!) so I shall bid you farewell for today and slink off to make myself cosy in my nest........byyyeeeeeeeeee!

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Slow and Steady

Life at the moment feels slow and steady and I think that twelve days into a month long national lockdown that's about as good as it gets. 

This weekend we spent a lot of time at home, only venturing out for our regular Saturday market/local small food shop and a quick walk round the woods. 

I got to wear my new wellies which I was stupidly excited about - splashing in puddles never gets old.

Just as we were heading homewards we got caught in a sudden rain shower - getting wet wasn't much fun but the beautiful rainbow made up for it.

After our visit to the Saturday market we came home with some new-to-us fruits - Persimmons, AKA Sharon fruit. I am honestly amazed that I've reached my fifties and have found a fruit which I have never eaten before. How???!!! I can report that Persimmons are delicious, kind of like the texture of a pear inside, with a sweet, subtle mango-ish flavour and definitely a fruit I'd like to eat more of.

And to balance out the healthy fruit, let me 'fess up and tell you what also went down at the weekend ↑↑

Uh-huh, a fully loaded jammy scone topped with the most lip smacking Cornish clotted cream. Oh. My. Goodness. It was heavenly. It's been over a year since I ate anything so indulgent and I enjoyed every single moment. This was part of a very generous gift sent my way through the post - a cream tea in a box no less, complete with prosecco and other goodies. Very grateful for the wonderful friends I've made through this blog of mine.

Much of the weekend was spent by the fire - we lit it in the middle of the afternoons and really made the most of the warmth, light and cosy vibes. I'm still loving my Autumn mantel, and this morning I realised that in just over two weeks it'll be time for another seasonal switcheroo when we decorate for the Festive season.....only two weeks! 

Sunday afternoon I picked up my cross stitch project again and completed the final part of the design. I'm so happy with it and have absolutely loved the slow, gentle process of completing each little Christmassy motif. I'll show you once I get it all stretched and framed up nicely.

Even though we are in Lockdown here, during the week our routines remain pretty much unchanged. The Big Teen has been most affected as he's currently furloughed from his pub job, but the Little People are still going to school as usual. J continues to work from home and we still enjoy our Mondays together. I am so grateful for the normality of our slow, steady days right now. 

J and I walked at Bolton Abbey this morning, and it felt so good to be out and about. I thought I would show you the above view - this is what the top of the stone aqueduct looks like (the bridge shown in the first river photo above) when we cross the river. Isn't it grand?

There were very few people out walking today as the weather was cold, grey and windy. But the café was open for take outs and J and I enjoyed our morning coffee with a riverside view. It was bloomin' good I have to say.

As always, by the time we'd come a full circuit I felt completely re-energised and so very glad that we'd decided to leave the comforts of home behind for a while.  

This morning I noticed that the first of my hyacinth flowers have begun to bloom......

.....and they look so pretty on my mantel. They don't have a scent yet, but I'm hopeful it's on it's way (J would probably disagree, but that's a minor matter of inconsequence I'd say).

I hope you've all enjoyed a beautifully slow and steady weekend full of small pleasures. Tell me a little of what has filled your days recently, I'd love to know?!

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Beating the Gloom

Helloooooo my lovelies, thank you so much for stopping by the Attic for a catch up, I hope you're doing OK out there?!! Tell me, how was your weekend? Here at number 24 we've had a beautifully slow few days and I've been grateful for the gentle pace. There has been time to sit and ponder, time to rest and recharge, time to spend with J and the Little People watching films, chatting and eating together. It's been restorative I'd say.

On Saturday morning J and I kept up our usual routine and walked into town together. Yes we are on lockdown here and most shops/cafés are currently closed but we are committed to supporting our small independent retailers whenever we can. This meant a chilly walk to visit the few stalls on the market that are permitted to trade, to stock up on fruit, veg, eggs and cheese. Our butcher and baker are still open too, so I called in for meat, a loaf of bread and some sweet treats for the Little Peeps. It was very, very quiet on the streets as you would expect, but it felt good to be out for a little while. Combining exercise with essential food shopping seemed like a good weekendish thing to, and I was equally glad of both. Our final stop was the coffee shop where I picked up some takeaway coffees to bring home. It wasn't quite the same vibe as our lovely little café, but it was warm and cosy on the sofa and the coffee was excellent.

We set out to walk through the woods in the early afternoon.....

.....and despite the murky gloom....

....there were the occasional glimpses of blue sky from time to time. The blue didn't last for long, but I promise you I appreciated it fully while it was in evidence, casting my vision up through the mostly bare branches to drink in the beautiful light and colour. 

As is my thing, I paused at the top of the hill to take a deep breath and spend a mindful moment - this ritual has become important to me in recent weeks. I am so thankful for this homely town where I live, and I like to take a moment to stop and practice some gratitude for that fact, in a place where I can look out across the rooftops and feel the connection. I can highly recommend making time for moments of mindfulness during your day, I do think it really helps to lift the mood and beat the gloom. 

I spent the afternoon catching up with some chores (sadly the laundry basket doesn't empty itself) whilst also squeezing in a little bit of stitchery. It snowed onto my green fabric - pretty little stitchy white flakes!

Sunday came and went in a blur of grey, gloomy weather. Unusually for me I didn't take any photos on Sunday so I'm hard pushed to remember much of it. We walked in the woods but the light levels were very low. Plus we had Little Lady walking with us so it was lovely to appreciate her company and to be fully present without having my attention pulled this way and that by potential blog photos, if that makes sense. We lit the fire in the early afternoon and I cooked a roast chicken for dinner, and that's about all I can recall. Oh, there was stitching too - more of that in a bit.

Today we remained embedded in the gloom, the grey just refused to lift. 

In fact, it's been foggy for days on end here so that it feels like we are in a constant state of twilight. I can't say I like it very much.

After dropping Little B at school, J and I decided to walk through the park.

It rained last night and I loved how this shrub was glistening with big fat raindrops. The way the droplets caught the light fascinated me, they looked like precious jewels.

You can see what I mean when I talk about The Gloom - our whole landscape has been shrouded in this heavy, low slung cloud which has made it feel cold, damp and well, gloomy. There is no better word for it. Having said that, it still felt remarkably good to stride out in it, breathing in the grey and feeling the cold freshness of it doing me good. 

As you can see, yesterday I made good progress with my cross stitching, and the snowflakes were joined by cute little trees, leaping reindeer and some pretty evergreen foliage.

I got into that addictive zone yesterday where I just could not put it down and I stitched right into the evening, sat squished on the end of the sofa with the Little People and Tilly taking up the rest of the space (they were watching a film while I was obsessing over my weeny crosses). I have a very handy light which I use for evening stitching, it's one of those bendy ones that hangs around your neck, do you know what I mean? I'll see if I can find a link for you..........here you go....on Amazon ((here)). It allowed me to stitch golden reindeer in a darkened room lit only by the glow of the fire and my mulled wine candle. It's a marvellous gadget, truly. 

Well, it's been lovely catching up, but right now it's around 8pm and yes, you've guessed it.....I'm going to go and cosy up by the fire now and stitch, stitch, stitch. I do believe there's a bough of holly and a couple of robins which need my attention.

Byeeeeeeeeee, see you tomorrow!

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ps I haven't forgotten about blogging about my exercise/diet routines for those who've been waiting. Hoping to do that tomorrow xx

 

 

 

November Rituals

After a very murky, foggy start to the day and a bit of a bleugh morning in general, things were looking very much brighter by lunch time. I'd been waiting patiently for J to finish up on his work call so that we could get out of the house and enjoy what looked to be an unexpectedly lovely November afternoon.

Every day when we visit the woods I wonder just how many leaves will be left. I know pretty soon there will come a day/night when we have strong winds and the whole lot will literally come tumbling down in one swoop, it always does seem to happen very quickly at the end. Right now there are still leaves to be seen, and they are looking glorious. I am constantly reminded of my Woodland Blanket at this time of year as I find these bright sunny autumn days very inspirational. The colours in nature lift my mood and never fail to bring on the happy vibes even when life feels like a bit of a slog.

During November I notice the sun stays pretty low in the sky even at midday, creating long shadows and a gentle slanting glow across the woodland paths. This low sunlight even manages to make the mud look good, and that's pretty amazing in my book.

Despite me feeling very wobbly today, there have been some happy moments. The October Cotton & Twine subscription box arrived in the post and I couldn't be more excited to stitch this beautiful seasonal design. I made a start and managed a few snowflakes but today was one of those days where the hours felt like minutes and the whole day seemed to slip away very quickly.

Ahhh, but here comes the weekend and I'm hoping for some little pockets of quiet stitching time, fingers crossed. I love love love the way that cross stitching slows my mind right down, and the repetitive, slow, rhythmic nature of it is very soothing. It's an extremely therapeutic craft I think, I can highly recommend it.

In other happy November news, I have hyacinths in the Attic!!!!!! YIPPEEEE!!!!!!!!!! This is one of my most favourite rituals of the season and I've been buying these pots of bulbs from the supermarket ever since I came to live here thirteen years ago. The tin pots change every year (you can see last years design in this post - you'll need to scroll down, it was a rambling one!) and I love this years offering. I don't usually go for gold, but I do rather like the shine of it on my mantel. Judging by the colour of the actual bulbs, I think these will be white flowers but there was no label on to tell me so they may well be bright pink. It'll be a festive surprise, and I am probably way more excited for it than I should be. I honestly can't wait, I bloomin' love hyacinths.

We had the most stunning cloud display this afternoon as we walked to school, I was absolutely transfixed by them. It's quite hard work walking down a steep hill whilst also trying to photograph the sky (we were running late so J wouldn't stop to wait for me), but I managed just about.....

....look at this one! This was me pointing my camera directly upwards where the telephone wires spread out to all the houses in my street. It kind of makes me feel dizzy just looking at it!

We were walking at a fair old pace down the hill....

....but I managed to stop and snap a quick photo of the canal as I crossed over the bridge. It was looking extremely atmospheric I thought, and very Novemberish. 

I lit the fire as soon as we came home from school as the house felt chilly and also I felt in need of some comfort and cheer as well as some warmth. We opened our mini bottle of prosecco (this seems to have become a Friday evening ritual) and everything suddenly seemed to settle for a while. I've felt out of sorts today, and despite managing to find so many things to be happy about, I've still had this underlying feeling of melancholy. I guess it's all part of lockdown life, emotions ebb and flow and I try to allow my feelings to surface without attempting to analyse them too much.

I did still get that wonderful Friday Feeling though, especially once Little Lady came home from school and all my brood were safe at home again. There is something so fundamentally settling about having all the family together under one roof, especially at meal times.

J always cooks a simple dinner on a Friday which I really appreciate, it's a treat for me to sit by the fire and have him in the kitchen for a change. Tonight he cooked up some meaty butchers sausages and served them hotdog style in bread rolls with fried onions and skinny French fries, and the Little People were allowed to eat in front of the TV. It's a Friday ritual which goes nicely with the prosecco I find. 

Oh, and I'm still madly in love with my mulled wine candle. It's just so perfectly Novemberish. The house smells delicious.

Before I go, there is something I just want to tell you about, something that always makes November a very exciting happy month for me.......

..........uh-huh, it's almost time for me to tell you about my next blanket adventure!!!! I've been getting lots of enquiries about the next Attic24 CAL on my social media so I thought I would give you the dates now so that you know what's coming.

I've been working on a new blanket design called "Meadow" which is inspired by the place that I walked almost every day during our months of lockdown (March-June) when I really needed to feel calm and grounded. The little wild flower meadow at the bottom of the park became my sanctuary and the colours of the flowers, grasses and distant summery hill views inspired a truly beautiful colour palette. 

I'll be able to show you a little more of what I've been working on in the next few weeks - yarn packs will be going on sale in my shop at Wool Warehouse on Tuesday 24th November (just under three weeks from now), and as in previous years I'll be sharing the blanket pattern as a Crochet-A-Long project at the very start of 2021. I can't wait to show you more.

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Blogtober 2020 :: Day 17

The above photo was taken back in the spring around Easter time (hence the hot cross bun) and I was on the final stretch of stitching this lovely cross stitch. 

I really love cross stitch designs, I think they are such a beautiful combination of simplicity and complexity and I've found that I am especially suckered in if the design includes flowers. I was sat looking at this particular cross stitch yesterday, admiring the satisfying neatness of all those hundreds of little stitches blending together to make the overall design work.

It was a WiP for quite a long time, almost two whole years in fact. I purchased and downloaded the design from an Etsy shop called "Tiny Modernist"* at the height of my cross stitching frenzy in 2018, and this was the fourth hoop that I stitched.

You can read about the first one ((here)) and the second and third ones ((here))

This design fits really neatly into an 8 inch hoop, which not only makes it a joy to stitch, but also gives an easy option for framing and displaying the finished work.

I like to use a "flexi-hoop" as they come with a little hanger attached at the top instead of the traditional screw that you find at the top of a wooden embroidery hoop. You can find them in all different sizes online, there is an 8 inch one on Amazon ((here)) which is similar to the ones I use.

I actually don't mind the wood grain effect but as I already had some pretty blue spray paint in the cellar (purchased for another project) I decided to have a go at changing the hoop from brown to Mediterranean Blue. It was a bit messy, and I discovered that I am veeeeeery impatient when it comes to waiting for things to dry thoroughly (note to self - tacky is not the same thing as completely dry). But on the whole I'm pleased with how it turned out.

Once I wrestled the cross stitch back into the flexi hoop and was happy with the way it looked, I trimmed the fabric with pinking sheers, then stitched around the edge with a strong length of embroidery floss so that I could pull it tight to gather in the edges. I like this simple way of finishing a cross stitch hoop, it's a bit homespun but I like the idea that the back of the stitching remains visible. I'm quite proud of my stitchy backsides as I do try and keep them neat and don't feel the need to hide them away.

Finally, I painted around the cut edge with a little PVA white craft glue to stop any fraying ends of fabric escaping, and left it all to dry thoroughly. Not  a tacky surface in sight, but thorough dryness you understand. 

Want to see how it turned out?

You know, with the blue frame instead of the brown?

OK...

here

you

go.....

......ta-dah!!!!

It looks pretty good I think?! I added a final little ribbony flourish and it was ready to hang.

A few months ago at the start of the summer holidays, I decided that trying to write on my laptop downstairs was just not working out for me. It's nobody's fault, we were all stuck at home and we only have one single room downstairs (aside from our miniscule kitchen) where family life happens. I found it impossible to concentrate with J and the Little People coming in and out of the room, the cat mithering me for food and the background soundtrack of television invading my thoughts. When J decided to re-watch the whole of The Sopranos from start to finish (oh my goodness, the language! The noise!) I made my mind up to relocate myself ASAP.

I had a little narrow desk down at my studio which wasn't being used, so I fetched it back home, shifted an old heirloom nursing chair out of the corner of the bedroom and made space for a new work area. It's not ideal having a work space in the bedroom, but there isn't really any other place in the house where I could go, so the bedroom it is for now. I still do my creative work downstairs at the dining table or sat on the sofa (or the floor in front of the fire too) but I am really appreciating being able to close myself off from the fam when I need some peace and quiet to write. 

We haven't decorated in here since we moved in thirteen years ago, but as the walls are simply white washed they have been fine for us to live with. However, I would very much like to add some decoration to this space above my desk, maybe a little shelf and some pretty things to hang on the wall there.

I decided a few weeks ago that I'm going to slowly begin collecting some art work especially for my new desk area, and I'm really excited by the whole idea of curating a little space especially for my own enjoyment. This week I received two very lovely parcels in the post, and thought I'd share them with you.

The first parcel contained the above print which is by the very talented artist Brie Harrison. I am a huge fan of Brie's work, and have a few of her postcards dotted about the place. When Brie contacted me and asked if she could send me one of her prints by way of a thank you for a spontaneous shout-out I gave her on social media, I was really touched. I spent a while deliberating over which one to choose (all her giclée prints are just beautiful) and in the end I opted for the one shown above, called "Oaxaca Plant"

I can't tell you how beautiful it is in real life, I've never actually seen a "giclée print" before and oh-my-goodness, the quality is incredible. The finished print is very matt with the most vibrant colours, it honestly looks as if it has been freshly painted. I really love it, so much.

My other parcel contained a rainbow, oh yay for brightly coloured fluffy, frivolous things!

I purchased this from a lovely lady I follow on Instagram, her name is Natalie and she sells her work under the name "Love Indy" *. I saw that she was busy making lots of colourful new stock to re-open her online shop a few weeks ago and I was powerless to resist the lure of the pompoms. This is such a beautifully made decoration and I could tell instantly how much love and care has gone into perfecting the design and making the pompoms absolutely perfect. 

When I laid the above three things out to photograph earlier this afternoon I was immediately struck by how well the colours all go together. Don't they look lovely? I'm calling it a win!

So now I need to decide what kind of shelf I'd like before I begin knocking nails into the wall to hang my pretty things, but I'm excited to make this tiny little corner of the room a lovely spot to call my own. 

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@brieharrison on Instagram ( ♥ thank you Brie for the beautiful gifted print ♥ )

@love.indy_ on Instagram (*pompom rainbow not gifted)

@tinymodernist on Instagram (*cross stitch pattern not gifted)

 

 

 

 

Home Safe :: Week Six

Hello my lovelies, thank you as ever for calling to see me, and for so many wonderful chatty comments which I have loved reading on my last post. I'm sorry I'm late in writing up this instalment of my weekly not-muchness, I've been feeling a weeny bit off kilter this week and not really in a chatty mood to be honest. I find that when I feel this way it's best to just stay low and quiet, keeping myself to myself until I feel my bounce return. 

Week six (as far as I can recall) passed by in a slow blur of familiar routines and sameyness. I went just once to visit the cherry trees and saw that they were already on the wane, shedding their delicate petals like snow. I was so glad that I made an almost daily pilgrimage to see them the previous week when they were absolutely at their peek, the floral beauty has been spectacular this year, a real mood lifter for sure.

The start of week six was sunny and lovely and like many of us in the UK who are used to very changeable and inclement weather, I was full of gratitude for the dry, sunshiny days we were gifted throughout April.

On days when J isn't working and we feel in the mood, we can make our daily walks a little longer than our usual woodland strolls. I like the feeling of striding out across open fields, soaking up the warmth of the sun and enjoying the miles pass by under my feet.

We see very few people on this walk and absolutely no traffic along these small lanes at the moment. It gives a  lovely sense of freedom to be able to stroll along in the middle of the road, admiring the views and taking in the details of the season.

I love seeing the bracken ferns gently beginning to unfurl in the hedgerows, another layer of fresh greenery to remind us that Spring is in full swing.

On this day last week we extended our route to make a big circular loop, walking the last two or three miles home along the canal towpath. 

It's been a long while since we walked this far along the canal and I had forgotten how tranquil it is to walk beside such still reflective waters. 

On Wednesday last week the rain finally came, after more than a month of exceptionally dry weather in April. It was really rather lovely to experience it after so long - the sight, sound, smell and feel of it was delightful. It wasn't especially heavy rain, more a series of light showers which continued on and off for a few days.

We still took our daily walk on the wet days and actually we didn't really get too wet walking under the leafy trees.

I absolutely loved being in the rainy woodland that afternoon, the scent of the warm, damp earth mixed with fresh wild garlic was magical. It's just unbelievably beautiful out there at the moment and I can't get enough of the bright light and colour that is flooding our days after what has felt like a long, grey winter. The woodland suddenly seemed to green up last week, with the beech leaves fully open but still soft and droopy and that amazing vibrant bright green.

Talking of greens, we have entered asparagus season and I am so delighted by this simple fact. Fresh, locally grown spears are in the supermarket now and I am eating as much of it as I can. Asparagus x 6 on the shopping list if I could get away with it, although it's still quite expensive as vegetables go. Gosh, I do love it so.

We've been muddling through with Little B and the whole business of home schooling, some days working better than others. Last week was a bit hit and miss to be honest, some days he seemed quite engaged and productive, working away in his bedroom and uploading his work to the online portal so that his teacher can see what he's up to. Other days the procrastination levels were sky high and he did everything possible to avoid sitting and actually doing anything. I had to keep my frustration in check (it's soooooo tiring trying to keep them going with it all), and we pretty much limped through the week.

Probably the most fun thing we did was the stuff about Healthy Eating (I'm sure this is on the curriculum every single year) - I took charge and suggested we could make soup from scratch, encouraging Little B to do most of the work. He did good, and we made a simple tomato and red pepper soup which he ate (at great speed) and then wrote up the recipe to share with his class online. 

When I'm not doing the Mummy/teacher things with the youngest offspring (which seems quite time consuming some days), you can usually find me sitting at the dining table. I'm continuing to put healthy food into my body and feel so good for it. My breakfast is usually oat pancakes, or a bowl of oats/seeds, greek yoghut, grated apple, banana and berries. I really love breakfast, it honestly gives me so much pleasure to make and eat that first meal of the day. 

Oh my gosh, do you see that??? That thing of utter beauty right there ↑↑↑ ???  That's my new mug which arrived in the post last week, and is most definitely one of my most favourite mugs ever ever ever. I am a long time huge fan of the ceramicist Ken Eardley and when I saw on Instagram that he had some fresh new mugs for sale, well my heart was invested within a nanosecond. Pink and turquoise is one of my all time favourite colour combinations and this mug honestly couldn't be more perfect for me. That beautifully excessive  handle is everything, and every coffee in this mug is an absolute pleasure. Sigh......so in love with my mug!

So yeah - lots of hours sat at the table, eating, drinking, pondering and hooking. Last week I worked a lot on my new Aria blanket, every day making the most delicious colour decisions, crocheting like the clappers and joining squares to make row upon row. Building a blanket from squares is huge fun, and although it's more stop-starty than working a striped design, I get such a kick from seeing it all come together. After a whole week of solid work I managed to join all one hundred and forty four squares. I am beyond excited by it and very proud of it too as it's been a major testing of my colour-design skills I have to say.

I find it easier to crochet join-as-you-go squares sat at the table, but throughout the making of this blanket I've had to frequently use the floor to make layout and colour decisions. I think it's been interesting for the Little People to see me at work actually, and they've been commenting, encouraging and occasionally making suggestions as I've spent countless hours on my hands and knees trying to work everything out.

I took the above photo a week ago on the same day when we took that drippy wet walk in the woods. The day felt chilly and even though I thought we were finished with the fire for this season, I couldn't resist a few hours of cosy warmth and fireside comfort. I really love having the fire lit, but it IS Spring and I really hope that there won't be another fire in that grate until October. Well possibly September would be acceptable, if it really came to it.

I had a few more bluebells and cow parsley stems on my table last week, very modest pickings from the verges and allotment.

I keep thinking about Bolton Abbey as this is the exact time of year that I so love being there, but I'm trying to be content with what I can find close to home and not dwell too much on what I'm missing. A couple of little bluebell stems in a glass jar on my table has been making me absurdly happy, so there is that. Pleasure in the little things - always.

And even though I'm not able to feast my eyes on the glorious bluebell banks this year, I've certainly been having fun stitching them! Last week I put the final crosses into my Spring sampler from Cotton & Twine and have to say I was a bit sad when it was all over - I've LoVeD stitching this design so much. I need to make time to get it mounted now, the Aria blanket has really had me in it's creative grips this past week and I've not been able to think of anything else. 

Well I hope you're all keeping well and content out there in your own stay-home bubbles, and that life is giving you more ups than downs. Remember to seek out the little things that give you pleasure and I really hope you're having a peaceful, restful week.

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Home Safe :: Week Five

Looking back at my photos from last week it seems like it was all about the blossom for me.

I've been waking up early, well six-ish which feels pretty early for these weekendish kind of days. Sometimes I doze back to sleep for another hour, but mostly I've been finding myself so wide awake that I absolutely have to get up and start my day there and then. I've been leaving my pjs folded in a neat pile and instead pulling on what I call my "workout gear". Ha!! In reality, these clothes are very un-sporty and consist of an old, comfy pair of 3/4 leggings, a baggy vest top which I think once belonged to a summer pj set and an oversized sweatshirt of some sorts (I have several to choose from). About the only item I wear which could be considered remotely exercisey is a sports bra, as I cannot contemplate doing any sort of leaping about without full coverage lock-down on my top half. 

As the live PE sesh doesn't start until 9 am and I'm generally up and dressed by 7, I've been heading out to partake in some early morning blossom worshipping. It takes me less than 10 minutes to walk to my favourite park bench which sits beneath these beautiful flowering trees. Gosh, it's just so beautiful there at the moment, and standing underneath such a heavenly load of floral perfection gives me an almost overwhelming surge of emotional feels. I can't quite articulate what the feelings are about - joy maybe? Gratitude? Abundant thankfulness for the fact that Winter is behind us?

Whatever it is, I find I need to just stand still and let it flow over me for a short while until my equilibrium is restored.

I've really been enjoying these short early morning walks as it's pretty much the only time when I can truly be alone. I love being home-safe with the family, but at the same time I do miss having time by myself. 

There is much peacefulness to be found quietly walking the narrow path through the woodland with just my own internal dialogue and the sights, scents and sounds of a Spring morning gently unfolding.

The woodland path is short (the woods are small and sparse along the top edge of the park) and it's not long before I emerge into the sunshine and see the blossom trees in all their glory.

A couple mornings I've made myself a coffee to take with me, just to up the happy stakes and make my heart content. Finding pleasure in the small things, well that happens to be a special talent of mine :)

Cow parsley is a wild hedgerow flower which usually belongs to the month of May up here in Yorkshire, but it's just beginning to bloom now due to the very warm sunny weather we've had. It grows in abundance along the woodland edge at the top of the park so I picked a couple of little stems to bring home. I called in at the allotment to pick a few more bluebells to bring back too, and the resulting small wild posy on my table has been making me very happy.

We're going to miss seeing the bluebells at Bolton Abbey this year, so I'm super grateful to have a few to bring home from the allotment to enjoy up close.

Talking of bluebells, I spent much of last week stitching them, little crosses in two shades of blue creating the prettiest little flowers on my Spring sampler. I almost finished this picture too, but not quite. I was making good progress but then got completely overwhelmed by a crochet project which all of a sudden demanded my attention and refused to let go. I'll show you a bit of that in just a while, if you're interested to know what has got me into a giddy spin.

I count my early morning solo blossom jaunts as mental/spiritual exercise (yes, it's a thing) and my afternoon family woodland jaunts as physical exercise. I love both of these types of walks for different reasons, and am very grateful to have these beautiful places within walking distance from my front door.

The wild garlic is oh-so-close to flowering, the flower buds teetering on the brink of eruption. I absolutely cannot wait for the floral explosion, the sheer abundance of it (not to mention the intoxicating scent) is something I look forward to every year. 

During the past week of never ending sunshine and warmth the treetops have finally started to wear their greenery and it is just so bloomin' lovely.

It feels like I've been waiting such a long time for it, gazing up through endless bare twiggy branches and wishing for leaves to appear. And now that they are here, well I am hugely happy.

It's mainly the tender young beech leaves which are giving us that delicious bright limey green - the oak and ash are still in bud. But I'll take whatever is there right now, drinking in all that freshness and colour. I love it so much, this time of growth and abundance.

On the home front, week five has felt slow, slow, slow. I've been content though, continuing to enjoy my gentle routines and pleasures.

I baked flapjacks again last week, for the second week in a row as the Little People love them and they make a great after dinner treat. I've perfected the art of baking them but not actually eating them, which believe me I'm very proud of. Small victories in my quest for good health, I'll take them.

Ah, remember last week I was telling you that I cleared and tidied this little corner of my back yard? Well I thought I'd show you, so you can picture me sitting in that tired old camping chair in the afternoons when this teensy little space becomes a sheltered sun trap. 

I love love love that I now have trees (trees!!!!) growing in my back yard, thanks to a very kind hand-me-down from a friend who moved house and couldn't take them with her. So I am the proud owner of a pear tree and a cherry tree - and even have my very own blossom!!!!! It's oh so magical, and I can often be found sitting in that chair just gazing up at the wonder of those floral branches above my head.

See how sunny it gets? It's a very sheltered little spot and perfect for some quiet alfresco stitching or hooking.

I mentioned earlier about a crochet project stealing all my time and attention this past week, and here I am hooking away like a woman possessed. Yes, it's a new blanket that I'm working on, and it's such a joyful thing full of rich colours that sing to my heart. I can't wait to show you more. It's a square blanket with some glorious colour play and I am absolutely loving it, to the point of obsession. My hands are blessedly also *ok* with the hours I'm spending with the hook, and I am seriously delighted by this fact. Crocheting in the warmth of the sun most definitely helps.

Ahhh........crochet life on the home front, it's just so so so good.

Aside from sunshine and crochet last week, let me see what else there was.......oh yes..........did I mention the blossom???

I might have taken rather a lot of blossom photos as I visited the trees almost every day.

And I think we may have reached peek blossom froth too. Blossom season is short and although this sometimes makes me sad, I don't think these flowers would have quite the same allure if they lasted for ages.

Walking home through the trees I am usually only aware of the birds, but one day I came across a squirrel going about his morning business. I wished right then at that moment that Little B had been with me as he loves wildlife, but he was still deeply in dreamland when I left the house which seems like a miracle to me. We've had sooooooooo many years of very early starts (like 5am early) with our offspring all being extremely early risers. So I'm very much enjoying the quiet of the house first thing when all three children are still asleep, it's really something of a novelty. It's blissful actually, especially as I am sleeping well myself at the moment (although it does change from week to week) and am waking up feeling rested and energised and ready to get going. 

I was wondering to myself about these lockdown days, and whether after 5 weeks that this all feels like a new kind of normal? I'm not sure to be honest - in some ways the extremely repetitive, slow nature of our days makes it feel like we've been living this way for much longer than five weeks. I do quite enjoy the gentle structure of our days, the work and play punctuated by food and exercise. It's not always easy for all five of us to be together in one smallish, tall thin building, but we are managing OK. Normal though? I just don't think our lack of freedom will ever feel normal to me. 

I hope you are all doing OK out there in the big wide world - tell me about your routines and your days and whether you are enjoying the slower pace of life? I wish you all the joys this week, I hope that there are many little things that make your smile :)

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